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 .
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, 7-9, 12, and 15-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Vidal et al (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2024/0001565), hereinafter “Vidal”.
With respect to Claim 1, Vidal, Figures 1-8, teaches a suction cup device 10, comprising:
a body 12” including a sidewall, a flange (above element 15) extending from a distal portion of the sidewall, and a base (upper portion near lead line 23) extending from a proximal portion of the sidewall opposite from the flange;
wherein the base, the sidewall and the flange collectively define a cavity having an open portion associated with the flange, the flange being operable for forming a seal against an object surface that isolates the cavity from an external environment;
wherein the sidewall includes one or more attachment actuators (See Paragraph [0087]) in communication with a controller device (See Paragraph [0096]), wherein the one or more attachment actuators activate responsive to first control signals from the controller device to attach the flange to the object surface by decreasing a cavity pressure associated with the cavity; and
wherein the sidewall includes one or more detachment actuators 23 in communication with the controller device, wherein the one or more detachment actuators activate responsive to second control signals from the controller device to detach the flange from the object surface.
With respect to Claim 7, Vidal further teaches the body including a pliable material that is impermeable to gas and liquid.
With respect to Claim 8, Vidal further teaches wherein the one or more detachment actuators are inactive during activation of the one or more attachment actuators and wherein the one or more attachment actuators are inactive during activation of the one or more detachment actuators.
With respect to Claim 9, Vidal further teaches wherein the one or more attachment actuators deactivate following secure attachment of the flange to the object surface.
With respect to Claims 12 and 15-17, the method described in these claims would inherently result from the use of the suction cup device of Vidal as advanced above.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-6, 10-11, 13-14, and 18-20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILLIAM ARAUZ RIVERA whose telephone number is (571)272-6953. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM MDT.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Victoria P. Augustine can be reached at 313-446-4858. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/WILLIAM A. RIVERA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3654
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