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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: S, S1, S2. 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. 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.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference characters "41" and "42" have both been used to designate the second support in Figures 2 and 3. 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. 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.
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 “contact sensor” of claim 8, “a control system” of claim 9, and the “optical device” of claim 10 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 § 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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
Claim(s) 1-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Farr, Foreign Patent Document, WO2022128942.
Regarding independent claim 1, Farr discloses a gripping device for folded boxes (100, Fig. 7 for 50, Fig. 6) provided with two gripping openings (54, Fig. 6) lying on a gripping plane (openings 54 lie on a plane, Fig. 6)), comprising: a support frame (31, 33, 43, Fig. 4; 101, 102, Fig. 7); at least a first and a second gripping element (150, Fig. 7; 152, Fig. 16), associated with the frame (150 associated with frame element 102, Fig. 7) and structured to each fit into a respective gripping opening (152 fit in 54, Fig. 16) and to interact with an edge of the gripping opening (152, 154 interact with edge of 54, Fig. 16); wherein the gripping elements (150, 152, 153, 154, Fig. 12)) are movable between a first position (Fig. 12b), in which the gripping elements cannot interact with the edge of the opening (Fig. 12b, 153, 154 does not interact with 54), and a second position, in which the gripping elements can engage with the edge of the opening (Second position Fig. 12a, where 153, 154 interact with 54, Fig. 16).
Regarding claim 2, Farr discloses the limitations of claim 1, and wherein the gripping elements (153, Fig. 12) are movable from the first towards the second position in mutual approaching on a plane parallel to the gripping plane (153 moved from first position in Fig. 12b to second position in Fig. 12a mutually approaching on a plane parallel to 54, Fig. 16).
Regarding claim 3, Farr discloses the limitations of claim 1, and wherein the first gripping element (left-most 150, 152, 153, Fig. 12) comprises two flaps (two flaps 153, Fig. 12), each of the flaps of the first gripping element is movable between the first and second position along a sliding direction lying on a plane parallel to the gripping plane (153 movable between first position Fig. 12a to second position Fig. 12b along a sliding direction parallel to plane of openings 54, Fig. 16); the sliding directions of the flaps are divergent from the first to the second position (directions of sliding of 153 are divergent about pivot points due to 156, Fig. 12a, b); the second gripping element (right-most 150, 152, 153, Fig. 12) comprises two flaps (two flaps 153, Fig. 12), each of the flaps of the second gripping element is movable between the first and second position along a sliding direction lying on a plane parallel to the gripping plane (153 movable between first position Fig. 12a to second position Fig. 12b along a sliding direction parallel to plane of openings 54, Fig. 16); the sliding directions of the flaps are divergent from the first to the second position (directions of sliding of 153 are divergent about pivot points due to 156, Fig. 12a, b).
Regarding claim 4, Farr discloses the limitations of claim 1, and a first support (left-most 154, Fig. 12, 16) and a second support (right-most 154, Fig. 12, 16), associated with the frame (154 is associated with frame 100, 101, 102, Fig. 7, 16) and movable in mutual approaching and distancing (154 movable in mutual approaching and distancing, Fig. 12a to 12b); wherein the first gripping element is associated with the first support (left-most 153 associated with left-most 154, Fig. 12) and the second gripping element is associated with the second support (right-most 153 associated with left-most 154, Fig. 12).
Regarding claim 5, Farr discloses the limitations of claim 1, and at least one rest (155, Fig. 12), arranged to be positioned in contact with a folded box (155 arranged in contact with box, Fig. 16), on a contact plane substantially parallel to the gripping plane (contact plane of 155 with box is substantially parallel to gripping plane of 54, Fig. 16).
Regarding claim 6, Farr discloses the limitations of claim 4, and at least one rest (155, Fig. 12), arranged to be positioned in contact with a folded box (155 arranged in contact with box, Fig. 16), on a contact plane substantially parallel to the gripping plane (contact plane of 155 with box is substantially parallel to gripping plane of 54, Fig. 16).
Regarding claim 7, Farr discloses the limitations of claim 1, and the frame (31, 33, 43, Fig. 4; 101, 102, Fig. 7) comprises a first body (33, Fig. 4) and a second body (43, Fig. 4), movable in mutual approaching and distancing along a direction perpendicular to the gripping plane (33, 43 movable along 41, perpendicular to gripping plane of 54, Fig. 7); the first body is arranged to be connected to a motor device, movable in space (Page 11, lines 13-19); the gripping elements are associated with the second body (150 associated with 43, 100, Fig. 4, 7).
Regarding claim 8, Farr discloses the limitations of claim 1, and a contact sensor, arranged to detect a contact between each gripping element and the edge of a gripping opening (Page 25, lines 21-29).
Regarding claim 9, Farr discloses the limitations of claim 1, and a control system arranged to detect the position of the gripping openings of a folded box, and to activate the displacement of the gripping elements between the first and second position as a function of the detected position of the gripping openings (Page 25, lines 15-23).
Regarding claim 10, Farr discloses the limitations of claim 9, and wherein the control system comprises an optical device, arranged to detect and identify the shape and the position of a folded box and of the gripping openings (Page 25, lines 21-26).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KATELYNNE BURRELL whose telephone number is (703)756-1344. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00am - 6:00pm EST.
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/K.R.B./ Examiner, Art Unit 3654
/Victoria P Augustine/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3654
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