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 .
EXAMINER’S COMMENT
The Notice of Non-Compliant Amendment mailed March 17, 2026 was sent in error. The amended claims filed October 14, 2025 were improperly grouped with a different document and were overlooked by the examiner. Therefore, the Notice of Non-Compliant Amendment has been WITHDRAWN and is being replaced with this new action below.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because Fig. 2 still shows two “10” which are pointing to different components. Similarly, Fig. 3c still shows two “32” which are pointing to different components. Fig. 3c also improperly shows two views. Each view should have its own figure number, 37 CFR 1.84(u)(1).
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: on Page 2 of 15 of the Remarks from February 24, 2026, the second amended paragraph should be amended further to recite --and a control unit [[5]]105--. In the Specification, “22” is still defined as both a rotating system and the bevel gear; however, each reference number should only be defined using one term.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 2-4, 16 and 17 are objected to because of the following informalities: in claim 2, line 2 should be amended to recite --at least one electric motor[[s]]--. In claim 3, both lines 2 and 3 should be amended to recite --at least one electric motor[[s]]--. In claim 4, “a cylindrical shape” should be amended since it is already defined in amended claim 1 now. In claims 16 and 17, “a cylindrically shaped drilling robot” should be amended since it is already defined in amended claim 1 now.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 3, 5-10, 12 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claim 3 recites the limitation "the at least one electric motors" in line 2. Claim 7 recites the limitation "the torque" in line 2 and the limitation “the side of the second electric motor” in lines 3-4. Claim 8 recites the limitation "the rotation frequency" in line 2. Claim 9 recites the limitation "the rotation frequency" in line 3. Claim 13 recites the limitation "the sun" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claims. Consequently, claims 5, 6, 10 and 12 are also rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite since they depend from rejected claim 3.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 2, 4, 11 and 14-20 are allowed.
Claims 3, 5-10, 12 and 13 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 10-14, filed February 24, 2026, with respect to most of the drawing, specification and claim objections, as well as the 35 USC 112, 102 and 103 rejections have been fully considered and are persuasive. Most of the drawing, specification and claim objections, as well as the 35 USC 112, 102 and 103 rejections have been withdrawn. However, as further explained above, some of the drawing, specification and claim objections, as well as 35 USC 112 rejections, are maintained since they were not properly addressed.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CATHERINE A LOIKITH whose telephone number is (571)270-7822. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-5:30pm.
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, Doug Hutton can be reached at 571-272-4137. 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.
/Catherine Loikith/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3674
08 July 2026
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