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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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, 8, and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Stefani (US 2023/0057122).
Regarding claim 1, Stephani discloses a LiDAR cleaning system (10) comprising: a cleaning arm (Item 9) configured to clean a sensor surface (Item 12) of a LiDAR sensor by displacement of the cleaning arm, and a drive unit, wherein the drive unit has at least two deflection elements (Item 62) and a belt element (Item 7), wherein the cleaning arm (12) is detachably connected to the belt element (Figure 5), wherein the drive unit (16) is configured to displace the cleaning arm by rotation of the belt element (20) about the at least two deflection elements to clean the sensor surface.
Regarding claim 8 Stephani discloses the LiDAR cleaning system according to claim 1, wherein the belt element (Item 7) comprises a first plurality of recesses on a first flank of the belt element (Figure 3).
Regarding claim 10 Stephani discloses the vehicle (200) comprising a LiDAR sensor (100) and a LiDAR cleaning system (10) according to claim 1 (Abstract).
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 2-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stefani (US 2023/0057122) in view of Kunz (US 1,977,188)
Regarding claim 2 Stephani discloses the LiDAR cleaning system according to claim 1. Stefani fails to explicitly disclose wherein the cleaning arm is arranged on the belt element by a connecting element, wherein the belt element has a pin which is configured to engage in a recess of the connecting element.
Kunz teaches a window cleaner wherein the cleaning arm (Item 18) is arranged on the belt element by a connecting element (Item 16), wherein the belt element has a pin (Item 27) which is configured to engage in a recess (Items 28 or 29) of the connecting element (Figures 2 and 4). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Stephani with the movement means as taught by Kunz. Kunz further discusses how such a modification is beneficial because the system “is designed to materially lessen the cost of construction, increase the efficiency, and at the same provide and attractive appearance.” (Page 1 Lines 22-27)
Regarding claim 3 Stephani in view of Kuntz disclose the LiDAR cleaning system according to claim 2, wherein the connecting element has at least two recesses (Kuntz; Items 28 and 29), wherein the two recesses are arranged opposite a displacement axis on the connecting element, wherein the pin on the belt element is designed such that the pin engages in a first displacement direction in the first recess (Figure 2) and the pin engages in a second displacement direction in the second recess (Figure 4).
Claims 2 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stefani (US 2023/0057122) in view of Stahelin (US 1,827,959)
Regarding claim 2 Stephani discloses the LiDAR cleaning system according to claim 1. Stefani fails to explicitly disclose wherein the cleaning arm is arranged on the belt element by a connecting element, wherein the belt element has a pin which is configured to engage in a recess of the connecting element.
Stahelin teaches a window cleaner wherein the cleaning arm (Item 48) is arranged on the belt element by a connecting element (Item 42), wherein the belt element has a pin (Item 40) which is configured to engage in a recess (Item 51 and 52)) of the connecting element (Page 2 Lines 29-44). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Stephani with the movement means as taught by Stahelin. Such a modification would allow the “device which works easily with little friction, and which can be operated by a small, low voltage motor”. (Stahelin Page 1 Lines 1-11).
Regarding claim 4 Stephani in view of Stahelin disclose the LiDAR cleaning system (10) according to claim 2, wherein the connecting element has a groove (Item 51 and 52), wherein the pin is arranged displaceably in the groove, wherein the pin is designed to change between a first position in the groove and a second position in the groove depending on a displacement direction .
Claims 5-7 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stefani (US 2023/0057122) in view of Shaw (US 2,063,055)
Regarding claim 5 Stephani discloses the LiDAR cleaning system according to claim 1. Stefani fails to explicitly disclose wherein the LiDAR cleaning system has a rotary unit, wherein the rotary unit has a bearing element on which the cleaning arm can be arranged, wherein a gripping element is rotatably arranged on the bearing element, wherein the gripping element is configured to form a force-fit and/or form-fit connection with the belt element , wherein the rotary unit is configured to change a displacement direction of the cleaning arm when the gripping element reaches one of the at least two deflection elements .
Shaw teaches a window cleaner wherein a rotary unit (Item 22 and 24), wherein the rotary unit has a bearing element (Item 24) on which the cleaning arm can be arranged, wherein a gripping element (Item 29) is rotatably arranged on the bearing element, wherein the gripping element is configured to form a force-fit and/or form-fit connection with the belt element (Item 26), wherein the rotary unit is configured to change a displacement direction of the cleaning arm when the gripping element reaches one of the at least two deflection elements (Items 25 and 24). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Stephani to include the movement means of Shaw. Such a modification would prevent the wiper from jamming or malfunctioning when encountering heavy obstacles such as snow or ice (Column 2 Lines 33-43).
Regarding claim 6 Stephani in view of Shaw disclose the LiDAR cleaning system according to claim 5, wherein the rotary unit comprises a stopper element (Shaw Item 37 or 39) configured to rotate the bearing element by the force-fit and/or form-fit connection between the gripping element and the belt element to change the displacement direction.
Regarding claim 7 and 11 Stephani in view of Shaw disclose the LiDAR cleaning system according to claim 5, wherein one of the at least two deflection elements has a first side and a second side, wherein the gripping element toggles from the first side to the second side via rotation of the bearing element when reaching the one of the at least two deflection elements (Shaw Figure 7).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stefani (US 2023/0057122) in view of Karlsson (WO 2023117042A1).
Regarding claim 9 Stephani discloses the LiDAR cleaning system according to claim 8. Stephani fails to explicitly disclose wherein the belt element comprises a second plurality of recesses on a second flank of the belt element.
Karlsson teaches a cleaner wherein the belt element comprises a second plurality of recesses on a second flank of the belt element (Page 6 Lines 8). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to simply substitute the belt to be a double sided belt as taught by Karlsson. Karlsson teaches that any type of belt can work (Page 6 Lines 1-8). Leading one skilled in the art to the predictable result of the belt providing appropriate rotational means.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TOM R RODGERS whose telephone number is (313)446-4849. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Friday 8AM-5PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, David Posigian can be reached at (313) 446-6546. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TOM RODGERS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723
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