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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 3/17/2026 has been entered.
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 1-3, 15, 19, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tamura et al. US 2017/0259592 A1 (hereinafter “Tamura”).
Regarding claims 1 and 20 (method), Tamura, with reference to FIGS. 4, 5 and 13, discloses an uneven roller of having a surface coming into contact with a medium, on which liquid has been discharged, and on which surface is provided with a plurality of protrusions and recesses, the uneven roller comprising:
a shaft portion (71);
a reference portion (74 and 75) mounted on the shaft portion;
a ring portion (one of 73) that is mounted on the shaft portion and positioned further in a first direction than is the reference portion, the first direction being along an axial direction along which the shaft portion extends is and that is mounted on the shaft portion; and
a restriction portion (76) that is mounted on the shaft portion and positioned further in the first direction than the ring portion to restrict movement of the ring portion in the first direction, wherein
the ring portion is composed of a plurality of uneven rings (73) disposed along the axial direction, each uneven ring including a plurality of protrusion portions (73a) disposed along a circumferential direction and protruding in a radial direction of the shaft portion,
the plurality of uneven rings include a first uneven ring and a second uneven ring neighboring (adjacent) the first uneven ring in the first direction,
a plurality of protrusion portions of the first uneven ring and a plurality of protrusion portions of the second uneven ring are disposed at different positions in the circumferential direction (FIG. 13 and [0080]), and
the plurality of protrusion portions of the first uneven ring and the plurality of protrusion portions of the second uneven ring partially overlap with each other in the axial direction (FIG. 13 and [0080]).
Regarding claim 2, wherein the plurality of uneven rings constituting the ring portion have the same shape as each other.
Regarding claim 3, wherein the plurality of protrusion portions of the uneven ring are arranged in a row in the circumferential direction.
Regarding claim 15, a medium transportation device comprising: the uneven roller according to claim 1 that is rotationally driven; and a facing roller (refer to nip roller arrangement in FIG. 8) nipping, together with the uneven roller, a medium onto which liquid is discharged.
Regarding claim 19, Tamura discloses a plurality of uneven rings (73) constituting an uneven roller (one of 73), having a surface coming into contact with a medium, on which liquid is discharged, and on which surface is provided a plurality of protrusions and recesses, the plurality of uneven rings each,
configured to be mounted on a shaft portion (71) constituting the uneven roller and including a plurality of protrusion portions (73a) disposed along a circumferential direction, such that when a second uneven ring neighbors (adjacent) a first uneven ring in a first direction of an axial direction along which the shaft portion extends, the plurality of protrusion portions (73a) of the first uneven ring and the plurality of protrusion portions (73a) of the second uneven ring are disposed at different positions in the circumferential direction (FIG. 13 and [0080]), and the plurality of protrusion portions of the first uneven ring and the plurality of protrusion portions of the second uneven ring partially overlap with each other in the axial direction(FIG. 13 and [0080]).
Regarding claim 20, Tamura discloses a manufacturing method of an uneven roller having a surface coming into contact with a medium on which liquid is discharged, and which surface is provided with a plurality of protrusions and recesses, the manufacturing method comprising:
mounting a reference portion (75 and 74) on a shaft portion;
forming a ring portion by repeatedly sliding uneven rings (see FIG. 5), one after the other, onto the shaft portion toward the reference portion, each uneven ring having a respective plurality of protrusions portions (73A) disposed along a circumferential direction and protruding in a radial direction of the shaft portion, such that when a second uneven ring neighbors (adjacent) a first uneven ring in a first direction of an axial direction along which the shaft portion extends, the plurality of protrusion portions of the first uneven ring and the plurality of protrusion portions of the second uneven ring are disposed at different positions (FIG. 13 and [0080]) in the circumferential direction, and the plurality of protrusion portions of the first uneven ring and the plurality of protrusion portions of the second uneven ring partially overlap (FIG. 13 and [0080]) with each other in the axial direction; and
mounting, onto the shaft portion (71), a restriction portion (76) restricting movement of the ring portion in the first direction, such that the ring portion is restricted on the shaft portion between the reference portion and the restriction portion.
Claims 1-10, 13, 15, 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Itoh et al. US 2006/0071421 A1 (hereinafter “Itoh”).
Regarding claims 1 and 20 (method), Itoh, with reference to FIGS. 12A-12B, discloses an uneven roller of having a surface coming into contact with a medium, on which liquid has been discharged, and on which surface is provided with a plurality of protrusions and recesses, the uneven roller comprising:
a shaft portion (106);
a reference portion (107) mounted on the shaft portion;
a ring portion (one of 103) that is mounted on the shaft portion and positioned further in a first direction than is the reference portion, the first direction being along an axial direction along which the shaft portion extends is and that is mounted on the shaft portion; and
a restriction portion (109) that is mounted on the shaft portion and positioned further in the first direction than the ring portion to restrict movement of the ring portion in the first direction, wherein
the ring portion is composed of a plurality of uneven rings (103, FIG. 12B shows four) disposed along the axial direction, each uneven ring including a plurality of protrusion portions (labeled as projections 69 in other figures) disposed along a circumferential direction and protruding in a radial direction of the shaft portion,
the plurality of uneven rings include a first uneven ring and a second uneven ring neighboring (adjacent) the first uneven ring in the first direction,
a plurality of protrusion portions of the first uneven ring and a plurality of protrusion portions of the second uneven ring are disposed at different positions in the circumferential direction (notice staggered relationship of protrusions, wherein the nearest protrusions of one ring 103 to another ring are staggered in FIG. 12A and 12B) and
the plurality of protrusion portions of the first uneven ring and the plurality of protrusion portions of the second uneven ring partially overlap with each other in the axial direction (wherein non-staggered protrusions of one ring portion 103 overlap with the non-staggered protrusions of another ring 103).
Regarding claim 2, wherein the plurality of uneven rings constituting the ring portion have the same shape as each other.
Regarding claim 3, wherein the plurality of protrusion portions of the uneven ring are arranged in a row in the circumferential direction.
Regarding claim 4, wherein two of the uneven rings that are adjacent to each other are configured to engage with each other (by 104 and 105, refer to FIGS. 12A-12B).
Regarding claim 5, wherein the uneven ring includes a reference portion side (104) engaging portion configured to engage with the reference portion (by 105 of 107).
Regarding claim 6, wherein the uneven ring includes a restriction portion side (105) engaging portion configured to engage with the restriction portion (by 104 or 109).
Regarding claims 7 and 8, Itoh discloses the claimed invention, refer to rejection of claims 1 and 4-6 as a guide.
Regarding claim 9, wherein the uneven ring includes a base portion (78) into which the shaft portion is inserted, and the protrusion portions protruding in a radial direction of the shaft portion from the base portion, and the reference portion side engaging portion (104) is provided at the base portion.
Regarding claim 10, wherein the uneven ring includes a base portion (78) into which the shaft portion is inserted, and the protrusion portions protruding in a radial direction of the shaft portion from the base portion, and the restriction portion side (105) engaging portion is provided at the base portion.
Regarding claim 13, wherein the restriction portion is pressed (by adjacent ring 103) in a second direction which is a direction opposite to the first direction.
Regarding claim 15, A medium transportation device comprising: the uneven roller according to claim 1 that is rotationally driven; and a facing roller (nip roller arrangement in FIG. 2) nipping, together with the uneven roller, a medium onto which liquid is discharged.
Regarding claim 17, a post-processing apparatus (14) coupled to a recording apparatus (13).
Regarding claim 18, a relay apparatus (under 14, comprising 46, in FIG. 1)
Regarding claim 19, Itoh discloses the claimed invention, refer to rejection of claim 1 as a guide.
Regarding claim 20, Itoh discloses the claimed invention, refer to rejection of claim 1 as a guide.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claims 17 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tamura in view of Kodama US 2018/0015747 A1 (hereinafter “Kodama”).
Tamura teaches the claimed invention except for a "post-processing apparatus" (claim 17) or for "a relay apparatus" (claim 18) comprising the uneven roller. Kodama employs the uneven roller (FIG. 6) feeding sheets in a relay apparatus and post-processing apparatus (500 in FIG. 1)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to employ Tamura's uneven roller arrangement in a the same setting as Kodama Uchida, for the predictable result of feeding sheets requiring relay and post-processing.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11-12 and 16 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 and any intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1, 7, 19 and 20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LUIS A GONZALEZ whose telephone number is (571)270-3094. The examiner can normally be reached 9am-5:30pm.
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/LUIS A GONZALEZ/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3653