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 .
Claim Objections
Claim(s) 7 and 12 is/are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 7 recites “wherein the electric motor a motor housing…” in lines 3-4. This appears to be a typographical error and should recite –wherein the electric motor further comprises a motor housing--.
Claim 12 recites “which actuates at least one clamping means…” in line 2-3. This appears to be a typographical error and should recite –which actuates at least one clamping or gripping means--.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
A broad range or limitation together with a narrow range or limitation that falls within the broad range or limitation (in the same claim) may be considered indefinite if the resulting claim does not clearly set forth the metes and bounds of the patent protection desired. See MPEP § 2173.05(c). In the present instance, claim 2 recites the broad recitation “a thread with a pitch of from 10mm to 80mm”, and the claim also recites “preferably 30mm to 40mm, most preferably 35mm” which is the narrower statement of the range/limitation. The claim(s) are considered indefinite because there is a question or doubt as to whether the feature introduced by such narrower language is (a) merely exemplary of the remainder of the claim, and therefore not required, or (b) a required feature of the claims.
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.
Claim(s) 1 and 3-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hiestand EP 2548681 A1.
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Hiestand discloses a clamping or gripping device (1) comprising: at least one clamping or gripping means (6) operated by means of an electric power clamp, wherein the power clamp comprises an electric motor (11) comprising a drive shaft (15, 16); force transmission means (31) for connecting the drive shaft to the at least one clamping or gripping means; and an energy accumulator (41) for preloading the at least one clamping or gripping means; wherein the drive shaft comprises a bearing sleeve (52) between the electric motor and the force transmission means relative to which the electric motor is mounted so as to be displaceable in the axial direction against a restoring force of the energy accumulator by means of a threaded spindle (7, 34) that is guided in a threaded sleeve (32, 33, 35); wherein the restoring force of the energy accumulator is greater than the propulsive force that is required to advance the clamping or gripping means; and wherein the threaded spindle is embodied as a steep-threaded spindle that is guided in a steep-threaded sleeve (see pgs. 5-6 of 28 in machine translation).
As for claim 3, Hiestand discloses wherein the threaded spindle (7, 34) is operatively connected (via 16) to the electric motor (11), and the threaded sleeve (32, 33, 35) is accommodated in a rotationally fixed manner in the bearing sleeve (52).
As for claim 4, Hiestand discloses wherein the electric motor (11) is capable of being braked in its end position (clamped position).
As for claim 5, Hiestand discloses wherein the force transmission means comprises a gear mechanism (planetary roller gear; 30, 19, 16, 33, 35).
As for claim 6, Hiestand discloses wherein at least one spring assembly consisting of at least one, preferably several, compression springs, preferably coil springs or gas springs, is provided as an energy accumulator (41, 42, 43, 44).
As for claim 7, Hiestand discloses wherein the electric motor comprises a motor housing (21) which is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to a motor plate, wherein the energy accumulator (41) is supported on the motor plate (23) on the one hand and on the fixed motor bearing (45) on the other hand.
As for claim 8, Hiestand discloses wherein the at least one clamping or gripping means is driven using a self-locking trapezoidal thread spindle (7) or a ball screw.
As for claim 9, Hiestand discloses wherein the at least one first clamping or gripping means (6) is capable of being clamped against a fixed bearing.
As for claim 10, Hiestand discloses wherein the at least one first clamping or gripping means (6) is capable of being clamped against a second adjustable camping or gripping means (6).
As for claim 11, Hiestand discloses a clamping or gripping device with a chuck body with multiple pairs of adjustable clamping or gripping means (6) which are each arranged opposite one another in pairs and are each actuated in pairs by a power clamp (see Fig. 1).
As for claim 12, Hiestand discloses a method for gripping or clamping a workpiece (10) using an electric power clamp which actuates at least one clamping means (6) by means of an electric motor (11) comprising a drive shaft (15, 16), force transmission means (31) for connecting the drive shaft to the at least one clamping or gripping means, and an energy accumulator (41) for preloading the at least one clamping or gripping means, wherein: the drive shaft comprises a bearing sleeve (52) between the electric motor and the force transmission means, and the electric motor, which continues to rotate after reaching a stop on the workpiece, is displaced in the axial direction, and wherein the motor counteracts a restoring force by means of a threaded spindle (7, 34) that is provided within the bearing sleeve and guided in a threaded sleeve (32, 33, 35) of the energy accumulator, which restoring force is greater than a propulsion force that is required for the propulsion of the clamping or gripping means; wherein the threaded spindle is a steep-threaded spindle, capable of long spring travel being generated by a small actuation (see machine translation, pg. 6 of 28).
As for claim 13, Hiestand discloses wherein the electric motor (11) is de-energized (turned off) after reaching an end position (fully clamped or unclamped position).
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) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hiestand EP 2548681 A1 in view of Blaurock US 2001/0027693.
Hiestand discloses all the limitations as recited above but does not specify a pitch. However, Blaurock teaches a threaded spindle and nut for conveting rotary motion to linear motion wherein threaded spindle comprises a thread with a pitch of from 10mm to 80mm, preferably 30mm to 40mm, most preferably 35mm (10mm to 40mm; ¶0059). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify the pitch of the threaded spindle and sleeve of Hiestand to a 10mm to 40mm pitch as taught by Blaurock in order to provide a means for rapidly converting rotary motion into linear motion.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TYRONE V HALL JR whose telephone number is (571)270-5948. The examiner can normally be reached Mon.-Fri. 7:30am-3:30pm.
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/TYRONE V HALL JR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723