DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in response to the application and claims filed on January 23, 2024. Claims 1-15 are pending, with claims 1 and 12 in independent claim form.
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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
The claims are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 2 line 2, recited the limitation of “…via the interaction…“ is suggested to be replaced with “…via an interaction…“,
Claim 13 line 2, recited the limitation of “…via the interaction…“ is suggested to be replaced with “…via an interaction…“.
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.
Claims 3 and 14 are 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.
Claim 3 recited in lines 2-3, the limitations "…the circular gear coupled to the output shaft is operatively coupled to the output shaft via a gearbox " is indefinite, it is unclear if there is a connection is between two output shafts, or the language needs to be understood as "…the circular gear is operatively coupled to the output shaft via a gearbox". Clarity is needed.
Claim 14 recited in lines 2-3, the limitations "…the circular gear coupled to the output shaft is operatively coupled to the output shaft via a gearbox " is indefinite, it is unclear if there is a connection is between two output shafts, or the language needs to be understood as "…the circular gear is operatively coupled to the output shaft via a gearbox ". Clarity is needed.
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.
Claims 1-2, 4-13 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Watkins et al. US Patent (9,375,774) hereinafter Watkins.
Regarding claim 1,
Watkins discloses a drive system for use in a can bodymaker (fig.1),
the drive system (see fig.1) comprising: an operating arrangement (208,240,314 and 316) comprising a number of drive motors (four motors, 240 and 316), each drive motor (240, 316) structured to be coupled to a frame (500, All structures/parts of figure 1 are coupled together) of the can bodymaker (see fig.1,7 and 8);
a yolk body (206) structured to be coupled to an end of a ram body (body of element 210, see fig.7) of a ram (210) extending from a first side of the yolk body (see fig.7); and
a slide arrangement (202 and the carriage see fig.7 below) coupled to the yolk body (206) and structured to be coupled to the frame (500) of the can bodymaker such that the yolk body (206) can move linearly (70,80 see col.3 lines 54-64) with respect to the frame (500),
the slide arrangement comprising:
a number of rails (four rails, 202), and
a number of carriage members (four carriage according to the number of posts/rails see col.3 lines 55-59, see fig.7 below for the carriage member),
PNG
media_image1.png
929
666
media_image1.png
Greyscale
wherein each rail (202) of the number of rails has at least one carriage member of the number of carriage members slidingly engaged therewith (see col.3 lines 55-59), and
wherein each drive motor (each motor labeled 240) of the number of drive motors (four motors, 240 and 316) is operatively coupled to the yolk body (206) such that the yolk body (206) is structured to be driven in a reciprocal linear motion back and forth (70,80) along the number of rails of the slide arrangement by the number of drive motors (see col.3 lines 55-64).
Examiner notes, All structures/parts of figure 1 are coupled together.
Regarding claim 2,
Watkins further discloses wherein each respective drive motor (240) is operatively coupled to the yolk body (206) via the interaction between a circular gear (this structure is inherent with rack and pinion gear system) coupled to an output shaft (this structure is inherent with motors) of the respective drive motor (240) and a linear gear (this structure is inherent with rack and pinion gear system) coupled to the yolk body (206, rack and pinion gear assembly 208 and 314).
Examiner notes, rack and pinion is a type of gearbox very commonly used in the mechanical field to convert rotation movement to a linear motion and is inherently structured the interaction of a circular gear (pinion) moving a linear gear (rack), well known in wheel system of car/trucks.
Regarding claim 4,
Watkins further discloses wherein the number of drive motors (four motors, 240 and 316) comprises a plurality of drive motors (240,316, see fig.1).
Regarding claim 5,
Watkins further discloses wherein the number of drive motors (four motors, 240 and 316) comprises two drive motors (two motors labeled 240, see fig.1 or 7).
Regarding claim 6,
Watkins further discloses wherein each drive motor (240 and 316) includes an output shaft (this structure is inherent with motors) and wherein the output shaft of each drive motor is positioned in a common reference plane (fig.1and 7 show the motor are in a horizontal plane therefore, the output shaft are in the same horizontal plane).
Regarding claim 7,
Watkins further discloses wherein the output shaft (this structure is inherent with motors) of each drive motor (240, 316) is aligned with a common reference axis (each motors 240 are aligned with a common reference axis with the motors 316 see fig.1).
Regarding claim 8,
Watkins further discloses wherein the number of drive motors (four motors, 240 and 316) comprises four drive motors (see fig.1).
Regarding claim 9,
Watkins further discloses wherein at least two drive motors (240 and 316) of the plurality of drive motors (four motors, 240 and 316) are positioned in opposite directions (see fig.1, one 240 and one 316).
Regarding claim 10,
Watkins further discloses wherein at least two drive motors (240) of the plurality of drive motors (four motors, 240 and 316) are positioned in the same direction (see fig.1).
Regarding claim 11,
Watkins further discloses wherein: the number of rails comprises two rails (202); and the number of carriage members comprises at least two carriage members (see fig.7).
Regarding claim 12,
Watkins discloses a can bodymaker (fig.1 and 7) comprising:
a frame (500);
a ram (210) having an elongated, substantially cylindrical ram body (body of element 210) positioned about a longitudinal axis (see fig.7, 70,80 axis), the ram body having a proximal end (end near element 206) and a distal end (end near element 210, see fig.7) positioned opposite the proximal end; and
a drive system (see fig.1) comprising:
an operating arrangement (208,240,314 and 316) comprising a number of drive motors (four motors, 240 and 316), each drive motor (240, 316) structured to be coupled to a frame (500, All structures/parts of figure 1 are coupled together);
a yolk body (206) coupled to the proximal end of the ram body (see fig.7); and
a slide arrangement (202 and the carriage see fig.7 below) coupled to the yolk body (206) and the frame (500) such that the yolk body can move linearly (70,80, see col.3 lines 54-64) with respect to the frame,
the slide arrangement comprising:
a number of rails (four rails, 202), and
a number of carriage members (four carriage according to the number of posts/rails see col.3 lines 55-59, see fig.7 of claim 1 for the carriage member),
wherein each rail (202) of the number of rails has at least one carriage member of the number of carriage members slidingly engaged therewith (see col.3 lines 55-59), and
wherein each drive motor (each motor labeled 240) of the number of drive motors (four motors, 240 and 316) is operatively coupled to the yolk body (206) such that the yolk body (206) and the ram body (body of element 210) are structured to be driven in a reciprocal linear motion back and forth (70,80) along the number of rails of the slide arrangement by the number of drive motors (see col.3 lines 55-64).
Examiner notes, All structures/parts of figure 1 are coupled together.
Regarding claim 13,
Watkins further discloses wherein each respective drive motor (240) is operatively coupled to the yolk body (206) via the interaction between a circular gear (this structure is inherent with rack and pinion gear system) coupled to an output shaft (this structure is inherent with motors) of the respective drive motor (240) and a linear gear (this structure is inherent with rack and pinion gear system) coupled to the yolk body (206, rack and pinion gear assembly 208 and 314).
Examiner notes, rack and pinion is a type of gearbox very commonly used in the mechanical field to convert rotation movement to a linear motion and is inherently structured the interaction of a circular gear (pinion) moving a linear gear (rack), well known in wheel system of car/trucks.
Regarding claim 15,
Watkins further discloses wherein the number of drive motors (four motors, 240 and 316) comprises a plurality of drive motors (240,316, see fig.1).
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.
Claims 3 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Watkins et al. US Patent (9,375,774) hereinafter Watkins in view of Porucznik et al US Patent (5,239,921) hereinafter Porucznik.
Regarding claim 3, (as best understood)
The prior art Watkins discloses all limitation of claim 2,
Watkins discloses wherein for each respective drive motor (240, 316), the circular gear (this structure is inherent with rack and pinion gear system) coupled to the output shaft (this structure is inherent with motors).
Walkins is silent about the circular gear to be operatively coupled to the output shaft via a gearbox.
Watkins and Porucznik disclose both art in the same field of endeavor of the claimed invention (i.e. can bodymaker apparatus).
Porucznik, in a similar art, teaches a can bodymaker apparatus (130) with a drive mechanism (176,184) having the circular gear (175) to be operatively coupled to the output shaft (172) via a gearbox (see col.11 lines 14-22).
Porucznik teaches the circular gear to couple to the output shaft via the gearbox to prevent impairment on quality of the components produced (see col.1 lines 20-22), therefore it would have been obvious to the skilled artisan before the effective filing date to construct the drive mechanism of Watkins with the output shaft of each motors to be coupled to the circular gear via a gearbox as taught by Porucznik, as it would be beneficiary to Watkins to be able to prevent impairment on quality of the components produced and render operation more efficient.
Regarding claim 14, (as best understood)
The prior art Watkins discloses all limitation of claim 13,
Watkins discloses wherein for each respective drive motor (240, 316), the circular gear (this structure is inherent with rack and pinion gear system) coupled to the output shaft (this structure is inherent with motors).
Walkins is silent about the circular gear to be operatively coupled to the output shaft via a gearbox.
Watkins and Porucznik disclose both art in the same field of endeavor of the claimed invention (i.e. can bodymaker apparatus).
Porucznik, in a similar art, teaches a can bodymaker apparatus (130) with a drive mechanism (176,184) having the circular gear (175) to be operatively coupled to the output shaft (172) via a gearbox (see col.11 lines 14-22)
Porucznik teaches the circular gear to couple to the output shaft via the gearbox to prevent impairment on quality of the components produced (see col.1 lines 20-22), therefore it would have been obvious to the skilled artisan before the effective filing date to construct the drive mechanism of Watkins with the output shaft of each motors to be coupled to the circular gear via a gearbox as taught by Porucznik, as it would be beneficiary to Watkins to be able to prevent impairment on quality of the components produced and render operation more efficient.
Claims 1 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Butcher et al. US Publication (2019/0076904) hereinafter Butcher in view of Watkins et al. US Patent (9,375,774) hereinafter Watkins (Alternative).
Regarding claim 1, (Alternative)
Butcher discloses a drive system (fig.5-9) for use in a can bodymaker (10), the drive system comprising:
an operating arrangement (14) comprising a drive mechanism (30,32), the drive mechanism (30,32) structured to be coupled to a frame (11) of the can bodymaker (10 see fig.2);
a yolk body (70) structured to be coupled to an end of a ram body (50) of a ram (12) extending from a first side of the yolk body (see fig.9); and
a slide arrangement (100) coupled to the yolk body (70) and structured to be coupled to the frame (see fig.6-7) of the can bodymaker such that the yolk body (70) can move linearly with respect to the frame (see para.[0062]),
the slide arrangement (100) comprising:
a number of rails (66,68), and
a number of carriage members (102),
wherein each rail of the number of rails (66,68) has at least one carriage member of the number of carriage members (102) slidingly engaged therewith (see fig.8),
wherein the drive mechanism (30,32) is operatively coupled to the yolk body (70) such that the yolk body is structured to be driven in a reciprocal linear motion back and forth along the number of rails (66,68) of the slide arrangement by the drive mechanism (30,32, see fig.5-7).
Butcher does not disclose the operating arrangement to comprise a number of drive motors, each drive motor structured to be coupled to a frame of the can bodymaker.
Butcher and Watkins disclose both art in the same field of endeavor of the claimed invention (i.e. can bodymaker apparatus).
Watkins, in a similar art, teaches a can bodymaker apparatus (fig.2) with the operating arrangement (fig.7) to comprise a number of drive motors (two motor, 240), each drive motor (240) structured to be coupled to a frame of the can bodymaker (see fig.2 and 7, additionally see col.3 lines 54-64).
Watkins teaches the operating arrangement to reduce on misalignment of the ram (see col.1 lines 25-26), therefore it would have been obvious to the skilled artisan before the effective filing date to construct the operating arrangement of Butcher with a number of drive motors, each drive motor structured to be coupled to a frame of the can bodymaker as taught by Watkins, as it would be beneficiary to Butcher to be able to reduce on misalignment of the ram and render operation more efficient.
Regarding claim 12, (Alternative)
Butcher discloses a can bodymaker (10) comprising:
a frame (11);
a ram (12) having an elongated, substantially cylindrical ram body (50) positioned about a longitudinal axis (56), the ram body having a proximal end (52) and a distal end (54) positioned opposite the proximal end; and
a drive system (fig.5-9) comprising:
an operating arrangement (14) comprising a drive mechanism (30,32), the drive mechanism (30,32) coupled to the frame (11)
a yolk body (70) coupled to the proximal end (52) to the ram body (50); and
a slide arrangement (100) coupled to the yolk body (70) and the frame (see fig.6-7) such that the yolk body (70) can move linearly with respect to the frame (see para.[0062]),
the slide arrangement (100) comprising:
a number of rails (66,68), and
a number of carriage members (102),
wherein each rail of the number of rails (66,68) has at least one carriage member of the number of carriage members (102) slidingly engaged therewith (see fig.8),
wherein the drive mechanism (30,32) is operatively coupled to the yolk body (70) such that the yolk body and the ram body (50) are structured to be driven in a reciprocal linear motion back and forth along the number of rails (66,68) of the slide arrangement by the drive mechanism (30,32, see fig.5-7).
Butcher does not disclose the operating arrangement to comprise a number of drive motors, each drive motor structured to be coupled to a frame of the can bodymaker.
Butcher and Watkins disclose both art in the same field of endeavor of the claimed invention (i.e. can bodymaker apparatus).
Watkins, in a similar art, teaches a can bodymaker apparatus (fig.2) with the operating arrangement (fig.7) to comprise a number of drive motors (two motor, 240), each drive motor (240) structured to be coupled to a frame of the can bodymaker (see fig.2 and 7, additionally see col.3 lines 54-64).
Watkins teaches the operating arrangement to reduce on misalignment of the ram (see col.1 lines 25-26), therefore it would have been obvious to the skilled artisan before the effective filing date to construct the operating arrangement of Butcher with a number of drive motors, each drive motor structured to be coupled to a frame of the can bodymaker as taught by Watkins, as it would be beneficiary to Butcher to be able to reduce on misalignment of the ram and render operation more efficient.
Conclusion
Prior Art US3704619 is also relevant as it shows the can bodymaker with two motors.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Smith O. BAPTHELUS whose telephone number is (571)272-5976. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 9:00-6:00.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christopher L. Templeton can be reached at (571)270 1477. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
January 30, 2026
/BSO/Examiner, Art Unit 3725
/Christopher L Templeton/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3725