Appeal No. 2003-0693
Application No. 09/006,248
With reference to Figure 1, appellants’ invention pertains to
an end arm manipulator 21 comprising a base 31, one or more arms 37
pivotally mounted to the base, and a workpiece interfacing member
(e.g., gripper 41) coupled to the end of each arm. As can be seen
in Figures 2 and 3, the arms are pivotally mounted to the base by
ball and socket joints 33, 35 that may be clamped to secure the
arms at a desired angle relative to the base. Figure 3 shows a
further feature of the invention, namely, the routing of fluid
and/or electric lines 205, 231 through the interior of the ball 35
of the ball and socket joint and the interior of the arm 37. These
lines are used for actuating the workpiece interfacing member
coupled to the opposite end of the arm. The appealed claims are
reproduced in the Appendix to the main brief.
The references relied upon by the examiner in the final
rejection as evidence of obviousness are:
Giern et al. (Giern) 2,310,025 Feb. 02, 1943
Kraus 2,488,296 Nov. 15, 1949
Dailey 4,214,739 Jul. 29, 1980
Susnjara 4,378,959 Apr. 05, 1983
Kraft 4,648,782 Mar. 10, 1987
Vachtsevanos et al. 4,739,241 Apr. 19, 1988
(Vachtsevanos)
Hayes 4,787,613 Nov. 29, 1988
Larsson 4,904,148 Feb. 27, 1990
Nicholson 4,913,617 Apr. 03, 1990
Kawai 4,922,782 May 08, 1990
Hurlimann 5,020,323 Jun. 04, 1991
Herbermann (Herbermann ‘309) 5,071,309 Dec. 10, 1991
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