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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 22 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 22 recites the limitation "the controller" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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.
Claims 1-4, 9, 13-19, and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chun (KR20190001847). Regarding claims 1 and 14, Chun discloses a manufacturing cell for welding a workpiece (Figs. 18-23), the manufacturing cell comprising a sensor pod 10 configured to be coupled to a weld head (not numbered), the weld head configured to weld the workpiece (fig. 22, not numbered) and to be coupled to a terminal end of a robotic arm (Figs 17,18) such that the weld head is permitted to travel relative to a base of the robotic arm, wherein the robotic arm extends between the base and the terminal end, and wherein the sensor pod 10 comprises: an outer pod housing 100 defining an internal chamber S extending between a front end and a rear end of the pod housing, and wherein the front end of the pod housing defines an inherent receptacle (for the glass window), a sensor 200,300 positioned in the internal chamber of the pod housing, the sensor configured to provide sensor feedback associated with the workpiece; and a consumable window 330 comprising a transparent material (glass) is insertable into the receptacle such that a longitudinal axis of the sensor intersects the consumable window 330 when the consumable window is inserted into the receptacle.
Regarding claim 2, Chun discloses that the sensor pod 10 is coupled to the weld head such that the sensor pod 10 is configured to travel in concert with the weld head relative to the base of the robotic arm.
Regarding claim 3, Chun discloses that the longitudinal axis projects from the sensor of the sensor pod towards a terminal end of the weld head (Figs. 18-20).
Regarding claim 4, Chun discloses that the sensor pod 10 includes a camera 300 configured to record imaging data of the workpiece, and wherein the sensor pod 10 is coupled to a laser pod 200 comprising a laser which is configured to project a light onto the workpiece.
Regarding claim 9, Chun discloses that the front end of the pod housing comprises a transparent window 320 comprising a transparent material (filter for the camera), and wherein the transparent window 320 is positioned between the sensor and the consumable window 330 along the longitudinal axis when the consumable window 330 is inserted in the receptacle.
Regarding claims 13 and 14, Chun further discloses that the pod housing comprises a coolant inlet 510 in fluid communication with the internal chamber S, and a coolant circulation module 500 comprising a coolant source (compressor not shown) and one or more fluid conduits (cooling pipe not shown) coupled between the coolant source and the coolant inlet 510 of the pod housing of the sensor pod whereby fluid communication is provided between the coolant source and the internal chamber S of the pod housing, wherein the coolant circulation module 500 is configured to circulate a coolant (air) from the coolant source (compressor), through the one or more fluid conduits, and into the internal chamber S of the pod housing via the coolant inlet 510.
Regarding claim 15, Chun discloses that the pod housing of the sensor pod comprises a coolant vent 520 in fluid communication with the internal chamber S, and wherein the coolant vent is configured to vent fluid from the internal chamber into the atmosphere (paragraphs [0055]-[0056], “outside”).
Regarding claim 16, Chun discloses a plurality of the sensor pods 200,300 each coupled to the weld head, and wherein the coolant source of the coolant circulation module 500 is in fluid communication with the internal chamber S of each of the plurality of sensor pods 200,300.
Regarding claim 17, Chun discloses that the sensor pod 10 is coupled to the weld head such that the sensor pod 10 is configured to travel in concert with the weld head relative to the base of the robotic arm.
Regarding claim 18, Chun discloses the longitudinal axis projects from the sensor of the sensor pod towards a terminal end of the weld head (Figs. 18-20).
Regarding claim 19, Chun discloses the sensor pod 10 includes a camera 300 configured to record imaging data of the workpiece, and wherein the sensor pod 10 is coupled to a laser pod 200 comprising a laser which is configured to project a light onto the workpiece.
Regarding claim 23, Chun discloses a controller coupled to the sensor pod and configured to operate at least one of the robotic arm and the weld head based on the sensor feedback provided by the sensor of the sensor pod (paragraph [0003], “…sensors are used to identify information about the weld line….to correct the position of the welding torch…”).
Prior Art
Prior art made of record but not relied upon is considered pertinent to Applicant's disclosure for showing other manufacturing cells for welding workpieces with sensor pods containing sensors.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-8, 10-12, and 20-21 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. The improvements comprise that (claim 5) the sensor pod comprises a retainer coupled to the front end of the pod housing and configured to retain the consumable window in the receptacle, (claim 10) the consumable window of the sensor pod is removably insertable into the receptacle of the pod housing, (claim 11) the sensor pod comprises a plurality of the consumable windows, each removably insertable into the receptacle of the pod housing, (claim 12) the receptacle of the sensor pod is external to the internal chamber of the pod housing, (claim 20) the front end of the pod housing of the sensor pod defines a receptacle, and the sensor pod further comprises a consumable window comprising a transparent material is insertable into the receptacle such that a longitudinal axis of the sensor intersects the consumable window when the consumable window is inserted into the receptacle, and
Claim 22 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. The improvement comprises (claim 22) one or more artificial light sources coupled to the sensor pod, wherein the controller is configured to operate the one or more artificial light sources.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communication from the examiner should be directed to Thomas Lazo whose telephone number is (571) 272-4818. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor Nathaniel Wiehe, can be reached on (571) 272-8648. The fax phone number for this Group is (571) 273-8300.
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/THOMAS E LAZO/Primary Examiner,
Art Unit 3745
September 24, 2026
