DETAILED ACTION
1. The Amendment filed 07/06/2026 has been entered. Claims 1-5 in the application remain pending. Claim 1 was amended. Claim 4 remains withdrawn from consideration.
2. The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S.C. code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office Action.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
3. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Information Disclosure Statement
4. The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 07/30/2026 is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
5. Claims 1-2 & 5 are rejected under AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yamanaka (JP 2015-112577 A – cited in 08/01/2023 IDS) hereinafter Yamanaka (the terminology of the claims in the application is used, but the references of Yamanaka are included between parentheses).
As regards to claim 1, Yamanaka discloses an application mechanism (4) that applies a liquid material on an application surface (5) (abs; fig 1-6), comprising:
an application needle holder fixing unit (20) (abs; [0022]; [0024]; fig 2-6);
an application needle holder (25) detachably attached (see fig 3 & 5, internal part of 20 attached thereto and thus detachable, i.e. assembly/disassembly) to the application needle holder fixing unit (20) (abs; [0022]; [0024]; [0028]-[0031]; [0037]; [0039]-[0041]; fig 2-6);
an application needle (24) held at the application needle holder (25) (abs; [0024]; [0027]-[0031]; [0033]-[0035]; [0037]; [0039]-[0042]; fig 2-6); and
a cushioning mechanism (27), wherein the cushioning mechanism (27) is, outside (see fig 3, on top of 25, not an internal component) the application needle holder (25), attached to (see fig 3 & 5, internal part of 20 attached thereto) the application needle holder fixing unit (20), and the cushioning mechanism (27) is capable of cushioning an impact (force) when the application needle (24) is brought into contact with the application surface (5) (abs; [0024]; [0027]-[0031]; [0033]-[0035]; [0037]; [0039]-[0042]; fig 2-6).
As regards to claim 2, Yamanaka discloses an application mechanism (4) (abs; fig 1-6), wherein the application mechanism (4) has a linear guide (26) and an elastic member (27), the application needle holder fixing unit (20) is held at the linear guide (26) so as to be slidable in a direction orthogonal to the application surface (5), and the elastic member (27) biases the application needle holder fixing unit (20) toward the application surface (5) (abs; [0024]; [0027]-[0031]; [0033]-[0035]; [0037]-[0042]; fig 2-6).
As regards to claim 5, Yamanaka discloses application apparatus ([0017]; fig 1) comprising the application mechanism (4) according to claim 1 (abs; [0017]-[0024]; [0027]-[0031]; [0033]-[0035]; [0037]; [0039]-[0042]; fig 1-6).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
6. Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamanaka as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Oda (JP 2020-032389 A – cited in 08/01/2023 IDS) hereinafter Oda (the terminology of the claims in the application is used, but the references of Oda are included between parentheses).
As regards to claim 3, Yamanaka discloses an application mechanism (4) (abs; fig 1-6), the application needle holder fixing unit (20), the application needle holder (25), wherein the application needle holder (25) is detachably attached to the application needle holder fixing unit (20) (abs; [0024]; [0027]-[0031]; [0033]-[0035]; [0037]-[0042]; fig 2-6), however Yamanaka does not disclose a first magnet held at the application needle holder fixing unit (20); and a second magnet held at the application needle holder (25), wherein the application needle holder (25) is composed of a resin material, and the application needle holder (25) is detachably attached to the application needle holder fixing unit (20) by the second magnet being attracted to the first magnet.
Oda discloses an application mechanism (4) (abs; fig 2), comprising an
application needle holder attachable to and detachable from movable base, wherein a plurality of magnets are disposed on a surface facing movable base, wherein the magnet on the surface of holder base and magnet of movable base attract each other, so that application needle holder can be installed on movable base, wherein the application needle holder insertion material is composed of a resin material and by adjusting the positions of the magnet on the surface of holder base and magnet of movable base, application needle holder can be accurately positioned when application needle holder is attracted to movable base by the magnetic force acting between the magnet of holder base and magnet of movable base ([0035]-[0036]; fig 8). Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include a first magnet held at the application needle holder fixing unit and a second magnet held at the application needle holder, wherein the application needle holder is composed of a resin material, and the application needle holder (25) is detachably attached to the application needle holder fixing unit by the second magnet being attracted to the first magnet in the application mechanism of Yamanaka because Oda teaches the use of an application needle holder attachable to and detachable from movable base, wherein a plurality of magnets are disposed on a surface facing movable base, wherein the magnet on the surface of holder base and magnet of movable base attract each other, so that application needle holder can be installed on movable base, wherein the application needle holder insertion material is composed of a resin material and by adjusting the positions of the magnet on the surface of holder base and magnet of movable base, application needle holder can be accurately positioned when application needle holder is attracted to movable base by the magnetic force acting between the magnet of holder base and magnet of movable base so that application needle holder can be installed on movable base by adjusting the positions of the magnet on the surface of holder base and magnet of movable base ([0035]-[0036]).
Response to Arguments
7. Applicant's arguments filed 07/06/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant’s principal arguments are:
(a) Applicant respectfully submits that the cited references, taken individually or in combination, fail to disclose or suggest the features of amended independent claim 1, particularly with respect to the features of "an application needle holder detachably attached to the application needle holder fixing unit," and "the cushioning mechanism is, outside the application needle holder, attached to the application needle holder fixing unit." Yamanaka, however, does not disclose that element 25 being detachably attached to Yamanaka's element 20. The Office's mapping, which treats Yamanaka's element 25 as the claimed application needle holder and Yamanaka's element 20 as the claimed application needle holder fixing unit, is respectfully submitted to be erroneous, because it is inconsistent with the recitation of claim 1 that the application needle holder is detachably attached to the application needle holder fixing unit. Yamanaka does not disclose that the cushioning mechanism is, outside the application needle holder, attached to the application needle holder fixing unit.
(b) Based on the foregoing, the applied combination of the cited references, alone or in combination, fails to disclose or suggest each and every feature of amended independent claim 1, which is believed to be in condition for allowance. The dependent claims depend from their respective base claims and add further limitations thereto.
8. In response to applicant’s arguments, please consider the following comments.
(a) As already discussed above in detail in regards to claim 1 and as clearly seen in figures 3 & 5, Yamanaka teaches an application needle holder (25) detachably attached (see fig 3 & 5, internal part of 20 attached thereto and thus detachable, i.e. assembly/disassembly) to the application needle holder fixing unit (20)… and a cushioning mechanism (27), wherein the cushioning mechanism (27) is, outside (see fig 3, on top of 25, not an internal component) the application needle holder (25), attached to (see fig 3 & 5, internal part of 20 attached thereto) the application needle holder fixing unit (20).
Drawings and pictures can anticipate claims if they clearly show the structure which is claimed. In re Mraz, 455 F.2d 1069, 173 USPQ 25 (CCPA 1972). However, the picture must show all the claimed structural features and how they are put together. Jockmus v. Leviton, 28 F.2d 812 (2d Cir. 1928). The origin of the drawing is immaterial. For instance, drawings in a design patent can anticipate or make obvious the claimed invention as can drawings in utility patents. When the reference is a utility patent, it does not matter that the feature shown is unintended or unexplained in the specification. The drawings must be evaluated for what they reasonably disclose and suggest to one of ordinary skill in the art. In re Aslanian, 590 F.2d 911, 200 USPQ 500 (CCPA 1979). See MPEP § 2125.
(b) In view of the foregoing, Examiner respectfully contends the limitations of claim 1 are indeed satisfied. Claims 2-3 & 5 are rejected at least based on their dependency from claim 1, as well as for their own rejections on the merits, respectively.
Conclusion
9. 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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
10. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jethro M Pence whose telephone number is (571)270-7423. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH 8:00 A.M. - 6:30 P.M..
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/Jethro M. Pence/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1717
Prosecution Insights