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
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) 18-31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Krones AG DE 202015005801.
Claim 18, Krones AG teaches apparatus 1 for the orientation and alignment of plastic preforms 2 provided with collars 3 having greater dimensions than a preform body Fig. 2, comprising a device 12 for feeding the preforms in bulk substantially at a first end of an unloading and conveyance surface which is delimited laterally by containment walls Fig. 1, said unloading and conveyance surface comprising a conveyor device 18 for conveying said preforms 2 from said first end towards a second end, which is opposite to said first end, of said unloading and conveyance surface, said conveyor device 18 comprising a slot of 10,40 which is formed by a pair of longitudinal movement bodies 10 which are configured to move said preforms 2 along a conveyance direction TR defined by said slot 40 from said first end toward said second end, said slot 40 having a transverse dimension that is greater than a dimension of said preform body Fig. 5 and is smaller than a dimension of said collar 3 of said preforms in order to receive at least part of said preforms 2 in a condition in which said preforms hang by said collar 3, said conveyor device 18 comprising at least one conveyor element (components of 10 as known in conveyor systems) which is arranged laterally and parallel to said pair of longitudinal movement bodies 10 and forms a resting surface of 10 for said preforms 2, said at least one conveyor element being configured to move the preforms 2 arranged on said resting surface of 10 along a movement direction Vs, which is opposite to said conveyance direction TR, in order to move the preforms 2 not received by said slot at 10 from said second end toward said first end Fig. 2.
Claim 19, Krones AG teaches said at least one conveyor element (components of 10 as known in conveyor systems) Fig. 3 is arranged, for at least a portion thereof, adjacent to one of said longitudinal movement bodies 10 Fig. 4.
Claim 20, Krones AG teaches said longitudinal movement bodies 10 comprise a respective motorized chain or belt Abstract.
Claim 21, Krones AG teaches said conveyor element (components of 10 as known in conveyor systems) Fig. 3 comprises an inclined recirculation surface 20 which extends so as to rise along a direction away from said slot at 10,40, and pusher means 4,6 configured to move the preforms 2 arranged on said inclined recirculation surface 20 along a movement direction Abstract, which is opposite with respect to said conveyance direction TR Fig. 4, in order to move the preforms 2 not received by said slot (rails between 10) Fig. 3 from said second end toward said first end Fig. 4.
Claim 22, Krones AG teaches said pusher means 4,6 comprise at least one device for emitting a jet of air P0020.
Claim 23, Krones AG teaches said slot (rails between 10) Fig. 3 is connected, at the first end, to a guiding portion 32,34 which extends along at least one direction of extension which has a substantially vertical component Fig. 4 P0021.
Claim 24, Krones AG teaches said guiding portion 32,34 comprises, in sequence, at least one first guiding portion 32 which extends along a substantially vertical direction and at least one portion for connection between said at least one first guiding portion 32 and said slot (rails between 10) Fig. 3.
Claim 25, Krones AG teaches at least one recirculation body 20 which is arranged laterally adjacent to said at least one conveyor element (components of 10 as known in conveyor systems) Fig. 3 and is arranged opposite to said pair of longitudinal movement bodies 10 Fig. 4, said at least one recirculation body 20 being configured to move the preforms 2 arranged on the respective resting surface 20 along a direction which is substantially parallel to said conveyance direction TR Fig. 3.
Claim 26, Krones AG teaches said conveyor device 18 has, at said first end, a feeder device 12 which is configured to send said preforms 2 unloaded in bulk toward said conveyor elements (components of 10 as known in conveyor systems) Fig. 3 Abstract.
Claim 27, Krones AG teaches above said slot (rails between 10) Fig. 3, a device 4,6 for removing the preforms 2 that are not properly accommodated Abstract.
Claim 28, Krones AG teaches actuation means (motor of 10 as known to be used on conveyor systems) which are configured to adjust an advancement speed of said conveyor elements 10.
29, Krones AG teaches above said longitudinal movement bodies 10, a retention guide 4,6 provided with at least two lateral portions which are configured to delimit in an upper region a displacement of the preforms 2 during movement of said preforms 2 along said conveyance direction TR Fig. 4.
Claim 30, Krones AG teaches a longitudinal element 36 with two inclined surfaces which forms, on opposite sides with respect to an apex thereof, said at least two lateral portions Fig. 5.
Claim 31, Krones AG teaches said longitudinal movement bodies 10 lead directly at a rectilinear feeding portion of 12 of a feeding star conveyor 12 Fig. 1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 32-34 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KAVEL SINGH whose telephone number is (571)272-2362. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 8am-6pm.
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/KAVEL SINGH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3651
KS
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