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.
(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.
Claims 1-2 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Amemiya (US 2025/0153347).
Regarding Claim 1, Amemiya discloses a robot (100) comprising:
A first arm (130).
A second arm (140) rotatably coupled to the first arm (see Fig. 2).
A motor (3) housed in the first arm (see Fig. 2) and including a rotation shaft (8) configured to rotate around a first axial center (see Fig. 2, showing a vertical dashed line).
A first gear (15) coupled to the rotation shaft (see Fig. 2) and configured to rotate around the first axial center (D) (see Fig. 2).
A second gear (16) configured to rotate, in conjunction with the first gear, around a second axial center (C) intersecting the first axial center (see Fig. 2).
A decelerator (4) configured to decelerate rotation of an input shaft (11) (see [0022] disclosing element 4 is a reducer and would perform this function) and transmit the decelerated rotation to an output shaft (12), the decelerator including the input shaft configured to rotate around the second axial center in conjunction with the second gear (see Fig. 2), and the output shaft coupled to the second arm (see Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 2, Amemiya further discloses the robot according to claim 1, further comprising a housing (5) rotatably supporting the second gear (see Fig. 2, element 5 is the gearbox, and accordingly the housing of it is rotatably supporting the second gear), and to which the motor is coupled (see Fig. 2), wherein the housing is configured to be attachable to and detachable from the first arm (see Figs. 2 and 3, showing that the housing would be capable of being attached and detached from the first arm).
Regarding Claim 10, Amemiya discloses a method for manufacturing a robot (100) including a first arm (130), and a second arm (140) rotatably coupled to the first arm (see Fig. 2), the method comprising:
Coupling a second gear (16) to an input shaft (11) of a decelerator (4) to cause the second gear and the input shaft to rotate around a second axial center (C) (see Fig. 2; see also [0022]).
The second gear being configured to rotate in conjunction with a first gear (15) configured to rotate around a first axial center (D) of a motor (3) housed in the first arm (see Fig. 2), the first gear being coupled to a rotation shaft (8) configured to rotate around the first axial center (see Fig. 2).
The decelerator being configured to decelerate rotation of the input shaft and transmit the decelerated rotation to an output shaft (12) (see [0022]), the decelerator including the input shaft configured to rotate, in conjunction with the second gear, around the second axial center intersecting the first axial center (see Fig. 2), and the output shaft coupled to the second arm (see Fig. 2).
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.
The factual inquiries 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 3-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Amemiya (US 2025/0153347) in view of Nihei et al. (US 2005/0221941).
Regarding Claim 3, Amemiya does not disclose how the second gear and the input shaft are connected for the robot according to claim 2.
However, Nihei teaches in a robot, using splines (see [0034], and accordingly a first and second uneven portions) to attach two rotational elements (5, 17) that rotate with one another in a decelerator (see Fig. 1).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a splined coupling between the second gear and the input shaft for the robot disclosed in Amemiya as taught in Nihei to provide a well-known and reliable connection between two components that are to rotate together, to ensure that the gear and the input shaft do not slip relative to one another when high torques are applied.
In the resulting Combination it necessarily follows: “one of the second gear and the input shaft includes a shaft portion including a first uneven portion provided on an outer periphery of the shaft portion and extending along the second axial center, and another one of the second gear and the input shaft different from the one of the second gear and the input shaft, includes a hole portion into which the shaft portion is inserted, the hole portion including a second uneven portion provided on an inner periphery of the hole portion, the second uneven portion extending along the second axial center and being fitted with the first uneven portion.”
Regarding Claim 4, the Combination further suggests the robot according to claim 3,
Wherein the shaft portion includes, at the first uneven portion (i.e. first set of splines), a space (i.e. the circumferential gaps between each individual spline) in which, in a state of the second gear and the input shaft being coupled to each other, the second uneven portion is movable toward a base end side of the shaft portion along a direction of the second axial center (this would occur by the second set of splines fitting into the gaps between the first set of splines, and the first set of splines fitting into the gaps between the second set of splines).
The hole portion includes, at the second uneven portion (i.e. the second set of splines), a space (i.e. the circumferential gaps between each individual spline) in which, in the state of the second gear and the input shaft being coupled to each other, the first uneven portion is movable toward a distal end side of the shaft portion along the direction of the second axial center (this would occur by the second set of splines fitting into the gaps between the first set of splines, and the first set of splines fitting into the gaps between the second set of splines).
Regarding Claim 5, Amemiya further discloses the robot according to claim 3,
Wherein the second gear includes a first hollow portion extending along the second axial center (see Fig. 2), the input shaft includes a second hollow portion extending along the second axial center (see Fig. 2), and the first hollow portion and the second hollow portion are communicated with each other in the direction of the second axial center in the state of the second gear and the input shaft being coupled to each other (see Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 6, Amemiya further discloses the robot according to claim 5, further comprising:
A tubular member (26) inserted inside the first hollow portion and the second hollow portion communicated with each other in the direction of the second axial center (see Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 7, Amemiya further discloses the robot according to claim 6, wherein the tubular member is configured to be attachable to and detachable from the housing (see Fig. 2, showing that the tubular member is capable of be attached and detached through seal 27).
Claims 8-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Amemiya (US 2025/0153347) in view of Chen et al. (US 8,210,069).
Regarding Claim 8, Amemiya further discloses the robot according to claim 2, wherein the first arm includes an opening (131), and a cover (132) configured to close the opening (see Fig. 2).
Amemiya does not disclose a dimension of the opening in a direction of the first axial center being greater than a sum of a dimension of the housing in the direction of the first axial center and a dimension of the motor, coupled to the housing, in the direction of the first axial center.
However Chen teaches in a robot having an arm (10) with an opening (see Fig. 1B, showing a large opening in the arm running almost the entire length of the robot that allows removal of the motor 21 and the decelerator (24) through the opening in the first axial center direction (see Figs. 2A and 2B).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the size of the opening for the robot disclosed in Amemiya with a larger opening as taught in Chen to provide easier access to the internal workings of the robot, allowing for quicker assembly and maintenance of the robot.
In the resulting Combination it necessarily follows that “a dimension of the opening in a direction of the first axial center being greater than a sum of a dimension of the housing in the direction of the first axial center and a dimension of the motor, coupled to the housing, in the direction of the first axial center.”
Regarding Claim 9, the Combination further suggests the robot according to claim 8, wherein the opening is provided such that, in a state of the second gear and the input shaft being coupled to each other, the housing and an entirety of the motor coupled to the housing are exposed on a side opposite to the decelerator in the direction of the second axial center (see Amemiya Fig. 2 and Chen Figs. 2A and 2B, since the entire side of arm is accessible in Chen, the motor and housing would be entirely exposed).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GREGORY WEBER whose telephone number is (571)272-3307. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM - 5PM M-F.
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/GREGORY ROBERT WEBER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3618