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 . Pursuant to communications filed on 26 August 2025, this is a First Action Non-Final Rejection on the Merits. Claims 1-15 are currently pending in the instant application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 26 August 2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement has been considered by the Examiner.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1, 2 and 11-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wolf et al (US 2015/0047452 A1, hereinafter Wolf) in view of Zarrouk (US 202/0001452 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Wolf teaches a control device for a rotating cylinder comprising:
a first rotary unit (Figure 8, robotic link mechanism 80 and as further shown in Figure 1, which is an exploded view of one or more robotic link mechanism(s)) including a first wheel (Figure 1, cylinder 14) and a second wheel (Figure 1, cylinder 15), of which inclined surfaces (Figure 1, oblique end surfaces 17) having a deflection angle (Figure 1, angle α) based on each of base surfaces are disposed to contact each other; a second rotary unit (Figure 8, robotic link mechanism 81 and as further shown in Figure 1, which is an exploded view of one or more robotic link mechanism(s)) connected to the first rotary unit and including a third wheel (Figure 1, cylinder 14) and a fourth wheel (Figure 1, cylinder 15), of which inclined surfaces (Figure 1, oblique end surfaces 17) having a deflection angle (Figure 1, angle α) based on each of base surfaces are disposed to contact each other; and a third rotary unit (Figure 8, robotic link mechanism 80n and as further shown in Figure 1, which is an exploded view of one or more robotic link mechanism(s)) including a fifth wheel (Figure 1, cylinder 14) and a sixth wheel (Figure 1, cylinder 15), of which inclined surfaces (Figure 1, oblique end surfaces 17) having a deflection angle (Figure 1, angle α) based on each of base surfaces are disposed to contact each other, wherein the first to sixth wheels are disposed in sequence in one direction (Figures 1 & 8; at least as in paragraphs 0012, 0036-0038 and 0053, wherein “Although the example shown in Fig. 8 shows only two link mechanisms connected, it is feasible to connect several robotic link mechanisms serially, thus enabling a hyper-redundant robot (HRR) having long robotic arm to be constructed, having high flexibility properties.”) Examiner notes wherein although a robotic link mechanism 80n (i.e., third rotary unit) is not shown in Figure 8, it is implicit from the referenced section(s) wherein additional robotic link mechanism(s) may be provided serially, thus creating the HRR. Examiner additionally notes wherein each of the claimed “rotary unit(s)” would have the same construction as shown in Figure 1 of Wolf (reproduced below), which also may be connected serially, as discussed in at least paragraphs 0012 and 0053.;
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a driving unit (Figure 1, drive motors 18) independently driving the first to sixth wheels (Figures 1 & 8; at least as in paragraphs 0036-0038 and 0053, wherein “The cylinders 14, 15, can be rotated, shown as β1 and β2 for the two cylinders, by means of a gear mechanism 19 driven by motors 18, which are preferably small DC motors with positional encoders or stepping motors.”);
a processor (Figure 7A, electronic control circuitry 70) connected to the memory and the driving unit to execute the command (Figure 7A; at least as in paragraph 0051, wherein “The electronic control circuitry 70, used for converting the robot input commands into control signals for the motors…”),
wherein the operation rotates at least one wheel among the first to sixth wheels to control the driving unit such that an inclination angle of the rotating cylinder, an inclination angle of the base surface of the sixth wheel with respect to the base surface of the first wheel, or a position of the base surface of the sixth wheel with respect to the base surface of the first wheel is adjusted to a preset target value (Figures 1, 7A & 8; at least as in paragraphs 0002, 0012, 0036-0038, 0051-0053 and 0059, specifically at least as in paragraph 0002 wherein “A redundant robot has at least one more degree of freedom (DOF) than required for it to perform its intended function…to reach a target position”, and further as in at least paragraph 0037 wherein “The cylinders 14, 15, can be rotated, shown as β1 and β2 for the two cylinders, by means of a gear mechanism 19 driven by motors 18, which are preferably small DC motors with positional encoders or stepping motors.” and further as in at least paragraph 0059, wherein “With regard to the control system for actuating the electric motors, position control feedback of each rotating cylinder may be achieved using the DC motor encoders, with an additional position dependent sensor as the index for each full rotation of each rotating cylinder to enable homing.”). Examiner notes wherein although Wolf does not explicitly discuss a “memory”, it is at least heavily suggested, if not implicit, that some kind of memory is provided with the “electronic control circuitry 70” in order to implement the “robot input commands into control signals for the respective motors”.
Zarrouk, in the same field of endeavor of hyper redundant robots, teaches a minimally actuated serial robot including a plurality of serially connected links and a mobile actuator movable thereon configured to change/control a position of a link relative to a position of an adjacent link. Zarrouk goes on to teach wherein “the maneuvering of the robot is carried out by a motion planning. In this embodiment the mobile actuator comprises a processing unit (e.g. processor, controller) that comprises a memory for storing and carrying out operational commands to the motors of the mobile actuator for traveling to the required joints and carrying out the required positioning between the desired relative links. The processing unit is coupled to the motors of the mobile actuator” (abstract; Figure 1A; at least as in paragraph 0123). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the instant invention, to modify the teachings of Wolf, to include Zarrouk’s teachings of providing “a processing unit (e.g. processor, controller) that comprises a memory for storing and carrying out operational commands”, since Zarrouk teaches wherein such an arrangement provides enhanced control of a serial robot, thereby providing the use of a known technique to improve similar devices (methods, or products) in the same way.
Regarding claim 2, in view of the above combination of Wolf and Zarrouk, Wolf further teaches wherein, in the rotating cylinder, the first to sixth wheels are disposed in sequence in one direction (Figures 1 & 8; at least as in paragraphs 0012, 0036-0038, 0051-0055 and 0059),
wherein the second and third wheels are disposed such that the base surfaces thereof are adjacent and parallel to each other, and the fourth and fifth wheels are disposed such that the base surfaces thereof are adjacent and parallel to each other (Figures 1 & 8; at least as in paragraphs 0012, 0036-0038, 0051-0055 and 0059), and
wherein the first and second wheels have the same first rotation center and are disposed to be rotatable relative to each other, the third and fourth wheels have the same second rotation center and are disposed to be rotatable relative to each other, and the fifth and sixth wheels have the same third rotation center and are disposed to be rotatable relative to each other (Figures 1 & 8; at least as in paragraphs 0012, 0036-0038, 0051-0055 and 0059).
Regarding claim 11, in view of the above combination of Wolf and Zarrouk, Wolf further teaches wherein the first rotary unit includes a first base plate disposed outside the base surface of the first wheel, and a second base plate disposed outside the base surface of the second wheel (Figures 1 & 8; at least as in paragraphs 0012, 0036-0038, 0051-0055 and 0059),
the second rotary unit includes a third base plate disposed outside the base surface of the third wheel, and a fourth base plate disposed outside the base surface of the fourth wheel (Figures 1 & 8; at least as in paragraphs 0012, 0036-0038, 0051-0055 and 0059), and
the third rotary unit includes a fifth base plate disposed outside the base surface of the fifth wheel, and a sixth base plate disposed outside the base surface of the sixth wheel (Figures 1 & 8; at least as in paragraphs 0012, 0036-0038, 0051-0055 and 0059).
Regarding claim 12, in view of the above combination of Wolf and Zarrouk, Wolf further teaches wherein the first to sixth base plates are fixed with respect to a rotation direction, and
the driving unit includes a first driving motor provided on the first base plate, a second driving motor provided on the second base plate, a third driving motor provided on the third base plate, a fourth driving motor provided on the fourth base plate, a fifth driving motor provided on the fifth base plate, and a sixth driving motor provided on the sixth base plate, such that the first to sixth wheels rotate with respect to the first to sixth base plates (Figures 1 & 8; at least as in paragraphs 0012, 0036-0038, 0051-0055 and 0059).
Regarding claim 13, in view of the above combination of Wolf and Zarrouk, Wolf further teaches wherein the driving unit includes a first driving shaft connected to the first driving motor to rotate the first wheel, a second driving shaft connected to the second driving motor to rotate the second wheel, a third driving shaft connected to the third driving motor to rotate the third wheel, a fourth driving shaft connected to the fourth driving motor to rotate the fourth wheel, a fifth driving shaft connected to the fifth driving motor to rotate the fifth wheel, and a sixth driving shaft connected to the sixth driving motor to rotate the sixth wheel (Figures 1 & 8; at least as in paragraphs 0012, 0036-0038, 0051-0055 and 0059).
Regarding claim 14, in view of the above combination of Wolf and Zarrouk, Wolf further teaches wherein the first rotary unit, the second rotary unit, and the third rotary unit are in surface contact with each other, and the operation includes rotating a plurality of wheels among the first to sixth wheels, to adjust a position of the sixth base plate relative to the first base plate, without adjusting an inclination angle of the sixth base plate relative to the first base plate (Figures 1 & 8; at least as in paragraphs 0012, 0036-0038, 0051-0055 and 0059).
Regarding claim 15, in view of the above combination of Wolf and Zarrouk, Wolf further teaches wherein the operation includes rotating at least one wheel among the first to sixth wheels, to adjust an inclination angle of the sixth base plate relative to the first base plate, without adjusting a position of the sixth base plate relative to the first base plate (Figures 1 & 8; at least as in paragraphs 0012, 0036-0038, 0051-0055 and 0059).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-10 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. See attached PTO-892 – Notice of References Cited form. Examiner additionally notes the following prior art references, in the same field of endeavor as the instant invention, and also reads on some of the currently provided claim limitations above;
US 10,288,458 B2, issued to Ko, which is directed towards a system and method for a redundant sensor platform.
US 2018/0243927 A1, issued to Dufau, which is directed towards an articulated robot arm comprising a plurality of trapezoidal truncated cylinder sections.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JONATHAN L SAMPLE whose telephone number is (571)270-5925. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:00am-4:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Adam Mott can be reached at (571)270-5376. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JONATHAN L SAMPLE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3657
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