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 .
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.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim 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, at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. In particular, Claim 2 recites the spacer particles and the toner particles having chargeability of the same polarity. However, in the preparative examples disclosed in the instant Specification, neither the polarity of chargeability of the toner particles, nor that of the spacer particles, is disclosed, and there is no indication of which examples possess the same or different polarity. Therefore, it would not be clear to one of ordinary skill in the art which preparative examples do or do not conform to the limitation of Claim 2.
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.
Claims 1, 3, and 7 - 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takatsuna (US PGP 2017/0261875) in view of Yamashita et al (JP 2003-280284) (machine translation of which referred to henceforth), further in view of Tsurumi et al (US PGP 2019/0286000).
Takatsuna teaches a developer including a toner and a carrier (Abstract). The toner particles of the toner comprise a toner mother particle and externally added resin particles. Takatsuna teaches that the externally added resin particles act as “spacer particles” ([0021]). The number-average diameter of the resin particles is preferably 70 – 200 nm ([0024]), overlapping the range stated in Claim 1. The resin particles are preferably added to the toner in an amount of 0.5 – 10 parts by mass relative to 100 parts of toner mother particles ([0044]). Example toner particles disclosed in the instant application which have addition amounts of resin particles as the spacer particles lying in this range also possess values for the coverage ratio lying in the range stated in Claim 1 (Specification, Table 10 and Table 15). Therefore, the toner particles of Takatsuna would necessarily possess a value for the coverage ratio of the resin spacer particles lying in a range overlapping that stated in Claim 1.
Takatsuna also teaches that another external additive may be added to the toner particles in addition to the resin spacer particles ([0046]). These may be silica particles, and the number-average diameter of the other externally added particles is preferably 1 – 50 nm ([0047]), encompassing the range stated for the first silica particles recited in Claim 1.
Takatsuna teaches a carrier particle comprising a core and a coating layer ([0079]). The coating resin preferably contains a fluorine-containing resin ([0083]), and may also contain a different resin, which may be a silicone resin ([0085]).
Takatsuna does not appear to teach barium titanate particles in the coating resin of the carrier, or strontium titanate particles attached to the surface of the carrier.
Yamashita teaches a carrier for a developer having a coating layer formed on the surface of a carrier core particle, wherein the coating layer comprises at least a resin and particles ([0015]). The resin of the coating layer may be silicone ([0021]). Yamashita teaches that the particles contained in the coating layer give rise to irregularities in the coating layer, which helps remove toner spent material from the surface of the carrier, and act as a spacer between the carrier particles. These effects result in suppressed wear on the carrier particles and maintenance of the initial carrier characteristics, such as developer resistance ([0017]). Yamashita teaches that the particles for forming irregularities in the coating layer are conductive or semiconductive particles ([0025]). These particles can also help to control the carrier resistance value, and an example of such particles is barium titanate ([0024]). Yamashita discloses two different preparative examples having barium titanate particles included in the coating layer of the carrier particles, and in both cases the number-average diameter of the barium titanate particles is 300 nm ([0055], [0056]), lying in the range stated in Claim 1.
Tsurumi teaches a carrier for an electrostatic image developer which includes carrier core particles having a resin coating layer, and strontium titanate particles (Abstract). The coating layer may include a silicone resin ([0050]). The strontium titanate particles comprised in the carrier help to prevent fogging even after repeated formation of high-density images ([0028], [0031]). Tsurumi teaches a preferred average particle diameter of the strontium titanate particles of 10 – 100 nm, encompassing the range stated in Claim 1.
In preparing the toner two-component developer of Takatsuna, one of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to reduce wear on the carrier particles and preserve their resistance property by incorporating the barium titanate particles into the resin coating layer as taught by Yamashita. One of ordinary skill in the art also would have been motivated to suppress fogging of printed images by incorporating the strontium titanate particles on the carrier particles as taught by Tsurumi. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to prepare the developer of Takatsuna, wherein the resin coating layer of the carrier particles contains the barium titanate particles as taught by Yamashita, and the strontium titanate particles of Tsurumi are added on the surfaces of the carrier particles. The resin particles of Takatsuna have a larger preferred particle diameter range than the strontium titanate particles of Tsurumi (see above), so the spacer particles of such a toner may have a diameter greater than the strontium titanate particles of the carrier, satisfying Claim 1.
As discussed above, the spacer particles of Takatsuna are resin particles having a preferable number-average particle diameter of 70 – 200 nm ([0024]), overlapping the range stated in Claim 3.
Where the resin spacer particles of Takatsuna have a preferred number-average particle diameter of 70 – 200 nm; the externally added silica particles of Takatsuna have a number-average particle diameter of 1 – 50 nm; and the strontium titanate particles of Tsurumi have a preferred number-average particle diameter of 10 – 100 nm; the developer as described above may possess a value for the parameter L lying in the range -80 – 189 nm, encompassing that stated in Claim 7.
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Yamashita teaches an image forming apparatus ([0035]), which comprises a developing device ([0040]). The developing device includes a developer accommodating member ([0040]), analogous to the accommodation section of Claim 8, and a replenishing mechanism ([0040]), analogous to the replenishment section of Claim 9.
Claims 1, 4, and 7 - 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Toizumi et al (JP 2011-186402) (machine translation of which referred to henceforth) in view of Yamashita et al (JP 2003-280284), further in view of Tsurumi et al (US PGP 2019/0286000).
The above discussions of Yamashita et al and Tsurumi et al are incorporated herein.
Toizumi teaches a toner, a two-component developer, and an image forming apparatus ([0001]). The toner of Toizumi has small-sized and large-sized silica particles externally added to toner base particles ([0008]). The small-sized silica particles have an average particle diameter of 7 – 30 nm ([0009]), encompassing the range stated for the first silica particles recited in Claim 1. The large-sized silica particles have an average particle diameter of 80 – 150 nm ([0009]), overlapping the range stated for the spacer particles stated in Claim 1. The large-sized silica particles, analogous to instant spacer particles, are preferably added to the toner particles in an amount of 0.3 – 2% by weight ([0013]). Example toner particles disclosed in the instant application which have addition amounts of silica particles as the spacer particles lying in this range also possess values for the coverage ratio lying in the range stated in Claim 1 (Specification, Table 10 and Table 15). Therefore, the toner particles of Takatsuna would necessarily possess a value for the coverage ratio of the resin spacer particles lying in a range overlapping that stated in Claim 1.
Toizumi teaches a resin-coated carrier, comprising magnetic particles coated with a resin ([0094]). The resin coating the carrier core particles may be a silicone resin ([0094]).
Toizumi does not appear to teach barium titanate particles in the coating resin of the carrier, or strontium titanate particles attached to the surface of the carrier.
In preparing the toner two-component developer of Toizumi, one of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to reduce wear on the carrier particles and preserve their resistance property by incorporating the barium titanate particles into the resin coating layer as taught by Yamashita. One of ordinary skill in the art also would have been motivated to suppress fogging of printed images by incorporating the strontium titanate particles on the carrier particles as taught by Tsurumi. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to prepare the developer of Toizumi, wherein the resin coating layer of the carrier particles contains the barium titanate particles as taught by Yamashita, and the strontium titanate particles of Tsurumi are added on the surfaces of the carrier particles. The large-sized silica particles of Toizumi have a larger preferred particle diameter range than the strontium titanate particles of Tsurumi (see above), so the spacer particles of such a toner may have a diameter greater than the strontium titanate particles of the carrier, satisfying Claim 1.
As mentioned above, the large-sized silica particles of Toizumi, analogous to second silica particles, have a preferred average particle diameter of 80 – 150 nm ([0009]), overlapping the range stated in Claim 4.
Where the large-sized silica particles of Toizumi have a preferred number-average particle diameter of 80 – 150 nm; the small-sized silica particles of Toizumi have a number-average particle diameter of 7 – 30 nm; and the strontium titanate particles of Tsurumi have a preferred number-average particle diameter of 10 – 100 nm; the developer as described above may possess a value for the parameter L lying in the range -50 – 133 nm, encompassing that stated in Claim 7.
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Yamashita teaches an image forming apparatus ([0035]), which comprises a developing device ([0040]). The developing device includes a developer accommodating member ([0040]), analogous to the accommodation section of Claim 8, and a replenishing mechanism ([0040]), analogous to the replenishment section of Claim 9.
Claims 1, 2, and 5 - 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kida (US PGP 2017/0003613) in view of Yamashita et al (JP 2003-280284), further in view of Tsurumi et al (US PGP 2019/0286000).
The above discussions of Yamashita et al and Tsurumi et al are incorporated herein.
Kida teaches a toner comprising toner particles, which possess a plurality of external additives (Abstract). The external additive particles are described as spacer particles, which have a second particle disposed on the surface of a first particle ([0068]). The first particles are resin particles ([0075]), and the second particles are inorganic particles, which may be silica particles ([0086]). The spacer particles preferably have a volume-median diameter of 50 – 200 nm ([0073]), allowing their number-average diameter to read on the range stated in Claim 1. Kida teaches that the spacer particles are preferably added to the toner mother particles in an amount of 0.1 – 10 parts by mass relative to 100 parts of toner mother particles ([0072]). Example toner particles disclosed in the instant application which have addition amounts of composite particles as the spacer particles lying in this range also possess values for the coverage ratio lying in the range stated in Claim 1 (Specification, Table 10 and Table 15). Therefore, the toner particles of Kida would necessarily possess a value for the coverage ratio of the resin spacer particles lying in a range overlapping that stated in Claim 1.
Kida teaches the optionality of including another external additive on the toner particles ([0125]), which may be silica particles ([0126]). The number-average particle diameter of the other external additive is preferably 1 – 50 nm ([0127]), encompassing the range stated for first silica particles in Claim 1.
Kida teaches that the toner may be mixed with a carrier to afford a two-component developer ([0131]). The carrier may comprise a core particle covered with a resin ([0132]), which may be a silicone resin ([0134]).
Kida does not appear to teach barium titanate particles in the coating resin of the carrier, or strontium titanate particles attached to the surface of the carrier.
In preparing the toner two-component developer of Kida, one of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to reduce wear on the carrier particles and preserve their resistance property by incorporating the barium titanate particles into the resin coating layer as taught by Yamashita. One of ordinary skill in the art also would have been motivated to suppress fogging of printed images by incorporating the strontium titanate particles on the carrier particles as taught by Tsurumi. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to prepare the developer of Kida, wherein the resin coating layer of the carrier particles contains the barium titanate particles as taught by Yamashita, and the strontium titanate particles of Tsurumi are added on the surfaces of the carrier particles. The composite particles of Kida have a larger preferred particle diameter range than the strontium titanate particles of Tsurumi (see above), so the spacer particles of such a toner may have a diameter greater than the strontium titanate particles of the carrier, satisfying Claim 1.
Kida teaches that the composite spacer particles may have a coating resin ([0092]), which is preferably a nitrogen-containing thermosetting resin ([0097]). Kida goes on to describe an embodiment in which the positively charged thermosetting resin coating of the composite particles is aligned in polarity with the positive chargeability of the toner particles, stabilizing the positive charge of the toner and satisfying Claim 2.
The first particles of Kida’s composite particles are resin particles ([0075]), which preferably have a volume-median diameter of 50 – 190 nm ([0083]), allowing their number-average diameter to read on the range for resin particles stated in Claim 5. The second particles of Kida’s composite particles, attached to the surfaces of the first particles, may be silica ([0086]), and preferably have a volume-median diameter of 10 – 50 nm ([0088]), allowing their number-average diameter to read on the range stated for third silica particles in Claim 5.
Where the volume-median diameter of the second particles of Kida’s composite particles, which may be silica, is preferably 10 – 50 nm ([0088]), and where the number-average particle diameter of the other external additive, which may also be silica, is preferably 1 – 50 nm ([0127]), then Kida’s second particles, analogous to instant third silica particles, may possess the same composition and number-average diameter as Kida’s other external additive, analogous to instant first silica particles, satisfying Claim 6.
Where the composite particles of Kida have a preferred number-average particle diameter of 50 – 200 nm; the other external additive particles of Kida have a number-average particle diameter of 1 – 50 nm; and the strontium titanate particles of Tsurumi have a preferred number-average particle diameter of 10 – 100 nm; the developer as described above may possess a value for the parameter L lying in the range -100 – 189 nm, encompassing that stated in Claim 7.
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Yamashita teaches an image forming apparatus ([0035]), which comprises a developing device ([0040]). The developing device includes a developer accommodating member ([0040]), analogous to the accommodation section of Claim 8, and a replenishing mechanism ([0040]), analogous to the replenishment section of Claim 9.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Grant S Seiler whose telephone number is (571)272-3015. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30 - 5:30 Pacific.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jonathan Johnson can be reached at 571-272-1177. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/GRANT STEVEN SEILER/Examiner, Art Unit 1734
/PETER L VAJDA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1737 03/19/2026