DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-12 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.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the locking" in line 16. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 1, line 16 the term --a-- should precede “plurality”.
Claim 1, line 25 it is not clear what “motorised (M7)” is claiming, is it a motor (M7) as shown in Fig. 1a or it is setting forth “a motorized axis of rotation of the grasping system” as described in [0030].
Regarding claim 3, line 2, the phrase "possibly" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention.
Claim 3 recites the limitations "the metal strip" in line 2 and “the roll axes” in line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim.
Claim 6, lines 10 and 11 set forth “or simultaneously when the installation is dependent on claim 2” this is confusing and the claim seems to be referring to two claim 2 from which claim 6 does not depend. Claim 6 depends from 1,3 and 5 and claim 2 depends just from claim 1, it is not possible to determine whether claim 6 further limits claim 5 or not and it is not possible to determine a scope of the limitations following “or simultaneously when the installation is dependent on claim 2”.
Claim 10, line 2 claims “substantially vertical” it is not possible to determine a scope of the limitation because it would include structures which are not vertical.
Claim 11 recites the limitations "the first pneumatic coupling part" and “the second pneumatic coupling part” in lines 8 and 9. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim. The first and second pneumatic coupling part is not claimed until claim 2 so it is not clear whether claim 11 should depend from claim 2 instead of claim 1?
Claim 12, line 3 claims “the prior installation of an adapter”. No adapter is set forth in the claims from which claim 12 depends so it is not possible to determine a scope of “the prior installation”.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 1 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, claims 2-12 would be allowable as they depend from allowable claim 1.
The closest prior art to Kwon (KR 20160139698) teaches a robotic roll changing system (Figs. 3-5 and 10) for changing work rolls, intermediate rolls and backing rolls in a 20-hi cluster mill (Fig. 1) comprising a robot (40,50,60,70) having an end effector (70) that is configured to couple to heavy backing and intermediate rolls (R1) and exchange the rolls with new rolls stored on the change carriage (10,20,30) and a robotic sub-exchanging rail (90) which is configured to change another, lighter working roll (R2) not held by the end effector (70), Zhang et al. (CN 112404135) teaches a quick coupling (202) for changing a work roll (102) and Hayes (5,974,643) teaches a robotic tool (10,20) having a tool changer (40) comprising a quick coupling which pneumatically locks with a tool turret (46) comprising a plurality of tools (48a-48b), but the prior art of record does not disclose four gripping tools (OT1,OT2,OT3,OT4) in a gripping tool change magazine (MAG) for changing rolls in a 20-hi cluster mill, including a first grasping tool (OT1) configured for inserting and extracting a work roll, a second grasping tool (OT2) configured for inserting and extracting first intermediate rolls, a third grasping tool (OT3) configured for inserting and extracting second intermediate rolls and a fourth grasping tool (OT4) configured for inserting and extracting sets of backup rollers, and wherein the grasping system (6) comprises a quick-coupling system (7), comprising a first mechanical coupling part (71), a motor (M7), configured to move from a coupled position configured to mechanically lock a second mechanical coupling part (72), to an uncoupled position allowing the release of the second mechanical coupling part, and wherein each of the gripping tools out of the first grasping tool (OT1), the second grasping tool (OT2), the third grasping tool (OT3) and the fourth grasping tool (OT4) are provided with said second mechanical coupling part (72), the gripping tools configured to be selectively coupled to said first mechanical part (71) of the grasping system (6) when the gripping tools are stored in said storage area of said tool change magazine (MAG).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EDWARD THOMAS TOLAN whose telephone number is (571)272-4525. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-5.
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/EDWARD T TOLAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3725
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