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
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 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) 1-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Didier (US 11325793).
Regarding claim-1. Didier discloses a star wheel conveyor (100) for conveying containers (50, 52), for conveying containers (50, 52) in a beverage filling system (Col.3 line39-47, Fig.1-14), comprising:
a conveyor segment (106) rotatable about a central axis of rotation (206) and at least one pair of pocket arms (104a, 104b) directed outward with respect to the axis of rotation (206) for forming a pocket (pick up space between 104a-b for holding containers) for at least partially receiving a container (50 or 52) to be conveyed, wherein each pocket arm (104a-b) is arranged on the circumference of the conveyor segment (106) and is pivotable about a pivot axis (See Fig.3-4) oriented substantially parallel to the axis of rotation (206),
wherein the pocket arms (104a-b) engage with an adjustment part (802), which is arranged on the conveyor segment (106) and is radially displaceable with respect to the axis of rotation (206), such that a pocket width of the pocket (104a-b) can be adjusted by displacing the adjustment part (802) in the radial direction (See Fig.8-9; Col.6 line17-63 also check Fig.3-7 for adjustment width of 104a-b and Fig.10-11 for additional 802 embodiment).
Regarding claim-2. Didier discloses wherein the two pocket arms (104a-b) of the pair of pocket arms (104a-b) forming the pocket (pick up space between 104a-b for holding containers) can engage with the adjustment part (802) such that the pocket arms can be pivoted in opposite directions to one another by displacing the adjustment part (802) in the radial direction (See Fig.8-9; Col.6 line19-26).
Regarding claim-3. Didier discloses wherein the star wheel conveyor (100) is configured such that the position of the pocket arms (104a-b) of the pair of pocket arms forming the pocket (pick up space between 104a-b for holding containers) can be preset to a given position in a changeover mode and such that the pair of pocket arms (104a-b) is fixed in the preset position during a conveying operation in which containers (50, 52) to be conveyed are conveyed (position of arms are controlled by locking mechanism Col.5, line15-19).
Regarding claim-4. Didier discloses wherein the two pocket arms (104a-b) of the pair of pocket arms forming the pocket are engaged with the adjustment part (802) such that when the adjustment part (802) is displaced in a first direction, a direction pointing radially outward with respect to the axis of rotation (206), the pocket arms, a pocket portion of the pocket arms (104a-b) provided for forming the pocket (space between 104a-b), are pivoted toward one another, and when the adjustment part (802) is displaced in a second direction opposite to the first direction, a direction pointing radially inward with respect to the axis of rotation (206), the pocket arms (104a-b), their pocket portions provided for forming the pocket, are pivoted away from one another (See Fig.8-9; Col.6 line17-63 and also check Fig.10-11 for additional 802 embodiment).
Regarding claim-5. Didier discloses wherein the two pocket arms (104a-b) of the pair of pocket arms forming the pocket are engaged with the adjustment part (802) each via an interaction element (502), wherein the interaction element (804) is a pin element guided such as to engage in a slot groove (804a-b) in the adjustment part (802), wherein the interaction element (502) is oriented parallel to the pivot axis of the pocket arm (104a-b) and/or extends parallel to the pivot axis of the pocket arm from the pocket arm, and/or wherein the interaction element (502) is formed integrally with the pocket arm (See Fig.8-9).
Regarding claim-6. Didier discloses wherein the slot grooves (804a-b) are arranged in the adjustment part (802), with their respective longitudinal extension, each oriented at an angle to the direction of movement of the adjustment part (802), wherein the slot grooves (804a-b) are arranged axially symmetrically in the adjustment part (802), with respect to the direction of movement and/or a direction (R) radial to the axis of rotation (See Fig.8-9).
Regarding claim-7. Didier discloses wherein the conveyor segment (106) comprises a disk segment (1002) rotatable about the axis of rotation relative to the adjustment part (802), wherein the adjustment part (802) engages with the disk segment (1002) such that a rotation of the disk segment (1002) about the axis of rotation relative to the adjustment part (802) causes a displacement of the adjustment part (802) in the radial direction (Fig.11-12 with Fig.8-9; Col.6 line63 to Col.7 line1-46).
Regarding claim-8. Didier discloses wherein the disk segment (1002) comprises a guide groove (1004) in which a guide shoulder (902) projecting from the adjustment part (802) is guided, wherein the guide groove (16) specifies a trajectory (slot) at least between a radial inner point and a radial outer point, wherein the trajectory (slot) extends obliquely outward with respect to the axis of rotation (See Fig.10-12; Col.6 line63-68 to Col.7 line1-46).
Regarding claim-9. Didier discloses wherein a radially outwardly oriented punch (808) is arranged between the pair of pocket arms (104a-b), which punch is configured to form the pocket together with the pair of pocket arms (104a-b), wherein the punch (808) specifies in particular a depth of the pocket in the radial direction relative to the axis of rotation (Col.7 line61-68 to Col.8 line1-24; Fig.8, 10, 11-12).
Regarding claim-10. Didier discloses wherein the radial punch (808) is arranged on the adjustment part (802), wherein the radial punch (808) is formed integrally with the adjustment part (Col.7 line61-68 to Col.8 line1-24; Fig.8, 10, 11-12).
Regarding claim-11. Didier discloses wherein the radial punch (808) is displaceable in the radial direction to the axis of rotation relative to the conveyor segment (106), the adjustment part (802) and/or the pair of pocket arms (104a-b), wherein the punch (808) engages with a disk segment (1002) that is rotatable about the axis of rotation relative to the punch such that a rotation of the disk segment about the axis of rotation relative to the punch causes a displacement of the punch in the radial direction, wherein the punch and the adjustment part (18) engage with the same disk segment (Col.6 line17-63; Col.7 line61-68 to Col.8 line1-24; Fig.8-12).
Regarding claim-12. Didier discloses wherein the disk segment (14) engaging with the punch (808) comprises a punch guide groove (1004) in which a punch guide shoulder projecting from the punch (808) is guided (Fig.10-12), wherein the punch guide groove specifies a trajectory at least between a radial inner point and a radial outer point, wherein the trajectory of the punch guide groove (18) extends obliquely outward with respect to the axis of rotation (Col.6 line17-63; Col.7 line61-68 to Col.8 line1-24; Fig.8-12).
Claim(s) 1-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ian (US 20070271871).
Regarding claim-1. Ian discloses a star wheel conveyor (1) for conveying containers, for conveying containers in a beverage filling system (Abstract; [0002]; Fig.13-23), comprising:
a conveyor segment (100) rotatable about a central axis of rotation and at least one pair of pocket arms (104 = 104TR, 104TL) directed outward with respect to the axis of rotation for forming a pocket (spacing between two arms to hold containers) for at least partially receiving a container to be conveyed, wherein each pocket arm (104) is arranged on the circumference of the conveyor segment (100) and is pivotable about a pivot axis oriented substantially parallel to the axis of rotation,
wherein the pocket arms (104) engage with an adjustment part (cogwheels and top plate having slots for sliding to adjust 104 Fig.13-16, 21-23), which is arranged on the conveyor segment (100) and is radially displaceable with respect to the axis of rotation, such that a pocket width (distance between two 104’s) of the pocket (104) can be adjusted by displacing the adjustment part in the radial direction (See Fig.13-16, 21-23).
Regarding claim-2. Ian discloses wherein the two pocket arms (104) of the pair of pocket arms forming the pocket can engage with the adjustment part (cogwheels and top plate having slots for sliding to adjust 104) such that the pocket arms can be pivoted in opposite directions to one another by displacing the adjustment part in the radial direction (See Figures).
Regarding claim-3. Ian discloses wherein the star wheel conveyor (1) is configured such that the position of the pocket arms (104) of the pair of pocket arms forming the pocket can be preset to a given position in a changeover mode and such that the pair of pocket arms is fixed in the preset position during a conveying operation in which containers to be conveyed are conveyed (positions of arms 104 are controlled by cogwheels).
Regarding claim-4. Ian discloses wherein the two pocket arms (104) of the pair of pocket arms forming the pocket are engaged with the adjustment part (cogwheels and top plate having slots for sliding to adjust 104) such that when the adjustment part is displaced in a first direction, a direction pointing radially outward with respect to the axis of rotation, the pocket arms, a pocket portion of the pocket arms provided for forming the pocket, are pivoted toward one another, and when the adjustment part is displaced in a second direction opposite to the first direction, a direction pointing radially inward with respect to the axis of rotation, the pocket arms (104), their pocket portions provided for forming the pocket, are pivoted away from one another (See Fig.13-23.
Regarding claim-5. Ian discloses wherein the two pocket arms (104) of the pair of pocket arms forming the pocket are engaged with the adjustment part (cogwheels and top plate having slots for sliding to adjust 104) each via an interaction element (pin, Fig.13-17, 21), wherein the interaction element is a pin element guided such as to engage in a slot groove (slot, Fig.13-17, 21) in the adjustment part (cogwheels and top plate having slots for sliding to adjust 104), wherein the interaction element is oriented parallel to the pivot axis of the pocket arm and/or extends parallel to the pivot axis of the pocket arm from the pocket arm, and/or wherein the interaction element is formed integrally with the pocket arm (See Fig.13-23).
Regarding claim-6. Ian discloses wherein the slot grooves (slot as shown in Fig.13-17, 21) are arranged in the adjustment part (cogwheels and top plate having slots for sliding to adjust 104), with their respective longitudinal extension, each oriented at an angle to the direction of movement of the adjustment part, wherein the slot grooves are arranged axially symmetrically in the adjustment part, with respect to the direction of movement and/or a direction (R) radial to the axis of rotation (See Fig.13-23).
Regarding claim-7. Ian discloses wherein the conveyor segment (100) comprises a disk segment (top plate) rotatable about the axis of rotation relative to the adjustment part (cogwheels and top plate having slots for sliding to adjust 104), wherein the adjustment part engages with the disk segment such that a rotation of the disk segment about the axis of rotation relative to the adjustment part (28) causes a displacement of the adjustment part in the radial direction (See Fig.13-23).
Regarding claim-8. Ian discloses wherein the disk segment (top plate) comprises a guide groove (slot) in which a guide shoulder (pin) projecting from the adjustment part (cogwheels and top plate having slots for sliding to adjust 104) is guided, wherein the guide groove specifies a trajectory at least between a radial inner point and a radial outer point, wherein the trajectory extends obliquely outward with respect to the axis of rotation (See Fig.13-23).
Regarding claim-9. Ian discloses wherein a radially outwardly oriented punch (106) is arranged between the pair of pocket arms (104), which punch is configured to form the pocket together with the pair of pocket arms, wherein the punch specifies in particular a depth of the pocket in the radial direction relative to the axis of rotation ([0093], Fig.Fig.13-17, 21-23).
Regarding claim-10. Ian discloses wherein the radial punch (106) is arranged on the adjustment part (cogwheels and top plate having slots for sliding to adjust 104), wherein the radial punch (106) is formed integrally with the adjustment part (Fig.13-23).
Regarding claim-11. Ian discloses wherein the radial punch (106) is displaceable in the radial direction to the axis of rotation relative to the conveyor segment (100), the adjustment part (cogwheels and top plate having slots for sliding to adjust 104) and/or the pair of pocket arms (104), wherein the punch (106) engages with a disk segment (top plate) that is rotatable about the axis of rotation relative to the punch (106) such that a rotation of the disk segment about the axis of rotation relative to the punch (106) causes a displacement of the punch (106) in the radial direction, wherein the punch and the adjustment part (cogwheels and top plate having slots for sliding to adjust 104) engage with the same disk segment (See Fig.13-16, 21-23).
Regarding claim-12. Ian discloses wherein the disk segment (top plate) engaging with the punch (106) comprises a punch guide groove (slot) in which a punch guide shoulder (pin) projecting from the punch (106) is guided, wherein the punch guide groove specifies a trajectory at least between a radial inner point and a radial outer point, wherein the trajectory of the punch guide groove extends obliquely outward with respect to the axis of rotation (See Fig.13-16, 21-23).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 13 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 “See PTO-892”.
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/GENE O CRAWFORD/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3651
/MA/Examiner, Art Unit 3651