DETAILED ACTION
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claims have been considered but are moot in light of the new grounds of rejection.
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 1, 3, 5, 7, 9-13, 15, 17 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kitamura USPA 2021/0096500 A1 in view of Andoh USPA 2023/0297026 A1.
Regarding claim 1, Kitamura discloses an air intake structure, comprising: a blower (paragraph 69); a flow path that includes an inlet port that draws air and a flow path space connected to the inlet port to allow air drawn in through the inlet port to flow to the blower (figures: suction duct 40); and a recessed portion that protrudes to an outer side of the flow path space at a portion of the flow path adjacent to the inlet port (figures: recessed portion 43 is on a portion of the flow path that is adjacent the inlet port; e.g. in figure 8, the entire depicted passage before the recessed portion 43 can be considered the inlet port), the recessed portion having a recessed space opening to the flow path space (see figures: space within recess 43).
Since Kitamura does not disclose the exact location of the blower, Kitamura does not disclose that the recessed portion is more adjacent to the inlet port than the blower. However, Kitamura does disclose that the fan sucks air through the suction duct 40 (paragraph 69), thus implying that the fan is located in the flow path after the duct 40. Andoh discloses a similar image forming apparatus where the fan is located at the outlet (see Andoh figure 4: fan 32). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to located that fan of Kitamura at the outlet, as disclosed by Andoh, since this is a known effective location of such a fan in order to suck air through the device. In the case where the blower is located at the outlet of the device, the recessed portion would be more adjacent to the inlet port than to the blower. It is noted that in figure 8, the entire depicted passage before the recessed portion 43 can be considered the inlet port.
Regarding claim 3, Kitamura does not disclose that in the flow path, the flow path space has a cross-sectional area that increases gradually or stepwise through the inlet port to at least a portion in front of the blower. Andoh discloses an image forming apparatus where the flow path space has a cross-sectional area that increases gradually or stepwise through the inlet port to at least a portion in front of the blower (see Andoh figure 4: flow path gradually increases until it reaches fan 32). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify Kitamura, so that the flow path space has a cross-sectional area that increases gradually or stepwise through the inlet port to at least a portion in front of the blower, as disclosed by Andoh, in order to accommodate a sufficiently sized fan and filter, and as is known in the art. MPEP 2144.03 (A-E).
Regarding claim 5, Kitamura discloses that the inlet port is located below the blower (figures: above/below are relative terms; depending on the orientation of the device, the inlet port would be located below the blower).
Regarding claim 7, Kitamura discloses that the recessed portion is disposed on one of inner wall surfaces defining the flow path against which air drawn in through the inlet port hits first (see figures: recess 43).
Regarding claim 9, Kitamura discloses that the recessed portion includes, in the recessed space, a plate extending in a direction crossing the direction in which the air drawn in through the inlet port flows (figure 7: the 2 plates dividing the flow path into 3 extend into the recess 43).
Regarding claim 10, Kitamura discloses that the recessed space in the recessed portion has a depth that is larger than a height of an opening of the recessed space (figure 9A: depth of 43 is greater than height of opening).
Regarding claim 11, Kitamura discloses that a portion of the recessed portion on the inner wall surface defining the recessed space located on a side closer to the blower is a slope that is inclined toward the blower as the portion extends toward an opening of the recessed space (figure 9A: see slope on right side of recess 43).
Regarding claim 12, Kitamura discloses that the recessed portion includes a protrusion, at a bottom portion near an opening of the recessed space (figure 7: plates extending into recess 43 can be considered a protrusion). Regarding the language “that blocks dripping of a waterdrop”, claims directed to an apparatus must be distinguished in the prior art in terms of structure rather than function. MPEP 2114.
Regarding claim 13, Kitamura discloses that the flow path includes: a second inlet port different from the inlet port; and a second flow path space that allows air drawn in through the second inlet port to merge with air drawn in through the inlet port at a position of the flow path in front of the blower (figure 4: inlets for 3 different flow paths which all merge).
Regarding claims 15, 17 and 19, Kitamura discloses an image forming apparatus (Title), comprising: a housing; and an air intake structure that draws air outside the housing into an interior space of the housing, wherein the air intake structure is formed from the air intake structure according to claim 1 (see figures).
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 CHRISTOPHER P JONES whose telephone number is (571)270-7383. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-6PM EST M-F.
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/CHRISTOPHER P JONES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1776
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