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
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 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) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Uemura et al. US 20150042026 A1 (herein Uemura).
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Uemura Figure 7
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Uemura Figure 3C
Please note that elements 10 and 20 use duplicate element numbers in Uemura for similar parts. As such this rejection referrers to duplicated element numbers on the S2 side as depicted in figure 3C as “of 20” and those portions on the S1 side as depicted in figure 3C as “of 10.”
Regarding claim 1 Uemura teaches a mechanical clamping system (101) configured to hold an object (W), the mechanical clamping system (101) comprising: a bottom clamp bar (20) with a top surface (17a of 20) configured to interface with the object (W) to be held; a top clamp bar (10) with a bottom surface (17a of 10) configured to interface with the object (W) to be held; a fastening member (50) that passes through a first hole (the opening formed by 13a and 14 in 10) in the top clamp bar (10) and a second hole (the opening formed by 13a and 14 in 20) in the bottom clamp bar (20); a pivoting receiving member (14 of 20) coupled to a portion of the fastening member (50) below the top surface (17a of 20) of the bottom clamp bar (20); and a pivoting pin (45 of 20) arranged below the top surface (17a of 20) of the bottom clamp bar (20) and engaged with a side of the pivoting receiving member (14 of 20) to form a pivot point enabling the fastening member (101) to pivot about the pivot point.
Regarding claim 2, Uemura teaches the pivoting receiving member (14 of 20) includes a curved wall (interior wall of 14a of 20) and an end of the pivoting pin (45 of 20) engages with the curved wall (interior wall of 14a of 20) to form the pivot point.
Regarding claim 3, Uemura teaches a surface (surface of 14 of 20 further from 13) of the pivoting receiving member (14 of 20) includes an indentation (14a of 20) and an end of the pivoting pin (45 of 20) engages with the indentation (14a of 20) to form the pivot point.
Regarding claim 4, Uemura teaches the pivoting pin (45 of 20) is coupled (coupled via 14 of 20) to a bottom surface (13a of 20) of the bottom clamp bar (20).
Regarding claim 5, Uemura teaches the pivoting pin (45 of 20) at least partially rests in an indentation (13a of 20 is indented to form the angle θ, and the indention extends back to 45 of 20) of the bottom surface (13a of 20) of the bottom clamp bar (20).
Regarding claim 6, Uemura teaches a bottom surface (13a of 20) of the bottom clamp bar (20) includes an indentation (13a of 20 is indented to form the angle θ, and the indention extends back to 14 of 20) shaped to receive at least a portion of the pivoting receiving member (14 of 20).
Regarding claim 7, Uemura teaches the top clamp bar (10) includes a rounded edge (front edge of 15 of 10) configured to interface with the object (W) to be held.
Regarding claim 8, Uemura teaches a second pivot pin (45 of 10) coupled to a rear portion of the bottom surface (13a of 10) of the top clamp bar (10), the second pivot pin (45 of 10) configured to form a second pivot point for the top clamp bar (10).
Regarding claim 9, Uemura teaches the bottom surface (13a of 10) of the top clamp bar (10) includes an indentation (13a of 10 is indented to form the angle θ, and the indention extends back to 45 of 10) shaped to receive at least a portion of the second pivot pin (45 of 10).
Regarding claim 10, Uemura teaches a spring (30 of 20) coupled to the top clamp bar (10, note that 30 of 20 is coupled to 10 via 50) and the bottom clamp bar (20), the spring (30 of 10) applying a force to rotate the fastening member (101) about the pivot point.
Regarding claim 11, Uemura teaches a mechanical clamping system (101) configured to hold an object (W), the mechanical clamping system comprising (101): a bottom clamp bar (20) with a top surface (17a of 20) configured to interface with the object (W) to be held; top clamp bars (10, note that 101 includes multiple of assembly 1, which contains 10) with bottom surfaces (17a of 10) configured to interface with the object (W) to be held; fastening members (40) that pass through first holes (the opening formed by 13a and 14 in 10) in the top clamp bars (10) and second holes (the opening formed by 13a and 14 in 20) in the bottom clamp bar (20); pivoting receiving members (14) coupled to portions of the fastening members (42) below the top surface (17a of 20) of the bottom clamp bar (20); and pivoting pins (45 of 20) arranged below the top surface (17a of 20) of the bottom clamp bar (20) and engaged with sides of the pivoting receiving members (14) to form pivot points enabling the fastening members (42to pivot about the pivot points.
Regarding claim 12, Uemura teaches the pivot axes of the pivot points are parallel to each other (see figure 8C, note that elements 1 are parallel to each other, as such subelement 45 of 20 would be parallel making the pivot axes parallel).
Regarding claim 13, Uemura teaches the pivot axes of the pivot points are aligned with each other (see figure 8C, note that elements 1 are parallel to each other, as such subelement 45 of 20 would be parallel making the pivot axes aligned).
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Uemura Figure 3B, annotated
Regarding claim 14, Uemura teaches a first pivoting pin (one instance of 45 of 20) of the pivoting pins (45 of 20) includes (a) a first end (see annotated figure 3B) engaged with a side of a first pivoting receiving member (see annotated figure 3B) of the pivoting receiving members (14 of 20) and (b) a second end (see annotated figure 3B) engaged with a side of a second pivoting receiving member (see annotated figure 3B) of the pivoting receiving members (14 of 20), the second pivoting receiving member (see annotated figure 3B) being different than the first pivoting receiving member (see annotated figure 3B).
Regarding claim 15, Uemura teaches the pivoting receiving members (14 of 20) include curved walls (interior walls of 14a of 20) and ends of the pivoting pins (45 of 20) engage with the curved walls (interior walls of 14a of 20) to form the pivot points.
Regarding claim 16, Uemura teaches surfaces (surfaces of 14 of 20 further from 13) of the pivoting receiving members (14 of 20) include indentations (14a of 20) and ends of the pivoting pins (45 of 20) engage with the indentations (14a of 20) to form the pivot points.
Regarding claim 17, Uemura teaches the pivoting pins (45 of 20) are coupled (45 of 20 is coupled to 13a of 20 via 14 of 20) to bottom surfaces (13a of 20) of the bottom clamp bar (20).
Regarding claim 18, Uemura teaches the pivoting pins (45 of 20) at least partially rest in indentations (13a of 20 is indented to form the angle θ, and the indention extends back to 45 of 20) of the bottom surface (13a of 20) of the bottom clamp bar (20).
Regarding claim 19, Uemura teaches a bottom surface (13a of 20) of the bottom clamp bar (20) includes indentations (13a of 20 is indented to form the angle θ, and the indention extends back to 14 of 20) shaped to receive at least portions of the pivoting receiving members (14 of 20).
Regarding claim 20, Uemura teaches the top clamp bars (10) include rounded edges (front edges of 15 of 10) configured to interface with the object (W) to be held.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Caldwell US 0682785 A as it relates to a clamping system with a top bar, bottom bar, and fasting member.
Logan US 3252709 A as it relates to a clamping system with a top bar, bottom bar, and pivoting fasting member.
Stevens US 2970833 as it relates to a clamping system with a top bar, bottom bar, and pivoting fasting members.
Lallier US 10487511 B2 as it relates to a clamping system with a top bar, bottom bar, and fasting members.
Warren US 5960689 A as it relates to a clamping system with a top bar, bottom bar, and fasting member with pivot pins.
Loster US 4434978 A as it relates to a clamping system with a top bar, bottom bar, and fasting member with a pivot pin.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GRANT D HAY whose telephone number is (571)272-9510. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:30am-3:30pm EST.
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/G.D.H./Examiner, Art Unit 3723
/MONICA S CARTER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3723
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