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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sasaki et al. (US PGP 2021/0080843 A1).
Sasaki teaches an electrophotographic photoreceptor including a conductive substrate and a photosensitive layer disposed on the conductive substrate (Abstract). A process cartridge comprising the electrophotographic photoreceptor (as recited in instant claim 13, claim 14, claim 15, claim 16, claim 17, claim 18, and claim 19) and an image forming apparatus including the components recited in instant claim 20 are also described ([0299]-[0319]). The photosensitive layer of the photoreceptor is taught to be a laminated-layer-type photosensitive layer (as recited in instant claim 1) or a single-layer-type photosensitive layer (charge generation/charge transport layer) (as recited in instant claim 7) ([0181]-[0186], [0295]-[0298]).
In the examples, the coating liquid for forming the charge transport layer was taught to include 5 ppm of a silicone oil commercially known as “KP340” (Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.) ([0341]). According to the Applicant’s disclosure, “KP340” is a polyalkylsiloxane having a weight-average molecular weight of 8,000 (see [0151] of the instant specification). Therefore, the charge transport layer of Sasaki’s photoreceptor contained a polyalkylsiloxane in an amount of 5 ppm, and did not contain a cyclic siloxane having a molecular weight of 450 or less (which reads on the corresponding limitations recited in instant claim 1, claim 2, claim 3, claim 7, claim 8, and claim 9).
The charge generation layer is taught to contain a charge-generating material and a binder resin ([0247]). The charge-generating material is taught to include metal phthalocyanine pigments, like titanyl phthalocyanine ([0249]) (which reads on the corresponding limitation recited in instant claim 4 and claim 10). In the examples, the coating liquid for forming the charge generation layer was taught to include chlorogallium phthalocyanine having diffraction peaks at least at Bragg angles (2θ±0.2º) of 7.4º, 16.6º, 25.5º, and 28.3º with respect to CuKα characteristic X-rays ([0338]) (which reads on the corresponding limitations recited in instant claim 5, claim 6, claim 11, and claim 12).
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sugiura et al. (US PGP 2017/0277047 A1).
Sugiura teaches an electrophotographic photoreceptor including a conductive substrate and a photosensitive layer disposed on the conductive substrate (Abstract). A process cartridge comprising the electrophotographic photoreceptor (as recited in instant claim 13, claim 14, claim 15, claim 16, claim 17, claim 18, and claim 19) and an image forming apparatus including the components recited in instant claim 20 are also described ([0017]-[0053]). The photosensitive layer of the photoreceptor is taught to be a laminated-layer-type photosensitive layer (as recited in instant claim 1) or a single-layer-type photosensitive layer where the functions of the charge generation layer and the charge transport layer are integrated (as recited in instant claim 7) ([0056]).
In the examples, the coating liquid for forming the charge transport layer was taught to include 5 ppm of a silicone oil commercially known as “KP340” (Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.) ([0403]). According to the Applicant’s disclosure, “KP340” is a polyalkylsiloxane having a weight-average molecular weight of 8,000 (see [0151] of the instant specification). Therefore, the charge transport layer of Sugiura’s photoreceptor contained a polyalkylsiloxane in an amount of 5 ppm, and did not contain a cyclic siloxane having a molecular weight of 450 or less (which reads on the corresponding limitations recited in instant claim 1, claim 2, claim 3, claim 7, claim 8, and claim 9).
The charge generation layer is taught to contain a charge-generating material and a binder resin. The charge-generating material is taught to include metal phthalocyanine pigments, like titanyl phthalocyanine ([0117]-[0120]) (which reads on the corresponding limitation recited in instant claim 4 and claim 10). In the examples, the coating liquid for forming the charge generation layer was taught to include hydroxygallium phthalocyanine having diffraction peaks at least at Bragg angles (2θ±0.2º) of 7.5º, 9.9º, 12.5º, 16.3º, 18.6º, 25.1º, and 28.3º with respect to CuKα characteristic X-rays ([0400]) (which reads on the corresponding limitations recited in instant claim 5, claim 6, claim 11, and claim 12).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Boone A Evans whose telephone number is (571)272-1420. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM EST.
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/BOONE ALEXANDER EVANS/Examiner, Art Unit 1737
02/07/2026