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 . 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 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.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 11/28/2022 and 08/08/2025 have been considered by the examiner.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election of Group I in the reply filed on 12/19/2025 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)). Claims 13,15-19,24-25 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Groups II-III, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-7,9-12,14 and 20-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Iwata (U.S Patent No. 2010/0189487).
Regarding claim 1, Iwata teaches a sheet processing apparatus (Figure 1), comprising:
a conveyance unit (1530) configured to convey a sheet along a conveyance path (R1)(Figure 2);
a punching unit (1400) configured to punch the sheet conveyed by the conveyance unit (Figure 2; Paragraph 0048, 0053);
a movement unit (208,212) configured to cause the punching unit to move in a direction intersecting with a conveyance direction of the sheet (Paragraphs0063-0070);
a detection unit (1330) arranged on an upstream side of the conveyance path with reference to the punching unit, and configured to detect a first conveyance position which is a position in a width direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the sheet conveyed by the conveyance unit (Figure 2 and Paragraphs 0054-0057); and
a control unit (850) configured to obtain size information of the sheet, determine, based on the size information, a second conveyance position which is a position in the width direction when the sheet is conveyed by the conveyance unit, and by comparing the first conveyance position and the second conveyance position, control whether or not to execute an avoidance process that causes the punching unit to move away from the sheet (Paragraph 0069-000072, 0078-0080, 0091-0098).
Regarding claim 2, Iwata teaches the sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit is configured to detect, as the first conveyance position, a position in the width direction of a first end portion which is one of two end portions of the sheet in the width direction, and the control unit is configured to determine, based on a size indicated by the size information, as the second conveyance position, a position in the width direction of the first end portion when the sheet is conveyed by the conveyance unit (Paragraphs 0053-0056; Figures 2 and 10).
Regarding claim 3, Iwata teaches the sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to execute the avoidance process in a case where a difference between the first conveyance position and the second conveyance position is larger than a threshold value (Paragraphs 0094-000101; Noting thresholds for punching elements and shifting of the punch to avoid specifics detected by the detection unit)
Regarding claim 4, Iwata teaches the sheet processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the threshold value is smaller than a value obtained by adding a predetermined value to a distance in the width direction that the movement unit can cause the punching unit to move while the sheet is conveyed from a position in the conveyance direction along which the detection unit detects the first conveyance position to a position in the conveyance direction where the punching unit punches the sheet (Paragraphs 0094-000101).
Regarding claim 9, Iwata teaches the sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a timing at which the first conveyance position is detected is a timing that comes after a timing at which the control unit determines the second conveyance position (Paragraph 0007).
Regarding claim 10, Iwata teaches the sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to, when the control unit determines the second conveyance position, cause the punching unit to move from a home position to a standby position that corresponds to the second conveyance position, and the standby position is a position closer to the conveyance path than the home position (Paragraphs 0076-0077, 0088-0089, 0094-0098).
Regarding claim 11, Iwata teaches the sheet processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the control unit is configured to, when the control unit executes the avoidance process, cause the punching unit to move from the standby position to the home position (Paragraphs 0070, 0076-0077, 0088-0089, 0094-0098 Figures 2, 10,11 and 14).
Regarding claim 12, Iwata teaches the sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to, in a case where the control unit does not execute the avoidance process, cause the punching unit to punch the sheet (Figure 14).
Regarding claim 14, Iwata teaches the sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the size information is information set by a user or information received from an external apparatus of the sheet processing apparatus (Paragraph 0040).
Regarding claim 5, Iwata teaches a sheet processing apparatus (Figures 1-2), comprising:
a conveyance unit (1530) configured to convey a sheet along a conveyance path(R1, Figure 2);
a punching unit (1400) configured to punch the sheet conveyed by the conveyance unit (Figures 2 and 10; Paragraphs 0048-0053);
a movement unit (208,2012) configured to cause the punching unit to move in a direction intersecting with a conveyance direction of the sheet (Paragraphs 0063-0070);
a detection unit (1330) arranged on an upstream side of the conveyance path with reference to the punching unit (Figure 2), and configured to detect a sheet length which is a length in the conveyance direction of the sheet conveyed by the conveyance unit (0054-0057); and
a control unit configured to determine a first conveyance position which is a position in a width direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction when the sheet of the sheet length is conveyed by the conveyance unit, obtain size information of the sheet, determine, based on the size information, a second conveyance position which is a position in the width direction when the sheet is conveyed by the conveyance unit, and by comparing the first conveyance position and the second conveyance position, control whether or not to execute an avoidance process that causes the punching unit to move away from the sheet (Paragraph 0069-000072, 0078-0080, 0091-0098).
Regarding claim 6, Iwata teaches the sheet processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the control unit is configured to determine, based on a size determined from the sheet length, as the first conveyance position, a position in the width direction of a first end portion which is one of two end portions of the sheet when the sheet is conveyed by the conveyance unit, and determine, based on a size indicated by the size information, as the second conveyance position, a position in the width direction of the first end portion when the sheet is conveyed by the conveyance unit (Paragraphs 0053-0056; Figures 2 and 10)..
Regarding claim 7, Iwata teaches the sheet sheet processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the control unit is configured to execute the avoidance process in a case where a difference between the first conveyance position and the second conveyance position is larger than a threshold value (Paragraphs 0094-000101; Noting thresholds for punching elements and shifting of the punch to avoid specifics detected by the detection unit).
Regarding claim 20, Iwata teaches an image forming apparatus (1100)(Figure 1), comprising:
a conveyance unit (1530) configured to convey a sheet along a conveyance path(R1)(Figure 2);
an image forming unit (1020) configured to form an image on the sheet conveyed by the conveyance unit (Paragraphs 0040-0045);
a punching unit (1400) configured to punch the sheet conveyed by the conveyance unit (Figures 2 and 10; Paragraphs 0048-0053);
a movement unit (208,0212) configured to cause the punching unit to move in a direction intersecting with a conveyance direction of the sheet (Figure 5; Paragraphs 0063-0070);
a detection unit (1330) arranged on an upstream side of the conveyance path (Figure 2) with reference to the punching unit, and configured to detect a first conveyance position which is a position in a width direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the sheet conveyed by the conveyance unit (Figures 2-3 and Paragraphs 0054-0057); and
a control unit (850) configured to obtain size information of the sheet, determine, based on the size information, a second conveyance position which is a position in the width direction when the sheet is conveyed by the conveyance unit, and by comparing the first conveyance position and the second conveyance position, control whether or not to execute an avoidance process that causes the punching unit to move away from the sheet (Paragraphs 0069-0072, 0081, 0091-0098).
Regarding claim 21, Iwata teaches the image forming apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the detection unit and the punching unit are arranged on a downstream side of the conveyance path with reference to the image forming unit (Figures 1-2 and 10; Paragraph 0044).
Regarding claim 22, Iwata teaches an image forming apparatus (1100)(Figure 1), comprising:
a conveyance unit (1530) configured to convey a sheet along a conveyance path (R1)(Figures 1-2);
an image forming unit (1020) configured to form an image on the sheet conveyed by the conveyance unit (Paragraphs 0040-0045);
a punching unit configured to punch the sheet conveyed by the conveyance unit;
a movement unit (208,212) configured to cause the punching unit to move in a direction intersecting with a conveyance direction of the sheet (Figure 5; Paragraphs 0063-0070);
a detection unit (1330) arranged on an upstream side of the conveyance path with reference to the punching unit, and configured to detect a sheet length which is a length in the conveyance direction of the sheet conveyed by the conveyance unit (Figures 2-3 and Paragraphs 0054-0057); and
a control unit (850) configured to determine a first conveyance position which is a position in a width direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction when the sheet of the sheet length is conveyed by the conveyance unit, obtain size information of the sheet, determine, based on the size information, a second conveyance position which is a position in the width direction when the sheet is conveyed by the conveyance unit, and by comparing the first conveyance position and the second conveyance position, control whether or not to execute an avoidance process that causes the punching unit to move away from the sheet (Figure 1 and Paragraphs 0069-0072, 0081, 0091-0098).
Regarding claim 23, Iwata teaches image forming apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the detection unit is arranged on an upstream side of the conveyance path with reference to the image forming unit, and the punching unit is arranged on a downstream side of the conveyance path with reference to the image forming unit (Figures 1-2 and 10; Paragraph 0044).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Iwata (U.S Patent No. 2010/0189487).
Regarding claim 8, Iwata teaches the sheet processing apparatus according to claim 7, but does not provide wherein the threshold value is smaller than half of a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of a length in the width direction of sheets of a plurality of sizes that are usable in the sheet processing apparatus.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to cause the device of Iwata to have he threshold value is smaller than half of a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of a length in the width direction since it has been held that “where the only difference between the prior art and the claims was a recitation of relative dimensions of the claimed device and a device having the claimed relative dimensions would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claimed device was not patentably distinct from the prior art device” Gardner v. TEC Syst., Inc., 725 F.2d 1338, 220 USPQ 777 (Fed. Cir. 1984), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 830, 225 SPQ 232 (1984).
In the instant case, the device of Iwata would not operate differently with the claimed threshold value and since the device is intended to perform sheet processing, the device would function appropriately having the claimed threshold. Further, applicant places no criticality on the range claimed.
Related Prior Art
Below is an analysis of the relevance of references cited but not used
- "892 cited references A-M on page 1 and A-F on Page 2 establish the state of the art with a variety of sheet processing systems with varying control systems.
Conclusion
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/RICHARD D CROSBY JR/ 03/20/2026Examiner, Art Unit 3724