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 § 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1 and 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Maurer (US 11,926,043).
Regarding Claim 1, Maurer discloses a vertical articulated robot comprising:
A first arm (see Fig. 1, showing a lower arm 5)
A second arm (see Fig. 1, showing an upper arm 5) coupled to a distal end portion of the first arm (see Fig. 1, showing joint 20), configured to rotate around a first rotation axis with respect to the first arm (see Fig. 1), and extending along the first rotation axis (see Fig. 1).
A third arm (6) coupled to a distal end portion of the second arm and configured to rotate around a second rotation axis with respect to the second arm (see Fig. 1).
The second arm including: a housing coupled to the first arm (see Fig. 1).
A first wire lead-out portion and a second wire lead-out portion disposed on the housing (see Fig. 3a, showing wires 14 coming out of two wire lead-out portions), the first wire lead-out portion leading out a first wire to an outside of the housing (see Fig. 3a), the first wire being routed from an inside of the first arm to an inside of the housing (see Fig. 3a), the second wire lead-out portion leading out a second wire to the outside of the housing (see Fig. 3a), the second wire being routed from the inside of the first arm to the inside of the housing (see Fig. 3a).
Wherein the first wire lead-out portion and the second wire lead-out portion are disposed to face each other across the first rotation axis (see Fig. 3a, showing they are on opposite side of the arm relative to the first rotation axis).
Regarding Claim 5, Mauer further discloses the vertical articulated robot according to claim 1, wherein each of the first wire lead-out portion and the second wire lead-out portion is detachable from the second arm (see Fig. 4a, showing the wires-out portions would be capable of being detached from the second arm).
Regarding Claim 6, Mauer further discloses the vertical articulated robot according to claim 1, wherein the first wire lead-out portion and the second wire lead-out portion have a same shape as each other (see Fig. 3a).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Maurer (US 11,926,043) in view of Matsumoto et al. (US 7,430,939).
Regarding Claim 2, Mauer further discloses the vertical articulated robot according to claim 1, wherein the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis intersect with each other (see Fig. 2a) but not that each of the first wire lead-out portion and the second wire lead-out portion overlaps with the second rotation axis in plan view in a direction along the first rotation axis.
However, Matsumoto teaches in a similar robot with a first and second wire lead-out portions that overlaps with the second rotation axis in plan view in a direction along the first rotation axis (see Fig. 6B).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adjust the location of the first and second lead-out portions for the robot disclosed in Mauer so that they intersect the second axis as taught in Matsumoto as a design choice based on the location of the components that the wire lead-out portions are connecting to in the end effector attached to the robot.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-4 and 7-9 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 GREGORY WEBER whose telephone number is (571)272-3307. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM - 5PM M-F.
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, MINNAH SEOH can be reached at (571) 270-7778. 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.
/GREGORY ROBERT WEBER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3618
Prosecution Insights