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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The Information Disclosure Statement(s) submitted by applicant on 03/29/2024, 07/22/2024, and 09/10/2024 has/have been considered. The submission(s) is/are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR § 1.97.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Correction is required. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
The specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant's cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Rejections - 35 U.S.C. § 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 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.
(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.
1. Claim(s) 1, 3-7, 10, 12, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP. Patent Publication No. 2010208100 to Fujikura (hereinafter “Fujikura”).
With respect to claim 1, Fujikura discloses A recording apparatus (16 FIG. 1 and FIG. 2) comprising: a recording unit that ejects ink onto a recording medium conveyed in a conveyance direction by a conveyance unit (image forming units FIG. 1); and a drying unit that is provided downstream of the recording unit in the conveyance direction and blows air against the recording medium while conveying the same to dry the ink on the recording medium (18 and fans FIG. 2), wherein the drying unit has a first space (area by 96A FIG. 2 and FIG. 3), a first nozzle that is provided in the first space and open opposite to the recording medium (96A), a first air blowing unit that supplies air inside of the first space to the first nozzle so that the air blows out from the first nozzle to the recording medium (fan 98 FIG. 3), a second space that is provided adjacent to the first space on a downstream side in the conveyance direction of the first space and communicates with the first space (area where nozzles 96B and 96C, FIG. 3), a second nozzle that is provided in the second space and open opposite to the recording medium (96B or 96C), a heater that heats air inside of the second space (heater 99), a second air blowing unit that supplies air heated by the heater to the second nozzle so that the air blows out from the second nozzle to the recording medium (fans in 96B or 96C FIG. 3), a third space that is provided adjacent to the second space on a downstream side in the conveyance direction of the second space and communicates with the second space (area where 96D is located), and a third air blowing unit that is provided in the third space, sucks air inside of the third space via a third nozzle open opposite to the recording medium, and exhausts the air inside of the third space to outside of the drying unit (96D and exhaust pipe 114, 118), and a direction in which air is blown out from the first nozzle has a component directed toward the second space in the conveyance direction (arrow 112 Fig. 2 and FIG. 3).
With respect to claim 3, Fujikura discloses wherein the first space communicates with the outside of the drying unit via a first opening and with the second space via a second opening provided in a partition wall that partitions the first space and the second space, the first opening is positioned on a side opposite to the second space in the conveyance direction with respect to the first nozzle, and the second opening is positioned on the same side as the second space in the conveyance direction with respect to the first nozzle (partition wall close to arrow 116 FIG. 3).
With respect to claim 4, Fujikura discloses wherein the air inside of the first space that is supplied to the first nozzle by the first air blowing unit is heated by heat of the air inside of the second space that is transferred via the partition wall ([0053]-[0056] multiple heaters that are in contact.).
With respect to claim 5, Fujikura discloses further comprising: an exhaust unit that exhausts the air inside of the second space to the outside of the drying unit in a direction crossing the conveyance direction; and a suction unit that sucks air outside of the drying unit into the second space (96B and 96C suck air from outside and blow into the second space.).
With respect to claim 6, Fujikura discloses wherein a plurality of the second nozzles are provided along the conveyance direction in the second space (86B and 96C).
With respect to claim 7, Fujikura discloses wherein the first space is positioned downstream of the second space in the conveyance direction (FIG. 3).
With respect to claim 10, Fujikura discloses wherein the third space communicates with the second space via a third opening provided in a second partition wall that partitions the second space and the third space and with the outside of the drying unit via a fourth opening, the third opening is positioned on the same side as the second space with respect to the third nozzle, and the fourth opening is positioned on a side opposite to the second space with respect to the third nozzle (FIG. 3).
With respect to claim 12, Fujikura discloses wherein specific gravity of a volatile component of the ink is lighter than air, and the third nozzle is positioned over the recording medium (The third nozzle is over the recording medium and the prior art ejects ink and attributes of the ink itself doesn’t provide patentability to the recording apparatus.).
With respect to claim 20, Fujikura discloses wherein the recording medium is conveyed while being supported along an outer peripheral surface of a column-shaped support member in the drying unit (drum 38).
Claim Rejections - 35 U.S.C. § 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 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 of this title, 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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
1. Claim(s) 2 and 16-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over JP. Patent Publication No. 2010208100 to Fujikura (hereinafter “Fujikura”) in view of U.S. Patent No. 6463674 to Meyers et al. (hereinafter “Meyers”).
With respect to claim 2, Fujikura discloses wherein the first nozzle has a nozzle surface and toward the second space in the conveyance direction (96A of Fujikura).
However, Fujikura fails to specifically disclose:
a plurality of blowing ports that are provided in the nozzle surface and blow out air in a direction perpendicular to the nozzle surface, and an interval between the nozzle surface and the recording medium increases.
Meyers discloses:
a plurality of blowing ports that are provided in the nozzle surface and blow out air in a direction perpendicular to the nozzle surface (154, 114 FIG. 1 and FIG. 2), and an interval between the nozzle surface and the recording medium increases (gap 122, FIG. 2).
At the time of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the plurality of blowing ports and increasing the interval as disclosed by Meyers with the method/apparatus of Fujikura. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide better coverage and better control the impinging air. (Col. 5, Lines 1-50 of Meyers).
With respect to claim 16, Fujikura in view of Meyers discloses at least one memory and at least one processor which function as a control unit configured to control an operation of at least one of the first air blowing unit, the second air blowing unit, or the third air blowing unit according to a condition for a recording operation by the recording unit (Fujikura and Meyers both disclose controlling the flow and controllers are necessary to operate the blowing units. Additionally, Meyers discloses a computer which would include a memory and processor. Further, controllers were common practice and well known at the time of the invention).
With respect to claim 17, Fujikura in view of Meyers discloses wherein the control unit controls the first air blowing unit and the third air blowing unit so that airflow amounts of the first nozzle and the third nozzle become larger as a conveyance speed of the recording medium is faster (Fujikura and Meyers both disclose controlling the flow and controllers are necessary to operate the blowing units. Additionally, Meyers discloses a computer which would include a memory and processor. Further, controllers were common practice and well known at the time of the invention).
With respect to claim 18, Fujikura in view of Meyers discloses wherein the control unit controls the first air blowing unit, the second air blowing unit, and the third air blowing unit so that airflow amounts of the first nozzle and the third nozzle become smaller as an airflow amount of the second nozzle is smaller (Fujikura and Meyers both disclose controlling the flow and controllers are necessary to operate the blowing units. Additionally, Meyers discloses a computer which would include a memory and processor. Further, controllers were common practice and well known at the time of the invention).
2. Claim(s) 8, 9, 11 and 13-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over JP. Patent Publication No. 2010208100 to Fujikura (hereinafter “Fujikura”) in view of JP. Patent Publication No. 2009133525 to Sakashita et al. (hereinafter “Sakashita”).
With respect to claim 8, Fujikura discloses the recording apparatus.
However, Fujikura fails to specifically disclose:
wherein a plurality of the first spaces are provided, one of the first spaces is positioned upstream of the second space in the conveyance direction, and another of the first spaces is positioned downstream of the second space in the conveyance direction.
.
Sakashita discloses:
wherein a plurality of the first spaces are provided, one of the first spaces is positioned upstream of the second space in the conveyance direction, and another of the first spaces is positioned downstream of the second space in the conveyance direction (FIG. 3 of Sakashita discloses multiple spaces.).
At the time of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the plurality of spaces as disclosed by Sakashita with the method/apparatus of Fujikura. The motivation for doing so would have been to better control the drying efficency of the base material. (Abstract of Sakashita).
With respect to claim 9, Fujikura in view of Sakashita discloses wherein the third air blowing unit exhausts the air inside of the third space to the outside of the drying unit in a direction crossing the conveyance direction (13 FIG. 3 of Sakashita, Also, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of Meyers).
With respect to claim 11, Fujikura in view of Sakashita discloses wherein specific gravity of a volatile component of the ink is heavier than air, and the third nozzle is positioned under the recording medium (FIG. 3 of Sakashita discloses nozzles under the recording medium and the prior art ejects ink and attributes of the ink itself doesn’t provide patentability to the recording apparatus.).
With respect to claim 13, Fujikura in view of Sakashita discloses wherein the first nozzle is positioned opposite to both surfaces of the recording medium (FIG. 3 of Sakashita discloses multiple nozzles on both sides of the recording medium.).
With respect to claim 14, Fujikura in view of Sakashita discloses wherein the second nozzle is positioned opposite to both surfaces of the recording medium (FIG. 3 of Sakashita discloses multiple nozzles on both sides of the recording medium.).
With respect to claim 15, Fujikura in view of Sakashita discloses wherein the third nozzle is positioned opposite to both surfaces of the recording medium (FIG. 3 of Sakashita discloses multiple nozzles on both sides of the recording medium.).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Bradley W Thies whose telephone number is (571)270-5667. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 9:30 am -6:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Douglas Rodriguez can be reached at (571) 431-0716. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BRADLEY W THIES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853