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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Invention I in the reply filed on 06/26/2026 is acknowledged.
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 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lin et al. (US 2023/0398682).
Regarding Claim 1, Lin discloses an actuator assembly comprising: a first link, a second link, a joint between the first and second links (see [0135], disclosing a use in a robot, accordingly a first and second link connected by the actuator 100 serving as a joint).
A motor (101) at the joint and including a rotor and a stator (see [0062], disclosing an electric motor, and accordingly a motor and stator), wherein the motor is configured to rotate the rotor relative to the stator about an axis (see Fig. 1, axis Ax1).
Gearing (1) at the joint and operably associated with the motor (see Fig. 1), wherein the gearing includes:
A first transfer member (3, 301) at a first plane perpendicular to the axis (see Fig. 11), wherein the first transfer member includes a first annular peripheral region and a first annular inner region between the first annular peripheral region and the axis (see Fig. 11), wherein the first transfer member further includes first lobes and first troughs circumferentially alternating about the axis at the first annular peripheral region (see Fig. 5A), and wherein the first transfer member defines first openings (32) circumferentially distributed about the axis at the first annular inner region (see Fig. 5A)
A second transfer member (3, 302) at a second plane perpendicular to the axis (see Fig. 11), wherein the second transfer member includes a second annular peripheral region and a second annular inner region between the second annular peripheral region and the axis (see Fig. 11), wherein the second transfer member further includes second lobes and second troughs circumferentially alternating about the axis at the second annular peripheral region (see Fig. 5A), and wherein the second transfer member defines second openings (32) circumferentially distributed about the axis at the second annular inner region (see Fig. 5A).
Rods (4) carried by the first link (see Fig. 11), circumferentially distributed about the axis (see Fig. 11), and individually extending through different respective sets of one of the first openings and one of the second openings (see Figs. 5A and 11), wherein the rods individually include a first end portion and an opposite second end portion (see Fig. 11), wherein the first end portions of the rods are at a third plane perpendicular to the axis (see Fig. 11), wherein the second end portions of the rods are at a fourth plane perpendicular to the axis (see Fig. 11), wherein the first and second planes are between the third and fourth planes (see Fig. 11), and wherein the first link structurally braces the rods via the first and second end portions of the rods (see Fig. 11, showing bracing through element 18).
Regarding Claim 2, Lin further discloses the actuator assembly of claim 1, further comprising:
An input shaft (7) configured to rotate about the axis (see Fig. 11)
A first eccentric bearing (72) carried by the input shaft at the first plane (see Fig. 11, showing the left side one).
A second eccentric bearing (72) carried by the input shaft at the second plane (see Fig. 11, showing the right side one).
Wherein the first and second eccentric bearings are configured to transfer force to the first and second transfer members, respectively, in response to rotation of the input shaft (see Fig. 11).
Regarding Claim 5, Lin further discloses the actuator assembly of claim 1, wherein: the first link includes: a body (10) neighboring the joint (see Fig. 11), a first securement ring (18) extending from the body (see Fig. 11, showing extension radially inward from the body), and a second securement ring (19) extending from the body and spaced apart from the first securement ring along the axis (see Fig. 11); and the first link carries the rods between the first and second securement rings (see Fig. 11).
Regarding Claim 6, Lin further discloses the actuator assembly of claim 5, wherein:
The body proximally neighbors the joint (see Akeel Fig. 3a).
The first and second securement rings extend distally from the body (see Fig. 11, showing a radially inward extension from the distal portion of the body, considered to be the internal diameter).
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 3-4, 9, and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin et al. (US 2023/0398682) in view of Akeel et al. (US 5,459,925).
Regarding Claim 3, Lin does not disclose the specifics of the structure of the first link for the actuator assembly of claim 1.
However, Akeel teaches in a similar industrial robot (see Fig. 3a) having a first link (66) and a reduction gear (20) wherein the first link includes: a structural bridge extending between the third and fourth planes (see Fig. 3a, showing that the horizontal top of the first link as the structural bridge extends between both axial ends of the reduction gear, and accordingly extends between the third and fourth planes).
Wherein a radial distance between the first annular peripheral region of the first transfer member and the axis is less than a radial distance between the structural bridge and the axis (see Fig. 3a, showing that the structural bridge is radially outward from the reduction gear, and accordingly the radial distance between the first transfer member and the axis will be less).
Wherein a radial distance between the second annular peripheral region of the second transfer member and the axis is less than a radial distance between the structural bridge and the axis (see Fig. 3a, the same logic from the first transfer member radial distance applies here to the second transfer member).
A first structural connector (see Fig. 3a, showing the left side vertical portion of the first link) extending between the rods and the structural bridge via the first end portions of the rods (see Fig. 3a, showing that the first structural connector couples to the left side of the reduction gear and accordingly will meet this condition); and a second structural connector (see Fig. 3a, showing the right side vertical portion of the first link) extending between the rods and the structural bridge via the second end portions of the rods (see Fig. 3a, showing that the first structural connector couples to the right side of the reduction gear and accordingly will meet this condition).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the actuator assembly disclosed in Lin with the structural bridge configuration as taught in Akeel to provide a well-known and useful robot joint structure for securing the actuator to, thereby reducing the costs of manufacturing and engineering the joint by adapting an already available design.
Regarding Claim 4, the Combination further suggests the actuator assembly of claim 3, wherein the structural bridge circumferentially extends less than 200 degrees about the axis (see Akeel Fig. 3a).
Regarding Claim 9, Lin does not disclose the specifics of the structure of the first link for the actuator assembly of claim 1.
However, Akeel teaches in a similar industrial robot (see Fig. 3a) having a first link (66) and a reduction gear (20), wherein: the first link includes: a first body neighboring the joint in one of a proximal or distal direction (see Fig. 3a, showing a horizontal portion of 66), and a first cap at a first end portion of the joint (see Fig. 3a, showing a vertical left side portion of 66).
The second link includes: a second body neighboring the joint in the other of the proximal or distal direction (see Fig. 3a, showing a horizontal portion of 70), and a second cap at a second end portion of the joint spaced apart from the first end portion of the joint along the axis (see Fig. 3a, showing the vertical right portion of 70 that is spaced from the first cap).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the actuator assembly disclosed in Lin with the first and second bodies and first and second end caps as taught in Akeel to provide a well-known and useful robot joint structure for securing the actuator to, thereby reducing the costs of manufacturing and engineering the joint by adapting an already available design.
Regarding Claim 21, the Combination further suggests the actuator assembly of claim 3, wherein: the second link includes a collar (see Akeel Fig. 3a, showing the right side of second link 70); and the actuator assembly defines a gap between the collar and the structural bridge (see Akeel Fig. 3a).
Claims 10-11 and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin et al. (US 2023/0398682) in view of Akeel et al. (US 5,459,925) and Pfister et al. (US 12,179,346).
Regarding Claim 10, the Combination further suggests the actuator assembly of claim 9, wherein: the first cap and the first body define a first channel extending away from the joint in the one of the proximal or distal direction (see Akeel Fig. 3a, showing a through hole); the second cap and the second body define a second channel extending away from the joint in the other of the proximal or distal direction (see Akeel Fig. 3a, showing a through hole); the actuator assembly includes a conduit (79) defining a third channel (24) extending along the axis between the first and second channels (see Akeel 3a).
The Combination does not suggest the stator and the rotor extend circumferentially around the conduit.
However, Phister teaches in a similar joint (see Fig. 7) using a hollow rotor motor having a rotor (245) and stator (250) with the rotor extending circumferentially around the conduit (see Fig. 7).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to provide the actuator assembly suggested by the Combination with a hollow rotor motor as taught in Phister to provide a more streamlined actuator assembly, by coaxially aligning the reduction gear and the motor allowing for a more simplified cylindrical package without and protrusions that might otherwise result from a parallel motor configuration).
Regarding Claim 11, the Combination further suggests the actuator assembly of claim 10, further comprising wiring extending between the first and second links via the first, second, and third channel (see Akeel Fig. 3a showing the conduit or wire, and Phister Fig. 7, showing an unnumbered wire).
Regarding Claim 23, Lin does not disclose an encoder target for the actuator assembly of claim 10.
However, Phister teaches an encoder target (270) carried by the conduit (see Fig. 7).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the actuator assembly disclosed in Lin with the encoder target carried by the conduit as taught in Phister to provide a well-known and reliable means for determining the position of the motor, allowing for more precise control of the actuator.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-8, 12-14, 22, 24-26 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
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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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, MINNAH SEOH can be reached at (571) 270-7778. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/GREGORY ROBERT WEBER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3618
