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. Claims 1-24 remains pending.
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) 1-23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Robert (US 2799384).
Regarding claim-1. Robert discloses a method for singulation and alignment of elongated product-oriented (14) transverse to its direction of travel on a ramp system (18) (Fig.1), the method comprising the steps of:
transferring the product off the end of a first conveyor (first conveyor 10) to a first ramp (20);
allowing gravity to act with the product's momentum to maintain motion, increase speed, and alter its path of travel; 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 to said first ramp, 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; 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 (See Fig.1 ramp 20’s singulate, reorient and transfer product 14 onto multiple Zig-Zag conveyor 10’s).
Regarding claim-2. Robert discloses further comprising the step of redirecting the
falling elongated product toward a generally horizontal path of travel (on second conveyor 10, Fig.1).
Regarding claim-3. Robert discloses wherein the direction of horizontal travel is in the opposite direction from that of the first conveyor (Fig.1).
Regarding claim-4. Robert discloses further comprising the step of engaging and transferring the elongated product on a subsequent second conveyor in the opposite direction from that of the first conveyor (Fig.1).
Regarding claim-5. Robert 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 to said first ramp, 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 (Fig.1); and
a subsequent cycle begins with the step of transferring the elongated product off the end of the subsequent second conveyor to a second ramp (18) and repeats the steps of the first cycle ending with the step of engaging the elongated product with yet another subsequent third conveyor (third conveyor 10) (Fig.1).
Regarding claim-6. Robert 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 (Zig-Zag transfer of products 14 on conveyors 10Fig.1).
Regarding claim-7. Robert discloses an apparatus for singulating and aligning elongated product-oriented transverse to its direction of travel (Fig.1), said apparatus comprising:
a ramp system (20) which is positioned at the downstream end of an upstream equipment (10) such that said ramp system acts on the transferred elongated product as it reaches said end of an elongated product support surface of the upstream equipment and as it transitions off of and falls away from said end of the upstream equipment (Fig.1);
said ramp system (20) comprising two or more adjacent, planar surfaces (defined at 20, 24, 16, close to 12), wherein each planer surface is generally perpendicular to a vertical plane through the centerline of the elongated product's path of travel up to and off of said downstream end of the upstream equipment and each planer surface has a first end and a second end by which the elongated product travels passed the first end prior to the second end; the first end of the first of said adjacent planar surfaces is positioned at an elevation of two or more elongated product thicknesses above the downstream end of said upstream equipment; the second end of said first planar surface is positioned a horizontal distance beyond the first end of the first planar surface and beyond the downstream end of said upstream equipment in the direction of the elongated product's travel, at an elevation equal to or less than that of the downstream end of said upstream equipment resulting in an angle less than 90 degrees between said first planar surface and the elongated product support surface of said upstream equipment; the first end of the second of said adjacent planar surfaces is positioned adjacent to the second end of said first planer surface; the second end of said second planar surface is positioned a vertical distance below the first end of the second planar surface and horizontally such that the resulting angle between the second planar surface and the first planar surface is greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees (See Fig.1 ramp 20 structure having curvature to singulate and reorient product 14); and
wherein optionally subsequent adjacent planar surfaces are positioned and oriented relative to their respective preceding planar surface according to the same relation between the second planar surface and the first planar surface.
Regarding claim-8. Robert discloses wherein:
said adjacent planar surfaces are each distanced away from and angled relative to said upstream equipment according to the speed of said upstream equipment and the range of combinations of product widths and respective thicknesses such that a relatively aligned, single layer of the elongated product can pass through a resulting gap with only enough contact to divert its direction of travel to the desired direction thereby having more speed and distance of unimpeded freefall relative to pieces of elongated product in less desirable positions or orientations; pieces of the elongated product in a single layer that are misaligned contact said adjacent planar surfaces only enough to improve the elongated product's alignment and divert its direction of travel to the desired direction thereby minimally affecting its speed and distance of unimpeded freefall; pieces of the elongated product undesirably positioned or oriented such that they protrude above the thickness of a single layer of the elongated product such as pieces stacked, piled, in a shingled or scaled array, or otherwise superposed on a first bottommost layer of the elongated product contact said adjacent planar surfaces significantly such that these undesirably positioned or oriented pieces of elongated product are slowed or delayed in their travel with the slowing or delaying effect being greater relative to a piece's position or protrusion above the thickness of a single layer being greater, thus causing a variable rate of repositioning of the undesirably positioned or oriented pieces relative to the pieces in the first bottommost layer as they are aligned and diverted to the desired direction of travel; said adjacent planar surfaces having transitions between each planar surface ranging from abrupt with sharp vertices at the intersection for greater impedance to product flow, to gradual and smooth with curved, tangentially aligned, transitional surfaces between each plane for less disturbance of product flow and orientation; said range of transition types are arranged with more abrupt transitions higher in the ramp system wherein contact is almost entirely from the undesirably positioned or oriented pieces, and with transitions becoming more gradual the lower in the ramp system they are positioned where increasing contact occurs from pieces of product from a single or bottommost layer and repositioned pieces (See Fig.1 ramp 20 structure having curvature to singulate and reorient product 14 on multiple Zig-Zag conveyor 10).
Regarding claim-9. Robert discloses wherein said ramp system comprises:
four adjacent, planar surfaces; an abrupt transition, a semi-smooth transition, and a very smooth transition; a total angular change, summing the angle between the first planar surface and the elongated product support surface of said upstream equipment plus the angle between the second planar surface and said first planar surface plus the angle between the third planar surface and said second planar surface plus the angle between the fourth planar surface and said third planar surface, equaling approximately 180 degrees such that the falling elongated product is redirected back toward a generally horizontal path of travel in a direction opposite from that of said upstream equipment (See Fig.1 ramp 20 structure having curvature to singulate and reorient product 14 on Zig-Zag conveyor 10).
Regarding claim-10. Robert discloses further comprising a first conveyor (10) which engages and transfers the elongated product in a direction opposite from that of said upstream equipment (See Fig.1 ramp 20 structure having curvature to singulate and reorient product 14 on multiple Zig-Zag conveyor 10).
Regarding claim-11. Robert discloses wherein:
a first of two or more levels comprises said ramp system (20) and said first conveyor (10); a second level (10) comprises a subsequent second ramp system (18) and a subsequent second conveyor (10); each subsequent third and fourth levels comprises subsequent third and fourth ramp systems and third and fourth conveyors (See Fig.1 ramp 20 or 18 or 22 structure having curvature to singulate, reorient and transfer product 14 on multiple Zig-Zag conveyor 10).
Regarding claim-12. Robert discloses wherein: the second and each subsequent third and fourth levels is arranged in a single vertical array one above the other with each level operating in a direction opposite of the level above it; the last and lowermost fourth level presents the singulated and aligned array of pieces of elongated product to a subsequent process or machine (See Fig.1 ramp 20 or 18 or 22 structure having curvature to singulate, reorient and transfer product 14 on multiple Zig-Zag conveyor 10).
Regarding claim-13. Robert discloses an apparatus for singulating and aligning elongated product (Fig.1), said apparatus comprising:
a generally horizontal conveyor (10) to receive product from an upstream equipment, where said elongated product is received in an orientation transverse to its direction of travel;
said conveyor (10) having a first end and a second end with a direction of product travel being from the first end to the second end;
a ramp system (20, 18, 22) positioned at the second end of said conveyor;
said ramp system (311) comprising two or more adjacent, planar surfaces (structure of 20), wherein each planer surface is generally parallel to the axis of rotation of the end of said conveyor and has a first end and a second end by which the product travels passed the first end prior to the second end; the first end of the first of said adjacent planar surfaces is positioned at an elevation of two or more elongated product thicknesses above the second end of said conveyor; the second end of said first planar surface is positioned a horizontal distance beyond the first end of the first planar surface and beyond the second end of said conveyor in the direction of the products travel, at an elevation equal to or less than that of the second end of said conveyor resulting in an angle less than 90 degrees between said first planar surface and the conveying surface of said conveyor; the first end of the second of said adjacent planar surfaces is positioned adjacent to the second end of said first planer surface; the second end of said second planar surface is positioned a vertical distance below the first end of the second planar surface and horizontally such that the resulting angle between the second planar surface and the first planar surface on said conveyor side of the two planar surfaces is greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees (See Fig.1 ramp 20 or 18 or 22 structure having curvature to singulate, reorient and transfer product 14 on multiple Zig-Zag conveyor 10).; and
wherein optionally subsequent adjacent planar surfaces are positioned and oriented relative to their respective preceding planar surface according to the same relation between the second planar surface and the first planar surface.
Regarding claim-14. Robert discloses further comprising a non-horizontal transitional means from the upstream equipment wherein the upstream equipment presents the product at an elevation above that of said conveyor such that the product transitions onto said conveyor by methods such as a drop or fall, a smooth downward slide, roller-ways, or any combination of the same (See Fig.1 ramp 20 or 18 or 22 singulate, reorient and transfer product 14 on multiple Zig-Zag conveyor 10).
Regarding claim-15. Robert discloses wherein:
said adjacent planar surfaces are each distanced away from and angled relative to said conveyor according to the speed of said conveyor and the range of combinations of elongated product widths and respective thicknesses such that; a relatively aligned, single layer of the elongated product can pass through a resulting gap with only enough contact to divert its direction of travel to the desired direction thereby having more speed and distance of unimpeded freefall relative to pieces of elongated product in less desirable positions or orientations; pieces of the elongated product in a single layer that are misaligned contact said adjacent planar surfaces only enough to improve the elongated product's alignment and divert its direction of travel to the desired direction thereby minimally affecting its speed and distance of unimpeded freefall; pieces of the elongated product undesirably positioned or oriented such that they protrude above the thickness of a single layer of the elongated product such as pieces stacked, piled, in a shingled or scaled array, or otherwise superposed on a first bottommost layer of the elongated product contact said adjacent planar surfaces significantly such that these undesirably positioned or oriented pieces are slowed or delayed in their travel with the slowing or delaying effect being greater relative to a piece's position or protrusion above the thickness of a single layer being greater, thus causing a variable rate of repositioning of the undesirably positioned or oriented pieces relative to the pieces in the first bottommost layer as they are aligned and diverted to- the desired direction of travel; said adjacent planar surfaces having transitions between each planar surface ranging from abrupt with sharp vertices at the intersection for greater impedance to product flow, to gradual and smooth with curved, tangentially aligned, transitional surfaces between each plane for less disturbance of product flow and orientation; said range of transition types are arranged with more abrupt transitions higher in the ramp system wherein contact is almost entirely from the undesirably positioned or oriented pieces, and with transitions becoming more gradual the lower in the ramp system they are positioned where increasing contact occurs from pieces of product from a single or bottommost layer and repositioned pieces (See Fig.1 ramp 20 or 18 or 22 singulate, reorient and transfer product 14 on multiple Zig-Zag conveyor 10).
Regarding claim-16. Robert discloses wherein said ramp system (20, 18, 22) comprises:
four adjacent, planar surfaces; an abrupt transition, a semi-smooth transition, and a very smooth transition; a total angular change, summing the angle between the first planar surface and an elongated product support surface of said upstream equipment plus the angle between the second planar surface and said first planar surface plus the angle between the third planar surface and said second planar surface plus the angle between the fourth planar surface and said third planar surface, equaling approximately 180 degrees relative to said conveyor such that the falling elongated product is redirected back toward a generally horizontal path of travel in a direction opposite from that of said conveyor (See Fig.1 ramp 20 or 18 or 22 structure which helps to singulate, reorient and transfer product 14 on multiple Zig-Zag conveyor 10)..
Regarding claim-17. Robert discloses further comprising a second conveyor (10) which engages and transfers the product in a direction opposite from that of said conveyor (Zig-Zag transfer of 14 onto multiple conveyors 10).
Regarding claim-18. Robert discloses wherein:
a first of two or more levels comprises said ramp system and said second conveyor;
a second level comprises a subsequent second ramp system and a subsequent third conveyor; each subsequent third and fourth levels comprises subsequent third and fourth ramp systems and fourth and fifth conveyors (See Fig.1 ramp 20 or 18 or 22 singulate, reorient and transfer product 14 onto multiple Zig-Zag conveyor 10).).
Regarding claim-19. Robert discloses wherein:
the second and each subsequent level is arranged in a single vertical array one above the other with each level operating in a direction opposite of the level above it; the last and lowermost fourth level presents the singulated and aligned array of pieces to a subsequent process or machine (Fig.1 Stacked Conveyors in Zig-Zag motion).
Regarding claim-20. Robert discloses an apparatus for singulating and aligning elongated product-oriented transverse to its direction of travel (Fig.1), the apparatus comprising
- a vertical system including at least two vertically oriented levels, each level including a ramp (20’s) and a conveyor (10’s), - a first level positioned at the downstream end of an upstream equipment such that a first ramp acts on a transferred elongated product as it reaches the end of the upstream equipment and falls away from the end of the upstream equipment and is received by the first ramp, - the first ramp comprises at least two adjacent planar surfaces adapted to singulate and align the elongated product, - the elongated product is transferred from the first ramp to a first conveyor on the first level adapted to move the elongated product to a second level, - the elongated product is adapted to move from the first conveyor to a second ramp of the second level, - the second ramp comprises at least two adjacent planar surfaces adapted to further singulate and align the elongated product, and- the elongated product is transferred from the second ramp to a second conveyor on the second level adapted to move the elongated product to optionally an additional level or to further processing equipment for the singulated and aligned elongated product (See Fig.1 ramp 20’s singulate, reorient and transfer product 14 onto multiple Zig-Zag conveyor 10’s).
Regarding claim-21. Robert discloses wherein the vertical system includes four levels (Fig.1).
Regarding claim-22. Robert discloses wherein the first and second ramps include four planar surfaces (Fig.1, structure of 20).
Regarding claim-23. Robert discloses wherein the transition between the first through fourth planar surface comprises an abrupt transition, a semi-smooth transition, and a very smooth transition, respectively (Fig.1).
Claim(s) 1-23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Leo (US 2878776).
Regarding claim-1. Leo discloses a method for singulation and alignment of elongated product-oriented (53) transverse to its direction of travel on a ramp system (52) (Fig.1,4), the method comprising the steps of:
transferring the product off the end of a first conveyor (34) to a first ramp (52);
allowing gravity to act with the product's momentum to maintain motion, increase speed, and alter its path of travel; 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 to said first ramp, 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; 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 (See Fig.1, 4 ramp 53’s singulate, reorient and transfer product 53 onto multiple Zig-Zag conveyor 33’s).
Regarding claim-2. Leo discloses further comprising the step of redirecting the
falling elongated product toward a generally horizontal path of travel (Fig.1).
Regarding claim-3. Leo discloses wherein the direction of horizontal travel is in the opposite direction from that of the first conveyor (Fig.1, 4).
Regarding claim-4. Leo discloses further comprising the step of engaging and transferring the elongated product on a subsequent second conveyor in the opposite direction from that of the first conveyor (Fig.1, 4).
Regarding claim-5. Leo 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 to said first ramp, 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 (Fig.1, 4); and a subsequent cycle begins with the step of transferring the elongated product off the end of the subsequent second conveyor to a second ramp (52) and repeats the steps of the first cycle ending with the step of engaging the elongated product with yet another subsequent third conveyor (See Fig.1, 4 ramp 53’s singulate, reorient and transfer product 53 onto multiple Zig-Zag conveyor 33’s).
Regarding claim-6. Leo 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 (Zig-Zag transfer of products 53 on conveyors 33, Fig.1, 4).
Regarding claim-7. Leo discloses an apparatus for singulating and aligning elongated product-oriented transverse to its direction of travel (Fig.1), said apparatus comprising:
a ramp system (52) which is positioned at the downstream end of an upstream equipment (33) such that said ramp system acts on the transferred elongated product as it reaches said end of an elongated product support surface of the upstream equipment and as it transitions off of and falls away from said end of the upstream equipment (Fig.1);
said ramp system (53) comprising two or more adjacent, planar surfaces (structure of 53, Fig.1, 4) wherein each planer surface is generally perpendicular to a vertical plane through the centerline of the elongated product's path of travel up to and off of said downstream end of the upstream equipment and each planer surface has a first end and a second end by which the elongated product travels passed the first end prior to the second end; the first end of the first of said adjacent planar surfaces is positioned at an elevation of two or more elongated product thicknesses above the downstream end of said upstream equipment; the second end of said first planar surface is positioned a horizontal distance beyond the first end of the first planar surface and beyond the downstream end of said upstream equipment in the direction of the elongated product's travel, at an elevation equal to or less than that of the downstream end of said upstream equipment resulting in an angle less than 90 degrees between said first planar surface and the elongated product support surface of said upstream equipment; the first end of the second of said adjacent planar surfaces is positioned adjacent to the second end of said first planer surface; the second end of said second planar surface is positioned a vertical distance below the first end of the second planar surface and horizontally such that the resulting angle between the second planar surface and the first planar surface is greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees (See Fig.1, 4 ramp 53’s structure which singulate, reorient and transfer product 53 onto multiple Zig-Zag conveyor 33’s); and
wherein optionally subsequent adjacent planar surfaces are positioned and oriented relative to their respective preceding planar surface according to the same relation between the second planar surface and the first planar surface.
Regarding claim-8. Leo discloses wherein:
said adjacent planar surfaces are each distanced away from and angled relative to said upstream equipment according to the speed of said upstream equipment and the range of combinations of product widths and respective thicknesses such that a relatively aligned, single layer of the elongated product can pass through a resulting gap with only enough contact to divert its direction of travel to the desired direction thereby having more speed and distance of unimpeded freefall relative to pieces of elongated product in less desirable positions or orientations; pieces of the elongated product in a single layer that are misaligned contact said adjacent planar surfaces only enough to improve the elongated product's alignment and divert its direction of travel to the desired direction thereby minimally affecting its speed and distance of unimpeded freefall; pieces of the elongated product undesirably positioned or oriented such that they protrude above the thickness of a single layer of the elongated product such as pieces stacked, piled, in a shingled or scaled array, or otherwise superposed on a first bottommost layer of the elongated product contact said adjacent planar surfaces significantly such that these undesirably positioned or oriented pieces of elongated product are slowed or delayed in their travel with the slowing or delaying effect being greater relative to a piece's position or protrusion above the thickness of a single layer being greater, thus causing a variable rate of repositioning of the undesirably positioned or oriented pieces relative to the pieces in the first bottommost layer as they are aligned and diverted to the desired direction of travel; said adjacent planar surfaces having transitions between each planar surface ranging from abrupt with sharp vertices at the intersection for greater impedance to product flow, to gradual and smooth with curved, tangentially aligned, transitional surfaces between each plane for less disturbance of product flow and orientation; said range of transition types are arranged with more abrupt transitions higher in the ramp system wherein contact is almost entirely from the undesirably positioned or oriented pieces, and with transitions becoming more gradual the lower in the ramp system they are positioned where increasing contact occurs from pieces of product from a single or bottommost layer and repositioned pieces (See Fig.1, 4 ramp 53’s singulate, reorient and transfer product 53 onto multiple Zig-Zag conveyor 33’s).
Regarding claim-9. Leo discloses wherein said ramp system comprises:
four adjacent, planar surfaces; an abrupt transition, a semi-smooth transition, and a very smooth transition; a total angular change, summing the angle between the first planar surface and the elongated product support surface of said upstream equipment plus the angle between the second planar surface and said first planar surface plus the angle between the third planar surface and said second planar surface plus the angle between the fourth planar surface and said third planar surface, equaling approximately 180 degrees such that the falling elongated product is redirected back toward a generally horizontal path of travel in a direction opposite from that of said upstream equipment (See Fig.1, 4 ramp 53’s singulate, reorient and transfer product 53 onto multiple Zig-Zag conveyor 33’s).
Regarding claim-10. Leo discloses further comprising a first conveyor (10) which engages and transfers the elongated product in a direction opposite from that of said upstream equipment (See Fig.1, 4 ramp 53’s singulate, reorient and transfer product 53 onto multiple Zig-Zag conveyor 33’s).
Regarding claim-11. Leo discloses wherein:
a first of two or more levels comprises said ramp system (53) and said first conveyor (33); a second level (33) comprises a subsequent second ramp system (53) and a subsequent second conveyor (33); each subsequent third and fourth levels comprises subsequent third and fourth ramp systems and third and fourth conveyors (See Fig.1, 4 ramp 53’s singulate, reorient and transfer product 53 onto multiple Zig-Zag conveyor 33’s). Adding additional conveyor and ramps are conventional choice and skilled person in the art can easily add additional conveyor with additional ramp based on required needs without involving any inventive step.
Regarding claim-12. Leo discloses wherein: the second and each subsequent third and fourth levels is arranged in a single vertical array one above the other with each level operating in a direction opposite of the level above it; the last and lowermost fourth level presents the singulated and aligned array of pieces of elongated product to a subsequent process or machine (See Fig.1, 4 ramp 53’s singulate, reorient and transfer product 53 onto multiple Zig-Zag conveyor 33’s).
Regarding claim-13. Leo discloses an apparatus for singulating and aligning elongated product (Fig.1), said apparatus comprising:
a generally horizontal conveyor (33) to receive product from an upstream equipment, where said elongated product is received in an orientation transverse to its direction of travel;
said conveyor (33) having a first end and a second end with a direction of product travel being from the first end to the second end;
a ramp system (53) positioned at the second end of said conveyor;
said ramp system comprising two or more adjacent, planar surfaces (structure of 20), wherein each planer surface is generally parallel to the axis of rotation of the end of said conveyor and has a first end and a second end by which the product travels passed the first end prior to the second end; the first end of the first of said adjacent planar surfaces is positioned at an elevation of two or more elongated product thicknesses above the second end of said conveyor; the second end of said first planar surface is positioned a horizontal distance beyond the first end of the first planar surface and beyond the second end of said conveyor in the direction of the products travel, at an elevation equal to or less than that of the second end of said conveyor resulting in an angle less than 90 degrees between said first planar surface and the conveying surface of said conveyor; the first end of the second of said adjacent planar surfaces is positioned adjacent to the second end of said first planer surface; the second end of said second planar surface is positioned a vertical distance below the first end of the second planar surface and horizontally such that the resulting angle between the second planar surface and the first planar surface on said conveyor side of the two planar surfaces is greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees (See Fig.1, 4 ramp 53’s structure which singulate, reorient and transfer product 53 onto multiple Zig-Zag conveyor 33’s); and
wherein optionally subsequent adjacent planar surfaces are positioned and oriented relative to their respective preceding planar surface according to the same relation between the second planar surface and the first planar surface.
Regarding claim-14. Robert discloses further comprising a non-horizontal transitional means from the upstream equipment wherein the upstream equipment presents the product at an elevation above that of said conveyor such that the product transitions onto said conveyor by methods such as a drop or fall, a smooth downward slide, roller-ways, or any combination of the same (See Fig.1, 4 ramp 53’s singulate, reorient and transfer product 53 onto multiple Zig-Zag conveyor 33’s).
Regarding claim-15. Leo discloses wherein:
said adjacent planar surfaces are each distanced away from and angled relative to said conveyor according to the speed of said conveyor and the range of combinations of elongated product widths and respective thicknesses such that; a relatively aligned, single layer of the elongated product can pass through a resulting gap with only enough contact to divert its direction of travel to the desired direction thereby having more speed and distance of unimpeded freefall relative to pieces of elongated product in less desirable positions or orientations; pieces of the elongated product in a single layer that are misaligned contact said adjacent planar surfaces only enough to improve the elongated product's alignment and divert its direction of travel to the desired direction thereby minimally affecting its speed and distance of unimpeded freefall; pieces of the elongated product undesirably positioned or oriented such that they protrude above the thickness of a single layer of the elongated product such as pieces stacked, piled, in a shingled or scaled array, or otherwise superposed on a first bottommost layer of the elongated product contact said adjacent planar surfaces significantly such that these undesirably positioned or oriented pieces are slowed or delayed in their travel with the slowing or delaying effect being greater relative to a piece's position or protrusion above the thickness of a single layer being greater, thus causing a variable rate of repositioning of the undesirably positioned or oriented pieces relative to the pieces in the first bottommost layer as they are aligned and diverted to- the desired direction of travel; said adjacent planar surfaces having transitions between each planar surface ranging from abrupt with sharp vertices at the intersection for greater impedance to product flow, to gradual and smooth with curved, tangentially aligned, transitional surfaces between each plane for less disturbance of product flow and orientation; said range of transition types are arranged with more abrupt transitions higher in the ramp system wherein contact is almost entirely from the undesirably positioned or oriented pieces, and with transitions becoming more gradual the lower in the ramp system they are positioned where increasing contact occurs from pieces of product from a single or bottommost layer and repositioned pieces (See Fig.1, 4 ramp 53’s singulate, reorient and transfer product 53 onto multiple Zig-Zag conveyor 33’s).
Regarding claim-16. Leo discloses wherein said ramp system (53) comprises:
four adjacent, planar surfaces; an abrupt transition, a semi-smooth transition, and a very smooth transition; a total angular change, summing the angle between the first planar surface and an elongated product support surface of said upstream equipment plus the angle between the second planar surface and said first planar surface plus the angle between the third planar surface and said second planar surface plus the angle between the fourth planar surface and said third planar surface, equaling approximately 180 degrees relative to said conveyor such that the falling elongated product is redirected back toward a generally horizontal path of travel in a direction opposite from that of said conveyor (See Fig.1, 4 ramp 53’s structure which helps to singulate, reorient and transfer product 53 onto multiple Zig-Zag conveyor 33’s)..
Regarding claim-17. Leo discloses further comprising a second conveyor (10) which engages and transfers the product in a direction opposite from that of said conveyor (Zig-Zag transfer of 14 onto multiple conveyors 10).
Regarding claim-18. Leo discloses wherein:
a first of two or more levels comprises said ramp system and said second conveyor (33’s);
a second level comprises a subsequent second ramp system and a subsequent third conveyor; each subsequent third and fourth levels (33’s) comprises subsequent third and fourth ramp systems and fourth and fifth conveyors (See Fig.1, 4 ramp 53’s singulate, reorient and transfer product 53 onto multiple Zig-Zag conveyor 33’s)
Regarding claim-19. Leo discloses wherein:
the second and each subsequent level is arranged in a single vertical array one above the other with each level operating in a direction opposite of the level above it; the last and lowermost fourth level presents the singulated and aligned array of pieces to a subsequent process or machine (Fig.1, 4 Stacked Conveyors in Zig-Zag motion).
Regarding claim-20. Leo discloses an apparatus for singulating and aligning elongated product-oriented transverse to its direction of travel (Fig.1), the apparatus comprising
- a vertical system including at least two vertically oriented levels, each level including a ramp (53’s) and a conveyor (33’s), - a first level positioned at the downstream end of an upstream equipment such that a first ramp acts on a transferred elongated product as it reaches the end of the upstream equipment and falls away from the end of the upstream equipment and is received by the first ramp, - the first ramp comprises at least two adjacent planar surfaces adapted to singulate and align the elongated product, - the elongated product is transferred from the first ramp to a first conveyor on the first level adapted to move the elongated product to a second level, - the elongated product is adapted to move from the first conveyor to a second ramp of the second level, - the second ramp comprises at least two adjacent planar surfaces adapted to further singulate and align the elongated product, and- the elongated product is transferred from the second ramp to a second conveyor on the second level adapted to move the elongated product to optionally an additional level or to further processing equipment for the singulated and aligned elongated product (See Fig.1, 4 ramp 53’s singulate, reorient and transfer product 53 onto multiple Zig-Zag conveyor 33’s).
Regarding claim-21. Leo discloses wherein the vertical system includes four levels (Fig.1).
Regarding claim-22. Leo discloses wherein the first and second ramps include four planar surfaces (Fig.1, structure of 53).
Regarding claim-23. Leo discloses wherein the transition between the first through fourth planar surface comprises an abrupt transition, a semi-smooth transition, and a very smooth transition, respectively (Fig.1, 4).
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, 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(s) 24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Robert (US 2799384) in view of Charles (US 20200346875).
Regarding claim-24. Robert doesn’t disclose wherein the elongated product comprises wood boards (product 14).
Charles discloses a conveyor system for wooden boards.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to the skilled person in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to explicitly provide Robert with wooden boards as taught by Charles for purpose of conveying boards.
Claim(s) 24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Leo (US 2878776) in view of
Regarding claim-24. Leo doesn’t disclose wherein the elongated product comprises wood boards (product 53).
Charles discloses a conveyor system for wooden boards.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to the skilled person in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to explicitly provide Robert with wooden boards as taught by Charles for purpose of conveying boards.
Conclusion
Note: Examiner strongly suggest applicant to take a look at Notice of References Cited PTO-892 as there are other multiple references or in combination with BRI can be used to reject claims 1-24.
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/MA/Examiner, Art Unit 3651
/GENE O CRAWFORD/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3651
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