DETAILED ACTION
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.
Claims 1-18 are 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.
Regarding claim 1, the applicant’s claim recites the term “bent structures”, it’s unclear as to what is required since the applicant’s claim seems to require “structures” in addition to the applicant’s claimed arms wherein the applicant’s disclosure merely shows a connecting arm having a curved portion. It’s not clear if the “bent structures” are required to be their own independent piece or simply part of the connecting arm and the claim should reflect as much. Additionally, the applicant’s claim recites the term like “shape fit” and it’s not clear what’s required since the term doesn’t hold a standard meaning. It is believed that these issues may stem from the translation of the application and further instances may also be attributed to this.
Claim 13 recites the limitation "the other" in line 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. While it’s understood this goes back to “the robotic hand to rotate one of the …”, the other being recited without reference to both renders the claim unclear.
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, 7, 10, 12, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Gilbertson et al (US Pat No 9,827,678).
Regarding claim 1, as best understood, Gilbertson disclose a robotic arm, comprising:
a support arm (210), a connecting arm (220), a working arm (224) and two first robotic joints (222, 212), wherein a first end of the connecting arm is connected to the support arm by one of the first robotic joints, so that the connecting arm is foldable or unfoldable relative to the support arm; a second end of the connecting arm is connected to the working arm by the other first robotic joint, so that the working arm is foldable or unfoldable relative to the connecting arm;
bent structures (e.g. each end of the connecting arm having the design shown in figure 2B) are arranged at two ends of the connecting arm respectively, and the two bent structures are engaged in a convex-concave shape fit with the support arm and the working arm respectively when the connecting arm is in a folded state relative to both the support arm and the working arm.
Regarding claim 7, Gilbertson discloses a rotatable base (e.g. connection between 206 and 208), the rotatable base being connected to the support arm by a second robotic joint (208), so that the support arm is raised or lowered relative to the rotatable base.
Regarding claim 10, Gilbertson discloses a base (204), the base being connected to the rotatable base by a third robotic joint (206), so that the rotatable base is rotatable relative to the base.
Regarding claim 12, Gilbertson discloses robotic hand (232), the robotic hand being connected to an end of the working arm away from the connecting arm by a fourth robotic joint (226).
Regarding claim 18, Gilbertson discloses a self-moving cleaning device comprising the robotic arm.
Claim(s) 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yaonan (CN103978474).
Regarding claim 1, as best understood, Yaonan disclose a robotic arm, comprising:
a support arm (leftmost 32), a connecting arm (middle 32), a working arm (rightmost 32) and two first robotic joints (322), wherein a first end of the connecting arm is connected to the support arm by one of the first robotic joints, so that the connecting arm is foldable or unfoldable relative to the support arm; a second end of the connecting arm is connected to the working arm by the other first robotic joint, so that the working arm is foldable or unfoldable relative to the connecting arm;
bent structures (e.g. each end of the connecting arm having the design shown in figure 4) are arranged at two ends of the connecting arm respectively, and the two bent structures are engaged in a convex-concave shape fit with the support arm and the working arm respectively when the connecting arm is in a folded state relative to both the support arm and the working arm.
Regarding claim 2, Yaonan discloses when the connecting arm is in the folded state relative to both the support arm and the working arm, the connecting arm is located above the support arm and fits the support arm, and the working arm is located above the connecting arm and fits the connecting arm.
Regarding claim 3, Yaonan discloses the bent structure comprises a first bent part (710), the first bent part (710) being bent downwards and hinged to the support arm (60) when the connecting arm (70) is in a horizontal state; one of the first bent part (710) and the support arm (60) is provided with a first protrusion, and the other is provided with a first recess; and the first protrusion is engaged with the first recess to constrain rotation of the connecting arm (70) relative to the support arm (shown in figures 4 and 5).
Regarding claim 4, Yaonan discloses the bent structure further comprises a second bent part, the second bent part being bent upwards when the connecting arm is in the horizontal state; the working arm is provided with a third bent part hinged to the second bent part, a bending direction of the third bent part is s opposite to a bending direction of the second bent part, one of the second bent part and the third bent part is provided with a second protrusion, and the other is provided with a second recess; and the second protrusion is engaged with the second recess to constrain rotation of the working arm relative to the connecting arm (shown in figures 4 and 5).
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 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gilbertson et al in view of Shimada (US Pub No 2008/0246428).
Regarding claim 5, Gilbertson discloses a first driving part connected to a first arm. Gilbertson is silent as to the drive. However, Shimada discloses a similar robotic arm comprising a motor (33) and a planetary speed-reducing mechanism (34), the motor comprising a first output shaft (30), an input end of the planetary speed-reducing mechanism being connected to the first output shaft, and an output end of the planetary speed-reducing mechanism being connected to a second arm to drive the second arm to rotate relative to the first arm.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to have modified the device of Gilbertson with the teachings of Shimada to achieve the predictable result of actuating the arms relative to one another by a drive.
The combination discloses the first arm is the connecting arm, both ends of the connecting arm are connected to the output end of the planetary speed-reducing mechanism, and the second arm is the support arm or the working arm.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6, 9, 11, 13-17 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: None of the prior art on record discloses or suggests each and every feature of the applicants’ claimed invention.
Note: depending how the applicant amends the claim to overcome the 112 rejections above, the interpretation of the above noted allowable claims can change and the allowability be revoked. Such a situation would not require a non-final rejection.
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 Patrick Cicchino whose telephone number is (571)270-1954. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:30AM to 5PM.
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/Patrick Cicchino/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3619
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