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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-12 are pending. Claims 1-12 are rejected.
Drawings
New corrected drawings in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in this application because Fig.1 is presented without any labels. Additionally, the claims refer to the drawings, however the drawings are not labeled with the same reference numbers as the claims for example claim 1 recited link assembly portion (100) and a gravity compensator (200) however the drawings do not show 100 or 200. Item 100 and 200 are used as examples, Applicant is responsible for reviewing the claims and the drawings to insure all labels match. Applicant is advised to employ the services of a competent patent draftsperson outside the Office, as the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office no longer prepares new drawings. The corrected drawings are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. The requirement for corrected drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
Claim 2 recites the limitation "the two links”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Regarding claims, the phrase " the two links " renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d). One of ordinary skill in the art would not know which two links the claims refer to as the claimed invention has multiple links.
Regarding claim 4, the phrase " and the like, " renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Nonstatutory Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); and In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on a nonstatutory double patenting ground provided the conflicting application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with this application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement.
Effective January 1, 1994, a registered attorney or agent of record may sign a terminal disclaimer. A terminal disclaimer signed by the assignee must fully comply with 37 CFR 3.73(b).
The claim of this instant application are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting as being unpatentable over claim of copending Application. Although the conflicting claims are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other.
This is a provisional obviousness-type double patenting rejection because the conflicting claims have not in fact been patented.
Double Patenting Rejections will not be revisited and be held in abeyance until allowable subject matter is to be found.
Instant Application
20220097226
1. A positioning arm with three-degree-of-freedom (3-DoF) gravity compensation that moves an operating tool (10) by using an incision point as remote center of motion (hereinafter, “RCM”), the positioning arm comprising: a link assembly portion (100) capable of rotating in roll and pitch directions about the RCM, and allowing the operating tool (10) to carry out translational motion in a direction toward the RCM; and a gravity compensator (200) which provides, with respect to torque caused by gravity acting on the link assembly portion (100) and the operating tool (10), compensation torque having a direction opposite to that of the torque.
2. The positioning arm of claim 1, wherein the link assembly portion (100) comprises: a gearbox (110) capable of roll rotation with respect to a base (101); a first link (120) capable of pitch rotation with respect to the gearbox (110); a pair of second links (130) that forms a predetermined angle with the first link (120), and is movable while the two links that make up the pair remain parallel to each other; and a third link (140) coupled to an end of the pair of second links (130) and capable of linearly moving the operating tool (10).
3. The positioning arm of claim 1, wherein the link assembly portion (100) comprises: a gearbox (110) capable of roll rotation with respect to a base (101), wherein the gearbox (110) comprises: a center bevel gear (111) fixed with respect to the base (101); and a pair of rotational bevel gears (112) in which the gears that make up the pair are respectively engaged on opposite sides of the center bevel gear (111), and capable of rotating in the roll direction with respect to the center bevel gear (111).
4. The positioning arm of claim 3, wherein the gravity compensator (200) comprises: a pair of side moment arms (113) that is combined with the pair of rotational bevel gears (112) to assist in compensating gravitational torque of the link assembly portion (100) generated according to the roll rotation of the gearbox (110).
5. The positioning arm of claim 4, wherein the gravity compensator (200) comprises: a roll pitch compensation structure (210) having a pair of first elastic bodies (211) that is interlocked with the pair of side moment arms (113) and provides compensation torque for rotation in the roll and pitch directions.
6. The positioning arm of claim 1, wherein the gravity compensator (200) comprises: an asymmetry compensation structure (220) that compensates for asymmetric gravity torque due to weight asymmetry of the link assembly portion (100) based on a rotation axis in the roll direction.
7. The positioning arm of claim 6, wherein the asymmetry compensation structure (220) comprises: a pair of second elastic bodies (221); and a second slider (222) coupled to a side of the pair of second elastic bodies (221) and capable of linear motion.
8. The positioning arm of claim 1, wherein the gravity compensator (200) comprises: a counterweight (230) that compensates for changes in gravitational torques in the roll and pitch directions of the link assembly portion (100) stemming from a change in position in position due to the translational motion of the operating tool (10), and that compensates for changes in a residual external force in a direction of the translational motion acting on the operating tool (10).
9. The positioning arm of claim 8, wherein when the operating tool (10) moves in a straight line to approach the incision point, the counterweight (230) moves linearly in a direction opposite to a movement direction of the operating tool (10).
10. The positioning arm of claim 8, further comprising: a third wire (231) whose length is adjusted according to a movement of the operating tool (10) and having a first end connected to the counterweight (230); and a conversion bearing (232) for changing a direction of the third wire (231).
11. The positioning arm of claim 10, further comprising: a timing pulley (234) that rotates according to the movement of the operating tool (10); and a capstone pulley (235) that rotates coaxially with the timing pulley (234) and on which a second end of the third wire (231) is wound.
12. The positioning arm of claim 11, wherein a movement amount of the counterweight (230) is determined depending on a gear ratio of the timing pulley (234) and the capstone pulley (235).
1. A positioning arm comprising: a link assembly comprising a translation link configured to translationally move along a virtual axis passing a remote center of motion (RCM) present at a predetermined position separated from one point, and configured to move in at least two directions based on the one point; and a gravity torque compensator configured to provide a compensation torque in a direction opposite to a gravity torque applied to the one point by a self-weight of the link assembly.
2. The positioning arm of claim 1, wherein the link assembly is configured to perform a roll-rotation and a pitch-rotation and, irrespective of a roll-rotation angle and a pitch-rotation angle, translationally move along the virtual axis along which the translation link passes the RCM.
3. The positioning arm of claim 2, wherein the link assembly further comprises: a gear case configured to perform a roll-rotation with respect to a base; a pitch link configured to perform a pitch-rotation with respect to the gear case; a parallel link configured to move at a pose parallel to a longitudinal direction of the pitch link; and a connection link configured to connect the pitch link and the parallel link and the translation link is installed to translationally move along a guide provided in the parallel link.
4. The positioning arm of claim 3, further comprising: a center bevel gear fixed to the base; a pair of rotary bevel gears engaged to both sides of the center bevel gear to be rotatable with respect to the gear case; and a pair of rotating bodies fixed to the pair of rotary bevel gears to rotate together with the pair of rotary bevel gears with respect to the gear case.
5. The positioning arm of claim 4, wherein a connecting shaft portion is provided between the pair of rotary bevel gears and the pair of rotating bodies corresponding thereto, and the link assembly is installed in the connecting shaft portion to be rotatable in one direction.
6. The positioning arm of claim 4, wherein the pair of rotary bevel gears are configured to rotate in an opposite direction about a same axis when the link assembly performs the roll-rotation instead of relatively moving when the link assembly performs the pitch-rotation.
7. The positioning arm of claim 4, wherein the gravity torque compensator comprises: a pair of elastic bodies having a length changing in response to the roll-rotation or the pitch-rotation of the link assembly to provide an elastic force for generating the compensation torque.
8. The positioning arm of claim 7, wherein the gravity torque compensator further comprises: a support located at one side of the pair of elastic bodies; a pair of sliders located at another side of the pair of elastic bodies to be slidable with respect to the pitch link; and a pair of compensation steel wires having one sides fixed to the pair of rotating bodies and the other sides fixed to the pair of sliders.
9. The positioning arm of claim 8, further comprising: a gravity torque adjuster configured to reduce a difference between the compensation torque and the gravity torque generated based on a translation distance of the translation link.
10. The positioning arm of claim 9, wherein the support comprises: a support portion disposed beside a path on which the pair of compensation steel wires pass, to function as a portion receiving the compensation torque from the pair of compensation steel wires and the gravity torque adjuster is configured to reduce a length of a moment arm of the compensation torque by lowering the support when the translation link translationally moves toward the RCM, and increase the length of the moment arm of the compensation torque by elevating the support when the translation link translationally moves in a direction in which a distance between the translation link and the RCM increases.
11. The positioning arm of claim 10, wherein the support is installed to be slidable with respect to the pitch link and the gravity torque adjuster comprises: an adjusting steel wire configured to mutually connect the translation link and the support to slidingly move the support when the translation link translationally moves.
12. The positioning arm of claim 11, wherein the gravity torque adjuster further comprises: a transmission configured to increase and reduce a sliding distance of the support moving relative to the pitch link in proportion to the translation distance of the translation link moving relative to the parallel link.
13. The positioning arm of claim 12, wherein the adjusting steel wire comprises: a first adjusting steel wire and a second adjusting steel wire connected to one side and another side of the transmission and the transmission comprises: a first reel around which the first adjusting steel wire is wound; a second reel around which the second adjusting steel wire is wound; and a reducer configured to allow the second reel to rotate with respect to the first reel at a set rotation ratio.
14. The positioning arm of claim 1, further comprising: a gravity torque adjuster configured to reduce a difference between the compensation torque and the gravity torque generated based on a translation distance of the translation link.
15. A positioning arm comprising: a link assembly configured to perform a roll-rotation and a pitch-rotation and comprising a translation link configured to translationally move along a virtual axis passing a remote center of motion (RCM) present at a predetermined position separated from one point; a plurality of bevel gears configured to engagingly rotate when the link assembly performs the roll-rotation instead of relatively moving when the link assembly performs the pitch-rotation; a rotating body connected to at least one of the plurality of bevel gears to rotate together with a corresponding bevel gear; and a gravity torque compensator connected to the rotating body and configured to provide a compensation torque in an opposite direction with respect to a gravity torque applied by self-weight of the link assembly, by deforming an elastic body in response to the roll-rotation and the pitch-rotation of the link assembly.
16. The positioning arm of claim 15, further comprising: a gravity torque adjuster configured to reduce a difference between the compensation torque and the gravity torque by increasing or reducing a length of a moment arm of the compensation torque in response to the translation link moving translationally.
A patentee or applicant may disclaim or dedicated to the public the entire term, or any terminal part of the term of a patent. 35 U.S.C. 253. The statue does not provide for a terminal disclaimer of only a specified claim or claims. The terminal disclaimer must operate with respect to all claims in the patent. MPEP 804.02.
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 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.
(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.
Claims 1,2, 6-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kamikawa US 20190328480
1. Kamikawa teaches a positioning arm with three-degree-of-freedom (3-DoF) gravity compensation that moves an operating tool (10) by using an incision point as remote center of motion (hereinafter, "RCM"), the positioning arm comprising:
a link assembly portion (100) Fig. 1 capable of rotating in roll 512e and pitch 511e directions about the RCM Center 512f, and allowing the operating tool (10) 520 to carry out translational motion in a direction toward the RCM towards 512f; and
a gravity compensator (200) 552 which provides, with respect to torque caused by gravity acting on the link assembly portion (100) 551 and the operating tool (10) 520, compensation torque having a direction opposite to that of the torque 552 pulls torque of 551 up in z direction the opposite direction of gravity -z.
2. Kamikawa teaches all of the limitations of claim 1 and further teaches, wherein the link assembly portion (100) comprises:
a gearbox (110) M before 511f capable of roll rotation with respect to a base (101); 512f
a first link (120) 511f capable of pitch motion of 511f rotation with respect to the gearbox (110) with respect to M before 511f;
a pair of second links (130) 511d that forms a predetermined angle O4 with the first link (120) 512d, and is movable while the two links that make up the pair remain parallel to each other; and
a third link (140) 512b coupled to an end of the pair of second links (130) 511d and capable of linearly moving the operating tool (10) 511d motor i.e. linear movement of 520.
6. Kamikawa teaches all of the limitations of claim 1 and further teaches, wherein the gravity compensator (200) comprises:
an asymmetry compensation structure (220) 511d is asymmetry i.e. before and after 511f that compensates for asymmetric gravity torque 542 due to weight asymmetry of the link assembly portion (100) portion of 500 after 511f based on a rotation axis in the roll direction O6.
7. Kamikawa teaches all of the limitations of claim 6 and further teaches, wherein the asymmetry compensation structure (220) comprises:
a pair of second elastic bodies (221) 552 and 542 i.e. first and second; and
a second slider (222) 511b rotational slider coupled to a side of the pair of second elastic bodies (221) 552, 542 and capable of linear motion rotation is linear, i.e. continuous.
8. Kamikawa teaches all of the limitations of claim 1 and further teaches, wherein the gravity compensator (200) comprises:
a counterweight (230) 552 that compensates for changes in gravitational torques in the roll and pitch directions of the link assembly portion (100) roll O6 and pitch O5 due to gravity on 500 stemming from a change in position in position due to the translational motion of the operating tool (10) based on the position or pos of 520, and
that compensates for changes in a residual external force in a direction of the translational motion acting on the operating tool (10) 552 and 542 compensate based on the position of 520.
9. Kamikawa teaches all of the limitations of claim 8 and further teaches, wherein when the operating tool (10) 520 moves in a straight straight based on 511b and 511d line to approach the incision point 341, the counterweight (230) 542 and 552 moves linearly in a direction opposite to a movement direction of the operating tool (10). when 520 moves down. Counter counterweight 552 and 542 also move. Also see para 5; technology for compensating the gravitational force of the arm section, a technology is known in which a counterweight is provided on the base end side of the arm section such that the arm section as a whole is balanced (that is, such that the weight of the arm section itself may be supported), and the support arm apparatus is configured as what is called a balance arm.
10. Kamikawa teaches all of the limitations of claim 8 and further teaches, further comprising:
a third wire (231) end of 542 whose length is adjusted stretched according to a movement of the operating tool (10) 520 and having a first end connected to the counterweight (230) connected to spring 542; and
a conversion bearing (232) 511d also para 62; the joint sections 511a to 511f have shafts that act as rotation axes, bearings that pivotally support the shafts, and the like, and may be members enabling the rotation of one member about another member. for changing a direction of the third wire (231) M at 511d shows O4 changing directions.
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 3, 4, 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kamikawa as applied to claim above, and further in view of Snow 6354167.
3. Kamikawa teaches all of the limitations of claim 1 and further teaches, wherein the link assembly portion (100) comprises:
a gearbox (110) capable of roll rotation with respect to a base (101), wherein the gearbox (110) comprises:
Kamikawa does not teach
a center bevel gear (111) fixed with respect to the base (101); and
a pair of rotational bevel gears (112) in which the gears that make up the pair are respectively engaged on opposite sides of the center bevel gear (111), and
capable of rotating in the roll direction with respect to the center bevel gear (111).
However, Snow teaches
a center bevel gear (111) 52 fixed with respect to the base (101) 58; and
a pair of rotational bevel gears (112) 66 and 62 in which the gears that make up the pair are respectively engaged on opposite 66 and 62 sides of the center bevel gear (111)52, and
capable of rotating in the roll direction with respect to the center bevel gear (111) rotating via 64 and 60.
Therefore, it was well known at the time the invention was filed and would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings with a reasonable expectation of success in for the purpose of counterbalancing a robotic arm such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious.
4. Kamikawa and Snow teaches all of the limitations of claim 3 and Snow further teaches, wherein the gravity compensator (200) comprises:
a pair of side moment arms (113)66 and 62 that is combined with the pair of rotational bevel gears (112) 52 to assist in compensating gravitational torque of the link assembly portion (100) 58 generated according to the roll rotation of the gearbox (110)54 the joint
sections 58 to 54 have shafts shaft holding 64 and 60 that act as rotation axes 54, bearings that pivotally support the shafts 52 , and the like, and may be members enabling the rotation of one member about another member. 56.
5. Kamikawa and Snow teaches all of the limitations of claim 4 and Kamikawa further teaches, wherein the gravity compensator (200) comprises:
a roll pitch compensation structure (210) 511d having a pair of first elastic bodies (211) 542 that is interlocked with the pair of side moment arms (113) interlocked with 512d and 541 and provides compensation torque spring K force on 541 produces torque for rotation in the roll and pitch directions in direction O4.
Claims 11 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kamikawa as applied to claim above, and further in view of Duval US 20040035243.
11. Kamikawa teaches all of the limitations of claim 10 and further teaches, further comprising:
a timing pulley (234) Fig.3 613 encoders are timing pulleys as their rotation speed can detect timing for stepper motors which are also time based i.e. PWM that rotates according to the movement of the operating tool (10) M 511a controls tool 520; and
Kamikawa does not teach a capstone pulley (235) that rotates coaxially with the timing pulley (234) and on which a second end of the third wire (231) is wound.
However, Duval teaches a capstone pulley (235) para 145 idler [ para 371 capstone] pulley that rotates coaxially with the timing pulley (234) idler pulley also para 423; A toothed belt or timing belt can be substituted for the cable. and on which a second end of the third wire (231) is wound cable is wound on pully Fig. 6.
Therefore, it was well known at the time the invention was filed and would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings with a reasonable expectation of success in for the purpose of counter balancing a mechanical arm such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious.
12. Kamikawa and Duval teaches all of the limitations of claim 11 and Duval further teaches, wherein a movement amount para 371, The roll motion and torque is transmitted by the upper arm as it was in the FIG. 47 One or more flexible cables connect the two capstans so that they rotate in the same direction at a ratio of 1 to 1. of the counterweight (230) C is determined depending on a gear ratio of the timing pulley (234) idler pulley with toothed timing belt and the capstone pulley (235) Idler pully.
Conclusion
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/SIHAR A KARWAN/Examiner, Art Unit 3664