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) 1-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being Anticipated by Gerhard (WO 2017036732 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Gerhard discloses:
A robot assembly (10) for processing and/or handling a workpiece (4), comprising:
a manipulator unit (1) having a flange surface (9), wherein a flange surface central axis is perpendicular to the flange surface (Fig. 1), and a flange surface transverse direction extends in parallel with the flange surface (Fig. 1),
an effector unit (2 & 3) which is mounted on the flange surface (Fig. 3) and has an first extension component (3) along the flange surface central axis (Fig. 1) as well as a second extension component (2) in the flange surface transverse direction (Fig. 1), and
a protection element (5 & 6 & 53 & 63) which is fastened to the manipulator unit (Fig. 1) and/or to the effector unit and has a third extension component along the flange surface central axis (Fig. 1 & Fig. 2),
wherein the protection element is positioned at least in portions next to the effector unit in the flange surface transverse direction (Fig. 1) [0040 & 0043 & 0045], and
wherein a fastening interface for fastening a sensor unit (51 & 61) is provided on the protection element for collision protection or wherein the protection element can be monitored by sensors for collision protection (Fig. 1) [0041 & 0044 & 0045].
Regarding Claim 2, Gerhard discloses:
at least one distance sensor unit is fastened to the fastening interface of the protection element, a sensing range of said at least one distance sensor unit extending onto a side of the effector unit facing away from the flange surface [0023].
Regarding Claim 3, Gerhard discloses:
the protection element is rod-shaped and has a first end as well as a second end which is opposite the first end, wherein the protection element is fastened via the first end to the manipulator unit and/or to the effector unit, and wherein the fastening interface for fastening the sensor unit is provided in a region of the second end (Fig. 1 & Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 4, Gerhard discloses:
the protection element is sleeve-shaped or sleeve portion-shaped and runs completely or partially around an outer circumference of the effector unit (Fig. 1 & Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 5, Gerhard discloses:
at least two fastening interfaces for fastening a respective sensor unit for collision protection are provided on or adjacent to an edge of the protection element facing away from the flange surface (Fig. 1 & Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 6, Gerhard discloses:
the protection element has at least one opening (Fig. 1 & Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 7, Gerhard discloses:
at least a portion of the protection element is movable along the flange surface central axis (Fig. 1 & Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 8, Gerhard discloses:
at least a portion of the protection element is rotatable about at least a portion of the effector unit in relation to the flange surface central axis (Fig. 1 & Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 9, Gerhard discloses:
the protection element comprises at least a portion consisting of elastically deformable material [0032 & 0041].
Regarding Claim 10, Gerhard discloses:
a deformation sensor unit is positioned on the manipulation unit or on the effector unit and is designed to detect a deformation of the portion consisting of the elastically deformable material [0022 & 0023 & 0024].
Regarding Claim 11, Gerhard discloses:
the protection element in a non-deformed state protrudes along the flange surface central axis on a side, facing away from the flange surface, with respect to the effector unit (Fig. 1 & Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 12, Gerhard discloses:
the effector unit comprises a movement unit (“interchangeable mount”) or is coupled to the manipulator unit via the movement unit, and so at least a portion of the effector unit can be selectively moved out of an area surrounding the protection element [0005 & 0008 & 0039].
Regarding Claim 13, Gerhard discloses:
a protection system (5 & 6 & 51 52 & & 53 & 61 & 62 & 63) for a robot assembly (10), comprising;
a manipulator (1) having a flange surface (9), wherein a flange surface central axis is perpendicular to the flange surface (Fig. 1), and a flange surface transverse direction extends in parallel with the flange surface (Fig. 1),
an effector (2 & 3) which is mounted on the flange surface (Fig. 3) and has an first extension component (3) along the flange surface central axis (Fig. 1) as well as a second extension component (2) in the flange surface transverse direction (Fig. 1), and
a protector (5 & 6 & 53 & 63) which is fastened to the manipulator (Fig. 1) and/or to the effector and has a third extension component along the flange surface central axis (Fig. 1 & Fig. 2),
wherein the protector is positioned at least in portions next to the effector in the flange surface transverse direction (Fig. 1) [0040 & 0043 & 0045], and
wherein a fastener for fastening a sensor (51 & 61) is provided on the protector for collision protection or wherein the protector can be monitored by sensors for collision protection (Fig. 1) [0041 & 0044 & 0045], and
a mounting connector portion (52 & 62) for fastening the protector to the manipulator and/or to the effector of the robot assembly, and a cantilever which is designed to extend laterally next to at least a portion of the effector (Fig. 1 & Fig. 2), wherein the fastener for fastening the sensor unit for collision protection is further provided on the cantilever or wherein at least a portion of the cantilever can be monitored by the sensors for collision protection (Fig. 1 & Fig. 2) [0022 & 0023 & 0024].
Regarding Claim 14, Gerhard discloses:
the cantilever is rod-shaped, sleeve-shaped or sleeve portion-shaped (Fig. 1 & Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 15, Gerhard discloses:
a distance sensor fastened to the fastener [0023].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Patent publications US 20170030708 A1 and US 20190047160 A1, have been cited by the examiner as pertinent to the applicant’s disclosure because they teach: localized protection systems for robotic grippers.
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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