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 .
Claim Objections
Claim 20 objected to because of the following informalities: Claim appears to contain a typo. It appears “a actuator” should be “an actuator”. Appropriate correction is required.
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, 6-20 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated Tomita et al (US Pub App 2008/0023925).
Regarding claim 1, Tomita discloses an adjustable load handling system (ALHS) comprising:
one or more load arms (93a, b),
wherein the one or more load arms are configured to operably engage one or more totes (capable of);
a cam assembly (28) comprising:
a cam wheel (114); and
a guide plate (120a, b) comprising one or more guide slots (128a, b),
wherein the one or more load arms are disposed within the one or more guide slots (Fig.6), and
wherein the one or more load arms are operably engaged with the cam wheel such that a rotation of the cam wheel causes the one or more load arms to slide along the one or more guide slots relative to the cam wheel (Para.61); and
a motor (102) operably engaged with the cam assembly,
wherein the motor is configured to drive the rotation of the cam wheel (Para.45).
Regarding claim 2, Tomita further discloses
an actuator (Abstract); and
a carriage (12),
wherein the cam assembly is disposed on the carriage (Fig.1), and wherein the actuator is configured to translate the carriage relative to the one or more (totes) (Abstract).
Regarding claim 3, Tomita further discloses
a mount plate (106); and
a block (42),
wherein the cam assembly is disposed on the block (Fig.1),
wherein the block is disposed on the mount plate (Fig.2),
wherein the motor is disposed on the mount plate (Fig.2), and
wherein the mount plate is disposed on the carriage (Fig.1).
Regarding claim 4, Tomita further discloses the one or more load arms (93a, b) comprise one or more guide pins (100), wherein the cam wheel defines one or more wheel tracks and wherein the one or more guide pins are disposed within the one or more wheel tracks, such that the rotation of the cam wheel causes the one or more pins to slide along the one or more wheel tracks relative to the guide plate (120a, b).
Regarding claim 6, Tomita further discloses the rotation of the cam wheel in a first direction causes the one or more load arms to move closer to the guide plate, and wherein the rotation of the cam wheel in a second direction causes the one or more load arms to move farther from the guide plate (Para.61).
Regarding claim 7, Tomita further discloses the cam wheel comprises a wheel alignment hole, wherein the guide plate comprises a plate alignment hole, and wherein at least a portion of the motor is disposed through the wheel alignment hole and the plate alignment hole (Figs.1-2).
Regarding claim 8, Tomita further discloses the rotation of the cam wheel in a first direction causes the one or more load arms to operably engage with the one or more totes (capable of), and wherein the rotation of the cam wheel in a second direction causes the one or more load arms to refrain from operably engaging with the one or more totes (Para.61).
Regarding claim 9, Tomita further discloses the first direction is clockwise and the second direction is counterclockwise (Para.49).
Regarding claim 10, Tomita further discloses the one or more load arms comprise a first load arm and a second load arm (93a, b), and wherein the first load arm is disposed on a first side of the cam assembly (28) and the second load arm is disposed on a second side of the cam assembly (Fig.1).
Regarding claim 11, Tomita further discloses the first load arm and the second load arm are symmetrical with respect to the guide plate (120) (Fig.1).
Regarding claim 12, Tomita further discloses first load arm and the second load arm are separated by a distance, wherein the rotation of the cam wheel in a first direction causes the distance to decrease, and wherein the rotation of the cam wheel in a second direction causes the distance to increase ().
Regarding claim 13, Tomita discloses an automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) comprising:
a shuttle cart assembly (Fig.1) comprising:
a cart frame comprising one or more frame slots (82); one or more load arms (93a, b),
wherein the one or more load arms are configured to operably engage one or more totes (capable of);
a cam assembly (28) comprising: a cam wheel; and
a guide plate (120a, b) comprising one or more guide slots (128a, b),
wherein the one or more load arms are disposed within the one or more guide slots (Fig.6),
wherein the one or more load arms are operably engaged with the cam wheel such that a rotation of the cam wheel causes the one or more load arms to slide along the one or more guide slots relative to the guide plate (Para.61), and
wherein the cam assembly is disposed within the cart frame (Fig.1); and
a motor (102) operably engaged with the cam assembly (28),
wherein the motor is configured to drive the rotation of the cam wheel (Para.45).
Regarding claim 14, Tomita further discloses
an actuator (Abstract) disposed within the one or more frame slots; and
a carriage (12), wherein the cam assembly is disposed on the carriage (Fig.1_, and wherein the actuator is configured to translate the carriage relative to the cart frame (Fig.6).
Regarding claim 15, Tomita further discloses
a mount plate (106); and
a block (42),
wherein the cam assembly is disposed on the block (Fig.1),
wherein the block is disposed on the mount plate (Fig.2),
wherein the motor (102) is disposed on the mount plate (Fig.1),
wherein the mount plate is disposed on the carriage (Fig.1), and
wherein the carriage is disposed on the actuator (Fig.1).
Regarding claim 16, Tomita further discloses the one or more load arms comprise one or more guide pins (100), wherein the cam wheel defines one or more wheel tracks, and wherein the one or more guide pins are disposed within the one or more wheel tracks, such that the rotation of the cam wheel causes the one or more pins to slide along the one or more wheel tracks relative to the guide plate (102a, b).
Regarding claim 17, Tomita further discloses the one or more load arms comprise a first load arm and a second load arm, and wherein the first load arm is disposed on a first side of the cam assembly (28) and the second load arm is disposed on a second side of the cam assembly (Fig.1).
Regarding claim 18, Tomita further discloses the first load arm and the second load arm are symmetrical with respect to the guide plate (120) (Fig.1).
Regarding claim 19, Tomita further discloses the first load arm and the second load arm are separated by a distance, wherein the rotation of the cam wheel in a first direction causes the distance to decrease, and wherein the rotation of the cam wheel in a second direction causes the distance to increase (Fig.1, Para.61).
Regarding claim 20, Tomita discloses a method of adjusting a load handling system, the method comprising:
inserting one or more load arms (93a, b) into a guide slot (128a, b) of a guide plate (120a, b) of a cam assembly (28);
aligning one or guide pins (100) of one or more load arms with one or more tracks of a cam wheel of a cam assembly;
rotating, by a motor (102), the cam wheel, such that the one or more guide pins travel along the one or more tracks relative to the cam wheel and the one or more load arms slide along the one or more guide slots relative to the guide plate (Para.61) (Fig.2); and translating, by an actuator (Abstract), the cam assembly relative to a cart frame of a shuttle cart (Fig.1).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim 5 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tomita et al (US Pub App 2008/0023925) in view of Ricco et al (US 5,588,796).
Regarding claim 5, Tomita does not further specifically disclose the motor comprises a servo motor or a stepper motor.
Ricco teaches a cam driven cartridge clamp with a servo motor (59).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to have modified Tomita in view of Ricco to have a servo motor in order to increase control over position.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Nebelung, Jeddeloh, Redman, Lert, Fisch, Miyagawa, Dellach, Dooley, Toebes, Wehner, Wagner, Wanner, Iwata, Qu, Jenkins, Razumov, Frissenbichler, Dries, Ferguson, Toebes, Mantha, Del Popolo, Turco, Zur, Xue, McIntosh, Sullivan, Fahldieck, Toebes, Zanger, Ward, Song, Bhaskaran, Acciavatti, Pfeffer, Ostwalk, Bhaskaran, Iwamoto, Zuckerman, Steenson, Sullivan, Sarda, Wagner, Frissenbichler, Mariusse, Gazza, Burns, Toebes, Goto, Green, Sullivan and Toebes further disclose elements of an adjustable load handling system.
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/SAUL RODRIGUEZ/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3652
/ASHLEY K ROMANO/Examiner, Art Unit 3652
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