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 Objections
Claims 1-16 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 Ln 4, please amend to --the first inner chamber to [[the]] an outside of the cylinder body--.
Claim 1 Ln 6-7, please amend to --to [[the]] a distal end--.
Claim 1 Ln 13-14, please amend to --to the cylinder body
Claims 2-16 are objected to for reasons similar to those stated above.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(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 1-16 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 1-16 are generally narrative and indefinite, failing to conform with current U.S. practice. They appear to be a literal translation into English from a foreign document and are replete with grammatical and idiomatic errors. Therefore, the scope of the claims are indeterminate.
Claim 1 Ln 8 states the limitation "the piston and rod assembly”. This limitation lacks antecedent basis and it is unclear to which previous limitation it is referring. Therefore, the scope of the claim is indeterminate. For examination, the limitation was interpreted as -- the piston and rod are configured--.
Claim 1 Ln 11 states the limitation "the rod of the piston”. It is unclear if this is a new term lacking antecedent basis or is referring to the rod of Ln 3. Therefore, the scope of the claim is indeterminate. For examination, the limitation was interpreted as the same as the rod of Ln 3.
Claim 1 Ln 17 states the limitation "at least one pressurization chamber of the cylinder body”. It is unclear if this chamber is distinct from the first inner chamber previously stated in Ln 3. Therefore, the scope of the claim is indeterminate. For examination, the limitation was interpreted as the same chamber--.
Claim 1 Ln 18-20 states the limitation "annular, delimited between the inner duct and an inner surface… with the piston”. It is unclear what this limitation is intended to convey or to what previous structure it is describing. Therefore, the scope of the claim is indeterminate.
Claims 2-16, see above for examples of indeterminate language and amend accordingly
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.
Claims 1, 4-5, 9, 12 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1), 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Girtman; Michael et al. US 9982691 B2, hereinafter Girtman.
Regarding claim 1, as far as is determinate, Girtman discloses (Fig. 7-12) a suction-cup gripper device including:
at least one pneumatic cylinder including
a cylinder body (474),
a piston (470) slidably mounted in a first inner chamber of the cylinder body, and
a rod (466) secured to the piston extending from a proximal end (depicted left end Fig. 7) from the inner chamber to the outside of the cylinder body, throughout an opening (406) in the cylinder body,
a pneumatic suction-cup system including
a pneumatic suction cup (302) secured to the distal end (depicted right end Fig. 7) of the rod, and
a circuit (360) for depressurizing the pneumatic suction cup (Col 5 Ln 39-47) and
wherein the piston and rod assembly is configured to selectively retract in a first position into the cylinder body (Fig. 7), and deploy in a second position out of the cylinder body (Fig. 8) and
wherein the depressurization circuit of the pneumatic suction cup includes: the rod of the piston which is tubular, and communicating at the distal end with the pneumatic suction cup (Col 5 Ln 39-47),
an inner duct (467), coaxial with the rod of the pneumatic cylinder, secured to the body of the cylinder, penetrating the tubular rod from said proximal end, connected in a fluid-sealed manner with an inner surface of the rod via a sliding seal system (469), forming a vacuum chamber (490, Col 6 Ln 37-51), and
wherein the piston is annular (depicted as annular), configured to surround the pneumatic cylinder rod and the inner duct, and to sweep at least one pressurization chamber of the cylinder body connected to at least one compressed air port (314) external to the cylinder body, annular, delimited between the inner duct and an inner surface of the cylinder body configured to slide with the piston.
Regarding claim 4, as far as is determinate, Girtman discloses (Fig. 7-12) the cylinder body includes:
a main portion (476/478) including an end wall (476) carrying said opening (406) sealingly crossed by the rod of the piston, said end wall being extended by a peripheral wall (478), said peripheral wall internally forming the inner surface of the cylinder body configured to slidably cooperate with the piston, up to a second opening (approximate (478)), configured to enable extension of the piston, and
a cover portion (478), configured to sealingly close said second opening, said cover portion being secured to the inner duct at a proximal end (depicted left end) of the inner duct opposite to a distal end of the inner duct cooperating with the sliding seal system (Col 6 Ln 23-51).
Regarding claim 5, as far as is determinate, Girtman discloses (Fig. 7-12) said pneumatic cylinder is a double-acting cylinder, said at least one pressurization chamber including: a first pressurization chamber (482) defined in the cylinder body, on a first side of the piston, the first chamber being connected to an outer first compressed air port (314a), and a second pressurization chamber (484) defined in the cylinder body, on a second side of the piston, the second chamber being connected to an outer second compressed air port (314b, Col 6 Ln 23-29).
Regarding claim 9, as far as is determinate, Girtman discloses (Fig. 7-12) the cylinder body includes a Venturi system (360) connected, on the one hand, to a compressed air source and, on the other hand, to the outside atmosphere, configured to ensure depressurization of the vacuum chamber in the inner duct from a compressed air source (Col 5 Ln 37-47).
Regarding claim 12, as far as is determinate, Girtman discloses (Fig. 7-12) a method for using the device according to claim 1, wherein the pneumatic cylinder is used for gripping and handling food products (“irregular articles” (50), Col 8 Ln 28-32).
Regarding claim 16, as far as is determinate, Girtman discloses (Fig. 7-12) wherein the cylinder body of the pneumatic cylinder vacuum channel, is manufactured by additive manufacturing (in accordance with MPEP 2113, this claim is a product-by-process claim; product-by-process claims are limited by and defined by the process, determination of patentability is based on the product itself; the patentability of a product does not depend on its method of production; if the product in the product-by-process claim is the same as or obvious from a product of the prior art, the claim is unpatentable even though the prior product was made by a different process; herein as additive manufacturing does not provide for structure that distinguishes over Girtman, Girtman continues to read upon the claim).
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 of this title, 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 2 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Girtman in view of EBERHARD MANFRED M DE 202006009094 U1, hereinafter Eberhard. The references is/are considered analogous art to the claimed invention because the references is/are from the same field of endeavor as the claimed invention (linear actuators); or the references is/are reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor (piston rotation prevention). MPEP2141.01(a) I. A machine translation is provided of Eberhard and is used throughout for disclosure callouts.
Regarding claim 2, as far as is determinate, Girtman discloses the claimed invention substantially as claimed, as set forth above for Claim 1. Girtman further discloses (Fig. 7-12) the pneumatic suction cup (490) includes a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the axis of the rod (as depicted, any arbitrary direction perpendicular to the rod axis).
Girtman fails to explicitly state that the device further comprises an anti-rotation system configured to prevent the rotation of the rod and of the pneumatic suction cup relative to the body of the cylinder, about the axis of the rod.
Eberhard discloses (Fig. 2) at least one pneumatic cylinder including
a cylinder body (1),
a piston (2) slidably mounted in a first inner chamber of the cylinder body,
a rod (depicted rod attached to (2) extending downwards) secured to the piston extending from a proximal end (depicted top end) from the inner chamber to the outside of the cylinder body, throughout an opening (2/1) in the cylinder body, and
an anti-rotation system (“polygonal design” [0017]) configured to prevent the rotation of the rod relative to the body of the cylinder, about the axis of the rod [0017] for the purpose of providing precise deliver or adherence to movement sequences as necessary to meet high accuracy standards [0002-0003].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was filed, to modify Girtman, by providing the anti-rotation system (polygonal piston cross-sectional shape), as taught by Eberhard, for the purpose of providing precise deliver or adherence to movement sequences.
Regarding claim 3, as far as is determinate, Eberhard discloses (Fig. 2) the anti-rotation system includes the cylinder body, with a non-circular section, and the piston, with a non-circular complementary shape [0017].
Claims 6 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Girtman in view of Tilmos; Wayne et al. US 20220381264 A1, hereinafter Tilmos. The references is/are considered analogous art to the claimed invention because the references is/are from the same field of endeavor as the claimed invention (linear actuators); or the references is/are reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor (cylinder/port construction). MPEP2141.01(a) I.
Regarding claim 6, as far as is determinate, Girtman discloses the claimed invention substantially as claimed, as set forth above for Claim 4. Girtman further discloses (Fig. 7-12) the cylinder body includes:
a vacuum channel (361), configured to set the inner vacuum chamber (490) in communication with the inner duct (467) and an outer vacuum port (362) in communication with the cylinder body (Col 6 Ln 41-51),
at least one pressurization channel (depicted inner channels), configured to set said at least one pressurization chamber (482, 484) and said at least one compressed air port (314) in communication, in particular a first compressed air channel (depicted left inner channel) communicating with the first pressurization chamber (482) and a second compressed air channel (depicted right inner channel) communicating with the second pressurization chamber (484).
Girtman fails to explicitly state that the vacuum channel is across the thickness of the wall of the cylinder body; the least one pressurization channel is across the thickness of the wall of the cylinder body.
Tilmos discloses (Fig. 1-5, 9-10) at least one pneumatic cylinder including
a cylinder body (48/50/52),
a piston (76) slidably mounted in a first inner chamber of the cylinder body, and
a rod (80) secured to the piston extending from a proximal end (depicted left end Fig. 3) from the inner chamber (72) to the outside of the cylinder body, throughout an opening (81) in the cylinder body,
at least one channel (96-112), across the thickness of the wall of the cylinder body configured to set said at least one chamber (88, 92) and said at least one air port (44, 46) in communication,
wherein said at least one air port is secured to the main portion (50/52) of the cylinder body, said at least one channel extending in the main portion (50/52) and in the cover portion (48), via a seal (70) between the main portion and the cover portion [0038] to ensure communication between said at least one air port and one of said at least one chamber [0046-0048].
One of ordinary skill in the art could have applied the known "improvement" technique (providing channels across the thickness of the cylinder body wall, extending in the main portion and the cover portion via a seal therebetween) in the same way to the "base" device and the results (to ensure communication between said at least one air port and one of said at least one chamber) would have been predictable to one of ordinary skill in the art. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide channels across the thickness of the cylinder body wall, extending in the main portion and the cover portion via a seal therebetween in the device of Girtman to ensure communication between said at least one air port and one of said at least one chamber as taught by Tilmos as the is a known technique amongst similar devices ready for improvement.
To further clarify the modification, Tilmos discloses it is known to fabricate actuators provide channels through cylinder walls and covers to communicate an external port(s) with an internal chamber(s).
Regarding claim 7, as far as is determinate, Girtman discloses the claimed invention substantially as claimed, as set forth above for Claim 4. Girtman further discloses (Fig. 7-12) the cylinder body includes:
a vacuum channel (361), configured to set the inner vacuum chamber (490) in communication with the inner duct (467) and an outer vacuum port (362) in communication with the cylinder body (Col 6 Ln 41-51),
at least one pressurization channel (depicted inner channels) configured to set said at least one pressurization chamber (482, 484) and said at least one compressed air port (314) in communication, in particular a first compressed air channel (depicted left inner channel) communicating with the first pressurization chamber (482) and a second compressed air channel (depicted right inner channel) communicating with the second pressurization chamber (484),
wherein said outer vacuum port is secured to the main portion (476/478) of the cylinder body to ensure communication between the outer port and the vacuum chamber (Col 6 Ln 47-51), and/or
wherein said at least one compressed air port is secured to the main portion of the cylinder body, to ensure communication between said at least one compressed air port and one of said at least one pressurization chamber (Col 6 Ln 52-63).
Girtman fails to explicitly state that the vacuum channel is across the thickness of the wall of the cylinder body; the least one pressurization channel is across the thickness of the wall of the cylinder body; said vacuum channel extending in the main portion and in the cover portion, via a seal between the main portion and the cover portion; and said at least one pressurization channel extending in the main portion and in the cover portion, via a seal between the main portion and the cover portion.
Tilmos discloses (Fig. 1-5, 9-10) at least one pneumatic cylinder including
a cylinder body (48/50/52),
a piston (76) slidably mounted in a first inner chamber of the cylinder body, and
a rod (80) secured to the piston extending from a proximal end (depicted left end Fig. 3) from the inner chamber (72) to the outside of the cylinder body, throughout an opening (81) in the cylinder body,
at least one channel (96-112), across the thickness of the wall of the cylinder body configured to set said at least one chamber (88, 92) and said at least one air port (44, 46) in communication,
wherein said at least one air port is secured to the main portion (50/52) of the cylinder body, said at least one channel extending in the main portion (50/52) and in the cover portion (48), via a seal (70) between the main portion and the cover portion [0038] to ensure communication between said at least one air port and one of said at least one chamber [0046-0048].
One of ordinary skill in the art could have applied the known "improvement" technique (providing channels across the thickness of the cylinder body wall, extending in the main portion and the cover portion via a seal therebetween) in the same way to the "base" device and the results (to ensure communication between said at least one air port and one of said at least one chamber) would have been predictable to one of ordinary skill in the art. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide channels across the thickness of the cylinder body wall, extending in the main portion and the cover portion via a seal therebetween in the device of Girtman to ensure communication between said at least one air port and one of said at least one chamber as taught by Tilmos as the is a known technique amongst similar devices ready for improvement.
To further clarify the modification, Tilmos discloses it is known to fabricate actuators provide channels through cylinder walls and covers to communicate an external port(s) with an internal chamber(s).
Claims 14 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Girtman in view of Tilmos; Wayne et al. US 20220381264 A1, hereinafter Tilmos. The references is/are considered analogous art to the claimed invention because the references is/are from the same field of endeavor as the claimed invention (linear actuators); or the references is/are reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor (cylinder/port construction). MPEP2141.01(a) I. A machine translation is provided of Eberhard and is used throughout for disclosure callouts.
Regarding claim 14, as far as is determinate, Girtman discloses the claimed invention substantially as claimed, as set forth above for Claim 1 except fails to explicitly state that a flip-over gripper assembly including two devices according to claim 1, respectively with two pneumatic cylinders mounted on a support, and including an actuator configured to switch the two pneumatic cylinders: from a grasping position in which the two pneumatic cylinders, a first pneumatic cylinder and a second pneumatic cylinder, are directed parallel to one another according to a vertical direction, the pneumatic suction cups directed downwards, the grasp position being configured to grasp an object on a surface or to deposit an object on a surface, into a flip-over position in which the two pneumatic cylinders are directed coaxially, configured to transfer said object grasped by the pneumatic suction cup of the first pneumatic cylinder to the pneumatic suction cup of the second pneumatic cylinder upon deployment of the rod of the first pneumatic cylinder or of the second pneumatic cylinder or upon deployments of the rods of the first pneumatic cylinder and of the second pneumatic cylinder.
Instead Girtman discloses a gripper assembly (Fig. 1-3) comprising a plurality of devices according to claim 1 configured to switch at least two pneumatic cylinders from a grasping position.
Tilmos discloses (Fig. 1-5) a flip-over gripper assembly (10) including two devices (12, 14) according to claim 1, respectively with two pneumatic cylinders mounted on a support (16), and including an actuator (42) configured to switch the two pneumatic cylinders:
from a grasping position in which the two pneumatic cylinders, a first pneumatic cylinder and a second pneumatic cylinder, are directed parallel to one another according to a vertical direction, the pneumatic suction cups directed downwards, the grasp position being configured to grasp an object on a surface or to deposit an object on a surface (Fig. 3, Col 5 Ln 54-Col 6 Ln 1), into
a flip-over position in which the two pneumatic cylinders are directed coaxially, configured to transfer said object grasped by the pneumatic suction cup of the first pneumatic cylinder to the pneumatic suction cup of the second pneumatic cylinder upon deployment of the rod of the first pneumatic cylinder or of the second pneumatic cylinder or upon deployments of the rods of the first pneumatic cylinder and of the second pneumatic cylinder (Fig. 4, Col 6 Ln 1-28).
One of ordinary skill in the art could have applied the known "improvement" technique (providing a gasping position and a flipping position) in the same way to the "base" device (method, or product) and the results (to manipulate an object in such a way as to flip it over) would have been predictable to one of ordinary skill in the art. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to providing a gasping position and a flipping position in the device of Girtman to manipulate an object in such a way as to flip it over as taught by Tessier as the is a known technique amongst similar devices ready for improvement.
Regarding claim 15, as far as is determinate, Girtman discloses (Fig. 7-12) a method for flipping over an object on a surface implementing the assembly of claim 14 and comprising the following steps:
/A1/ placing the assembly in the grasping position of the two pneumatic cylinders,
/A2/ deploying the rod of said first pneumatic cylinder, or of said second pneumatic cylinder, in the second position,
/A3/ grasping the object on the surface with the pneumatic suction cup secured to the deployed rod,
/A4/ retracting the rod secured to the pneumatic suction cup carrying the object in the first position (Fig. 3, Col 5 Ln 54-Col 6 Ln 1),
/B1/ placing the assembly in the flip-over position of the two pneumatic cylinders,
/B2/ deploying the rods of the two pneumatic cylinders in the second position to transfer the object carried by the pneumatic suction cup of said first pneumatic cylinder, or of said second pneumatic cylinder, to the pneumatic suction cup of said second pneumatic cylinder, or of said first pneumatic cylinder, respectively,
/B3/ retracting the rods of the two pneumatic cylinders in the first position (Fig. 4, Col 6 Ln 1-28),
/C1/ placing the assembly in the grasping position of the two pneumatic cylinders,
/C2/ deploying the rod secured to the suction cup carrying the object, in the second position and depositing the object on the surface (Fig. 5, Col 6 Ln 28-45).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8, 10-11, 13 and 17 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 8, as far as is determinate, Girtman discloses the claimed invention substantially as claimed, as set forth above for Claim 7 except fails to explicitly state that said compressed air port, in particular the first compressed air port and the second compressed air port on the one hand, and the vacuum port, on the other hand, are secured to the main portion, arranged projecting laterally, and according to a bulk according to the direction of the rod contained within the limits of the main portion, the cover portion being devoid of a compressed air port and of a vacuum port projecting outside.
Withstanding the formalities/rejections listed previously, Claim 8 contains allowable subject matter. The prior art does not anticipate nor render obvious the combination set forth in the claim, and specifically does not show the claimed structural relationship between the air ports and the cover portion. Although Girtman discloses air ports and a main cylinder body/cover portion, there is no teaching in the prior art of record that would, reasonably and absent impermissible hindsight, motivate one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Girtman to incorporate the details of said compressed air port, in particular the first compressed air port and the second compressed air port on the one hand, and the vacuum port, on the other hand, are secured to the main portion, arranged projecting laterally, and according to a bulk according to the direction of the rod contained within the limits of the main portion, the cover portion being devoid of a compressed air port and of a vacuum port projecting outside, along with the other claimed components of the suction-cup gripper device. Therefore, when viewed as a whole and for at least the foregoing reasons, the prior art of record neither anticipates nor rendered obvious the present invention as set forth in the claim.
Regarding claim 10, as far as is determinate, Girtman discloses the claimed invention substantially as claimed, as set forth above for Claim 7 except fails to explicitly state that the Venturi system comprises a Venturi inlet port to make compressed air circulate in the cylinder body in a throttling channel with a first diameter smaller than the diameter of the Venturi inlet port, up to the vacuum chamber, then towards an outlet channel with a second diameter larger than the first diameter of the throttling channel communicating with the vacuum chamber and as an extension of the throttling channel, up to an air outlet of the cylinder body, said throttling channel with a smaller diameter being configured to accelerate the passage of compressed air originating from the Venturi inlet port thereby creating vacuum in said vacuum chamber, and said outlet channel being configured to evacuate the air sent from the throttling channel in the vacuum chamber towards the air outlet outside the cylinder body.
Withstanding the formalities/rejections listed previously, Claim 10 contains allowable subject matter. The prior art does not anticipate nor render obvious the combination set forth in the claim, and specifically does not show the claimed Venturi system details. Although Girtman discloses Venturi system, there is no teaching in the prior art of record that would, reasonably and absent impermissible hindsight, motivate one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Girtman to incorporate the details of the Venturi system comprises a Venturi inlet port to make compressed air circulate in the cylinder body in a throttling channel with a first diameter smaller than the diameter of the Venturi inlet port, up to the vacuum chamber, then towards an outlet channel with a second diameter larger than the first diameter of the throttling channel communicating with the vacuum chamber and as an extension of the throttling channel, up to an air outlet of the cylinder body, said throttling channel with a smaller diameter being configured to accelerate the passage of compressed air originating from the Venturi inlet port thereby creating vacuum in said vacuum chamber, and said outlet channel being configured to evacuate the air sent from the throttling channel in the vacuum chamber towards the air outlet outside the cylinder body, along with the other claimed components of the suction-cup gripper device. Therefore, when viewed as a whole and for at least the foregoing reasons, the prior art of record neither anticipates nor rendered obvious the present invention as set forth in the claim.
Claims 11, 13 and 17 depend from claim 10.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Relevant Art
The following is a listing of relevant art:
US 4266905 A, US 4749219 A, US 3834558 A, US 4657470 A, US 6976823 B2, US 11084175 B2, US 2177967 A discloses suction-cup gripper devices.
FR 3043005 A1 discloses a suction-cup gripper device comprising a venturi system.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW WIBLIN whose telephone number is (571)272-9836. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, NATHANIEL WIEHE can be reached on 571-272-8648. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MATTHEW WIBLIN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3745
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