DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
In the present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, claims 1-5 have been considered and examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Respond to Applicant’s Arguments/Remarks
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed 04/17/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claims 1-5, based solely on the limitations as amended, has been fully considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to the new combination of references including prior art being used in the current rejection (see below for detail) under new grounds of rejection, necessitated by amendment.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 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 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Okada et al. (Okada – JP 2010122916 A) in view of Meduna et al. (Meduna – US 2022/0305672 A1) and Sonoura et al. (Sonoura – US 2020/0150664 A1). The rejections in this instant application are based on the English translation of JP 2010122916 A publication by computer.
As to claim 1, Okada discloses a robot, comprising:
a main body (Okada: [0018]-[0020], [0022], [0025], [0038], [0042]-[0043], [0052], and FIG. 1 the main body portion 16 and the carriage 40); and
a cart (Okada: FIG. 1 the cart 19) that is coupleable to the main body (Okada: [0018], [0024]-[0029], [0038]-[0044], and FIG. 1 the cart 19 connected to the carriage 40 via the connecting portion 18: As shown in FIG. 1, the robot 1 includes a main body portion 16, a laser range finder (detection portion) 17, a carriage 40, a cover 41, a proximity switch 71, and an electronic control device 32. The robot 1 also includes a connecting portion 18 for connecting a cart 19 as a transported portion such as a wagon. In the present embodiment, a cart 19 is connected and fixed to the rear of the main body of the robot 1 via a connecting portion 18, and the robot 1 can move to a predetermined destination while towing the cart 19 as a towing vehicle), wherein
the main body includes:
a body (Okada: [0018]-[0020], and FIG. 1 the main body portion 16: As shown in FIG. 1, the robot 1 includes a main body portion 16, a laser range finder (detection portion) 17, a carriage 40, a cover 41, a proximity switch 71, and an electronic control device 32) including a controller (Okada: FIG. 1 the electronic control unit 32) that performs integrated control of operation of the main body (Okada: [0022]-[0023], and FIG. 1: The electronic control device 32 detects a contact with an obstacle or the like, and sets a preset target position based on, for example, the stored environment map and the own device position recognized by the laser range finder 17 or the like. Until the robot 1 moves autonomously. When performing autonomous movement, the electronic control unit 32 determines the presence or absence of contact with an obstacle or the like based on the detection result of the proximity switch 71 and controls the electric motor 12 based on the determination result. That is, when there is no contact with an obstacle, the electronic control unit 32 drives the electric motor 12 to continue autonomous movement, and when there is a contact, the electronic control device 32 temporarily stops or urgently stops driving the electric motor 12. The robot 1 is controlled to stop);
the base (Okada: FIG. 1 connecting portion 18) fixed to and horizontally extending from a lower portion of a rear surface of the body (Okada: [0007], [0042]-[0045], [0047]-[0052], and FIG. 1: The front end portion of the transmission shaft 80 is sandwiched between the concave portions of the transmitted portion 85 when the cart 40 and the cart 19 are connected. Therefore, when the transmission shaft 80 moves in the forward direction, the transmitted portion space. The cart frame 26 is configured in a frame shape and holds the cart body 25. Four wheels (caster wheels) 27 are attached to the lower portion of the cart frame 26 so as to be able to turn 360 degrees in plan view);
a top plate disposed above the base and fixed to the base (Okada: [0007], [0042]-[0045], [0047]-[0052], and FIG. 1: The cart cover 29 is supported on the cart frame 26 via a so-called gel bush 81. More specifically, two (a total of six) gel bushes 81 are arranged on the upper surfaces of the right side cover 91, the left side cover 92, and the rear cover 93. As shown in FIG. 5, the cart frame 26 and the cart cover 29 are bolted with the gel bush 81 sandwiched between the lower surface of the cart frame 26 and the upper surface of the right side cover 91 (cart cover 29). The gel bush 61 is fixed by a washer or the like),
a body-side support that couples the base to the top plate (Okada: [0007], [0042]-[0045], [0047]-[0052], and FIG. 1: The cart cover 29 is supported on the cart frame 26 via a so-called gel bush 81. More specifically, two (a total of six) gel bushes 81 are arranged on the upper surfaces of the right side cover 91, the left side cover 92, and the rear cover 93. As shown in FIG. 5, the cart frame 26 and the cart cover 29 are bolted with the gel bush 81 sandwiched between the lower surface of the cart frame 26 and the upper surface of the right side cover 91 (cart cover 29). The gel bush 61 is fixed by a washer or the like); and
a detector (Okada: FIG. 1 the laser range finder 17 and the proximity switch 71) that detects an object existing around the robot (Okada: [0018]-[0019], [0021]-[0023], [0035]-[0037], [0052]-[0054], [0056], [0067], and FIG. 1: The electronic control device 32 detects a contact with an obstacle or the like, and sets a preset target position based on, for example, the stored environment map and the own device position recognized by the laser range finder 17 or the like. Until the robot 1 moves autonomously. When performing autonomous movement, the electronic control unit 32 determines the presence or absence of contact with an obstacle or the like based on the detection result of the proximity switch 71 and controls the electric motor 12 based on the determination result. That is, when there is no contact with an obstacle, the electronic control unit 32 drives the electric motor 12 to continue autonomous movement, and when there is a contact, the electronic control device 32 temporarily stops or urgently stops driving the electric motor 12. The robot 1 is controlled to stop).
Okada does not explicitly disclose
a base having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape,
a top plate disposed above the base and fixed to the base, on which the cart is placed;
the detector is disposed in a space provided between the base and the top plate, and
the body-side support is included in a detection range of the detector.
However, it has been known in the art of robot design to implement a top plate disposed above the base and fixed to the base, on which the cart is placed;
the detector is disposed in a space provided between the base and the top plate, and
the body-side support is included in a detection range of the detector, as suggested by Meduna, which discloses
a top plate disposed above the base and fixed to the base (Meduna: [0050], [0052], FIG. 3 the pallet 380 of the cart accessory 390, and FIG. 4 the flat surface 402), on which the cart is placed (Meduna: [0050], [0052], and FIG. 3-4: The cart accessory 400 includes a cart body having a flat surface 402 on which one or more objects (e.g., boxes) can be placed. The cart accessory 400 also includes multiple wheels 404 which are coupled to the cart body by legs 406);
the detector (Meduna: FIG. 4 the coupling sensor 540/542) is disposed in a space provided between the base and the top plate (Meduna: [0012]-[0013], [0055]-[0056], [0061], and FIG. 4: FIG. 4E depicts a coupling sensor 540 disposed on a portion of a mechanical interface 520. The coupling sensor 540 is configured to sense the presence or absence of a magnet 440 disposed on a portion of a robot interface 420 of an accessory. In some embodiments, a coupling sensor may be a contactless sensor. While a contactless sensor may include the magnetic sensors described above, a contactless sensor may include other sensor configurations), and
the body-side support (Meduna: Abstract, [0040], [0049]-[0050], [0053]-[0058], [0061], and FIG. 4 the mechanical interface 520: The at least one interface comprises an electrical interface configured to transmit power and/or data between the robot and the at least one accessory, and a mechanical interface configured to enable physical coupling between the robot and the at least one accessory) is included in a detection range of the detector (Meduna: [0012]-[0013], [0055]-[0056], [0061], and FIG. 4: FIGS. 4E and 4F illustrate different embodiments of a coupling sensor. A coupling sensor may be configured to determine if a robot and an accessory are physically coupled through a mechanical interface of the robot. In some embodiments, the coupling sensor may be a magnetic sensor, such as a hall effect sensor or a reed switch. For example, FIG. 4E depicts a coupling sensor 540 disposed on a portion of a mechanical interface 520. The coupling sensor 540 is configured to sense the presence or absence of a magnet 440 disposed on a portion of a robot interface 420 of an accessory. In some embodiments, a coupling sensor may be a contactless sensor. While a contactless sensor may include the magnetic sensors described above, a contactless sensor may include other sensor configurations. For example, a contactless sensor may include an emitter/receiver pair. FIG. 4F shows one embodiment of a coupling sensor that includes an emitter 542 configured to emit energy (e.g., an IR beam) and a receiver 544 configured to receive the energy emitted by the emitter. When the robot interface 420 is coupled to the mechanical interface 520, the energy emitted from the emitter is blocked from reaching the receiver, thereby providing a signal indicative of coupling. It should be appreciated that other types of coupling sensors are contemplated, and the present disclosure is not limited to magnetic and/or contactless coupling sensors).
Therefore, in view of teachings by Okada and Meduna, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement in the robot of Okada to include a top plate disposed above the base and fixed to the base, on which the cart is placed;
the detector is disposed in a space provided between the base and the top plate, and
the body-side support is included in a detection range of the detector, as suggested by Meduna. The motivation for this is to detect whether a cart connected to a robot for performing various functions in warehouse operations.
The combination of Okada and Meduna does not explicitly disclose a base having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape.
However, it has been known in the art of robot design to implement a base having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, as suggested by Sonoura, which discloses a base having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape (Sonoura: Abstract, [0030]-[0032], FIG. 1 the main body 10 and FIG. 6-7).
Therefore, in view of teachings by Okada, Meduna, and Sonoura it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement in the robot of Okada and Meduna to include a base having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, as suggested by Sonoura. The motivation for this is to implement a known alternative design for connecting a robot (unmanned transport vehicle) with a cart.
As to claim 2, Okada, Meduna, and Sonoura disclose the limitations of claim 1 further comprising the robot according to claim 1, wherein the detector is located below the cart in a state where the cart is coupled to the main body (Meduna: [0012]-[0013], [0055]-[0056], [0061], and FIG. 4: FIG. 4E depicts a coupling sensor 540 disposed on a portion of a mechanical interface 520. The coupling sensor 540 is configured to sense the presence or absence of a magnet 440 disposed on a portion of a robot interface 420 of an accessory. In some embodiments, a coupling sensor may be a contactless sensor. While a contactless sensor may include the magnetic sensors described above, a contactless sensor may include other sensor configurations).
As to claim 3, Okada, Meduna, and Sonoura disclose the limitations of claim 1 further comprising the robot according to claim 1, wherein the body-side support, the detector, and a cart-side structure of the cart are arranged in a straight line on a scan surface of the detector when the cart is coupled to the main body (Meduna: [0012]-[0013], [0055]-[0056], [0061], and FIG. 3-4: FIGS. 4E and 4F illustrate different embodiments of a coupling sensor. A coupling sensor may be configured to determine if a robot and an accessory are physically coupled through a mechanical interface of the robot. In some embodiments, the coupling sensor may be a magnetic sensor, such as a hall effect sensor or a reed switch. For example, FIG. 4E depicts a coupling sensor 540 disposed on a portion of a mechanical interface 520. The coupling sensor 540 is configured to sense the presence or absence of a magnet 440 disposed on a portion of a robot interface 420 of an accessory. In some embodiments, a coupling sensor may be a contactless sensor. While a contactless sensor may include the magnetic sensors described above, a contactless sensor may include other sensor configurations. For example, a contactless sensor may include an emitter/receiver pair. FIG. 4F shows one embodiment of a coupling sensor that includes an emitter 542 configured to emit energy (e.g., an IR beam) and a receiver 544 configured to receive the energy emitted by the emitter. When the robot interface 420 is coupled to the mechanical interface 520, the energy emitted from the emitter is blocked from reaching the receiver, thereby providing a signal indicative of coupling. It should be appreciated that other types of coupling sensors are contemplated, and the present disclosure is not limited to magnetic and/or contactless coupling sensors and Sonoura: [0039]-[0040], [0043]-[0044], [0049]-[0050], and FIG. 1: The cart combination controller 54 determines that the unmanned transport vehicle 1 has approached the cart 90 based on the detected distance information output by the distance sensor 31. The cart combination controller 54 generates combination execution position movement information for causing the unmanned transport vehicle 1 to move to a combination execution position based on the detected distance information output by the distance sensor 31 after the unmanned transport vehicle 1 approaches the vicinity of the cart 90).
As to claim 4, Okada, Meduna, and Sonoura disclose the limitations of claim 3 further comprising the robot according to claim 3, wherein the cart-side structure is a support that supports a storer, the storer storing a thing (Okada: [0002] and FIG. 1: In recent years, research and development of autonomous mobile devices (automated guided vehicles) such as robots that autonomously travel while pulling a towed portion (conveyed portion) such as a wagon has been promoted. For example, it is possible to contribute to the reduction of human burdens by causing this type of robot to carry out the work of transporting medical records, medicines, catered items and the like in a hospital or the like. Since such an autonomous mobile robot is not operated by a person, it is necessary to deal with obstacles in the travel route, Meduna: [0012]-[0013], [0034]-[0036], [0040], [0055]-[0056], [0061], and FIG. 3-4: the mobile base is configured to interface with various accessories through accessory interfaces, such as a mechanical interface 118 and/or an electrical interface 119. Some accessories configured to attach to mechanical interface 118 and/or electrical interface 119 may be designed to facilitate performance of one or more particular tasks performed by the robot 100. For instance, a cart that is pulled by the robot, or a conveyor to which the robot anchors itself may facilitate performance of an object manipulation task in which objects (e.g., boxes) manipulated by the robot can be placed on or removed from the accessory, and Sonoura: [0026]-[0030], [0033]-[0044],FIG. 1, and FIG. 6-7: The cart 90 is a transport object of the unmanned transport vehicle 1, and is, for example, a cage cart such as a roll box pallet (RBP). The unmanned transport vehicle 1 is combined with the cart 90. The cart 90 includes, for example, a loading part 91, casters (wheels) 92, and guide parts 93 (see FIG. 7). The loading part 91 is a part on which cargo is loaded. The loading part 91 includes a loading plate 91a and a protection fence 91b. The loading plate 91a is, for example, a flat plate. The cargo is loaded on the loading plate 91a. The protection fence 91b stands, for example, upright along three sides of an outer edge of the loading plate 91a and one side surface (a surface facing in the +X direction) is open).
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Okada et al. (Okada – JP 2010122916 A) in view of Meduna et al. (Meduna – US 2022/0305672 A1) and Sonoura et al. (Sonoura – US 2020/0150664 A1) and further in view of List et al. (List – US 2023/0150321 A1).
As to claim 5, Okada, Meduna, and Sonoura disclose the limitations of claim 1 further comprising the robot according to claim 1, wherein:
the cart includes no structure behind a rear end portion of a side surface of the cart (Meduna: [0012]-[0013], [0055]-[0056], [0061], and FIG. 3-4 and Sonoura: [0039]-[0040], [0043]-[0044], [0049]-[0050], and FIG. 1: The cart combination controller 54 determines that the unmanned transport vehicle 1 has approached the cart 90 based on the detected distance information output by the distance sensor 31. The cart combination controller 54 generates combination execution position movement information for causing the unmanned transport vehicle 1 to move to a combination execution position based on the detected distance information output by the distance sensor 31 after the unmanned transport vehicle 1 approaches the vicinity of the cart 90), and
the body-side support, the detector, and the rear end portion of the side surface of the cart are arranged in a straight line on the scan surface of the detector when the cart is coupled to the main body (Meduna: [0012]-[0013], [0055]-[0056], [0061], and FIG. 4: FIGS. 4E and 4F illustrate different embodiments of a coupling sensor. A coupling sensor may be configured to determine if a robot and an accessory are physically coupled through a mechanical interface of the robot. In some embodiments, the coupling sensor may be a magnetic sensor, such as a hall effect sensor or a reed switch. For example, FIG. 4E depicts a coupling sensor 540 disposed on a portion of a mechanical interface 520. The coupling sensor 540 is configured to sense the presence or absence of a magnet 440 disposed on a portion of a robot interface 420 of an accessory. In some embodiments, a coupling sensor may be a contactless sensor. While a contactless sensor may include the magnetic sensors described above, a contactless sensor may include other sensor configurations. For example, a contactless sensor may include an emitter/receiver pair. FIG. 4F shows one embodiment of a coupling sensor that includes an emitter 542 configured to emit energy (e.g., an IR beam) and a receiver 544 configured to receive the energy emitted by the emitter. When the robot interface 420 is coupled to the mechanical interface 520, the energy emitted from the emitter is blocked from reaching the receiver, thereby providing a signal indicative of coupling. It should be appreciated that other types of coupling sensors are contemplated, and the present disclosure is not limited to magnetic and/or contactless coupling sensors and Sonoura: [0039]-[0040], [0043]-[0044], [0049]-[0050], and FIG. 1: The cart combination controller 54 determines that the unmanned transport vehicle 1 has approached the cart 90 based on the detected distance information output by the distance sensor 31. The cart combination controller 54 generates combination execution position movement information for causing the unmanned transport vehicle 1 to move to a combination execution position based on the detected distance information output by the distance sensor 31 after the unmanned transport vehicle 1 approaches the vicinity of the cart 90).
The combination of Okada, Meduna, and Sonoura does not explicitly disclose the cart includes no structure behind a rear end portion of a side surface of the cart on a scan surface of the detector.
However, it has been known in the art of robot design to implement the cart includes no structure behind a rear end portion of a side surface of the cart on a scan surface of the detector, as suggested by List, which discloses the cart includes no structure behind a rear end portion of a side surface of the cart on a scan surface of the detector (List: Abstract, [0015], [0019], [0055]-[0056], [0072]-[0073], FIG. 1-2, FIG. 4 the sensors 111, and FIG. 6: the receiver hitch (1) is configured to be attached (e.g., via a weld, fastener, etc.) to a portion (e.g., body, frame, chassis, etc.) of a cart (22). This attachment can be permanent or temporary. The receiving hitch (1) has a port (101) that is an opening providing ingress and egress of the object. The receiving hitch (1) is configured to facilitate attachment of the tow arm (6) to the cart (22)… The sensor(s) (111) can measure, detect, or collect data. The data can be processed by the processor of the sensor (111) or transmitted to another component to have the processor of that component process the data. The processing can involve signal processing, data manipulation, logic analysis, probabilistic analysis, multivariant analysis, machine learning, data storage, etc.).
Therefore, in view of teachings by Okada, Meduna, Sonoura and List, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement in the robot Okada, Meduna, and Sonoura to include the cart includes no structure behind a rear end portion of a side surface of the cart on a scan surface of the detector, as suggested by List. The motivation for this is to implement a known alternative design for connecting a robot (unmanned transport vehicle) with a cart.
Citation of Pertinent Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure:
Clarke et al., US 12,227,218 B1, discloses cart lift robotic transport.
Aso et al., US 2024/0327184 A1, discloses conveyance system and automated guided vehicle.
Ulbrich et al., US 2024/0067510 A1, discloses autonomous industrial truck.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to QUANG PHAM whose telephone number is (571)-270-3668. The examiner can normally be reached 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, QUAN-ZHEN WANG can be reached at (571)-272-3114. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/QUANG PHAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2685
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