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 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 – 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhou (CN 112207852A).
Regarding claim 1, Zhou teaches, an apparatus, comprising:
a first member (305);
a second member (paw – 3) configured to be coupled to a tether (1 - ring moving device);
a first link having a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion, the first end portion of the first link pivotably coupled to the second member (306 is coupled to 305 at its upper end, fig. 9);
a second link having a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion of the second link, the first end portion of the second link pivotably coupled to the second member (second mirrored copy of 306 – coupled to 305);
a third link (303) having a distal end portion, a proximal end portion and an intermediate portion disposed between the distal end portion of the third link and the proximal end portion of the third link, the distal end portion of the third link configured to interface with a package on a first side, the proximal end portion of the third link pivotably coupled to the first member, the intermediate portion of the third link pivotably coupled to the second end portion of the first link (fig. 8 – shows distal end portion, end portion, and intermediate portion of third link (303) – coupled to first member)
and a fourth link (303 – second link) having a distal end portion, a proximal end portion and an intermediate portion disposed between the distal end portion of the fourth link and the proximal end portion of the fourth link, the distal end portion of the fourth link configured to interface with a package on a second side opposite the first side, the proximal end portion of the fourth link pivotably coupled to the first member the intermediate portion of the fourth link pivotably coupled to the second end portion of the second link. (fig. 8 – shows distal end portion, end portion, and intermediate portion of third link (303) – coupled to first member)
Regarding claim 2, Zhou teaches, the apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
the third link and the fourth link collectively have a closed configuration and an open configuration (abstract – Links can be opened and closed synchronously),
when in the closed configuration and engaging the package, at least a portion of the distal end portion of the third link and at least a portion of the distal end portion of the fourth link being disposed within an opening of the package (fig. 16 – shows a package being gripped in the closed configuration).
Regarding claim 3, Zhou teaches, the apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
the third link and the fourth link collectively have a closed configuration and an open configuration (abstract – Links can be opened and closed synchronously),
when in the closed configuration and engaging the package, at least a portion of the distal end portion of the third link and at least a portion of the distal end portion of the fourth link being disposed within an opening of the package (fig. 16 – shows a package being gripped in the closed configuration),
when in the open configuration, the third link and the fourth link being outside of the opening of the package (fig. 16 – shows a package being gripped in the closed configuration) .
Regarding claim 4, Zhou teaches, the apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
the third link and the fourth link collectively move from a closed configuration to an open configuration when the package is lowered to a landing surface and the first member moves lower causing the proximal end portion of the third link and the proximal end portion of the fourth link to lower away from the second member and causing the distal end portion of the third link and the distal end portion of the fourth link away from each other ( [0050] - sliding block (305) moves vertically downward along a lead screw (224) to open grippers (303) by moving links apart), fig. 1/16).
Regarding claim 5, Zhou teaches, the apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
the third link and the fourth link collectively move from an open configuration to a closed configuration when a receptacle (2) is lowered causing the third link and the fourth link to pivot with respect to the second end portion of the first link and the second end portion of the second link, respectively, causing the distal end portion of the third link and the distal end portion of the fourth link towards each other and causing at least a portion of the distal end portion of the third link and at least a portion the distal end portion of the fourth link to be disposed within an opening of the package ([0500] - Platform (2) is a receptacle for the lifted item, and when lowered the grippers (303) pivot, moving ends toward each other, specifically this would occur within the opening of a package to be lifted).
Regarding claim 6, Zhou teaches, the apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
the distal end portion of the third link includes a first elongate portion (shown below) and a second elongate (shown below) portion separated from the first elongate portion by a non-zero distance (shown below – gap between elongates),
the distal end portion of the fourth link having an elongate portion sized and configured to be disposed between the first elongate portion of the distal end portion of the third link and the second elongate portion of the distal end portion of the third link when the third link and the fourth link are collectively in a closed configuration (shown below – fourth link elongate slides between gap in third elongate).
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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 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou (CN 112207852A) in view of Menashe (US 9650136 B1).
Regarding claim 7, Zhou teaches, the apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
the first member, the second member, the first link, the second link, the third link and the fourth link collectively define a grasper (fig. 16- shows links being used as a grasping mechanism),
a receptacle (2) is coupled to an aerial drone having a winch configured to retrieve the tether (1) to move the grasper and the package towards the aerial drone and to pay out the tether to move the grasper and the package away from the aerial drone.
Zhou fails to teach,
The receptacle is coupled to an aerial drone having a winch configured to retrieve the tether and
move the package closer to and away from the aerial drone
However, Menashe teaches, a receptacle coupled to an aerial drone having a winch configured to retrieve a tether and move a package to and from (Payload holding mechanism (212) on drone (200) includes a winch, configured to drop and raise packages (fig. 4))
Both Zhou and Menashe are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are both in the field of package transport and gripping apparatuses. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to the claimed invention to have modified Zhou’s gripping apparatus to include the aerial drone and winch configuration taught by Menashe. Drone package delivery is well known in the art, combining the gripper taught by Zhou with a conventional drone delivery system would yield obvious results of being able to transport packages via drone.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to the applicant’s disclosure.
Gil (US 20220205469 A1) – discloses a tension actuated gripping mechanism on a drone
Lawrence (US 20190275683 A1) – discloses a tension actuated gripping mechanism with several members and links
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JUAN SALVADOR MOSCOSO whose telephone number is (571)272-8604. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30-5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Saul Rodriguez can be reached at (571) 272-7097. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SAUL RODRIGUEZ/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3652
/J.S.M./Examiner, Art Unit 3652
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