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
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.
Claims 1-6 and 14-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Link et al (US 2019/0143572, already of record).
For claim 1, Link et al teach a molding product taking-out system comprising: a molding machine (Fig. 1 – element 100) that includes a stationary platen (Fig. 9 – element 108) including a stationary mold (element 108a) and a movable platen (element 106) including a movable mold (element 106a); a take-out machine for taking out a molding product (element 116); and a control device, wherein the control device causes the take-out machine to enter between the stationary mold and the movable mold that are opened, and moves at least one of the movable platen and the take-out machine such that the molding product relatively approaches the take-out machine ([0054]).
For claims 2 and 3, Link et al teach the control device moves the movable platen such that the molding product relatively approaches the take-out machine; and the control device moves the take-out machine such that the molding product relatively approaches the take-out machine, and an amount of movement of the take-out machine is smaller than an amount of movement of the movable platen ([0064]).
For claims 4-6, Link et al teach the control device moves at least one of the movable platen and the take-out machine such that a tip portion of the molding product is located inside the take-out machine when the molding product is no longer held in the movable mold; a take-out tube of the take-out machine includes an accommodation hole for accommodating the molding product, the accommodation hole includes a bottom portion, an inlet portion whose diameter increases toward an opening, and an intermediate portion having a cylindrical inner peripheral surface located between the bottom portion and the inlet portion, and the control device moves at least one of the movable platen and the take-out machine such that a tip portion of the molding product is located in the intermediate portion when the molding product is no longer held in the movable mold; and a take-out tube of the take-out machine includes an accommodation hole for accommodating the molding product, the accommodation hole includes a bottom portion, an inlet portion whose diameter increases toward an opening, and an intermediate portion having a cylindrical inner peripheral surface located between the bottom portion and the inlet portion, the molding product includes a tip portion and a cylindrical portion, and the control device moves at least one of the movable platen and the take-out machine such that at least a part of the cylindrical portion of the molding product is located in the intermediate portion when the molding product is no longer held in the movable mold ([0051] and [0053]).
For claim 14, Link et al teach a molding machine comprising: a stationary platen including a stationary mold; and a movable platen including a movable mold, wherein the movable platen is movable such that a molding product approaches a take-out machine for the molding product, which enters between the stationary mold and the movable mold that are opened (see citations above).
For claim 15, Link et al teach a control device for taking out a molding product from a molding machine that includes a stationary platen including a stationary mold and a movable platen including a movable mold, the control device being configured to: cause a take-out machine for taking out the molding product to enter between the stationary mold and the movable mold that are opened; and move at least one of the movable platen and the take-out machine such that the molding product relatively approaches the take-out machine (see citations above).
For claim 16, Link et al teach a molding product taking-out method for taking out a molding product from a molding machine that includes a stationary platen including a stationary mold and a movable platen including a movable mold, the method comprising: causing a take-out machine to enter between the stationary mold and the movable mold that are opened; and moving at least one of the movable platen and the take-out machine such that the molding product relatively approaches the take-out machine (see citations above).
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 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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 7-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Link et al (US 2019/0143572, already of record).
Link et al teach the invention as discussed above. In addition, Link et al teach the take-out machine includes a guide arm (Fig. 9).
Link et al do not teach the take-out machine is of a liquid-cooled type; a robot that moves the take-out machine; the robot includes a guide arm, a slide unit that is slidably attached to the guide arm, and a tip end arm attached to the slide unit; the tip end arm attached to the slide unit is moved by moving the slide unit of the robot along the guide arm; the take-out machine is attached to the tip end arm of the robot and reciprocates in a direction perpendicular to an opening and closing direction of a mold; the control device controls the robot to move the take-out machine to a space between molds; and the control device controls the robot to retract the take-out machine from a space between molds.
However, Link et al are removing preforms and it is well known for preforms to use a take-out machine of a liquid-cooled type and robots are commonly used for moving machine members. As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the take-out machine be of a liquid-cooled type; a robot that moves the take-out machine; the robot includes a guide arm, a slide unit that is slidably attached to the guide arm, and a tip end arm attached to the slide unit; the tip end arm attached to the slide unit be moved by moving the slide unit of the robot along the guide arm; the take-out machine be attached to the tip end arm of the robot and reciprocate in a direction perpendicular to an opening and closing direction of a mold; the control device control the robot to move the take-out machine to a space between molds; and the control device control the robot to retract the take-out machine from a space between molds.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES SANDERS whose telephone number is (571)270-7007. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 11-7.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Galen Hauth can be reached on 571-270-5516. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JAMES SANDERS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1743
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