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 .
Amendment
Receipt is acknowledged of the Amendment filed October 7, 2025.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
3. 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.
4. Claims 15-19 and 25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Meagher (2013/0056285) in view of Naito et al (5,929,390), hereinafter Naito.
With respect to claims 15, 16, and 19, Meagher discloses a barcode reader assembly (paragraph 0050), comprising: a barcode reader (paragraph 0050); a frame secured to a housing of the barcode reader; and a scale assembly positioned between the barcode reader and the frame (paragraph 0051), the scale assembly (22) comprising: a load cell (22C); a stationary frame secured to the first frame and fixedly mounted on a first end of the load cell; a movable load arm fixedly (22A) mounted on a second end of the load cell, opposite the first end (paragraph 0053); a platter removably positioned on the movable load arm (paragraph 0060); and power provided (paragraph 0015 discloses the bi-optical POS-based checkout/scale system is electronically powered).
With respect to claim 17, Meagher discloses in paragraph 0025 (figure 4A), the barcode reader, wherein the platter is not restrained in a vertical direction.
Meagher’s teachings fail to specifically teach the electrical circuit positioned to follow a weigh path of the load cell and comprising a first end portion located adjacent the stationary frame, and a middle portion having at least a portion fixedly secured to the load cell and further fails to teach the electrical circuit being flexible or comprising a plurality of wires.
With respect to claim 15, Naito, drawn to weight systems, discloses, a stationary frame fixedly mounted on a first end of the load cell (see Fig. 1, connection of load cell 3 with stationary portion 4); the electrical power circuit 14 positioned to follow a weigh path of the load cell and comprising a first end portion located adjacent the stationary frame (see Fig. 2, wire ribbon is adjacent stationary end 18 of load cell), a middle portion (13) having at least a portion fixedly secured to the load cell (col. 1, line 7: The present invention relates to a load cell of a type wherein a bridge circuit having strain gauges is formed in a predetermined pattern on a surface of a strain inducing element and also to a weighing apparatus using such load cell; col. 6, lines 41-44: A heat insulating pad 18 is interposed between the fixed rigid body 5a and the upright arm of the base support 4 and also between the movable rigid body 5b and the stem 2a of the weighing table 2).
With respect to claims 18 and 19, Naito further discloses, wherein the middle portion of the electrical circuit is flexible (col. 3, lines 28-32: A flexible wiring ribbon is used to form a non-patterned portion of the bridge circuit, which is not formed on such surface of the strain inducing clement, and lines to connect the bridge circuit with an external circuit).
With respect to claim 25, Naito further discloses, wherein the first end portion of the electrical circuit has secure electrical connector configured to provide an electrical connection between the electrical circuit and a power source (col, 6, lines 2-7: The flexible wiring ribbon 12 has a connection 13 at one end thereof which is soldered to the circuit component 8a of the patterned bridge circuit 8 as will be described later, and also has at the opposite end a connection 17 such as, for example, a connector which is in turn connected with the external circuit 14; col. 8, lines 1-3: Referring particularly to FIG. 4, the external circuit 14 includes the signal processing circuit 30, the electric power circuit 31 and an amplifier 32).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to combine the circuitry arrangement of Naito with the scale assembly of Meagher. One would be motivated to combine the circuitry arrangement with the scale assembly in order to improve the simplicity of construction (see Naito, col 3, In 13-18: The present invention has been developed to substantially eliminate the problems hereinabove discussed in connection with the prior art load cell and weighing apparatus and is intended to provide an improved load cell effective to simplify the manufacturing process and also to secure a highly precise, accurate weighing result).
5. Claim 26 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Meagher in combination with Naito and in further view of Fellinger et al (2007/0113650), hereinafter Fellinger.
Meagher’s teachings in combination with Naito are discussed above. The combination fails to specifically teach the measurement being in about .02 pound increments.
With respect to claim 26, Fellinger teaches in paragraph 0004, an electronic scale that measures in 0.1 to 0.001 pound increments.
In view of Fellinger’s teachings, it would have been obvious to an artisan of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have the scale taught by Meagher measure in small increments as is taught by Fellinger. One would motivated to measure in small increments in order to have the most accurate measured weighted.
6. Claims 1-7 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Meagher in combination with Naito and in further view of Dryzmala et al (2021/0294999), hereinafter Dryzmala.
With respect to claims 1, 2, 4, and 7, Meagher discloses a barcode reader assembly (paragraph 0050), comprising: a barcode reader (paragraph 0050); a frame secured to a housing of the barcode reader; and a scale assembly positioned between the barcode reader and the frame (paragraph 0051), the scale assembly (22) comprising: a load cell (22C); a stationary frame secured to the first frame and fixedly mounted on a first end of the load cell; a movable load arm fixedly (22A) mounted on a second end of the load cell, opposite the first end (paragraph 0053); a platter removably positioned on the movable load arm (paragraph 0060); and power provided (paragraph 0015 discloses the bi-optical POS-based checkout/scale system is electronically powered).
With respect to claim 3, Meagher discloses in paragraph 0002, the barcode reader, wherein the barcode reader is a bioptic barcode reader.
With respect to claim 5, Meagher discloses in paragraph 0025 (figure 4A), the barcode reader, wherein the platter is not restrained in a vertical direction.
Meagher’s teachings fail to specifically teach the electrical circuit positioned to follow a weigh path of the load cell and comprising a first end portion located adjacent the stationary frame, and a middle portion having at least a portion fixedly secured to the load cell.
With respect to claim 1, Naito, drawn to weight systems, discloses, a stationary frame fixedly mounted on a first end of the load cell (note: see Fig. 1, connection of load cell 3 with stationary portion 4); the electrical power circuit 14 positioned to follow a weigh path of the load cell and comprising a first end portion located adjacent the stationary frame (see Fig. 2, wire ribbon is adjacent stationary end 18 of load cell), a middle portion (13) having at least a portion fixedly secured to the load cell (col. 1, line 7: The present invention relates to a load cell of a type wherein a bridge circuit having strain gauges is formed in a predetermined pattern on a surface of a strain inducing element and also to a weighing apparatus using such load cell; col. 6, lines 41-44: A heat insulating pad 18 is interposed between the fixed rigid body 5a and the upright arm of the base support 4 and also between the movable rigid body 5b and the stem 2a of the weighing table 2).
With respect to claim 6, Naito further discloses, wherein the middle portion of the electrical circuit is flexible (col. 3, lines 28-32: A flexible wiring ribbon is used to form a non-patterned portion of the bridge circuit, which is not formed on such surface of the strain inducing clement, and lines to connect the bridge circuit with an external circuit).
With respect to claim 13, Naito further discloses, wherein the first end portion of the electrical circuit has secure electrical connector configured to provide an electrical connection between the electrical circuit and a power source (col, 6, lines 2-7: The flexible wiring ribbon 12 has a connection 13 at one end thereof which is soldered to the circuit component 8a of the patterned bridge circuit 8 as will be described later, and also has at the opposite end a connection 17 such as, for example, a connector which is in turn connected with the external circuit 14; col. 8, lines 1-3: Referring particularly to FIG. 4, the external circuit 14 includes the signal processing circuit 30, the electric power circuit 31 and an amplifier 32).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to combine the circuitry arrangement of Naito with the scale assembly of Meagher. One would be motivated to combine the circuitry with the scale assembly in order to improve the simplicity of construction (see Naito, col. 3, lines 13-18: The present invention has been developed to substantially eliminate the problems hereinabove discussed in connection with the prior art load cell and weighing apparatus and is intended to provide an improved load cell effective to simplify the manufacturing process and also to secure a highly precise, accurate weighing result).
Meagher’s teachings in combination with the teachings of Naito are discussed above. The combination however fails to teach the frame being metal.
With respect to claim 1, Dryzmala teaches in paragraph 0028, the bioptic barcode reader with scale, includes a metal frame 115 and scale support rail 120.
In view of Dryzmala’s teachings, it would have been obvious to an artisan of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to include the metal frame in the barcode reader assembly and scale assembly taught by Meagher in combination with Naito. Although the combination fails to teach the material of the support, one would motivated to use metal, in order to assure that the support frame is strong.
7. Claim 14 is are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Meagher in combination with Naito and Dryzmala and in further view of Fellinger.
Meagher’s teachings in combination with Naito and Dryzmala are discussed above. The combination fails to specifically teach the measurement being in about .02 pound increments.
With respect to claim 14, Fellinger teaches in paragraph 0004, an electronic scale that measures in 0.1 to 0.001 pound increments.
In view of Fellinger’s teachings, it would have been obvious to an artisan of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have the scale taught by Meagher measure in small increments as is taught by Fellinger. One would motivated to measure in small increments in order to have the most accurate measured weighted.
Allowable Subject Matter
8. Claims 8-12 and 20-24 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form, including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is an examiner’s reason for allowance: Although Meagher teaches a barcode reader assembly including a scale assembly, the above identified prior art of record, taken alone, or in combination with any other prior art, fails to teach or fairly suggest the specific features of claims 6, 8-13, and 20-24 of the present claimed invention. Specifically, prior art fails to teach the claimed barcode reader assembly, wherein the electrical circuit extends between the stationary frame and the load cell at the first end of the load cell across an area that the stationary frame is fixedly mounted to the load cell and extends between the movable load arm and the load cell at the second end of the load cell across an area that the movable load arm is fixedly mounted to the load cell. Prior art further fails to teach the claimed barcode reader assembly, wherein the second end portion of the electrical circuit has an unsecured electrical connector configured to provide an electrical connection between the electrical circuit and the platter. The above limitations are not disclosed in prior art and moreover, one of ordinary skill in the art would not have been motivated to come to the claimed invention.
Response to Arguments
9. Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-26 have been considered but they are not persuasive. Meagher teaches the scale/barcode reader assembly described in the claims, further teaches powering the assembly, including the need to deliver electrical power to components associated with the load-cell structure, however fails to specifically teach the how power is provided via circuit. The claims recite an electrical circuit configured to provide power to the platter and positioned to follow a weigh path, including a first, middle, and second end portion. This claimed wiring pattern is expected. It is clear that whenever a powered element is placed on a movable weigh arm, the electrical connection must be routed so that it accommodates that movement. Thus, arranging the circuit to traverse the same path (including first, middle, and second end portions) as the mechanical movement is an obvious design practice, driven by the need to avoid strain, disconnection, or signal interference.
Conclusion
10. THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
11. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Allyson N. Trail whose telephone number is (571) 272-2406. The examiner can normally be reached between the hours of 7:30AM to 4:00PM Monday thru Friday.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael G. Lee, can be reached on (571) 272-2398. The fax phone number for this Group is (571) 273-8300.
Communications via Internet e-mail regarding this application, other than those under 35 U.S.C. 132 or which otherwise require a signature, may be used by the applicant and should be addressed to [allyson.trail@uspto.gov].
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/ALLYSON N TRAIL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
December 2, 2025