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
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 03/27/2024. The submission is
in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure
statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1 and 2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Takatsuka et al (US 2007/0115311 A1).
Regarding claim 1, A recording device (Image forming apparatus 110; Fig. 3) comprising:
a liquid discharge head configured to discharge liquid to a medium (liquid ejection head 50 discharges liquid to a record medium 116; (Fig. 1; paragraph 0046 and 0151), the liquid discharge head being elongated in a medium width direction (the liquid ejection head 50 being in the medium width direction that is the main scanning direction M; Fig. 1; Paragraph 0046), the medium width direction being a direction intersecting a medium conveying direction (the medium conveying direction being the sub scanning direction S which is intersecting with the main scanning direction M; Fig. 1; Paragraph 0046); and
a cap portion configured to cover a head surface of the liquid discharge head (cap portion is the liquid receptacle 70 which states “is used in a capping process, which hermetically seals (caps) the nozzle face 510 so as to prevent evaporation of the liquid from the nozzles 51 of the liquid ejection head 50” (paragraph 0158) while the head surface is the nozzle face 510 and liquid ejection head 50; Fig. 15A-E; Paragraph 0158), wherein
the cap portion (liquid receptacle 70; Paragraph 0158; Fig. 15A-E) includes
a first edge portion extending in the medium width direction (first edge portion being the sealing member 74 on the left that extends in the main scanning direction M; Fig. 9), the first edge portion being a portion configured to come into contact with the head surface (left sealing member 74 is configured to contact the nozzle face 510; Fig. 15A), and
a second edge portion located downstream of the first edge portion in the medium conveying direction and extending in the medium width direction (second edge portion being the sealing member 74 on right of the figure and it is located in the sub scanning direction S on another end and extends in the main scanning direction M), the second edge portion being a portion configured to come into contact with the head surface (the second right sealing member 74 comes into contact with the nozzle face 510; Figs. 15A-E),
one of the first edge portion and the second edge portion is provided with a wiper extending in the medium width direction and being elastically deformable (First left sealing member 74 is provided with the wiper 75 which extends in the main scanning direction and the wipers 75 are made of an elastic; Figs. 15A-15E; Paragraph 0132),
the cap portion is movable, by moving along the medium conveying direction by power of a first motor (the liquid receptacle 70 is movable through the liquid receptacle movement unit 226 in both directions in the horizontal direction, the liquid receptacle movement unit 226 includes a motor; paragraph 0105; Fig. 6), to a first position at which the cap portion faces the head surface and a second position to which the cap portion retreats from the first position (the standby position in which the liquid receptacle 70 is moved with respect to the nozzle face 510 and moves to a second position away from the nozzle face 510 using the vertical movement and horizontal movement of the liquid receptacle movement unit 226; paragraphs 0146 and 0155; Figs. 15A – 15E), and
the wiper wipes the head surface when the cap portion moves from the first position to the second position in a state in which the wiper is configured to come into contact with the head surface (the wipers 75 wipe the nozzle face 510 when the liquid receptacle 70 moves from the standby position to the second position where wipers 75 comes into contact with the nozzle face 510 during the horizontal movement; Figs 15A – 15E; Paragraph 0164).
Regarding claim 2, The recording device (image forming apparatus 110; Fig. 3) according to claim 1, wherein
the wiper is provided at the first edge portion (the wiper 75 is provided at the first left sealing member; Fig. 9) and
the second position of the cap portion is located downstream of the first position in the medium conveying direction (second position of the liquid receptacle 70 is located downstream of the first standby position in the sub scanning direction S; Figs. 15A and 15E).
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 3 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takatsuka et al (US 2007/0115311 A1) in view of Kobayashi (US 6273546 B1).
Regarding claim 3, Takatsuka teaches A recording device (Image forming apparatus 110; Fig. 3) comprising:
a liquid discharge head configured to discharge liquid to a medium (liquid ejection head 50 discharges liquid to a record medium 116; (Fig. 1; paragraph 0046 and 0151), the liquid discharge head being elongated in a medium width direction (the liquid ejection head 50 being in the medium width direction that is the main scanning direction M; Fig. 1; Paragraph 0046), the medium width direction being a direction intersecting a medium conveying direction (the medium conveying direction being the sub scanning direction S which is intersecting with the main scanning direction M; Fig. 1; Paragraph 0046); and
a cap portion configured to cover a head surface of the liquid discharge head (cap portion is the liquid receptacle 70 which states “is used in a capping process, which hermetically seals (caps) the nozzle face 510 so as to prevent evaporation of the liquid from the nozzles 51 of the liquid ejection head 50” (paragraph 0158) while the head surface is the nozzle face 510 and liquid ejection head 50; Fig. 15A-E; Paragraph 0158), wherein
the cap portion (liquid receptacle 70; Paragraph 0158; Fig. 15A-E) includes
a first edge portion extending in the medium width direction (first edge portion being the sealing member 74 on the left that extends in the main scanning direction M; Fig. 9), the first edge portion being a portion configured to come into contact with the head surface (left sealing member 74 is configured to contact the nozzle face 510; Fig. 15A), and
a second edge portion located downstream of the first edge portion in the medium conveying direction and extending in the medium width direction (second edge portion being the sealing member 74 on right of the figure and it is located in the sub scanning direction S on another end and extends in the main scanning direction M), the second edge portion being a portion configured to come into contact with the head surface (the second right sealing member 74 comes into contact with the nozzle face 510; Figs. 15A-E),
the cap portion is movable, by moving along the medium conveying direction by power of a first motor (the liquid receptacle 70 is movable through the liquid receptacle movement unit 226 in both directions in the horizontal direction, the liquid receptacle movement unit 226 includes a motor; paragraph 0105; Fig. 6), to a first position at which the cap portion faces the head surface and a second position to which the cap portion retreats from the first position (the standby position in which the liquid receptacle 70 is moved with respect to the nozzle face 510 and moves to a second position away from the nozzle face 510 using the vertical movement and horizontal movement of the liquid receptacle movement unit 226; paragraphs 0146 and 0155; Figs. 15A – 15E), and
the wiper wipes the head surface when the cap portion moves from the first position to the second position in a state in which the wiper is configured to come into contact with the head surface (the wipers 75 wipe the nozzle face 510 when the liquid receptacle 70 moves from the standby position to the second position where first left sealing member 74 comes into contact with the nozzle face 510 during the horizontal movement; Figs 15A – 15E; Paragraph 0164).
Takatsuka fails to teach a distance between the first edge portion and the head surface is shorter than a distance between the second edge portion and the head surface in a state in which the cap portion is at the first position and the cap portion is separated from the liquid discharge head, and.
However, Kobayashi teaches a distance between the first edge portion and the head surface is shorter than a distance between the second edge portion and the head surface in a state in which the cap portion is at the first position and the cap portion is separated from the liquid discharge head (head 7 is separated from the cap 65 at its first predetermined position, which has a first edge portion that is the left edge of the cap 65 shown in Figure 8b below and a second edge portion that is the right edge of the cap 65 shown in Figure 8b below, the distance h1 between the left edge and the head 7 is shorter than the distance h1 than the distance h2 between the right edge and the head 7; Figs. 8b, 8a, 9a-9c; paragraph 13-16), and.
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Takatsuka and Kobayashi are considered analogous to the art because they are in the same field involving inkjet printers involving a printer head covered by a cap portion. Therefore, it would be obvious for someone with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the cap portion taught by Takatsuka to also apply an angle to the cap portion to balance the force of bringing the caps in contact with the recording heads. This would have been done for the purpose of improving the contact force and the resiliency of the pressing force (Kobayashi, Col 6, line 66- Col. 7, line 28).
Regarding claim 4, Takatsuka teaches the recording device (image forming apparatus 110; Fig. 3) according to claim 3, wherein
the second edge portion is located downstream of the first edge portion in the medium conveying direction (the second right sealing member 74 is located downstream of the first left sealing member 74 in the sub scanning direction S; Figs. 15A and 15E) and
the second position of the cap portion is located downstream of the first position in the medium conveying direction (second position of the liquid receptacle 70 is located downstream of the first standby position in the sub scanning direction S; Figs. 15A and 15E).
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takatsuka et al (US 2007/0115311 A1) in view of Taira (US 2013/0010028 A1).
Regarding claim 5, Takatsuka teaches the recording device (image forming apparatus 110; Fig. 3) according to claim 2, further comprising
the liquid discharge head is movable, by moving in a direction of advancing and retreating with respect to the cap portion by power of a third motor (liquid ejection head 50 performs a reciprocal back and forth movement with respect to the liquid receptacle 70 using the actuator drive unit 254; Paragraphs 0079 and 0149; Fig. 14), to a liquid discharge position being a position of the liquid discharge head when recording is performed on the medium (liquid ejection head 50 moves to a liquid discharging position; Fig. 3), a cap position being a position of the liquid discharge head when the head surface is covered by the cap portion after the liquid discharge head advances to the cap portion (liquid ejection head 50 moves to a liquid receptacle covering the head position; Fig. 15D), and a wiping position being a position of the liquid discharge head when the head surface is wiped (liquid ejection head 50 moves to a wiping position; Fig. 15E), and
Takatsuka fails to teach a facing portion disposed facing the liquid discharge head,
wherein
the facing portion is movable, by moving along the medium conveying direction by power of a second motor, to a recording position being a position of the facing portion when recording is performed on a medium and at which the facing portion faces the liquid discharge head, and a retreat position being a position to which the facing portion retreats from the recording position and that is downstream of the recording position in the medium conveying direction,
the cap portion located at the first position is located below the facing portion at the recording position,
the head surface is wiped when the cap portion moves from the first position to the second position in a state in which the facing portion is located at the retreat position and the liquid discharge head is located at the wiping position.
However, Taira teaches a facing portion disposed facing the liquid discharge head (platen 51 is disposed facing the head 10; Fig. 1; Paragraph 0045),
wherein
the facing portion is movable, by moving along the medium conveying direction by power of a second motor (platen 51 moves along the sub-scanning direction which is the conveying direction using the power of a rotor 58; Fig. 1; paragraph 0034), to a recording position being a position of the facing portion when recording is performed on a medium and at which the facing portion faces the liquid discharge head (platen 51 at a recording position when the platen 51 faces the head 10; Fig. 1), and a retreat position being a position to which the facing portion retreats from the recording position and that is downstream of the recording position in the medium conveying direction (platen 51 is rotated in the sub-scanning direction away from the recording position during the maintenance mode; Fig. 1; Paragraph 0044 – 0046),
the cap portion located at the first position is located below the facing portion at the recording position (cap fixation member 57 at the recording position is below the platen 51; Fig. 1; Paragraph 0044 – 0045),
the head surface is wiped when the cap portion moves from the first position to the second position in a state in which the facing portion is located at the retreat position and the liquid discharge head is located at the wiping position (ejection face 10a is wiped using the annular member 54 that is elastic when the cap fixation member 57 is moved in the main-scanning direction while in the distant position and the contact position; Fig. 5 and 6A-6B; Paragraph 0048-0049).
Takatsuka and Taira are considered analogous to the art because they are in the same field involving inkjet printers involving a printer head covered by a cap portion. Therefore, it would be obvious for someone with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the inkjet printer of Takatsuka to add a facing portion in order to support the sheet while facing the ejecting face. This would have been done for the purpose of having a support to reliably hold the sheet (Taira, paragraph 0045).
Claims 6 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takatsuka et al (US 2007/0115311 A1) in view of Taira (US 2013/0010028 A1), further in view of Tanabe (US 2013/0135387 A1).
Regarding claim 6, Takatsuka as modified above teaches the recording device (image forming apparatus 110; Fig. 3) according to claim 5, further comprising:
Takatsuka fails to teach a first conveyance roller pair provided upstream of a position facing the liquid discharge head in the medium conveying direction and configured to convey the medium; and
a second conveyance roller pair provided downstream of the position facing the liquid discharge head in the medium conveying direction and configured to convey the medium, wherein
the facing portion at the retreat position is located below the second conveyance roller pair.
However, Tanabe teaches the recording device (recording device acting as the inkjet recording apparatus 1; Fig. 1) according to claim 5, further comprising:
a first conveyance roller pair provided upstream of a position facing the liquid discharge head in the medium conveying direction and configured to convey the medium (first conveyance roller pair being the feeding rollers 63 that is upstream of a position facing the head 4 in the conveyed direction which is the sub-scanning direction that conveys the sheet P; Fig. 1; Paragraph 0022); and
a second conveyance roller pair provided downstream of the position facing the liquid discharge head in the medium conveying direction and configured to convey the medium (second conveyance roller pair being the conveyance roller 51a which is downstream and facing the head 4 in the sub-scanning direction that conveys the sheet P; Fig. 1; Paragraph 0022), wherein
the facing portion at the retreat position is located below the second conveyance roller pair (the platen 50 at the second position is located below the conveyance roller 51a; Fig. 1).
Takatsuka as modified and Tanabe are considered analogous to the art because they are in the same field involving inkjet printers involving a printer head covered by a cap portion and having conveyance rollers. Therefore, it would be obvious for someone with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the inkjet printer to include a movable facing portion with a second position below the second conveyance roller pair so that the sheet receives support during the printing operation and has another retreating position for the wiping operation so the facing portion is out of the way of the nozzle face and the roller pairs. This would have been done to have a facing portion that supports the sheet during printing operation but also is moved away during the head wiping operation (Tanabe, paragraphs 0025-0027).
Regarding claim 7, Takatsuka as modified above teaches the recording device (image forming apparatus 110; Fig. 3) according to claim 6, wherein
Takatsuka fails to teach the second conveyance roller pair includes a driven roller configured to come into contact with a first surface of a medium, the first surface facing the liquid discharge head, and a driving roller configured to come into contact with a second surface opposite to the first surface.
However, Tanabe teaches the recording device (recording device acting as the inkjet recording apparatus 1; Fig. 1) according to claim 6, wherein
the second conveyance roller pair includes a driven roller configured to come into contact with a first surface of a medium, the first surface facing the liquid discharge head (the conveyance roller 51a includes a driven roller that is the top roller as shown in figure. 1 and it is configured to come into contact with a first surface of a medium which is indicated in figure. 1, the first surface is the top of the sheet P and it faces the head 4; Fig. 1), and a driving roller configured to come into contact with a second surface opposite to the first surface (the driving roller is the bottom roller of conveyance roller 51a as shown in figure. 1 that comes into contact with a second surface that is the bottom of sheet P which is the opposite to the first surface; Fig. 1).
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Takatsuka as modified and Tanabe are considered analogous to the art because they are in the same field involving inkjet printers involving a printer head covered by a cap portion. Therefore, it would be obvious for someone with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the second conveyance roller pair to come into contact with either side of the sheet. This would have been done to add conveyance force to the second conveyance roller at an upstream side in a conveyance direction that is conveyed with being supported on an upper surface of the platen (Tanabe, paragraph 0023).
Conclusion
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/RICARDO I MAGALLANES/Supervisor Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2853
/SADMAN SAKIB BAKHT/Examiner, Art Unit 2853