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, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being Anticipated by Jiang (CN 107010358 A).
Regarding Claim 1, Jiang discloses:
A carrying apparatus (2) of an inspection unit for the inspection of parameters of parts that are produced by an injection molding, punching, deep-drawing or thermoforming machine and transported through the inspection unit [0002], with said carrying apparatus comprising:
a carrying base element that has at least two carrying profiles (1) that are oriented parallel to one another (Fig. 4) [0029], at least two carrying ribs (4) that connect the at least two carrying profiles to one another (Fig. 4), the carrying ribs being arranged perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the carrying profiles and fastened on these carrying profiles (Fig. 4), as well as at least two carrying plates (6) that are fastened on the at least two carrying ribs (Fig. 4) [0030],
wherein each carrying plate is arranged on the ends of at least two carrying ribs (Fig. 4) assigned to one of the at least two carrying profiles (Fig. 4), and
wherein the carrying apparatus furthermore has a transporting means (8 & 9 & 10 & 11) for the parts, which is fastened on at least two of the carrying plates [0030 & 0031].
Regarding Claim 2, Jiang discloses:
wherein the carrying ribs are fastened, on the carrying profiles in two directions that extend perpendicular to one another and to the longitudinal axis of the carrying profiles (Fig. 4).
Regarding Claim 3, Jiang discloses:
comprising locating pins (5) arranged between the carrying plates and the carrying ribs (Fig. 4) and/or between the carrying plates and the transporting means.
Regarding Claim 4, Jiang discloses:
wherein the carrying plates are arranged in a common plane, wherein this plane extends parallel to a plane defined by the carrying profiles (Fig. 4).
Regarding Claim 6, Jiang discloses:
a pivoting frame (11) that is positioned above the transporting means (Fig. 1) and connected to the carrying plates, wherein the pivoting frame can be pivoted in such a way that the inspection elements arranged thereon and the transporting means lying thereunder are accessible [the pivoting frame (11) is connected to the carrying ribs (4) through the carrying plates (6) and locating pins (5) the frame is capable of rotating around a single locating pin when it is disengaged from the other three locating pins].
Regarding Claim 7, Jiang discloses:
wherein the pivoting frame has at least one pivoting force booster, and/or positioning radii that correspond to one another, wherein the positioning radii are arranged in at least one stop for the pivoting frame and in a pivotable free end of the pivoting frame (Fig. 4) [the pivoting frame (11) is connected to the carrying ribs (4) through the carrying plates (6) and locating pins (5) the frame is capable of rotating around a single locating pin when it is disengaged from the other three locating pins and the rotation of the locating pins delineate pivoting radii based on their relationship to a locating pin around which the pivoting frame rotates].
Regarding Claim 8, Jiang discloses:
wherein the carrying base element has at least one inspection element (15 & 17) that is selected from the following group: a camera, a lens, a lighting assembly, a sensor for tracking parts, a sensor for counting parts, particularly a counting light barrier, a conveyor belt, a blow-off valve, a discharge chute, a separating device, an extraneous light protection, a high-voltage testing unit and a parts measuring unit [0008 & 0014 & 0018 & 0030 & 0033].
Regarding Claim 10, Jiang discloses:
wherein the carrying base element is indirectly connected to a stationary substructure, by means of connecting elements (Fig. 1 & Fig. 3) [0034].
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 of this title, 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) 5 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jiang (CN 107010358 A).
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Regarding Claim 5, Jiang teaches:
wherein the carrying plates and the transporting means are connected in a corresponding manner correspond to one another [0008 & 0030];
projections (1000) that respectively protrude from the carrying plate and have through holes (1001).
Jiang does not explicitly teach:
the connection is facilitated by fastening elements that correspond to one another and particularly are arranged in or extend through the projections that respectively protrude from the carrying plate.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide fastening elements for facilitating connections between the carrying plates and transporting means where the fastening elements that correspond to one another and particularly are arranged in or extend through the projections that respectively protrude from the carrying plate in order to allow for disassembly of connected parts in an apparatus in order to facilitate maintenance since the Examiner takes OFFICIAL NOTICE that bolted connections of machine parts were well known in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Regarding Claim 9, Jiang does not explicitly teach:
wherein the carrying ribs, the carrying plates and/or the fastening elements or parts thereof are realized in the form of milled parts.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to manufacture structural and operative members such a as the carrying ribs, the carrying plates and/or the fastening elements or parts thereof through milling in order to provide appropriately tolerance parts preventing failure in the system due to misalignment since the Examiner takes OFFICIAL NOTICE that manufacturing support and fastening elements through milling were well known in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Patent publications US 4578926 A, US 20080283306 A1, and US 7531758 B2 have been cited by the examiner as pertinent to the applicant’s disclosure because they teach: article conveying devices having sensors for detecting article properties.
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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