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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 7-12, filed 12/18/2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-15 under 35 USC 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of newly found prior art reference.
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) 1-7, 10, 12-13 and 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamashita (JP 2017213796A) in view of Okuda (US 2015/0054883).
With regard to claim 1, Yamashita discloses an ink jet recording method [Para. 0016] comprising recording an image on a recording medium (47) [printing medium; Para. 0035] with an aqueous ink [Para. 0034, 0044] and an aqueous reaction liquid [Para. 0034] comprising a reactant that reacts with the aqueous ink [Para. 0053] by applying the aqueous ink and the reaction liquid to a unit region with one relative scanning between a recording head (H1000) and the recording medium [line head with paper transport; Para. 0034; Fig. 3], the ink jet recording method comprising:
a reaction liquid applying step of applying the reaction liquid to the recording medium by ejecting the reaction liquid from a first ejection head (H1000R) [Para. 0016, 0036] of an ink jet system [Fig. 3]; and
an ink applying step of applying the aqueous ink to the recording medium by ejecting the aqueous ink from a second ejection head (H10000 {Y,M,C,B}) [Para. 0016, 0035] of an ink jet system so that a region to which the aqueous ink is applied and a region to which the reaction liquid is applied are at least partially overlap on the recording medium, and
wherein a temperature of the reaction liquid at a time of being ejected from the first ejection head is lower than a temperature of the aqueous ink at a time of being ejected from the second ejection head, [temperature of reaction liquid applied; Para. 0032 and temperature of ink applied; Para. 0033] and wherein the reactant comprises a polyvalent metal salt [it is preferable to add a polyvalent metal salt of an organic acid having a sulfonic acid group to the reaction solution, since this easily generates polyvalent metal ions in the reaction solution; Para. 0056].
Yamashita does not disclose the recording medium comprising a water absorption amount from contact start to 30 msec½ in a Bristow method of 10 mL/m² or less and wherein the polyvalent metal salt comprising a water solubility at 20°C of 1% by mass or more to 50% by mass or less.
However, Okuda teaches recording on a non-absorptive or low absorptive recording medium refers to recording medium comprising a water absorption amount from contact start to 30 msec½ in a Bristow method of 10 mL/m² or less [Para. 0099]
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to substitute the recording medium of Yamashita with a medium wherein the water absorption amount of the recording medium from contact start to 30 msec. sus. ½ in the Bristow method is less than 10 mL/m² as taught by Okuda for the purpose recording on having a property of not absorbing or hardly absorbing the ink or the treatment liquid.
In addition, Okuda teaches a polyvalent metal salt comprising a water solubility at 20°C of 1% by mass or more to 50% by mass or less [Para. 0032].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to utilize a reactant comprising a polyvalent metal salt, with the polyvalent metal salt comprising a water solubility at 20°C of 1% by mass or more to 50% by mass or less as taught by Okuda , for the purpose of obtaining recorded matter to be more excellent in the bleeding resistance.
With regard to claim 2, Yamashita's modified recording method discloses all the limitations of claim 1 and Yamashita also discloses wherein an application amount of the aqueous ink to the unit region of the recording medium is larger than an application amount of the reaction liquid to the unit region of the recording medium. [Para. 0029]
With regard to claim 3, Yamashita's modified recording method discloses all the limitations of claim 1 and Yamashita also discloses wherein a content (% by mass) of water in the reaction liquid is 75.0% by mass or more with respect to a total mass of the reaction liquid. [Para. 0062]
With regard to claim 4, Yamashita's modified recording method discloses all the limitations of claim 1 and Yamashita also discloses wherein a content (% by mass) of water in the reaction liquid is 85.0% by mass or more with respect to a total mass of the reaction liquid. [Para. 0062]
With regard to claim 5, Yamashita's modified recording method discloses all the limitations of claim 1 and Yamashita also discloses wherein a content (% by mass) of water in the aqueous ink is 60.0% by mass or more with respect to a total mass of the aqueous ink. [Para. 0050]
With regard to claim 6, Yamashita's modified recording method discloses all the limitations of claim 1 and Okuda also disclose wherein the reaction liquid comprises a surface tension at 25°C of 27 mN/m or more [Para. 0017].
With regard to claim 7, Yamashita's modified recording method discloses all the limitations of claim 1 and Yamashita also discloses wherein the reaction liquid contains a hydrocarbon-based surfactant. [Para. 0047]
With regard to claim 10, Yamashita's modified recording method discloses all the limitations of claim 1 and Yamashita also discloses wherein the polyvalent metal salt is at least one kind selected from the group consisting of: an inorganic polyvalent metal salt; and a polyvalent metal salt of a monovalent organic acid. [Para. 0056]
With regard to claim 12, Yamashita's modified recording method discloses all the limitations of claim 1 and Yamashita also discloses wherein the polyvalent metal salt is magnesium sulfate. [As the polyvalent metal salt of an organic acid having a sulfonic acid group, an alkaline earth metal salt is preferred Para. 0056]
With regard to claim 13, Yamashita's modified ink jet recording method discloses all the limitations of claim 1, and Yamashita also discloses wherein a temperature of the recording medium at a time of application of the reaction liquid thereto is equal to or less than the temperature of the reaction liquid at the time of being ejected from the first ejection head.
Yamashita teaches the temperature of the reaction liquid applied to the recording medium is preferably 15 degrees C and 35 degrees c at room temperature.
It would be obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that the temperature of the recording medium at a time of application of the reaction liquid thereto is equal to or less than the temperature of the reaction liquid at the time of being ejected from the first ejection head since the recording medium is starting at room temperature and the transport rollers are not disclosed as having heaters, the sheet temperature would remain at room temperature or increase in temperature very little due to heat incurred from the enclosed printer, when it reaches the reaction head and application of the reaction liquid is applied.
With regard to claim 15, Yamashita discloses an ink jet recording apparatus (M4000) [Para. 0035; Fig. 3] for use in an ink jet recording method [Para. 0034] comprising recording an image on a recording medium (47) [printing medium; Para. 0035] with an aqueous ink [Para. 0034, 0044] and an aqueous reaction liquid [Para. 0034] comprising a reactant that reacts with the aqueous ink [Para. 0053] by applying the aqueous ink and the reaction liquid to a unit region with one relative scanning between a recording head (H1000) [line head; Para. 0035] and the recording medium [line head with paper transport; Para. 0034; Fig. 3], the ink jet recording method comprising:
a reaction liquid applying step of applying the reaction liquid to the recording medium by ejecting the reaction liquid from a first ejection head (H1000R) [Para. 0016, 0036] of an ink jet system [Fig. 3]; and
an ink applying step of applying the aqueous ink to the recording medium by ejecting the aqueous ink from a second ejection head (H10000{Y,M,C,B}) [Para. 0016, 0035] of an ink jet system so that a region to which the aqueous ink is applied and a region to which the reaction liquid is applied are at least partially overlap on the recording medium, and
wherein a temperature of the reaction liquid at a time of being ejected from the first ejection head is lower than a temperature of the aqueous ink at a time of being ejected from the second ejection head, [temperature of reaction liquid applied; Para. 0032 and temperature of ink applied; Para. 0033] and
wherein the reactant comprises a polyvalent metal salt [Para. 0053].
Yamashita does not disclose the recording medium comprising a water absorption amount from contact start to 30 msec½ in a Bristow method of 10 mL/m² or less and the polyvalent metal salt comprises a water solubility at 20°C of 1% by mass or more to 50% by mass or less. [Para. 0054]
However, Okuda teaches recording on a non-absorptive or low absorptive recording medium refers to recording medium comprising a water absorption amount from contact start to 30 msec½ in a Bristow method of 10 mL/m² or less [Para. 0099].
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to substitute the recording medium of Yamashita with a medium wherein the water absorption amount of the recording medium from contact start to 30 msec. sus. ½ in the Bristow method is less than 10 mL/m² as taught by Okuda for the purpose recording on having a property of not absorbing or hardly absorbing the ink or the treatment liquid.
In addition, Okuda teaches a polyvalent metal salt comprising a water solubility at 20°C of 1% by mass or more to 50% by mass or less [Para. 0032].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to utilize a reactant comprising a polyvalent metal salt, with the polyvalent metal salt comprising a water solubility at 20°C of 1% by mass or more to 50% by mass or less as taught by Okuda , for the purpose of obtaining recorded matter to be more excellent in the bleeding resistance.
With regard to claim 16, Yamashita’s modified method discloses all the limitations of claim 1, and Yamashita also discloses wherein the temperature of the reaction liquid at the time of being ejected from the first ejection head is 15°C or more to 45°C or less [Para. 0032] and the temperature of the aqueous ink at the time of being ejected from the second ejection head is 20°C or more to 55°C or less [Para. 0032].
With regard to claim 17, Yamashita’s modified ink jet recording method discloses all the limitations of claim 1, and Yamashita also discloses wherein a difference between the temperature of the reaction liquid at the time of being ejected from the first ejection head and the temperature of the aqueous ink at the time of being ejected from the second ejection head is 5°C or more to 20°C or less [Para. 0031].
Claim(s) 8 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamashita (JP 2017213796A) in view of Okuda (US 2015/0054883) and further in view of Okuda (US 2020/0101781).
With regard to claim 8, Yamashita's modified recording method discloses all the limitations of claim 1, but does not disclose wherein the reaction liquid comprises a viscosity at 25°C of 3.0 mPa's or less.
However, Okuda teaches a reaction liquid comprising a viscosity at 20°C of 1.5mPa's to 5.5 mPa's (at para. 0161).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to set the viscosity of the reaction liquid at 25°C of 3.0 mPa's or less in order to efficiently for a predetermined treatment liquid adhesion region on the recording medium.
With regard to claim 14, Yamashita's ink jet recording method discloses all the limitations of claim 1 but does not disclose wherein the water absorption amount of the recording medium from contact start to 30 msec. sus. ½ in the Bristow method is less than 5 mL/m².
However, Okuda teaches the water absorption amount of the recording medium from contact start to 30 msec. sus. ½ in the Bristow method is less than 5 mL/m² [Para. 0177].
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to substitute the recording medium with a medium wherein the water absorption amount of the recording medium from contact start to 30 msec. sus. ½ in the Bristow method is less than 5 mL/m² as taught by Okuda for the purpose of printing on recording mediums obtained by coating a substrate with plastic or recording mediums provided with a coating layer.
Claim(s) 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamashita (JP2017213796) in view of Okuda (US 2015/0054883) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Kudo (JP 2022023352).
With regard to claim 9, Yamashita's modified ink jet recording method discloses all the limitations of claim 1, but does not disclose wherein the reaction liquid comprises at least one kind of water-soluble organic solvent selected from the group consisting of: 1,2-propanediol; 1,2-butanediol; 1,2-hexanediol; 1,3-butanediol; 1,4- butanediol; and 2,3-butanediol.
However, Kudo teaches a reaction liquid comprises any one selected from 1,2-propanediol, 1,2- butanediol and 2,3-butanediol as the organic solvent [Para. 0075].
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the reaction liquid to comprise at least one kind of water-soluble organic solvent selected from the group consisting of: 1,2-propanediol; 1,2-butanediol; 1,2-hexanediol; 1,3- butanediol; 1,4- butanediol; and 2,3-butanediol to improve film forming property of the resin and the treatment liquid [Para. 0078]
Claim(s) 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamashita (JP2017213796A) in view of Okuda (US 2015/0054883) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Fujii (US 2020/131394).
With regard to claim 11, Yamashita's modified ink recording method discloses all the limitations of claim 1 but does not disclose wherein the polyvalent metal salt comprises a water solubility at 20°C of 8% by mass or more to 30% by mass or less.
However, Fujii teaches an aqueous treatment liquid that contains 10% by mass or greater of a water-soluble organic solvent. [Para.0009]
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a include a polyvalent metal salt comprises a water solubility at 20°C of 8% by mass or more to 30% by mass or less in order to suppress curling of a base material in a case of using paper medium as the base material [Fujii – Para. 0012]
Claim(s) 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamashita (JP2017213796A) in view of Okuda (US 2015/0054883) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Watanabe (US 2021/062027)
With regard to claim 18, Yamashita’s modified ink jet recording method discloses all the limitations of claim 1 but does not disclose wherein an interval between the application of the reaction liquid to the recording medium in the reaction liquid applying step and the application of the aqueous ink to the recording medium in the ink applying step is 100 msec or more to 3,000 msec or less.
However, Watanabe teaches an interval between the application of the reaction liquid to the recording medium in the reaction liquid applying step and the application of the aqueous ink to the recording medium in the ink applying step is 100 msec or more to 3,000 msec or less. [Para. 0142]
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the recording method to apply the reaction liquid to the recording medium and the application of the aqueous ink to the recording medium at an interval of 100msec or more to 3,000 msec or less as taught by Watanabe for the purpose of line printing.
Claim(s) 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamashita (JP2017213796A) in view of Okuda (US 2015/0054883) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Hirato (US 2008/0024541).
With regard to claim 19, Yamashita’s modified ink jet recording method discloses all the limitations of claim 1, but does not disclose wherein a distance between an ejection orifice surface of (i) each of the first ejection head and the second ejection head and (ii) the recording medium is 0.5 mm or more to 4.0 mm or less.
However, Hirato teaches a distance (H2) between an ejection orifice of each of a first ejection head (21) and a second ejection head (21) and a recording medium (S) is 0.5 mm or more to 4.0 mm or less. [Para. 0047].
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize a distance between the ejection orifice of each of a first ejection head and a second ejection head and a recording medium at 0.5 mm or more to 4.0 mm or less for the purpose of performing image evaluation of the image formed by the inkjet apparatus and allowing a space for insertion of a test image formation sheet.
Claim(s) 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamashita (JP2017213796A) in view of Okuda (US 2015/0054883) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Asakawa (JP 2021016972).
With regard to claim 20, Yamashita’s modified ink jet recording method discloses all the limitations of claim 1, but does not disclose wherein a conveyance speed of the recording medium is 10 m/min or more to 50 m/min or less.
However, Asakawa teaches a conveyance speed of the recording medium is 10 m/min or more to 50 m/min or less [Para. 0143].
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize a conveyance speed of a recording medium at10 m/min or more to 50 m/min or less for the purpose of achieving excellent lamination resistance, hiding properties, abrasion resistance and image quality.
Conclusion
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/TRACEY M MCMILLION/Examiner, Art Unit 2853
/RICARDO I MAGALLANES/Supervisor Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2853