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.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on March 16, 2026 was filed in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1, 3, 5-7, 10-15, 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Kuramochi (WO 2021245802 A1) in view of Sasada (US 20130050366 A1). All textual references to Kuramochi herein are drawn from the attached machine translation.
The applied reference (Kuramochi) has a common applicant with the instant application. Based upon the earlier effectively filed date of the reference, it constitutes prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2).
This rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103 might be overcome by: (1) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(a) that the subject matter disclosed in the reference was obtained directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor of this application and is thus not prior art in accordance with 35 U.S.C.102(b)(2)(A); (2) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(b) of a prior public disclosure under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(B); or (3) a statement pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) establishing that, not later than the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the subject matter disclosed and the claimed invention were either owned by the same person or subject to an obligation of assignment to the same person or subject to a joint research agreement. See generally MPEP § 717.02.
Regarding claim 1, Kuramochi teaches a recording method comprising: conveying a recording medium (fig. 1; medium supply unit 12, transfer unit 22, transport drum 211; ¶[0018]-[0024]); and performing recording by ejecting droplets of an inkjet ink from nozzles in an inkjet head onto the recording medium while conveying the recording medium, the inkjet head having a nozzle board with the nozzles, a channel board, and a pressure chamber board, the channel board being disposed between the nozzle board and the pressure chamber board (figs. 1, 3, 5; inkjet head 100, pressure chamber substrate 110, flow path spacer substrate 120, nozzle substrate 130; ¶[0025], [0047]); supplying inkjet ink to pressure chambers in the inkjet head from an ink storage, the pressure chambers extending across the pressure chamber board and the channel board and having lower ends connected to respective nozzles for selectively ejecting the inkjet ink (figs. 3, 5; manifold 102, pressure chamber 111, nozzle 131; ¶[0046], [0048]); and discharging the inkjet ink from the pressure chambers through discharge paths disposed in the channel board that are separate from the respective nozzles, wherein, the inkjet ink is discharged from the lower ends of the pressure chambers to the discharge paths (fig. 5; discharge passage 121; ¶[0054], [0057]-[0058]).
Kuramochi fails to teach or fairly suggest a conveyance speed of the recording medium is 500 mm/s or more, the inkjet ink contains at least water and a pigment, the content of the pigment is 5 % by mass or more with respect to a total amount of the inkjet ink, and one droplet of the inkjet ink has a volume of 3pL or less.
Sasada teaches a conveyance speed of the recording medium is 500 mm/s or more, the inkjet ink contains at least water and a pigment, the content of the pigment is 5 % by mass or more with respect to a total amount of the inkjet ink, and one droplet of the inkjet ink has a volume of 3pL or less are well known in the art (¶[0318], [0358]-[0359], table of paragraph [0343]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the recording method of Sasada into the method of Kuramochi in order to produce a more scratch-resistant and color-uniform image that dries quickly.
Regarding claim 3, Kuramochi as modified by Sasada teaches the recording method of claim 1. Kuramochi further teaches the droplets are ejected while the inkjet ink is circulated by an ink circulator (figs. 3, 5; manifold 102; ¶[0041]-[0042], [0046]-[0047]).
Regarding claim 5, Kuramochi as modified by Sasada teaches the recording method of claim 1. Sasada further teaches the content of the water is 40% by mass or more with respect to the total amount of the inkjet ink (see table of paragraph [0343]).
Regarding claim 6, Kuramochi as modified by Sasada teaches the recording method according to claim 1. Sasada further teaches a liquid droplet volume ejected from the ink jet head being within 1 to 5 pL and 2 to 4 pL is well known in the art (¶[0318], [0358]-[0359], table of paragraph [0343]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the method of Kuramochi in view of Sasada to produce droplet volumes within the range of 1 to 2 pL in order to improve image quality.
Regarding claim 7, Kuramochi as modified by Sasada teaches the recording method according to claim 1. Additionally, the claimed range of the conveyance speed being 1000 mm/s or more is merely an optimum or workable range discoverable through routine experimentation while attempting to optimize throughput of the medium and image quality of the printed dots while performing the method of Kuramochi. See MPEP § 2144.05(ii)(a).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the method of Kuramochi to produce the conveyance speed of Sasada in order to print scratch-resistant and color-fast images at a high throughput rate.
Regarding claim 10, Kuramochi as modified by Sasada teaches the recording method according to claim 1. Kuramochi further teaches the recording medium is conveyed in a flat sheet-fed manner (fig. 1; medium P, medium supply unit 12, transfer unit 22, transport drum 211; ¶[0014]-[0024]).
Regarding claim 11, Kuramochi teaches a recording system comprising: a conveyor that conveys a recording medium (fig. 1; medium supply unit 12, transfer unit 22, transport drum 211; ¶[0018]-[0024]); and an inkjet ink ejector including an inkjet head with a plurality of nozzles that performs recording by ejecting a droplet of an inkjet ink from a nozzle of the plurality of nozzles onto the recording medium while conveying the recording medium, the inkjet head having a nozzle board with the nozzles, a channel board, and a pressure chamber board, the channel board being disposed between the nozzle board and the pressure chamber board (figs. 1, 3, 5; inkjet head 100, pressure chamber substrate 110, flow path spacer substrate 120, nozzle substrate 130; ¶[0025], [0047]), wherein, the inkjet head includes pressure chambers configured to receive the inkjet ink from an ink storage, the pressure chambers extending across the pressure chamber board and the channel board and having lower ends connected to respective nozzles for selectively ejecting the inkjet ink (figs. 3, 5; manifold 102, pressure chamber 111, nozzle 131; ¶[0046], [0048]), and the pressure chambers are configured to discharge the inkjet ink from the pressure chambers through discharge paths disposed in the channel board and that are separate from the respective nozzles, the inkjet ink is discharged from the lower ends of the pressure chambers to the discharge paths (fig. 5; discharge passage 121; ¶[0054], [0057]-[0058]).
Kuramochi fails to teach or fairly suggest a conveyance speed of the recording medium is 500 mm/s or more, the inkjet ink contains at least water and a pigment, the content of the pigment is 5 % by mass or more with respect to a total amount of the inkjet ink, and one droplet of the inkjet ink has a volume of 3pL or less.
Sasada teaches a conveyance speed of the recording medium is 500 mm/s or more, the inkjet ink contains at least water and a pigment, the content of the pigment is 5 % by mass or more with respect to a total amount of the inkjet ink, and one droplet of the inkjet ink has a volume of 3pL or less (¶[0318], [0358]-[0359], table of paragraph [0343]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to operate the recording system of Kuramochi according to the operational parameters of Sasada in order to produce a more scratch-resistant and color-uniform image that dries quickly.
Regarding claim 12, Kuramochi as modified by Sasada teaches the recording method according to claim 1. Kuramochi further teaches circulating the inkjet ink from a supply tank, through the inkjet head that performs the recording, and back to the supply tank during the ejecting of droplets (figs. 3, 5; manifold 102; ¶[0041]-[0042], [0046]-[0047]).
Regarding claim 13, Kuramochi as modified by Sasada teaches the recording method according to claim 12. Kuramochi further teaches the step of circulating the inkjet ink includes discharging the inkjet ink from the inkjet head to a circulation subtank and returning the inkjet ink from the circulation subtank to the supply tank (figs. 3, 5; manifold 102; ¶[0041]-[0042], [0046]-[0047]).
Regarding claim 14, Kuramochi as modified by Sasada teaches the recording system according to claim 11. Kuramochi further teaches an ink circulation system including a supply tank and configured to circulate the inkjet ink from a supply tank, through the inkjet head that performs the recording, and back to the supply tank during the ejecting of droplets (figs. 3, 5; manifold 102; ¶[0041]-[0042], [0046]-[0047]).
Regarding claim 15, Kuramochi as modified by Sasada teaches the recording system according to claim 14. Kuramochi further teaches the ink circulation system further comprises a circulation subtank, and the ink circulation system is configured to discharge the inkjet ink from the inkjet head to the circulating subtank and return the inkjet ink from the circulation subtank to the supply tank (figs. 3, 5; manifold 102; ¶[0041]-[0042], [0046]-[0047]).
Regarding claim 17, Kuramochi as modified by Sasada teaches the recording method according to claim 1. Kuramochi further teaches wherein the step of discharging from the pressure chambers is performed by pressure generating elements arranged in the pressure chamber board (figs. 5-6; air chamber 112, partition wall 114, drive electrode (undepicted); ¶[0048]-[0052]).
Regarding claim 18, Kuramochi as modified by Sasada teaches the recording method according to claim 1. Kuramochi further teaches wherein in the step of discharging the inkjet ink flows from the individual ones of the discharge paths to a common discharge path in the pressure chamber board (figs. 4-5; first ink discharge channel 113A, discharge channel 121; ¶[0054], [0057]).
Claims 2, 4, 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kuramochi in view of Sasada as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Yahiro (US 2007/0229639 A1).
Regarding claim 2, Kuramochi as modified by Sasada teaches the recording method according to claim 1, but fails to teach or fairly suggest a dot enlargement rate of one droplet of the inkjet ink landed on the recording medium is within a range of 2.2 to 3.5 times.
However, Yahiro teaches a desirable dot enlargement rate of 1.5 to 4.0 times is known in the art (fig. 7, paragraph [0075)]). Additionally, the claimed range of 2.2 to 3.5 times lacks criticality and is merely an optimum or workable range discoverable through routine experimentation while attempting to optimize image quality of the printed dots when performing the method of Kuramochi. See MPEP § 2144.05(ii)(a).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Yahiro into the method of Kuramochi as modified by Sasada to produce a desired range of dot enlargement values for the purpose of optimizing image quality.
Regarding claim 4, Kuramochi as modified by Sasada teaches the recording method according to claim 1, but fails to teach or fairly suggest the inkjet ink further contains an organic solvent, and a content of the organic solvent is in a range of 0.1 to 25% by mass with respect to the total amount of the inkjet ink.
However, Yahiro teaches an inkjet ink further contains an organic solvent, and a content of the organic solvent is in a range of 0.1 to 25% by mass with respect to the total amount of the inkjet ink is known in the art (¶[0093]). Additionally, the claimed range of the organic solvent comprising 0.1 to 25% by mass with respect to the total amount the inkjet ink is merely an optimum or workable range discoverable through routine experimentation while attempting to optimize image quality and drying performance of the printed dots when performing the method of Kuramochi. See MPEP § 2144.05(ii)(a).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Yahiro into the method of Kuramochi as modified by Sasada in order to produce a desired range of dot enlargement values for the purpose of optimizing image quality.
Regarding claim 9, Kuramochi as modified by Sasada teaches the recording method of claim 1, but fails to teach or fairly suggest drying time until 80% by mass or more of the inkjet ink landed on the recording medium is evaporated is 1 second or less.
However, Yahiro teaches drying time until 80% by mass or more of the inkjet ink landed on the recording medium is evaporated is 1 second or less (¶[0080]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Yahiro into the method of Kuramochi as modified by Sasada in order to produce a desired range of dot enlargement values for the purpose of optimizing image quality and throughput.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kuramochi in view of Sasada as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Araki (US 2010/0091064 A1).
Kuramochi in view of Sasada teaches the recording method according to claim 1, but fails to teach or fairly suggest a minimum dot diameter of one droplet of the inkjet ink landed on the recording medium is 45 micrometers or less.
However, Araki teaches a minimum dot diameter of one droplet of the inkjet ink landed on the recording medium is 45 micrometers or less is known in the art (fig. 10, ¶[0135]-[0138]). Additionally, the claimed range of dot diameter being 45 micrometers or less lacks criticality and is merely an optimum or workable range discoverable through routine experimentation while attempting to optimize image quality of the printed dots when performing the method of Kuramochi. See MPEP § 2144.05(ii)(a).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Araki into the method of Kuramochi as modified by Sasada in order to produce a desired range of dot diameters for the purpose of optimizing image quality and ink drying.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kuramochi in view of Sasada as applied to claims 11 and 14-15 above, and further in view of Asami et al. (US 2010/0103208 A1).
Kuramochi as modified by Sasada teaches the recording system according to claim 15, but fails to teach or fairly suggest wherein the supply tank is disposed above a nozzle surface of the nozzles such that a first pressure is generated due to a head difference between the supply tank and the nozzle surface, and the circulation subtank is disposed below the nozzle surface such that a second pressure is generated due to a head difference between the nozzle surface and the circulation subtank.
However, Asami teaches an inkjet printing apparatus comprising a supply tank disposed above a nozzle surface of the nozzles such that a first pressure is generated due to a head difference between the supply tank and the nozzle surface, and a circulation subtank is disposed below the nozzle surface such that a second pressure is generated due to a head difference between the nozzle surface and the circulation subtank (fig. 2, image recording unit 3, upper tank 6, lower tank 7, ¶[0038]-[0039], [0049], [0066], [0136]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the arrangement of the supply tank, circulation subtank, and nozzle surface of Asami into the inkjet recording system of Kuramochi as modified by Sasada in order to provide an ink-filling system and method that eliminates air bubbles in the ink flowing between the tanks and the printhead.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pgs. 8-11 of Remarks, filed July 2, 2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-16 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 Kuramochi (WO 2021245802 A1), detailed above.
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.
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/TRK/Examiner, Art Unit 2853
/STEPHEN D MEIER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2853
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