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 .
Application Status
This action is responsive to the claims filed 23 May 2025.
Claims 1-19 are currently pending and being examined.
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, “The disclosure concerns,” “The disclosure defined by this invention,” “The disclosure describes,” etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as “means” and “said,” should be avoided.
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
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.
Claim(s) 1-4 and 7-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yang (US 2020/0223572).
PNG
media_image1.png
468
547
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Yang teaches:
Claim 1: A strapping device (figs.10-12; abstract) comprising:
a support (annotated fig. 12);
a rocker (5-fig.4) movable relative to the support between a tensioning position and a strap-insertion position (¶[0024]-[0025],[0030]);
a rotatable rocker mover (1-fig.4) comprising a cam (3-fig.3);
a cam-engaging finger (52-fig.4) movable from a first position in which the cam-engaging finger is removed from a rotational path of the cam to a second position in which the cam-engaging finger extends across the rotational path of the cam (¶[0023],[0025]-[0026]); and
a motor (72-fig.10) operably connected to the rocker mover and configured to rotate the rocker mover (¶[0022]-[0030]).
Claim 2: The strapping device of claim 1, wherein the cam is positioned such that, when the cam-engaging finger (52-fig.4) is in the second position, rotation of the rocker mover causes the cam to engage the cam-engaging finger and thereby move the rocker from the tensioning position to the strap-insertion position (¶[0024]-[0025],[0030]).
Claim 3: The strapping device of claim 2, further comprising a stop (41-fig.1) positioned such that, when the cam-engaging finger is in the second position, rotation of the rocker mover causes the cam to engage the cam-engaging finger and force the cam-engaging finger against the stop, after which continued rotation of the rocker mover causes the cam to force the rocker to move to the strap-insertion position (¶[0022]-[0023]).
Claim 4: The strapping device of claim 3, wherein the cam (3-fig.3) comprises a finger-engaging surface (311,312,313-fig.1) that engages the cam-engaging finger (52-fig.1), wherein the finger-engaging surface is shaped such that continued rotation of the rocker mover after the rocker has reached the strap-insertion position results in the rocker gradually moving back toward the tensioning position while the finger-engaging surface continues to engage the cam-engaging finger (¶[0024]-[0026]).
Claim 7: The strapping device of claim 3, further comprising an actuating assembly including a trigger actuatable to move the cam-engaging finger from the first position to the second position (¶[0002]; at least 53-fig.4 ¶[0024]).
Claim 8: The strapping device of claim 7, wherein the actuating assembly includes a body comprising the trigger (¶[0002]) and an actuator (531-fig.4), wherein the trigger is actuatable to move the actuator to force the cam-engaging finger to move from the first position to the second position (¶[0024]).
Claim 9: The strapping device of claim 8, further comprising a cam-engaging assembly comprising the cam-engaging finger (52-fig.4), an actuator-engaging finger (5311-fig.4) movable relative to the cam-engaging finger (¶[0030]), and a biasing element (533-fig.3) biasing the cam-engaging finger to a first position spaced from the actuator-engaging finger (¶[0024],[0030]).
Claim 10: The strapping device of claim 9, wherein when the cam-engaging finger (52-fig.4) is in the first position and the cam (3-fig.3) is in a movement path of the cam-engaging finger (¶[0023]), actuation of the trigger (¶[0002],[0024]) forces the cam-engaging finger to move into engagement with the cam (¶[0024]-[0026]) and, thereafter, forces the actuator-engaging finger (5311-fig.4) to move against the force of the biasing element (533-fig.4) toward the cam-engaging finger (¶[0030]).
Claim 11: The strapping device of claim 10, wherein the cam (3-fig.3) is positioned such that rotation of the rocker (1-fig.4) mover after the cam-engaging finger engages the cam results in the cam moving out of engagement with the cam-engaging finger (¶[0023],[0025]-[0026]) and the biasing element (533-fig.4) biasing the cam-engaging finger back to the first position (¶[0023]).
Claim 12: The strapping device of claim 1, further comprising:
tensioning-assembly (at least 2,7-fig.3,10) gearing supported by the rocker (1-fig.3) and comprising the rocker mover (7-fig.10);
and a tension wheel (2-fig.10) drivable by the tensioning-assembly gearing (¶[0022}).
Claim 13: The strapping device of claim 12, wherein the tensioning-assembly gearing (at least 2,7-fig.3,10) comprises a driven shaft configured to drive the tension wheel and to rotate the rocker mover (¶[0028]-[0030]).
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.
Claim(s) 5-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang (US 2020/0223572) in view of Nix (US 4,313,779).
Yang teaches:
Claim 5: The strapping device of claim 3.
Yang does not expressly teach a sensor and a controller communicatively connected to the sensor and operably connected to the motor and configured to control the motor, wherein the controller is configured to control the motor to rotate the rocker mover, and wherein the controller is further configured to control the motor to stop rotating the rocker mover responsive to feedback from the sensor such that, when the rocker mover stops rotating, the rocker is in the strap-insertion position.
However, Nix teaches a sensor (150-fig.1) and a controller (7:24-54) communicatively connected to the sensor and operably connected to the motor and configured to control the motor (40-fig.1), wherein the controller is configured to control the motor to rotate the rocker mover, and wherein the controller is further configured to control the motor to stop rotating the rocker mover responsive to feedback from the sensor such that, when the rocker mover stops rotating, the rocker is in the strap-insertion position (7:24-54).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the applicant’s claimed invention, to modify the strapping device of Yang, by adding a sensor, as taught by Nix, so the motor only operates when it is supposed to and doesn’t operate when it shouldn’t.
Yang as modified by Nix further teaches:
Claim 6: The strapping device of claim 5, wherein the sensor (Nix: 150-fig.1) comprises a position sensor configured to detect when the cam-engaging finger has reached the stop (Nix: 7:24-54).
Claim(s) 14-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang (US 2020/0223572) in view of Finzo (US 2015/0210411).
Yang teaches:
Claim 14: The strapping device of claim 13.
Yang does not expressly teach the rocker mover comprises a ring gear having internal teeth, wherein the tensioning-assembly gearing comprises a first set of planet gears drivingly engaged to the internal teeth of the ring gear of the rocker mover, wherein the driven shaft is drivingly engaged to the first set of planet gears such that rotation of the driven shaft drives the first set of planet gears, which in turn drive the rocker mover to rotate.
However, Finzo teaches a rocker mover (8-fig.2) comprises a ring gear (27-fig.2) having internal teeth (¶[0047]), wherein the tensioning-assembly gearing comprises a first set of planet gears (25b-fig.2) drivingly engaged to the internal teeth of the ring gear of the rocker mover (¶[0047]), wherein the driven shaft is drivingly engaged to the first set of planet gears such that rotation of the driven shaft drives the first set of planet gears, which in turn drive the rocker mover to rotate (¶[0045]-[0047]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the applicant’s claimed invention, to modify the strapping device of Yang, by the planetary gear transmission, as taught by Finzo, because it is a well-known transmission used in strapping devices and power tools to transfer power from the electric motor.
Yang as modified by Finzo further teaches:
Claim 15: The strapping device of claim 14, wherein the first set of planet gears (Finzo: 25b-fig.2) are supported by the rocker (Finzo: ¶[0045]-[0047]).
Claim 16: The strapping device of claim 14, wherein the ring gear (Finzo: 27-fig.2) of the rocker mover (Finzo: 1-fig.2) and the tensioning wheel (Finzo: 7-fig.2) are coaxial (Finzo: 31-fig.2; ¶[0048]).
Claim 17: The strapping device of claim 16, wherein the rocker is pivotable about a rocker axis (Finzo: 31-fig.2) between the tensioning position and the strap-insertion position (Finzo: ¶[0047]).
Claim 18: The strapping device of claim 17, wherein the cam-engaging finger (Yang: 52-fig.4) is pivotable about a cam-engaging-finger axis (Yang: 51-fig.4) between the first and second positions (Yang: ¶[0024]).
Yang 19: The strapping device of claim 18, wherein the rocker axis (Yang: 22-fig.3) is parallel to the cam-engaging-finger axis (Yang: see fig. 3 showing 22 and 51 are parallel).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KATIE L GERTH whose telephone number is (303)297-4602. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 9am-4pm (CT).
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Shelley Self can be reached at (571)272-4524. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/KATIE L GERTH/Examiner, Art Unit 3731
Prosecution Insights