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 .
Final Rejection
The applicant’s amendment of 12/19/2025 necessitated a new ground of rejection as follows below:
Claim Rejections
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the
basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless —
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patentor a application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zheng (CN 221693493).
Zheng discloses in Figures 1-6 a liquid container comprising:
Regarding claim 1, a main body (1) including a storage chamber storing liquid (Figure
1); and
a nozzle (2) projecting from the main body (1), wherein, in the nozzle (2), three or more flow paths (3) are formed, each of which bring the storage chamber (1) into communication with an outside through an opening formed on an edge face constituting a leading edge of the nozzle (2) (Figures 1 and 5),
each of the three or more flow paths (6 flow paths) is configured to enable an outflow of liquid from the storage chamber (1) to the outside and an inflow of air (20) from the outside into the storage chamber (1), whether each of the three or more flow paths (6 flow paths) functions to allow liquid to flow from the storage chamber (1) to the outside or to allow air to flow from the outside into the storage chamber (1) is set according to a relative positional relationship in a direction of gravity of the openings corresponding to the respective flow paths (6 flow paths), in a case when the liquid container is tilted such that the leading edge of the nozzle (2) faces downward in the direction of gravity (Figures 1 and 5-6, see claim 10).
Regarding claim 2, wherein the three or more flow paths (6 flow paths) include a first flow path (3), a second flow path (3), and a third flow path (3), and, in a case when the edge face (unmarked edge face that contain numbers 2, 3, and 20, see Figure 6) is viewed from the perpendicular direction of the edge face, the opening corresponding to the third flow path is not located on a line connecting the centroid of the opening corresponding to the first flow path (3) and the centroid of the opening corresponding to the second flow path (3) (Figures 1 and 5-6).
Regarding claim 3, wherein the three or more flow paths (6 flow paths) include a first flow path (3), a second flow path (3), and a third flow path (3), and a distance from the centroid of the opening corresponding to the first flow path (3) to the centroid of the second opening corresponding to the second flow path (3), a distance from the centroid of the second opening corresponding to the second flow path (3) to the centroid of the opening corresponding to the third flow path (3), and a distance from the centroid of the opening corresponding to the third flow path (3) to the centroid of the opening corresponding to the first flow path (3) are equal to each other (Figures 1 and 5-6).
Regarding claim 4, wherein the three or more flow paths (6 flow paths) include a first flow path (3), a second flow path (3, and a third flow path (3), and the centroid of the opening corresponding to the first flow path, the centroid of the opening corresponding to the second flow path, and the centroid of the opening corresponding to the third flow path are at an equal distance from a centroid (20) of the edge face ((Figures 1 and 5-6).
Regarding claim 5, wherein the three or more flow paths (6 flow paths) include a first flow path (3), a second flow path (3), and a third flow path (3), and a position of a centroid of a triangle formed by connecting the centroid of the opening corresponding to the first flow path (3), the centroid of the opening corresponding to the second flow path (3), and the centroid of the opening corresponding to the third flow path (3) coincides with a position of a centroid (20) of the edge face (Figures 1 and 5-6).
Regarding claim 6, wherein the three or more flow paths (6 flow paths) include a first flow path (3), a second flow path (3), and a third flow path (3), and the opening corresponding to the first flow path (3), the opening corresponding to the second flow path (3), and the opening corresponding to the third flow path (3) are circular. (Figures 1 and 5-6).
Regarding claim 7, wherein the main body has a cylindrical shape, and the edge face is circular. (Figures 1 and 5-6).
Regarding claim 8, wherein the three or more flow paths (6 flow paths) include a first flow path, a second flow path, a third flow path, and a fourth flow path, and, in a case when the edge face is viewed from the perpendicular direction of the edge face, a centroid of an opening corresponding to the fourth flow path is not located on a line connecting the centroid of the opening corresponding to the first flow path and the centroid of the second opening corresponding to the second flow path. (Figures 1 and 5-6).
Regarding claim 9, wherein, in a case when the edge face (unmarked edge face that contain numbers 2, 3, and 20, see Figure 6) is viewed from the perpendicular direction of the edge face, the fourth opening corresponding to the fourth flow path (3) is not located on the line connecting the centroid of the opening corresponding to the first flow path (3) and the centroid of the opening corresponding to the second flow path (2) (Figures 1 and 5-6).
Regarding claim 10, the centroid of the opening corresponding to the second flow path (3), a distance from the centroid of the second opening corresponding to the second flow path (3) to the centroid of the opening corresponding to the third flow path (3), a distance from the centroid of the opening corresponding to the third flow path (3) to the centroid of the fourth opening corresponding to the fourth flow path (3), and a distance from the centroid of the opening corresponding to the fourth flow path (3) to the centroid of the opening corresponding to the first flow path are equal to each other. (Figures 1 and 5-6).
Regarding claim 11, wherein the centroid of the opening corresponding to the first flow path (3), the centroid of the opening corresponding to the second flow path (3), the centroid of the opening corresponding to the third flow path (3), and the centroid of the opening corresponding to the fourth flow path (4) are at an equal distance from a centroid of the edge face. (Figures 1 and 5-6).
Regarding claim 12, wherein the opening corresponding to the fourth flow path is circular. (Figures 1 and 5-6).
Regarding claim 13, wherein a position of a centroid of a rectangle formed by connecting the centroid of the opening corresponding to the first flow path (3), the centroid of the opening corresponding to the second flow path (3), the centroid of the opening corresponding to the third flow path (3), and the centroid of the opening corresponding to the fourth flow path (3) coincides with a position of a centroid of the edge face. (Figures 1 and 5-6).
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 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 14-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yashiro et al. (US 202
1/0060958) in view of Zheng (CN 221693493).
Yashiro et al. disclose in Figures 1-4A a printing apparatus comprising:
Regarding a part of claim 14, a print head (15) configured to eject liquid to perform
printing (Figure 2);
a liquid tank (16) connectable to a liquid container (20) (Figure 3); and
a tube (107) capable of supplying liquid (ink) from the liquid tank (16) to the print head
(15), wherein the liquid container (20) comprises the liquid tank (16) connectable via a nozzle
(23) to a liquid container (20) comprising a main body (21) including a storage chamber storing
liquid (ink) and the nozzle (22) projecting from the main body (21), the liquid tank (16) being
capable of storing liquid injected from the liquid container (20) (Figures 2-4A).
Regarding claim 15, wherein the liquid tank (16) includes an inclined wall (163) inclined with respect to a planer direction and a perpendicular direction, and an insertion slot portion (18) into which the nozzle (23) can be inserted is formed on the inclined wall (163) (Figures 3-4A).
Regarding claim 16, wherein the liquid tank (16) comprises an air communication port
(34) through which an inside of the liquid tank (20) is communicated with air (Figure 4A).
Regarding a part of claim 17, in a case when the liquid is injected into the liquid tank, the liquid container (20) is connected to the liquid tank (16) in an inclined posture with the leading edge of the nozzle (23) located downward in a direction of gravity (Figures 3 and 4A)
However, Yashiro et al. do not disclose wherein in the nozzle, a first flow path, three or more flow paths are formed, each of which bring the storage chamber into communication with an outside through an opening formed on an edge face constituting a leading edge of the nozzle, each of the three or more flow paths is configured to enable an outflow of liquid from the storage chamber to the outside and an inflow of air from the outside into the storage chamber, whether each of the three or more flow paths functions to allow liquid to flow from the storage chamber to the outside or to allow air to flow from the outside into the storage chamber is set according to a relative positional relationship in a direction of gravity of the openings corresponding to the respective flow paths, in a case where the liquid container is tilted such that the leading edge of the nozzle faces downward in the direction of gravity a second; a main body including a storage chamber storing liquid; and a nozzle projecting from the main body, wherein, in the nozzle, a first flow path, a second flow path, and a third flow path are formed, the first flow path brings the storage chamber into communication with an outside through a first opening formed on an edge constituting a leading edge of the nozzle, the second flow path brings the storage chamber into communication with the outside through a second opening formed on the edge face, the third flow path brings the storage chamber into communication with the outside through a third opening formed on the edge face, in a case when the edge face is viewed from a perpendicular direction of the edge face, a centroid of the third opening is not located on a line connecting a centroid of the first opening and a centroid of the second opening.
Nevertheless, Zheng discloses in Figures 1-6 a liquid container comprising:
Regarding a part of claim 14, a main body (1) including a storage chamber storing liquid (Figure 1); and
wherein in the nozzle (30), a first flow path, three or more flow paths (3) are formed (Figures 1 and 6), each of which bring the storage chamber (1) into communication with an outside through an opening formed on an edge face constituting a leading edge of the nozzle (30), each of the three or more flow paths (3) is configured to enable an outflow of liquid from the storage chamber (1) to the outside and an inflow (20) of air from the outside into the storage chamber (1), whether each of the three or more flow paths (3) functions to allow liquid to flow from the storage chamber (1) to the outside or to allow air to flow from the outside into the storage chamber (1) is set according to a relative positional relationship in a direction of gravity of the openings corresponding to the respective flow paths , in a case where the liquid container is tilted such that the leading edge of the nozzle faces downward in the direction of gravity (Figures 1 and 5-6, see claim 10).
Regarding a part of claim 17,a main body (1) including a storage chamber (1) storing liquid (Figure 1); and a nozzle (2) projecting from the main body (1), wherein, in the nozzle (2), a first flow path (3), a second flow path (2), and a third flow path (2) are formed, the first flow path (3) brings the storage chamber (1) into communication with an outside through a first opening (30) formed on an edge face (unmarked edge face that contain numbers 2, 3, and 20, see Figure 6) constituting a leading edge of the nozzle (2), the second flow path (3) brings the storage chamber (1) into communication with the outside through a second opening (30) formed on the edge face, the third flow path (3) brings the storage chamber (1) into communication with the outside through a third opening (30) formed on the edge face (unmarked edge face that contain numbers 2, 3, and 20, see Figure 6), in a case when the edge face is viewed from a perpendicular direction of the edge face, a centroid of the third opening is not located on a line connecting a centroid of the first opening and a centroid of the second opening (Figures 1 and 5-6, see claim 10).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing
date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Zheng in the Yashiro et al.'s
printing apparatus for the purpose of replenishing a liquid to a liquid tank.
Response to Applicant’s Arguments
The applicant’s arguments with respect to the prior art rejection have been carefully considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection.
CONCLUSION
Any inquiry concerning this communication or carlier communications from the
examiner should be directed to Examiner Anh Vo whose telephone number is (571) 272-2262.
The examiner can normally be reached on Monday to Friday from 9:30 A.M.to 6:00 P.M.. If
attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor,
Douglas Rodriguez can be reached on (571) 431-0716. The fax phone number for the
organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571 - 273-8300.
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/ANH T VO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853