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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and/or 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Pizzato et al. (hereafter Pizzato)(WO 2021009601 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Pizzato discloses a safety gate monitoring module configured to monitor a state of a safety gate (Figures 6, 7, 8, 9, Elements 3 and 12), the safety gate monitoring module comprising: a base device (Figures 8, 9, Elements 4, 14, Pages 6, 11 and claim 1 where the push button station/switching device includes shell 14 and casing 4 that form a base device) that: is configured to generate a safety gate signal (Figures 6, 7, Elements 2, 3, 12, Pages 6, 11 and 1 where the push-button panel/switching device produces a safety signal based on an open/closed status of the door), includes an actuator receptacle that is configured to receive an actuator, is configured to generate the safety gate signal in response to the actuator being inserted into the actuator receptacle (Figures 6, 7, Elements 2, 3, 12, Pages 6, 11 and 1 where the push-button panel/switching device produces a safety signal based on an open/closed status of the door. The open/closed status is determined based on an actuator being inserted into an actuator receptacle of the push-button panel/switching device), includes an axis and a first end face arranged transversely to the axis, and includes a first interface; and a mounting bracket including a second interface that is configured to be coupled to the first interface in: a first position, a second position rotated clockwise by 90° with respect to the first position about the axis, and a third position rotated clockwise by 90° with respect to the second position about the axis, wherein the first interface and the second interface include a mechanical blocking device that is configured to prevent coupling of the first interface to the second interface in a fourth position rotated clockwise by 90° with respect to the third position about the axis (Figures 8, 9, 10, Elements 3, 4, 12, 14, 30 and Page 11 where the connection module 30 connects the shell 14 and casing 4 at relative interfaces. The connection module provides rotational setting in three orthogonal directions but is limited to 270 degree rotation and setting).
Regarding claim 2, Pizzato discloses wherein: the mounting bracket includes a mounting side that is arranged transversely to the second interface of the mounting bracket; the actuator receptacle is configured to receive an actuator in: a first direction, a second direction rotated anticlockwise by 90° with respect to the first direction about the axis, and a third direction rotated anticlockwise by 90° with respect to the second direction about the axis; the mounting side is orthogonal to the first direction in the first position; the mounting side is orthogonal to the second direction in the second position; and the mounting side is orthogonal to the third direction in the third position (Figures 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Elements 2, 3, 4, 12, 14, 30 and Page 11 where the connection module 30 connects the shell 14 and casing 4 at relative interfaces. The connection module provides rotational setting in three orthogonal directions but is limited to 270 degree rotation and setting. The push-button panel/switching device receives the actuator from the actuator device 2).
Regarding claim 3, Pizzato discloses wherein: the mechanical blocking device includes a mechanical blocking element and a recess; one of the first interface or the second interface includes the mechanical blocking element; an other one of the first interface or the second interface includes the recess; and the recess is configured to receive the mechanical blocking element in each of the first position, the second position, and the third position and to prevent the fourth position (Figures 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Elements 2, 3, 4, 12, 14, 30 and Page 11 where the connection module 30 connects the shell 14 and casing 4 at relative interfaces. The connection module provides rotational setting in three orthogonal directions but is limited to 270 degree rotation and setting. The connection module and its internal components block full 360 degree rotation of the interfacing elements).
Regarding claim 4, Pizzato discloses wherein the recess extends around the axis by less than 360° (Figures 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Elements 2, 3, 4, 12, 14, 30, 31, 34 and Page 11 where the connection module 30 connects the shell 14 and casing 4 at relative interfaces. The connection module provides rotational setting in three orthogonal directions but is limited to 270 degree rotation and setting. The connection module and its internal components block full 360 degree rotation of the interfacing elements).
Regarding claim 5, Pizzato discloses wherein the base device and/or the mounting bracket include a first axial locking that axially locks the mounting bracket along the axis (Figures 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Elements 2, 3, 4, 12, 14, 30, 31, 34 and Page 11 where the connection module 30 connects the shell 14 and casing 4 at relative interfaces. The connection module provides orthogonal rotation in three directions but it limited to 270 degree rotation and locking).
Regarding claim 6, Pizzato discloses wherein the base device includes a detachably fixed side wall that includes a part of the first axial locking (Figures 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Elements 2, 3, 4, 12, 14, 30, 31, 34 and Page 11 where the connection module 30 connects the shell 14 and casing 4 at relative interfaces. The connection module provides rotational setting in three orthogonal directions but is limited to 270 degree rotation and setting. The connection module is detachably fixed to the interfacing elements).
Regarding claim 7, Pizzato discloses wherein: the mounting bracket includes a mounting side that is arranged transversely to the second interface of the mounting bracket, the base device includes a first through-hole and a second through-hole, the second through-hole extending orthogonally to the first through-hole, and the first through-hole extends orthogonally to the mounting side in the first position and the third position, and the second through-hole extends orthogonally to the mounting side in the second position (Figures 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Elements 2, 3, 4, 12, 14, 30, 31, 34 and Page 11 where the connection module 30 connects the shell 14 and casing 4 at relative interfaces. The connection module provides rotational setting in three orthogonal directions but is limited to 270 degree rotation and setting. The connection module is detachably fixed to the interfacing elements via plural through-holes).
Regarding claim 8, Pizzato discloses wherein: the mounting bracket includes a mounting side that is arranged transversely to the second interface of the mounting bracket, the base device includes a first side surface, a second side surface and a third side surface that are arranged substantially transversely to the first end face, and the mounting side of the mounting bracket is flush with or parallel to: the first side surface in the first position, the second side surface in the second position, and the third side surface in the third position (Figures 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Elements 2, 3, 4, 12, 14, 30, 31, 34 and Page 11 where the connection module 30 connects the shell 14 and casing 4 at relative interfaces. The connection module provides rotational setting in three orthogonal directions but is limited to 270 degree rotation and setting. The connection module is detachably fixed to the interfacing elements via plural through-holes a plurality of setting angles).
Regarding claim 9, Pizzato discloses wherein: the first interface includes a plug that is configured to transmit current and/or electrical signals, and the second interface includes a first receptacle configured to receive the plug (Figure 11, Element 29 and Pages 10 and 12 where the push-button panel/switching device includes a connection cable for providing power from a standard plug outlet).
Regarding claim 10, Pizzato discloses wherein at least one of the plug and the mounting bracket include an anti-rotation lock that rotationally locks the plug with respect to the axis in the first receptacle (Figure 11, Element 29 and Pages 10-12 where the push-button panel/switching device includes a connection cable for providing power from a standard plug outlet. The connection module provides orthogonal rotation in three directions but it limited to 270 degree rotation and locking).
Regarding claim 11, Pizzato discloses wherein at least one of the plug and the mounting bracket include a second axial locking that axially secures the plug in the first receptacle along the axis (Figure 11, Element 29 and Pages 10-12 where the push-button panel/switching device includes a connection cable for providing power from a standard plug outlet. The connection module provides orthogonal rotation in three directions but it limited to 270 degree rotation and locking).
Regarding claim 12, Pizzato discloses wherein: the first interface includes a plurality of second receptacles, the second interface includes a plurality of third receptacles, at least one of the plurality of third receptacles is aligned with one of the plurality of second receptacles of the first interface in the first position, the second position, and the third position, and the plurality of second receptacles and the plurality of third receptacles are each configured to receive a fixing device configured to couple the first interface to the second interface (Figures 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Elements 2, 3, 4, 12, 14, 30, 31, 34 and Page 11 where the connection module 30 connects the shell 14 and casing 4 at relative interfaces. The connection module provides orthogonal rotation in three directions but it limited to 270 degree rotation and locking. The connection module is detachably fixed to the interfacing elements via plural through-holes a plurality of setting angles).
Regarding claim 13, Pizzato discloses wherein: the mounting bracket includes a mounting side that is arranged transversely to the second interface of the mounting bracket, and the mounting side of the mounting bracket includes a fourth receptacle configured to receive a fixing device for fixing the mounting bracket to a mounting surface (Figures 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Elements 2, 3, 4, 12, 14, 30, 31, 34 and Page 11 where the connection module 30 connects the shell 14 and casing 4 at relative interfaces. The connection module provides orthogonal rotation in three directions but it limited to 270 degree rotation and locking. The connection module is detachably fixed to the interfacing elements via plural through-holes a plurality of setting angles. The push-button panel/switching device is further coupled to a door frame).
Regarding claim 14, Pizzato discloses wherein the plug includes a poka-yoke element (Figure 11, Element 29 and Pages 10 and 12 where the push-button panel/switching device includes a connection cable for providing power from a standard, fool-proof plug outlet).
Regarding claim 15, Pizzato discloses a safety gate monitoring system, comprising: the safety gate monitoring module of claim 1; the safety gate, wherein the safety gate controls access to a safety area; an actuator; and a control system configured to: read the safety gate signal, and control a machine or system located in the safety area in accordance with the safety gate signal (Figures 6, 7 and Pages 6-7 where a signal from the safety switch disables an industrial machine when the door is opened).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THOMAS D ALUNKAL whose telephone number is (571)270-1127. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9AM-5PM.
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/THOMAS D ALUNKAL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2686
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