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 1-4 and 12-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aoi (US PG Pub 2009/0189340) in view of Shimodaira et al. (US PG Pub 2021/0286304) . For claim 1: Aoi teaches a transport device, comprising: a plurality of rotation members 71, 72 that rotate; a cycle member 73 that has a loop shape (see Figs. 1 and 2A, belt 73 around two rollers 71, 72 ) , and that is wound around the plurality of rotation members 71, 72 to cycle together with rotation of the rotation members 71, 72 (see Fig. 1, routine operation of the rollers carrying the conveyor belt 73 ) ; and a deformation member 110, 111, 112, 130 (see Fig. 2A) that deforms the leading end portion in a thickness direction throughout the width direction by time when the leading end portion arrives at a holding position (see Fig. 2A, the contact position between the deformation member and the belt) . Aoi does not teach at least one holding member that is attached to the cycle member, that cycles together with the cycle member, and that holds a leading end portion of a recording medium while being spaced apart from each other in a width direction when the leading end portion arrives at a holding position . However, Shimodaira et al. teaches at least one holding member 76 attached to a cycle member 72 that cycles together with the cycle member (see Fig s. 1, 2 and 10) and that holds a leading portion of a recording medium while being spaced apart from each other in a width direction when the leading end portion arrives at a holding position (see Fig. 3, holding the medium P with spaced apart members 76a including when the medium P arrives at the conveyor belt 72 as seen in Fig. 10). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention of Aoi to provide the holding member as taught by Shimodaira et al. for the purpose of securely gripping the substrate to move the substrate through a printing machine. For claim 2: The combination of Aoi and Shimodaira et al. teaches the transport device according to claim 1, and Aoi teaches that deformation member 110, 111, 112, 130 includes a contact member 111, 112 that deforms the leading end portion by coming into contact with the recording medium 51 (see Fig. 2A). For claim 3: The combination of Aoi and Shimodaira et al. teaches the transport device according to claim 2 and Aoi teaches that the contact member 111, 112 includes at least one guide portion 111 that deforms the leading end portion of the recording medium 51 while guiding the leading end portion to the holding position (see Fig. 2A, both sides of the contact member guide the recording medium to the holding position, and the portion 111 can be considered the guide portion ). For claim 4: The combination of Aoi and Shimodaira et al. teaches the transport device according to claim 3 and Aoi teaches that the contact member includes: a support portion 112, 130 that supports the recording medium fed from a feeder portion; and the guide portion 111 that is connected to an end portion of the support portion in a direction in which the recording medium is fed (see Fig. 2A) . For claims 12-15: The combination of Aoi and Shimodaira et al. teaches the transport device according to each of claim s 1 -4 above respectively, and Shimodaira et al. further teaches the transport device 66 being within an image forming apparatus 10 (see Fig. 10) further comprising an image forming portion 30 that forms an image on the recording medium held by the holding member (see Fig. 10) at an image forming position (see Fig. 12, at contact position at label 34 ) in a cycle path of the cycle member 66 of the transport device (see Fig. 10) ; and a fixing portion 100 that fixes the image on the recording medium at the fixing position in the cycle path (see Fig. 10) . Claim s 5, 6, 11, 16 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aoi (US PG Pub 2009/0189340) and Shimodaira et al. (US PG Pub 2021/0286304) as applied to claim s 1 and 3 above, and further in view of Hendle et al. (US PG Pub 2009/0096156) . For claim 5: The combination of Aoi and Shimodaira et al. teaches the device of claim 3 and Shimodaira et al. teaches that holding member includes a plurality of holder 76, 76 (see Fig. 2, or 76a, 76a in Fig. 3) arranged at intervals in an axial direction of the rotation members 140 to hold the leading end portion , but the combination does not teach that the guide portion extends in the axial direction, and wherein the guide portion has cutouts through which the holders pass at an end portion nearer the holding position. However, Hendle et al. teaches the guide portion 02 extending in the axial direction wherein the guide portion includes cutouts 11 through which the holders 06 pass at an end portion nearer the holding portion (see Fig. 2). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the guide to provide cutouts as taught by Hendle for the purpose of allowing the holder portions to pass along the guide more smoothly. For claim 6: The combination of Aoi and Shimodaira et al. teaches the device of claim 3 and Shimodaira et al. teaches that holding member includes a plurality of holder 76, 76 (see Fig. 2, or 76a, 76a in Fig. 3) arranged at intervals in an axial direction of the rotation members 140 to hold the leading end portio n, but the combination does not teach that the at least one guide portion includes a plurality of guide portions arranged at intervals in the axial direction, and wherein the holders pass between the guide portions adjacent to each other in the axial direction. However, Hendle et al. teaches that the least one guide portion 02 includes a plurality of guide portions (see Fig. 2, portions between gaps 11 ) arranged at intervals in the axial direction, and wherein the holders 06 pass between the guide portions adjacent to each other in the axial direction (see Fig. 2). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to provide the guide portion as a plurality of guide portions as taught by Hendle et al. so that the holding members can pass more smoothly between the guide portions . For claim 11: The combination of Aoi and Shimodaira et al. teaches all of the limitations of claim 1 except that the deformation member includes a blower that blows gas on the recording medium to deform the leading end portion. However, Hendle et al. teaches a gas blower 14 that blows on the end of the recording medium 01 (see Fig. 1). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to provide a gas blower as taught by Hendle et al. for the purpose of facilitating flexible motion of the recording medium. For claim 16 and 17: The combination of Aoi, Shimodaira et al. and Hendle et al. teaches the transport device according to each of claim s 5 and 6 above respectively, and Shimodaira et al. further teaches the transport device 66 being within an image forming apparatus 10 (see Fig. 10) further comprising an image forming portion 30 that forms an image on the recording medium held by the holding member (see Fig. 10) at an image forming position (see Fig. 12, at contact position at label 34 ) in a cycle path of the cycle member 66 of the transport device (see Fig. 10) ; and a fixing portion 100 that fixes the image on the recording medium at the fixing position in the cycle path (see Fig. 10) . Claims 7-10, 18 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aoi (US PG Pub 2009/0189340) and Shimodaira et al. (US PG Pub 2021/0286304) as applied to clai m 3 above, and further in view of Muramatsu et al. (US PG Pub 2021/0018866) . For claim 7: The combination of Aoi and Shimodaira et al. teaches all of the limitations of claim 7 except that the contact member includes at least one roller member that is rotatable about an axial direction of the rotation member, serving as an axis of rotation and wherein the leading portion of the recording medium comes into contact with an outer circumferential surface of the roller member serving as the guide portion. However, Muramatsu et al. teaches a contact member 45, 46 includes at least one roller member 46 that is rotatable about an axial direction of the rotation member (see Fig. 1, matching the axial direction of other rollers in the system), serving as an axis of rotation and wherein the leading portion of the recording medium comes into contact with an outer circumferential surface of the roller member 46 serving as the guide portion (see Fig. 1, within guide 45, 46 ). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention of Aoi and Shimodaira et al. to provide a roller member within the guide as taught by Muramatsu et al. for the purpose of facilitating sheet transport within the guide portion. For claim 8: The combination of Aoi, Shimodaira et al. and Muramatsu et al. teaches the transport device of claim 7 and Muramatsu et al. further teaches that the at least one roller member includes a plurality of roller members 46, 46, 46 (see Fig. 13A and 13C) arranged in a direction in which the recording medium is fed. For claim 9: The combination of Aoi, Shimodaira et al. and Muramatsu et al. teaches the transport device of claim 7 and Muramatsu et al. teaches that the roller member actuates rotation in a direction in which the recording medium is fed (see Fig. 13A, the roller members 46 rotate in the feeding direction). For claim 10: The combination of Aoi, Shimodaira et al. and Muramatsu et al. teaches the transport device of claim 7 and Shimodaira et al. teaches that the at least one holding member includes a plurality of holders 76a, 76a (see Fig. 3, elements 76a , also labeled as separate elements 76 in Fig. 2) arranged at interval in the axial direction of the rotation member and Muramatsu et al. teaches the at least one roller member includes a plurality of roller members 46, 46 (see Figs. 13A, 13C) arranged in the axial direction . For claims 18 and 19: The combination of Aoi, Shimodaira et al. and Muramatsu et al. teaches the transport device according to each of claim s 7 and 8 above respectively, and Shimodaira et al. further teaches the transport device 66 being within an image forming apparatus 10 (see Fig. 10) further comprising an image forming portion 30 that forms an image on the recording medium held by the holding member (see Fig. 10) at an image forming position (see Fig. 12, at contact position at label 34 ) in a cycle path of the cycle member 66 of the transport device (see Fig. 10) ; and a fixing portion 100 that fixes the image on the recording medium at the fixing position in the cycle path (see Fig. 10) . Allowable Subject Matter Claim 20 is 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. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: None of the prior art of record or any obvious combination thereof teaches an image forming device having the transport device of claim 1 further comprising a controller which controls the deformation member of the transport device to cause deformation of the lead end portion of the recording medium when the medium has an image recorded on one surface but not to operate when the recording medium has no image. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FILLIN "Examiner name" \* MERGEFORMAT DAVID H BANH whose telephone number is FILLIN "Phone number" \* MERGEFORMAT (571)270-3851 . The examiner can normally be reached FILLIN "Work Schedule?" \* MERGEFORMAT M-F 12-8PM . 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, FILLIN "SPE Name?" \* MERGEFORMAT Stephen Meier can be reached at FILLIN "SPE Phone?" \* MERGEFORMAT (571)272-2149 . 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. /DAVID H BANH/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853