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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been received.
Information Disclosure Statement
The Information Disclosure Statements (IDS’s) submitted on 04 December 2023 & 14 May 2024 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the Information Disclosure Statements have been considered by the Examiner.
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.
Claims 1 & 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being clearly anticipated by NAKAYAMA (US 2020/0180311 A1).
As related to independent claim 1, NAKAYAMA teaches a head chip comprising: an ejection section having a plurality of jet channels which extends in a first direction, and which is arranged in a second direction crossing the first direction, and electrodes formed on inner surfaces of the jet channels (NAKAYAMA – Page 3, Paragraphs 58-64; Page 12, Paragraphs 174-180; and Figure 22, Reference #40A, #C3e, #Z,& #X and Figure 24, Reference #C3e, #Edc, & #Eda, both shown below); a jet hole plate [i.e. nozzle plate] which has a plurality of jet holes individually communicated with the plurality of jet channels, and which is arranged at a first side in the first direction of the ejection section (NAKAYAMA – Figures 22 & 24, Reference #41, #H3, & #Z, shown below); a return plate which has a plurality of communication channels configured to individually communicate the plurality of jet channels and the plurality of jet holes with each other, and which is arranged between the ejection section and the jet hole plate in the first direction (NAKAYAMA – Figures 22 & 24, Reference #47, #H3, & #Z, shown below); a flow channel plate which has a manifold communicated in a lump with the plurality of communication channels, and which is arranged at one side in a third direction crossing the second direction when viewed from the first direction with respect to the ejection section (NAKAYAMA – Page 12, Paragraph 174 – Page 13, Paragraph 186; Figures 22 & 24, Reference #44, #442, #Y, #X, & #Z, shown below); and a protective film formed throughout the inner surfaces of the jet channels and inner surfaces of the communication channels (NAKAYAMA – Page 6, Paragraphs 104-108; Page 14, Paragraph 195; Figure 24, Reference #P, shown below), wherein the communication channels each include: an upstream opening communicated with a channel opening which opens toward the first side in the first direction in the jet channel (NAKAYAMA – Page 12, Paragraph 174 – Page 13, Paragraph 186; Figure 22, Reference Between #C3e and #47, shown below), a downstream opening communicated with a manifold opening which opens toward the first side in the first direction in the manifold (NAKAYAMA – Page 12, Paragraph 174 – Page 13, Paragraph 186; Figure 22, Reference Below #442 & #Z, shown below), and a connecting part which extends in the third direction, and which is configured to connect the upstream opening and the downstream opening to each other [i.e. the section of the communication channel between the upstream opening and the downstream opening] (NAKAYAMA – Figure 22, Reference #Y, shown below), and the return plate is bonded to the ejection section so that at least a part of an opening edge in the upstream opening is arranged at an outer side when viewed from the first direction with respect to an opening edge of the channel opening (NAKAYAMA – Page 6, Paragraphs 103-108; Page 14, Paragraphs 194-195; Figure 22, Reference #Z, shown below).
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As related to dependent claim 7, NAKAYAMA teaches the electrodes are formed on inner side surfaces facing each other in the second direction out of the inner surfaces of the jet channels, and a dimension in the second direction in the opening edge of the upstream opening is smaller than a dimension in the second direction in the opening edge of the channel opening (NAKAYAMA – Page 5, Paragraphs 100-102; Figure 22, shown above; & Figure 21, shown below).
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As related to dependent claim 8, NAKAYAMA teaches a liquid jet head comprising the head chip (NAKAYAMA – Page 12, Paragraphs 174-180 and Figure 22, Reference #4B, shown above).
As related to dependent claim 9, NAKAYAMA teaches a liquid jet recording device [i.e. printer] comprising the liquid jet head (NAKAYAMA – Page 2, Paragraph 53 – Page 3, Paragraph 64).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-6 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim [claim 1] and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: As related to dependent claim 2, the prior art of record does not specifically teach the detailed limitations of the location of the first upstream edge part at the one side in the third direction when viewed from the first direction with respect to the first channel which is located as claimed.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Sugahara (US 2007/0064052 A1) teaches a head chip for use in a liquid jet recording device with a first upstream edge part located along the one side in the third direction with respect to a first channel edge part. Seto (US 2008/0284825 A1) teaches a liquid droplet ejecting head having edges of openings that are located at sides in the various directions. HIRATA et al. (US 2021/0162757 A1) teaches a head chip for use in a liquid jet recording device with a first upstream part sloping relative to a first channel edge part.
Examiner's Note: Examiner has cited particular Figures & Reference Numbers, Columns, Paragraphs and Line Numbers in the references as applied to the claims above for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings of the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested from the applicant in preparing responses, to fully consider the references in their entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the Examiner should be directed to JOHN P ZIMMERMANN whose telephone number is (571)270-3049. The Examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 0700-1730 EST.
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If attempts to reach the Examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the Examiner’s supervisor, Stephen Meier can be reached at (571) 272-2149. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/John P Zimmermann/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853