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 .
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.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: a switch mechanism (SW), a first fixing rotator (rotatable roller 81), a second fixing rotator (belt 130), a pressure modifying mechanism (300, including cam 340) introduced in claim 1.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
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.
Claims 1-7, 14-16, and 18-27 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.
Claim 1 recites inter alia, “switching, after the second sheet sensor detects a trailing edge of the final sheet, the state of the second developing roller to the second separated state from the second contact state by using the switching mechanism”. As best understood from the originally filed specification, switching, the state of the second developing roller to the second separated state from the second contact state by using the switching mechanism takes place at a times t4, t5, or t6, all which are before a time t7 when the fixing sheet sensor turns OFF, indicating the passing of the trailing end of the sheet (Fig.8, [0128]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 7, 14, 21, 26 and 27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2005/0025511 to Watabe in view of US 9,335,718 to Suzuki and US 2021/0026284 to Sato.
Watabe teaches:
(claim 1) An image forming device (Fig.1) comprising:
a sheet tray 3 configured to accommodate a sheet 15 [0030];
a sheet feeder 10 configured to feed the sheet from the sheet tray [0031];
a first photosensitive drum; a first developing roller configured to supply developer to the first photosensitive drum [0032];
a second photosensitive drum; a second developing roller configured to supply developer to the second photosensitive drum [0032];
a transfer unit including a belt 8 configured to move in a moving direction, the transfer unit being in contact with the first photosensitive drum located at a first position, the transfer unit being in contact with the second photosensitive drum located at a second position downstream of the first position in the moving direction, the transfer unit configured to transfer developer images formed on the first photosensitive drum and the second photosensitive drum to the sheet [0032];
a first fixing rotator 51; a heater 66 configured to heat the first fixing rotator; a second fixing rotator 61 to form a nip together with the first fixing rotator [0033, 0044];
a pressure modifying mechanism configured to modify a nip pressure at the nip to either a first nip pressure or a second nip pressure smaller than the first nip pressure [0041];
a first sheet sensor 6 disposed upstream of the transfer unit in the conveyance direction of a sheet and configured to detect the sheet; and
a controller 101 configured to perform: in a case where a final sheet among one or more sheets is printed according to a print job, modifying, after the final sheet passes the nip, the nip pressure to the second nip pressure from the first nip pressure by using the pressure modifying mechanism [0072, 0086].
Watanabe differs from the instant application that in Watanabe the position of the sheet is determined according to predetermined period Ta from detection by the first sheet sensor and a second sheet detector is not disclosed. Suzuki discloses an electrophotographic image forming apparatus including a first photosensitive drum; a plurality of developing rollers (65) configured to supply developer to a corresponding plurality of photosensitive drums (63); a first sheet sensor (11) disposed upstream of the transfer unit in the conveyance direction of a sheet and configured to detect the sheet; a second sheet sensor (12) disposed downstream of the nip in the conveyance direction and configured to detect the sheet; and a controller (10) configured to control a first motor 110, a second motor 210, a developing clutch 139 and the like to thus control the driving of the developing rollers 65, the conveyance rollers 92, the discharge rollers 93 and the like, the controller configured to switch, after the first sheet sensor detects a trailing edge of a sheet, the state of the first developing rollers. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a second sheet sensor disposed downstream of the nip in the conveyance direction and configured to detect the sheet, as an alternative configuration/point of reference for determining the timing (analogous to Ta) when to end the fixing enabling period Tb.
Watabe appears silent about a switch mechanism for the developing rollers.
Sato teaches an image forming device 1 comprising a sheet tray C; a sheet feeder [0036]; a first photosensitive drum 101y; a first developing roller 104y configured to supply developer to the first photosensitive drum; a second photosensitive drum 101c; a second developing roller 104c configured to supply developer to the second photosensitive drum; a transfer unit including a belt 107 configured to move in a moving direction, the transfer unit being in contact with the first photosensitive drum located at a first position, the transfer unit being in contact with the second photosensitive drum located at a second position downstream of the first position in the moving direction, the transfer unit configured to transfer developer images formed on the first photosensitive drum and the second photosensitive drum to the sheet;
a switch mechanism (Fig.3) configured to: switch a state of the first developing roller between a first contact state (Fig.3b) in which the first developing roller is in contact with the first photosensitive drum and a first separated state (Fig.3a) in which the first developing roller is separated from the first photosensitive drum; and switch a state of the second developing roller between a second contact state in which the second developing roller is in contact with the second photosensitive drum and a second separated state in which the second developing roller is separated from the second photosensitive drum [0056-0062];
a first fixing rotator; a heater configured to heat the first fixing rotator; a second fixing rotator to form a nip together with the first fixing rotator [0038]; and
a controller 115 configured to perform: in a case where a final sheet among one or more sheets is printed according to a print job, switching, after the sheet feeder feeds the final sheet, the state of the first developing roller to the first separated state from the first contact state by using the switch mechanism (2200th step); and switching, after the state of the first developing roller is switched to the first separated state, the state of the second developing roller to the second separated state from the second contact state by using the switch mechanism (2600th step) (Fig.4, [0063, 0094]).
Sato particularly teaches switching the second developing roller to the second separated state before a trailing edge of the final sheet as to create a trailing-end non-image region (Fig.6c, [0088-0092] ).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the device of Watabe such that the developing rollers are contact/separated with a phase difference, as taught by Sato, by comprising
a switch mechanism configured to: switch a state of the first developing roller between a first contact state in which the first developing roller is in contact with the first photosensitive drum and a first separated state in which the first developing roller is separated from the first photosensitive drum; and switch a state of the second developing roller between a second contact state in which the second developing roller is in contact with the second photosensitive drum and a second separated state in which the second developing roller is separated from the second photosensitive drum;
and the controller to perform
switching, after the first sheet sensor detects a trailing edge of the final sheet, the state of the first developing roller to the first separated state from the first contact state by using the switch mechanism;
switching, after the state of the first developing roller is switched to the first separated state, the state of the second developing roller to the second separated state from the second contact state by using the switch mechanism; and
modifying, after the second sheet sensor detects the trailing edge of the final sheet, the nip pressure to the second nip pressure from the first nip pressure by using the pressure modifying mechanism
for at least the purpose of reducing the occurrence of fog.
The resulting apparatus also renders obvious,
(claim 2) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to further perform: rotating the first fixing rotator while modifying the nip pressure to the second nip pressure from the first nip pressure; halting rotation of the first fixing rotator after the modifying the nip pressure to the second nip pressure from the first nip pressure is completed (Watabe: Fig.4E & 4F, [0054]);
(claim 7) The image forming device according to claim 1, further comprising: a third photosensitive drum; and a third developing roller configured to supply developer to the third photosensitive drum, wherein the transfer unit is in contact with the third photosensitive drum located at a third position between the first position and the second position in the moving direction, wherein the switch mechanism is configured to further switch a state of the third developing roller between a third contact state in which the third developing roller is in contact with the third photosensitive drum and a third separated state in which the third developing roller is separated from the third photosensitive drum, wherein the controller is configured to further perform: switching, after the state of the first developing roller is switched to the first separated state, the state of the third developing roller to the third separated state from the third contact state by using the switching switch mechanism, wherein after the state of the third developing roller is switched to the third separated state from the third contact state, the controller switches the state of the second developing roller to the second separated state from the second contact state by using the switching switch mechanism (by application of the sequence of Fig.4 of Sato to the arrangement of Fig.1 of Watabe).
(claim 14) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the first fixing rotator includes a fixing roller, wherein the second fixing rotator includes a fixing belt, wherein the image forming device further comprises a nip forming member configured to press the fixing belt toward the fixing roller so that the fixing roller and the fixing belt form the nip (a nip forming member is considered inherent to using a belt, Watabe: [0059]);
(claim 21) The image forming device according to claim 1, wherein the modifying is performed after a predetermined period of time elapses from the detection of the trailing edge of the final sheet by the second sheet sensor (Watabe: Fig.4A-4F; a predetermined time period t12-t10 elapses between the fixing enabled time period Tb and the separate state).
(claim 26) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,further comprising: a motor 103 configured to drive the pressure modifying mechanism, wherein the pressure modifying mechanism is configured to modify the nip pressure from the first nip pressure (Fig.2A) to the second nip pressure (Fig.2B) while the motor rotates at a first rotational speed lower than a second rotational speed of the motor at a time when the final sheet passes the nip (Watabe:[0054]).
(claim 27) The image forming device according to claim 26, wherein the controller is configured to further perform: reducing, after the state of the second developing roller is switched to the second separated state, the rotational speed of the motor to the first rotational speed from the second rotational speed (Since according to the combination, the second developing roller is separated during feeding of the final sheet (Sato:704k) modifying the nip pressure after the second sheet sensor detects the trailing edge, necessarily happens after).
Claim(s) 15 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2005/0025511 to Watabe in view of US 9,335,718 to Suzuki and US 2021/0026284 to Sato, as applied to claim 14 above, and further in view of US 8,369,730 to Fujimoto.
Regarding claims 15 and 16, Watanabe and Sato appear silent about a pad and a holder.
Fujimoto discloses an image forming apparatus comprising a fixing apparatus/fuser (Fig.1) including a heating roller (1); a pressure belt (2) to form a nip (N) together with the fixing roller; a nip forming member (4) configured to press the fixing belt toward the fixing roller so that the fixing roller and the fixing belt form the nip;
(claim 15) wherein the nip forming member includes a pad made of a rubber (col. 4 lines 10-11); and
(claim 16) further comprising a holder (6) holding the nip forming member, wherein the holder is movable in a predetermined direction orthogonal to an axial direction of the fixing roller (Figs. 7 & 8).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the fuser having a fixing belt as the fixing device of Fujimoto, for at least the purpose of enabling control of proper nip width and nip pressure thus ensuring image quality.
Claim(s) 19 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2005/0025511 to Watabe in view of US 9,335,718 to Suzuki and US 2021/0026284 to Sato, as applied to claim 14 above, and further in view of US 6,681,095 to Tsuda.
Regarding claims 19, Watabe teaches the image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a motor (103, Fig.3), wherein the pressure modifying mechanism includes: an one-way gear (54) configured to change between a transmission state in which driving force of the motor is transmitted to the pressure modifying mechanism and a cutoff state in which the driving force of the motor is not transmitted to the pressure modifying mechanism, wherein the controller is configured to further perform: driving the motor to change the one-way gear to the transmission state, for modifying the nip pressure to the second nip pressure from the first nip pressure [0038, 0046]; and
(claim 20) wherein the modifying is performed after the motor starts driving and rotates at a constant rotational speed (see period t10-t11 in Fig.4E).
Watabe differs from the instant application in the use of a one-way gear instead of an electromagnetic clutch. Tsuda discloses interchangeably using an electromagnetic clutch in place of a one-way gear for switching a driving source (col. 20 lines 44-51). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use an electromagnetic clutch instead of a one-way gear in the image forming apparatus according to claim 19 as art recognized equivalent, performing a same function, in substantially the same way, and producing substantially the same results.
Claim(s) 1, 3-6, 18 and 22-25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2021/0026284 to Sato in view of in view of US 9,335,718 to Suzuki and US 2013/0064584 to Yonemoto.
Regarding claim 1, Sato teaches an image forming device 1 comprising:
a sheet tray C configured to accommodate a sheet;
a sheet feeder configured to feed the sheet from the sheet tray [0036];
a first photosensitive drum 101y; a first developing roller 104y configured to supply developer to the first photosensitive drum [0032];
a second photosensitive drum 101c; a second developing roller 104y configured to supply developer to the second photosensitive drum [0032];
a transfer unit including a belt 107 configured to move in a moving direction, the transfer unit being in contact with the first photosensitive drum at a first position and in contact with the second photosensitive drum at a second position downstream of the first position in the moving direction, the transfer unit being configured to transfer developer images formed on the first photosensitive drum and the second photosensitive drum to the sheet [0032];
a switch mechanism (Fig.3) configured to: switch a state of the first developing roller between a first contact state (Fig.3b) in which the first developing roller is in contact with the first photosensitive drum and a first separated state (Fig.3a) in which the first developing roller is separated from the first photosensitive drum; and switch a state of the second developing roller between a second contact state in which the second developing roller is in contact with the second photosensitive drum and a second separated state in which the second developing roller is separated from the second photosensitive drum [0056-0062];
a first fixing rotator; a heater configured to heat the first fixing rotator; a second fixing rotator to form a nip together with the first fixing rotator (see #112 in Fig.1, [0038]); and
a controller 115 configured to perform: in a case where a final sheet among one or more sheets is printed according to a print job, switching, after the sheet feeder feeds the final sheet, the state of the first developing roller to the first separated state from the first contact state by using the switch mechanism (2200th step); and switching, after the state of the first developing roller is switched to the first separated state, the state of the second developing roller to the second separated state from the second contact state by using the switch mechanism (2600th step) (Fig.4, [0063, 0094]).
Sato particularly teaches switching the second developing roller to the second separated state before a trailing edge of the final sheet as to create a trailing-end non-image region (Fig.6c, [0088-0092] ).
Sato does not explicitly teach a first sheet sensor and a second sheet detector for determining a position of a sheet. Suzuki discloses an electrophotographic image forming apparatus including a first photosensitive drum; a plurality of developing rollers (65) configured to supply developer to a corresponding plurality of photosensitive drums (63); a first sheet sensor (11) disposed upstream of the transfer unit in the conveyance direction of a sheet and configured to detect the sheet; a second sheet sensor (12) disposed downstream of the nip in the conveyance direction and configured to detect the sheet; and a controller (10) configured to control a first motor 110, a second motor 210, a developing clutch 139 and the like to thus control the driving of the developing rollers 65, the conveyance rollers 92, the discharge rollers 93 and the like, the controller configured to switch, after the first sheet sensor detects a trailing edge of a sheet, the state of the first developing rollers. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide
a first sheet sensor disposed upstream of the transfer unit in the conveyance direction and configured to detect the sheet, and
a second sheet sensor disposed downstream of the nip in the conveyance direction and configured to detect the sheet,
switching, the first sheet sensor detects a trailing edge of the final sheet, the state of the first developing roller to the first separated state from the first contact state by using the switch mechanism
as an alternative configuration for accurately determining a position of a sheet along a conveyance path in the image forming apparatus.
Sato appears silent about a pressure modifying mechanism for the fixing rotators.
Yonemoto teaches an image forming device comprising:
(claim 1) pressure modifying mechanism 60 configured to modify a nip pressure at a nip N formed between a first fixing rotator 131 and a second fixing rotator 132 to either of a first nip pressure (Fig.4A) or a second nip pressure smaller than the first nip pressure (Fig.4B); and a controller configured to perform: in a case where a final sheet among one or more sheets is printed according to a print job, modifying, after the final sheet passes the nip, the nip pressure to the second nip pressure from the first nip pressure by using the pressure modifying mechanism (pressure is released at all times other than when an image in being formed, [0004]);
(claim 3) a first motor 91 configured to drive the first fixing rotator; and a second motor 72 configured to drive the pressure modifying mechanism;
(claim 18) wherein the first fixing rotator is in contact with the second fixing rotator in a state where the nip pressure at the nip is the second nip pressure, wherein a dimension of the nip at the second nip pressure in the moving direction is smaller than a dimension of the nip at the first nip pressure in the moving direction (Fig.4B);
(claim 23) wherein the pressure modifying mechanism includes: a cam 62 configured to pivot in a first rotational direction to modify the nip pressure to the first nip pressure from the second nip pressure, and pivot in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction to modify the nip pressure to the second nip pressure from the first nip pressure [0054];
(claim 24) further comprising: a motor 91 configured to drive the first fixing rotator, wherein the motor rotates in a forward direction while the final sheet passes the nip, wherein the pressure modifying mechanism is configured to modify the nip pressure from the first nip pressure to the second nip pressure without the motor rotating in a reverse direction opposite to the forward direction [0042,0045]; and
(claim 25) wherein the pressure modifying mechanism is configured to modify the nip pressure from the first nip pressure to the second nip pressure while the motor rotates in the forward direction [0042-0045].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the pressure modifying mechanism of Yonemoto in the modified image forming device of Sato in view of Suzuki such that the controller is configured to modifying, after the second sheet sensor detects the trailing edge of the final sheet, the nip pressure to the second nip pressure from the first nip pressure by using the pressure modifying mechanism, for at least the purpose of reliably controlling the nip pressure as to avoid damage to the fixing rotators as well as aiding removal in case of a jammed sheet.
Regarding claim 4, Sato in view of Suzuki and Yonemoto renders obvious an image forming apparatus comprising a first motor configured to drive the first fixing rotator; and a second motor configured to drive the pressure modifying mechanism. Neither reference particularly suggest the second motor also configured to rotate the first developing roller and the second developing roller. However, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the resulting image forming device according to claim 3, such that the second motor is configured to further drive the first developing roller and the second developing roller, for at least the purpose of reducing the cost of the device.
Regarding claim 5, an image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to further perform: controlling the second motor to rotate in a forward direction to drive the first developing roller and the second developing roller; and controlling the second motor to rotate in a reverse direction to drive the pressure modifying mechanism so that the pressure modifying mechanism modifies the nip pressure to the second nip pressure from the first nip pressure, since controlling forward and reverse rotation such that a same motor can be used to separately drive to mechanisms is a notoriously known method in the electrophotographic arts.
Regarding claim 6, Sato teaches a motor 402 to drive the switch mechanism. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the resulting image forming device according to claim 3, to use a same motor to drive the pressure modifying mechanism and the switch mechanism such that the second motor is configured to further drive the switch mechanism, for at least the purpose of reducing the cost of the device.
Regarding claim 22, Sato in view of Suzuki and Yonemoto renders obvious the image forming device according to claim 1, wherein the switching the state of the second developing roller to the second separated state from the second contact state is started before the second sheet sensor detects the trailing edge of the final sheet (Sato: [0095]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed 11/18/2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of claims under 35 USC 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of newly identified prior art.
Regarding Applicant arguments rebutting 35 U.S.C. 112(f) interpretation of some claim terms, the Office does not find the arguments persuasive. As stated above, to avoid 112(f) interpretation, Applicant may (1) amend the claim limitations to recite sufficient structure; or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitations recite sufficient structure. The Office notes that Applicant (1) has not amended the claim limitations in question, and (2) has not provided arguments showing that the terms fixing rotator, second fixing rotator, pressure modifying mechanism, or switch mechanism recite sufficient structure in the claim.
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.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ARLENE HEREDIA whose telephone number is (571)272-8393. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9:30-5:30.
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/Arlene Heredia Ocasio/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852