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.
(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) 1-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Moura (US 20210265188).
Regarding claim-1. Moura discloses A transport device (1500, Figures; Abstract, [0072]) for a transport of products (wafers: S), the transport unit comprising:
at least one transport element (1500A, Fig.28) and at least one further transport element (1500B, Fig.28) on which respectively one product (S) can be arranged for transport,
a drive unit (1700, Fig.28) for driving the transport element (1500A) and the further transport element (1500B) relative to a drive surface (track 1550, Fig.28) of the drive unit (1700), and
at least one control unit (199 or 1799 or 1760 or 1750) for an actuation of the drive unit (1700), wherein the control unit has at least one control routine in which the control unit actuates the drive unit for a movement of the further transport element at least depending on a mass parameter ([0133-0134, 0140-0141]) and of a movement (position, movement) parameter of the transport element ([0086, 0094, 0110-0112, 0123, 0127, 0146]) (Also check [0072, 0082, 0150, 0155-0156, 0165, 0169, 0181, 0188]).
Regarding claim-2. Moura discloses wherein the control unit (199 or 1799 or 1760 or 1750) is configured to drive the further transport element (1500B) by means of the drive unit with a drive force (propulsion or electromagnetics forces) that depends on a drive force driving the transport element.
Regarding claim-3. Moura discloses wherein the control unit (199 or 1799 or 1760 or 1750) is configured to drive the transport element (1500A) and the further transport element (1500B) by means of the drive unit (1700) for a movement, wherein a drive force (propulsion or electromagnetics forces) acting on the transport element corresponds, at least in absolute value, at least substantially to a drive force acting on the at least one further transport element (1500B).
Regarding claim-4. Moura discloses wherein the control unit (199 or 1799 or 1760 or 1750) is configured to drive the transport element (1500A) and the further transport element (1500B) by means of the drive unit (1700) for a movement, wherein an acceleration direction of the transport element (1500A) is at least substantially opposed to an acceleration direction of the at least one further transport element (1500B) ([0130-0139], Fig.21).
Regarding claim-5. Moura discloses Further comprising a base unit (frame, Fig.1, [0082]) on which the transport unit is arranged, wherein the control unit drives the further transport element by means of the drive unit, depending on a mass parameter ([0133-0134, 0140-0141]) and a movement parameter of the transport element ([0086, 0094, 0110-0112, 0123, 0127, 0146]), for a movement for the purpose of balancing a force onto the base unit that can be generated by a drive of the transport element (1500) ([0076, 0082, 0133], Fig.20-29).
Regarding claim-6. Moura discloses wherein the transport unit (1500) comprises at least one additional transport element or several additional transport elements (1500’s, Fig.21), wherein the control unit (199 or 1799 or 1760 or 1750) drives all transport elements by means of the drive unit (1700) in such a way that forces that can be generated onto the base unit by a drive of the transport elements balance one another (See Figs).
Regarding claim-7. Moura discloses wherein for a balancing of a force that can be generated onto the base unit by a drive of at least one of the transport elements, the control unit actuates in a prioritized manner non-loaded transport elements by means of the drive unit for a movement ([0076, 0082, 0133], Fig.20-29).
Regarding claim-8. Moura discloses wherein the control routine can be retrofitted ([0117-0188]).
Regarding claim-9. Moura discloses (See claim-1 Rejection) a method for transporting products by means of a transport device, wherein a transport element of the transport device is moved by a drive unit of the transport device relative to a drive surface of the drive unit, wherein with a control routine at least one further transport element of the transport device is moved by the drive unit on the drive surface depending on a mass parameter and on a movement parameter of the transport element.
Regarding claim-10. Moura discloses wherein the transport device is retrofitted with the control routine ([0117-0188]).
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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/MA/Examiner, Art Unit 3651
/GENE O CRAWFORD/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3651