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, see pages 2 and 3 of Applicant Arguments/Remarks Made in an Amendment, filed 10 December 2025, with respect to Claims 1-12 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The previous 35 USC § 103 rejections of Claims 1-12 have been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of newly found prior art reference(s) and is necessitated by applicant's amendment and arguments made in amendment.
Drawings
The applicant’s drawings submitted are acceptable for examination purposes.
Claim Objections
Claims 2-4, and 11-12 are objected to because of the following informalities:
With respect to Claim 2, the limitations recite “connectable to” and it is unclear how the phrase “connectable to” should be interpreted. This recitation implies a hypothetical or conditional scenario without clarifying whether the connection and/or claimed limitation is a necessary or optional aspect of the scanning optical device. This creates uncertainty about whether the claimed elements and limitations are required or merely illustrative. Thus, this phrase does not establish the relationship between the connectable condition and the claimed invention. For the prosecution on merits, examiner interprets “connectable to” as the claimed subject matter introducing optional elements, optional structural limitations, optional conditional expressions, and optional functionality of an optical system.
With respect to Claim 11, the limitation “on an other side,” recited on line 3, is grammatically incorrect.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-7, and 10-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kondo JP S61277917 A (see machine translation) in view of Kasai US 20060049344 A1.
With respect to Claim 1, Kondo discloses a scanning optical device (laser recording device that scans a laser beam; pg. 1) comprising:
a semiconductor laser (semiconductor laser; pg. 11) configured to emit light (modulated beam L emitted from the semiconductor laser 34; pg. 11);
a coupling lens (fθ lens system 2; pg. 12) configured to convert the light (scanning beam L is converted by the fθ lens system 2; pg. 12) emitted by the semiconductor laser (semiconductor laser; pg. 11) into a light beam (converted into a beam; pg. 12);
a polygon mirror (rotating polygon mirror 1; pg. 11) configured to deflect the light beam (tilt of surface of rotating polygon mirror 1 is corrected; pg. 12) converted (pg. 12) by the coupling lens (fθ lens system 2; pg. 12);
a motor circuit board (control board 7 within device to control components; pgs. 2 and 10) including a motor configured to rotate (synchronous motor 35 for rotating polygon mirror 1; pgs. 2 and 11) the polygon mirror (rotating polygon mirror 1; pg. 11);
a cable harness (connecting harness; pg. 12) connected (control board 7 disposed in close proximity to optical scanning unit, shortening the connecting harness; pg. 12) to the motor circuit board (control board 7 within device to control components; pgs. 2 and 10), the cable harness (connecting harness; pg. 12) configured to supply signals (via connecting harness; pg. 12) to the motor circuit board (control board 7 within device to control components; pgs. 2 and 10); and
a scanning optical system (toroidal lens 41 with reflecting mirrors 3 and 4; pg. 12) configured to receive the light beam (scanning beam L incident on toroidal lens 41 via reflecting mirrors 3 and 4; pg. 12) from the polygon mirror (rotating polygon mirror 1; pgs. 11-12) and to form an image (electrostatic latent image; pg. 8) on an image surface (peripheral surface of photosensitive drum 5; pg. 8),
the light beam (scanning beam L; pg. 12) directed from the coupling lens (fθ lens system 2; pg. 12) toward the polygon mirror (rotating polygon mirror 1; pg. 11) when viewed from an axial direction (fig. 3) of a rotation axis (as seen in fig. 3) of the polygon mirror (rotating polygon mirror 1; pg. 11).
Konda does not appear to explicitly teach the following limitation(s): the cable harness overlapping the light beam.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Kasai teaches a laser scanning device (fig. 1-10), wherein an optical fiber (9; [0051]) overlaps a light beam ([0051]; as seen in fig. 1) near an end face (91; [0051]) and another end face (92; [0051]) of the optical fiber (9; [0051]). Furthermore, an output level of a photodiode (251; [0073]) increases by an amount corresponding to a laser light emerging from the end face (92; [0073]) of the optical fiber (9; [0073]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the scanning optical device of Kondo to include the technical feature of an optical fiber overlapping a light beam and emitting laser light to a photodiode, for the purpose of obtaining timing information for controlling an emission of a laser beam, decreasing the number of components for a laser scanning device, and reducing manufacturing costs, as taught by Kasai ([0073-74]).
With respect to Claim 2, Kondo in view of Kasai teaches the scanning optical device (laser recording device that scans a laser beam; pg. 1) according to claim 1, wherein the motor circuit board (control board 7 within device to control components; pgs. 2 and 10) includes:
a board surface (surface of control board 7; pgs. 2 and 10) perpendicular (control board 7 disposed perpendicular to axial direction illustrated in fig. 3; as seen in fig. 2) to the axial direction (fig. 3);
Konda does not appear to explicitly teach the following limitation(s): a board-side connector to which a harness-side connector is connected, the harness-side connector being attached to an end of the cable harness; and wherein the harness-side connector is connectable to the board-side connector from a direction parallel to the board surface.
However, Kasai further teaches connectors (23, 25; [0054-55]) to which an integrated laser driver IC (22; [0055]) is connected (integrated laser driver IC 22 is electrically connected to connectors 23, 25; [0054-55]; figs. 1-2), the integrated laser driver IC (22; [0055]) being attached to the end face (92; [0051]) of the optical fiber (9; [0051]; as seen in figs. 1-2); and wherein the integrated laser driver IC (22; [0055]) is connected ([0055]; figs. 1-2) to connectors (23, 25; [0054-55]) from a direction parallel (as seen in figs. 1-2) to a circuit board (21; [0055]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the scanning optical device of Kondo to include the technical feature of an integrated laser driver IC connected to an optical fiber attaching to a circuit board, for the purpose of controlling laser emission of a laser diode, obtaining timing information for controlling an emission of a laser beam, and reducing manufacturing costs, as taught by Kasai ([0054-55] and [0073-74]).
With respect to Claim 3, Kondo in view of Kasai teaches the scanning optical device (laser recording device that scans a laser beam; pg. 1) according to claim 2, further comprising a frame (frame body 12; pg. 10) including a wall (side walls 12a; pg. 10) between (figs. 2-3) the polygon mirror (rotating polygon mirror 1; pg. 11) and the coupling lens (fθ lens system 2; pg. 12),
wherein the wall (side walls 12a; pg. 10) has an opening (frame body 12 has a slit hole for emitting scanning beam L; pg. 10).
Konda does not appear to explicitly teach the following limitation(s): wherein the wall has an opening through which the cable harness passes.
However, Kasai further teaches a housing (1; [0044]) having a side wall (1a; [0044]), wherein the side wall (1a; [0044]) has an opening between said side wall (1a; [0044]) and an fθ lens (6; [0044]) through which the optical fiber (9; [0051]) passes (as seen in fig. 1). Furthermore, an output level of a photodiode (251; [0073]) increases by an amount corresponding to a laser light emerging from the end face (92; [0073]) of the optical fiber (9; [0073]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the scanning optical device of Kondo to include the technical feature of an optical fiber passing through a side wall of a housing, for the purpose of enabling a reflected beam to be incident on an end face of an optical fiber within a scanning range, obtaining timing information for controlling an emission of a laser beam, and reducing manufacturing costs, as taught by Kasai ([0051] and [0073-74]).
With respect to Claim 4, Kondo in view of Kasai teaches the scanning optical device (laser recording device that scans a laser beam; pg. 1) according to claim 3, wherein an imaginary plane extending (perpendicularly; fig. 2) from the board surface (surface of control board 7; pgs. 2 and 10) passes through (fig. 2) the opening (frame body 12 has a slit hole for emitting scanning beam L; pg. 10; Kondo).
With respect to Claim 5, Kondo in view of Kasai teaches the scanning optical device (laser recording device that scans a laser beam; pg. 1) according to claim 1, further comprising a laser circuit board (housing 34; pg. 10) to which the semiconductor laser (semiconductor laser; pg. 11) is mounted (housing 34 houses semiconductor laser; pg. 10; mounted as seen in fig. 3).
Konda does not appear to explicitly teach the following limitation(s): wherein the cable harness is connected to the laser circuit board.
However, Kasai further teaches the integrated laser driver IC (22; [0055]) of the circuit board (21; [0055]) being attached to the end face (92; [0051]) of the optical fiber (9; [0051]; as seen in figs. 1-2), wherein the integrated laser driver IC (22; [0055]) comprises a laser detecting circuit ([0052]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the scanning optical device of Kondo to include the technical feature of an integrated laser driver IC comprising a laser detecting circuit connected to an optical fiber attached to a circuit board, for the purpose of controlling laser emission of a laser diode, obtaining timing information for controlling an emission of a laser beam, and reducing manufacturing costs, as taught by Kasai ([0054-55] and [0073-74]).
With respect to Claim 6, Kondo in view of Kasai teaches the scanning optical device (laser recording device that scans a laser beam; pg. 1) according to claim 1.
Konda does not appear to explicitly teach the following limitation(s): wherein the cable harness extends from the motor circuit board toward the coupling lens.
However, Kasai further teaches the optical fiber (9; [0051]) extending from the integrated laser driver IC (22; [0055]) comprising a laser driving circuit of the circuit board (21; [0055]), wherein the optical fiber (9; [0051]) extends to and passes the fθ lens (6; [0065]; as seen in fig. 1). Furthermore, the optical fiber (9; [0051]) also extends from a board (51; [0045]) comprising a motor (52; [0045]) for rotating a polygonal mirror (5; [0045]) while extending to and passing the fθ lens (6; [0065]; as seen in fig. 1).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the scanning optical device of Kondo to include the technical feature of an optical fiber extending from a laser driving circuit of a circuit board towards an fθ lens, for the purpose of enabling a reflected beam to be incident on an end face of an optical fiber within a scanning range, obtaining timing information for controlling an emission of a laser beam, and reducing manufacturing costs, as taught by Kasai ([0051] and [0073-74]).
With respect to Claim 7, Kondo in view of Kasai teaches the scanning optical device (laser recording device that scans a laser beam; pg. 1) according to claim 1, and the motor circuit board (control board 7 within device to control components; pgs. 2 and 10).
Konda does not appear to explicitly teach the following limitation(s): a first end closer to the coupling lens than the rotation axis is; and a second end farther from the coupling lens than the rotation axis is; and wherein a distance from the first end to the rotation axis is greater than a distance from the second end to the rotation axis.
However, Kasai further teaches an end surface (opposite to cable 11; [0051]; fig. 1) near the end face (92 of the optical fiber 9; [0051]) of the laser driving circuit of the circuit board (21; [0055]) being closer to the fθ lens (6; [0065]; as seen in fig. 1) than a rotational axis (fig. 1) of the polygonal mirror (5; [0045]) is, a cable (11; [0051]) end of the laser driving circuit of the circuit board (21; [0055]) being farther from the fθ lens (6; [0065]; as seen in fig. 1) than a rotational axis (fig. 1) of the polygonal mirror (5; [0045]) is, wherein the distance from the end surface (opposite to cable 11; [0051]; fig. 1) near the end face (92 of the optical fiber 9; [0051]) to the rotational axis (fig. 1) is greater than the distance from the cable (11; [0051]) end to the rotational axis (fig. 1).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the scanning optical device of Kondo to include the technical feature of adjusting the positioning and distances of elements within a laser scanning device, for the purpose of ensuring beam scanning being performed at a constant speed, obtaining timing information for controlling an emission of a laser beam, and reducing manufacturing costs, as taught by Kasai ([0065] and [0073-74]).
With respect to Claim 10, Kondo in view of Kasai teaches the scanning optical device (laser recording device that scans a laser beam; pg. 1) according to claim 1, wherein the image surface (peripheral surface of photosensitive drum 5; pg. 8) is a circumferential surface (pg. 8) of a photosensitive drum (photosensitive drum 5; pg. 10) provided in an image forming apparatus (image forming apparatus; pg. 8; Kondo).
With respect to Claim 11, Kondo in view of Kasai teaches the scanning optical device (laser recording device that scans a laser beam; pg. 1) according to claim 1, further comprising a frame (frame body 12; pg. 10) having a first recess (back wall towards air blower 33; as seen in fig. 3) and a second recess (middle of frame body 12; as seen in fig. 3), the first recess opening (comprising rotating polygon mirror 1; fig. 3) on one side in the axial direction (backside of frame body 12; fig. 3), the second recess opening (comprising fθ lens system 2; fig. 3) on an other side (middle portion of frame body 12; fig. 3) in the axial direction (fig. 3),
wherein the polygon mirror (rotating polygon mirror 1; pg. 11) is disposed in the first recess (back wall towards air blower 33; as seen in fig. 3); and
wherein the coupling lens (fθ lens system 2; pg. 12) is disposed in the second recess (middle of frame body 12; as seen in fig. 3; Kondo).
With respect to Claim 12, Kondo in view of Kasai teaches the scanning optical device (laser recording device that scans a laser beam; pg. 1) according to claim 11, wherein the frame (frame body 12; pg. 10) includes a wall (side walls 12a; pg. 10) located between (in axial direction; fig. 3) the first recess (back wall towards air blower 33; as seen in fig. 3) and the second recess (middle of frame body 12; as seen in fig. 3); and
wherein the wall has an opening (frame body 12 has a slit hole for emitting scanning beam L; pg. 10).
Konda does not appear to explicitly teach the following limitation(s): wherein the wall has an opening through which the cable harness passes.
However, Kasai further teaches a housing (1; [0044]) having a side wall (1a; [0044]), wherein the side wall (1a; [0044]) has an opening between said side wall (1a; [0044]) and an fθ lens (6; [0044]) through which the optical fiber (9; [0051]) passes (as seen in fig. 1). Furthermore, an output level of a photodiode (251; [0073]) increases by an amount corresponding to a laser light emerging from the end face (92; [0073]) of the optical fiber (9; [0073]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the scanning optical device of Kondo to include the technical feature of an optical fiber passing through a side wall of a housing, for the purpose of enabling a reflected beam to be incident on an end face of an optical fiber within a scanning range, obtaining timing information for controlling an emission of a laser beam, and reducing manufacturing costs, as taught by Kasai ([0051] and [0073-74]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8 and 9 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The closest prior art of Kondo JP S61277917 A in view of Kasai US 20060049344 A1 taken either singly or in combination with any other prior art fails to anticipate or fairly suggest the limitations of Claims 8 and 9, in such a manner that a rejection under 35 USC 102 or 103 would be improper.
With respect to Claim 8, the prior art of Kondo in view of Kasai fails to anticipate or fairly suggest the specific arrangement wherein the scanning optical device according to claim 1, further comprises: an other-side semiconductor laser located away from the one-side semiconductor laser in a direction perpendicular to the light beam when viewed from the axial direction; an other-side coupling lens configured to convert light emitted by the other-side semiconductor laser into a light beam; and a capacitor protruding in the axial direction from the motor circuit board; and wherein, when viewed from the axial direction, the capacitor is located between the light beam directed from the one-side coupling lens toward the polygon mirror and the light beam directed from the other-side coupling lens toward the polygon mirror, and in combination with all other claimed limitations of Claim 1.
With respect to Claim 9, the prior art of Kondo in view of Kasai fails to anticipate or fairly suggest the specific arrangement wherein the capacitor includes a tip located opposite to the motor circuit board; and wherein at least one of a plurality of light beams passes between the motor circuit board and the tip of the capacitor with respect to the axial direction, and in combination with all other claimed limitations of Claims 1 and 8.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Mukai et al. JP 2002287063 A (see machine translation) discloses an optical scanner similar to that of the claimed invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to K MUHAMMAD whose telephone number is (571)272-4210. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 1:00pm - 9:30pm EDT.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ricky Mack can be reached at 571-272-2333. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/K MUHAMMAD/Examiner, Art Unit 2872 03 February 2026
/SHARRIEF I BROOME/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872