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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant argues that newly amended independent claims 10 and 14 are in condition for allowance.
In response, the Examiner respectfully disagree with the Applicant. Claim 10 has been rejected under 35 USC 112(b) and 35 USC 102(a)(2). The amendment made to claim 10 is not clear to the Examiner and thus, requires correction. However, claims 14-25 are allowed.
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.
Claims 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. Particularly, claim 10 recites “and the turntable is configured to impart a centrifugal force caused by a rotation of the turntable, to the article. comprising:
a main body; an article accommodation unit provided in the main body; an article supply unit provided in the article accommodation unit; and an article supply path through which an article supplied from the article supply unit is supplied to a supply port, wherein the supply path includes a first supply path provided in a first direction, and a second supply path provided in a second direction which is different from the first direction, and”. The amendment added appears to be incomplete ending with “and” in the last line and confusing because there is a “.” after the word “article” in line 3 and it is unclear what is being referred to by the term “comprising” in line 4. Appropriate clarification and correction is required.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 10-11 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yuyama et al. (US 2014/0246451).
Claim 10. (Currently Amended) A article supply apparatus wherein the article supply unit includes a turntable (9) configured to hold the article, and the turntable is configured to impart a centrifugal force caused by a rotation of the turntable, to the article. comprising: a main body (1); an article accommodation unit (3) provided in the main body (1); an article supply unit (8,42) provided in the article accommodation unit (3); and an article supply path (10,28) through which an article supplied from the article supply unit (8,42) is supplied to a supply port (port formed by 25,26), wherein the supply path (10,28) includes a first supply path (10) provided in a first direction, and a second supply path (28) provided in a second direction which is different from the first direction, and
Claim 11, Yuyama discloses wherein the second supply path (28) is configured to overlap with a falling trajectory of the article to which the centrifugal force is imparted (centrifugal force is applied via the rotation of supply path second rotating body 10).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 14-25 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: An article supply apparatus including the features “the article accommodation unit is configured to be detachable from the main body, and in a state where the article accommodation unit is attached to the main body, the article accommodation unit covers an upper part of the first supply path and that of the second supply path “ in combination with the remaining claim language is not taught by the prior art.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AYODEJI H OJOFEITIMI whose telephone number is (571)272-6557. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, GENE CRAWFORD can be reached at (571) 272-6911. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/AYODEJI H OJOFEITIMI/ Examiner, Art Unit 3651
/GENE O CRAWFORD/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3651
Prosecution Insights