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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “each zone comprises one or more heating element do nor overlap into other zones” must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
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(s) 1, 3, 5 and 7-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Eskey (US Pub. 2004/0228667) (new cited) in view of Imaizumi et al. (EP 2559538) (previously cited).
Regarding claims 1 and 11, Eskey discloses a fuser comprising: a roller (Fig. 1, 40), divides lengthwise into a series of zones (Fig. 1A, 60, 70, 62), comprising: a plurality of electrical heating elements (Fig. 1A, 44, 45) integrated inside of the roller (40). Wherein each zone (60, 70, 62) comprises one heating element (44, 45) which do not overlap into other zones, wherein the heating properties of the respective electrical heating element changes in each zone, one or more contacts electrically interface to the plurality of electrical heating elements; a control unit (132) configured to control the plurality of electrical heating elements (44, 45) (Fig. 1, 1A and 6-9; Par. 22-23 and 30). Eskey does not disclose one or more air channels. Imaizumi et al. discloses one or more air channels (Fig. 5, 37; Par. 34-36). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize in Eskey, one or more air channels, as taught by Imaizumi et al., for the purpose of cooling the roller.
Regarding claims 3 and 12, Eskey discloses the respective electrical heating elements of the plurality of electrical hearing elements (44, 45) are provided with a unique electrical interface to the control circuit (Fig. 7-9).
Regarding claim 5, Imaizumi et al. discloses one temperature sensor (29) (Fig. 5).
Regarding claims 7 and 13, Imaizumi et al. discloses one temperature sensor (29) is integrated internally in the roller (5a) (Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 8, Imaizumi et al. discloses one or more active components, wherein the one or more active components comprise at least one of a fan, blower, pump, or compressor, wherein the one or more active components are interfaced to the control circuit (31), and wherein the one or more active components are configured to move at least one of a gas or liquid through the one or more air channels (Par. 44, “In the example of Fig. 5, the cooling medium supply device 27 includes an air source 27a, a cooling medium source 27b, and a nozzle portion 27c. The air source 27a supplies pressurized air (gas) to the nozzle portion 27c. The cooling medium source 27b supplies the cooling medium which is liquid (preferably, water) to the nozzle portion 27c. The nozzle portion 27c sprays the supplied cooling medium using the supplied pressurized air to the cooling medium flow channel 37 side (to a communication passage 36 in the example of Fig. 5), and therefore, the mist-like cooling medium is supplied to the cooling medium flow channel 37. In the example of Fig. 5, the nozzle portion 27c supplies the mist-like cooling medium to the cooling medium flow channel 37 through the communication passage 36 which is formed inside of the extension portion 35”; Par. 46, “The pressurized air is supplied from the air source 27a to the nozzle portion 27c through an air supply tube 41, an air supply passage 43, and an air introduction passage 45”; and Par.55, “The control device 31 may perform the supply control of the cooling medium to the cooling medium flow channel 37 by the cooling medium supply device 27 by controlling an opening of flow controlling valves 57 and 59. The flow controlling valve 57 is provided on the cooling medium supply tube 49, and the flow controlling valve 59 is provided on the air supply tube 41”).
Regarding claim 9, Eskey discloses the plurality of electrical heating elements (Fig. 1A, 44, 45) are resistive (Fig. 7, Par. 23).
Regarding claim 10, Imaizumi et al. discloses electrical heating element (25) is inductive (Par. 39, “an induction heating coil 25”).
Regarding claim 14, Imaizumi et al. discloses electrically interface the at least one temperature sensor (29) and the at least one electrical contact (Fig. 5).
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Eskey (US Pub. 2004/0228667) in view of Imaizumi et al. (EP 2559538) and further view of Nakayama et al. (US Pub. 2016/0044745) (previously cited).
Regarding claim 6, Eskey/Imaizumi disclose substantially all features of the claimed invention as set forth above including from Imaizumi, one temperature sensor (29) (Fig. 5) except at least one of the one or more temperature sensors are external to the roller. Nakayama et al. discloses the at least one of the one or more temperature sensors (221, 222) are external to the roller (25) (Fig. 11; Par. 47 and 97). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize in Eskey/Imaizumi, at least one of the one or more temperature sensors are external to the roller, as taught by Nakayama et al., for the purpose of detecting the surface of the fixing roller.
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Imaizumi et al. (EP 2559538) in view of Nakayama et al. (US Pub. 2016/0044745).
Regarding claim 15, Imaizumi et al. discloses a method of maintaining temperature control in a roller (5a, Fig. 5), the method comprising: determining by at least one temperature sensor (29) integrated within the roller and in operable communication with a processor (control device 31), at least one temperature of the roller (5a) (Fig. 5; Par. 50, “The temperature sensor 29 detects the temperature of the rolling roll 5a. In the example of Fig. 5, the temperature sensor 29 is assembled to the rolling roll 5a. In order to transmit a temperature detection signal (voltage signal) from the temperature sensor 29 which is positioned at the rotating side to the control device 31 of the stationary side in a non-contact manner, the rotary transformer 55 is provided as illustrated in Fig. 5”); comparing, by the processor (control circuit 31), the at least one temperature of the roller with a desired temperature (Par. 50, “In the example of Fig. 5, the temperature sensor 29 is assembled to the rolling roll 5a. In order to transmit a temperature detection signal (voltage signal) from the temperature sensor 29 which is positioned at the rotating side to the control device 31 of the stationary side in a non-contact manner”; Par. 51, “The control device 31 controls the cooling medium which is supplied to the cooling medium flow channel 37 by the cooling medium supply device 27 based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 29 so that the temperature of the rolling roll 5a is less than or equal to a set upper limit temperature (for example, 250°C)”); and in response to the at least one temperature of the roller (5a) being greater than the desired temperature, activating an external cooling system interfaced to at least one channel (37) in the roller (5a) (Par. 53, “If the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 29 reaches the set upper limit temperature, the control device 31 controls the cooling medium supply device 27 so that the cooling medium supply device 27 supplies the cooling medium to the cooling medium flow channel 37. In this case, if the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 29 reaches the set upper limit temperature, the control device 31 opens the flow controlling valves 57 and 59, and the cooling medium supply device 27 may supply the mist-like cooling medium to the cooling medium flow channel 37. Thereby, the temperature of the rolling roll 5a is suppressed so as to be less than or equal to the set upper limit temperature (for example, 250°C). The induction heating coil 25 may perform the induction heating of the rolling roll 5a while the control is performed”); in response to the at least one temperature of the roller (5a) being less than the desired temperature, activating an electrical heating element (25) integrated within the roller (5a) (Par. 55, “The control device 31 may control an amount of electric power which is supplied to the induction heating coil 25 from the power supply 34 not only by controlling the amount of the mist-like cooling medium supplied to the cooling medium flow channel 37 but also by controlling a supply electric power controlling portion 32 based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 29 and the set temperature range”). Imaizumi et al. does not disclose the roller divided lengthwise into a series of zones, wherein each zone comprises a unique set of one or more temperature sensor, wherein each zone comprises one or more heating elements which do not overlap into other zones, wherein the heating properties of the respective electrical heating element changes in each zone. Nakayama et al. discloses the roller (25, Fig. 11) divided lengthwise into a series of zones (Fig. 11, Par. 97, center zone and end zone), wherein each zone comprises one or more heating elements (211, 212, Fig. 11) which do not overlap into other zones, wherein the heating properties of the respective electrical heating element changes in each zone (Fig. 10-11; Par. 95-98). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize in Imaizumi, the roller divided lengthwise into a series of zones, wherein each zone comprises a unique set of one or more temperature sensor, wherein each zone comprises one or more heating elements which do not overlap into other zones, wherein the heating properties of the respective electrical heating element changes in each zone, as taught by Nakayama et al., for the purpose of controlling the heater by turn-on ratio of a control cycle.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-15 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HUNG D NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-7828. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 9AM - 9PM.
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/HUNG D NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3761
HUNG D. NGUYEN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3761