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 .
Amendment received 4/24/26 was entered into the record.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 12, 13, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 12 recites the limitation "the frame" three times in the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claims 13 and 17 are rejected by virtue of their dependency.
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.
As best understood, claim(s) 12, 13, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Khovaylo et al. US 6,065,747 (“Khovaylo”).
Regarding claim 12, Khovaylo disclosed a printing device, comprising a decurling surface for decurling a sheet of print medium at an outlet of a printing device,
wherein the decurling surface comprises a first curved surface (256) at a first position on the frame to receive only a first leading corner of the sheet of print medium, a second curved surface at a second position on the frame to receive only a second leading corner of the sheet of print medium (see the mirrored component to which 256 is indicated in Figure 13),
wherein the first position and the second position are separate and different positions on the frame (Figure 13), and
wherein the first curved surface and the second curved surface comprise a curved sloping surface (Figure 13).
Regarding claim 13, Khovaylo disclosed an intermediate curved surface (265) at an intermediate position on the frame between the first curved surface and the second curved surface.
Regarding claim 17, Khovaylo disclosed a first height of at least one of the first curved surface and a second height of the second sloping surface increases in an advancing direction of the sheet of print medium and a direction perpendicular to the advancing direction (see Figure 13).
As best understood, claim(s) 1, 5-8, 10-14, 16, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Takatsu et al. US 2016/0062297 (“Takatsu”).
Regarding claim 1, Takatsu disclosed a decurling assembly for decurling a sheet of print medium at an outlet of a printing device, the decurling assembly comprising
a frame (200) attachable to a sheet collecting tray (including 100, 230) at an outlet of a printing device (Figure 1),
a first corner component (401a) mounted on the frame, comprising a first sloping surface to receive only a first corner of a leading edge of a sheet of print medium issued by the printing device, and
a second corner component (401d) mounted on the frame, comprising a second sloping surface to receive only a second corner of a leading edge of the sheet of print medium issued by the printing device,
wherein the first corner component and the second corner component are separate and different components, and
wherein the first and second sloping surfaces comprise a curved sloping surface (see Figures 4 and 6).
Regarding claim 5, Takatsu disclosed an intermediate component (401b) between the first corner component and the second corner component, the intermediate component comprising a sloping surface to receive a portion of a leading edge of the sheet of print medium between the first leading corner and the second leading corner (Figure 6).
Regarding claim 6, Takatsu disclosed a stopper (401b) between the first corner component and the second corner component to stop advancement of a sheet of print medium.
Regarding claim 7, Takatsu disclosed the first and second corner component are displaceable along a length of the frame, that is they are capable of being disassembled because they are separate components and made to move along the length, see MPEP 2114.
Regarding claim 8, Takatsu disclosed the intermediate component sloping surface comprises a convex sloping surface (Figures 4 and 6).
Regarding claim 10, Takatsu disclosed the first and second corner components are slidably connected to the frame (see at least Figure 6).
Regarding claim 11, Takatsu disclosed the first and second corner components are connected to the frame via a releasable connection mechanism (see at least Figures 6-8).
Regarding claim 12, Takatsu disclosed a printing device, comprising a decurling surface for decurling a sheet of print medium at an outlet of a printing device,
wherein the decurling surface comprises a first curved surface (401a) at a first position on the frame to receive only a first leading corner of the sheet of print medium, a second curved surface (401d) at a second position on the frame to receive only a second leading corner of the sheet of print medium,
wherein the first position and the second position are separate and different positions on a frame (Figure 4), and
wherein the first curved surface and the second curved surface comprise a curved sloping surface (Figure 6).
Regarding claim 13, Takatsu disclosed an intermediate curved surface (401b) at an intermediate position on the frame between the first curved surface and the second curved surface.
Regarding claim 14, Takatsu disclosed a method for printing a sheet of print medium on a printing device, comprising:
feeding the sheet of print medium to a print engine and outputting the sheet of print medium through an outlet, providing a stacking surface at an outlet of a printing device to receive portions of a leading edge of the sheet of print medium (see at least Figures 1-3), wherein the stacking surface comprises a plurality of sloping components (401a, 401d) comprising a curved surface to receive portions of a leading edge of a sheet of print medium, at least two of the plurality of sloping components being corner components that only receive respective corners of the sheet of print medium (Figure 6). The first and second corner components are separate and different components (see Figure 6). At least two of the plurality of sloping components comprise a curved sloping surface (Figure 6).
Regarding claim 16, Takatsu disclosed at least one of a first height of at least one of the first sloping surface and a second height of the second sloping surface increases in an advancing direction of the sheet of print medium and a direction perpendicular to the advancing direction (Figure 6).
Regarding claim 17, Takatsu disclosed a first height of at least one of the first curved surface and a second height of the second sloping surface increases in an advancing direction of the sheet of print medium and a direction perpendicular to the advancing direction (see Figure 6).
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, 3-6, 8, 9, and 14-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Khovaylo et al. US 6,065,747 (“Khovaylo”).
Regarding claims 1 and 14, Khovaylo disclosed a decurling assembly for decurling a sheet of print medium at an outlet of a printing device, the decurling assembly comprising
a frame (including 264, 262) attachable to a sheet collecting tray (232) at an outlet of a printing device (Figure 13),
a first corner component (one of 256) mounted on the frame, comprising a first sloping surface to receive only a first corner of a leading edge of a sheet of print medium issued by the printing device, and
a second corner component (the other mirrored component of 256, see Figure 13) mounted on the frame, comprising a second sloping surface to receive only a second corner of a leading edge of the sheet of print medium issued by the printing device,
wherein the first and second sloping surfaces comprise a curved sloping surface (see Figure 13).
Khovaylo disclosed a method for printing a sheet of print medium on a printing device, comprising:
feeding the sheet of print medium to a print engine and outputting the sheet of print medium through an outlet, providing a stacking surface at an outlet of a printing device to receive portions of a leading edge of the sheet of print medium, wherein the stacking surface comprises a plurality of sloping components (256) comprising a curved surface to receive portions of a leading edge of a sheet of print medium, at least two of the plurality of sloping components being corner components that only receive respective corners of the sheet of print medium (see at least Figure 13 and column 1 of the disclosure).
Khovaylo depicts the first and second corner components (256) as parts that are connected. Nevertheless, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have the first and second corner components that are separate and different components. Fabrication and assembly could be simplified allowing individual components to be manufactured and replaced as necessary. Furthermore, it has been held that making unitary parts separable as separate and different components is obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art. See MPEP 2144.04.
Regarding claim 3, Khovaylo disclosed the first and second sloping surfaces comprise a concave sloping surface (Figure 13).
Regarding claim 4, Khovaylo disclosed the first and second sloping surfaces comprise a curved concave sloping surface (Figure 13).
Regarding claim 5, Khovaylo disclosed an intermediate component (265) between the first corner component and the second corner component, the intermediate component comprising a sloping surface to receive a portion of a leading edge of the sheet of print medium between the first leading corner and the second leading corner (Figure 13).
Regarding claim 6, Khovaylo disclosed a stopper (265) between the first corner component and the second corner component to stop advancement of a sheet of print medium.
Regarding claim 8, Khovaylo disclosed the intermediate component sloping surface comprises a convex sloping surface (Figure 13).
Regarding claim 9, Khovaylo disclosed the first corner component and the second corner component comprise a backstop (260) to stop advancement of a sheet of print medium.
Regarding claim 15, Khovaylo does not seem discuss reprinting on a discharged sheet. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to provide the discharged sheet to the printing device for printing on the second side of the sheet of print medium. Reprinting to produce double sided printing reduces wasted paper and is entirely well-known to those of ordinary skill in the art.
Regarding claim 16, Khovaylo disclosed at least one of a first height of at least one of the first sloping surface and a second height of the second sloping surface increases in an advancing direction of the sheet of print medium and a direction perpendicular to the advancing direction (Figure 13).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claim(s) have been considered but are moot because of the new grounds of adjusted rejections necessitated by the amendment.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HOWARD J SANDERS whose telephone number is (571)270-3096. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-5:00.
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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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/HOWARD J SANDERS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3653
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