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 § 103
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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. 2020/0219744 and in view of Lester et al. 2008/0166208.
In Re Claim 1, Kim et al. teach a factory interface comprising: a housing; (270) a front surface of the housing comprising a plurality of load ports (60) , (Fig. 1) wherein the plurality of load ports include at least a pair of posts (50) that are removable from the housing; and a robot assembly (Paragraph 50) wherein the robot assembly is removable through a space in the housing opened up by removal of the pair of posts.
Kim et al. is silent concerning a track that is removably attached to a floor within the housing, wherein the robot is adapted to move horizontally along the track.
However, Lester et al. teach a track (460, Fig. 6a) that is removably attached to a floor (10a) within the housing (10), wherein the robot is adapted to move horizontally along the track. (Paragraph 107-110)
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the application was filed to use a robot travelling on a removable track in the system of Kim et al. as taught by Lester et al. with a reasonable expectation for success in order to reach more load ports.
Claims 3 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al./Lester et al. and in view of Hayashi et al. 2014/0093337.
In Re Claims 3 and 5, Kim et al./Lester et al. teach the assembly of Claim 1 as discussed above.
Kim et al./Lester et al. are silent concerning a motor; and a ball screw assembly comprising: a ball screw shaft coupled to the motor via a timing belt; and a nut operatively coupled between the ball screw shaft and the robot; and wherein the ball screw assembly is to move the robot horizontally along the track.
However, Hayashi et al. teach a robot assembly comprising a motor; (rotary motor, Paragraph 49) and a ball screw assembly (17) comprising: a ball screw shaft (17) coupled to the motor via a timing belt; and a nut (14) operatively coupled between the ball screw shaft and the robot (IR); and wherein the ball screw assembly is to move the robot horizontally along the track (18); (Fig. 1) and wherein the robot assembly further comprises: a pair of linear guide rails (18) attached to a floor of the track; and a slide table (see table at bottom of IR, Fig. 3) comprising multiple sliders (See Sliders above 18, Fig. 3) that are adapted to be attached to and slide along the pair of linear guide rails, wherein the nut is attached to the slide table. (Paragraph 49)
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the application was filed to use a robot travelling on a removable track in the system of Kim et al. as taught by Lester et al. with a reasonable expectation for success in order to high precision and repeatable movement.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 12-20 are allowed.
Claims 2, 4 and 6-11 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: Bonora teaches a factory interface with load ports, removable posts, tracks and a robot, Kamata et al. teaches a factory interface with removable posts, load ports and a robot, Natsume teaches a factory interface with load ports and removable posts, and Collins et al. teach a factory interface with load ports and a removable track
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GLENN F MYERS whose telephone number is (571)270-1160. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-4 PM.
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GLENN F. MYERS
Examiner
Art Unit 3652
/GLENN F MYERS/ Examiner, Art Unit 3652
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