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 § 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) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP2021127066.
Claim 1: A robot comprising: a main body; and a cart that includes a wheel and is capable of coupling to the main body;
JP2021127066A teaches a robot in the form of an automated transfer device having a main body and a storage cart having wheels that is detachably coupled to the transport device. Page 5/15 states: "The automatic transfer system 10 includes a storage cart 20 (storage cart for automatic transfer system, storage) and a transfer device 40... The transport device 40 is, for example, an automated guided vehicle (AGV)." Further, Page 5/15 states: "The transport device 40 includes a transport device main body 41 (vehicle body)..." and "The storage cart 20 is transported by a transport device 40... a pair of fixed wheels 23... four free wheels 24..." The reference further teaches that "The transport device 40 is arranged in the space S1 and is detachably connected to the cart main body 22 by a connecting pin 45..."
It would therefore have been understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that JP2021127066A teaches a robot (transport device), a main body, and a wheeled cart capable of coupling to the robot.
wherein the main body includes an insertion that is inserted into the cart when the main body is in a coupled state with the cart;
JP2021127066A teaches that the transport device includes a connecting pin that is inserted into a corresponding hole formed in the cart to establish the coupled state. Page 6/15 states: "The transport device 40 includes a connecting pin 45 for connecting to the storage cart 20..." and further states: "A hole 29 into which the connecting pin 45 is fitted is formed on the lower surface 22A of the cart main body 22." The reference further teaches: "By projecting 45 and fitting it into the hole 29, the transport device 40 and the cart body 22... are connected to each other."
the cart includes a brake mechanism that switches between a brake state in which a brake is applied to the wheel and a free state in which the brake is not applied to the wheel;
JP2021127066A expressly teaches a lock device that selectively locks and unlocks the wheel. Page 6/15 states: "The storage cart 20 includes a lock device 50 capable of fixing the rotation of the fixed wheel 23." The reference further teaches the unlocked state on Page 9/15, stating: "The protrusion 65 is separated from the outer peripheral surface 23A, and the lock of the fixed wheel 23 is released." The locked state is described on Page 10/15, which states: "The protrusion 65 comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface 23A, so that the fixed wheel 23 is locked."
wherein, in the brake mechanism, during the coupled state, the free state is maintained by the insertion;
JP2021127066A teaches that, as the transport device enters beneath the cart, the pressing portion of the transport device engages the lever member of the locking device, thereby releasing the wheel lock before the transport device is connected to the cart. Page 9/15 states: "The lever member 51 rotates... the contact portion 63... is displaced... away from the outer peripheral surface... the lock of the fixed wheel 23 is released." The reference further teaches: "After that... the connecting pin 45 fits into the hole 29... the transport device 40 and the storage cart 20 are connected."
JP2021127066A therefore teaches that the wheel remains in the released state while the transport device is positioned beneath and coupled to the cart. However, the reference attributes maintenance of the unlocked condition to the pressing portion 46 acting upon the lever member 51, rather than expressly teaching that the connecting pin (insertion) itself maintains the brake in the free state;
and when the coupled state is released and the insertion is removed from the cart, the free state is switched to the brake state;
JP2021127066A teaches that, after the transport device is disconnected from the cart and exits from beneath the cart, the locking mechanism automatically returns to the locked state. Page 10/15 states: "First, when the connecting pin 45 fitted in the hole 29 is lowered... the connection between the cart main body 22 and the transport device 40 is released... the transport device 40... exits from the space S1." The reference further states: "The contact portion 63 approaches the outer peripheral surface 23A... the protrusion 65 comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface 23A, so that the fixed wheel 23 is locked.
JP2021127066A teaches automatic transition from the unlocked state to the locked state upon release of the transport device. However, the reference attributes this transition to the withdrawal of the pressing portion 46 from the lever mechanism as the transport device exits the cart. Therefore, JP2021127066A teaches the automatic locking function but does not expressly teach that the insertion itself performs the claimed brake-release and brake-engagement functions, however , this would have been within the knowledge of ordinary skilled artisan as a design choice to activate or deactivate the braking mechanism as needed for the cart.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-12 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
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MASUD AHMED whose telephone number is (571)270-1315. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00-8:30 PM PST with IFP.
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MASUD . AHMED
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3657A
/MASUD AHMED/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3657
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