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 the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 4 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Claims 4 recites “the guide member is also moveable in a rotational direction”. As best understood, this limitation is considered new matter because the disclosure does not provide support for an “entire guide member is movable laterally” (as required by claim 1, and supported by guide members 390 in the embodiment of first embodiment of FIGS. 3-11) and is “also moveable in a rotational direction”. The disclosure shows a different embodiment in FIGS. 13 or 14 that includes guide members that rotate. Since there is no support for the guide member to be moveable rotationally and for the “entire guide member to move laterally”, the amendment to claim 4 is considered new matter. Claim 15, which depends from claim 13, also recites similar subject matter to claim 4. Correction is required.
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, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13-15, 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yokota et al. WO 2009/110079 A1 (hereinafter “Yokota”).
Regarding claim 1, Yokota discloses an apparatus for storing media items at a storage zone, comprising:
a storage zone (above 122 in FIG. 2) for storing media items;
a port region (upstream entrance of 31) that is proximate to the storage zone for receiving at least one media item;
a guide member (124, refer to FIG. 3) for urging the media items towards a desired location in the storage zone; and
wherein the entire guide member is movable laterally (124 has a lateral vector component of direction A1) to urge the media items towards the desired location of the storage zone.
Regarding claim 2, wherein the guide member is movable during receiving the at least one media item.
Regarding claim 4, wherein the guide member is moveable in a rotational direction about a guide member axis (123R).
Regarding claim 5,, wherein at least a portion of the guide member is movable towards a central transport plane associated with the desired location to urge the media item towards the desired location.
Regarding claim 7, wherein at least a portion of the guide member is movable away from a central transport plane associated with the desired location to expand the storage zone.
Regarding claim 8, wherein a transport pathway portion extends from the port region into the storage zone.
Regarding claim 13, Yokota discloses a method for receiving media items at a desired location in a storage zone (above 122), comprising:
providing at least one media item one-by-one at a port region (upstream end of 31) that is proximate to a storage zone; and
for an incoming media item that is locatable onto a base element (122) or an immediately preceding media item proximate to the desired location in the storage zone, an entire guide member (124) towards a central transport plane associated with the desired location thereby urging a respective edge region of the incoming media item for positioning the incoming media item at the desired location.
Regarding claim 14, wherein the moving at least the portion of the at least one guide member further comprises moving the at least one guide member in a lateral direction (124 has a lateral vector component of direction A1) towards the central transport plane.
Regarding claim 15, wherein the moving the entire first guide member further comprises moving the first guide member in a rotational direction about a guide member axis (123R) towards the central transport plane.
Regarding claim 17, further comprising simultaneously moving the first guide member on a first lateral side of the central transport plane in a first direction and a second guide member (another of 124) on a remaining lateral side of the central transport plane in a further direction that is opposite to the first direction.
Regarding claim 18, further comprising aligning the incoming media item at the desired location by drawing together the first guide member on a first lateral side and a second guide member (another of 124) on a second lateral side, opposite the first lateral side, of the incoming media item at a point in time when the incoming media item is at rest or coming to rest on the base element of the storage zone or a preceding media item in the storage zone.
Regarding claim 19, further comprising moving the entire first guide member towards the central transport plane subsequent to determining that the incoming media item has been transported past a predetermined location along a transport pathway portion between the port region and the desired location.
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 9-11 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yokota in view of Toma JP 63-147772 A (hereinafter “Toma”).
Regarding claim 9-11 and 16, Yokota fails to explicitly teach wherein the guide member is movable away from the central transport plane associated with the desired location responsive to the media item reaching a predetermined position along the transport pathway portion. Yokota’s sensor element (130) determines whether the media item reaches a predetermined position (claim 9), an interface region (which is downstream of 31, claim 10), and a final set of mover elements 46, claim 11)
Toma teaches when a leading edge of a sheet is sensed by an upstream sensor (19), a movable guide (24a) is widened to avoid interference with an incoming sheet and thereafter the movable guide is urged toward the sheet in order to align the sheet. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Yokota’s guide member to be movable away from the central transport plane associated with the desired location responsive to the media item reaching a predetermined position as taught by Toma as a known method of ensuring an incoming sheet, which may be skewed, does not accidentally interfere with the guide member during discharge, thereby avoiding a jam prior to an alignment operation.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yokota in view of Hosokawa JP 2014-125323 A (hereinafter “Hosokawa”).
Regarding claim 12, Yokota fails to explicitly teach wherein the storage zone comprises a chamber region in a storage receptacle, wherein the storage receptacle comprises a currency cassette, and wherein each media item comprises a currency note of a specified denomination whereby currency notes of a common denomination are stacked in the currency cassette.
Hosokawa teaches a similar apparatus (shown in FIG. 3) for accumulating currency in a cassette (FIG. 13). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate Yokota’s apparatus in a currency cassette as taught by Hosokawa as a known alternative arrangement for stacking and storing currency.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1 and 13 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. A new interpretation of the Yokota reference (guide member is 124) is provided above in response to the amendment requiring “the entire guide member is movable laterally”. The claim amendment “the entire guide member is movable laterally” does not require only linear motion of entire guide member (in response to Applicant’s argument of guide member of Yokota “lacks any structure permitting linear lateral translation”).
Regarding arguments of claim 16, the combination of Yokota in view of Toma teaches the claimed invention. The examiner’s broadest reasonable interpretation of the claim limitation “prior to the incoming media item falling” is interpreted to mean anytime before the media falls, which in this case, the arrangement of an upstream sensor of Toma to activate opening of a guide member before arrival of a media sheet would read on movable guide (24a) is widened to avoid interference with an incoming media (“prior to the incoming media item falling”).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Previously cited reference of Onodera JP 2000-026010 A is another 102(a)(1) reference for at least claims 1, 2, 5, 7-9, 13,16-19 (refer to linearly translated guide members 25 and 29, movable for size and skew).
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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.
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, 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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/LUIS A GONZALEZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3653