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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 7 is unclear in the way they are written whether they are independent claims or dependent claims. If they are intended to be independent claims, they should include all the limitations of the claims they are referring to, without reference of another claim. If they are dependent, they should include the same preamble as the independent claim from which they depend.
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.
(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 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mulet (International Patent Application WO 2020030836A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Mulet teaches A transportation unit for a conveyor , comprising: a first shuttle and a second shuttle arranged to move along a planar conveying track independently of each other; (Figure 5: First transfer carriage 2 and second transfer carriage 3)and a gripping device comprising a first jaw mounted so that it can rotate on the first shuttle about a first rotational axis (Page 6, lines 334-336: "The first transfer carriage (2) is attached to the first clamping element (5) by means of a first joint (7) configured to allow a first relative rotational movement (002-5) between the first transfer carriage (2) and the first clamping element (5).")and a second jaw mounted so that it can rotate on the second shuttle about a second rotational axis parallel to the first rotational axis,(Page 6, lines 338-340: "In turn, the second transfer carriage (3) is attached to the second clamping element (6) by means of a second joint (8) configured to allow a second relative rotational movement (003-6) between the second transfer carriage (3) and the second clamping element (6).") the first jaw and the second jaw being interconnected by a sliding connection along a translation axis orthogonal to the first and second rotational axes to form the clamping jaws of a clamp having a clamping axis parallel to the translation axis, (Figure 5: Sliding bar 21)the clamping axis being perpendicular to the first rotational axis and the second rotational axis of the gripping device.(Figure 6: Rotational axis around joints 7, 8 perpendicular to axis around clamping of object O).
Regarding Claim 2, Mulet teaches the transportation unit according to claim 1, as seen above. Mulet further discloses wherein the sliding connection comprises a first arm rigidly connected to the first jaw, a second arm rigidly connected to the second jaw, (Figure 6: Clamping elements 5 and 6 with adapters 51, 52)and a rod having a first end rigidly attached to either the first or the second arm and a second end mounted so that it can move in translation in a hole formed in the other of the first and the second arm.(Figure 6: Slide bar 21 mounted to clamping element 5, wherein clamping element 6 slides through guide element 22)
Regarding Claim 3, Mulet teaches the transportation unit according to claim 2, as seen above. Mulet further discloses wherein the first arm and the second arm are identical.(Figure 6: Clamping elements 5 and 6 are the same)
Regarding Claim 4, Mulet teaches the transportation unit according to claim 1, as seen above. Mulet further discloses wherein at least one out of the first jaw and the second jaw comprises a centring V.(Figure 6: Reception profiles 52, 62)
Regarding Claim 5, Mulet teaches the transportation unit according to claim 1, as seen above. Mulet further discloses wherein at least one out of the first jaw and the second jaw is flexible.(Page 2, lines 79-84: "- a first transfer carriage attached to the first clamping element by means of a first link configured to allow a first relative rotational movement between the first transfer carriage and the first clamping element; - a second transfer carriage connected to the second clamping element by means of a second joint configured to allow a second relative rotational movement between the second transfer carriage and the second clamping element.", wherein adapters are flexible in their angled position by rotation about joints)
Regarding Claim 6, Mulet teaches the transportation unit according to claim 1, as seen above. Mulet further discloses wherein the first shuttle and the second shuttle are identical.(Figure 5: First transfer carriage 2 and second transfer carriage 3 are the same)
Regarding Claim 7, Mulet teaches A conveyor comprising at least one of the transportation unit according to claim 1, as seen above.(Figure 6: Transfer track (T)).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
United States Patent Application (Neubauer, Michael): Neubauer teaches a similar transport of objects comprising a guide track, movement devices and support portions as seen in Figure 1.
International Patent Application WO 2013/087151 A1 (Sammons, Michael): Sammons teaches a similar conveying device comprising a rail, working section, return section, carriages and clamps as seen in Figure 6.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ABBY ALLURA JORGENSEN whose telephone number is (571)270-7124. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Gene Crawford can be reached at (571) 272-6911. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ABBY A JORGENSEN/ Examiner, Art Unit 3651
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