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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 1-12 in the reply filed on 5/5/26 is acknowledged.
Applicant's election with traverse of claims 1-12 in the reply filed on 5/5/26 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that there is no search burden. This is not found persuasive because restriction between apparatus claims and method claims is typical as apparatus and method claims are generally handled by different art units. Moreover, the patentability of apparatuses and processes are based on different criteria: structural characteristics and active steps respectively. The inventions require a different field of search based on their different classification and different search queries and electronic resources would need to be utilized to search the different inventions. Further, the prior art applicable to one invention would not likely be applicable to another invention.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Claims 13-18, 23, 29-32, 35, 41 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 5/5/26.
Claims 1-12 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 8/29/25.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “secondary vertical motor” and “tool” must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
Claim 1-5, 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chapman (US 2017/0266852).
As to claim 1, Chapman teaches a composite transfer cell comprising: a delivery system (210) on a first side of the composite transfer cell [0042, 0043, Fig 2]; a tool on a second side of the composite transfer cell (204); and a composite transfer system [Fig 6, 7, 0045, 0046] between the first side and the second side of the composite transfer cell, the composite transfer system comprising a plurality of flipper arms independently movable in a vertical direction and rotatingly movable to lift and place a composite charge from the delivery system to the tool (212) [Fig 2] as the delivery device first delivers the charge to the flipper arms of the end effecters that means the end effecters must be capable of being placed between the tool (204) and the delivery device (210) at least in the vertical direction [Claim 1].
As to claim 2, Chapman teaches the composite transfer system further comprises: a plurality of vertical towers (212); and wherein the plurality of flipper arms (602, 604, 606) is connected to the plurality of vertical towers by a plurality of vertical motors (610) and a plurality of rotary motors (608) [0093, 0095-0098, Fig 6, 7].
As to claim 3, Chapman teaches each flipper arm of the plurality of flipper arms comprises a secondary vertical motor configured to move a portion of a respective flipper arm [0093, 0095, 0096, 0101,0118, 0119].
As to claim 4, Chapman teaches a flipper arm of the plurality of flipper arms comprises a pneumatic and mechanical connector (606) configured to accommodate different vertical positions of the plurality of flipper arms to impart a curvature in the composite charge [0093, 0095, 0028].
As to claim 5, Chapman teaches pneumatic and mechanical connector comprises: a first joint configured to allow movement in a first axis (608);a second joint configured to allow movement in a second axis (618); and a centering component (626 or 628) [0098, Fig 6, 7].
As to claim 12, Chapman teaches the plurality of flipper arms is rotatingly movable about a longitudinal axis of the composite transfer system, wherein the longitudinal axis of the composite transfer system is parallel to a length of the tool [Fig 6, 7].
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 6, 10, 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chapman (US 2017/0266852) in view of Ly (US 2022/0176650).
As to claims 6, 10, 11, Chapman does not explicitly state the content of these claims.
Ly teaches a composite transfer system [Abstract] where composite charge transportation pallet having a layup pallet portion (306) and a nesting preform (124) transfer portion removable from the layup pallet portion [0065-0068]. The nesting preform transfer portion comprises a vacuum plate and a porous vacuum surface [0108-0110] and the vacuum plate is formed of a material sufficiently flexible to allow for a curvature to be imparted along a length of the vacuum plate and allows for its use with differently shaped composite which reduces equipment and material costs [0067]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have altered the invention of Chapman and utilized a nesting preform that comprised a vacuum plate and vacuum surface that was deformable and removable, as suggest by Ly, as allows for a curvature to be imparted along a length of the vacuum plate and allows for its use with differently shaped composite which reduces equipment and material costs
Claims 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chapman (US 2017/0266852) in view of Ly (US 2022/0176650), as applied to claims 6, 10, 11 above, and in further view of Ecob (US 2014/0102854).
As to clam 7, Chapman teaches the layup pallet portion comprises a conveyor interface plate to connect and retain the layup pallet portion on the delivery system.
Ecob teaches a conveyor pallet system [Abstract] wherein a conveyor interface plate to connect and retain the layup pallet portion on the delivery system as these plates provided corrosion and wear resistance for industrial applications [0026, 0034, Fig 4]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have altered the invention of Ecob and utilized an interface plate to connect and retain the layup pallet portion on the delivery system, as suggested by Ecob, in order to provide corrosion and wear resistance for industrial applications.
As to claims 8, Chapman teaches the layup pallet portion has a number of access cut-outs configured to allow access to connectors of the nesting preform transfer portion
Ecob teaches a conveyor pallet system [Abstract] wherein a conveyor interface plate to connect and retain the layup pallet portion on the delivery system as these plates provided corrosion and wear resistance for industrial applications [0026, 0034, Fig 4]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have altered the invention of Ecob and utilized an interface plate to connect and retain the layup pallet portion on the delivery system, as suggested by Ecob, in order to provide corrosion and wear resistance for industrial applications.
As to claim 9, Chapman teaches and each flipper arm of the plurality of flipper arms comprises a pneumatic and mechanical connector configured to connect to the nesting preform transfer portion [Fig 6, 7] but does not explicitly state a pneumatic connector.
Ly teaches a composite transfer system [Abstract] where composite charge transportation pallet having a layup pallet portion (306) and a nesting preform (124) transfer portion removable from the layup pallet portion [0065-0068]. The nesting preform transfer portion comprises a vacuum plate and a porous vacuum surface [0108-0110] and the vacuum plate is formed of a material sufficiently flexible to allow for a curvature to be imparted along a length of the vacuum plate and allows for its use with differently shaped composite which reduces equipment and material costs [0067]. Also notes that electro-mechanical actuators and pneumatic actuators are art recognized equivalents [0078, 0101, 0122, 0148]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have altered the apparatus of Chapman and utilized pneumatic connector in addition to the mechanical ones as suggested by Ly, as both had demonstrated success in composite transfer system. Moreover, utilizing 2 art recognized equivalents in combination is generally recognized to be obvious, see MPEP 2144.06 II.
Note: the examiner would recommend further specifying claims 8 and 9 with the cutouts and flippers arms being configures such that the flipper arms couple to the connectors within a section of the composite transfer system accessible via the cutouts.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ARMAND MELENDEZ whose telephone number is (571)270-0342. The examiner can normally be reached 9 AM- 6 PM Monday-Friday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Curtis Mayes can be reached at 571-272-1234. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ARMAND MELENDEZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1759
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