DETAILED ACTION
The Amendment filed 4/6/2026 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 11-14, 21-22, and 25-27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Colla (US 7,022,057).
Regarding independent claim 11, Colla discloses a controller for a pouch-making machine for manufacturing a pouch (see title) while feeding a pair of film materials (3, 4) each provided with a reference mark ( 12, 13) that indicates a reference position for layering the film materials together, the controller comprising: a driven roller shift unit (see at least col. 3, line 35 – col. 4, line 10) that independently shifts a shaft of each of a pair of driven rollers (8) that are rotated by the pair of film materials being fed; and a control unit (10) that controls the driven roller shift unit based on a result of an image- shooting unit (14, 15) that shoots images of the reference marks, such that positions of the reference marks provided on the pair of film materials coincide.
Regarding independent claim 26, Colla discloses a control method for a pouch-making machine for manufacturing a pouch (see title) while feeding a pair of film materials(3, 4) each provided with a reference mark (12, 13) that indicates a reference position for layering the film materials together, the control method comprising: a first step of an image-shooting unit (14, 15) shooting images of the reference marks provided on the pair of film materials (see at least col. 3, line 35 – col. 4, line 10); and a second step of, based on a result of the image-shooting unit shooting images of the reference marks, controlling independent shifting of a shaft of each of a pair of driven rollers (8) that are rotated by the pair of film materials being fed, such that positions of the reference marks provided on the pair of film materials coincide (see at least col. 3, line 35 – col. 4, line 10).
Regarding independent claim 27, Colla discloses a control program for a pouch-making machine for manufacturing a pouch (see title) while feeding a pair of film materials (3, 4) each provided with a reference mark (12, 13) that indicates a reference position for layering the film materials together, the control program causing a computer to execute: a first step of an image-shooting unit (14, 15) shooting images of the reference marks provided on the pair of film materials; and a second step of, based on a result of the image-shooting unit shooting images of the reference marks, controlling independent shifting of a shaft of each of a pair of driven rollers (8) that are rotated being driven by the pair of film materials being fed, such that positions of the reference marks provided on the pair of film materials coincide (see at least col. 3, line 35 – col. 4, line 10).
Regarding dependent claims 12, 13, 14, 21, 22, and 25 Colla discloses that the driven roller shift unit independently shifts each shaft of the pair of driven rollers at each end (see Fig. 1 and at least col. 4, lines 5-10). In response to determining that either of the reference marks on the film materials is misaligned in the film materials' feed direction the control unit shifts both ends of the shaft of the driven roller corresponding to the film material where the misalignment is occurring depending on the misalignment (see Fig. 1 and at least col. 4, lines 5-10). The pair of driven rollers are installed upstream of and adjacent to a feed roller (21 or 22) that layers together and feeds the pair of film materials.
Claim(s) 11-14, 21, 23, and 25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Ohnishi et al. (US 12,180,022).
Regarding independent claim 11, Ohnishi discloses a controller for a pouch-making machine for manufacturing a pouch (see col. 1, lines 5-10) while feeding a pair of film materials (1, 2) each provided with a reference mark (41) that indicates a reference position for layering the film materials together, the controller comprising: a driven roller shift unit (19, 46) that independently shifts a shaft of each of a pair of driven rollers (18, 44) that are rotated by the pair of film materials being fed; and a control unit (15) that controls the driven roller shift unit based on a result of an image- shooting unit (33) that shoots images of the reference marks, such that positions of the reference marks provided on the pair of film materials coincide.
Regarding independent claim 26, Ohnishi discloses a control method for a pouch-making machine for manufacturing a pouch (see col. 1, lines 5-10) while feeding a pair of film materials (1, 2) each provided with a reference mark (47) that indicates a reference position for layering the film materials together, the control method comprising: a first step of an image-shooting unit (33, 31) shooting images of the reference marks provided on the pair of film materials; and a second step of, based on a result of the image-shooting unit shooting images of the reference marks, controlling independent shifting of a shaft of each of a pair of driven rollers (18, 44) that are rotated by the pair of film materials being fed, so that positions of the reference marks provided on the pair of film materials coincide.
Regarding independent claim 27, Ohnishi discloses a control program for a pouch-making machine for manufacturing a pouch (see col. 1, lines 5-10) while feeding a pair of film materials (1, 2) each provided with a reference mark (47) that indicates a reference position for layering the film materials together, the control program causing a computer to execute: a first step of an image-shooting unit (33, 31) shooting images of the reference marks provided on the pair of film materials; and a second step of, based on a result of the image-shooting unit shooting images of the reference marks, controlling independent shifting of a shaft of each of a pair of driven rollers (18, 44) that are rotated by the pair of film materials being fed, such that positions of the reference marks provided on the pair of film materials coincide.
Regarding dependent claims 12, 13, 14, 22, 23, and 25 Ohnishi discloses that the driven roller shift unit independently shifts each shaft of the pair of driven rollers at each end (see at least col. 7, lines 20-55). In response to determining that either of the reference marks on the film materials is misaligned in the film materials' feed direction the control unit shifts both ends of the shaft of the driven roller corresponding to the film material where the misalignment is occurring depending on the misalignment (see at least col. 7, lines 20-55). The pair of driven rollers are installed upstream of and adjacent to a feed roller (22) that layers together and feeds the pair of film materials (see Fig. 5B). The image-shooting unit is installed in the film materials’ path downstream of a feed roller that layers together and feeds the pair of film materials and forward of where the pair of film materials are sealed (see Fig. 5B).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 15-20 and 24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Colla (US 7,022,057) in view of French (US 3,339,817). Colla discloses a controller for a pouch-making machine for manufacturing a pouch (see title) while feeding a pair of film materials (3, 4) each provided with a reference mark ( 12, 13) that indicates a reference position for layering the film materials together, the controller comprising: a driven roller shift unit (see at least col. 3, line 35 – col. 4, line 10) that independently shifts a shaft of each of a pair of driven rollers (8) that are rotated by the pair of film materials being fed; and a control unit (10) that controls the driven roller shift unit based on a result of an image- shooting unit (14, 15) that shoots images of the reference marks, such that positions of the reference marks provided on the pair of film materials coincide. Colla further discloses that the driven roller shift unit independently shifts each shaft of the pair of driven rollers at each end (see Fig. 1 and at least col. 4, lines 5-10); and in response to determining that either of the reference marks on the film materials is misaligned in the film materials' feed direction the control unit shifts both ends of the shaft of the driven roller corresponding to the film material where the misalignment is occurring depending on the misalignment (see Fig. 1 and at least col. 4, lines 5-10). Colla discloses all the limitations of the claims, but it does not disclose that in response to determining that either of the reference marks on the film materials is misaligned in the film materials' width direction, the control unit shifts one end of the shaft of the driven roller corresponding to the film material where the misalignment is occurring depending on the misalignment. However, French discloses a similar control unit in which in response to determining that either reference marks on one of two film materials is misaligned in the film materials' width direction, the control unit shifts one end of the shaft of a driven roller corresponding to the film material where the misalignment is occurring depending on the misalignment (see col. 3, lines 40-55) for the purpose of controlling the alignment of webs to be superimposed in both the feed direction and the width direction. It would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the applicant’s invention to modify Colla by having the control unit shifts one end of the shaft of the driven roller corresponding to the film material where the misalignment is occurring depending on the misalignment, as disclosed by French, for the purpose of controlling the alignment of webs to be superimposed in both the feed direction and the width direction.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 4/6/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The applicant states that Colla does not disclose a “pair of driven rollers” as recited by the independent claims. The examiner disagrees with the applicant. In at least Fig. 1, Colla discloses a pair of driven rollers (see annotated Fig.1 below).
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The applicant states that Colla does not disclose “a mechanism that independently shifts a shaft of each of a pair of driven rollers”. The examiner disagrees with the applicant. To begin with, the examiner notes that the claim 11 recites “a driven roller shift unit that independently shifts a shaft of each of a pair of driven rollers.” In at least col. 3, line 35 – col. 4, line 10, Colla discloses “a driven roller shift unit that independently shifts a shaft of each of a pair of driven rollers.”
The applicant states that “Ohnishi is also silent about the above limitations.” The examiner disagrees with the applicant. Ohnishi discloses a driven roller shift unit (19, 46) that independently shifts a shaft of each of a pair of driven rollers (18, 44) that are rotated by the pair of film materials being fed.
The applicant states that there is no evidence that suggest a person of ordinary skill in the art would have modified Colla in a way that arrives at the claimed invention. The examiner disagrees with the applicant. It would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the applicant’s invention to modify Colla by having the control unit shifts one end of the shaft of the driven roller corresponding to the film material where the misalignment is occurring depending on the misalignment, as disclosed by French, for the purpose of controlling the alignment of webs to be superimposed in both the feed direction and the width direction.
The applicant states that French and Colla are directed to different technical fields. The examiner disagrees with the applicant. Both French and Colla are directed to the field of aligning moving webs.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PATRICK HEWEY MACKEY whose telephone number is (571)272-6916. The examiner can normally be reached M - F 9-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael 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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/PATRICK H MACKEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3653
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