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
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) 1,2,4,5 and 8-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wagner et al. US 2019/0337723.
Wagner discloses a system comprising:
(Re claim 1) “a plurality of consolidation stations and a carousel moving the plurality of consolidation stations past a picking location, one or more consolidation stations of the plurality of consolidation stations receiving one or more items at the picking location” (36,38 figure 3). “a first transportation mechanism adapted to bring one or more cartons to the picking location at the carousel” (60 figure 3). “a robotic arm articulating to move the one or more items from one or more mobile storage units into the one or more consolidation stations at the picking location” (32, 40 figure 3). “a transfer mechanism adapted to transfer items from the one or more consolidation stations into the one or more cartons” (‘tilt’ para 0046).
(Re claim 2) “a motor coupled with the carousel that causes the carousel to rotate and position the one or more consolidation stations at one or more of the picking location and a transfer location (‘drive’ para 0050).
(Re claim 4) “the transfer mechanism is located at a stationary point along the carousel, the transfer mechanism causing the one or more items in the one or more consolidation stations to fall through a chute and into the one or more cartons held by the first transportation mechanism” (36, 44, 42 figure 17).
(Re claim 5) “each of the one or more consolidation stations include a tray that is adapted to pivot upwards to place a bottom surface of the tray at an angle to horizontal and cause the one or more items to slide off the bottom surface and the transfer mechanism is adapted to lift an edge of the tray upwards to place the bottom surface at the angle” (36 figure 3,14, para 0047).
(Re claim 8) “the first transportation mechanism includes a conveyor passing under the carousel, the one or more cartons remaining on the conveyor when the one or more items are transferred into the one or more cartons” (60,48 figure 3,17, para 0078).
(Re claim 9) “a second transportation mechanism adapted to bring the one or more mobile storage units to a receiving area accessible to the robotic arm, the one or more mobile storage units holding the one or more items when the one or more mobile storage units are transported on the second transportation mechanism” (34 figure 3).
(Re claim 10) “the second transportation mechanism includes a conveyor, the conveyor carrying the one or more mobile storage units to the picking location and within reach of the robotic arm” (34 figure 3).
Wagner discloses a method comprising:
(Re claim 11) “transporting one or more storage units holding one or more items to a carousel” (32,34 figure 3). “the carousel including one or more consolidation stations” (36,38 figure 3). “transferring one or more first items of the one or more items from a first storage unit of the one or more storage units into a first consolidation station of the one or more consolidation stations at the carousel” (40,32,36 figure 4, para 0046). “rotating the carousel by a first distance to position the first consolidation station at a transfer location” (para 0047). “transferring the one or more first items from the first consolidation station into a carton” (46 figure 4, para 0047).
(Re claim 12) “rotating the carousel includes moving a plurality of consolidation stations around a loop” (36,38 figure 3, para 0047).
(Re claim 13) “transporting the one or more storage units to the carousel includes causing a conveyor holding the one or more storage units to move until the one or more storage units are within reach of a robotic arm” (32, 34, 40 figure 4, para 0046). “transferring the one or more first items to the first consolidation station includes articulating the robotic arm to move the one or more first items from the one or more storage units to the first consolidation station” (32, 40, 36 figure 4, para 0046).
(Re claim 14) “consolidating the one or more first items and one or more second items into the first consolidation station prior to transferring the one or more first items from the first consolidation station into the carton, the one or more second items being transferred with the one or more first items into the carton” (‘tilt trays may provide objects’ para 0067, ‘any contents’ para 0046).
(Re claim 15) “transferring the one or more first items into a plurality of consolidation stations including transferring a first set of the one or more first items into the first consolidation station, rotating the carousel, and transferring a second set of the one or more first items into a second consolidation station” (36 figure 3, para 0067).
(Re claim 16) “transporting the carton to the transfer location at the carousel using a conveyor; and transporting the carton away from the carousel using the conveyor after the one or more first items have been transferred from the first consolidation station into the carton” (46, 60 figure 3, para 0047).
(Re claim 17) “assigning a first order and second order to be automatically picked at the carousel, the first order and the second order including the one or more first items; assigning the first consolidation station to the first order, the first consolidation station receiving items in the first order including a first set of the one or more first items; and assigning a second consolidation station to the second order, the second consolidation station receiving items in the second order including a second set of the one or more first items, the carousel including the first consolidation station and the second consolidation station” (figure 22F, para 0084).
(Re claim 18) “transferring the one or more first items from the first consolidation station into the carton is responsive to determining that all items in an order assigned to the first consolidation station have been consolidated into the first consolidation station” (‘objects’ para 0067).
(Re claim 19) “rotating the carousel includes rotating a motor coupled with the carousel until the first consolidation station is at one or more of the transfer location and a picking location” (‘drive’ para 0050). “transferring the one or more first items from the first consolidation station includes electronically actuating a transfer mechanism that causes the one or more first items to be moved from the first consolidation station into the carton” (‘tilt trays 36 may provide objects to destination bins 46’ para 0067).
Wagner discloses a system comprising:
(Re claim 20) “a plurality of consolidation stations around a carousel that moves one or more of the plurality of consolidation stations to a picking location, the one or more consolidation stations receiving one or more items at the picking location” (36, 38, 40 figure 3,4). “a first transportation mechanism adapted to bring one or more cartons to the picking location at the carousel” (60, 46, 38 figure 3,4). “a robotic arm adapted to move the one or more items from one or more mobile storage units into the one or more consolidation stations at the picking location” (32,36,40 figure 3). “a transfer mechanism at a transfer location and adapted to transfer the one or more items from the one or more consolidation stations into the one or more cartons” (‘tilt’ para 0046). “one or more processors that perform operations including: instructing the robotic arm to transfer the one or more items from the one or more mobile storage units into the one or more consolidation stations at the picking location” (‘computer system’ para 0093). “instructing a motor coupled with the carousel to rotate the carousel by a first distance to position the one or more consolidation stations at the transfer location” (‘drive’ para 0050). “instructing the transfer mechanism to transfer the one or more items from the one or more consolidation stations into the one or more cartons” (‘tilt trays 36 may provide objects to destination bins 46’ para 0067).
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(s) 3, 6, and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wagner in view of Suss et al. US 11,772,131.
Wagner discloses the system as rejected above.
(Re claim 3) Wagner does not disclose that each of the one or more consolidation stations include a bottom surface and three walls, the transfer mechanism interacting the consolidation station to move the one or more items into the one or more cartons.
Suss teaches that each of the one or more consolidation stations include a bottom surface and three walls, the transfer mechanism interacting the consolidation station to move the one or more items into the one or more cartons (7 figure 1, 3).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the system of Wagner to include that each of the one or more consolidation stations include a bottom surface and three walls, the transfer mechanism interacting the consolidation station to move the one or more items into the one or more cartons because it is an art recognized alternative and provides a means to reliably ensure no items are left on the surface.
(Re claim 6) Wagner does not disclose that the transfer mechanism includes a pushing mechanism that translates horizontally to push the one or more items horizontally off of the one or more consolidation stations.
Suss teaches that the transfer mechanism includes a pushing mechanism that translates horizontally to push the one or more items horizontally off of the one or more consolidation stations (8.2 figure 3).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the system of Wagner to include that the transfer mechanism includes a pushing mechanism that translates horizontally to push the one or more items horizontally off of the one or more consolidation stations because it is an art recognized alternative and it ensures items are pushed free of the consolidation stations through instead of getting stuck when relying only on tilting.
(Re claim 7) Wagner does not disclose that the transfer mechanism includes one or more doors at a bottom of the one or more consolidation stations, the transfer mechanism opening the one or more doors to cause the one or more items to fall into the one or more cartons.
Suss teaches that the transfer mechanism includes one or more doors at a bottom of the one or more consolidation stations, the transfer mechanism opening the one or more doors to cause the one or more items to fall into the one or more cartons (9, 10 figure 3).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the system of Wagner to include that the transfer mechanism includes one or more doors at a bottom of the one or more consolidation stations, the transfer mechanism opening the one or more doors to cause the one or more items to fall into the one or more cartons because it is an art recognized alternative and it prevents items from staying on the consolidation station by removing the floor from under the items instead of getting stuck when relying only on tilting.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 9,114,435, 6,762,382, and US 12,466,668 each disclose consolidation mechanism which transport articles to their destination containers below by way of trap doors, pushing mechanisms, and/or tilting mechanisms.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TIMOTHY R WAGGONER whose telephone number is (571)272-8204. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs 5am-330pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jacob Scott can be reached at 571-270-3415. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
TIMOTHY R. WAGGONER
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3655 B
/TIMOTHY R WAGGONER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3655
