Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 1-2, filed November 18, 2025, with respect to the rejections of claims 1-20 under Chinese Patent Publication No. 109397246 A ("Xu"). have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Rocholl et al (US Patent Publication US 20200347659 A1), Yu (WIPO Patent Publication WO 2022166643 A1), Crawley (US Patent Publication US 20190079532 A1), and CN Patent CN 106924907 A.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-6, 11-12, and 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Crawley (US Patent Publication US 20190079532 A1).
With regards to Claim 1: Crawley teaches a robot, comprising: a chassis (1100); and a housing (1100a seen in Annotated Crawley Fig 2 below) mounted to the chassis, the housing including a panel (top of 1300) configured to mount a component (300) thereto, wherein the panel is configured to pivot about a pivoting axis perpendicular to a horizontal axis of the housing and a vertical axis of the housing, thereby controlling access to an interior of the housing (via Fig 3).
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Annotated Crawley Fig 2
With regards to Claim 2: Crawley teaches the robot as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a port plate (1650) including one or more electrical ports (para[0054]), wherein the port plate is mounted to the housing (1100a).
With regards to Claim 3: Crawley teaches the robot as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a port panel (1650) including an electrical port (para[0054]), wherein the port panel is mounted to the chassis (1100).
With regards to Claim 4: Crawley teaches the robot as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a load unit (310 and 320) including at least one of a robotic arm (320).
With regards to Claim 5: Crawley teaches the robot as claimed in claim 4, wherein the component (300) is configured to drive the load unit (310 and 320 via computer 307 and battery built in accessory in para [0194].
With regards to Claim 6: Crawley teaches the robot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the panel (top of 1300) is further configured to extend beyond exterior planes including exterior surfaces of the chassis (1100) with the housing (1100a) located within the exterior planes of the chassis, and wherein the panel pivots to extend beyond a vertical plane including an exterior surface of the robot (seen in Fig 3).
With regards to Claim 11: Crawley teaches the robot as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a utility compartment (seen under 1300 in Fig 3) mounted to the chassis, wherein the utility compartment includes at least one of a battery (1500).
With regards to Claim 12: Crawley teaches the robot as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an autonomous vehicle (1600) mounted to the chassis (1100) , wherein the autonomous vehicle is configured to move the chassis autonomously (via para [0050]).
With regards to Claim 17: Crawley teaches a chassis for a robot, the chassis comprising: a set of wheels (1000 and/or 1010); and a housing (1100a) including a plurality of panels (top and sides of 1300) configured for mounting a component (300) thereto, the plurality of panels including a panel (top of 1300) pivotably mounted to the housing, wherein the panel is configured to pivot about a pivoting axis perpendicular to a horizontal axis of the housing and a vertical axis of the housing, thereby controlling access to an interior of the housing (via Fig 3).
With regards to Claim 18: Crawley teaches the chassis as claimed in claim 17, further comprising a port plate (1650) including one or more electrical ports (para[0054]), wherein the port plate is mounted on the housing (1100a).
Claims 1, 4, 6, 11, 13-14, 17, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Rocholl et al (US Patent Publication US 20200347659 A1).
With regards to Claim 1: Rocholl et al teaches a robot, comprising: a chassis (12); and a housing (14) mounted to the chassis, the housing including a panel (34) configured to mount a component thereto (400), wherein the panel is configured to pivot about a pivoting axis perpendicular to a horizontal axis of the housing and a vertical axis of the housing, thereby controlling access to an interior of the housing (per Fig 4C).
With regards to Claim 4: Rocholl et al teaches the robot as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a load unit (40) including at least one of a robotic arm (via para [0063]) and a storage compartment (60).
With regards to Claim 6: Rocholl et al teaches the robot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the panel (34) is further configured to extend beyond exterior planes including exterior surfaces of the chassis (12) with the housing (14) located within the exterior planes of the chassis, and wherein the panel pivots to extend beyond a vertical plane including an exterior surface of the robot (seen in Fig 4C).
With regards to Claim 11: Rocholl et al teaches the robot as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a utility compartment (16) mounted to the chassis (12), wherein the utility compartment includes at least a storage compartment (space inside the cab 16).
With regards to Claim 13: Rocholl et al teaches the robot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the panel (34) is configured to move between a closed position and an open position, wherein the panel is parallel to the vertical axis in the closed position and non-parallel to the vertical axis in the open position (seen in Fig 4C).
With regards to Claim 14: Rocholl et al teaches the robot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the panel (34) is configured to pivot to an angle ranging from 0 degree to 90 degrees with respect to the vertical axis (seen in Fig 4C).
With regards to Claim 17: Rocholl et al teaches a chassis for a robot, the chassis comprising: a set of wheels (22); and a housing (14) including a plurality of panels (32 and 34) configured for mounting a component thereto, the plurality of panels including a panel (34) pivotably mounted to the housing, wherein the panel is configured to pivot about a pivoting axis perpendicular to a horizontal axis of the housing and a vertical axis of the housing, thereby controlling access to an interior of the housing (per Fig 4C).
With regards to Claim 19: Rocholl teaches the chassis as claimed in claim 17, wherein the panel (34) is configured to move between a closed position and an open position, wherein the panel is parallel to the vertical axis in the closed position and non-parallel to the vertical axis in the open position (seen in Fig 4C) .
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yu (WIPO Patent Publication WO 2022166643 A1).
With regards to Claim 1: Yu teaches a robot, comprising: a chassis (30); and a housing (seen receiving a package in Fig 5) mounted to the chassis, the housing including a panel (31) configured to mount a component thereto (via 32), wherein the panel is configured to pivot about a pivoting axis perpendicular to a horizontal axis of the housing and a vertical axis of the housing, thereby controlling access to an interior of the housing (seen in Fig 5).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-10, 15-16 and 20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/MATTHEW JOSEPH GANCI/Examiner, Art Unit 3614
/JASON D SHANSKE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3614