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 § 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) 84-104 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Boulay U.S. Patent No. 3,595,369.
Claim 84, Boulay teaches an apparatus 10 configured to correct an orientation of a product conveying within a plurality of products on a conveyor along a conveying direction C5 L50-75.
Claim 85, Boulay teaches an arm 121; a first pivot connection 122 between one end of the arm 121 and a stationary component 12; an actuator 119 connected to the arm 121 designed to generate a linear motion C8 L30-50; and a second pivot connection 124 between another end of the arm 121 and the actuator 119.
Claim 86, Boulay teaches the arm 121 includes a U-shaped configuration 34 Figs. 7,8.
Claim 87, Boulay teaches the arm 121 includes a tapered end Figs. 7,8.
Claim 88, Boulay teaches a first device 14, the first device 14 at least including: an arm 42,64, a first pivot connection 70 between one end of the arm 46 and a stationary component 123, a first actuator 50 designed to generate a linear motion in a first direction C7 L5-25, a second pivot connection 122 between another end of the arm 42,64 and the first actuator 68, wherein the arm 42,64 moves between a first position and a second position, a second actuator 119 designed to generate a linear motion in a second direction of 121, and a second arm 121 attached to the second actuator 1219, wherein the second arm 121 moves linearly between a third position and a fourth position along the second direction C8 L30-65.
Claim 89, Boulay teaches a pivot connection 12 between the first arm 42,64 and the second arm 121; and a connection 12 between the second actuator 119 and the first arm 42,64.
Claim 90, Boulay teaches a first arm 42,64 with a first end at 72 and a second end 60 Fig. 4, the second end 60 positionable above a working surface of a conveyor mediate first and second sides of the conveyor Fig. 4; a fixed connection 12 between the first end of the first arm 42,64 and a first rail 12 of the conveyor; an adjustable connection 14 between the second end of the first arm 42,64 and the first rail 12, the adjustable connection 14 designed to bias the product conveying on the conveyor toward a second rail of the conveyor C6 L30-75; a second arm 121 with a first end and a second end, the second end of the second arm 121 positioned above the working surface mediate first and second sides to turn orient the product in a response to a contact between the product and the second end of the first arm, the second end of the second arm having a Z-shaped configuration Fig. 8 C8 L30-75; a fixed connection via 12 between the first end of the second arm 121 and the second rail 12; an actuator 68 designed to generate a linear motion; and a connection via 12 between the actuator 68 and the second end of the second arm 121 C9 L1-25.
Claim 91, Boulay teaches an arm 121 with an edge notch between terminal ends of the arm 121 Fig. 8.
Claim 92, Boulay teaches a sensor S1 adapted to identify a condition of the product C17 L3-10.
Claim 93, Boulay teaches the sensor S1 comprises: a first bracket of S1,12,34; a second bracket of S2,12,34; two sensors S1-S6 mounted at a first distance from each other on the first bracket of S1, 12,34; and two targets mounted at a second distance from each other on the second bracket S2,12,34 C17 L3-40.
Claim 94, Boulay teaches a first sensor and a second sensor S1,2 positioned at a distance from each other C17 L3-10.
Claim 95, Boulay teaches a device 119 adapted to at least temporarily restrict conveyance of the product along the conveying direction C21 L1-20.
Claims 96 and 97, Boulay teaches the device 119 comprises: a first component 121; a second component 124 positionable at a distance from the first component 121; and an actuator 68 connected to one component via 12 from first and second components 121,124 to pivot the one component toward to other component from the first and second components 121,124 in a response to a receipt of a first control signal via S1-6 and pivot at 122 the one component 121 away from the other component 124 in a response to a second control signal via S1 C8 L30-75.
Claim 98, Boulay teaches a first sensor S1 designed to sense a first condition of the product and output a first signal in a response to sensing the first condition; and a second sensor S2 designed to sense a second condition of the product and output a second signal in a response to sensing the second condition of the product C17 L3-40.
Claim 99, Boulay teaches a device 119 adapted to selectively apply a force to the product received between first and second components and relieve the force therefrom C8 L30-75.
Claim 100, Boulay teaches a conveyor Fig. 2 adapted to convey the plurality of products Abstract.
Claim 101, Boulay teaches a conveyor, at least including: a first end, a second end disposed opposite the first end along a length of the conveyor, a first side between first and second ends Fig. 1 Abstract; a second side opposite the first side across a width of the conveyor, and a working surface between first and second ends and between first and second sides Fig. 1; a first rail 38 extending along the first side of the conveyor and being mounted thereto; a second rail 38 extending along the second side of the conveyor; and a device 14 connected to one rail from first and second rails 38, the device 68 adapted to move the one rail 38 toward another rail 38 from the first and second rails 38 in a response to a receipt of a signal S1-6 C6 L30-60.
Claim 102, Boulay teaches a first elongated arm 121 with a first end and a second end and a bend between first and second arms of 12 (frame of the conveyor); a second elongated arm 121, the second arm of 12 (frame of the conveyor) being straight between terminal ends of the second arm of 12 (frame of the conveyor); and an assembly 119 designed to adjust a distance of one end from first and second ends of the first elongated arm 121 in a relationship to the second elongated arm 121 (on the other side of the conveyor Fig. 7).
Claim 103, Boulay teaches an apparatus 10, comprising: a sensor S1 adapted to sense an orientation of a product; a first device 119 configured to correct the orientation of the product; and a second device 14 adapted to at least temporarily clamp the product Abstract.
Claim 104, Boulay teaches an apparatus 10, comprising: a sensor S1, the sensor S1 at least including: a first bracket of S1, a second bracket of S2, two sensors S1-S6 mounted at a first distance from each other on the first bracket of S1,34, and two targets mounted at a second distance from each other on the second bracket of S2,34, the sensor S1-S6 adapted to sense an orientation of a product (cartons); a first device 14, the first device 14 at least including: an arm 42,64, a first pivot connection 70 between one end of the arm 46 and a stationary component 123, a first actuator 50 designed to generate a linear motion in a first direction C7 L5-25, a second pivot connection 122 between another end of the arm 42,64 and the first actuator 68, wherein the arm 42,64 moves between a first position and a second position, a second actuator 119 designed to generate a linear motion in a second direction of 121, and a second arm 121 attached to the second actuator 1219, wherein the second arm 121 moves linearly between a third position and a fourth position along the second direction C8 L30-65; a second device 14 (on other side of the conveyor Fig. 2), the second device at least including: a first component 14; a second component 119 positionable at a distance from the first component 14, the distance sufficient to pass the product (carton) therethrough, and an actuator 68 connected to one component from first and second components 14,119 to move the one component toward to other component from the first and second components 14,119 in a response to a receipt of a first control signal of S1-6 and move the one component 14,119 away from the other component in a response to a second control signal of S1-S6, the first device 14 adapted to correct the orientation of the product conveying within a plurality of products on a conveyor 32 along a conveying direction C6 L30-75; the second device 119 adapted to at least temporarily conveyance of remaining products from the plurality of products C5 L50-75.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KAVEL SINGH whose telephone number is (571)272-2362. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 8am-6pm.
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/KAVEL SINGH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3651
KS