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 Amendment
The amendment filed on 12/30/2025 has been entered. Claim 1, and 5 have been amended.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) have been considered but are moot because new limitations have been added to independent claims 1, and 5, therefore a new interpretation has been used and the arguments are moot.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the 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.
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.
Claim(s) 1-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Glenn (US 7434677).
Regarding claim-1. Glenn discloses A method for singulation and alignment of elongated product (product) oriented transverse to its direction of travel (Abstract; Fig.1-2), the method comprising the steps of:
transferring the product off the end of a first conveyor (3, Fig.1-2);
allowing gravity to act with the product's momentum to maintain motion, increase speed, and alter its path of travel (Col.3 line60-68 to Col.4 line1-24; Col.6 line14-24, Fig.1-2);
allowing a bottom-most layer of the elongated product in a more desirable position and orientation to enter an unimpeded freefall upon leaving said first conveyor, thereby allowing more acceleration due to gravity relative to pieces of elongated product in less desirable positions and orientations, thereby creating more space between the individual pieces of said bottom-most layer of elongated product as they fall (Col.3 line60-68 to Col.4 line1-24; Col.6 line14-24, Fig.1-2);
delaying acceleration of any pieces of elongated product in less desirable positions and orientations to reposition and reorient said pieces of elongated product such that they either move into the spaces created by the unimpeded freefall of the bottom-most elongated product layer, or at least into a more favorable position and orientation as they fall (Col.3 line60-68 to Col.4 line1-24; Col.6 line14-24, Fig.1-2).
Regarding claim-2. Glenn discloses further comprising the step of redirecting the falling elongated product toward a generally horizontal path of travel (towards 6, Fig.1-2).
Regarding claim-3. Glenn discloses wherein the direction of horizontal travel (6) is in the opposite direction from that of the first conveyor (conveyor 6 conveys product opposite to conveyor 3, Fig.1-2).
Regarding claim-4. Glenn discloses further comprising the step of engaging and transferring the elongated product on a subsequent second conveyor (6) in the opposite direction from that of the first conveyor (conveyor 6 conveys product opposite to conveyor 3, Fig.1-2).
Regarding claim-5. Glenn discloses wherein: a first of two or more cycles, begins with the step of transferring of the elongated product off the end of the first conveyor (3), includes the steps of allowing gravity to act on the elongated product as it falls and redirecting the falling elongated product toward a generally horizontal direction (6) of travel opposite that of the first conveyor, and ends with the step of engaging of the elongated product with the subsequent second conveyor (6); and a subsequent cycle begins with the step of transferring the elongated product off the end of the subsequent second conveyor and repeats the steps of the first cycle ending with the step of engaging the elongated product with yet another subsequent third conveyor (7) (Conveyor 3 conveys product to conveyor 6, which then conveys product to conveyor 7, Fig.1-2).
Regarding claim-6. Glenn discloses wherein each subsequent cycle transfers the product in a direction opposite of the previous cycle and a last and lowermost conveyor engages and transfers the singulated, aligned array of pieces of elongated product for presentation to a subsequent process or machine (product moves from conveyor 3 to 6, 6 to 7, 7 to 8, 8 to 9, 9 to next processing stage, Col.5 line42-47, Fig.1-2).
Claim(s) 1-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yuji (US 8292061).
Regarding claim-1. Yuji discloses A method for singulation and alignment of elongated product (110) oriented transverse to its direction of travel (Abstract; Fig.4-9), the method comprising the steps of:
transferring the product (110) off the end of a first conveyor (200);
allowing gravity to act with the product's momentum to maintain motion, increase speed, and alter its path of travel (Col.3 line4-18, 30-40; Fig.4-9);
allowing a bottom-most layer of the elongated product in a more desirable position and orientation to enter an unimpeded freefall upon leaving said first conveyor, thereby allowing more acceleration due to gravity relative to pieces of elongated product in less desirable positions and orientations, thereby creating more space between the individual pieces of said bottom-most layer of elongated product as they fall (Col.3 line4-18, 30-40; Fig.4-9);
delaying acceleration of any pieces of elongated product in less desirable positions and orientations to reposition and reorient said pieces of elongated product such that they either move into the spaces created by the unimpeded freefall of the bottom-most elongated product layer, or at least into a more favorable position and orientation as they fall (Col.3 line4-18, 30-40; Fig.4-9).
Regarding claim-2. Yuji discloses further comprising the step of redirecting the falling elongated product toward a generally horizontal path of travel (M2, Fig.4-9).
Regarding claim-3. Yuji discloses wherein the direction of horizontal travel is in the opposite direction from that of the first conveyor (M2 is opposite to 200, Fig.4-9).
Regarding claim-4. Yuji discloses further comprising the step of engaging and transferring the elongated product on a subsequent second conveyor (400) in the opposite direction from that of the first conveyor (200) (M2 is opposite to 200, Fig.4-9).
Regarding claim-5. Yuji discloses wherein: a first of two or more cycles, begins with the step of transferring of the elongated product off the end of the first conveyor, includes the steps of allowing gravity to act on the elongated product as it falls and redirecting the falling elongated product toward a generally horizontal direction of travel opposite that of the first conveyor, and ends with the step of engaging of the elongated product with the subsequent second conveyor; and a subsequent cycle begins with the step of transferring the elongated product off the end of the subsequent second conveyor and repeats the steps of the first cycle ending with the step of engaging the elongated product with yet another subsequent third conveyor (Conveyor 200 conveys product to conveyor 400, which then conveys product to conveyor 420, Fig.4-9).
Regarding claim-6. Yuji discloses wherein each subsequent cycle transfers the product in a direction opposite of the previous cycle and a last and lowermost conveyor engages and transfers the singulated, aligned array of pieces of elongated product for presentation to a subsequent process or machine (Conveyor 200 conveys product to conveyor 400, which then conveys product to conveyor 420, Fig.4-9).
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
/M.A./
Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3651
/GENE O CRAWFORD/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3651
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