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 § 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)(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 and 11-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Neubauer (US Pub 2019/0100389).
Regarding claim 1, Neubauer discloses a linear motor conveyor system comprising:
a track comprising:
at least one guide rail (440-1), comprising a first portion and a second portion; and
a plurality of moving elements (410), each moving element comprising:
a body (410); and
at least one set of bearings (480-1, 480-2) supported by the body and comprising a first bearing (480-1) configured to move along the first portion of the at least one guide rail and a second bearing (480-2) configured to move along the second portion of the at least one guide rail, wherein the second bearing and second portion are offset in relation to the first bearing and first portion such that the second bearing overlaps along the direction of the track with a first bearing of an adjacent moving element to provide a reduced tooling pitch between the moving elements (fig 5).
Regarding claim 2, Neubauer also discloses the track further comprises a second guide rail (440-3) and wherein each of the plurality of moving elements further comprises: a second set of bearings (480-3, 480-4) supported by the body configured to abut against the second guide rail; and a bearing suspension system (410F-2, 410F-5, 410R-2, 410R-5; fig 6) configured to provide a suspension to the second set of bearings.
Regarding claim 3, Neubauer also discloses the first and second portions and the first and second bearings are shaped such that the contact of the first and second bearings with the first and second portions supports the moving element along an axis perpendicular to the direction of movement of the moving element (fig 5).
Regarding claim 4, Neubauer also discloses the first portion comprises a “U”-shaped profile and the first bearing comprises a corresponding “U”-shaped profile (Fig 5).
Regarding claim 5, Neubauer also discloses the second guide rail (345) is substantially flat and the second set of bearings (385) is substantially flat where in contact with the second guide rail (fig 3).
Regarding claim 6, Neubauer also discloses the second guide rail comprises a first shaped portion and a second shaped portion; and the second set of bearings comprises a first shaped bearing configured to match with and move along the first shaped portion and a second shaped bearing configured to match with and move along the second shaped portion, wherein the shaped portions and bearings support the moving element along an axis perpendicular to the direction of movement of the moving element (fig 5).
Regarding claim 7, Neubauer also discloses the first and second portions are on a same side of the track (fig 5).
Regarding claim 11, Neubauer also discloses a moving element (410) for moving on a track of a linear motor conveyor system, the moving element comprising:
a body (410);
at least one magnet (475) provided to the body; and
at least one set of bearings (480-1, 480-2) supported by the body and comprising a first bearing (480-1) configured to move along a first portion of at least one guide rail (440-1) of the track and a second bearing (480-2) configured to move along a second portion of the at least one guide rail, wherein the second bearing and second portion are offset in relation to the first bearing and first portion such that the second bearing overlaps along the direction of the track with a first bearing of an adjacent moving element to provide a reduced tooling pitch between the moving elements (fig 5).
Regarding claim 12, Neubauer also discloses the moving element further comprises: a second set of bearings (480-3, 480-4) supported by the body and configured to abut against a second guide rail (440-3); and a bearing suspension system (410F-2, 410F-5, 410R-2, 410R-5; fig 6) configured to provide a suspension to the second set of bearings.
Regarding claim 13, Neubauer also discloses the first and second bearings are shaped such that the contact of the first and second bearings with the first and second portions supports the moving element along an axis perpendicular to the direction of movement of the moving element on the track (fig 5).
Regarding claim 14, Neubauer also discloses the first and second bearings are shaped in a “U”-shaped profile (fig 5).
Regarding claim 15, Neubauer also discloses the second guide rail (345) is substantially flat and the second set of bearings (385) is substantially flat where in contact with the second guide rail (fig 3).
Regarding claim 16, Neubauer also discloses the second guide rail comprises a first shaped portion and a second shaped portion; and the second set of bearings comprises a first shaped bearing configured to match with and move along the first shaped portion and a second shaped bearing configured to match with and move along the second shaped portion, wherein the shaped portions and bearings support the moving element along an axis perpendicular to the direction of movement of the moving element (fig 5).
Regarding claim 17, Neubauer also discloses the first and second bearings are on a same side of the moving element (fig 5).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-10 and 18-20 are 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Keith R Campbell whose telephone number is (571)270-1015. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30am-5:00pm EST.
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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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/KRC/Examiner, Art Unit 3651 7/27/2026
/GENE O CRAWFORD/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3651
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