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 .
DETAILED ACTION
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 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) 15, 20, 21, 24, 25, 26, 27, and 28 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being Anticipated by Kreuzgruber ( EP 1172170 A1).
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Regarding Claim 15, Kreuzgruber discloses:
A processing station (1) for workpieces which are configured as vehicle body parts [0020], comprising:
a plurality of carrier elements (2),
a magazine (2) for providing the carrier elements [0020 & 0021 & 0022], the magazine comprising a first magazine level (C & E) in a first level,
a work region (1) for processing workpieces in the first level [0022 & 0023],
a first transport apparatus (5) for transporting the carrier elements between the work region and a provision point of the magazine in the first magazine level in a longitudinal direction [0021], and
a second transport apparatus (7) for transporting the carrier elements in the magazine in the first magazine level in a transverse direction [0021 & 0022 & 0023],
wherein the magazine comprises at least one further magazine level (F & G) outside the first level,
the processing station comprising a third transport apparatus (“lifting platform or lifting table”) for transporting the carrier elements in a vertical direction between the magazine levels [0012 & 0022],
the third transport apparatus having, lying opposite one another, in each case one lifting element which is adjustable in the vertical direction for front-side receiving of the carrier elements [0022 & 0024],
the lifting elements comprising a fourth transport apparatus (8 & 9) for transporting the carrier elements in a magazine level outside the first level in a transverse direction [0021 & 0022 & 0023].
Regarding Claim 20, Kreuzgruber teaches:
the further magazine levels of the magazine comprise in each case one rail arrangement (1000 & 1001 & 1002 & 1003 & 1004 & 1005 & 1006 & 1007) with running surface portions which run in the transverse direction (Fig. Fig. 1), and the lifting elements comprise in each case one rail with a running surface which runs in the transverse direction, the rail of a lifting element and the rail arrangement of the further magazine levels being adapted to one another in such a way that the rails of the lifting elements which are arranged on a magazine level form, with the rail arrangement of this magazine level, a continuous transport running surface which runs in the transverse direction (Fig. 1) [0012 & 0022 & 0023].
Regarding Claim 21, Kreuzgruber discloses:
the carrier elements comprise transverse direction running rollers (1008) which are arranged on the front side with in each case a rotational axis which extends in the longitudinal direction, it being possible for the carrier elements to be moved along the transport running surface using the transverse direction running rollers (Fig. 1) [0021 & 0022 & 0023].
Regarding Claim 24, Kreuzgruber teaches:
the third transport apparatus comprises, lying opposite one another, in each case two lifting columns (1009), between which the respective lifting element can be moved in the vertical direction [0022 & 0023].
Regarding Claim 25, Kreuzgruber discloses:
the first transport apparatus has a rail arrangement (3a & 3b) for guiding and supporting the carrier elements [0021 & 0022 & 0023], and at least one first drive arrangement (6a & 6b) [0021] with two transmission elements which are oriented parallel to the rail arrangement of the first transport apparatus, it being possible for the transmission elements to be coupled independently of one another to the respective carrier element to be transported, in order to move the carrier element in a coupled state in the longitudinal direction (Fig. 1) [0021].
Regarding Claim 26, Kreuzgruber discloses:
the second transport apparatus comprises a rail arrangement (1000 & 1001 & 1002), the rail arrangement having rail pairs which are adjustable in the transverse direction for the transport of the carrier elements (Fig. 1) [0021 & 0022 & 0023], the rail pairs being formed from U-profiles (Fig. 1), the openings of which lie opposite one another (Fig. 1), the carrier elements comprising longitudinal direction running rollers (1009) which are arranged on both sides with in each case a rotational axis which extends in the transverse direction (Fig. 1), it being possible for the carrier elements to be moved using the longitudinal direction running rollers in the longitudinal direction [0021 & 0022 & 0023], the longitudinal direction running rollers rolling within the U-profile during the transport of one of the carrier elements into the provision point or out of the provision point (Fig. 1) [0021 & 0022 & 0023], the U-profiles having, on their upper outer limb, in each case recesses which are arranged above the longitudinal direction running rollers of one of the carrier elements when this carrier element is situated at the provision point (Fig. 1).
Regarding Claim 27, Kreuzgruber discloses:
A method for transporting a carrier element (2) from a starting position (F) in a magazine (20) of a processing station (1) into a work region of the processing station [0022 & 0023], the processing station being configured as claimed in claim 15 [see rejection of Claim 15 above], and the carrier elements supporting clamping frames which are of different configuration [0022 & 0023], the carrier element to be transported being arranged, as starting position, in a magazine level outside the first level outside the third transport apparatus [0021 & 0022 & 0023], the method comprising:
moving the lifting elements, using the third transport apparatus, to the magazine level, in which the carrier element to be transported is arranged [0021 & 0022 & 0023];
transporting the carrier element to be transported, using the fourth transport apparatus, in the transverse direction until the carrier element to be transported is arranged on the front side in the lifting elements [0023];
transporting the carrier element to be transported in the vertical direction into the provision point in the first level, using the third transport apparatus, by way of a vertical movement of the lifting elements [0022 & 0024];
transporting the carrier element to be transported from the provision point in the transverse direction out of the provision point, using the second transport apparatus [0021 & 0022 & 0024];
moving the lifting elements, using the third transport apparatus, in the vertical direction into a magazine level outside the first level [0022 & 0023];
transporting the carrier element to be transported, using the second transport apparatus, in the transverse direction into the provision point [0021 & 0022 & 0024]; and
transporting the carrier element to be transported, using the first transport apparatus, in the longitudinal direction from the provision point into the work region [0021].
Regarding Claim 28, Kreuzgruber discloses:
A method for transporting a carrier element (2) from a work region [location of processing station] of a processing station (1) into a target position in a magazine (20) of the processing station, the processing station being configured as claimed in claim 15 [see rejection of Claim 15 above], and the carrier elements supporting clamping frames of different configuration [0022 & 0023], the carrier element to be transported configured to be arranged as target position in a magazine level outside the first level outside the third transport apparatus [0021 & 0022 & 0023], the method comprising:
moving the lifting elements, using the third transport apparatus, in the vertical direction into a magazine level outside the first level [0021 & 0022 & 0023];
transporting the carrier element to be transported, using the first transport apparatus, in the longitudinal direction from the work region into the provision point [0021];
transporting the carrier element to be transported, using the second transport apparatus, from the provision point in the transverse direction out of the provision point [0021 & 0022 & 0024];
moving the lifting elements to the first magazine level, using the third transport apparatus [0021 & 0022 & 0023];
transporting the carrier element to be transported, using the second transport apparatus, in the transverse direction into the provision point until the carrier element to be transported is arranged on the front side in the lifting elements [0021 & 0022 & 0024];
transporting the carrier element to be transported in the vertical direction from the provision point into the further level, in which the target position is situated, using the third transport apparatus by way of vertical movement of the lifting elements [0022 & 0024]; and
transporting the carrier element to be transported, using the fourth transport apparatus in the transverse direction into the target position [0023].
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 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 of this title, 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) 16, 17, 18, and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kreuzgruber ( EP 1172170 A1) in view of Kipping et al. (US 20190248434 A1).
Regarding Claim 16, Kreuzgruber teaches:
the fourth transport apparatus comprises at least one drive arrangement which can be drive the fourth transport in the transverse direction [0021 & 0022 & 0023], and it being possible by way of a movement of the drive for a coupled carrier element to be transported in a magazine level outside the first level in a transverse direction [0021 & 0022 & 0023].
Kreuzgruber does not teach:
the drive arrangement has a toothed rack which can be moved in the transverse direction, the toothed rack having a driver element for coupling to a coupling element of a respective carrier element, and it being possible by way of a movement of the toothed rack for a coupled carrier element to be transported in a magazine level outside the first level in a transverse direction.
Kipping teaches:
A processing station (10) for workpieces which are configured as vehicle body parts [0042], comprising:
a plurality of carrier elements (50),
a magazine (22 & 221 & 222) for providing the carrier elements [0043 & 0044],
a work region (24) for processing workpieces [0043 & 0044 & 0047],
a transport apparatus (30) for transporting the carrier elements in a magazine level outside the first level in a transverse direction [0045 & 0046],
the transport apparatus comprises at least one drive arrangement (34) with a toothed rack (36 & 38) [0011 & 0012 & 0013 & 0045 & 0046] which can be moved in the transverse direction [0045 & 0046], the toothed rack having a driver element for coupling to a coupling element of a respective carrier element, and it being possible by way of a movement of the toothed rack for a coupled carrier element to be transported in a magazine level outside the first level in a transverse direction [0045 & 0046 & 0050].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the processing station for workpieces which are configured as vehicle body parts, comprising: a plurality of carrier elements, a magazine for providing the carrier elements, the magazine comprising a first magazine level in a first level, a work region for processing workpieces in the first level, a first transport apparatus for transporting the carrier elements between the work region and a provision point of the magazine in the first magazine level in a longitudinal direction, and a second transport apparatus for transporting the carrier elements in the magazine in the first magazine level in a transverse direction, wherein the magazine comprises at least one further magazine level outside the first level, the processing station comprising a third transport apparatus for transporting the carrier elements in a vertical direction between the magazine levels, the third transport apparatus having, lying opposite one another, in each case one lifting element which is adjustable in the vertical direction for front-side receiving of the carrier elements, the lifting elements comprising a fourth transport apparatus for transporting the carrier elements in a magazine level outside the first level in a transverse direction where the fourth transport apparatus comprises at least one drive arrangement which can be drive the fourth transport in the transverse direction, and it being possible by way of a movement of the drive for a coupled carrier element to be transported in a magazine level outside the first level in a transverse direction taught by Kreuzgruber with the processing station for workpieces which are configured as vehicle body parts, comprising: a plurality of carrier elements, a magazine for providing the carrier elements, a work region for processing workpieces, a transport apparatus for transporting the carrier elements in a magazine level outside the first level in a transverse direction, the transport apparatus comprises at least one drive arrangement with a toothed rack which can be moved in the transverse direction, the toothed rack having a driver element for coupling to a coupling element of a respective carrier element, and it being possible by way of a movement of the toothed rack for a coupled carrier element to be transported in a magazine level outside the first level in a transverse direction taught by Kipping in order to provide a driving means having a positive engagement means which avoids backlash in order to prevent mis-positioning of the carrier elements.
Regarding Claim 17, Kreuzgruber does not teach:
the driver element and/or the coupling element are/is of adjustable configuration between a coupling position and a decoupling position.
Kipping teaches:
the driver element and/or the coupling element are/is of adjustable configuration between a coupling position and a decoupling position [0047 & 0050].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the processing station for workpieces which are configured as vehicle body parts, comprising: a plurality of carrier elements, a magazine for providing the carrier elements, the magazine comprising a first magazine level in a first level, a work region for processing workpieces in the first level, a first transport apparatus for transporting the carrier elements between the work region and a provision point of the magazine in the first magazine level in a longitudinal direction, and a second transport apparatus for transporting the carrier elements in the magazine in the first magazine level in a transverse direction, wherein the magazine comprises at least one further magazine level outside the first level, the processing station comprising a third transport apparatus for transporting the carrier elements in a vertical direction between the magazine levels, the third transport apparatus having, lying opposite one another, in each case one lifting element which is adjustable in the vertical direction for front-side receiving of the carrier elements, the lifting elements comprising a fourth transport apparatus for transporting the carrier elements in a magazine level outside the first level in a transverse direction where the fourth transport apparatus comprises at least one drive arrangement which can be drive the fourth transport in the transverse direction, and it being possible by way of a movement of the drive for a coupled carrier element to be transported in a magazine level outside the first level in a transverse direction taught by Kreuzgruber with the processing station for workpieces which are configured as vehicle body parts, comprising: a plurality of carrier elements, a magazine for providing the carrier elements, a work region for processing workpieces, a transport apparatus for transporting the carrier elements in a magazine level outside the first level in a transverse direction, the transport apparatus comprises at least one drive arrangement with a toothed rack which can be moved in the transverse direction, the toothed rack having a driver element for coupling to a coupling element of a respective carrier element, and it being possible by way of a movement of the toothed rack for a coupled carrier element to be transported in a magazine level outside the first level in a transverse direction and the driver element and/or the coupling element are/is of adjustable configuration between a coupling position and a decoupling position taught by Kipping in order to provide a driving means having a positive engagement means which avoids backlash in order to prevent mis-positioning of the carrier elements with a means for engaging and disengaging in order to facilitate delivery between stations.
Regarding Claim 18, Kreuzgruber teaches:
the at least one drive arrangement of the fourth transport apparatus comprises in each case one drive unit, the drive unit being arranged on the lifting element [0001 & 0012 & 0021 & 0022].
Regarding Claim 19, Kreuzgruber teaches:
each of the lifting elements has in each case one drive arrangement of the fourth transport apparatus [0022 & 0023].
Claim(s) 22, and 23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kreuzgruber ( EP 1172170 A1).
Regarding Claim 22, Kreuzgruber teaches:
the rail of a respective lifting element is formed by way of a box-profile, the openings of the box-profiles of the lifting elements being arranged so as to lie opposite one another, and the running surfaces of the rails of the lifting elements being formed in each case by way of an inner side of a lower outer limb of the box-profile (Fig. 1).
Kreuzgruber does not explicitly teach:
the rail of a respective lifting element is formed by way of a U-profile.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide rails of the respective lifting element formed by way of a U-profile in order to reduce the weight of the rails without reducing structural rigidity of the rails, since it has been held that changing the shape of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Dailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966) (referred to in MPEP 2144.04(IV)(B)).
Regarding Claim 23, Kreuzgruber teaches:
the carrier elements have support rollers (1008) which are arranged on the front side with in each case a rotational axis which extends in the vertical direction, which support rollers are configured to be supported against an inner side of an inner limb of a lifting element and, in the case of transport of one of the carrier elements in the transverse direction, to roll in one of the further magazine levels on the inner side of the inner limb (Fig. 1) [0021 & 0022 & 0023].
Kreuzgruber does not explicitly teach:
the lifting element has a respective U-profile
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the lifting element with a respective U-profile in order to reduce the weight of the rails without reducing structural rigidity of the rails, since it has been held that changing the shape of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Dailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966) (referred to in MPEP 2144.04(IV)(B)).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Patent publications US 10272962 B2, US 20240043079 A1, and US 12227246 B2 have been cited by the examiner as pertinent to the applicant’s disclosure because they teach: vehicle body transfer systems for automotive manufacturing.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRENDAN P TIGHE whose telephone number is 571-272-4872. The Examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Thursday, 7:00-5:30 EST
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, SAUL RODRIGUEZ can be reached on 571-272-7097. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BRENDAN P TIGHE/Examiner, Art Unit 3652
/SAUL RODRIGUEZ/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3652
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