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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 10/6/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues Yamashita does not disclose at least one constant-potential wiring line which extends along a longitudinal direction of the drive device in a mounting area of the drive device. Yamashita discloses at least one constant potential wiring line (67; Paragraph 0086) which extends along a longitudinal direction of the drive device in a mounting area (element 50 [COF] is considered the mounting area; Paragraph 0077; Figures 4-5) of the drive device. Wherein the wire 67 includes three wires 67a and connection part 67b, and the connection part 67b is oriented in a longitudinal direction in a mounting area (50) (Figures 2, 5)
Applicant argues Yamashita does not disclose constant-potential terminals at three or more places, which are arranged at respective position different from each other along the longitudinal direction, and which are electrically coupled to the constant-potential wiring line to which the same constant potential is applied. Yamashita discloses constant potential terminals wherein wire 67 includes three wires 67a and connection part 67b, and 67a is connected to three power input terminals (61) at three or more places (Figures 2-5; Paragraph 0070). The constant potential terminals (wire 67 includes three wires 67a and connection part 67b; wherein 67a is connected to three power input terminals 61; Figures 2-5; Paragraph 0070) are arranged at respective positions different from each other along the longitudinal direction (Figure 5), and which are electrically coupled to the constant potential wiring line (power wire 67) to which the same constant potential is applied
Applicant argues Yamashita does not disclose the drive device which includes a plurality of output terminals which is arranged along the longitudinal direction, and which is configured to individually output the drive signal. Yamashita discloses a drive device including a plurality of output terminals (63), wherein output wires (66) are connected to the output terminals (63) (Figure 5; Paragraphs 0055, 0074) and is arranged along the longitudinal direction (output terminals 63 are arranged in longitudinal direction; Figure 5), and which is configured to individually output the drive signal (Figure 5; Paragraphs 0056, 0074, 0079, 0086)
Therefore, Yamashita discloses all of the claimed limitations of claim 1.
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.
Claim(s) 1-6, 8-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yamashita (U.S. Pub. 2021/0229428)
Regarding claim 1, a drive board configured to output a drive signal to be applied to a liquid jet head (4) having a plurality of nozzles (20) (Figures 2, 5; Paragraphs 0032-0034), the drive board comprising:
At least one drive device (52) which is mounted on a board surface of the drive board, and which is configured to generate the drive signal configured to jet liquid from the nozzles (Figures 2; Paragraphs 0055-0056)
At least one constant potential wiring line (67; Paragraph 0086) which extends along a longitudinal direction of the drive device in a mounting area (element 50 [COF] is considered the mounting area; Paragraph 0077; Figures 4-5) of the drive device, and to which a predetermined constant potential is applied (Figure 5; wire 67 includes three wires 67a and connection part 67b; wherein connection part 67b is oriented in a longitudinal direction), wherein
The drive device includes a plurality of output terminals (63; output wires 66 connected to output terminals 63; Figure 5; Paragraphs 0055, 0074) which is arranged along the longitudinal direction (output terminals are arranged in longitudinal direction; Figure 5), and which is configured to individually output the drive signal (Figure 5; Paragraphs 0056, 0074, 0079, 0086)
Constant potential terminals (wire 67 includes three wires 67a and connection part 67b; wherein 67a is connected to three power input terminals 61; Figures 2-5; Paragraph 0070) at three or more places, which are arranged at respective positions different from each other along the longitudinal direction (Figure 5), and which are electrically coupled to the constant potential wiring line to which the same constant potential is applied (Figure 5; Paragraphs 0055, 0070-0071, 0073-0076)
Regarding claim 2, the drive device has a pair of end portion areas, and a central area (51c) located between the pair of end portion areas along the longitudinal direction
The constant potential terminals (wire 67 includes three wires 67a and connection part 67b; wherein 67a is connected to three power input terminals 61; Figure 5; Paragraph 0070) are arranged in each of the pair of end portion areas and the central area (Figure 5)
Regarding claim 3, two or more of the constant potential terminals (67a connected to three power terminals 61; Figure 5; Paragraph 0070) are arranged in the central area (Figure 5; Paragraph 0070)
Regarding claim 4, the constant potential terminals at three or more places are evenly arranged along the longitudinal direction of the drive device (Figure 5)
Regarding claim 5, the constant potential wiring line includes at least one power supply wiring line (61) to which a power supply potential as the constant potential is applied; and a ground wiring line (62) to which a ground potential as the constant potential is applied (Figures 5-6; Paragraph 0069)
The drive board includes at least one of:
Power supply terminals at three or more places as the constant potential terminals at three or more places electrically coupled to the power supply wiring line
Ground terminals at three or more places as the constant potential terminals at three or more places electrically coupled to the ground wiring line (Figure 5)
Regarding claim 6, the power supply terminals at three or more places and the ground terminals at three or more places are provided respectively to a plurality of the power supply wiring lines and the ground wiring line (Figure 5)
Regarding claim 8, a plurality of the drive devices (52) is arranged side by side along the longitudinal direction on the board surface (Figure 5)
Regarding claim 9, a jet section (24) which is configured to jet the liquid based on the drive signal output from the drive board, and which as the plurality of nozzles (Figures 1-2; Paragraphs 0030, 0039)
Regarding claim 10, a liquid jet recording device comprising the liquid jet head (Figure 1; Paragraph 0030)
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.
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamashita (U.S. Pub. 2021/0229428) in view of Kachi (U.S. Pub. 2006/0209138)
Regarding claim 7, Kachi discloses a drive device mounted on the board surface using flip chip mounting (Paragraph 0027)
At the time the invention was made it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to use flip-chip mounted devices, as taught by Kachi into the device of Yamashita, for the purpose of installing device circuits at a high density
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JASON S UHLENHAKE whose telephone number is (571)272-5916. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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/JASON S UHLENHAKE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853 December 5, 2025