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 .
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 1-15 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites the phrase: “the second lens being disposed on a side opposite to a side where the first lens is disposed as a boundary of the rotational polygon mirror with respect as viewed in the axial direction of the rotation shaft of the rotational polygon mirror”. It is unclear whether what is meant by “as a boundary of the rotational polygon mirror”. However, it is believed that this language is intended to convey that first and second lens are at opposite sides of the polygon mirror (see, e.g., FIGS. 2 and 4). Thus, for examination, this phrase will be treated as: “the second lens being disposed on a side opposite to a side where the first lens is disposed when the rotational polygon mirror is a boundary between the sides and when viewed in the axial direction of the rotation shaft of the rotational polygon mirror”.
Claims 2-15 inherit the deficiencies of Claim 1.
Appropriate correction is required.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-15, as best understood, would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejections based on 35 USC 112(b) explained above.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter.
With respect to Claim 1, although the prior art discloses various optical scanning devices, including:
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The prior art does not appear to further disclose or suggest the above features further comprising the combined features of:
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With respect to Claims 2-15, these claims each depend from Claim 1, and are therefore allowable for at least the reasons stated above.
Related Art
The following references are cited to show examples of scanning devices utilizing polygonal mirrors and light shielding members, but which do not otherwise disclose or suggest the claimed invention: (1) U.S. Pat. No. 5,539,447 of Akuta et al., and (2) U.S. Pat. No. 11,747,610 of Sakaue et al.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RYAN S DUNNING whose telephone number is 571-272-4879. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Friday 10:30AM to 7:00PM Eastern Time Zone. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, BUMSUK WON can be reached at 571-272-2713. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/RYAN S DUNNING/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
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