Appeal No. 2003-0214
Application 09/441,490
area 40 on the top of each layer on the pallet. After describing
the foregoing structure, Corsini adds that “all components may be
replaced with technically equivalent elements” (column 5, lines
45 and 46).
The examiner concedes that Corsini does not respond to the
limitations in independent claim 1 requiring a programmable robot
including a single means for transferring pallets, tiers of bulk
product, tier sheets and top frames to a load build area, the
corresponding limitations in independent claim 27 requiring a
programmable robot with an end-of-arm tool incorporating the full
tier pickup, tier sheet pickup, pallet pickup and top frame
pickup wherein the single robot performs all functions in the
sequence, or the corresponding limitations in independent claim
30 requiring the step of carrying out feeding steps to a load
building area with a single programmable robot to sequentially
feed a pallet, a tier of bulk product, a tier sheet, a tier of
bulk product and a top frame as necessary. As indicated above,
Corsini employs separate and distinct mechanisms (roller set 31,
movable arm 10 and claw 11, and swivelling arm 39 and suction
cups 41) for transferring pallets 7, tiers of bulk product (ranks
6) and tier sheets (separating sheets 16) to a load build area
4
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Last modified: November 3, 2007