DETAILED ACTION
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 .
In the event determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Claim Objections
Claim 16 is objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 16, line 3, “rotable” should read “rotably”. 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 1-20, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Griebling et al. (US 2021/0361445).
Regarding claim 1, Griebling discloses a prosthetic finger (30; see Figs. 1A-1B) comprising: a first phalange (P1) that couples to a hand (see paragraph [0024]), a second phalange (P2) coupled to the first phalange (P1) at a joint (A1, B1, see Fig.1B) and comprising a body portion (5b), a motor (14a) positioned at least partially within the body portion (see Fig. 3), and a gear housing (5a) coupled to the body portion (5b) and comprising a gear system (10a, 9a) operably coupled to the motor (at 14b), and a clutch (40 and 40’) positioned at the joint (A2, B2, see Figs. 3-4B) and configured to, in response to a force on the clutch below a threshold, cause an output of the gear system to move the first phalange with respect to the second phalange (see paragraphs [0037] and [0039]), and in response to the force on the clutch meeting or exceeding the threshold, cause the gear system to statically couple with respect to the first phalange and prevent movement of the first phalange with respect to the second phalange (see paragraphs [0036] and [0038]).
Regarding claim 2, Griebling discloses the prosthetic finger (30; see Figs. 1A-1B) of claim 1, wherein the gear system (10a, 9a) comprises first ratchet features (7a; see Fig.3), the clutch (40 and 40’) is coupled to the first phalange (P1) and comprises second ratchet features (7b), and in response to the force on the clutch meeting the threshold, the first ratchet features engage with the second ratchet features (see paragraph [0031]).
Regarding claim 3, Griebling discloses the prosthetic finger (30; see Figs. 1A-1B) of claim 2, wherein the clutch (40 and 40’) comprises a compressible member (spring (13)) positioned between the first ratchet features and the second ratchet features (see Fig.3); in response to the force on the clutch below the threshold, the compressible member separates the first ratchet features from the second ratchet features (see paragraphs [0036] and [0037]); and in response to the force on the clutch meeting the threshold, the compressible member compresses to engage the first ratchet features with the second ratchet features (see paragraph [0038]).
Regarding claim 4, Griebling discloses the prosthetic finger (30; see Figs. 1A-1B) of claim 3, wherein the compressible member (spring (13)) comprises a compressible washer (see Fig.3).
Regarding claim 5, Griebling discloses the prosthetic finger (30; see Figs. 1A-1B) of claim 2, wherein the clutch (40 and 40’) comprises a first member (20, see Fig.4A-4B) coupled to the gear system (10a, 9a) defining first wave features comprising a first set of peaks and valleys (9b, see Fig. 4A-4B), and second wave features defined by the first phalange and comprising a second set of peaks and valleys (9b’, see Figs. 4C-4D), in response to the force on the clutch below the threshold, the first set of peaks engages with the first set of valleys (see paragraph [0036]), and in response to the force on the clutch (40 and 40’) meeting the threshold, the first set of peaks contacts the second set of peaks (see paragraph [0037]).
Regarding claim 6, Griebling discloses the prosthetic finger (30; see Figs. 1A-1B) of claim 5, wherein the first and second ratchet features (7a, 7b, see Fig.3) are positioned on a first side of the gear system (10a, 9a), and the first and second sets of peaks and valleys are positioned on a second side of the gear system (9b, 9b’, see Fig. 4A-4B).
Regarding claim 7, Griebling discloses the prosthetic finger (30; see Figs. 1A-1B) of claim 5, wherein the gear system (10a, 9a) comprises an output shaft (motor shaft (14b)) that rotates in response to a motor output (see paragraph [0030]); and the first member is rigidly coupled to the output shaft (see Fig.2).
Regarding claim 8, Griebling discloses the prosthetic finger (30; see Figs. 1A-1B) of claim 5, wherein the gear system (10a, 9a) comprises an output shaft (motor shaft (14b)) that rotates in response to a motor output (see paragraph [0030]); and the first member is defined by the output shaft (see Fig.2).
Regarding claim 9, Griebling discloses the prosthetic finger (30; see Figs. 1A-1B) of claim 1, wherein motion of the phalanges in a first direction causes the clutch (40 and 40’) to couple the gear system (10a, 9a) to the first phalange (P1, see paragraphs [0030] and [0034]), and motion of the phalanges in a second direction causes the clutch to uncouple the gear system from the first phalange (see paragraph [0031]).
Regarding claim 10, Griebling discloses the prosthetic finger (30; see Figs. 1A-1B) of claim 1, wherein the motor (14a) is configured to cause motion in the second direction to uncouple the gear system (10a, 9a) from the first phalange (P1, par. [0033]).
Regarding claim 11, Griebling discloses a prosthetic finger (30; see Figs. 1A-1B) comprising: a first phalange (P1) that couples to a hand (see paragraph [0024]); a second phalange (P2) comprising a gear system housing (5a) coupled to the first phalange to define a joint (A1, B1, see Fig.1B); a clutch (40 or 40’) comprising: an engagement system (7a) positioned between the first phalange (P1) and the gear system housing (5a), and a locking system (8a) that, when engaged by the engagement system, is configured to prevent movement of the second phalange with respect to the first phalange (see paragraph [0036]).
Regarding claim 12, Griebling discloses the prosthetic finger (30; see Figs. 1A-1B) of claim 11, wherein the engagement system (7a, see paragraph [0033]) causes the locking system (8a, see paragraph [0031]) to engage when a force on the prosthetic finger meets a threshold (see paragraphs [0031] and [0032]).
Regarding claim 13, Griebling discloses the prosthetic finger (30; see Figs. 1A-1B) of claim 11, wherein the second phalange (P2) comprises an output shaft (motor shaft (14b)) extending from the gear system (10a, 9a) housing the output shaft is coupled to the first phalange (P1, motor shaft (14b), see Fig.2), and the engagement system (7a) comprises a first portion coupled to the output shaft, and a second portion coupled to the first phalange (see Fig.2).
Regarding claim 14, Griebling discloses the prosthetic finger (30; see Figs. 1A-1B) of claim 13, wherein the engagement system (7a, see paragraph [0033]) further comprises a biasing member that engages the first portion with the second portion (see paragraph [0034]).
Regarding claim 15, Griebling discloses the prosthetic finger (30; see Figs. 1A-1B) of claim 11, wherein a first portion of the locking system (8a, see Figs.4A-4B) is defined by the gear system (10a, 9a) housing and a second portion of the locking system is defined by the first phalange (see paragraph [0034]).
Regarding claim 16, Griebling discloses a prosthetic finger (30; see Figs. 1A-1B) comprising a first phalange (P1) that couples to a hand (see paragraph [0024]), a second phalange (P2) rotatable coupled to the first phalange and defined by a body portion (5b; see Fig.2), and a gear system (10a, 9a) comprising a housing (referred to as a “mechanism envelope”, see par. [0017]) and a first output shaft (motor shaft (14b)) extending from the housing (see Fig.2), and a clutch (40 and ’40) comprising a flexure element (worm screw (10a)) coupled to the first output shaft (motor shaft (14b)), a second output shaft (connector (15)) extending through the flexure element and coupled to the first output shaft and the first phalange (see Fig. 4A-4B).
Regarding claim 17, Griebling discloses the prosthetic finger (30; see Figs. 1A-1B) of claim 16, wherein the second phalange (P2) defined an opening and the flexure element is positioned at least partially within the opening (see Fig.2).
Regarding claim 18, Griebling discloses the prosthetic finger (30; see Figs. 1A-1B) of claim 17, wherein the flexure element is configured to deform in response to a difference in force on the first output shaft and the second output shaft (motor shaft (14b), connector (15), see paragraph [0031]); and in response to the difference in force on the first output shaft and the second output shaft meeting a threshold, the flexure element is configured to prevent movement of the first phalange with respect to the second phalange (P1, P2, see paragraph [0030] and [0031]).
Regarding claim 19, Griebling discloses the prosthetic finger (30; see Figs. 1A-1B) of claim 16, wherein the flexure element defines one or more openings (see Fig.1A); the first output shaft defines a central shaft (see Fig.4C-4D), and one or more cams (see Fig.4C-4D), the second output shaft is positioned at least partially over the central shaft (see Fig.4C-4D), and the one or more cams are positioned at least partially within the one or more openings (see Fig.4C-4D).
Regarding claim 20, Griebling discloses the prosthetic finger (30; see Figs. 1A-1B) of claim 19, wherein the second output shaft can rotate with respect to the first output shaft (see paragraph [0029]).
Conclusion
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/RAEGAN CROWE/
Examiner, Art Unit 3774
/KATRINA M STRANSKY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3700
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