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 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(s) 1-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SANDLER et al. (US 2015/0301482 B2) in view of TAKAHASHI (US 2016/0195829 A1).
Regarding claim 1, SANDLER teaches a printer configured to print a color image by transferring more than two color separations to a printable substrate including transferring [a group of exactly two-color] separations individually to the substrate (figure 1, [0017, 0023, 0025]).
Regarding claim 2, configured to print the image by transferring each of multiple groups of [exactly two-color] separations individually to the substrate [0025].
Regarding claim 3, the printer is configured to print the image by: transferring a group of [exactly two-color] separations individually to the substrate; and transferring a single-color separation individually to the substrate [0025].
Regarding claim 4, SANDLER teaches a liquid electro-photographic printer, comprising: a photoconductor roller; an impression roller to carry a printable substrate wrapped on the impression roller; an intermediate transfer roller to receive each of multiple color separations for an LEP ink image from the photoconductor roller and to transfer the color separations to a printable substrate wrapped on the impression roller; and a controller operatively connected to the impression roller and programmed to cause a printable substrate wrapped on the impression roller to selectively engage and disengage the intermediate transfer roller to gather each of multiple groups of [exactly two of the color] separations on the intermediate transfer roller and transfer each group sequentially to the substrate (figure 1; after reconsideration, the phrase “cause a printable substrate wrapped on the impression roller to selectively engage and disengage the intermediate transfer roller to gather each of multiple groups of separations” has been re-interpreted to include the situation where the substrate is not covering the roller and the substrate is, therefore, out of engagement with the intermediate transfer roller as claimed).
Regarding claim 5, the controller is programmed to cause the substrate wrapped on the impression roller to selectively engage the intermediate transfer roller to transfer one or more of the color separations individually from the intermediate transfer roller to the substrate (when the substrate is in contact with the intermediate transfer roller, it engages the roller, but has a gap between substrate ends, and the substrate is not engaged with the intermediate transfer roller).
Regarding claim 6, the printer comprises: a photo imaging device; multiple developer rollers each to apply a different color LEP ink sequentially to the photoconductor roller; and wherein the controller is operatively connected to the photo imaging device and the developer rollers and programmed to: cause the photo imaging device to illuminate select areas of the photoconductor roller in a series of patterns each corresponding to one of the color separations; and cause each of the developer rollers, respectively, to apply one of the different color LEP inks to the photoconductor roller with the corresponding pattern in the series to form a corresponding one of the color separations (normal printer operation; [0020-0025]).
Regarding claim 7, an unprimed printable substrate 140 wrapped on the impression roller [0027].
SANDLER teaches regarding 8, a printing process, comprising: gathering a first group of a first plurality of individual color separations for an image sequentially on one intermediate transfer roller, wherein each color separation is a different color; transferring the first group from the intermediate transfer roller to a printable substrate; gathering a second group of a second plurality of individual color separations for the image sequentially on the intermediate transfer roller; and transferring the second group from the intermediate transfer roller to the substrate (the examiner takes official notice that it is known in the art at the effective filing date of this invention as discussed in the previous office action (1/16/2025) to Banton (paragraph 9).
Regarding claim 12, for an image having an even number of color separations greater than four, repeating the gathering and transferring for one or more subsequent groups of [exactly two-color] separations until all color separations for the image are transferred to the substrate (figure 2, [0020-0025]).
Regarding claim 13, for an image having an odd number of color separations greater than four, transferring a single-color separation from the intermediate transfer roller to the substrate before gathering the first group, after transferring the first group and before gathering the second group, and/or after transferring the second group (figure 1, [0020-0025] the separations are layered one by one on the substrate).
Regarding claim 14, a printer configured to print a color image (see figure 1) [by transferring one or more groups of two-color separations] from one intermediate transfer [roller; intermediate transfer rollers are well known in the art and are functional equivalent to intermediate transfer belts] to a printable substrate including, wherein [the two-color separations of each group are transferred simultaneously to the printable substrate,] and wherein each color separation is a different color (figure 2 shows different colors for each separation). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains to use a transfer roller as an intermediate transfer member as a matter of design choice.
Regarding claim 15, the printer configured to print the color image by transferring one or more additional color separations simultaneously to the substrate (shown in figure 2; on transfer process. Also see Miura cited below).
SANDLER does not specifically teach transferring a group of exactly two-color separations.
TAKAHASHI teaches a two-color mode for transferring a group of exactly two-color separations to a substrate.
Regarding claim 9, the first group includes exactly two-color separations [0193].
Regarding claim 10, the first group includes exactly two-color separations; and the second group includes exactly two-color separations [0193].
Regarding claim 11, gathering the first group comprises gathering a magenta separation and then a yellow separation; and gathering the second group comprises gathering a black separation and then a cyan separation [0193].
SANDLER and TAKAHASHI are concerned with color image forming apparatuses.
The rationale for combining the teachings of TAKAHASHI with the teachings of SANDLER relates to the rationale of applying a known technique to a known device (method, or product) ready for improvement to yield predictable results.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains to use the teaching of TAKAHASHI with the teaching of SANDLER to obtain color modes with two or three different colors.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 10/1/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP) 2163.07(1), entitled “Rephrasing,” states that “[m]ere rephrasing of a passage does not constitute new matter. Accordingly, a rewording of a passage where the same meaning remains intact is permissible. /n re Anderson, 471 F.2d 1237, 176 USPQ 331 (CCPA 1973).” Applicant respectfully submits that FIG. 4 and paragraph [0023] showing and describing two color separations being transferred as one group has the same meaning as “transferring a group of exactly two-color separations individually simultaneously,” as recited in amended independent claim 1. Therefore, Applicant respectfully submits that amended claim 1 does not contain new matter.
Applicant arguments are persuasive.
Applicant also argues that Takahashi et al., in view of Sandler et al., teaches making one transfer to a recording paper and teaches away from amended independent claim 1, which recites transferring a group of exactly two-color separations simultaneously to the substrate, wherein each color separation is a different color.” Thus, Applicant respectfully submits that amended independent claim 1 overcomes the § 103 rejection.
The two-color separations are transferred as a group to the substrate, which is a recording medium in one transfer process. This is taught by the configuration of the image forming apparatus. This configuration is shown in figure 2 and the two-color mode is discussed in paragraph [0193].
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
MIURA (US 2013/0251411 A1) teach a color image forming apparatus with two embodiments, one having an intermediate transfer member (figure 1) and the other a transport belt (figure 10), and discusses the image forming process for each embodiment.
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.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to QUANA GRAINGER whose telephone number is (571)272-2135. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday, 9-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Walter Lindsay Jr. can be reached on 571-272-1674. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/QUANA GRAINGER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
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