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 Objections
Claims 1-12 objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 1 line 14, “sub rack” should be “sub-rack”, and Claim 7 line 3, “rack .” should be “rack.”. Appropriate correction is required.
Dependent Claims 2-12 are also objected to due to their dependency on claim 1.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application filed in The United Kingdom of Great Britan and Northern Ireland on January 3rd, 2023. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of the GB 2400060.6 application as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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) 1-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ryland (US 2021/0053771 A1) in view of Yang et al (US 2012/0260752 A1, hereafter Yang) and Junichi et al. (JP 2019/063930 A, hereafter Junichi).
Regarding Claim 1, Ryland discloses a battery plate handling apparatus comprising:
a horizontal elongating rack (Figure 3: 12); and
gripper modules (Figure 3: gripper unit 20a-f) mounted on the rack so as to be movable along the rack (Paragraph 60: gripper units can move along the rack), wherein each gripper module comprises a gripper unit carrier mounted on the rack (Figures 1 and 2: the gripper mount is pinon 24 a and the structure that holds the gripper units to the rack seen in Figure 2) and a gripper unit mounted (Figures 1 and 2: the gripper unit is the actuators 30 a-f and grippers 32 a-f) on the gripper unit carrier for gripping groups of battery plates;
Ryland also discloses using servo motors, racks, and pinions (Figures 1 and 2: servo motors 22 a-f, rack 12, pinions 24 a-f) for the purpose of moving respective components along the rack (Paragraph 60).
Ryland does not disclose the gripper modules comprise at least two adjacent configurable modules each comprising a gripper unit sub-mounting pivotally mounted on a respective carrier so as to pivot around a vertical axis spaced to one side of the rack, the gripper unit sub-mounting comprising a horizontal sub-rack on which a pair of gripper units are mounted such that the horizontal separation between the gripper units on the sub-rack can be varied, and the horizontal sub rack of one of the sub-mountings is higher than the horizontal sub-rack of the other sub-mounting.
Yang discloses a picker assembly horizontal sub-rail on which a pair of gripper units are mounted such that the horizontal separation between the gripper units on the sub-rail can be varied, and the horizontal sub rail of one of the sub-mountings is higher than the horizontal sub-rail of the other sub-mounting (Figures 3A and 3B: pickers 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70, rails 84, 86, 88, belts 54, 68, 58). This is done for the purpose of providing selective variability in the spacing of the pickers (Paragraph 12).
Junichi discloses a handling apparatus comprising a gripper unit sub-mounting pivotally mounted on a respective carrier so as to pivot around a vertical axis spaced to one side of the rack
(Figures 1 and 3: robotic arm 5, guide rail 3, transport loader 2, wrist 55 is the gripper unit sub-mounting, Paragraph 18: the robotic arm has six degrees of freedom and allows the gripper unit sub-mounting to pivot around a vertical axis spaced to one side of the rack). The robotic arm is used for the purpose of moving work pieces to any position and posture (Paragraph 18).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to modify the invention of Ryland by modifying some of the gripper modules of Ryland by modifying the gripper unit with a robotic arm with six degrees of freedom as disclosed by Junichi for the purpose of moving work pieces to any position and posture, modifying the gripper module to have multiple grippers mounted at different heights as disclosed by Yang for the purpose of providing selective variability in the spacing of the grippers, and using servo motors, racks, and pinions to move the individual pickers as disclosed by Ryland for the purpose of moving individual pickers along the rack.
Regarding Claim 2, Ryland in view of Yang and Junichi disclose the limitations of claim 1. The combination as applied in claim 1 discloses at least one fixed gripper module on the rack (Ryland Figure 3: gripper unit 20a-f would be fixed gripper modules on a rack 12) on either side of the configurable modules (Ryland Figure 3: shows using multiple gripper modules side by side, Paragraph 9: the plurality of units can be split into different arrays and the units of each array can be interleaved between adjacent units of the second array, the configurable modules are can be one array and the fixed module can be a second array), each fixed module comprising a sub-mounting fixed to a respective gripper unit carrier, and a gripper unit mounted in the fixed sub-mounting (Ryland Figures 2 and 3: the gripper 20 a is mounted on the actuator 30 a and the components, Ryland Paragraph 36: the actuator and gripper are attached, Applicants Specification Paragraph 33: “The fixed gripper modules 16a – 16f are mounted on the rack and operate generally in the same manner as those described in EP 3783712”, Ryland (US 2021/0053771 A1) is the US version of this document).
Regarding Claim 3, Ryland in view of Yang and Junichi disclose the limitations of claim 1. The combination as applied in claim 1 additionally discloses three adjacent configurable modules (Ryland Figure 3: there are six modules 32 a-f that are adjacent), wherein the sub-rack of a middle configurable module is at a different height to those of the other configurable modules (Junichi Paragraph 18: the robotic arm is capable of six degrees of freedom which includes varying the height of the sub mounting so that the sub-rack of the middle configurable module is at a different height to those of the other configurable modules).
Regarding Claim 4, Ryland in view of Yang and Junichi disclose the limitations of claim 3. The combination as applied in claim 3 discloses two fixed gripper modules on the rack on one side (Ryland Paragraph 9: the plurality of units can be split into different arrays and the units of each array can be interleaved between adjacent units of the second array, the configurable modules are can be one array and the fixed module can be a second array, Ryland Paragraph 33: the first and second array can be on different sides of the rack, Ryland Figure 1: first array pinons 24a and 24c and second array 24b and 24d are on different sides of the rack 12) of the configurable modules and four fixed gripper modules on the rack on the other side of the configurable modules (Ryland Paragraphs 9 and 33), each fixed module comprising a sub-mounting fixed to a respective gripper unit carrier, and a gripper unit mounted in the fixed sub-mounting (Ryland Figures 2 and 3: the gripper 20 a is mounted on the actuator 30 a and the components, Ryland Paragraph 36: the actuator and gripper are attached, Applicants Specification Paragraph 33: “The fixed gripper modules 16a – 16f are mounted on the rack and operate generally in the same manner as those described in EP 3783712”, Ryland (US 2021/0053771 A1) is the US version of this document).
Regarding Claim 5, Ryland in view of Yang and Junichi disclose the limitations of claim 4. The combination as applied in claim 4 discloses the gripper modules are configurable as two groups (Ryland Paragraphs 9 and 33: modules can be split into multiple arrays and placed on both sides of the rack, Paragraph 40: each module is capable of moving based on its own servo motor), a first group comprising two fixed gripper modules and two configurable gripper modules, and a second group comprising four fixed gripper modules and one configurable gripper module (Because there is a plurality of gripper modules on each side of the rack and each module is movable, it is possible to place or move the modules to have two groupings of modules based on proximity to each other with one comprising of two fixed gripper modules and two configurable gripper modules and a second group comprising four fixed gripper modules and one configurable gripper module).
Regarding Claim 6, Ryland in view of Yang and Junichi disclose the limitations of claim 5. The combination as applied in claim 5 additionally discloses the spacings between the gripper units of the first and second groups are the same (Ryland Paragraphs 9, 33, and 40: each module is movable and can be placed on either side of the rack so the modules can move or be placed so the spacings between the gripper units of the first and second groups are the same).
Regarding Claim 7, Ryland in view of Yang and Junichi disclose the limitations of claim 4. The combination as applied in claim 4 discloses the fixed gripper modules can be arranged in a non-operable configuration so as to be spaced from the configurable gripper modules and located towards respective ends of the rack (Ryland Paragraphs 9 and 33: modules can be split into multiple arrays and placed on both sides of the rack, Paragraph 40: each module is capable of moving based on its own servo motor, the fixed gripper modules would be able to move towards the respective ends of the rack).
Regarding Claim 8, Ryland in view of Yang and Junichi disclose the limitations of claim 1. The combination as applied in claim 1 discloses the gripper sub-units of the configurable modules can be pivoted between a first position in which the sub-racks are parallel to the rack, and a second position in which the sub-racks are perpendicular to the rack (Junichi Paragraph 18: the six degree of freedom robotic arm would be capable of rotating the sub-mounting from parallel with the rack to perpendicular with the rack based on the figures).
Regarding Claim 9, Ryland in view of Yang and Junichi disclose the limitations of claim 1. The combination as applied in claim 1 discloses a process comprising adjusting the position of the gripper unit carrier for each configurable gripper module on the rack (Ryland Paragraph 40), and adjusting the separation of the gripper units on the sub-rack for each configurable gripper module such that the position of the gripper units corresponds to the positions of the groups of battery plates to be handled (Ryland Paragraph 40: the combination as applied in claim 1 would use the same process of using servo motors to adjust gripper unit carriers is used to control the position of the gripper units of the sub-rack, Yang Paragraph 52).
Regarding Claim 10, Ryland in view of Yang and Junichi disclose the limitations of claim 9. The combination as applied in claim 9 discloses comprising operating the apparatus in a first configuration and subsequently adjusting the positions of the gripper unit carriers and the separation of the gripper units corresponds to the different positions of further groups of battery plates to be handled (Ryland Paragraph 39 and 40: the dimensions and structural information of the battery container is pre-programmed into the control module and the control module instructs the movement of the units, programming in different dimensions means there would be multiple configurations)
Regarding Claim 11, Ryland in view of Yang and Junichi disclose the limitations of claim 9. The combination as applied in claim 9 discloses adjusting the position of the gripper unit carrier for each configurable gripper module on the rack includes pivoting the gripper unit sub-mountings around the vertical axis (Junichi Paragraphs 27: the robotic arm when taking a mount posture the robot extends towards the work equipment which includes pivoting towards the work equipment, the combination as applied in claim 9 would use a six degree of freedom robotic arm disclosed by Junichi to hold sub-mountings so the sub-mountings would also pivot).
Regarding Claim 12, Ryland in view of Yang and Junichi disclose the limitations of claim 9. The combination as applied in claim 9 discloses at least one fixed gripper module on the rack (Ryland Figure 3: gripper unit 20a-f would be fixed gripper modules on a rack 12) on either side of the configurable modules (Ryland Figure 3: shows using multiple gripper modules side by side, Paragraph 9: the plurality of units can be split into different arrays and the units of each array can be interleaved between adjacent units of the second array, the configurable modules are can be one array and the fixed module can be a second array), the process further comprising adjusting the position of the gripper unit carrier for each fixed gripper module on the rack such that the positions of the gripper units correspond to the positions of groups of battery plates to be handled (Ryland Paragraph 40).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Bosboom (US 2026/0183970 A1) claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/339,865, filed May 9, 2022 and discloses a multiple gripper and place device with the gripper mounted at different heights, Izumi et al. (JP 2008/186981 A) also discloses a multiple gripper and place device with the gripper mounted at different heights, McAllister (US 2008/0127474 A1) discloses a gripper module with multiple grippers that can be different types, Inamura (JP 2004/039706 A) discloses pickup nozzles on belts of different heights.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JONATHAN TRAC whose telephone number is (571)272-8528. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:30-5:00.
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, Michael McCullough can be reached at (571) 272-7805. 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.
/J.K.T./Examiner, Art Unit 3653
/MICHAEL MCCULLOUGH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3653
Prosecution Insights