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 .
Amendment received 2/17/26 was entered into the record.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. The claim recites that the first conveying mechanism is not connected to any one of the at least one recycling chamber. The disclosure does not show the first conveying mechanism to be completely isolated from any one of the at least one recycling chambers to properly support this claim. Accordingly, this is considered new matter.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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, 4-10, and 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by EP 2555170 A1 (“EP ‘170”).
Regarding claim 1, EP ‘170 disclosed a sheet processing apparatus, comprising:
an inlet (51) configured to receive a sheet;
an outlet (54) configured to eject the sheet;
a conveyance mechanism configured to convey the sheet between the inlet and the outlet (Figure 5);
a recognition unit (53) configured to recognize the sheet; and
at least one recycling chamber (55) configured to store the sheet,
wherein the conveyance mechanism comprises:
a first conveyance mechanism (52, beginning from the inlet, continuing on the right side of Figure 5) configured to convey downward the sheet received from the inlet, and
a second conveyance mechanism connecting between the first conveyance mechanism and the outlet and configured to convey upward the sheet conveyed from the first conveyance mechanism (see the left side of the conveying path in Figure 5),
wherein the recognition unit is disposed on a conveyance path on which the sheet is conveyed by the first conveyance mechanism (Figure 5), and
wherein the at least one recycling chamber is connected to the second conveyance mechanism (Figure 5), and
wherein the recognition unit (see 53 in Figure 5) is disposed at a position higher than the at least one recycling chamber (see 55 in Figure 5).
Regarding claim 4, EP ‘170 disclosed a three-direction diversion mechanism configured to convey the sheet with a diversion in a horizontal direction from the second conveyance mechanism, the three-direction diversion mechanism being connected to one of the at least one recycling chamber (see at least Figure 5 and the disclosure).
Regarding claim 5, EP ‘170 disclosed a collection chamber (for this claim, a bottommost chamber seen in Figure 5 reads on the collection chamber while other chambers 55 satisfy the aforementioned recycling chambers) that is configured to store a sheet that is conveyed from the first conveying mechanism via the recognition unit and that is not used for dispensing (as outlet 54 is), the collection chamber being located below the inlet, the outlet, the conveyance mechanism, the recognition unit, and the at least one recycling chamber (see Figure 5).
Regarding claim 6, EP ‘170 disclosed wherein the first conveyance mechanism is disposed on a depth side of the sheet processing apparatus, and wherein the second conveyance mechanism is disposed on a near side of the sheet processing apparatus (see Figure 5).
Regarding claim 7, EP ‘170 disclosed a horizontal conveyance mechanism connecting between the inlet and the first conveyance mechanism (see Figure 5).
Regarding claim 8, EP ‘170 disclosed a three-direction diversion mechanism disposed between the at least one recycling chamber and the second conveyance mechanism, and configured for diversion of the sheet (see Figure 5 and the disclosure).
Regarding claim 9, EP ‘170 disclosed the diversion of the sheet may be performed by the three-direction diversion mechanism (see at least Figure 5 and the disclosure) such that the diversion is switched based on a conveyance destination of a next sheet in response to detection of passage of a previously conveyed sheet.
Regarding claim 10, EP ‘170 disclosed the at least one recycling chamber comprises a plurality of recycling chambers, wherein each of the plurality of recycling chambers is connected to one three-direction diversion mechanism, and connected to the second conveyance mechanism (see Figure 5).
Regarding claim 16, the first conveyance mechanism and the second conveyance mechanism are configured to be drivable (that is they are capable of being driven) independently of each other.
Regarding claim 17, the first conveyance mechanism is not connected to any one of the at least one recycling chambers seen connected to the second conveyance mechanism.
Regarding claim 18, EP ‘170 disclosed the recognition unit recognizes the sheet conveyed along a conveyance path of the first conveyance mechanism (52, beginning from the inlet, continuing on the right side of Figure 5), the conveyance path extending in a height direction (as seen in Figure 5).
Regarding claim 19, EP ‘170 disclosed a sheet processing apparatus, comprising: an inlet (51) configured to receive a sheet; an outlet (54) configured to eject the sheet; a conveyance mechanism configured to convey the sheet between the inlet and the outlet (Figure 5); a recognition unit (53) configured to recognize the sheet; and at least one recycling chamber (55) configured to store the sheet, wherein the conveyance mechanism comprises: a first conveyance mechanism configured to convey downward the sheet received from the inlet (as stated above with regard to claim 1), and a second conveyance mechanism connecting between the first conveyance mechanism and the outlet and configured to convey upward the sheet conveyed from the first conveyance mechanism (as stated above), wherein the recognition unit is disposed on a conveyance path on which the sheet is conveyed by the first conveyance mechanism (Figure 5), wherein the at least one recycling chamber (the bottom left 55 in Figure 5 for example) is connected to the second conveyance mechanism, and wherein a first distance from the recognition unit to a diversion mechanism disposed between the first conveyance mechanism and the second conveyance mechanism along the conveyance path of the first conveyance mechanism is longer than a second distance from the diversion mechanism to the at least one recycling chamber along the conveyance path of the second conveyance mechanism (as seen in Figure 5).
Regarding claim 20, EP ‘170 disclosed the conveyance mechanism further comprises one or more additional conveyance mechanisms configured to convey the sheet from the second conveyance mechanism to the at least one recycling chamber (seen in Figure 5 just upstream of the outlet 54).
Claim(s) 1, 7, and 11-15, and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP 09-147181 (“JP ‘181”).
Regarding claim 1, JP ‘181 disclosed a sheet processing apparatus, comprising:
an inlet (121) configured to receive a sheet;
an outlet (122) configured to eject the sheet;
a conveyance mechanism configured to convey the sheet between the inlet and the outlet (Figures 2 and 3);
a recognition unit (124) configured to recognize the sheet; and
at least one recycling chamber (126, 127) configured to store the sheet,
wherein the conveyance mechanism comprises:
a first conveyance mechanism (seen in Figures 2 and 3) configured to convey downward the sheet received from the inlet, and
a second conveyance mechanism connecting between the first conveyance mechanism and the outlet and configured to convey upward the sheet conveyed from the first conveyance mechanism (seen in Figures 2 and 3),
wherein the recognition unit is disposed on a conveyance path on which the sheet is conveyed by the first conveyance mechanism (Figures 2 and 3), and
wherein the at least one recycling chamber is connected to the second conveyance mechanism (Figures 2 and 3), and
wherein the recognition unit is disposed at a position higher than the at least one recycling chamber (seen in Figure 3).
Regarding claim 7, JP ‘181 disclosed a horizontal conveyance mechanism connecting between the inlet and the first conveyance mechanism (see Figure 3).
Regarding claim 11, JP ‘181 disclosed a control unit configured to feed and convey one sheet from the at least one recycling chamber to the recognition unit (see at least S1004), and stop conveyance of the sheet after the sheet passes through the recognition unit when reconciliation of the sheet stored in the at least one recycling chamber is performed (see at least S1005 then YES in Figure 10).
Regarding claim 12, JP ‘181 disclosed a plurality of storage chambers including the at least one recycling chamber (see Figures 2 and 3); and
a control unit (123),
wherein the control unit is configured to store sheets of a first denomination and a second denomination in a first recycling chamber of the at least one recycling chamber (see paragraph 0024), and
wherein when the sheet of the second denomination is inserted from the inlet, and a predetermined number or more of sheets of the second denomination are stored at a head in the first recycling chamber, the control unit conveys the inserted sheet of the second denomination to a collection chamber configured to store the sheet that is not used for dispensing (see paragraph 0024).
Regarding claim 13, JP ‘181 disclosed when dispensing the sheet to the outlet, the control unit conveys a sheet of a denomination that is unnecessary for the dispensing from the first recycling chamber to a storage chamber that is different from the first recycling chamber (see paragraph 0024).
Regarding claim 14, JP ‘181 disclosed the storage chamber that is different from the first recycling chamber is the collection chamber (125) configured to store the sheet that is not used for dispensing.
Regarding claim 15, EP ‘181 disclosed the storage chamber that is different from the first recycling chamber may be a second recycling chamber (127) configured to store a sheet of a third denomination in a recyclable manner.
Regarding claim 21, EP ‘181 disclosed the conveyance mechanism further comprises one or more additional conveyance mechanisms configured to convey the sheet from the second conveyance mechanism to the first recycling chamber and the second recycling chamber (see Figure 3 noting that the sheet may be refed through the device too).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 2/17/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant stated that the applied art does not teach the specific relative height arrangement and distance comparison as recited by the amended claims. The Examiner disagrees. The prior art precisely teaches the specific height arrangements and distance comparisons as detailed above.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HOWARD J SANDERS whose telephone number is (571)270-3096. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael McCullough can be reached at (571) 272-7805. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HOWARD J SANDERS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3653