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 § 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) 1-7, 11-15, and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hesse (US 2007/0164009 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Hesse discloses a manufacturing tool (5; pg. 2, [0023], lines 1-2) comprising a mounting element (13; Fig. 2) provided on the manufacturing tool (5) configured to be mounted on a positioning device (6; Fig. 2) that positions the manufacturing tool (5); and a multi-axis robot arm (8; 9; 10; pg. 2, [0029], lines 1-3; Fig. 3) having an end that is attached to the manufacturing tool (5) at an attachment location (i.e., flat mounting surfaces on girder 7; pg. 2, [0027], lines 7-9) and having an opposing free end (i.e., end where tool 11 is connected) that moves independently of the attachment location.
Regarding claim 2, Hesse discloses wherein the manufacturing tool (5) performs welding (pg. 3, [0030], lines 1-3) using welding tools, and a welding gun is a known welding tool.
Regarding claim 3, Hesse discloses wherein the positioning device (6; Figs. 2-3) is an industrial robot (pg. 2, [0024], lines 3-4).
Regarding claim 4, Hesse discloses wherein the manufacturing tool (5) is coupled to at least one numerical control unit (pg. 3, [0030], lines 11-12) which controls at least one of the following: the manufacturing tool (5); the multi-axis robot arm (8, 9); or the positioning device (6).
Regarding claim 5, Hesse discloses wherein the numerical control unit (pg. 3, [0036], lines 7-11) is arranged remotely from the manufacturing tool (5) and has data links configured to transmit control signals.
Regarding claim 6, Hesse discloses further comprising a manipulator (i.e., tool 11; pg. 3, [0030], lines 1-4) that is attached to the multi-axis robot arm (8; 9).
Regarding claim 7, Hesse discloses further comprising a holding device (i.e., clamping tools 11; pg. 3, [0030], lines 1-4) configured to hold at least one component (2; Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 11, Hesse discloses wherein the manufacturing tool is coupled to at least one numerical control unit (pg. 3, [0030], lines 11-12) which controls at least one of the following: the manufacturing tool (5); the multi-axis robot arm (8, 9); or the positioning device (6).
Regarding claim 12, Hesse discloses wherein the numerical control unit (pg. 3, [0036], lines 7-11) is arranged remotely from the manufacturing tool (5) and has data links that transmit control signals.
Regarding claim 13, Hesse discloses further comprising a manipulator (11; i.e., tool 11; pg. 3, [0030], lines 1-4; Fig. 4) that is attached to the multi-axis robot arm (8; 9).
Regarding claim 14, Hesse discloses further comprising a holding device (i.e., clamping tools 11; pg. 3, [0030], lines 1-4) configured to hold at least one component (2; Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 22, Hesse discloses wherein the attachment location (i.e., flat mounting surfaces on girder 7; pg. 2, [0027], lines 7-9) of the multi-axis robot arm (8; 9) is separate from the attachment location (i.e., the mounting plate 13) of the manufacturing tool (5) to the positioning device (6).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-10 and 15-21 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 2/17/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues “that Hesse does not show, teach, or suggest a feature of claim 1, as amended herein, of a multi-axis robot arm having an end that is attached to a manufacturing tool at an attachment location and having an opposing free end that moves independently of the attachment location. In contrast to the recitation in amended claim 1, all embodiments of Hesse show a conventional configuration where, when tool(s) are attached to one end of a robot arm, the other end of the robot arm is attached to something else. The robot arms in Hesse have no free end when a robot arm is attached to a tool.”
In response to applicant’s amendment to claim 1, the examiner has changed the rejection of claims 1-7 and 11-14 under 35 USC 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hesse (WO 2004/091867 A1) which was based on machine translation to being anticipated by Hesse (US 2007/0164009 A1). Hesse (US 2007/0164009 A1) teaches a multi-axis robot arm (8, 9) having an end that is attached to a manufacturing tool at an attachment location (i.e., flat mounting surfaces on girder 7; pg. 2, [0027], lines 7-9) and having an opposing free end (i.e., the end which receives a different end effector/tool) that moves independently of the attachment location (i.e., flat mounting surfaces on girder 7; pg. 2, [0027], lines 7-9). The free end of the multi-axis robot arm (8, 9) has different end effectors attached depending on the required operation to be performed. The multi-axis arm (2) of applicant’s claimed invention has a manipulator/gripper (13) at its free end, and the opposite end of applicant’s multi-axis arm is attached at the mounting plate (3). The multi-axis arm (8, 9) of Hesse has the same configuration as the claimed multi-axis arm presented in claim 1.
Applicant also argues “Furthermore, even if, as set forth in the Office Action, the entire machining device (5) of Hesse corresponds to the Applicant's recited positioning device, Hesse still does not show, teach, or suggest a feature of amended claim 1 where a mounting element is provided on the manufacturing tool and configured to be mounted on a positioning device that positions the manufacturing tool. Instead, Hesse teaches that a tool (11) is coupled to one end of a robot arm (17) and the other end of the robot arm is attached to a robot (8, 9, 10). Note further that, although detaching the tool (11) from the robot hand (13) provides a "free" end for the robot arm (17), doing so is contrary to the recitation of the present claim, which provides that the multi-axis robot arm has an end that is attached to the manufacturing tool. Detaching the other end of the robot arm (17) means detaching the robot arm (17) from the rocker (16), which of course is nonoperational.
Note further that even if the small robots/machining units (8, 9, 10) of Hesse are
characterized as "robot arms" as set forth in the Office Action, one end of these "robot arms" are attached to a carrier (7) and, if tools are added thereto as taught by Hesse, neither end of the small robots (8, 9, 10) (robot arms) would be free. Just as with the discussion of FIG. 4, above, one end would be attached to the tool and the other end would be attached to the carrier (7) and detaching the small robots (8, 9, 10) from the carrier would be nonoperational.”
In response to applicant’s amendment to claim 1, the examiner has changed the basis of the rejection to reflect that Hesse (US 2007/0164009 A1) teaches a manufacturing tool (5) where a mounting element (13) is provided on the manufacturing tool (5) and configured to be mounted on a positioning device (6) that positions the manufacturing tool (5). Note the multi-axis robot arm (2) of applicant’s invention is attached at one end to the mounting plate (3) while its free end has a manipulator/gripper (13). The multi-axis robot arm (8; 9) of Hess is attached at one end to the girder/carrier (7) and its free end receives different end effectors/tools (11). It is unclear from applicant’s arguments as to how the claimed free end of applicant’s multi-axis arm (2) is different from the free end of the multi-axis arm (8; 9) of Hess.
Conclusion
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 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
May 29, 2026
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