DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-15 have been elected and are pending. The remaining claims should be withdrawn in the next communication.
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 .
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of different embodiments of Baiada et al. into the intended end result, thereby improving the airport demand management as a whole.
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 1-5, 7-9, 11, 12, 14 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Silbert (US 20230305030).
As per claim 1, Silbert teaches a robot system for moving (see par. [0020]) and de-capping collection containers (see Fig. 2), the system comprising: a robotic arm (see section [0355]) having a plurality of grippers (see par. [0355], for fingers), the plurality of grippers (see par. [0355], for fingers) configured to move a plurality of collection containers (see Fig. 2); a decapper (see Fig. 1, element 230) configured to remove a plurality of caps corresponding to the plurality of collection containers (see Fig. 2); a computing device (see par. [0143]) comprising a processor and a memory (see par. [0143], wherein the computer contains a processor and memory for executing instructions); and machine-readable instructions (see par. [0007]) stored in the memory that (see par. [0143], wherein the computer contains a processor and memory for executing instructions), when executed by the processor (see par. [0143], wherein the computer contains a processor as noted above), cause the computing device (see par. [0143]) to at least: align the plurality of grippers (see par. [0355], for fingers) with the plurality of collection containers (see Fig. 2), the plurality of grippers (see par. [0355], for fingers) connected to a distal end of the robotic arm (see section [0355]); cause the plurality of grippers (see par. [0355], for fingers) to grip the plurality of collection containers (see Fig. 2); move the plurality of collection containers (see Fig. 2) to the decapper (see Fig. 1, element 230); and de-cap the collection containers (see Fig. 2).
As per claim 2, Silbert further comprising a cap receptacle positioned below the decapper (see Fig. 1, element 230).
As per claim 3, Silbert teaches wherein the machine-readable instructions (see par. [0007]), when executed, further cause the computing device (see par. [0143]) to at least: identify a degree of separation based on a distance between the plurality of collection containers (see Fig. 2); determine a height level, the height level corresponding to the degree of separation (see pars. [0025, 0092, 0155 and 0167]); raise a plate (see par. [0355], wherein grasping members have been interpreted as plate) to the height level, the plate (see par. [0355], wherein grasping members have been interpreted as plate) having a plurality of angled tracks (see par. [0004]); and cause a plurality of grippers (see par. [0355], for fingers) to separate to the degree of separation, individual of the plurality of grippers (see par. [0355], for fingers) having an extension element positioned to fit in a respective angled track (see par. [0004]) and being driven apart by the angled track (see par. [0004])s as the plate rises (see par. [0355], wherein grasping members have been interpreted as plate).
As per claim 4, Silbert teaches wherein the decapper (see Fig. 1, element 230) comprises: a plurality of sleeves arranged in parallel (see Fig. 2, wherein the sleeves are in parallel), individual sleeves configured to receive a capped collection container (see Fig. 2); and at least one extender configured to raise and lower the plurality of sleeves (see Fig. 2).
As per claim 5, Silbert teaches wherein the plurality of sleeves are configured in a plurality of adjacent rows (see Fig. 2, wherein the sleeves are adjacent as well).
As per claim 7, Silbert teaches wherein individual grippers (see par. [0355], for fingers) comprise a first finger (see par. [0355], for fingers that is first, second and Nth. fingers) and a second finger (see par. [0355], for fingers that is first, second and Nth. fingers), individual grippers (see par. [0355], for fingers) configured to hold a collection container (see Fig. 2) between the first finger (see par. [0355], for fingers that is first, second and Nth. fingers) and the second finger (see par. [0355], for fingers that is first, second and Nth. fingers).
As per claim 8, Silbert teaches wherein the first finger (see par. [0355], for fingers that is first, second and Nth. fingers) includes a ledge at a distal end of the first finger (see par. [0355], for fingers that is first, second and Nth. fingers), the ledge configured to support a cap of a collection container (see Fig. 2).
As per claim 9, Silbert teaches wherein the robotic arm (see section [0355]) comprises: a vertical shaft (see Fig. 2, and par. [0004] as noted above); a plate (see par. [0355], wherein grasping members have been interpreted as plate) positioned at a distal end of the vertical shaft (see Fig. 2, and par. [0004] as noted above), the plate (see par. [0355], wherein grasping members have been interpreted as plate) having a plurality of angled tracks (see par. [0004]); a horizontal member (see par. [0293]) positioned proximal to the distal end of the vertical shaft (see Fig. 2, and par. [0004] as noted above), the horizontal member (see par. [0293]) positioned adjacent to the plate (see par. [0355], wherein grasping members have been interpreted as plate); and the plurality of grippers (see par. [0355], for fingers) positioned along the horizontal member (see par. [0293]), individual grippers (see par. [0355], for fingers) having an extension element positioned to fit in a respective angled track (see par. [0004]), individual grippers (see par. [0355], for fingers) configured to slide along the horizontal member (see par. [0293]).
As per claim 11, Silbert teaches wherein the plurality of grippers (see par. [0355], for fingers) are configured to slide along the horizontal member (see par. [0293]).
As per claim 12, Silbert teaches wherein individual angled tracks (see par. [0004]) comprise an indentation in the plate (see par. [0355], wherein grasping members have been interpreted as plate).
As per claim 14, Silbert teaches wherein the extension element includes a wheel configured to roll inside the respective angled track (see par. [0004 and 0308]).
As per claim 15, Silbert teaches wherein the plurality of angled tracks (see par. [0004]) comprise: a first pair of angled tracks (see Fig. 2 and par. [0004]); a second pair of angled tracks (see Fig. 2 and par. [0004]) in between the first pair of angled tracks (see Fig. 2 and par. [0004]); a center angled track (see par. [0004]) in between the second pair of angled tracks (see Fig. 2 and par. [0004]); and the first pair of angled tracks (see Fig. 2 and par. [0004]) are equally angled away from the second pair of angled tracks (see Fig. 2 and par. [0004]), the second pair of angled tracks (see Fig. 2 and par. [0004]) are equally angled away from the center angled track (see par. [0004]), and the center angled track is vertical (see Fig. 2, and par. [0004] as noted above).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 6, 10 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Silbert (US 20230305030), further in view of Galfarsoro et al., (Analysis of vibration induced by cogging torque in permanent-magnet synchronous motors, IEEE).
As per claim 4, 6, 10 and 13, Silbert teaches essential features of the invention substantially as claimed, but fails to teach individual sleeves have a first opening and a second opening, the first opening being angularly truncated; vertical shaft includes a cogged section along at least a portion of a first side, and further comprising a motor configured to turn a cogwheel, the cogwheel positioned against the cogged section of the vertical shaft; and wherein individual angled tracks comprise a slotted hole through the plate.
Galfarsoro et al., on the other hand teaches individual sleeves have a first opening and a second opening, the first opening being angularly truncated (see Figs. 5 and 6); vertical shaft includes a cogged section along at least a portion of a first side (see fig. 5, for the shaft), and further comprising a motor configured to turn a cogwheel (see Fig. 8), the cogwheel positioned against the cogged section of the vertical shaft (see Figs. 5 and 6); and wherein individual angled tracks comprise a slotted hole through the plate (see Figs. 5 and 6, as noted above).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Silbert, with the sleeves as taught by Galfarsoro et al., because this modification would have allowed “The magnets are inserted in the slots of these hexagonal parts, so that a motor of 6 poles is obtained.” (see Galfarsoro’s et al., page 3, col. II. section A), thereby improving the robot for moving and de-capping collection containers as a whole.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MCDIEUNEL MARC whose telephone number is (571) 272-6964. The examiner can normally be reached on Work 9:00 AM to 7:30.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, WADE MILES can be reached on (571) 270-7777. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571)-273-3976.
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/McDieunel Marc/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3665