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 § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
1. Claims 1-3, 5, and 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JPH068527 to Hirooka et al., an English translation of which is provided herewith and referred-to herein, (“Hirooka”) in view of US 2021/0301165 to Yamazaki et al., effectively filed March 25 2020, (“Yamazaki”), and US 2017/0165978 to T. Ohba (“Ohba”).
With regard to Claims 1, 3, 5, and 9-10, Hirooka teaches a recording method comprising discharging ink from a head onto a conveyed recording medium with subsequent heat-facilitated fixing of the recording wherein it is determined whether the recording medium is a coated or non-coated paper (see Abstract; ¶¶ [0025], [0086]). According to Hirooka, the fixing temperature is determined based on the type of recording media, wherein the heat applied for coated paper is greater than that of non-coated paper (see ¶¶ [0086]-[0088], [0095], [0120]). Hirooka teaches use of water-soluble ink; however the reference does not expressly teach constituents thereof as claimed. Yamazaki is directed to aqueous ink compositions suitable for recording and printing processes comprising dispersed resin pigment, fine resin particles, and a water-soluble organic compound (see Abstract; ¶¶ [0010]-[0011], [0068]-[0076], [0119]-[0128], [0139]-[0142]). Notably, Yamazaki teaches the claimed types of fine resin particles and water-soluble organic compounds (see ¶¶ [0075], [0140]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have employed the aqueous printing ink of Yamazaki in the method of Hirooka with a reasonable expectation of success since Yamazaki describes usage of inks taught therein in such recording processes as that of Hirooka.
Hirooka does not expressly teach absence of an additional recording step between inkjet printing and heating as claimed. Ohba is directed to an inkjet printing method comprising a drying process and device for fixing printed ink after completion of inkjet printing steps (see Abstract; FIG. 1; ¶¶ [0005], [0013], [0027]). Ohba teaches that the amount of heat required for drying and fixing printed ink is based on the type of recording media employed, and notes that coated paper requires more heat for fixing aqueous ink as compared to non-coated paper (see ¶ [0008]). Ohba further describes a system and process whereby the recording media is accordingly heated at a predetermined temperature (see ¶ [0029]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified the system and process of Hirooka to implement a degree of heating informed by the type of recording media after completion of inkjet recording operations in order to efficiently dry and fix aqueous inks printed via inkjet printing as taught by Ohba.
With regard to Claim 2, Hirooka does not expressly teach zero heating of coated paper as claimed; however Yamazaki describes using low heat for ink setting in cases of sensitive recording media with excellent results and economic benefits associated therewith (see Yamazaki at ¶¶ [0096]-[0097]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have allowed conducted ink setting without additional heat input in the process of Hirooka in order to reduce process energy usage and/or enable recording on heat-sensitive media.
2. Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hirooka in view of Yamazaki as applied to Claim 1, and further in view of US 2018/0086108 to H. Hojo (“Hojo”).
With regard to Claim 4, Hirooka does not expressly teach IR heating. Hojo is similarly directed to a recording process using aqueous ink, and teaches IR heating at selectable energy input amounts in order to control adhesion and media integrity (see Abstract; ¶¶ [0112], [0422]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have conducted heating using an IR heater and to have adjusted heating amount within the claimed range in the method of Hirooka, as taught by Hojo, throughout the course of routine experimentation and optimization in obtaining a desired degree of adhesion while ensuring print media integrity.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed 16 June 2026 have been fully considered in view of the claims as amended. Applicant argues the instant Specification is sufficiently enabling for the claimed types of water-based recording inks (see Response at Pgs. 9-11). These arguments are found persuasive. Accordingly, the rejections previously set forth under 35 U.S.C. § 112, first paragraph, are withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments regarding alleged deficiencies of Hirooka with respect to claim limitations added via the amendment filed 16 June 2026 are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection presented herein in response to said amendment.
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 Michael P Rodriguez whose telephone number is (571)270-3736. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 - 6:00 Eastern M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Cleveland can be reached at 571-272-1418. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Michael P. Rodriguez/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1715
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