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) 1-10 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being unpatentable by Kobayashi (US 4440354 A).
Regarding claim 1, Kobayashi discloses a system, comprising: a first component which includes a first cable winch (16; see Fig. 2) configured to rotate to at least partially wind and unwind a first cable (see Fig. 2) on the first cable winch; a second component which includes a second cable winch (12; see Fig. 2) configured to rotate to at least partially wind and unwind a second cable (see Fig. 2) on the second cable winch, wherein the first component comprises a first engagement device (6a; see Fig. 2) and the second component comprises a second engagement device (12a; see Fig. 2) configured to selectively engage with the first engagement device (see Fig. 3) to couple and decouple the first cable winch and the second cable winch to and from each other (see Fig. 3), respectively, such that rotation of one of the first cable winch and the second cable winch causes rotation of the other of the first cable winch and the second cable winch (see Fig. 3), when the first cable winch and the second cable winch are in a coupled state (see Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 2, Kobayashi discloses a system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system is configured such that, when the first cable winch and the second cable winch are in a coupled state (see Fig. 3), at least one of: rotation of the first cable winch (6; see Fig. 2) rotatably drives the second cable winch (12; see Fig. 2) such that the first cable is wound onto the first cable winch and the second cable is unwound from the second cable winch and/or the first cable is unwound from the first cable winch and the second cable is wound onto the second cable winch (see Col. 3, lines 5-35); and/or rotation of the second cable winch (12; see Fig. 2) rotatably drives the first cable winch (6; see Fig. 2) such that the first cable is wound onto the first cable winch and the second cable is unwound from the second cable winch and/or the first cable is unwound from the first cable winch and the second cable is wound onto the second cable winch (see Col. 3, lines 5-35).
Regarding claim 3, Kobayashi discloses a system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a winding axis of the first cable winch and a winding axis of the second cable winch coincide (see Fig. 2; E/F or C/D).
Regarding claim 4, Kobayashi discloses a system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first cable winch (6; see Fig. 2) is biased towards winding the first cable (4; see Fig. 2) onto the first cable winch and/or the second cable winch (12; see Fig. 2) is biased towards winding the second cable (4; see Fig. 2) onto the second cable winch.
Regarding claim 5, Kobayashi discloses a system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first engagement (6a; see Fig. 2) is configured as a first toothed gearing (see Fig. 2) and the second engagement device (12a; see Fig. 2) is configured as a second toothed gearing (see Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 6, Kobayashi discloses a system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first toothed gearing and the second toothed gearing are each configured as a face gearing or a bevel gearing (see Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 7, Kobayashi discloses a system as claimed in claim 1, further including at least one Bowden cable (42; see Fig. 4) which includes at least one cable sheath (9; see Fig. 1) in which the first cable (4; see Fig 2) and/or the second cable (see Fig. 2) is/are guidable such that the first cable and/or the second cable is/are moveable relative to the at least one cable sheath (see Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 8, Kobayashi discloses a system as claimed in claim 1, further including at least one securing device (13; see Col. 2, lines 52-56) configured to fixedly secure the first component to the second component to maintain the first cable winch (6; see Fig. 1) and the second cable winch (12; see Fig. 1) in a coupled state, wherein the securing device (13; see Col. 2, lines 52-56) is configured as a quick-release mechanism.
Regarding claim 9, Kobayashi discloses a system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first component and/or the second component further comprise(s) at least one stop device (14; see Col. 4, lines 15-17) configured to selectively block and/or limit rotation of the first cable winch (6; see Fig. 1) and/or the second cable winch (12; see Fig. 1), when the stop device is in an engaged position.
Regarding claim 10, Kobayashi discloses a system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the stop device (14; see Col. 4, lines 15-17) is configured to be deactivated automatically (“the spiral spring 14 can act as a brake until the wire has a certain tension”), preferably when the first cable winch (6; see Fig. 1) and the second cable winch (12; see Fig. 1) are coupled to each other, and/or deactivated manually.
Regarding claim 15, Kobayashi discloses a method of operating a system, the system comprising a first component which includes a first cable winch (6; see Fig. 2), which is configured to rotate to at least partially wind and unwind a first cable (4; see Fig. 2) on the first cable winch, and a first engagement device (6a; see Fig. 2); a second component which includes a second cable winch (12; see Fig. 2), which is configured to rotate to at least partially wind and unwind a second cable (4; see Fig. 2) on the second cable winch, and a second engagement device (12a; see Fig. 2) configured to selectively engage with the first engagement device; the method comprising at least one of: engaging the first engagement device with the second engagement device to couple the first cable winch and the second cable winch to each other such that rotation of one of the first cable winch and the second cable winch causes rotation of the other of the first cable winch and the second cable winch, when the first cable winch and the second cable winch are in a coupled state (see Fig. 3 for coupled state); and/or disengaging the first engagement device from the second engagement device to decouple the first cable winch from the second cable winch (see Col. 3, lines 5-35).
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.
Claim(s) 11-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kobayashi (US 4440354 A) in view of Ye (CN 117342459 A).
Regarding claim 11, Kobayashi discloses the system as claimed in claim 9.
Kobayashi fails to disclose wherein the stop device includes one or more teeth configured to engage one or more teeth of the first cable winch and/or one or more teeth of the second cable winch, wherein engagement between the teeth of the stop device and the teeth of the first cable winch and/or the second cable winch blocks and/or limits rotation of the first cable winch and/or the second cable winch.
However, Ye teaches a system wherein the stop device includes one or more teeth configured to engage one or more teeth of the first cable winch and/or one or more teeth of the second cable winch, wherein engagement between the teeth of the stop device and the teeth of the first cable winch and/or the second cable winch blocks and/or limits rotation of the first cable winch and/or the second cable winch (see Page 6, Para. 3).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to introduce wherein the stop device includes one or more teeth configured to engage one or more teeth of the first cable winch and/or one or more teeth of the second cable winch, wherein engagement between the teeth of the stop device and the teeth of the first cable winch and/or the second cable winch blocks and/or limits rotation of the first cable winch and/or the second cable winch on the system of Kobayashi, as taught by Ye, in order to improve the safety of the device (see Page 6, Para. 3).
Regarding claim 12, Ye further teaches wherein the stop device is biased towards the engaged position in which the stop device blocks and/or limits rotation of the first cable winch and/or the second cable winch (see Page 6, Para. 3). See motivation of claim 11.
Regarding claim 13, Ye further teaches wherein the stop device is configured such that at least a portion of the stop device is deflected away from the engaged position, when the first cable winch and the second cable winch are coupled to each other, to a disengaged position, in which the stop device does not block and/or limit rotation of the first cable winch and/or the second cable winch (see Page 6, Para. 3; emergency stop can be released).
Claim(s) 14 and 16-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kobayashi (US 4440354 A) in view of Larose (CN 110868964 A).
Regarding claim 14, Kobayashi discloses the system as claimed in claim 1.
Kobayashi fails to disclose an assisting device configured to be worn by a user and to assist movement of the user and/or grasping and/or moving an object by the user, wherein the assisting device includes the system according to claim 1 to transmit power from at least one power source, preferably comprising at least one electric motor, to the assisting device, preferably wherein the assisting device is configured as an orthosis, preferably comprising a hand orthosis, or a prosthesis.
However, Larose teaches an assisting device (see Abstract) configured to be worn by a user and to assist movement of the user and/or grasping and/or moving an object by the user (see Abstract), wherein the assisting device includes the system to transmit power from at least one power source (see Page 3, Para. 4), preferably comprising at least one electric motor (see Page 3, Para. 2), to the assisting device, preferably wherein the assisting device is configured as an orthosis, preferably comprising a hand orthosis, or a prosthesis (see Page 3, Para. 1).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to introduce an assisting device configured to be worn by a user and to assist movement of the user and/or grasping and/or moving an object by the user, wherein the assisting device includes the system according to claim 1 to transmit power from at least one power source, preferably comprising at least one electric motor, to the assisting device, preferably wherein the assisting device is configured as an orthosis, preferably comprising a hand orthosis, or a prosthesis on the system of Kobayashi, as taught by Larose, in order to provide a wearable device with multi degree-of-freedom (see Page 4, Para. 7).
Regarding claim 16, Larose further teaches an assisting device configured to be worn by a user and to assist movement of the user and/or grasping and/or moving an object by the user (see Abstract), wherein the assisting device includes the system according to claim 2 to transmit power from at least one power source comprising at least one electric motor (see Page 3, Para. 2-4), to the assisting device wherein the assisting device is configured as an orthosis, comprising a hand orthosis, or a prosthesis (see Page 3, Para. 1). See motivation of claim 14.
Regarding claim 17, Larose further teaches an assisting device configured to be worn by a user and to assist movement of the user and/or grasping and/or moving an object by the user (see Abstract), wherein the assisting device includes the system according to claim 3 to transmit power from at least one power source comprising at least one electric motor (see Page 3, Para. 2-4), to the assisting device wherein the assisting device is configured as an orthosis, comprising a hand orthosis, or a prosthesis (see Page 3, Para. 1). See motivation of claim 14.
Regarding claim 18, Larose further teaches an assisting device configured to be worn by a user and to assist movement of the user and/or grasping and/or moving an object by the user (see Abstract), wherein the assisting device includes the system according to claim 4 to transmit power from at least one power source comprising at least one electric motor (see Page 3, Para. 2-4), to the assisting device wherein the assisting device is configured as an orthosis, comprising a hand orthosis, or a prosthesis (see Page 3, Para. 1). See motivation of claim 14.
Regarding claim 19, Larose further teaches an assisting device configured to be worn by a user and to assist movement of the user and/or grasping and/or moving an object by the user (see Abstract), wherein the assisting device includes the system according to claim 5 to transmit power from at least one power source comprising at least one electric motor (see Page 3, Para. 2-4), to the assisting device wherein the assisting device is configured as an orthosis, comprising a hand orthosis, or a prosthesis (see Page 3, Para. 1). See motivation of claim 14.
Regarding claim 20, Larose further teaches an assisting device configured to be worn by a user and to assist movement of the user and/or grasping and/or moving an object by the user (see Abstract), wherein the assisting device includes the system according to claim 6 to transmit power from at least one power source comprising at least one electric motor (see Page 3, Para. 2-4), to the assisting device wherein the assisting device is configured as an orthosis, comprising a hand orthosis, or a prosthesis (see Page 3, Para. 1). See motivation of claim 14.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to REHMAN A QURESHI whose telephone number is (571)272-6262. The examiner can normally be reached 7:00am-5:00pm.
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/REHMAN A QURESHI/Examiner, Art Unit 3654
/GENE O CRAWFORD/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3651
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