DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1 and 4 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. The claim recites a second open state of the shutter. However, the specification at para. [0072] states that the shutter “hardly moves” from a closed state to the second open state. Thus, it does not seem the shutter would actually be open in the second open state, and so the wording of a second “open” state seems inaccurate. Clarification is required.
Because all other claims depend from claims 1 and 4, these claims are also rejected on this basis.
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.
Claim(s) 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamaguchi (2022/0258509) in view of Mizukami (6,491,450) and Itagaki (2017/0048423).
Regarding claims 1 and 4, Yamaguchi teaches an image forming apparatus comprising: an image carrier (fig. 1, item P);
an image forming unit (fig 1, item 41) configured to form an image on the image carrier (see fig. 1);
a measuring unit ([0065]-[0066], fig. 9, item 47/48) provided with a light-emitting element for emitting light to the image carrier and a light-receiving element for receiving reflected light from the image carrier, and configured to measure the reflected light from the image carrier ([0065]-[0066], fig. 9, item 46-48);
a retaining member (fig. 9, item 46) configured to retain the measuring unit (see fig. 9);
a shutter (fig. 9, item 81) configured to block the light emitted from the light-emitting element of the measuring unit to the image carrier ([0065]-[0067]);
an abutting portion (fig. 9, bottom surface of item 46 surrounding item 48) of the retaining member;
a drive source (fig. 9, item 82);
a drive control unit (fig. 3, item 110) configured to control the drive source to separate the shutter from the abutting portion of the retaining member ([0066], see fig. 9) so that the shutter enters an open state where the image carrier is irradiated with the light from the light-emitting element ([0066]);
an adjustment unit configured to cause the light-emitting element of the measuring unit to emit light ([0066]), and
a control unit (fig. 3, item 118) configured to control the image forming unit to form a measurement image ([0046]).
Yamaguchi does not teach specific currents/voltages applies to the drive source or a spring against which the drive force acts. Mizukami teaches a control the drive control unit to supply a first current to the drive source so that the shutter enters the open state, the drive control unit once stops the current supply to the drive source, then supplies a second current smaller than the first current to the drive source, and then stops the current supply again wherein, the shutter transitions from the closed state to a first open state and then to the closed state by stopping of the first current after supplying the first current, and, further, the shutter transitions again from the closed state to a second open state and then to the closed state by stopping of the second current after supplying of the second current, wherein the second open state is a state in which a movement amount of the shutter is smaller than the first open state (Mizukami, see fig. 3, Note first current +V applied from t1 to t2 and second current +V applied from t8 to t9, wherein because the duration of the second current application is shorter than the first, the total current is smaller in the second application than the first),
a spring member configured to pull the shutter so that the shutter comes into contact with an abutting portion of the retaining member to enter a closed state where the shutter blocks the light emitted from the light-emitting element to the image carrier; against a pulling force of the spring member (Mizukami, fig. 1, Note spring member 20d). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to use a spring-biased shutter with a current/voltage application technique, as disclosed by Mizukami, as the shutter disclosed by Yamaguchi because doing so would amount to combining a known shutter structure and operational method to a known printer sensor/shutter arrangement to obtain predictable results. In other words, because Yamaguchi does not go into detail about the specific operation of its shutter, it would have been obvious to one of skill in the art to look to Mizukami for specifics on how such a sensor/camera shutter could be implemented.
Upon combination of Mizukami with Yamaguchi, the resultant device would: control the measuring unit to measure reflected light from the measurement image, and control the image forming unit based on a result of the measurement of the measurement image by the measuring unit.
Yamaguchi in view of Mizukami does not teach a reference member. Itagaki teaches a reference member disposed on the shutter and causing the light-receiving element of the measuring unit to receive reflected light from the reference member, and adjust the emitted light amount of the light-emitting element based on a result of the measurement of the reference member by the measuring unit (Itagaki, [0031]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to add the reference plate disclosed by Itakagi to the shutter disclosed by Yamaguchi in view of Mizukami because doing so would allow for doing so would allow for detection of base levels of light in order to calibrate the printing system.
Regarding claims 2 and 5, Yamaguchi in view of Mizukami and Itagaki teaches the image forming apparatus according to claims 1 and 4, respectively, wherein the drive source is a solenoid having a plunger (Yamaguchi, [0066], see fig. 9, Note that this is necessarily the case).
Regarding claims 3 and 6, Yamaguchi in view of Mizukami and Itagaki teaches the image forming apparatus according to claims 1 and 4, respectively, wherein the shutter is controlled to move in a direction intersecting with a gravity direction from the closed state to enter the open state (Yamaguchi, see fig. 9).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 11/4/2025 have been considered but are moot in light of the new ground(s) of rejection.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALEJANDRO VALENCIA whose telephone number is (571)270-5473. The examiner can normally be reached M-F.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, DOUGLAS X. RODRIGUEZ can be reached at 571-431-0716. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ALEJANDRO VALENCIA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853