DETAILED ACTION
The indicated allowability of claim 7 (currently independent claim 1) and claim 10 is withdrawn in view of the newly discovered reference(s) to Washio et at. JP 2021-062940 A. Rejections based on the newly cited reference(s) follow.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claims 1-4, 9, 12, 13, 16, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Washio et al. JP 2021-062940 A (hereinafter “Washio”).
Regarding claim 1, Washio, with reference to FIG. 1-4 and 6, discloses a conveyance device comprising:
a conveyor (53c, shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2b) to convey a medium (S);
a position sensor (5303) to detect a position of the medium conveyed by the conveyor; and
a background (53h) facing the position sensor,
wherein the background insertable and removable in a width direction of the medium crossing a conveyance direction of the medium (refer to FIG. 3), and
wherein the conveyor is to move the medium in the width direction of the medium (refer to FIG. 2b).
Regarding claim 2, further comprising:
a holder (82 and 81) holding the background member; and
an attachment base (70) on which the holder is attached such that the holder is insertable to and removable from the attachment base in the width direction of the medium.
Regarding claim 3, wherein the attachment base includes a restraint (71) that restricts a position of the holder in the conveyance direction of the medium.
Regarding claim 4, wherein: the attachment base includes a restraint (72) that restricts a position of the holder in the width direction of the medium.
Regarding claim 9, an image forming apparatus (FIG. 1) comprising: the conveyance device according to claim 1; and an image former forming device (31) configured to form an image on the medium conveyed by the conveyance device.
Regarding claim 12, wherein: the holder includes a handle (84) disposed at one end of the holder in a longitudinal direction of the holder.
Regarding claim 13, wherein: the conveyor comprises a pair of registration rollers.
Regarding claim 16, wherein: the restraint that restricts the position of the holder in the conveyance direction comprises a pair of sidewalls (inner walls of 70) of the attachment base between which the holder is inserted.
Regarding claim 18, wherein: the image forming apparatus is an electrophotographic printer.
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.
Claims 11 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Washio in view of Horiuchi et al. US 2016/0016417 A (hereinafter “Horiuchi”).
Regarding claims 11 and 19, Washio teaches the claimed invention a liquid discharge apparatus comprising: the conveyance device according to claim 1, and a liquid discharger configured to discharge liquid to the medium conveyed by the conveyance device. Instead, Washio teaches a printer that uses toner instead of liquid (ink).
Horiuchi teaches a known alternative of forming an image on a sheet using liquid (ink-jet) instead of toner.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed inventio, to substitute the image forming means of Washio with the image forming means (liquid discharger) of Horiuchi in order to achieve the predictable result of providing an alternative means of forming an image on a sheet.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Washio.
Washio teaches the claimed invention except wherein: the position sensor is a contact image sensor. Instead, Washio teaches a CCD sensor.
However, the examiner takes official notice that it is commonly known in the art that CCD and contact image sensors (CIS) are recognized equivalents for reading or sensing a sheet, and therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed inventio, to substitute the CCD sensor of Washio with a contact image sensor since it was well-known that these sensors are art-recognized equivalents for detecting the position of an edge of a sheet.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 6, 15, 17, 20, and 21 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 8 is allowed.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1, 8 and 10 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Previously cited references of Horiuchi (JP 2016-023014, corresponding to US 2016/0016417 A1) and Yamada et al. (JP 2019-123574 A) are also 102(a)(1) references for at least claim 10.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LUIS A GONZALEZ whose telephone number is (571)270-3094. The examiner can normally be reached 9am-5:30pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael McCullough can be reached at 571-272-7805. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/LUIS A GONZALEZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3653