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 § 112
Claims 1-14 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.
The following claims are vague, indefinite, awkwardly, confusingly worded and/or lacking proper antecedent basis:
“it” is recited in claims 1, 3, and 11. The limitations must be positively recited with the proper antecedent basis. The claims are indefinite.
Claims 11-13 do not recite method steps.
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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4-7, and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by Huisken et al 7618028.
Huisken et al discloses the claimed invention as recited in the claims as shown below;
1. (Currently Amended) An apparatus Apparatus for machining lock cylinders
comprising:
- a first operating group comprising first stations which comprise at least one a machining station 36
and a repositioning station 12, each fixed to a first support 11,
- a second operating group comprising a at least one gripping station 32 & 35 configured to grip and
release a workpiece Abstract Line 11,
wherein said at least one gripping station is configured to support alternately a workpiece in a
first machining configuration, for performing at least one a first machining operation thereon,
and in a second machining configuration, for performing at least one a second machining
operation thereon, wherein said second configuration is different from said first machining
configuration SO as to expose to said at least one machining station different parts of the
workpiece following a repositioning of the workpiece between said first configuration and said
second configuration;
wherein said repositioning station is configured to reposition said workpiece between said first
machining configuration and said second machining configuration,
and wherein said repositioning station comprises:
- a first repositioning body 40 and
- a second repositioning body 36,
wherein said first repositioning body is configured to perform, in sequence, the following:
- remove said workpiece from said gripping station 30, which releases it,
- move said workpiece so as to make it available for gripping by said second repositioning body;
and wherein said second repositioning body is configured to perform, in sequence, the following:
- grip 35 between second 35 said workpiece supported by said first repositioning body, which releases it;
- transfer 33 positions workpiece said workpiece into a position in which the workpiece is available for gripping by said
gripping station.
2. (Currently Amended) The apparatus Apparatus-according to claim 1 where said second
operating group comprises a second support 35 second grip , wherein said gripping station is supported by said
second support in a rotatable manner (rotating 33 which moves along 32) around a spindle axis so that a workpiece gripped by said
gripping station is rotatable around said spindle axis so as to expose different portions of said
workpiece to said at least one machining station following a rotation of said gripping station.
4. (Currently Amended) The apparatus Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at
least one machining station is configured to perform said at least one first machining operation
which comprises the formation of a reference surface on the workpiece;
where said gripping station has a reference abutment able to interfere with the reference surface
of a workpiece so as to define a precise relative position of the workpiece with respect to the
gripping station;
where said repositioning station can be operated so as to transfer a workpiece, provided with a
reference surface, into said gripping station so that the reference surface interferes with said
reference abutment. See Fig.2 which naturally transfers the workpiece to be work upon.
5. (Currently Amended) The apparatus Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said at
least one machining station is configured to perform said at least one first machining operation
which comprises the formation of a reference surface on the workpiece;
where said gripping station has a reference abutment able to interfere with the reference surface
of a workpiece so as to define a precise relative position of the workpiece with respect to the
gripping station;
where said repositioning station can be operated so as to transfer a workpiece, provided with a
reference surface, into said gripping station so that the reference surface interferes with said
reference abutment. See Fig.2 which has structures which abut the workpiece which position and hold workpiece.
6. (Currently Amended) The apparatus Apparatus-according to claim 1, wherein said at
least one machining station comprises an at least one interchangeable tool. See Fig.2 which has at least tool 55 which can be removed and changed or inter changeable
7. (Currently Amended) The apparatus Apparatus according to claim 1 any one of the
preceding claims, wherein said first stations comprise a plurality of machining stations 12 & 13 and a
repositioning station, and wherein said second operating group comprises a plurality of gripping
stations.
10. (Currently Amended) The apparatus Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said
first stations further comprise a loading station and an unloading station or a loading/unloading
station.See 12 which loads and unloads
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 8-9, and 14 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claims 11-13 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The 892 form discloses prior being made of record.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LEE D WILSON whose telephone number is (571)272-4499. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH 6;30-4;30.
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LEE D. WILSON
Examiner
Art Unit 3723
Ldw
/LEE D WILSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723 February 16, 2026