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
Applicant’s claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c) is acknowledged.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) was submitted on 25 April 2024. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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(s) 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(A)(1) as being unpatentable over Dzus (WO 9104424 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Dzus discloses a hook (21-24 and 30 in Fig. 1), comprising:
an elongated member (25) having a first end (A in annotated Figure 1 below) and a second end (B in annotated Figure 1 below);
two or more pins (21 in Fig. 1) coupled proximate the first end of the elongated member (see Fig. 1); and
one or more elongated lugs (22 in Fig. 1) positioned substantially parallel with the elongated member between the two or more pins and the second end (see Fig. 1).
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Figure 1. Annotated Figure 1.
Regarding claim 2, Dzus discloses wherein the one or more elongated lugs (22 in Fig. 1) are attached to the elongated member (25 in Fig. 1) proximate the two or more pins (21 in Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 3, Dzus discloses wherein the one or more elongated lugs (22 in Fig. 1) are attached to ones of the two or more pins (21 in Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 4, Dzus discloses wherein the one or more elongated lugs (22 in Fig. 1) are attached to ones of the two or more pins (21 in Fig. 1) proximate the elongated member (25 in Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 5, Dzus discloses wherein the two or more pins (21 in Fig. 1) are only two pins (see Fig. 1), and further wherein the one or more elongated lugs (22 in Fig. 1) are only two elongated lugs (see Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 6, Dzus discloses wherein a first (C in annotated Figure 1 below) of the only two elongated lugs (22 in Fig. 1) is attached to a first (21 on side C in annotated Figure 1 below) of the only two pins (21 in Fig. 1) and a second (D in annotated Figure 1 below) of the only two elongated lugs is attached to a second (21 on side D in annotated Figure 1 below) of the only two pins (see Fig. 1).
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Figure 2. Annotated Figure 1.
Regarding claim 7, Dzus discloses wherein the one or more elongated lugs (22 in Fig. 1) have a first end (A in annotated Figure 1 above) proximate the two or more pins (21 in Fig. 1) and a second end (B in annotated Figure 1 above) distal the two or more pins, and further wherein the second end has a curved outer surface (E in annotated Figure 1 below).
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Figure 3. Annotated Figure 1.
Regarding claim 8, Dzus discloses wherein the curved outer surface (E in annotated Figure 1 above) is a convex outer surface (see E in annotated Figure 1 above).
Claim(s) 9-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(A)(1) as being unpatentable over Froment (US 6,877,778 B2).
Regarding claim 9, Froment discloses a latch (B in Fig. 4), comprising:
a latch member having a central axis (X in Fig. 4) and a surface (F in annotated Figure 4 below) surrounding the central axis, the latch member having a first upper portion (G in annotated Figure 5 below) and second (H in annotated Figure 5 below) and third (I in annotated Figure 5 below) lower portions extending radially from the surface (see Figs. 4-5), the second and third lower portions circumferentially spaced from one another and axially spaced from the first upper portion (see Fig. 5), guide and limit surfaces of the second and third lower portions facing respective guide and limit surfaces of the first upper portion (see Fig. 5) that cooperate to form first and second channels (40-41), the first and second channels being similarly shaped (see Fig. 5), each of the first and second channels having in order a first upwardly sloping path (402-403) defined by a respective first upwardly slanting guide surface (see J in annotated Figure 5 below) and a first limit surface (404) of the first upper portion, a second downwardly sloping path (405) defined by a respective second downwardly slanting guide surface (405) and a second limit surface (406) of a respective lower portion, and a third upwardly sloping path (407) defined by a respective third upwardly slanting guide surface (407, see Fig. 5) and a third limit surface (408) of the first upper portion, the first and second channels configured to each receive a pin (20-21) of a related hook (see Fig. 5); and
a lug nest (411) located proximate the second limit surface of the first channel (40, see Fig. 5), the lug nest having a curved inner surface (see Fig. 5).
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Figure 4. Annotated Figure 4.
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Figure 5. Annotated Figure 5.
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Figure 6. Annotated Figure 5.
Regarding claim 10, Froment discloses wherein the lug nest (411) is a first lug nest (lug nest on I in annotated Figure 5 above), and further including a second lug nest (411 on H in annotated Figure 5 above) located proximate the second limit surface of the second channel (406 on H in annotated Figure 5 above), the second lug nest having a second curved inner surface (see Fig. 5 for example).
Regarding claim 11, Froment discloses wherein the latch (B in Fig. 4) does not include a third channel or a third lug nest (see Fig. 5 and see Column 3 lines 43-48).
Regarding claim 12, Froment discloses wherein the curved inner surface (see 411 in Fig. 5) is an arced inner surface (see Fig. 5 for example).
Regarding claim 13, Froment discloses wherein the curved inner surface (see 411 in Fig. 5) is a U-shaped inner surface (see Fig. 5 for example).
Regarding claim 14, Froment discloses wherein the curved inner surface (see 411 in Fig. 5) is a concave inner surface (see 411 in Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 15, Froment discloses further including a lug ramp (K in annotated Figure 5 below) coupled to the lug nest (411) such that an elongated lug (20) of a hook may engage the lug ramp prior to nesting in the lug nest (see Fig. 5 for example).
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Figure 7. Annotated Figure 5.
Regarding claim 16, Froment discloses wherein the lug ramp (K in annotated Figure 5 above) includes an angled inner surface (see Fig. 5) leading to the lug nest (411) and configured to assist with tilt correction (see NOTE below).
NOTE: The lug ramp is capable of assisting with tilt correction.
Regarding claim 17, Froment discloses wherein the angled inner surface (K in annotated Figure 5 above) is a V-shaped inner surface (see Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 18, Froment discloses a pick-and-place system (see Fig. 4), comprising:
a hook (A in Fig. 4), including:
an elongated member (A in Fig. 4) having a first end (end of A comprising 20-21) and a second end (end of A opposite 20-21);
two or more pins (20-21) coupled proximate the first end of the elongated member (see Fig. 4); and
one or more elongated lugs (14 in Fig. 3) positioned substantially parallel with the elongated member (see NOTE below) between the two or more pins and the second end (see Fig. 4); and
a latch (B in Fig. 4) coupleable with the hook, the latch including:
a latch member having a central axis (X in Fig. 4) and a surface (F in annotated Figure 4 above) surrounding the central axis (see Fig. 4), the latch member having a first upper portion (G in annotated Figure 5 above) and second (H in annotated Figure 5 above) and third (I in annotated Figure 5 above) lower portions extending radially from the surface (see Figs. 4-5), the second and third lower portions circumferentially spaced from one another and axially spaced from the first upper portion (see Fig. 5), guide and limit surfaces of the second and third lower portions facing respective guide and limit surfaces of the first upper portion (see Fig. 5) that cooperate to form first and second channels (40-41), the first and second channels being similarly shaped (see Fig. 5), each of the first and second channels having in order a first upwardly sloping path (402-403) defined by a respective first upwardly slanting guide surface (see J in annotated Figure 5 above) and a first limit surface (404) of the first upper portion, a second downwardly sloping path (405) defined by a respective second downwardly slanting guide surface (405) and a second limit surface (406) of a respective lower portion, and a third upwardly sloping path (407) defined by a respective third upwardly slanting guide surface (407, see Fig. 5) and a third limit surface (408) of the first upper portion, the first and second channels configured to each receive one of the two or more pins (20-21) of the hook; and
a lug nest (L in annotated Figure 3 below) located proximate the second limit surface of the first channel (see Fig. 3 for example), the lug nest having a curved inner surface (see Fig. 4 for example).
NOTE: The surfaces of the lug member 14 in Fig. 3 are substantially parallel to the surfaces of the elongated member as seen in at least Fig. 3.
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Figure 8. Annotated Figure 3.
Regarding claim 19, Froment discloses wherein the two or more pins (20-21) of the hook (A in Fig. 4) are located within the first and second channels (40-41) of the latch (B in Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 20, Froment discloses wherein one of the one or more elongated lugs (14 in Fig. 3) is nested within the lug nest (L in annotated Figure 3 above).
Regarding claim 21, Froment discloses wherein one of the one or more elongated lugs (14 in Fig. 3) is sufficiently spaced from the one or more pins (20-21, see Fig. 3) to prevent the one or more elongated lugs from fitting between the first upper portion and the second or third lower portions (see Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 22, Froment discloses wherein one of the one or more elongated lugs (14 in Fig. 3) is spaced from the one or more pins (20-21) by at least a maximum straight-line distance from the first limit surface to the second downwardly-sloping guide surface (see NOTE below).
NOTE: The distance between the elongated lug and the one or more pins is shown by N in annotated Figure 1 below. The maximum straight line distance from the first limit surface to the second downwardly sloping guide surface is shown by M in annotated Figure 1 below. Accordingly, N extends at least the distance of M as seen below.
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Figure 9. Annotated Figure 1.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZACHARY A HALL whose telephone number is (571)272-5907. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Thursday 8:00am to 4:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Amber Anderson can be reached on 571-270-5281. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ZAH/Examiner, Art Unit 3678
/AMBER R ANDERSON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3678