DETAILED ACTION
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) 1-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Borderi (U.S. 2023/0303336).
In regards to claim 1. Borderi disclose A container-feeding device, for a feeding of containers, to a metering and/or filling device, the container-feeding device comprising (fig. 1):
at least one conveying unit (at least element 11 paragraph 132) and
at least one unloading unit (4),
wherein the at least one conveying unit comprises at least one conveying element (11 and 2) for conveying at least one receiving container (T) in which a plurality of containers (L) is arranged, wherein the at least one unloading unit (4) is configured for an at least partially, automatic unloading of the containers from the at least one receiving container at least by a rotational movement of at least one rotatably supported holding element (at least elements 31) of the at least one unloading unit (see at least paragraph 175, 176 fig. 5-7), which is configured for, holding the at least one receiving container, and/or at least by a movement of movably supported release element (41) of the at least one unloading unit, which is configured for a release of an unloading opening of the at least one receiving container (41 see at least fig. 6 and 7 and paragraphs ).
In regards to claim 2. Borderi further disclose The container-feeding device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one distributor unit (5), which is configured to divide up containers supplied via the at least one unloading unit (see at least fig. 7), wherein the at least one distributor unit comprises a plurality of chute elements (51) which are configured for a guidance of the containers (fig. 7 paragraph 188), or wherein the at least one distributor unit comprises at least one storage element (51), which is supported movably, and which in at least one position of the at least one storage element interacts with an output element of the at least one distributor unit (paragraph 129).
In regards to claim 3. Borderi further disclose The container-feeding device according to claim 1 further comprising at least one bearing unit (at least element 61), for a movable (see at least paragraphs 154, 167 and 168), support of the at least one unloading unit (see at least paragraph 154 and 168), along a movement axis (paragraph 154) of the at least one unloading unit that runs at least substantially parallel to a conveying surface of the at least one conveying element (see at least fig. 1 axis x), wherein the at least one unloading unit is supported by the at least one bearing unit such that it is movable at least from a loading position (fig. 5) of the at least one unloading unit to an unloading position (fig. 6) of the at least one unloading unit (see at least paragraphs 153-156 ).
In regards to claim 4. Borderi further disclose The container-feeding device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one lifting unit (see at least paragraph 136, 146, 157 and 166), which is configured to movably support the at least one unloading unit along a vertical direction or which comprises at least one movably supported lifting element configured to transfer the at least one receiving container from the at least one conveying element to the at least one holding element (see at least paragraphs 136, and 146, specifically the stacking structure).
In regards to claim 5. Borderi further disclose The container-feeding device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one distributor unit (5), which is configured to divide up containers supplied via the at least one unloading unit (see at least paragraph 129, 130, 171 and 174), wherein viewed along a container transport flow (fig. 3), the at least one unloading unit is arranged downstream of the at least one conveying unit and upstream of the at least one distributor unit (see at least fig. 3, 5,6 and 7).
In regards to claim 6. Borderi further disclose A production machine with at least one metering and/or filling device and with at least one container-feeding device according to claim 1 (at least fig. 1).
In regards to claim 7. Borderi further disclose A method for feeding containers, to a metering and/or filling device by a container-feeding device according to claim 1, Borderi disclose wherein in at least one method step, via the at least one unloading unit of the container-feeding device (see at least paragraph 92, 143), an at least partially automatic unloading of the containers from at least one receiving container is realized at least by a rotational movement (at least paragraphs 92, 143, and 153) of the at least one holding element of the at least one unloading unit that holds the at least one receiving container, and/or at least by a movement of the release element of the at least one unloading unit that in at least one state covers an unloading opening of the at least one receiving container (see at least figs. 5, 6, and 7).
In regards to claim 8. Borderi further disclose The method according to claim 7, wherein in at least one method step, the containers supplied via the; at least one unloading unit are divided up by at least one distributor unit (5) of the container-feeding device, wherein as a result of an unloading by the at least one unloading unit, the containers are fed to a plurality of chute elements (51) of the at least one distributor unit (5) which are configured for a guidance of the containers (fig. 7), or wherein after an unloading by the at least one unloading unit, the containers are fed to an output element (see at least paragraph 129) of the at least one distributor unit by at least one pivotably supported storage element of the at least one distributor unit (see at least fig. 2).
In regards to claim 9. Borderi further disclose The method according to claim 7 , wherein in at least one method step, the at least one unloading unit (4) is moved at least from a loading position (fig. 5) of the at least one unloading unit to an unloading position (fig. 7) of the at least one unloading unit by at least one bearing unit (61), along a movement axis (see at least paragraph 154) of the at least one unloading unit that runs at least substantially parallel to a conveying surface of the at least one conveying element (see fig. 1 axis x).
In regards to claim 10. Borderi further disclose The method according to claim 7, wherein in at least one method step, the containers are fed by means of a feed conveying unit (11), of the container- feeding device to a magazine unit (stack in unloading station 12) of the container-feeding device, which is pivoted by more than 45* relative to a horizontal plane (illustrated in fig. 5,6,7 a 180 degree rotation takes place).
In regards to claim 11. Borderi disclose A container-feeding device for a feeding of containers to a metering and/or filling device (fig. 1), the container-feeding device comprising: at least one conveying unit (11), and at least one distributor unit (5), wherein the at least one conveying unit comprises at least one conveying element (at least element 11 see at least paragraph 132, and 146) for conveying at least one receiving container (t) in which a plurality of containers (L) is arranged, wherein the at least one distributor unit is configured to divide up containers supplied via an unloading unit (12), wherein the at least one distributor unit comprises a plurality of chute elements (51) which are configured for a guidance of the containers (see at least fig. 7), or wherein the at least one distributor unit comprises at least one storage element, which is supported movably and which in at least one position of the at least one storage element interacts with an output element of the at least one distributor unit (see at least paragraphs 129, 130, 139, 171, 174).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LUCAS E A PALMER whose telephone number is (303)297-4779. The examiner can normally be reached Monday -Thursday 8am-6pm PT.
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/Lucas E. A. Palmer/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3731
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