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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claim(s) 8 is/are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected Invention/Species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 11/17/2025. Applicant's election with traverse of Invention/Species of I and 1A in the reply filed on 11/17/2025 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that there Is not serious search burden. This is found persuasive regarding restriction between 1A and 1B and therefore for the two inventions are hereby considered as a single invention. However, the traversal is not found persuasive regarding restriction between inventions I and II because the two inventions requires different field of search (at least different search queries)..
The requirement between inventions 1A and 1B is withdrawn and requirement (between inventions I and II) is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
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, 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Ito et al (20140184699).
Regarding claim 1, Ito, discloses valve unit comprising: a liquid storage chamber 45 whose volume changes in accordance with change in pressure of liquid (Fig 2A, 2B, Para 44), wherein the liquid storage chamber is formed by a liquid storage member 30 in which is formed a recess section 31 storing the liquid, and a membrane member 44 arranged so as to cover an opening of the recess section 31, the membrane member includes a first film 62 connected to the liquid storage member 30 so as to cover the opening, a second film 62 that is adhered to a surface of the first film opposite (fig 3) from a surface of the first film 61 facing the opening and that suppresses (62 being a solid resin layer will inhibit free flow of liquid) permeation of a predetermined component contained in the liquid, and a third film 64 (supported by 63) that is arranged at a surface of the second film 62 opposite from a surface of the second film 62 facing the first film 61 and that suppresses permeation of moisture contained in surrounding air (being a solid layer inhibits free flow of air/liquid/moisture), and the third film is arranged separated from the second film by a space (layer 63).
As to claim 7, Ito, discloses liquid ejection device comprising: a liquid ejection head 17 configured to eject liquid and a supply flow path 22,23 connecting a liquid supply source 19 and the liquid ejection head 17 such that the liquid flows from the liquid supply source toward the liquid ejection head, wherein the supply flow path includes a valve unit 23 including an inflow section 33 into which the liquid flows from the liquid supply source, an outflow section 35 from which the liquid flows toward the liquid ejection head, and a liquid storage chamber “I” whose volume changes in accordance with change in pressure of the liquid, the liquid storage chamber is formed by a liquid storage member 30 in which is formed a recess section 31 storing the liquid, and a membrane member 44 arranged so as to cover an opening of the recess section, the membrane member includes a first film 61 connected to the liquid storage member so as to cover the opening, a second film 62 that is adhered to a surface of the first film opposite from a surface of the first film facing the opening and that suppresses (62 being a solid resin layer will inhibit free flow of liquid) permeation of a predetermined component contained in the liquid, and a third film 64 (supported by 63) that is arranged at a surface of the second film 62 opposite from a surface of the second film facing the first film and that suppresses (being a solid layer inhibits free flow of air/liquid/moisture) permeation of moisture contained in surrounding air, and the third film is arranged separated from the second film by a space (layer 63).
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 6, 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamagishi et al (20170217199) in view of Aruga et al (20070221079).
Regarding claim(s) 1, Yamagishi, (Fig. 4-6), discloses a valve unit comprising: a liquid storage chamber R1, R2 whose volume changes (by movement of 71) in accordance with change in pressure of liquid, wherein the liquid storage chamber is formed by a liquid storage member 41 in which is formed a recess section R2 storing the liquid, and a membrane member 71 arranged so as to cover an opening of the recess section, the membrane member 71 includes a second film 71 connected to the liquid storage member so as to cover the opening, and that suppresses permeation of a predetermined component contained in the liquid (being an isolating solid layer inhibits free flow of air/liquid/moisture), and a third film 73 that is arranged at a surface of the second film opposite from a surface of the second film facing the liquid storage space and that suppresses permeation of moisture liquid (being an isolating solid layer inhibits free flow of air/liquid/moisture) contained in surrounding air (at R3), and the third film is arranged separated from the second film by a space Rc.
Yamagishi fails to disclose a second film connected to the liquid storage member so as to cover the opening. Aruga, (Fig. 10,13A), teaches an ink storage covering sheet 102 comprising two films 102a,102b laminated together with a first film (inner film of 102a,102b) on the ink side and a second fil on the outer side to provide better liquid resistance (Para 178).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the device disclosed by Yamagishi with a liquid containing sheet formed as a lamination of first film and a second film as taught by Aruga in order to provide better liquid resistance. With such composite film, the first film would be on the liquid side and second film on the top side in Fig 4 of Yamagishi.
As to claim 2, Yamagishi discloses third film 73 is formed in a convex shape (at central region) and is arranged so as to be convex in a direction opposite to a direction facing the second film (upper side of 71).
As to claim 6, Yamagishi as modified discloses the third film 73 is connected to the second film (at top 71 in view of Aruga) via a frame-shaped member (portion of body 41 between 71 and 73 in fig 5 would be round frame shape).
As to claim 7, Yamagishi discloses a liquid ejection device comprising: a liquid ejection head 44 configured to eject liquid and a supply flow path 41,42 connecting a liquid supply source 14 and the liquid ejection head 44 such that the liquid flows from the liquid supply source toward the liquid ejection head, wherein the supply flow path includes a valve unit including an inflow section 79 into which the liquid flows from the liquid supply source, an outflow section (downstream of R2) from which the liquid flows toward the liquid ejection head, and a liquid storage chamber R1,R2 whose volume changes (by movement of 71) in accordance with change in pressure of liquid, wherein the liquid storage chamber is formed by a liquid storage member 41 in which is formed a recess section R2 storing the liquid, and a membrane member 71 arranged so as to cover an opening of the recess section, the membrane member 71 includes a second film 71 connected to the liquid storage member so as to cover the opening, and that suppresses permeation of a predetermined component contained in the liquid (being an isolating solid layer inhibits free flow of air/liquid/moisture), and a third film 73 that is arranged at a surface of the second film opposite from a surface of the second film facing the liquid storage space and that suppresses permeation of moisture liquid (being an isolating solid layer inhibits free flow of air/liquid/moisture) contained in surrounding air (at R3), and the third film is arranged separated from the second film by a space Rc.
Yamagishi fails to disclose a second film connected to the liquid storage member so as to cover the opening. Aruga, (Fig. 10,13A), teaches an ink storage covering sheet 102 comprising two films 102a,102b laminated together with a first film (inner film of 102a,102b) on the ink side and a second fil on the outer side to provide better liquid resistance (Para 178).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the device disclosed by Yamagishi with a liquid containing sheet formed as a lamination of first film and a second film as taught by Aruga in order to provide better liquid flow resistance. With such composite film, the first film would be on the liquid side and second film on the top side in Fig 4 of Yamagishi.
Claim(s) 1, 3, 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsumoto et al (20120194608) in view of Hogstrom et al (5741566).
Regarding claim(s) 1, 3, Matsumoto discloses a valve unit comprising: a liquid storage chamber 41,42 whose volume changes (by movement of 48) in accordance with change in pressure of liquid, wherein the liquid storage chamber is formed by a liquid storage member 40 in which is formed a recess section 42 storing the liquid, and a membrane member 48 arranged so as to cover an opening of the recess section, the membrane member 48 includes a first film (right side layer of 48 in fig 4, 48 is multilayered, Para 61) connected to the liquid storage member 40 so as to cover the opening, a second film that is adhered to a surface of the first film opposite from a surface of the first film facing the opening and that suppresses permeation of a predetermined component contained in the liquid (being a solid layer, it would inhibit free flow of fluid), and a third film that is arranged at a surface of the second film opposite from a surface of the second film facing the first film and that suppresses permeation of moisture contained in surrounding air, and the third film is arranged separated from the second film by a space.
Matsumoto fails to disclose a third film with a moisture absorbing layer in between the second and third films. Hogstrom et al teaches an ink multilayer membrane comprising a first film A’ attached to a second film B’ which has a third film D (being a sold layer inhibits free flow of fluid) with a moisture absorbing layer C (abstract) in between the second film B’ and third film D.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the device disclosed by Matsumoto with a third film with a moisture absorbing layer in between the second and third films as taught by Hogstrom in order to provide better liquid flow resistance.
As to claim 4, Matsumoto as modified (as taught by Hogstrom) teaches the moisture absorbing layer C adhered to the third film but fails to disclose the moisture absorbing layer comprising granular material. However, Official Notice is taken that moisture absorbing layer made of granular material, for the purpose of entrapping moisture are widely known and notoriously old in the art. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to employ moisture absorbing layer made of granular material in the device of Matsumoto as modified for the purpose of entrapping moisture as is widely known and notoriously old in the art.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) 5 is/are 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Atif Chaudry at phone number 571-270-3768. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday (9:30AM-6:00PM EST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisors can be reached by phone. Kenneth Rinehart can be reached at 571-272-4881, or Craig Schneider can be reached at 571-272-3607. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ATIF H CHAUDRY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753