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 .
Response to amendment dated 8/12/2025
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 patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-5, 7-11 and 13-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and (a)(2) as being anticipated by Murray et al. (US 600773).
With respect to claims 1, 7 and 13, Murray et al. disclose an image-forming apparatus (e.g., fig. 5, “PRINTER SYSTEM”), comprising: a reference-ground supply part (e.g., fig. 5, GND1 and/or GND 2), configured to provide a potential reference point; and a conductive connection structure including a conductive part, wherein the conductive part includes a first connection portion (e.g., fig. 5, connection portion of GND1) and a second connection portion (e.g., fig. 5, connection portion of GND2), wherein: the first connection portion is electrically connected to the reference-ground supply part disposed in a main body of an image-forming apparatus (91) through a first connection part, in order to be connected to the potential reference point provided by the reference-ground supply part; and the second connection portion is electrically connected to the reference-ground supply part through a second connection part, in order to be connected to the potential reference point provided by the reference-ground supply part, wherein the first connection part is different from the second connection part, the first connection part is not included in the second connection part, and the second connection part is not included in the first connection part (as shown at least by fig. 5).
With respect to claims 2 and 14, Murray et al. further disclose wherein: the first connection portion (connection portion of GND1) is electrically connected to the reference-ground supply part, by electrically connecting to an electrical contact portion disposed on the main body of the image-forming apparatus (91), in order to be connected to the potential reference point provided by the reference-ground supply part (as shown at least by figs. 5-7).
With respect to claims 3 and 15, Murray et al. further disclose wherein: the electrical contact portion (of printer system 91) is electrically connected to an electrical contact of a storage apparatus (e.g. item 48) installed on a process cartridge (40); and the process cartridge (40) is detachably installed on the main body of the image-forming apparatus (91).
With respect to claims 4, 10 and 16, Murray et al. further disclose wherein: the reference-ground supply part includes an image-forming control unit and/or a power supply unit (as shown at least by fig. 5).
With respect to claims 5 and 17, Murray et al. further disclose wherein: the main body of the image-forming apparatus (91) is further disposed with a connection unit; the connection unit is electrically connected to the image-forming control unit and an electrical contact portion respectively (as shown at least by fig. 5); and the first connection portion is electrically connected to the image-forming control unit, by electrically connecting to the connection unit, in order to be connected to a potential reference point provided by the image-forming control unit (as shown at least by figs. 5-7).
With respect to claim 8, Murray et al. further disclose wherein: the image-forming apparatus further includes an electrical contact portion; and the first connection portion is electrically connected to the electrical contact portion in order to be connected to the potential reference point provided by the reference-ground supply part (as discussed at least in col. 5, lines 15-25 and/or as shown at least by figs. 5-7).
With respect to claim 9, Murray et al. further disclose wherein: the electrical contact portion is electrically connected to an electrical contact of a storage apparatus (48) installed on a process cartridge; and the process cartridge is detachably installed on a main body of the image-forming apparatus (as shown at least by figs. 1 and/or 5-7).
With respect to claim 11, Murray et al. further disclose further including: a connection unit, wherein the connection unit is electrically connected to the image-forming control unit and an electrical contact portion respectively (as shown at least by figs. 5-7); and the first connection portion is electrically connected to the image-forming control unit, by electrically connecting to the connection unit, in order to be connected to a potential reference point provided by the image-forming control unit (as shown at least by figs. 5-7).
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) 6, 12 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Murray et al. (US 600773) in view of Inukai (US 2014/0218827).
With respect to claims 6, 12 and 18, Murray et al. disclose the image-forming apparatus and conductive connection structure of claims 1, 7 and 13 as discussed above and further disclose the second connection portion electrically connected to the reference-ground supply part, in order to be connected to the potential reference point provided by the reference-ground supply part (as shown at least by figs. 5-7).,
With further respect to claims 6, 12 and 18, Murray et al. are silent to the specifics of the main body frame and therefore do not disclose wherein: electrically connecting the reference-ground supply part to a sheet metal of the main body of the image-forming apparatus.
With further respect to claims 6, 12 and 18, Inukai teaches electrically connecting the reference-ground supply part to a sheet metal of the main body of the image-forming apparatus (as discussed at least in paragraph 67 and/or as shown at least by figs. 1-4).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to electrically connecting the reference-ground supply part to a sheet metal of the main body as taught by Inukai in the image-forming apparatus of Murray et al. at least because there would have been a reasonable expectation of success in grounding.
Applicant's submission of an information disclosure statement under 37 CFR 1.97(c) with the timing fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(p) on 6/25/25 prompted the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 609.04(b). 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.
Remarks
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSEPH S WONG whose telephone number is (571)272-8457. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday (9-5).
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/JOSEPH S WONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
JSW
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