DETAILED ACTION
The Office acknowledges receipt of the Applicant’s response and amendments filed 12 December 2025.
Claims 4-20 are pending.
A document was received on 12 December 2025 that appears to be the foreign priority documents. However, this document was not processed as a foreign priority document and as such, the case file does not currently have a document that is officially the certified priority documents (see communication of 21 August 2025). Applicant is advised to contact customer service (see Conclusion) to make sure this document is properly labeled as a priority document in the case file.
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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the following features must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s):
A longitudinal articulated attachment articulated about a longitudinal axis parallel to the direction of advancement (claims 8)
Longitudinal pins, parallel to the direction of conveyance of the first conveyor belt (claim 9).
No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities.
In the Abstract, the “at least one suction chamber” is cited as having the reference character “43”. This is understood to be a typographical error and should be 40.
In the Specification, p. 9 lines 9-10, it reads, “at least one suction chamber 43”. This is understood to be a typographical error and should be 40.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 7, 9-10 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.
Regarding claim 7, the claim reads, “the at least one base housing”. However, the claim is dependent on claim 1 which only recites “a base housing” and not “at least one base housing”. Terminology referring to specific claim elements should be consistently applied throughout the claims.
Regarding claims 9-10, these claims are deemed to be indefinite as they depend on claim 8 and in claim 8 the features set forth in claims 9-10 are only presented as being optional and not required.
By example, claim 8 presents two options for “a chain of flat links connected to one another by anchoring elements provided with a transverse articulated attachment”. The first option has a longitudinal articulated attachment, articulated about a longitudinal axis parallel to the direction of advancement. The second option provides a clearance in the transverse articulated attachment. These are deemed to be mutually exclusive configurations for the claimed invention. However, claim 9 puts forward two additional options that do appear to correlate with both of the claimed configurations of claim 8. As such, it cannot be ascertained what the metes and bounds of the limitations are because it could be interpreted that features from one exclusive configuration are being imported into another.
Claim 10 uses the language “at least 95% or at least 98%”. It is unclear what range is being utilized and to which of the cited configurations the range is being applied to.
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 (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 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.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 20, 4-7, 11-14 and 17-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Maenaka et al. (JP 10-245114 A; also cited in WIPO database as JP 1998245114) hereinafter referred to as Maenaka in view of Marti Sala et al. (US 2022/0306400 A1) hereinafter referred to as Marti Sala.
Regarding claim 20, Maenaka discloses an object conveying and orienting device (figs. 1-2) comprising:
a suction chamber housing (3) containing a suction chamber (inner chamber of 3) connected to at least one air suctioning device (4; paragraph 0006), the suction chamber housing comprising a base housing (left and right side walls of #3 as seen in fig. 5) with an elongated aperture (gap between side walls in the top portion of #3 as seen in fig. 5) and first and second accessories (left and right top walls of #3; As seen in fig. 4, the walls above and below aperture holes 30; see also #31 and 32) attached in succession (figs. 1 and 10-11) to the base housing occluding the elongated aperture,
each first and second accessories includes a guiding surface (upper surface of 3, 31 and/or 32 which guides belt surface 10; paragraphs 0006, 0012-0013; fig. 2) and/or equidistant guides (51, fig. 5; paragraphs 0012-0013) and at least one first opening (30) on the guiding surface and/or between the equidistant guides (fig. 5; first opening 30 is disposed vertically between the guides), the at least one first opening being in fluid communication with the suction chamber through the elongated aperture (paragraph 0013; fig. 4);
a first conveyor belt (1) forming a closed loop (fig. 2), the first conveyor belt including a conveying segment (#1 near #3a; near position depicted in figs. 5-7) guided over the guiding surfaces (upper surface of 3, 31 and/or 32 which guides belt surface 10; paragraphs 0006, 0012-0013; fig. 2; figs. 5-7) and/or between two equidistant guides (51) of the first and second accessories (figs. 5-7), the conveying segment of the first conveyor belt covering (paragraphs 0006, 0013) the at least one first opening (30) of the first and second accessories;
the first conveyor belt (1) includes multiple suction openings (11) attached thereto which are in fluid communication with the suction chamber through the at least one first opening (30) of the first and second accessories when the suction openings are on the conveying segment (paragraphs 0006, 0012, 0013, 0018);
on the first accessory (left top wall of #3; As seen in fig. 4, the wall above aperture holes 30; see also #31) the guiding surface (upper surface of 3, 31 and/or 32 which guides belt surface 10; paragraphs 0006, 0012-0013; fig. 2) and/or a geometric surface defined between the two equidistant guides (51) is a non-twisted surface (fig. 5; surface near left end of 3 as seen in fig. 2; see also fig. 10) or a flat surface; and
on the second accessory (right top wall of #3; As seen in fig. 4, the wall below aperture holes 30; see also 32) the guiding surface (upper surface of 3, 31 and/or 32 which guides belt surface 10; paragraphs 0006, 0012-0013; fig. 2) and/or a geometric surface defined between the two equidistant guides (51) is a twisted surface (figs. 6-7; surface near 3b seen in fig. 2; see also fig. 11, ), defining an object orienting segment of the conveying segment of the first conveyor belt.
Maenaka discloses multiple suction openings (11) on the front face of the first conveyor belt in fluid communication with the suction chamber through the at least one first opening of the first and second accessories when the suction openings are on the conveying segment, but fails to disclose the first conveyor belt includes multiple suction cups attached thereto which are in fluid communication with the suction chamber through the at least one first opening of the first and second accessories when the suction cups are on the conveying segment.
However, Marti Sala teaches multiple suction cups (paragraph 0077 – “at least one suction nozzle defining a seat surface P”) on the front face of the first conveyor belt (10), each suction cup being in fluid communication (fig. 11; paragraphs 0077-0079) with the at least one suction chamber (31) through openings (20) of the first conveyor belt, facing the at least one first opening (paragraph 0090) along the conveying segment, causing suction in each suction cup along the conveying segment (paragraphs 0077-0079, 0089-0092).
Maenaka (paragraph 0018) suggests using different types of suction arrangements to convey objects. Given the teachings of Marti Sala, it would have been obvious the one of ordinary skill in the art before the time of effective filing to modify the retaining device of Maenaka to make use of suction cups as in Marti Sala. Doing so would allow the apparatus to grasp objects that might not lay flat on a belt or otherwise grasp objects at more preferred locations so as to hold them more firmly.
Regarding claim 4, Maenaka discloses wherein the first conveyor belt (1, 10) slides in a guided manner, along a return segment (near #2; fig. 2; alternatively segment over and under 3a) connecting the two ends of the conveying segment, wherein at least a portion of the return segment slides on a guide surface (surface of 3a) or between two equidistant guides (51) integrated in a third accessory (5) fixed to the base housing (left and right side walls of #3 as seen in fig. 5) occluding a portion of the aperture (gap between side walls in the top portion of #3 as seen in fig. 5) thereof, the third accessory not including the at least one first opening (30) preventing the fluid communication with the suction chamber.
Regarding claim 5, Maenaka discloses wherein the base housing (left and right side walls of #3 as seen in fig. 5) includes two opposing and facing side walls spaced apart by a distance defining between the suction chamber (inner chamber of 3), wherein the distance between the edges of the two side walls defines the aperture (gap between side walls in the top portion of #3 as seen in fig. 5), and wherein the two side walls are connected through the first and second accessories (left and right top walls of #3; As seen in fig. 4, the walls above and below aperture holes 30; see also #31 and 32).
Regarding claim 6, Maenaka discloses wherein the base housing (left and right side walls of #3 as seen in fig. 5) includes two opposing and facing side walls spaced apart by a distance defining between them the suction chamber (inner chamber of 3), wherein the distance between the edges of the two side walls defines the aperture (gap between side walls in the top portion of #3 as seen in fig. 5).
Regarding claim 7, Maenaka discloses wherein the at least one base housing (left and right side walls of #3 as seen in fig. 5) is made up of a succession of base housing segments connected to one another (figs. 10-11; paragraphs 0014-0015), wherein the segments are selected from: straight segments defining the straight segments of the conveying segment, curved segments defining the curved segments of the conveying segment, and/or inclined segments defining the inclined segments of the conveying segment (figs. 1, 10 and 11; paragraphs 0014-0015).
Regarding claim 11, Maenaka as modified by Marti Sala discloses wherein each suction cup (Marti Sala - paragraph 0077 – “at least one suction nozzle defining a seat surface P”) protrudes from the front face of the first conveyor belt (Maenaka - 1, 10; Marti Sala - 10) lacking a housing around same (Marti Sala – fig. 11), each suction cup defining an exposed and accessible contact surface (Marti Sala - P) on which contact surface the objects to be held are deposited (Marti Sala – fig. 11), allowing objects of different sizes to be deposited on the contact surface without requiring adaptations of the suction cups (Marti Sala – paragraphs 0002, 0032 and 0035).
Regarding claim 12, Maenaka as modified by Marti Sala discloses wherein the object orienting segment (Maenaka - #1 3b in fig. 2; near position depicted in figs. 5-8) includes a first twisted segment (Maenaka – near fig. 6) twisted in a first direction, from a first orientation (Maenaka – near figs. 5-6) to a second orientation (Maenaka – near fig. 7), or from a first orientation wherein the suction cups (Marti Sala - paragraph 0077 – “at least one suction nozzle defining a seat surface P”) are facing upwards (Maenaka – near figs. 5-6) to hold objects in a horizontal orientation to a the second orientation (Maenaka – near fig. 7) wherein the suction cups are facing sideways to hold objects in a vertical orientation, or
the object orienting segment includes a first twisted segment (Maenaka – near fig. 6) twisted in a first direction, from a first orientation (Maenaka – near fig. 5) to a second orientation (Maenaka – near fig. 7), or from a first orientation wherein the suction cups are facing upwards to hold objects in a horizontal orientation to a second orientation wherein the suction cups are facing sideways to hold objects in a vertical orientation, and also includes a first intermediate segment (Maenaka – near fig. 7) maintaining the second orientation, located after the first twisted segment.
Regarding claim 13, Maenaka discloses wherein the end of the first twisted segment (3b, alternatively 3b and 3c), or the first intermediate segment (3c), where the objects are held in the second orientation (fig. 7 or fig. 8 or fig. 9), but doesn’t disclose associations with other stations.
However, Marti Sala discloses an object conveying and orienting device that is associated with one or several of the following stations: a labelling station (paragraph 0018) comprising a label applicator configured to be aligned with the objects for printing or adhering labels on the objects; and/or a filling station (paragraph 0018) including feed nozzles configured to be positioned above and aligned with a filling opening of the objects, held in an upright position, for pouring a product within the filling opening filling the objects; and/or a sealing station comprising a seal applicator configured to be positioned above and aligned with a filling opening of the objects, held in an upright position, for sealing the filling opening of the objects with a complementary cap; and/or a cleaning station comprising washing nozzles oriented towards the objects configured to project a cleaning fluid towards the exterior of the objects; and/or an inner cleaning station comprising inner washing nozzles configured to be positioned below and aligned with a filling opening of the objects, held in an inverted position, configured to project a cleaning fluid towards the interior of the objects, and/or a sterilizing station comprising a heat applicator configured to sterilize the objects with heat.
Given the teachings of Marti Sala, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time of effective filing to associate the additional stations of Marti Sala with the twisted segment or intermediate segments of Maenaka. It was well known in the art of conveyors to make use of them to transport objects around to various stations for further processing ahead of shipping. Doing so saves the manual labor of having to move around the objects by hand.
Wherein Marti Sala does not specifically disclose a label applicator configured to be aligned with the objects for printing or adhering labels on the objects or feed nozzles configured to be positioned above and aligned with a filling opening of the objects, held in an upright position, for pouring a product within the filling opening filling the objects, the Office previously took official notice 12 August 2025 that labeling stations and filling stations were notoriously well-known before the time of effective filing for having such features. A labeling station having a label applicator or a filling station having a nozzle are commonplace features of those types of inventions such that they need them in order to perform their basic functions. Doing so would allow a label to be fastened to the transported object or the transported object to be filled with a desired amount of product. The common knowledge or well-known in the art statement is taken to be admitted prior art because applicant failed to traverse the examiner’s assertion of official notice (MPEP 2144.03 C).
Regarding claim 14, Maenaka discloses wherein the object orienting segment includes, in succession after the first twisted segment or after the first intermediate segment:
a second twisted segment twisted in a second direction, from the second orientation to the first orientation; or
a third twisted segment twisted in the second direction, from the first orientation to a third orientation inverted in regards the second orientation (figs. 1-2 and 8-9), or
a second twisted segment twisted in a second direction, from the second orientation to the first orientation; followed by a third twisted segment twisted in the second direction, from the first orientation to a third orientation inverted in regards the second orientation; or
a second twisted segment twisted in a second direction, from the second orientation to the first orientation; followed by a second intermediate segment maintaining the first orientation, followed by a third twisted segment twisted in the second direction, from the first orientation to a third orientation inverted in regards the second orientation; or
a third twisted segment twisted in the second direction, from the first orientation to a third orientation inverted in regards the second orientation, followed by a third intermediate segment maintaining the third orientation; or a second twisted segment twisted in a second direction, from the second orientation to the first orientation; followed by a third twisted segment twisted in the second direction, from the first orientation to a third orientation inverted in regards the second orientation, followed by a third intermediate segment maintaining the third orientation: or a second twisted segment twisted in a second direction, from the second orientation to the first orientation; followed by a second intermediate segment maintaining the first orientation. followed by a third twisted segment twisted in the second direction, from the first orientation to a third orientation inverted in regards the second orientation followed by a third intermediate segment maintaining the third orientation.
Regarding claim 17, Maenaka discloses an initial portion of the conveying segment (#1 near #3a; near position depicted in figs. 5-7), but does not disclose wherein an initial portion of the conveying segment is associated with an object collection station including at least one object feeder configured to deliver one object to each suction cup with a predefined orientation or including at least one object feeder comprising one robotic arm associated with a viewing camera and with a visual recognition system, the robotic arm being configured to collect one or more objects in an initial orientation, or one or more objects in an initial orientation from a collection band, and deliver the objects to one of the suction cups with a predefined orientation.
However, Marti Sala teaches disclose wherein an initial portion (top of 10 near 2 and 3 in fig. 9) of the conveying segment is associated with an object collection station (2 and/or 3) including at least one object feeder (2 and/or 3) configured to deliver one object (“bottle”; paragraphs 0074-0075) to each suction cup with a predefined orientation or including at least one object feeder comprising one robotic arm (3) associated with a viewing camera (8) and with a visual recognition system, the robotic arm being configured to collect one or more objects in an initial orientation (paragraphs 0015-0016, 0074), or one or more objects in an initial orientation from a collection band (2), and deliver the objects to one of the suction cups with a predefined orientation.
Given the teachings of Marti Sala, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time of effective filing to modify the invention of Maenaka to incorporate an object collection station. Given that Maenaka is concerned with the problem of transferring objects on a belt, Marti Sala provides a solution to the problem of placing the objects on the belt in an initial orientation. Doing so would allow the objects to be consistently transported in a desired manner and orientation.
Regarding claim 18, Maenaka as modified by Marti Sala discloses wherein the first conveyor belt (Maenaka - 1, 10; Marti Sala - 10) is a band made of a flexible (Maenaka - figs. 1-2) and airproof material (Maenaka - paragraphs 0017-0018 – The vacuum acts through the holes 11 and not the belt itself and therefore the belt material is deemed airproof), provided with through holes coinciding (Maenaka - 11; Marti Sala - 20) with the suction cups (Marti Sala - paragraph 0077 – “at least one suction nozzle defining a seat surface P”).
Regarding claim 19, Maenaka discloses wherein the end of the third twisted segment (near 3c and fig. 9), or the third intermediate segment (near 3c and fig. 9), where the objects are held in the third orientation (fig. 9), but doesn’t disclose associations with other stations.
However, Marti Sala discloses an object conveying and orienting device that is associated with one or several of the following stations: a labelling station (paragraph 0018) comprising a label applicator configured to be aligned with the objects for printing or adhering labels on the objects; a filling station (paragraph 0018) including feed nozzles configured to be positioned above and aligned with a filling opening of the objects, held in an upright position, for pouring a product within the filling opening filling the objects, and optionally the feed nozzles being further configured to be coupled to and/or inserted into the filling opening; a sealing station comprising a seal applicator configured to be positioned above and aligned with a filling opening of the objects, held in an upright position, for sealing the filling opening of the objects with a complementary lid or a cap; a cleaning station comprising washing nozzles oriented towards the objects configured for projecting a cleaning fluid towards the exterior of the objects; an inner cleaning station comprising inner washing nozzles configured to be positioned below and aligned with a filling opening of the objects, held in an inverted position, for projecting a cleaning fluid towards the interior of the objects, and optionally the inner washing nozzles being further configured to be inserted into the objects through the filling opening; a sterilizing station comprising a heat applicator configured for sterilizing the objects with heat; a delivery station coinciding with the end of the conveying segment, causing the release and delivery of the objects in the second orientation.
Given the teachings of Marti Sala, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time of effective filing to associate the additional stations of Marti Sala with the twisted segment or intermediate segments of Maenaka. It was well known in the art of conveyors to make use of them to transport objects around to various stations for further processing ahead of shipping. Doing so saves the manual labor of having to move around the objects by hand.
Wherein Marti Sala does not specifically disclose a label applicator configured to be aligned with the objects for printing or adhering labels on the objects or feed nozzles configured to be positioned above and aligned with a filling opening of the objects, held in an upright position, for pouring a product within the filling opening filling the objects, the Office takes official notice that labeling stations and filling stations were notoriously well-known before the time of effective filing for having such features. A labeling station having a label applicator or a filling station having a nozzle are commonplace features of those types of inventions such that they need them in order to perform their basic functions. Doing so would allow a label to be fastened to the transported object or the transported object to be filled with a desired amount of product.
Claim(s) 8-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Maenaka (JP 10-245114 A; also cited in WIPO database as JP 1998245114) in view of Marti Sala (US 2022/0306400 A1) in view of Temple (US 3,170,581).
Regarding claim 8, Maenaka as modified by Marti Sala discloses the first conveyor belt (Maenaka - 1, 10; Marti Sala - 10), but fails to disclose a chain of flat links connected to one another by anchoring elements provided with a transverse articulated attachment, articulated about an axis transverse to the direction of advancement of the first conveyor belt, and provided with a longitudinal articulated attachment, articulated about a longitudinal axis parallel to the direction of advancement, or a chain of flat links connected to one another by anchoring elements provided with a transverse articulated attachment, articulated about an axis transverse to the direction of advancement of the first conveyor belt, and provided with a clearance in the transverse articulated attachment selected to act, within a range of movements, as a longitudinal articulated attachment articulated about a longitudinal axis parallel to the direction of advancement, or as a longitudinal articulated attachment articulated about a longitudinal axis parallel to the direction of advancement configured to provide the first conveyor belt with a freedom of twisting movement of at least 5° between the successive links.
However, Temple (figs. 2-4) teaches a chain of flat links (58) connected to one another by anchoring elements (pins shown in fig. 4 holding chain links 57 and 60 together) provided with a transverse articulated attachment (pins), articulated about an axis (into the page in fig. 4) transverse to the direction of advancement (into the page fig. 2) of the first conveyor belt (55), and provided with a longitudinal articulated attachment (59 or 60), articulated about a longitudinal axis (left to right in fig. 3) parallel to the direction of advancement, or a chain of flat links connected to one another by anchoring elements provided with a transverse articulated attachment, articulated about an axis transverse to the direction of advancement of the first conveyor belt, and provided with a clearance in the transverse articulated attachment selected to act, within a range of movements, as a longitudinal articulated attachment articulated about a longitudinal axis parallel to the direction of advancement, or as a longitudinal articulated attachment articulated about a longitudinal axis parallel to the direction of advancement configured to provide the first conveyor belt with a freedom of twisting movement of at least 5° between the successive links.
Given the teachings of Temple, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time of effective filing to modify the conveyor belt of Maenaka as modified by Marti Sala such that it was comprised of a chain of flat links as in Temple. Doing so would allow the belt to be sized to a desired length and could allow for the belt to be pulled along its path via sprockets.
Regarding claim 9, Maenaka as modified by Marti Sala and Temple discloses wherein the transverse articulated attachment (Temple - pins shown in fig. 4 holding chain links 57 and 60 together) is provided by transverse pins, perpendicular to the direction of advancement of the first conveyor belt (Temple - fig. 4), inserted into housings of two consecutive links (Temple - 57, 60; or 58) of the first conveyor belt (Temple - 55) or of two consecutive links (Temple - 57, 60) of a drive chain on which the links (Temple - 58) are fixed, and wherein the longitudinal articulated attachment is provided by: the pins and the corresponding housings including the mentioned selected clearance (Temple - figs. 2 and 9); or longitudinal pins, parallel to the direction of conveyance of the first conveyor belt, inserted into housings of two consecutive links of the first conveyor belt or of two consecutive links (Temple - 57, 60) of the drive chain.
Regarding claim 10, Maenaka as modified by Marti Sala and Temple discloses wherein the chain of flat links (Temple - 58) covers, excluding the openings in communication with the suction cups (Marti Sala – paragraphs 0077; Temple - 63), at least 95% or at least 98% of the mentioned at least a first opening (Maenaka - 30) in communication with the suction chamber (Maenaka - 3; Temple – 54).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 15-16 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12 December 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The drawings submitted 12 December 2025 address the limitations involving the various stations claimed. Limitations cited in claims 8 and 9 are still not deemed to be shown.
The Applicant’s arguments with regards to new independent claim 20 are directed toward the prior art not disclosing a “modular construction”. However, the claims are not deemed to require a modular construction. While there are “accessories” that are “attached” to one another claimed, this is not deemed to preclude connected and/or integral structures of the prior art from reading on those limitations. Additionally, Maenaka does have modular construction as seen in figs. 1 and 10-11 which shows various modules attached to one another in sequence to effect the twisting of the conveyor belt. For the reasons articulated in the office action above, the cited prior art is deemed to read on the limitations as written.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDREW M TECCO whose telephone number is (571)270-3694. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 11a-7p.
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/ANDREW M TECCO/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3731