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
1. Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Claims 1-6,8,10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Takahashi et al. PGPub 2018/0339484.
Takahashi discloses, regarding claim 1, A medium processing apparatus (B) comprising:
a liquid applier (80) to apply liquid on at least one medium;
a post-processing device (B1) to perform a combination of:
various types of post-processes including: a liquid application crimp binding (via binding unit 60; see at least fig.2-4); and a crimp binding (via binding unit 60; see at least fig.2-4,21); and
various types of bindings including: a dual binding (binding at both positions “2”; see ¶0068); a parallel binding (binding at both positions “2”; see ¶0068); and an oblique binding (binding at positions R,F; see fig.3),
on a bundle of media including the at least one medium for a number of times (see at least ¶0068,0126,0145,0151); and
circuitry (fig.26) configured to change the number of times of the post-process according to the combination of: the various types of the post processes; and the various types of bindings, to be performed (see at least ¶0067,0068,0072,0145,0148).
Regarding claim 2, wherein the post-processing device includes a crimper (82,130) to perform a crimp binding, that presses and deforms the bundle of media in a thickness direction of the bundle of media to bind the bundle of media, for a number of times, as the post-processes (see at least fig.20-24), and the circuitry is further configured to change the number of times of the crimp binding (see at least ¶0068).
Regarding claim 3, wherein the circuitry is further configured to change a number of a liquid applications by the liquid applier in addition to change the number of the crimp bindings (see at least ¶0135, fig.24).
Regarding claim 4, further comprising a pivot assembly to pivot the post-processing device, wherein the circuitry is further configured to change the number of times of the crimp bindings according to a posture of the crimper changed by the pivot assembly (at least fig.3, ¶0068 discloses single binding obliquely (60R,F) or double binding on the side (60(2)) ).
Regarding claim 5, wherein the post-processing device includes a stapler (60sp) to perform a staple binding on the bundle of media (fig.27, ¶0151).
Regarding claim 6, wherein the circuitry is further configured to perform the crimp binding or the staple binding, according to a number of media in the bundle of media (¶0151 discloses performing crimp binding on when a small number of sheets is to be bound).
Regarding claim 8, wherein the circuitry is further configured to change the number of times of the post-processes according to a number of media in the bundle of media (see at least ¶0135).
Regarding claim 10, An image forming system (fig.1,2) comprising:
an image forming apparatus (A) including an image former to form images on the medium; and
the medium processing apparatus (B) according to claim 1 to perform the post-processes on the medium on which the image is formed by the image forming apparatus.
Allowable Subject Matter
5. Claims 7,9 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.
Conclusion
6. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Tanoue et al. (USP 10,926,970) discloses a medium processing apparatus comprising a post-processing device including a crimp binder (310), wherein the number of times of crimp binding processing is set by a user (see at least fig.9).
7. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LESLIE A. NICHOLSON III whose telephone number is (571)272-5487. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-4.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael C 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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/LESLIE A NICHOLSON III/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3653 1/16/2026