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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 8/28/2026 has been entered.
Allowable Subject Matter
The indicated allowability of claims 8-10 and 15-21 is withdrawn in view of the newly discovered reference(s) to Hashimoto et al. (US 2017/0341221 A1) and Liang et al. (WO 2019/041384 A1) . Rejections based on the newly cited reference(s) follow.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the soldering tool, riveting pliers, and screwing tools must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(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 8-10 and 15-21 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 8 recites the limitation "the joining tool" in line 2 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 21 recites the limitation "the joining tool" in line 4 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3-8, 11-15, and 17-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hashimoto et al. (US 2017/0341221 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Hashimoto discloses a joining tool (2A) comprising a mounting element (20A) provided on the joining tool (2A) and configured to be mounted on a positioning device (7) that positions the joining tool (2A); and a multi-axis robot arm (2B) having an end that is attached to the joining tool (2A) at an attachment location (AL) and having an opposing free end that moves independently of the attachment location (AL) to move at least one component into a joining position to allow the joining tool (2A) to fasten ([0052], lines 4-5) the at least one component (59) after moving the at least one component (59) into the joining position (WA).
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Regarding claim 3, Hashimoto discloses wherein the positioning device (7) is an industrial robot.
Regarding claim 4, Hashimoto discloses the joining tool (2A) is coupled to at least one numerical control unit (61) which controls at least one of the following: the joining tool (2A); the multi-axis robot arm (2B); or the positioning device (7).
Regarding claim 5, Hashimoto discloses wherein the numerical control unit (61) is arranged remotely from the joining tool (2A) and has data links configured to transmit control signals.
Regarding claim 6, Hashimoto discloses a manipulator (5b) that is attached to the free end of the multi-axis robot arm (2B).
Regarding claim 7, Hashimoto discloses a holding device (5b) configured to hold at least one component (59).
Regarding claim 8, Hashimoto discloses joining a component (59) using manufacturing tool (2A) having a mounting element (20A) provided on the joining tool (2A) and configured to be mounted on a positioning device (7) that positions the manufacturing tool (2A) and having a multi-axis robot arm (2B) having an end that is attached to the manufacturing tool (2A) at an attachment location (AL) and having an opposing free end that moves independently of the attachment location (AL) by moving ([0052]), the manufacturing tool (2A) into a processing position using the positioning device (7); the multi-axis robot arm (2B) moving at least one component (59) into a joining position (WA); and the manufacturing tool (2A) fastening ([0052]), lines 4-5) the component (59) after moving the at least one component (59) into the joining position (WA).
Regarding claim 11, Hashimoto discloses wherein the joining tool (2A) is coupled to at least one numerical control unit (61) which controls at least one of the following: the joining tool (2A); the multi-axis robot arm (2B); or the positioning device (7).
Regarding claim 12, Hashimoto discloses wherein the numerical control unit (61) is arranged remotely from the joining tool (2A) and has data links that transmit control signals.
Regarding claim 13, Hashimoto discloses a manipulator (5b) that is attached to the free end of the multi-axis robot arm (2A).
Regarding claim 14, Hashimoto discloses a holding device (5b) configured to hold at least one component (59).
Regarding claim 15, Hashimoto discloses wherein the positioning device (7) is an industrial robot.
Regarding claim 17, Hashimoto discloses wherein the manufacturing tool (2A) is coupled to at least one numerical control unit (61) which controls at least one of the following: the manufacturing tool (2A); the multi-axis robot arm (2B); or the positioning device (7).
Regarding claim 18, Hashimoto discloses wherein the numerical control unit (61) is arranged remotely from the manufacturing tool (2A) and has data links configured to transmit control signals.
Regarding claim 19, Hashimoto discloses a manipulator (5b), attached to the free end of the multi-axis robot arm (2B), manipulating at least one component.
Regarding claim 20, Hashimoto discloses a holding device (5b) configured to hold the at least one component (59) after the at least one component (59) has been manipulated by the manipulator (5b).
Regarding claim 21, Hashimoto discloses a manufacturing tool (2A) comprising: a mounting element (20A) provided on the manufacturing tool (2A) and configured to be mounted on a positioning device (7) that positions the manufacturing tool (2A); and a multi-axis robot arm (2B) having an end that is attached to the joining tool (2A) at an attachment location (AL) and having an opposing free end that moves independently of the attachment location (AL), wherein the multi-axis robot arm (2B) moves components prior to and independently of the manufacturing tool (2A) engaging the components (59).
Regarding claim 22, Hashimoto discloses wherein the attachment location (AL) of the multi-axis robot arm (2B) is separate from an attachment location (20A) of the joining tool (2A) to the positioning device (7).
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, 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.
Claim(s) 2, 9, 10, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hashimoto et al. (US 2017/0341221 A1) in view of Liang et al. (WO 2019/041384 A1).
Hashimoto discloses all of the claimed subject matter except for the following: wherein the joining tool is one of: a Welding gun; a Soldering tool; Riveting pliers; or a Screwing tool; the robot arm removing the at least one component from a holding device attached to the manufacturing tool; or wherein the robot arm removes the at least one component from a supply and attaches the at least one component to the holding device.
Liang discloses a robot with dual arms (2) and each arm (2) includes a fixing member (5) wherein the fixing member can be a mechanical claw or welding gun.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the joining tool of Hashimoto as a welding gun, and to provide the robot arm of Hashimoto with a mechanical claw, in light of the teachings of Liang, in order to weld parts together and to clamp parts for assembly.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-7, 11-14, and 22 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JERMIE E COZART whose telephone number is (571)272-4528. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:30am - 7:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sunil Singh can be reached at 571-272-3460. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JERMIE E COZART/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3799
September 10, 2026
