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 § 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.
Claim 25 is 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 25 recites the limitation "the contact surface." 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.
As best understood, claim(s) 16-18 and 20-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lee US 9,845,207 (“Lee”).
Regarding claim 16, Lee disclosed a gripper for holding and depositing a stack of sheet material, at a depositing location on a base or on an existing stack, comprising:
at least one first gripping element (63), which comprises or forms a first contact surface for contact with the stack,
at least one second gripping element (62), which comprises or forms a second contact surface for contact with the stack,
wherein the first contact surface and the second contact surface are designed for contact with the stack on both sides and the first and the second gripping elements are guided adjustably with respect to one another in such a manner that the first and second contact surfaces can be moved towards one another in order to hold the stack between the first and the second contact surfaces (Figure 6a), wherein
the first gripping element is mounted so as to be able to pivot about a pivot axis (65) and can pivot between a gripping position, in which the first contact surface is oriented substantially parallel to the second contact surface (Figure 6a), and a release position, in which the first contact surface is oriented at an angle with respect to the second contact surface, in order to deposit the stack at the depositing location, on a base or on an existing stack (Figure 6b).
Regarding claim 17, Lee disclosed the first contact surface is oriented in the release position at an angle of at least 45 degrees to the second contact surface (Figure 6).
Regarding claim 18, Lee disclosed the second gripping element is attached in a non-rotatable manner to the gripper (Figures 6a and 6b).
Regarding claim 20, Lee disclosed the first gripping element can be moved away from the second gripping element by pivoting about the pivot axis in the direction of the release position in such a manner that the distance between the first contact surface and the second contact surface is increased when pivoting from the gripping position into the release position (see Figure 6b).
Regarding claim 21, Lee disclosed an apparatus for depositing a stack of sheet material, at a depositing location, on a base or on an existing stack, having:
a gripper according to claim 16 as listed above, and
a control facility for controlling the movement of the first gripping element and second gripping element, with respect to their distance from one another and/or with respect to their orientation with respect to one another (see at least Figures 6a, 6b and col. 6, lines 1-2).
Regarding claim 22, Lee disclosed a transport facility (see at least Figure 1) for moving the gripper, the transport facility being designed so as to move the gripper to different positions in the space and where appropriate to set it up in different orientations in the space,
wherein the control facility is designed so as to control the movement and orientation of the gripper in the space, independently from the movement of the first and second contact surfaces (see at least Figures 1 and 2).
Regarding claim 23, Lee disclosed the control facility is designed so as to position the gripper holding the stack into a depositing position in which the first contact surface is arranged below the second contact surface and to deposit the stack held by the gripper by means of the gripper that is located in the depositing position (see Figures 4b and 6a), wherein, in order to deposit the stack, the first contact surface is pivoted from the gripping position into the release position in which the first contact surface is oriented at an angle with respect to the second contact surface (Figure 6b).
Regarding claim 24, Lee disclosed the control facility is designed so as to select the depositing position of the gripper in such a manner: that in the depositing position the center of gravity of the stack that is held by the gripper is arranged in the vertical direction above the depositing location of the stack (Figure 4b), and/or that in the depositing position the vertical distance of the pivot axis from the depositing location is greater than the longitudinal extent of the first contact surface of the first gripping element.
Regarding claim 25, Lee disclosed the control facility is designed so as to move the contact surface in a direction perpendicular to a stacking direction of the stack in order to influence the periphery of the deposited stack after the stack that is held by the gripper has been deposited (see at least Figure 4b).
Regarding claim 26, Lee disclosed a method for depositing a stack of sheet material, at a depositing location, on a base or on an existing stack, wherein the steps:
hold a stack between a first and a second contact surface of a gripper in a gripping position, wherein the first and the second contact surfaces are arranged substantially parallel to one another in the gripping position (Figures 4b and 6a);
position the gripper that is holding the stack into a depositing position, in which the gripper is oriented in such a manner that the first contact surface is arranged in the vertical direction below the second contact surface (Figure 6a);
deposit the stack that is held by the gripper by means of the gripper that is located in the depositing position, wherein, in order to deposit the stack, the first contact surface is pivoted from the gripping position into a release position in which the first contact surface is oriented at an angle with respect to the second contact surface (Figure 6b).
Regarding claim 27, Lee disclosed the first contact surface is oriented in the release position at an angle of at least 45 degrees to the second contact surface (Figure 6b).
Regarding claim 28, Lee disclosed when positioning the gripper, the depositing position of the gripper is selected in such a manner: that in the depositing position the center of gravity of the stack that is held by the gripper is arranged in the vertical direction above the depositing location of the stack (Figure 4b) and/or that in the depositing position the vertical distance of the pivot axis from the depositing location is greater than the longitudinal extent of the first contact surface of the first gripping element.
Regarding claim 29, Lee disclosed after the stack that is held by the gripper has been deposited, the first contact surface is moved in a direction perpendicular to a stacking direction of the stack in order to influence the periphery of the deposited stack (Figure 4b).
Regarding claim 30, Lee disclosed prior to the step of positioning the gripper into the depositing position, the following step is performed: move the gripper in the space from a receiving position, in which the stack is gripped by the gripper, to the depositing position (Figures 1, 2, 4a, and 4b).
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) 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee in view of Zhang et al. US 9,032,870 (“Zhang”).
Lee disclosed the limitations of claim 16 and further disclosed the first contact surface is formed by at least one elongated first gripping finger of the first gripping element and the second contact surface is formed by at least one elongated second gripping finger of the second gripping element (Figure 6a). Lee did not teach a shorter first gripping finger. Zhang teaches a longitudinal extent of at least one pivoting first gripping finger is shorter than a longitudinal extent of at least one second gripping finger (see Figures 3 and 4). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention use a pivoting first gripping finger that is shorter than a longitudinal extent of at least one second gripping finger as adjustments of this sort are commonplace to custom fit for specifically sized stacks and bound products. Additionally, pivoting the gripping finger out of the way would be quicker as the part is made shorter.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HOWARD J SANDERS whose telephone number is (571)270-3096. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael McCullough can be reached at (571) 272-7805. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HOWARD J SANDERS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3653
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