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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/08/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to applicant's argument that 104 of Ham forms a continuous contact surface with the carrier 101 making it structurally impossible for Ham to introduce and elastic member between 101 and 104, the test for obviousness is not whether the features of a secondary reference may be bodily incorporated into the structure of the primary reference; nor is it that the claimed invention must be expressly suggested in any one or all of the references. Rather, the test is what the combined teachings of the references would have suggested to those of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981). As shown in the rejection of Claim 1, Kuroda discloses that the spring element helps prevent damage or falling (See Kuroda Para [0007] “In particular, when the process unit 101 is mounted horizontally along its longitudinal direction, the compression spring 106 is oriented sideways, and therefore it is necessary to reliably prevent this from falling.”). As such Examiner does not find this argument persuasive. Regarding Applicants argument pointed towards Yu, Applicant argues that the resilient members 142 are positioned at the corners of platform 12 and configured to support the carrier body 16 and as such the resilient elements do not contact or interact with Yu’s moving-driving latch 224 or fixing unit 22 and fails to disclose “a conductive elastic member that is installed between at least the conduction portion of the body and the holding position”. Examiner respectfully disagrees. Examiner does not rely on Yu to disclose this limitation, and instead relies on Kuroda as discussed above, Examiner relies on Yu to disclose a holding portion pressing a portion of a mounting body against an elastic member (First See Col 3 Line 29-32 “Once the carrying body 16 is pressed to descend, the resilient elements 142 will be compressed to thereby exert a resilient restoring force upon the carrying body 16. Once the carrying body 16 is no longer pressed downward, the carrying body 16 ascends and returns to its original position under the resilient restoring force.” then See Col 4 Line 15-25 “The assembly fixture 10' further comprises a fixing unit 22. The fixing unit 22 is disposed on the platform 12 and configured to keep the status of the carrying body 16 after the descent thereof. For example, in this embodiment, the fixing unit 22 comprises a pressing-pulling bar 222, a moving-driving latch 224, and a body 226. A user may press the pressing-pulling bar 222 to drive the moving-driving latch 224, so as to keep the status of the carrying body 16 after the descent thereof. Please note that the purpose of the fixing unit 22 is to keep the status of the carrying body 16 after the descent thereof.”).
Regarding Applicants argument that the Ham as modified does not disclose the amended limitations, Examiner respectfully disagrees, Han discloses a rotatable holding portion (holding portion (130) wherein the holding portion is rotatable from a non-holding position to a holding position (see position of 130 in figures 8a and 8b)) and Yu discloses wherein the holding portion presses an end part of a mounting body against an elastic member in an elastically deformed state of the elastic member in a case where the holding portion is actuated and displaced from the non-holding position to the holding position.
Finally, in response to applicant's argument that the examiner's conclusion of obviousness is based upon improper hindsight reasoning, it must be recognized that any judgment on obviousness is in a sense necessarily a reconstruction based upon hindsight reasoning. But so long as it takes into account only knowledge which was within the level of ordinary skill at the time the claimed invention was made, and does not include knowledge gleaned only from the applicant's disclosure, such a reconstruction is proper. See In re McLaughlin, 443 F.2d 1392, 170 USPQ 209 (CCPA 1971).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ham (US 7135703 B2) in view of Kuroda (JP 2007304447 A) and Han (US 20060144738 A1) and Yu (US 8136232 B1).
Regarding Claim 1. Ham teaches A holding mechanism comprising:
a body (101), and a mounting portion (portion where 103 is received on body 101) on which a mounting body (103) having an end part (end of 103).
a holding member (106) that is provided on the body and has a holding portion displaced between a holding position where the holding portion comes into contact with an end part of the mounting body to hold the end part and a non-holding position where the holding portion avoids the end part not to hold the end part (Col 4 Line 27-36 “One or more holding members 106 are provided to detachably hold the semiconductor device seated on the device seating surface 104. In the embodiment of FIGS. 4 7, the holding members 106 are provided at opposite sides of the device seating surface 104. The holding members 106 may be, for example, a pair of latches 106 and a corresponding pair of latches moving pieces 107, as in the embodiment of FIGS. 4 7. The latches 106 are opened as the latch moving pieces 107 are pressed, and closed as the force pressing the latch moving pieces 107 are removed.”); and suggests but does not explicitly teach the holding member is rotatable (See Col 4 Line 32-37 “The holding members 106 may be, for example, a pair of latches 106 and a corresponding pair of latches moving pieces 107, as in the embodiment of FIGS. 4 7. The latches 106 are opened as the latch moving pieces 107 are pressed, and closed as the force pressing the latch moving pieces 107 are removed.”) wherein the body has a conductive portion, the mounting body having a conduction portion capable of facing the conduction portion of the body (See Col 1 Line 11-27 “In general, both memory and non-memory semiconductor devices, or modular ICs with semiconductor devices arranged on a substrate to form a circuit, are subjected to various tests after fabrication but prior to shipment. The semiconductor device handler (hereafter referred to as "handler") is an apparatus for automatic testing of semiconductor devices, modular ICs, and the like. The handler carries out a test according to the following process. First, a worker loads trays of semiconductor devices or modular ICs to be tested onto a loading stacker of the handler. The semiconductor devices or modular ICs are then loaded on test trays and transported to a test site. At the test site, leads of the semiconductor device are electrically connected to a test socket and tested. Once testing is complete, the semiconductor devices are removed from the test trays and loaded on user trays based on test results, to classify the semiconductor devices.”).
And does not explicitly teach:
a conductive elastic member that is installed between at least the conduction portion of the body and the holding portion at least at the holding position, wherein the holding portion presses the end part of the mounting body against the conductive elastic member in an elastically deformed state of the conductive elastic member wherein the end part of the mounting body, including the conduction portion at the end part, is interposed and held between the holding portion at the holding position and the elastic member in an elastically deformed state.
Kuroda teaches a similar apparatus for mounting an electric device (100) with a body having a conduction portion (101b) and a mounting body (103a) with a conductive elastic member (106) that is installed between at least a conductive portion of the body (101b) and the mounting body (103a) wherein the end part of the mounting body, including the conduction portion at the end part, is interposed and held between the device and elastic member (see Figure 6 of Kuroda electrical contact portion 103a faces the electrical conduction portion 101b and the conduction portion at the end is held between the device and elastic member).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Ham to include the conductive elastic member, wherein the end part of the mounting body, including the conduction portion at the end part, is interposed and held between the holding portion at the holding position and the elastic member in an elastically deformed state as doing so would allow for power to be conducted into the semiconductor of Ham for appropriate testing while also helping prevent damage during transportation (See Kuroda Para [0007] “In particular, when the process unit 101 is mounted horizontally along its longitudinal direction, the compression spring 106 is oriented sideways, and therefore it is necessary to reliably prevent this from falling.”).
However, Ham as modified by Kuroda does not explicitly teach the conductive elastic member is installed between at least the conduction portion of the body and the holding portion at least at the holding position.
Han, does teach a similar substrate holding device, that teaches an elastic member (136) installed between at least a portion of the body (70) and the holding portion (130) wherein the holding portion is rotatable (see position of 130 in figures 8a and 8b).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the holding portion of Ham as modified to include an elastic member installed between the conduction portion of the body and the holding portion in at least a holding position as doing so would allow for one to selectively bias the mounting body against the holding portion similar to that of Han, ensuring that the mounting body is kept steady and stationary with respect to the rest of the body during operations such as a deposition process.
Finally, Yu discloses a similar holding device wherein a holding portion (224 and 22) presses the end part of the mounting body (16) against the elastic member in an elastically deformed state of the elastic member in a case where the holding portion is actuated and displaced from a non-holding position to a holding position. (First See Col 3 Line 29-32 “Once the carrying body 16 is pressed to descend, the resilient elements 142 will be compressed to thereby exert a resilient restoring force upon the carrying body 16. Once the carrying body 16 is no longer pressed downward, the carrying body 16 ascends and returns to its original position under the resilient restoring force” then See Col 4 Line 15-25 “The assembly fixture 10' further comprises a fixing unit 22. The fixing unit 22 is disposed on the platform 12 and configured to keep the status of the carrying body 16 after the descent thereof. For example, in this embodiment, the fixing unit 22 comprises a pressing-pulling bar 222, a moving-driving latch 224, and a body 226. A user may press the pressing-pulling bar 222 to drive the moving-driving latch 224, so as to keep the status of the carrying body 16 after the descent thereof. Please note that the purpose of the fixing unit 22 is to keep the status of the carrying body 16 after the descent thereof.”).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to have the holding portion press the mounting body against the conductive elastic member in a deformed state in a case where the holding portion is rotated and displaced from the non-holding portion to the holding position in order to effectively keep the workpiece in place during an operation, see Abstract “The elevating unit is capable of descending to enable the positioning pillars to protrude from the printed circuit board and the through holes, respectively, for positioning the part/component on the printed circuit board. The assembly fixture is effective in positioning the part/component on the printed circuit board to render an assembly process of the printed circuit board easy, quick, safe, and precise.”
Regarding Claim 2, Ham as modified teaches all the limitations of claim 1 but does not explicitly teach wherein the holding member has a strut portion that supports the holding portion, and the holding portion is displaced between the holding position and the non-holding position by rotating around the strut portion.
However, Han teaches a similar holding apparatus that with a similar holding member (130) that is supported by a strut (131) that supports the holding portion, and the holding portion is displaced between the holding position and the non-holding position by rotating around the strut position (See Para [0116] “The third holding means 130 is formed to be engaged in a first position (FIG. 7A) or a second position (FIG. 7B). The first position (FIG. 7A) presses the substrate 10 on the frame 70, and the second position (FIG. 7B) releases the substrate 10 so that the third holding means 130 does not interfere the input of the substrate 10 when the substrate 10 is charged into the frame 70. The continuous operation of such a holding means 130 is achieved by employing a substrate clamp pusher (not shown).”).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the holding members of Ham by substituting them with the holding means 130 of Han as both are recognized as means for holding a mounting portion in place with respect to a base. Further using the rotational holding means as taught by Hans prevents the holding means from contacting the wafer or holder undesirably during insertion.
Regarding Claim 3, Ham as modified teaches all the claim limitations of claim 1 and in addition teaches wherein the holding member has a displacement guide portion (See Annotated Figure A) that comes into contact with the end part of the mounting body while moving so as to approach the body in a case where the end part is held and guides the holding portion in a process of being displaced to the non-holding position to be displaced toward the non-holding position (See Figure 5 of Ham, displacement guide comes into contact with end of 103).
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Annotated Figure A (Figure 5 of Ham)
Regarding Claim 4, Ham as modified teaches all the limitations of claim 1 and in addition teaches wherein the holding member has a pressing guide portion (annotated Figure A) that comes into contact with the end part of the mounting body to guide the end part to be pressed against the elastic member (as modified by Kuroda and Han to have the spring selectively bias the mounting body upwards towards the holding member), in a case where the holding portion is rotated and displaced from the non-holding position to the holding position (as seen in Figure 5 of Ham, Pressing guide portion comes into contact with mounting body, guiding end part to be pressed down).
Regarding Claim 5, Ham as modified teaches all the limitations of claim 1 but does not explicitly teach wherein the holding member has a restraining portion that comes into contact with a part of the mounting body to restrain displacement of the holding portion in a case where the holding portion has been displaced from the non-holding position to the holding position.
However, Han teaches a similar holding apparatus that with a similar holding member (130) that is supported by a strut (131) that has a restraining portion (133) that comes into contact with the mounting body (70 via 79). That is capable of restraining displacement of the holding portion in a case where the holding portion has been displaced from the non-holding position to the holding position (See Para [0118] “A guide groove 79 is formed inside the frame 70. More specifically, the projection 131 of the third holding means 130 is inserted into a portion of inside of the protruded groove of the frame 70, so that it can be matched with the guide protrusion 133 formed on the projection for insertion 131 of the third holding means 130”).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the holding members of Ham by substituting them with the holding means 130 of Han as both are recognized as means for holding a mounting portion in place with respect to a base. Further using the rotational holding means as taught by Hans prevents the holding means from contacting the wafer or holder undesirably during insertion.
Regarding Claim 6, Ham as modified teaches all the limitations of claim 1 and in addition teaches wherein a part of the elastic member (106 of Kuroda) is installed so as to be present between the holding portion at the holding position and the body in a case where the holding portion is at the non-holding position (Ham as modified by Kuroda and Han in claim 1 teaches the elastic member being installed between the 135 (part of 130) of Han and the body 70 and figure 7A and 7B shows the holding portion with part 135 still visible in the non-holding position).
Regarding Claim 7, Ham as modified teaches all the limitations of claim 2 and in addition teaches wherein the holding member (130 of Han) is provided such that the holding portion is fixed to the strut portion (131 of Han), and the strut portion is rotatably attached to the body (See Para [0118] “That is to say, the guide groove 79 is spirally formed in the inner part of the cylindrical protruded groove formed to receive the cylindrical projection for insertion 131, and therefore the guide groove 79 allows the third holding means 130 to move from the first position to the second position, and vice versa, when the guide protrusion 133 moves along the guide groove 79.”).
Regarding Claim 8, Ham as modified teaches all the limitations of claim 2 and suggests but does not explicitly teach wherein a part of the elastic member (106 of Kuroda) is installed so as to be present between the holding portion and the body in a case where the holding portion is at the non-holding position (Ham as modified by Kuroda and Han in claim 1 teaches the elastic member being installed between the 135 (part of 130) of Han and the body 70 and figure 7A and 7B shows the holding portion with part 135 still visible in the non-holding position).
Regarding Claim 9, Ham as modified teaches all the limitations of claim 7 and additionally teaches wherein a part of the elastic member (106 of Kuroda) is installed so as to be present between the holding portion and the body in a case where the holding portion is at the non-holding position (Ham as modified by Kuroda and Han in claim 1 teaches the elastic member being installed between the 135 (part of 130) of Han and the body 70 and figure 7A and 7B shows the holding portion with part 135 still visible in the non-holding position).
Regarding Claim 10, Ham as modified teaches all the limitations of claim 1 and in addition teaches wherein the holding member (106) has an elastic strut portion that supports the holding portion , and the holding portion is displaced between the holding position and the non-holding position due to elastic deformation of the strut portion (See Ham Col 4 Line 31-37 “The holding members 106 may be, for example, a pair of latches 106 and a corresponding pair of latch moving pieces 107, as in the embodiment of FIGS. 4 7. The latches 106 are opened as the latch moving pieces 107 are pressed, and closed as the force pressing the latch moving pieces 107 are removed.”).
Regarding Claim 11, Ham as modified teaches all the limitations of 10 and in addition teaches wherein the holding member (106) has a pressing guide portion (See Annotated Figure A) that comes into contact with the end part of the mounting body (102) to guide the end part to be pressed against the elastic member (as modified by Kuroda and Han to have the spring selectively bias the mounting body upwards towards the holding member), in a case where the strut portion is restored after the elastic deformation and the holding portion is displaced from the non-holding position to the holding position (See Col 4 Line 31-37 “The holding members 106 may be, for example, a pair of latches 106 and a corresponding pair of latch moving pieces 107, as in the embodiment of FIGS. 4 7. The latches 106 are opened as the latch moving pieces 107 are pressed, and closed as the force pressing the latch moving pieces 107 are removed.”).
Regarding Claim 12, Ham as modified teaches all the limitations of claim 1 and in addition teaches wherein the elastic member is a coil spring (See Kuroda Para [0007] “In particular, when the process unit 101 is mounted horizontally along its longitudinal direction, the compression spring 106 is oriented sideways, and therefore it is necessary to reliably prevent this from falling.”), the holding member is present in a coil of the coil spring and is installed so that the holding portion is capable of coming into contact with a part of the coil spring (Han Para [0093] “And the coupling member 135 (see FIG. 3C) is formed in the elastic means. The other end of the elastic means is sustained to the coupling member 135 to be anchored to the coupling hole.” See Figure 3 of Han showing 135 a part of holding means 130).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include a coupling member as part of the holding portion in order to have something for the elastic member to anchor to in order to provide the elasticity to properly bias the mounting body. See Han Para [0141] “The elastic means 136 is formed to anchor a coupling member 135 to the coupling hole formed in the holding means 130 so that it can be sustained into the coupling member 135, as shown in FIG. 3C.”
Regarding Claim 13, Ham as modified teaches all the limitations of claim 1 and in addition discloses:
Wherein the holding member (106) holds the mounting body (103) on the body (101, see Figure 7 of Ham);
And does not explicitly disclose:
And operating hardware comprising at least one of (i) a medium supplier including an accommodating body and a delivery device, and (ii) a transport roll. Wherein the operating hardware transmits and is configured to cause vibration during operation and transmit vibration to the body.
However, Kuroda does disclose An operating hardware comprising at least one of a (i) medium supplier (1) including an accommodating body (1 See Figure 1 and 2) and a delivery device (5 See Figure 2), and a (ii) transport roll (9 See Figure 2). Wherein the operating hardware transmits and is configured to cause vibration during operation and transmit vibration to the body (body (Seen in figure 3 and 4) is located inside the accommodating body which comprises moving parts during operation such as the delivery device and transport roll, and vibration would result from this movement and in part be transferred to the body, Additionally, see Para [0026] “The small diameter portion 20b of the coil spring 20 is inserted into this circular hole 18a from the power supply board 19 side and protrudes toward the mounting portion of the developing unit 80, and the large diameter portion 20a is elastically mounted in a compressed state between the peripheral portion of the circular hole 18a in the frame portion 18 and the contact portion 19a of the power supply board 19. The large diameter portion 20a is elastically mounted between the frame portion 18 and the power supply board 19 with a restoring elastic force, so that the base end of the coil spring 20 is stably held in elastic contact with the contact portion 19a without dropping.”).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to further modify Ham as modified to include operating hardware alongside the body in order to improve the effectiveness of the operating hardware by utilizing the body as advantageously disclosed in Kuroda.
Regarding Claim 14, Ham as modified teaches all the limitations of claim 2 and in addition discloses:
Wherein the holding member (106) holds the mounting body (103) on the body (101, see Figure 7 of Ham);
And does not explicitly disclose:
And operating hardware comprising at least one of (i) a medium supplier including an accommodating body and a delivery device, and (ii) a transport roll. Wherein the operating hardware transmits and is configured to cause vibration during operation and transmit vibration to the body.
However, Kuroda does disclose An operating hardware comprising at least one of a (i) medium supplier (1) including an accommodating body (1 See Figure 1 and 2) and a delivery device (5 See Figure 2), and a (ii) transport roll (9 See Figure 2). Wherein the operating hardware transmits and is configured to cause vibration during operation and transmit vibration to the body (body (Seen in figure 3 and 4) is located inside the accommodating body which comprises moving parts during operation such as the delivery device and transport roll, and vibration would result from this movement and in part be transferred to the body, Additionally, see Para [0026] “The small diameter portion 20b of the coil spring 20 is inserted into this circular hole 18a from the power supply board 19 side and protrudes toward the mounting portion of the developing unit 80, and the large diameter portion 20a is elastically mounted in a compressed state between the peripheral portion of the circular hole 18a in the frame portion 18 and the contact portion 19a of the power supply board 19. The large diameter portion 20a is elastically mounted between the frame portion 18 and the power supply board 19 with a restoring elastic force, so that the base end of the coil spring 20 is stably held in elastic contact with the contact portion 19a without dropping.”).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to further modify Ham as modified to include operating hardware alongside the body in order to improve the effectiveness of the operating hardware by utilizing the body as advantageously disclosed in Kuroda.
Regarding Claim 15, Ham as modified teaches all the limitations of claim 3 and in addition discloses:
Wherein the holding member (106) holds the mounting body (103) on the body (101, see Figure 7 of Ham);
And does not explicitly disclose:
And operating hardware comprising at least one of (i) a medium supplier including an accommodating body and a delivery device, and (ii) a transport roll. Wherein the operating hardware transmits and is configured to cause vibration during operation and transmit vibration to the body.
However, Kuroda does disclose An operating hardware comprising at least one of a (i) medium supplier (1) including an accommodating body (1 See Figure 1 and 2) and a delivery device (5 See Figure 2), and a (ii) transport roll (9 See Figure 2). Wherein the operating hardware transmits and is configured to cause vibration during operation and transmit vibration to the body (body (Seen in figure 3 and 4) is located inside the accommodating body which comprises moving parts during operation such as the delivery device and transport roll, and vibration would result from this movement and in part be transferred to the body, Additionally, see Para [0026] “The small diameter portion 20b of the coil spring 20 is inserted into this circular hole 18a from the power supply board 19 side and protrudes toward the mounting portion of the developing unit 80, and the large diameter portion 20a is elastically mounted in a compressed state between the peripheral portion of the circular hole 18a in the frame portion 18 and the contact portion 19a of the power supply board 19. The large diameter portion 20a is elastically mounted between the frame portion 18 and the power supply board 19 with a restoring elastic force, so that the base end of the coil spring 20 is stably held in elastic contact with the contact portion 19a without dropping.”).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to further modify Ham as modified to include operating hardware alongside the body in order to improve the effectiveness of the operating hardware by utilizing the body as advantageously disclosed in Kuroda.
Regarding Claim 16, Ham as modified teaches all the limitations of claim 4 and in addition discloses:
Wherein the holding member (106) holds the mounting body (103) on the body (101, see Figure 7 of Ham);
And does not explicitly disclose:
And operating hardware comprising at least one of (i) a medium supplier including an accommodating body and a delivery device, and (ii) a transport roll. Wherein the operating hardware transmits and is configured to cause vibration during operation and transmit vibration to the body.
However, Kuroda does disclose An operating hardware comprising at least one of a (i) medium supplier (1) including an accommodating body (1 See Figure 1 and 2) and a delivery device (5 See Figure 2), and a (ii) transport roll (9 See Figure 2). Wherein the operating hardware transmits and is configured to cause vibration during operation and transmit vibration to the body (body (Seen in figure 3 and 4) is located inside the accommodating body which comprises moving parts during operation such as the delivery device and transport roll, and vibration would result from this movement and in part be transferred to the body, Additionally, see Para [0026] “The small diameter portion 20b of the coil spring 20 is inserted into this circular hole 18a from the power supply board 19 side and protrudes toward the mounting portion of the developing unit 80, and the large diameter portion 20a is elastically mounted in a compressed state between the peripheral portion of the circular hole 18a in the frame portion 18 and the contact portion 19a of the power supply board 19. The large diameter portion 20a is elastically mounted between the frame portion 18 and the power supply board 19 with a restoring elastic force, so that the base end of the coil spring 20 is stably held in elastic contact with the contact portion 19a without dropping.”).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to further modify Ham as modified to include operating hardware alongside the body in order to improve the effectiveness of the operating hardware by utilizing the body as advantageously disclosed in Kuroda.
Regarding Claim 17, Ham as modified teaches all the limitations of claim 5 and in addition discloses:
Wherein the holding member (106) holds the mounting body (103) on the body (101, see Figure 7 of Ham);
And does not explicitly disclose:
And operating hardware comprising at least one of (i) a medium supplier including an accommodating body and a delivery device, and (ii) a transport roll. Wherein the operating hardware transmits and is configured to cause vibration during operation and transmit vibration to the body.
However, Kuroda does disclose An operating hardware comprising at least one of a (i) medium supplier (1) including an accommodating body (1 See Figure 1 and 2) and a delivery device (5 See Figure 2), and a (ii) transport roll (9 See Figure 2). Wherein the operating hardware transmits and is configured to cause vibration during operation and transmit vibration to the body (body (Seen in figure 3 and 4) is located inside the accommodating body which comprises moving parts during operation such as the delivery device and transport roll, and vibration would result from this movement and in part be transferred to the body, Additionally, see Para [0026] “The small diameter portion 20b of the coil spring 20 is inserted into this circular hole 18a from the power supply board 19 side and protrudes toward the mounting portion of the developing unit 80, and the large diameter portion 20a is elastically mounted in a compressed state between the peripheral portion of the circular hole 18a in the frame portion 18 and the contact portion 19a of the power supply board 19. The large diameter portion 20a is elastically mounted between the frame portion 18 and the power supply board 19 with a restoring elastic force, so that the base end of the coil spring 20 is stably held in elastic contact with the contact portion 19a without dropping.”).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to further modify Ham as modified to include operating hardware alongside the body in order to improve the effectiveness of the operating hardware by utilizing the body as advantageously disclosed in Kuroda.
Regarding Claim 18, Ham as modified teaches all the limitations of claim 6 and in addition discloses:
Wherein the holding member (106) holds the mounting body (103) on the body (101, see Figure 7 of Ham);
And does not explicitly disclose:
And operating hardware comprising at least one of (i) a medium supplier including an accommodating body and a delivery device, and (ii) a transport roll. Wherein the operating hardware transmits and is configured to cause vibration during operation and transmit vibration to the body.
However, Kuroda does disclose An operating hardware comprising at least one of a (i) medium supplier (1) including an accommodating body (1 See Figure 1 and 2) and a delivery device (5 See Figure 2), and a (ii) transport roll (9 See Figure 2). Wherein the operating hardware transmits and is configured to cause vibration during operation and transmit vibration to the body (body (Seen in figure 3 and 4) is located inside the accommodating body which comprises moving parts during operation such as the delivery device and transport roll, and vibration would result from this movement and in part be transferred to the body, Additionally, see Para [0026] “The small diameter portion 20b of the coil spring 20 is inserted into this circular hole 18a from the power supply board 19 side and protrudes toward the mounting portion of the developing unit 80, and the large diameter portion 20a is elastically mounted in a compressed state between the peripheral portion of the circular hole 18a in the frame portion 18 and the contact portion 19a of the power supply board 19. The large diameter portion 20a is elastically mounted between the frame portion 18 and the power supply board 19 with a restoring elastic force, so that the base end of the coil spring 20 is stably held in elastic contact with the contact portion 19a without dropping.”).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to further modify Ham as modified to include operating hardware alongside the body in order to improve the effectiveness of the operating hardware by utilizing the body as advantageously disclosed in Kuroda.
Regarding Claim 19, Ham as modified teaches all the limitations of claim 7 and in addition discloses:
Wherein the holding member (106) holds the mounting body (103) on the body (101, see Figure 7 of Ham);
And does not explicitly disclose:
And operating hardware comprising at least one of (i) a medium supplier including an accommodating body and a delivery device, and (ii) a transport roll. Wherein the operating hardware transmits and is configured to cause vibration during operation and transmit vibration to the body.
However, Kuroda does disclose An operating hardware comprising at least one of a (i) medium supplier (1) including an accommodating body (1 See Figure 1 and 2) and a delivery device (5 See Figure 2), and a (ii) transport roll (9 See Figure 2). Wherein the operating hardware transmits and is configured to cause vibration during operation and transmit vibration to the body (body (Seen in figure 3 and 4) is located inside the accommodating body which comprises moving parts during operation such as the delivery device and transport roll, and vibration would result from this movement and in part be transferred to the body, Additionally, see Para [0026] “The small diameter portion 20b of the coil spring 20 is inserted into this circular hole 18a from the power supply board 19 side and protrudes toward the mounting portion of the developing unit 80, and the large diameter portion 20a is elastically mounted in a compressed state between the peripheral portion of the circular hole 18a in the frame portion 18 and the contact portion 19a of the power supply board 19. The large diameter portion 20a is elastically mounted between the frame portion 18 and the power supply board 19 with a restoring elastic force, so that the base end of the coil spring 20 is stably held in elastic contact with the contact portion 19a without dropping.”).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to further modify Ham as modified to include operating hardware alongside the body in order to improve the effectiveness of the operating hardware by utilizing the body as advantageously disclosed in Kuroda.
Regarding Claim 20, Ham as modified teaches all the limitations of claim 8 and in addition discloses:
Wherein the holding member (106) holds the mounting body (103) on the body (101, see Figure 7 of Ham);
And does not explicitly disclose:
And operating hardware comprising at least one of (i) a medium supplier including an accommodating body and a delivery device, and (ii) a transport roll. Wherein the operating hardware transmits and is configured to cause vibration during operation and transmit vibration to the body.
However, Kuroda does disclose An operating hardware comprising at least one of a (i) medium supplier (1) including an accommodating body (1 See Figure 1 and 2) and a delivery device (5 See Figure 2), and a (ii) transport roll (9 See Figure 2). Wherein the operating hardware transmits and is configured to cause vibration during operation and transmit vibration to the body (body (Seen in figure 3 and 4) is located inside the accommodating body which comprises moving parts during operation such as the delivery device and transport roll, and vibration would result from this movement and in part be transferred to the body, Additionally, see Para [0026] “The small diameter portion 20b of the coil spring 20 is inserted into this circular hole 18a from the power supply board 19 side and protrudes toward the mounting portion of the developing unit 80, and the large diameter portion 20a is elastically mounted in a compressed state between the peripheral portion of the circular hole 18a in the frame portion 18 and the contact portion 19a of the power supply board 19. The large diameter portion 20a is elastically mounted between the frame portion 18 and the power supply board 19 with a restoring elastic force, so that the base end of the coil spring 20 is stably held in elastic contact with the contact portion 19a without dropping.”).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to further modify Ham as modified to include operating hardware alongside the body in order to improve the effectiveness of the operating hardware by utilizing the body as advantageously disclosed in Kuroda.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/T.J.M./Examiner, Art Unit 3723
/DAVID S POSIGIAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3723