CTFR 18/784,580 CTFR 89095 Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 3/5/2026 has been considered by the examiner. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 1-5 and 8-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Espy (USPN 4,920,814) in view of Kume (USPN 4,763,539) Espy discloses a system comprising: a probe body (20) including a linear shaped portion (see Figs. 1-4), the linear shaped portion including a helical rack (26); a translation actuator (30/14) configured to linearly translate the probe body; and a yaw rotation actuator (other 30/16) configured to rotate the probe body, wherein the translation actuator includes: a helical worm gear (14) configured to interface with the helical rack such that rotation of the helical worm gear causes linear translation of the probe body; a worm screw (30) configured to interface with the helical worm gear such that rotation of the worm screw causes rotation of the helical worm gear; and a motor (not shown, described in column 3, lines 65-66) configured to rotate the worm screw, wherein the helical worm gear includes: a threaded portion (column 2, lines 47-48) configured to interface with the helical rack; and a worm wheel (14 is a worm wheel) configured to interface with the worm screw, wherein the yaw rotation actuator includes: a keyed worm gear (16 is considered a keyed worm gear, see Fig. 3 recess 28 is shaped to lock 20/26 and 16 in rotation, see Column 3, lines 23-27) configured to interface with the helical rack such that rotation of the keyed worm gear causes rotation of the probe body; a worm screw (other of 30 that meshes with 16) configured to interface with the keyed worm gear such that rotation of the worm screw causes rotation of the keyed worm gear; and a motor (not shown, described in Column 3, lines 65-66) configured to rotate the worm screw, wherein the keyed worm gear includes: a keyed portion (portion of recess 28 that conforms to the shape of the rack teeth) configured to interface with the helical rack; and a worm wheel (16 is a worm wheel) configured to interface with the worm screw, wherein the translation actuator and the yaw rotation actuator are disposed in a stacked arrangement (see Fig. 1), wherein: the translation actuator includes a helical worm gear configured to interface with the helical rack; and the yaw rotation actuator includes a keyed worm gear configured to interface with the helical rack, wherein the helical worm gear and the keyed worm gear are configured such that rotation of the helical worm gear at a speed greater than zero revolutions per minute (RPM) and simultaneous rotation of the keyed worm gear at a speed of zero RPM causes linear translation of the probe body (Column 2, lines 59-62), wherein the helical worm gear and the keyed worm gear are configured such that simultaneous rotation of the helical worm gear and the keyed worm gear at a same speed greater than zero RPM in a same rotational direction causes rotation of the probe body (Column 3, line 27, gear 16 and probe body 20 rotate together, so when both gears are rotated at the same speed, probe body 20 would necessarily rotate), and wherein the helical worm gear and the keyed worm gear are configured such that rotation of the keyed worm gear at a first speed greater than zero RPM and simultaneous rotation of the helical worm gear at a second speed different from the first speed causes linear translation and rotation of the probe body (Column 2, lines 48-50 – when 14 rotates, 20 is translated, column 3, line 27, when 16 rotates, 20 is rotated). Espy does not disclose that the probe body is hollow. Kume discloses a hollow (at 6) probe body (1). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to have modified the probe body of Espy to be hollow, in order to reduce the weight of the actuated portion of the device . 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 13-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Espy (USPN 4,920,814) in view of Kume (USPN 4,763,539) . Espy discloses an apparatus comprising: a worm wheel (16) configured to interface with a worm screw (30) such that rotation of the worm screw causes rotation of the apparatus; and a probe body positioning interface (internal bores of 14 or 16) disposed within an axis of rotation of the apparatus, wherein: the apparatus includes a separable first (30/14) and second half (30/16); and the probe body positioning interface is a threaded portion (internal threads of 14) configured to interface with a helical rack (26) of a probe body (20) such that rotation of the apparatus causes translation of the probe body, wherein: the apparatus includes a separable first (30/14) and second half (30/16); and the probe body positioning interface is a keyed portion (28) configured to interface with a helical rack (26) of a probe body (2) such that rotation of the apparatus causes rotation of the probe body. Espy does not disclose that the probe body is hollow. Kume discloses a hollow (at 6) probe body (1). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to have modified the probe body of Espy to be hollow, in order to reduce the weight of the actuated portion of the device . 07-22-aia AIA Claim (s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Espy (USPN 4,920,814) and Kume (USPN 4,763,539) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of EP0441060A2 (hereinafter D1) . Espy and Kume disclose the claimed invention, including its possible intended use in the area of robotics (Espy - see Column 4, lines 6-7), but fails to specifically disclose that the probe body includes at least one of an aero probe, a laser diode, an imaging sensor, a manipulator/grabber, or a fiber optic filament. The use of probes, laser diodes, imaging sensors, manipulators/grabbers and fiber optic filaments in the field of robotics is old and well known in the art. D1 discloses a manipulator/grabber (10) for a robot (Column 1, lines 18-20) that includes fiber optic filaments (44). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to have modified the robot of the combination of Espy and Kume to have a manipulator/grabber, in order to allow the actuator of Espy to accurately move and position objects with the desired amount of force . 07-22-aia AIA Claim (s) 7 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Espy (USPN 4,920,814) and Kume (USPN 4,763,539) as applied to claim 1 or 13 above, and further in view of KR10-2023-0027495 (hereinafter D2) . Espy and Kume disclose the claimed invention, except for wherein at least one of the translation actuator or the yaw rotation actuator includes an O-ring face seal configured to seal a mounting surface of the actuator to a different mounting surface or further comprising: at least one O-ring piston seal disposed concentrically with the worm wheel. O-rings are old and well known in the art of actuators to seal portions of the actuator against loss of lubricant or wear particles to the environment, or from contaminants from the environment entering the actuator. D2 discloses an O-ring (86) that is configured to seal a mounting surface (bottom of worm wheel 75) of the actuator to a different mounting surface (top of element 73) and the O-ring is disposed concentrically with the worm wheel. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to have modified the actuator of the combination of Espy and Kume to utilize O-ring seals, in order to seal the internal components of the actuator from the environment. Response to Arguments Applicant’s arguments with respect to the prior art rejections have been considered, however, are moot in view of the foregoing new grounds of rejection necessitated by the Applicant’s amendments. Conclusion 07-40 AIA Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL . See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 JAKE COOK whose telephone number is (571)272-5968. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-4:00 PM. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Minnah Seoh can be reached at (571) 270-7778. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. JAKE COOK Primary Examiner Art Unit 3618 /Jake Cook/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3618 Application/Control Number: 18/784,580 Page 2 Art Unit: 3618 Application/Control Number: 18/784,580 Page 4 Art Unit: 3618 Application/Control Number: 18/784,580 Page 5 Art Unit: 3618 Application/Control Number: 18/784,580 Page 6 Art Unit: 3618
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