Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. 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 § 102
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 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.
2. Claims 1-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Japanese Publication No. 2013-10577 (hereinafter “JP’577”).
Regarding claim 1, Figs. 1-7 show a sheet discharge device (Fig. 4) comprising:
a discharge tray (including 2 and 5) that accommodates a discharged sheet (W) with an end portion (right end) on an upstream side along a discharging direction (left arrow in Fig. 4) of the sheet abutting against a wall surface (surface of element 5); and
a plurality of exhaust passages (7 and 7) that are provided in the wall surface (surface of element 5) of the discharge tray (including 2 and 5) and that are inclined to extend outward of both end portions along a width direction intersecting the discharging direction (left arrow in Fig. 4) of the sheet (W) toward a lower side of the wall surface (surface of element 5).
Regarding claim 2, Figs. 1-7 show that the plurality of exhaust passages (7 and 7) are provided in a symmetrical shape with a reference position as a center.
Regarding claim 3, Figs. 1-7 show that the reference position is at a center in a direction intersecting the discharging direction (left arrow in Fig. 4) of the sheet (W).
Regarding claim 4, Figs. 1-7 show that the plurality of exhaust passages (7 and 7) are formed by protruding portions or slit portions provided in the wall surface (surface of element 5) of the discharge tray (including 2 and 5).
Regarding claim 5, Figs. 1-7 show that the discharge tray (including 2 and 5) has an inclined surface that is formed such that the end portion on the upstream side along the discharging direction (left arrow in Fig. 4) of the sheet is lowest.
Regarding claim 6, Figs. 1-7 show that the sheet (W) is discharged along the inclined surface (upper surface of element 2) of the discharge tray (including 2 and 5) due to a weight of the sheet (W) in a state where the end portion on the upstream side along the discharging direction (left arrow in Fig. 4) of the sheet (W) has abutted against the wall surface (surface of element 5).
Regarding claims 7-12, Figs. 1-7 show an image forming apparatus comprising:
an image forming section (numbered paragraph [0017] of the machine translation) that forms an image on a sheet (W); and
a sheet discharge section (including 6a and 6b) that discharges the sheet (W) on which the image is formed by the image forming section (numbered paragraph [0017] of the machine translation),
wherein the sheet discharge device (including 6a and 6b) according to claims 1-6 is used as the sheet discharge section.
Conclusion
3. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Japanese Publication No. 58-100060 shows a sheet discharge device (Fig. 1) with a discharge tray (including 11-12) and a plurality of exhaust passages (including 13 and 14).
4. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THOMAS A MORRISON whose telephone number is (571)272-7221. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am - 5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Mike McCullough can be reached at 571-272-7805. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/THOMAS A MORRISON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3653
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