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
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. DE202023103525.6, filed on 06/26/2023.
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed on 02/18/2026, has been received and made of record. In response to the Non-Final Office Action, dated on 11/18/2025. Claims 1-15 are pending in the current application. Claims 13-15 are newly added.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed on 02/18/2026 have been fully considered.
In the Arguments/Remarks:
Re: Claim Objections
Objections of claims 1-8 and 10-12 have been withdrawn in view of applicant’s amendments. However, applicant’s amendments raise a new claim objection issue (see below).
Re: Specification
Objections of the specification have been withdrawn in view of applicant’s amendments.
Re: Rejection of the Claims Under 35 U.S.C. 112(b)
Rejection of claims 1-12 under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) have been withdrawn in view of applicant’s amendments.
Re: Rejection of the Claims Under 35 U.S.C. 101
Rejection of claims 1-12 under 35 U.S.C. 101 have been withdrawn, applicant’s arguments were persuasive.
Re: Rejection of the Claims Under 35 U.S.C. 103
Rejection of claims 1-12 under 35 U.S.C. 103 have been withdrawn in view of applicant’s amendments and arguments.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends. Claim 15 claims dependency to itself and is therefore improper. Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-14 are allowed. The instant invention is directed towards a device for determining in at least three spatial directions, a force acting on a body. The instant invention differs from the prior art in that the device within the context of the claims includes “wherein the two actuating elements (20a, 20b) are arranged relative to one another such that the two operating elements (22a, 22b) are arranged on sides (25a, 25b) of the base elements (24a, 24b) facing away from one another, and wherein the operating elements (22a, 22b) are configured for grasping by a user for moving the body” and “an evaluation/control unit (30) configured to record the individual force (F1, F2) determined by each of the actuating elements (20a, 20b), the evaluation/control unit (30) being further configured to calculate, in the at least three spatial directions (Fx, Fy, Fz, Mx, My, Mz), a force acting on the body from the two individual forces (F1, F2) from the sum of the individual forces.”. Prior art Takagi (US 2013/0211596 A1) discloses a control method of a robot apparatus, the robot apparatus including a link and a pair of actuators, obtaining each driving force command value of each of the actuators, and controlling each of the actuators, the control method including: a torque command value computation step; a change computation step of computing a difference between the joint stiffness command value and a value and performing a computation of subtracting a value from the joint stiffness command value. Prior art Summer (US 2012/0239195 A1) discloses a robotic gripper with two fingers that open and close using an actuator. Each finger has a gripping surface near its tip and a force sensor placed near the base, close to where the finger connects to the actuator. The sensors measure the force experienced by each finger, not just how hard the actuator is working. In some embodiments, the sensors measure force in three directions so the system can tell not only how much force is present, but also the direction of the force. The force data can be used to compute how tightly the gripper is holding an object. The data can also be translated into a common coordinate frame so that forces on a robot arm can be determined. The resulting force information can be sent to a controller. However, the prior art fails to disclose and fully teach in the context of the claim “wherein the two actuating elements (20a, 20b) are arranged relative to one another such that the two operating elements (22a, 22b) are arranged on sides (25a, 25b) of the base elements (24a, 24b) facing away from one another, and wherein the operating elements (22a, 22b) are configured for grasping by a user for moving the body” and “an evaluation/control unit (30) configured to record the individual force (F1, F2) determined by each of the actuating elements (20a, 20b), the evaluation/control unit (30) being further configured to calculate, in the at least three spatial directions (Fx, Fy, Fz, Mx, My, Mz), a force acting on the body from the two individual forces (F1, F2) from the sum of the individual forces.”. The references fail to disclose and teach all of the features AND a suitable motivation to combine and add these missing features. Therefore, when combined together and with the other limitations, provide a more efficient and novel device for determining in at least three spatial directions, a force acting on a body. Accordingly, the claims are allowable over the prior art. Examiner notes Claim 15 would be allowable if amended to overcome the current 35 U.S.C.112(d) rejection (see above).
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 MOHAMMED YOUSEF ABUELHAWA whose telephone number is (571)272-3219. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30-5:00 with flex.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Wade Miles can be reached at 571-270-7777. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MOHAMMED YOUSEF ABUELHAWA/Examiner, Art Unit 3656
/WADE MILES/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3656
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