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
Priority
The applicant’s priority to foreign application JP2023-111675 filed on July 6th, 2023 has been accepted.
Information Disclosure Statement
The Information Disclosure Statements filed on September 18th, 2024, August 14th, 2025, December 22nd 2025, March 26th, 2026 and May 21st, 2026 have been 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.
(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.
Claim(s) 1 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Okamura et al (US 20240222185), hereafter Okamura.
With regards to claim 1, Okamura discloses a robot for handling an electronic substrate (Abstract), the robot comprising: an articulated arm (transfer arm 100) comprising a plurality of links (140, 121, 111) connected by a plurality of joints (124, 122, 121), wherein the plurality of links comprise: a hand (114) configured to support the electronic substrate; a base (101); and one or more arm links connecting (112, 111) the hand to the base; and a plurality of motors (124a, 122a, 121a) configured to drive the plurality of joints respectively around rotational axes (not labeled separately) each of which is along a vertical orientation orthogonal to the electronic substrate supported by the hand (Fig. 2), to change a position and a posture of the hand with respect to the base while the hand supporting the electronic substrate, wherein each of the plurality of motors is a direct drive motor and is disposed at a corresponding joint of the plurality of joints (P0035, same for all motors).
With regards to claim 17, Okamura discloses a robot for handling an object (Abstract), the robot comprising: an articulated arm (transfer arm 100) comprising a plurality of links ((140, 121, 111) connected by a plurality of joints (124, 122, 121), wherein the plurality of links comprise: a hand (114) configured to support the object; a base (101); and one or more arm links connecting the hand to the base (112, 111); and motors (124a, 122a, 121a) configured to drive the plurality of joints respectively around rotational axes (not labeled separately on Fig. 2) to change a position and a posture of the hand with respect to the base while the hand supporting the object, wherein each of the plurality of motors is a direct drive motor and is disposed at a corresponding joint of the plurality of joints (P0035, same for all motors).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 2, 15-16 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Okamura as applied to claims 1 and 17, respectfully above, and further in view of Sato (US 20200365438).
With regards to claim 2, Okamura discloses all the elements of claim 1 as outlined above. Okamura further discloses wherein at least a part of the articulated arm is accommodated in a chamber (transfer module 50), and wherein the robot further comprises: a wiring space (P0037) located inside the articulated arm and separated from an inner space of the chamber with an airtight seal (Fig. 3); Okamura does not disclose a cable partially located outside the chamber is wired, via the wiring space, to a motor of the plurality of motors located inside the chamber.
However, Sato discloses an articulated arm (transfer robot 30) located partially inside and outside of a transfer chamber (vacuum chamber 20) with a wiring space (support unit 32) and disclose a cable partially located outside the chamber is wired, via the wiring space, to a motor of the plurality of motors located inside the chamber (in order for the articulated arm to work properly some wiring must be present; P0017 details the connection between the base and the arm via support unit 32). It would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have part of the articulated arm and all needed cables be partially inside a chamber and partially outside a chamber in order to facilitate maintenance.
With regards to claim 15, Okamura and Sato disclose all the elements of claim 2 as outlined above. Okamura further discloses an environmental sensor (temperature sensors 161) configured to detect an environment inside the wiring space. Okamura and Sato do not directly disclose a rotation sensor configured to detect rotation of the motor located inside the chamber; wherein the environmental sensor is connected to the rotation sensor via a sensor cable, and wherein the rotation sensor is configured to receive a detection result of the environment via the sensor cable and to transmit both the detection result of the rotation and the detection result of the environment via the cable. However, the examiner takes Official Notice that rotation sensors are known in the art and are therefore rendered obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention in order to be able to control a rotational position of the arm.
With regards to claim 16, Okamura and Sato disclose all the elements of claim 2 as outlined above. Okamura further discloses a tube (air tube 160) located partially inside the wiring space and configured to guide gas from an outer space of the chamber, and an air cooling flow path configured to receive the gas guided by the tube and to deliver the gas to the wiring space via a periphery of the motor located inside the chamber (P0048).
With regards to claim 18, Okamura discloses all the elements of claim 17 as outlined above. Okamura further discloses wherein at least a part of the articulated arm is accommodated in a chamber (transfer module 50), and wherein the robot further comprises: a wiring space (P0037) located inside the articulated arm and separated from an inner space of the chamber with an airtight seal (Fig. 3). Okamura does not disclose a cable partially located outside the chamber is wired, via the wiring space, to a motor of the plurality of motors located inside the chamber.
However, Sato discloses an articulated arm (transfer robot 30) located partially inside and outside of a transfer chamber (vacuum chamber 20) with a wiring space (support unit 32) and disclose a cable partially located outside the chamber is wired, via the wiring space, to a motor of the plurality of motors located inside the chamber (in order for the articulated arm to work properly some wiring must be present; P0017 details the connection between the base and the arm via support unit 32). It would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have part of the articulated arm and all needed cables be partially inside a chamber and partially outside a chamber in order to facilitate maintenance.
Claim(s) 3-9, 14, and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Okamura and Sato as applied to claims 2 and 18 respectfully above, and further in view of Yoshida et al (US 10391640), hereafter Yoshida.
With regards to claim 3, Okamura and Sato disclose all the elements of claim 2 as outlined above. Okamura further discloses wherein each of the plurality of joints connects a base-side link leading to an end of the base and a hand-side link leading to an end of the hand in the articulated arm (P0035, P0036); each of the plurality of motors comprises: an output shaft fixed to the hand-side link (P0037) Okamura and Sato do not disclose each of the plurality of motors comprises: a stator fixed to the base-side link; wherein the output shaft is configured to rotate around a rotational axis of the rotational axes by a rotating magnetic field generated by the stator.
However, Yoshida discloses a robotic arm (1) with motors (41a, 42a) that have stators and output shafts (Col. 3, L3-6). It would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have a stator as disclosed by Yoshida in the motor disclosed by Okamura in order for the motor to function as intended.
With regards to claim 4, Okamura and Sato disclose all the elements of claim 2 as outlined above. Okamura further discloses wherein the plurality of motors comprise: a hand motor (124a) configured to rotate, at a joint (124) proximate to the hand, the hand around a hand axis that is one of the rotational axes (P0046, L10-12); and two or more arm motors (121a, 122a) configured to drive two or more joints respectively to change the position of the hand motor (P0035-36), and wherein each of the two or more arm motors comprises: an output shaft; and a through-hole extending through the output shaft and forming a part of the wiring space (P0037). Okamura and Sato do not disclose a stator configured to drive one of the two or more joints by applying a rotating magnetic field to the output shaft.
However, Yoshida discloses a robotic arm (1) with motors (41a, 42a) that have stators and output shafts (Col. 3, L3-6). It would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have a stator as disclosed by Yoshida in the motor disclosed by Okamura in order for the motor to function as intended.
With regards to claim 5, Okamura, Sato and Yoshida disclose all the elements of claim 4 as outlined above. Okamura further discloses wherein each of the plurality of joints connects a base-side link leading to an end of the base and a hand-side link leading to an end of the hand in the articulated arm (P0034). Okamura and Sato do not disclose and wherein, for each of the two or more arm motors, the robot further comprises: a base-side seal member sealing between the output shaft and the base-side link; and a hand-side seal member sealing between the output shaft and the hand-side link.
However, Yoshida discloses a series of seals between the hand (14) and link member (32) and motor (44a). It would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to add seals as disclosed by Yoshida to the device disclosed by Okamura and Sato in order to protect the components from damage.
With regards to claim 6, Okamura, Sato and Yoshida disclose all the elements of claim 5 as outlined above. Okamura and Sato do not disclose wherein, in each of the two or more arm motors, the stator is fixed to the base-side link, the output shaft is fixed to the hand-side link
However, Yoshida further discloses wherein, in each of the two or more arm motors, the stator is fixed to the base-side link, the output shaft is fixed to the hand-side link (Col. 3, L3-6). Yoshida does not directly disclose and the base-side seal member comprises a mechanical seal that is in airtight contact with the output shaft while allowing rotation of the output shaft with respect to the base-side link.
However, Yoshida discloses a series of seals between the hand (14) and link member (32) and motor (44a). It would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to add seals as disclosed by Yoshida to the motors in order to protect the components from damage.
With regards to claim 7, Okamura, Sato and Yoshida disclose all the elements of claim 6 as outlined above. Okamura and Yoshida do not disclose a flange extending between the base and the one or more arm links to partition an inside and an outside of the chamber, wherein the two or more arm motors comprise a base motor that is proximate to the base, wherein the stator of the base motor is located outside the chamber, wherein the output shaft of the base motor extends through the flange and is fixed to the hand-side link inside the chamber, and wherein the base-side seal member for the base motor seals between the output shaft and the flange.
However, Sato discloses a flange (23) extending between the base and the one or more arm links to partition an inside and an outside of the chamber (P0016, L11-12), wherein the two or more arm motors comprise a base motor that is proximate to the base, wherein the stator of the base motor is located outside the chamber, wherein the output shaft of the base motor extends through the flange and is fixed to the hand-side link inside the chamber (via through hole 21, P0014) and wherein the base-side seal member (bellows 40) for the base motor seals between the output shaft and the flange.
With regards to claim 8, Okamura, Sato and Yoshida disclose all the elements of claim 7 as outlined above. Okamura and Yoshida do not disclose wherein the base comprises a lifting actuator fixed to the flange and configured to lift and lower the stator of the base motor, and wherein the base-side seal member for the base motor comprises: a mechanical seal that is in airtight contact with the output shaft while allowing rotation of the output shaft with respect to the flange and configured to expand and contract in response to lifting and lowering of the stator of the base motor by the lifting actuator.
However Sato discloses wherein the base comprises a lifting actuator (lifting mechanism 34) fixed to the flange and configured to lift and lower the stator of the base motor (P0018), and wherein the base-side seal member for the base motor comprises: a mechanical seal that is in airtight contact with the output shaft while allowing rotation of the output shaft with respect to the flange (P0037); and a stretchable seal (bellows 40) sealing between the mechanical seal and the flange and configured to expand and contract in response to lifting and lowering of the stator of the base motor by the lifting actuator.
With regards to claim 9, Okamura, Sato and Yoshida disclose all the elements of claim 4 as outlined above. Okamura Sato and Yoshida do not directly disclose wherein the two or more arm motors are radial gap motors, and wherein the hand motor is an axial gap motor. However, the examiner takes Official Notice that these types of motors are known in the art and therefore are rendered obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to choose an appropriate motor based on project parameters.
With regards to claim 14, Okamura, Sato and Yoshida disclose all the elements of claim 4 as outlined above. Okamura wherein the one or more arm links comprise: a first link connected to the base; and a second link connected to the first link and the hand (P0034), wherein the two or more joints comprise: a first joint (121) connecting the base and the first link; and a second joint (122) connecting the first link and the second link, and wherein the two or more arm motors comprise: a first arm motor (121a) disposed at the first joint and configured to rotate the first link around a first axis that is one of the rotational axes (P0035); and a second arm motor (122a) disposed at the second joint and configured to rotate the second link around a second axis that is another one of the rotational axes (P0036).
With regards to claim 19, Okamura and Sato disclose all the elements of claim 18 as outlined above. Okamura further discloses Okamura further discloses wherein each of the plurality of joints connects a base-side link leading to an end of the base and a hand-side link leading to an end of the hand in the articulated arm (P0035, P0036); ); each of the plurality of motors comprises: an output shaft fixed to the hand-side link (P0037) Okamura and Sato do not disclose each of the plurality of motors comprises: a stator fixed to the base-side link; wherein the output shaft is configured to rotate around a rotational axis of the rotational axes by a rotating magnetic field generated by the stator.
However, Yoshida discloses a robotic arm (1) with motors (41a, 42a) that have stators and output shafts (Col. 3, L3-6). It would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have a stator as disclosed by Yoshida in the motor disclosed by Okamura in order for the motor to function as intended.
With regards to claim 20, Okamura and Sato disclose all the elements of claim 18 as outlined above. Okamura further discloses wherein the plurality of motors comprise: a hand motor (124a) configured to rotate, at a joint (124) proximate to the hand, the hand around a hand axis that is one of the rotational axes (P0046, L10-12); and two or more arm motors (121a, 122a) configured to drive two or more joints respectively to change the position of the hand motor (P0035-36), and wherein each of the two or more arm motors comprises: an output shaft; and a through-hole extending through the output shaft and forming a part of the wiring space (P0037). Okamura and Sato do not disclose a stator configured to drive one of the two or more joints by applying a rotating magnetic field to the output shaft.
However, Yoshida discloses a robotic arm (1) with motors (41a, 42a) that have stators and output shafts (Col. 3, L3-6). It would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have a stator as disclosed by Yoshida in the motor disclosed by Okamura in order for the motor to function as intended.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10-13 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.
Claim 10 would be allowable for disclosing “wherein the hand motor is a two-axis direct drive motor configured to independently rotate the hand and the second hand.”
Although Okamura discloses a second hand (131) it is driven by a second motor. There is no teaching or suggestion that would render it obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have one motor rotate two hands as recited.
Claims 11-13 would be allowable by virtue of their dependencies.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JESSICA LYNN BURKMAN whose telephone number is (571)272-5824. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 7:30am to 6:00pm EST.
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/J.L.B./Examiner, Art Unit 3653
/MICHAEL MCCULLOUGH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3653
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