DETAILED ACTION
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submissions filed on 05/07/2026 and 06/05/2026 have been entered.
Response to Remarks
Applicant’s remarks have been fully considered but are also moot upon further consideration because the new grounds of rejection in light of a change of statutory basis and in light of Oh et al.’s teachings are necessitated by the Applicant’s amendments (on 05/07/2026), as detailed below.
Claim Objections
The claims are objected to because of the following informalities:
1. A typo (commas) in Claim 4: “…a vertex between two adjacent reflecting surfaces, of the plurality of reflecting surfaces, and the rotation center of the rotatable polygon mirror…”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1 and 3-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fukui et al. (US 2018/0284426 A1) in view of Oh et al. (US 2011/0116146 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Fukui discloses: An optical deflector (¶0003) comprising:
A. a rotatable polygon mirror including a plurality of reflecting surfaces for reflecting light (¶0048: polygon mirror);
B. a motor configured to rotate the rotatable polygon mirror about a rotational axis (¶0053: a motor rotary shaft of the polygon mirror scanner motor);
C. a spring configured to urge the rotatable polygon mirror in an axial direction toward the motor such that the rotatable polygon mirror is fixed to the motor (¶0057: a distance between the motor rotary shaft and the pressurizing position of the polygon mirror P by the mirror fixing spring 101); and
D. a snap ring fixed to a rotating shaft of the motor and configured to press the spring in the axial direction (FIGS. 2-5: 105: 121; ¶0044-45: a sleeve 105 attached to a rotary shaft of the motor MT, a polygon mirror P which is placed on a seat surface of the sleeve 105…A disk section configured to rotate about the rotary shaft of the motor MT is provided in the lower portion of the sleeve 105…a spring fixing groove 121 formed by providing a cylindrical section on a part where the disk section is formed in the sleeve 105; ¶0021: a spring fixing groove is formed in the sleeve, that the mirror fixing spring engages with the spring fixing groove; ¶0078: the mirror fixing spring 101 braces against the spring fixing groove 121 upon fixation of the polygon mirror P with the mirror fixing spring 101; see FIGS. 8-10 showing snap ring 105 configured to press the spring 101 in the axial direction),
E. wherein the spring includes an annular shape portion including an annular shape surface contacting a top surface of the rotatable polygon mirror (¶0047: an annular outer diameter section of the mirror fixing spring 101 in a plan view…the mirror fixing spring 101 can press the polygon mirror P at four points; see FIG. 8 showing annular shape surface of 101 contacting a top surface of the rotatable polygon mirror P) and a plurality of arm portions integrally formed with the annular shape portion (FIGS. 6-7; ¶0047: mirror fixing spring 101 has a shape having pressurizing sections 301 protruding in a cross form (in four directions including the up, down, left, and right directions) from an annular outer diameter section of the mirror fixing spring 101 in a plan view), and
F. wherein the plurality of the arm portions radially extend from an outer circumference of the annular shape portion, are disposed at equal intervals with respect to a rotational direction with a rotation center of the rotatable polygon mirror (¶0047-48; see FIGS. 1 & 6-7 showing arm portions 301 radially extend from an outer circumference of the annular shape portion of 101 and disposed at equal intervals with respect to a rotational direction with a rotation center of the rotatable polygon mirror P), wherein for each of the plurality of arm portions, (1) one end in a radial direction of the arm portion is connected to the annular shape portion, and (2) the other end of the arm portion, which is a leading end portion in the radial direction, is not connected to the other end of any other of the plurality of arm portions (¶0047-50; see FIG. 8 showing one end in a radial direction of the arm portion 301 connected to the annular shape portion of 101 and the other end of the arm portion 301 not connected to the other end of any other of the plurality of arm portions), and wherein in a state in which the spring is pressed by the snap ring, (1) the plurality of arm portions are bent and (2) the annular shape surface is brought into surface contact with the top surface of the rotatable polygon mirror (¶0049: end sections of the mirror fixing spring 101 are upwardly bent in the vicinities of the pressurizing sections 301. Thus, the pressurizing sections 301 are formed of curved surfaces. The polygon mirror P is pressed by the curved surface sections; see FIG. 8 showing in a state in which the spring 101 is pressed by the snap ring 105, the plurality of arm portions are bent and the annular shape surface of 101 is in surface contact with the top surface of the rotatable polygon mirror P).
Fukui does not appear to explicitly disclose: a contact region between the annular shape surface and the top surface of the rotatable polygon mirror is a continuous annular contact region that extends continuously in a circumferential direction over an entire circumference around the rotation center.
Oh is related to Fukui with respect to an optical deflector comprising a rotatable polygon mirror including a plurality of reflecting surfaces for reflecting light, a motor and a spring (¶0024-27, 0029-30), and Oh teaches: a contact region between the annular shape surface and the top surface of the rotatable polygon mirror is a continuous annular contact region that extends continuously in a circumferential direction over an entire circumference around the rotation center (see FIGS. 2 & 5 showing continuous annular contact region (of 40) extending continuously over an entire circumference around the rotation center between annular shape surface 41 and top surface of polygon mirror 30; ¶0024: a compression spring 40 which is provided on an upper side of a polygonal mirror 30 that compresses the inner circumferential surface of the polygonal mirror 30 both horizontally and vertically; ¶0014, 0033: compression spring can include a ring-shaped outer member, an inner member, which is disposed inside the outer member…a ring-shaped outer member 41, an inner member 43, which is disposed inside the outer member 41 and has the burring part 44).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the optical deflector of Fukui in view of Oh to satisfy the claimed condition, because such a contact region is known and would be selected to maintain the precision of the reflection surface of the polygonal mirror 30 while simultaneously fixing the scanner motor without being displaced by vibrations or shocks, thereby providing the beneficial results of the polygonal mirror 30 being fixed more stably and the compression load of the compression spring 40 can be prevented from being concentrated at a particular point of the polygonal mirror 30, as taught in paragraphs ¶0024, 0030-31 of Oh.
Regarding Claim 3, Fukui discloses the optical deflector according to Claim 1, as above. Fukui further discloses: wherein the rotatable polygon mirror includes a plurality of protrusion portions on the top surface for positioning the spring in the rotational direction (see FIG. 8 showing plurality of protrusion portions 305 on a surface opposite to annular shape portion 301), and wherein the annular shape portion includes a plurality of cutaway portions for engaging with the plurality of protrusion portions, respectively, at a position of the same phase as the plurality of arm portions (¶0048: The engagement sections 305 are sections for fixing the mirror fixing spring 101 to the sleeve 105…cutout sections [cutaway portions] extending in the four directions including the up, down, left, and right directions in FIG. 7 extend to the vicinities of the pressurizing sections 301. By this shape, the mirror fixing spring 101 functions as a spring for pressing the polygon mirror P).
Regarding Claim 4, Fukui discloses the optical deflector according to Claim 3, as above. Fukui further discloses: wherein the plurality of the protrusion portions are disposed on a circle centered on the rotation center of the rotatable polygon mirror on respective radial lines each connecting a vertex between two adjacent reflecting surfaces, of the plurality of reflecting surfaces, and the rotation center of the rotatable polygon mirror (¶0047: it is shown that the pressing positions are arranged on lines intersected by respective perpendicular lines of a plurality of (four in the present embodiment) reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror P and by the rotary axial center; see FIGS. 1 & 6-8 showing that the plurality of the protrusion portions 305 are disposed on a circle centered on the rotation center of the rotatable polygon mirror P and radial lines each connecting a vertex between two adjacent reflecting surfaces and the rotation center of the rotatable polygon mirror P; ¶0048, 0050, 0054, 0063).
Claims 2, 5 and 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fukui et al. (US 2018/0284426 A1) in view of Oh et al. (US 2011/0116146 A1), and further in view of Nagase (US 2007/0058235 A1).
Regarding Claim 2, Fukui-Oh discloses the optical deflector according to Claim 1, as above.
Although Fukui discloses a polygon mirror (¶0018), Fukui does not appear to explicitly disclose: wherein the plurality of the arm portions are provided in a number equal to an integer multiple of a number of the reflecting surfaces.
Nagase is related to Fukui with respect to an optical deflector comprising a rotatable polygon mirror including a plurality of reflecting surfaces for reflecting light, a driving unit configured to drive the rotatable polygon mirror, an urging member, and a restricting member configured to press the urging member and restrict movement of the urging member with respect to a rotational axis direction of the rotatable polygon mirror (¶0037, 0046; FIGS. 1 & 5) and Nagase teaches: wherein the plurality of the arm portions are provided in a number equal to an integer multiple of a number of the reflecting surfaces (¶0046; see FIG. 5B showing plurality of the arm portions 11-5 are provided by an integer multiple of a number of the reflecting surfaces of 11-1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Fukui’s optical deflector in view of Nagase to satisfy the claimed arm portions condition, because such reflecting surfaces are known and would be selected to minimize the pressure gradient in the vertical direction in the rotation axis direction of the rotating polygon mirror so that the airflow can be made uniform in the circumferential direction, thereby resulting in highly accurate rotation of the polygon mirror to be attained, as taught in ¶0009, 0012, 0014, 0044-45 of Nagase.
Regarding Claim 5, Fukui-Oh discloses the optical deflector according to Claim 4, as above. Fukui does not appear to explicitly disclose: wherein the rotatable polygon mirror is formed of a resin molded product, and wherein the plurality of protrusion portions are integrally molded with the rotatable polygon mirror.
Nagase is related to Fukui with respect to an optical deflector comprising a rotatable polygon mirror including a plurality of reflecting surfaces for reflecting light, a driving unit configured to drive the rotatable polygon mirror, an urging member, and a restricting member configured to press the urging member and restrict movement of the urging member with respect to a rotational axis direction of the rotatable polygon mirror (¶0037, 0046; FIGS. 1 & 5) and Nagase teaches: wherein the rotatable polygon mirror is formed of a resin molded product, and wherein the plurality of protrusion portions are integrally molded with the rotatable polygon mirror (¶0042: resin component of mirror).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Fukui’s optical deflector in view of Nagase to satisfy the claimed resin condition, because such a material condition serves to stabilize the rotating mirror, as taught in ¶0042 of Nagase.
Regarding Claim 9, Fukui-Oh discloses the optical deflector according to Claim 1, as above.
Although Fukui discloses scanning optical devices comprising a laser light source and an optical deflector (¶0003), Fukui does not appear to explicitly disclose: A scanning optical device comprising: a light source configured to emit a laser light; and an optical deflector according to Claim 1, the optical deflector deflecting the laser light emitted from the light source.
Nagase is related to Fukui with respect to an optical deflector comprising a rotatable polygon mirror including a plurality of reflecting surfaces for reflecting light, a driving unit configured to drive the rotatable polygon mirror, an urging member, and a restricting member configured to press the urging member and restrict movement of the urging member with respect to a rotational axis direction of the rotatable polygon mirror (¶0037, 0046; FIGS. 1 & 5) and Nagase teaches: A scanning optical device comprising: a light source configured to emit a laser light; and an optical deflector according to Claim 1, the optical deflector deflecting the laser light emitted from the light source (¶0014).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Fukui’s optical deflector in view of Nagase to satisfy the claimed scanning optical device, because such a laser light source in a scanning unit is utilized to deflect and scan in a digital full color copier capable of scanning longitudinal widths of almost all A4-sizes, as taught in ¶0004, 0037, 0046, 0051 of Nagase.
Regarding Claim 10, Fukui-Oh-Nagase discloses the optical deflector according to Claim 9, as above. Nagase further discloses: An image forming apparatus comprising (¶0005): an image bearing member (¶0037: photosensitive drum 2 serving as the image bearing member); a scanning optical device according to Claim 9, the scanning optical device being configured to scan the image bearing member with a laser light and form an electrostatic latent image (¶0038-39, 0051: the laser scanning unit); and an image forming unit configured to develop the electrostatic latent image with toner and form a toner image on the image bearing member, and then to transfer the toner image to a recording material and form the toner image on the recording material (¶0052-57: Respective transfer devices 6a, 6b, 6c, and 6d are disposed to transfer toner images on the photosensitive drums to intermediate transfer materials or recording materials).
Other Relevant Documents Considered
Prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to Applicant’s disclosure: Matsui et al. (US 2002/0015211 A1) discloses an optical deflector comprising a polygonal mirror with a motor, a spring with an annular surface and a contact region, and satisfying some of the additional conditions as claimed.
Conclusion
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/SAMANVITHA SRIDHAR/Examiner, Art Unit 2872
/BUMSUK WON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2872
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