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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of claims 1-11 in the reply filed on 11/5/2025 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that “In particular, Russo discloses a vacuum device for picking up and installing clips. Russo discloses that each clip loading device is provided with a mechanism to hold the clips with a vacuum. See paragraph [0020], [0024], and [0025] of Russo. See MPEP 2143.01 VI, which states modification of the prior art invention being modified cannot change the principal of operation of the prior art invention. Accordingly, modifying Russo to provide a cylinder with an internally guided piston, and a finger attachment for a fingertip at a distal end of the piston would change the principal of operation of Russo. Therefore, the special technical feature of providing a clip positioning actuator comprises a cylinder with an internally guided piston, and a finger attachment for a fingertip at a distal end of the piston is not obvious in view of the cited art.” This is not found persuasive because the special technical features are taught by the newly cited reference to Clark et al. (US 2006/0182604 A1) explained in detail below.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
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.
Claims 8-11 are 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 8 recites the limitation "the workpiece" in lines 7-8 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 11 recites the limitation "the workpiece" in line 2 of the claim. 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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Clark et al. (US 2006/0182604 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Clark discloses a gripper tooling (20; Figs. 1 and 3) comprising a frame (22) configured to be detachably attached to a wrist axis of an industrial robot (12; Fig. 1); and a plurality of clip positioning actuators (30) mounted on the frame (22), wherein each clip positioning actuator (30) comprises a cylinder (34) with an internally guided piston (P), and a finger attachment (F) for a fingertip (32) at a distal end of the piston (P).
[AltContent: textbox (P)]Note that “configured to insert clips in workpieces” is a recitation of the intended use, and a recitation of the intended use of the claimed invention must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim.
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Regarding claim 2, Clark discloses wherein the clip positioning actuators (30) are mounted on the frame (22) in positions adjacent to each other in a rectangular array of at least two rows (see Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 5, Clark discloses a plurality of fingertips (32; Fig. 3; [0025]), wherein each fingertip (32) is attached to the finger attachment of a clip positioning actuator (34).
Note that “configured to pick a clip” is a recitation of the intended use, and a recitation of the intended use of the claimed invention must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim.
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 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Clark et al. (US 2006/0182604 A1) in view of the Precision Cylinder document.
Clark discloses all of the claimed subject matter except for wherein each internally guided piston comprises a keying system that provides guided longitudinal displacement of the piston in the cylinder and prevents rotation of the piston with respect to the cylinder.
Precision Cylinder discloses an internally guided piston comprises a keying system (KS) that provides guided longitudinal displacement of the piston (P) in the cylinder (C) and prevents rotation of the piston (P) with respect to the cylinder (C).
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Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide each internally guided piston of Clark with a keying system that provides guided longitudinal displacement of the piston in the cylinder and prevents rotation of the piston with respect to the cylinder, in light of the teachings of Precision Cylinder, in order to provide improved non-rotating accuracy of the piston cylinder.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Clark et al. (US 2006/0182604 A1) in view of Sun et al. (US 2022/0314460 A1).
Clark discloses all of the claimed subject matter except for further comprising at least two different types of fingertips for respective different types of clips.
Sun discloses positioning actuators comprising at least two different types of fingertips (206a, 208a; Fig. 2A; [0023] and [0074]).
Note, that “for respective different types of clips” is a recitation of the intended use, and a recitation of the intended use of the claimed invention must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide clip actuators of Clark with at least two different types of fingertips, in light of the teachings of Sun, in order to provide a selective grasping strategy.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Clark et al. (US 2006/0182604 A1) in view of Lei et al. (US 2022/0219317 A1).
Clark discloses all of the claimed subject matter except for wherein the frame comprises a tool plate of a tool changer.
Lei discloses wherein a frame (320; [0054]) comprises a tool plate (322; Fig. 4A) of a tool changer.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the frame of Clark as a frame comprising a tool plate of a tool changer, in light of the teachings of Lei, in order to establish a physical connection and one physical connections with a (34 robotic arm.
Claims 8 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gao et al. (CN 207534294 U) in view of Clark et al. (US 2006/0182604 A1).
Regarding claim 8, Gao discloses a clipping cell (not labeled, Fig. 1) configured to insert buckles (not shown; Fig. 3) in workpieces (W), comprising an industrial robot (31); a gripper tooling (32) configured to insert buckles in workpieces (W) comprising: a frame (F) configured to be detachably attached to a wrist axis of an industrial robot (31); and a plurality of positioning actuators (33) mounted on the frame (F); a support fixture (SF) configured to position a workpiece (W) to which the buckles are to be attached; a control unit (i.e., control system) to control the operation of the industrial robot (31) to pick a plurality of the buckles simultaneously with the gripper tooling (32) and insert the buckles sequentially one after the other in the workpiece (W); and a clip feeder (111) configured to supply the buckles to the gripper tooling (32).
Note that “configured to insert clips, and configured to supply clips” are recitations of the intended use, and a recitation of the intended use of the claimed invention must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim.
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Gao, however, does not disclose wherein each clip positioning actuator comprises a cylinder with an internally guided piston, and a finger attachment for a fingertip at a distal end of the piston; wherein the control unit further controls the positioning of the workpiece on the support fixture; or wherein the control unit further controls the positioning of the workpiece on the support fixture.
Clark discloses each clip positioning actuator (34) comprising a cylinder (C) with an internally guided piston (P), and a finger attachment (F) for a fingertip (32) at a distal end of the piston (P).
It is in conventional and well known to program a control system to position a workpiece on a fixture.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide ach clip positioning actuator of Gao with a cylinder with an internally guided piston, and a finger attachment for a fingertip at a distal end of the piston, in light of teachings of Clark, in order to provide telescopic grippers for grasping items. It would also have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to program the control system of Gao to position the workpiece on the support fixture in order to optimize the assembly the process.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gao/Clark as applied to claim 8 above, and further in view of Nguyen et al. (US 2020/0061823 A1).
Gao/Clark discloses all the claimed subject matter except for comprising at least one tooling storage configured to store gripper toolings within the reach of the robot.
Nguyen discloses comprising at least one tooling storage (412; [0027]; Fig. 4) configured to store gripper toolings within the reach of the robot (313).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to one tooling storage configured to store gripper toolings within the reach of the robot of Gao in the combination of Gao/Clark, in light of the teachings of Nguyen, in order to allow quicker access to different tools.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 4 is 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.
Claim 10 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure. The references listed on the PTO-892 are cited to show robot handling devices.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JERMIE E COZART whose telephone number is (571)272-4528. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:30am - 7:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sunil Singh can be reached at 571-272-3460. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JERMIE E COZART/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3799
February 7, 2026