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 Construction
Neither the claims, nor the Specification, nor the Remarks, dated 8/13/25, attempt to define “in a tangential direction of the first rotation member”. Examiner notes that the “tangential direction of the first rotation member” spans all directions. The “first rotation member” forms a loop in cross section, and as such, has a tangent spanning all directions in the plane of the cross section. Moreover, the “first rotation member” has some length orthogonal to the cross section, with a tangent in that direction as well. As such, the claimed “in a tangential direction of the first rotation member” spans all directions.
As such, Examiner construes “the stay presses the sliding sheet at a pressing portion that is located, in a tangential direction of the first rotation member, between the mounting portion and the nip portion” to require only that the stay presses the sliding sheet at a pressing portion that is located, in any direction, between the mounting portion and the nip portion.
Although the Specification is devoid of any mention of tangents, the Specification does discuss the stay pressing between the mounting portion and the nip portion, and as such, the amendment does not constitute new matter. The claim is merely very broad.
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 1-4, and 9-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamagishi et al., U.S.P.G. Pub. No. 2018/0059597, in view of admitted prior art.
Regarding independent claim 1, Yamagishi et al. teach a fixing apparatus comprising:
a first rotation member (21);
a halogen heater (23);
a nip forming member (26) as its own holder disposed in an internal space of the first rotation member (fig 3);
a stay (25) configured to support the holder;
a sliding sheet (27) configured to be disposed between the nip forming member and the first rotation member and to slide on an inner circumferential surface of the rotating first rotation member (fig 3); and
a second rotation member (22) configured to form a nip portion with the nip forming member through the first rotation member (fig 3), and
in the nip portion, a toner image formed on a recording material (fig 3) being heated and fixed,
wherein, when a longitudinal direction of a surface of the nip forming member, a transverse direction that is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, and a thickness direction that is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction are designated, the holder has a first side configured to hold the nip forming member and a second side opposite to the first side in the thickness direction (the sides closer and farther from the nip), and
the sliding sheet is mounted on the second side and is sandwiched between the second side and the stay along the longitudinal direction (fig 3, ¶ 34-38, in that the stay 25 supports the nip forming member 26 about which the sliding sheet is wrapped and mounted to) by a pressure that is applied from the stay (fig 3, the pressure that is the reaction force to the pressure applied by the second rotation member distributed over the area), the sliding sheet being fixed to the holder at a mounting portion (¶ 37, 38, figs 3, 4, any one of protruding parts to which the sliding sheet is mounted at its fixed portions 34 and 35) in which an opening (¶ 37, 38, one of its fixed portions 34 and 35) provided in the sliding sheet engages with a projection provided on the heater holder, and
the stay presses the sliding sheet at a pressing portion that is located, in a tangential direction of the first rotation member, between the mounting portion and the nip portion (fig 4, the pressing portions between the wrapped fixed portions corresponding to the mounting portions, with nip on either side, with the tangential direction being one tangent to the length at which the cross section is taken in fig 3; additionally and alternatively; fig 2, the pressing portion between the mounting portion and the end of the nip in the sheet conveying direction, with the tangential direction being one tangent to some region of the belt either at the nip or at its top in fig 3; and, additionally and alternatively, fig 2, the pressing portion near 25b, which is between the mounting portion and the nip in the vertical direction of fig 3, which the tangential direction being one tangent to some region at the sides of the belt in fig 3).
Yamagishi et al. fail to teach an elongated heater configured to have a heat generating member and a substrate on which the heat generating member is provided and to be disposed in an internal space of the first rotation member;
a heater holder configured to hold the heater; and,
a stay configured to support the heater holder.
Examiner had taken official notice, Office Action dated 5/20/25, pages 6-7, that a planar resistive heater including a heat generating member and a substrate on which the heat generating member is provided in the nip forming member, is a known equivalent to a halogen heater or the like, in a fixing device with a stay and a nip forming member. See, e.g.: Yotsutsuji, U.S.P.G. Pub. No. 2021/0247709; Shoshi et al., U.S.P.G. Pub. No. 2017/0255145; Utsunomiya et al., U.S.P.G. Pub. No. 2017/0131664; and, Yoshikawa et al., U.S.P.G. Pub. No. 2011/0229227. Because Applicant failed to “specifically point out the supposed errors in the examiner’s action, [including] stating why the noticed fact is not considered to be common knowledge or well-known in the art”, Applicant has admitted the above noticed facts. MPEP 2144.03(C).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill at the time of effective filing to substitute a planar resistive heater including a heat generating member and a substrate on which the heat generating member is provided in the nip forming member of Yamagishi et al., rather than to provide a halogen heater or the like, in a fixing device with a stay and a nip forming member. MPEP 2144.06 (II). As indicated above, such are well known equivalents in the art of electrophotography for the same purpose, and the references above say so expressly. The body of the nip forming member including such heater is the heater holder.
Regarding claim 2, which depends from claim 1, Yamagishi et al. further teach wherein the holder has mounting portions configured to fix both end portions of the sliding sheet in a sliding direction (the horizontal direction in fig 4, noting that the sheet is wrapped around the nip forming member) of the sliding sheet and the first rotation member (¶ 34-38).
Regarding claim 3, which depends from claim 2, Yamagishi et al. further teach wherein the sliding sheet has opening portions at the both end portions in the sliding direction (fig 4),
the mounting portions of the heater holder are convex portions that correspond to the both end portions of the sliding sheet, respectively (¶ 34-38, fig 3), and
the convex portions of the heater holder are inserted into the opening portions of the sliding sheet, whereby the sliding sheet is fixed (¶ 34-38).
Regarding claim 4, which depends from claim 3, wherein the opening portions of the sliding sheet and the convex portions of the heater holder are provided at a plurality of places (fig 4) along the longitudinal direction of the first rotation member (the vertical direction in fig 4), respectively.
Regarding claim 9, which depends from claim 1, as modified, Yamagishi et al. further teach, wherein the sliding sheet is disposed between the heater and the first rotation member at a position where the heater that is held on the heater holder faces the first rotation member (fig 3, showing the sliding sheet between the nip forming member, where the heater goes as modified, and the first rotation member) and is disposed between the heater holder and the first rotation member at a position where the heater holder faces the first rotation member (fig 3, showing the sliding sheet between the nip forming member, which holds the heater as modified, and the first rotation member).
Regarding claim 10, which depends from claim 1, as modified, Yamagishi et al. further teach, wherein the sliding sheet is disposed between the heater holder and the heater at a position where the heater that is held on the heater holder faces the first rotation member (fig 3, noting that wherever the heater is placed within the nip forming member, because the sliding sheet wraps around the nip forming member, it is disposed between the heater holder and the heater at its sides, which face the first rotation member) and is disposed between the heater holder and the first rotation member at a position where the heater holder faces the first rotation member (fig 3, noting that wherever the heater is placed within the nip forming member, because the sliding sheet wraps around the nip forming member, it is disposed between the heater holder and the first rotation member at the nip, which face the first rotation member).
Regarding claim 11, which depends from claim 2, wherein the mounting portions are provided on at least any of an upstream side and a downstream side in the sliding direction (nothing in the claims delimits what is an upstream or downstream side, and because the mounting portions are not exactly at the edge, one can choose the delimiters of either such that this limitation is always met).
Regarding claim 12, which depends from claim 2, wherein the sliding sheet is wound around and fixed to the heater holder (¶ 34-38) on an upstream side or a downstream side in the sliding direction (nothing in the claims delimits what is an upstream or downstream side, and because the mounting portions are not exactly at the edge, one can choose the delimiters of either such that this limitation is always met).
Regarding claim 13, which depends from claim 1, wherein the first rotation member is a tubular film (fig 3), and
the second rotation member is a pressurizing roller (fig 3).
Claims 5-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamagishi et al., U.S.P.G. Pub. No. 2018/0059597, in view of admitted prior art, and further in view of Yamaguchi et al., U.S.P.G. Pub. No. 2011/0116848.
The combination of Yamagishi et al. with admitted prior art fails to teach:
Regarding claim 5, which depends from claim 4, wherein the stay pressurizes portions to be pressurized of the heater holder with a uniform pressure along the longitudinal direction.
Regarding claim 6, which depends from claim 5, wherein the stay is capable of relieving the pressure against the portions to be pressurized.
Yamaguchi et al. teach heating a first rotation member (21) through any means (¶ 85, including a resistive heater), a nip forming member (30) in contact with the first rotation member to form a nip with a second rotation member (31), along with a stay (22, 23, 32) to hold the nip forming member (¶ 92), as well as first and second sides as described above.
Yamaguchi et al. further teach a sliding sheet (27) configured to be disposed between the heater and the first rotation member (fig 5) and to slide on an inner circumferential surface of the rotating first rotation member (fig 6); and
the sliding sheet is sandwiched by the second side and the stay (figs 5, 6).
Yamaguchi et al. provide the sliding sheet as described above to reduce wear and increase thermal stability (¶¶ 13-14).
Yamaguchi et al. further teach:
Regarding claim 5, which depends from claim 4, wherein the stay pressurizes portions to be pressurized of the heater holder with a substantially uniform pressure along the longitudinal direction (¶ 101).
Regarding claim 6, which depends from claim 5, wherein the stay is capable of relieving the pressure against the portions to be pressurized (¶ 101, relieving the excess pressure that would make it non-uniform).
Yamaguchi et al. do so to maintain a uniform nip pressure in the axial direction throughout the fixing nip (¶ 101).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill at the time of effective filing to provide wherein the stay pressurizes portions to be pressurized of the heater holder with a substantially uniform pressure along the longitudinal direction; and, wherein the stay is capable of relieving the pressure against the portions to be pressurized. One having ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing would have done so to maintain a uniform nip pressure in the axial direction throughout the fixing nip.
Regarding claim 7, which depends from claim 5, as combined, both Yamagishi et al. (fig 3) and Yamaguchi et al. (fig 6) teach several different step portions on their respective nip members, formed in the portion to be pressurized of the heater holder, with all such step portions being in the portion to be pressurized of the heater holder simply through being on the nip forming member.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamagishi et al., U.S.P.G. Pub. No. 2018/0059597, in view of admitted prior art, and further in view of Kobayashi et al., U.S.P.G. Pub. No. 2018/0356757.
Yamagishi et al. provide a protrusion portion downstream of the heater in a conveyance direction of the recording material and protrudes toward the second rotation member more than a surface of the heater that comes into contact with the sliding sheet (fig 3).
Regarding claim 8, which depends from claim 1, the combination of Yamagishi et al. with admitted prior art fails to teach wherein the heater holder has a protrusion portion that is provided upstream of the heater in a conveyance direction of the recording material and protrudes toward the second rotation member more than a surface of the heater that comes into contact with the sliding sheet.
Kobayashi et al. teach a fixing device (figs 5) comprising a planar resistive heater (413) in a nip forming member (¶ 66). Kobayashi et al. teach that providing protrusions both upstream (414) and downstream (415) of the nip, with a recessed heater can correct for curvatures of sheets induced by passing through a heated nip (¶ 57, 58, 64, 65). By providing even more protrusions, including one upstream of the heater protruding more toward the second rotation member than a surface of the heater as claimed, the embodiment of figs 5 (¶ 83-91) reduces curvature of the sheet passing through the nip to a minimum (¶ 91).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill at the time of effective filing to provide wherein the heater holder has a protrusion portion that is provided upstream of the heater in a conveyance direction of the recording material and protrudes toward the second rotation member more than a surface of the heater that comes into contact with the sliding sheet. One having ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing would have done so to reduce the curvature of a sheet passing through a heated nip to a minimum.
Response to Arguments
Applicant' s arguments with respect to claim 1 have been considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to any of the references being used in the current rejection.
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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/SEVAN A AYDIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852