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 § 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)(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 1-3, 5-8, 10-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yamaguchi et al (US 20230286296).
RE 1, Yamaguchi discloses an image recording device (100) comprising: a conveyer (4) configured to convey a sheet (R) set in a first feeding tray (2) in a state in which the sheet is wound in a roll shape to serve as a roll sheet; a recording device (6) configured to record an image on the sheet conveyed by the conveyer; a display (10); and a controller (9), wherein the controller is configured to execute: a process of stopping conveyance of the sheet in response to detection of an abnormality in the sheet after the conveyance of the sheet is started (S9); and a process of causing the display to display thereon at least one object display screen which indicates, by an object, a target location to restore the abnormality in the sheet to a normal state (S11)(Fig 1-4, par 66-68).
Re 2, wherein the controller causes the display to display thereon guidance data comprising the at least one object display screen and a notification indicating occurrence of the abnormality in the sheet (fig 3, 7).
RE 3, wherein the abnormality in the sheet is a conveyance jam of the sheet (S1, par 66).
RE 5, wherein the guidance data comprises a notification indicating occurrence of an abnormality in cutting of the sheet (fig 3, 7).
RE 6, further comprising: a first sensor (52) configured to detect a presence or absence of the sheet at a first detection position in a conveyance path in which the sheet is conveyed from the first feeding tray by the conveyer, wherein the conveyer (4) comprises: a feeder (3) configured to feed the sheet from the first feeding tray to the conveyance path; and a first roller pair (41) configured to convey the sheet in the conveyance path, wherein the controller is configured to cause, in response to determining that the sheet does not reach the first detection position based on a signal obtained from the first sensor after driving the feeder, the display to display thereon a first guidance as the guidance data, the first guidance comprising the at least one object display screen, and wherein the at least one object display screen in the first guidance comprises: a screen indicating that the first feeding tray is extracted from a housing; and a screen for resetting the roll sheet the first feeding tray (par 28, 38, 52-55).
RE 7, wherein the first guidance comprises a screen indicating that a leading end of the sheet is cut (fig 3c).
RE 8, wherein the first feeding tray defines a passage extending from a setting position of the roll sheet in a feeding direction of the sheet, and wherein the first guidance comprises a screen indicating that the leading end of the sheet, which has entered the passage, is set at a setting position (par 53).
Re 10, further comprising: a second roller pair (42) provided downstream of the first roller pair in a conveyance direction in the conveyance path; and a second sensor (53) provided upstream of the second roller pair in the conveyance direction in the conveyance path and configured to detect a presence or absence of the sheet at a second detection position in the conveyance path upstream of the second roller pair in the conveyance direction, wherein the controller is configured to cause the display to display thereon a second guidance as the guidance data, in response to determining, after driving the feeder, based on signals obtained from the first sensor and the second sensor that the sheet is nipped and held by the first roller pair but does not reach the second roller pair, and wherein the at least one object display screen in the second guidance comprises: a screen indicating release of nipping of the sheet by the first roller pair; the screen indicating that the first feeding tray is extracted from the housing; and a screen indicating that the roll sheet is reset in the first feeding tray (par 41-42, 53-55).
RE 11, wherein the housing comprises a first cover (8) configured to open a part of the conveyance path to the outside, the part of the conveyance path at which the first roller pair is provided, wherein one roller of the first roller pair is configured to be separate, by moving together with the first cover, from another roller of the first roller pair, and wherein the at least one object display screen in the second guidance comprises a screen for opening the first cover to release the nipping of the sheet by the first roller pair (Fig 5, par 82-87).
Re 12, further comprising: a third sensor (51) provided downstream of the second sensor in the conveyance direction in the conveyance path and configured to detect a presence or absence of the sheet at a third detection position in the conveyance path downstream of the second roller pair in the conveyance direction; and a discharge tray (7) configured to be attached to and detached from the housing and support the sheet discharged from the conveyance path, wherein the controller is configured to cause the display to display thereon a third guidance as the guidance data, in response to: determining, after driving the feeder, based on signals obtained from the first sensor and the second sensor, that the sheet is nipped and held by the first roller pair and the second roller pair; and determining, after driving the feeder, based on a signal obtained from the third sensor, a conveyance jam of the sheet occurs, and wherein the at least one object display screen in the third guidance comprises: the screen indicating release of nipping of the sheet by the first roller pair; a screen indicating that the discharge tray is detached from the housing to remove the sheet from the conveyance path; a screen indicating that the first feeding tray is extracted from the housing; and a screen indicating that the roll sheet is reset in the first feeding tray (Fig 3, par 40-45).
RE 13, further comprising: a cutter carriage (5) provided upstream of the first roller pair in the conveyance direction in the conveyance path and configured to move in a movement direction intersecting the conveyance direction; a cutter mounted on the cutter carriage; and an input device (10/72a, 72b), wherein the controller is configured to cause the display to display thereon the third guidance after moving the cutter carriage in accordance with a command input to the input device (par 38, 43, 59-64).
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 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(a) which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
(a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negatived 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(a) 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.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Yamaguchi in view of Suzuki (JPH11292360).
Yamaguchi discloses an image recording device (100) comprising: a first feeding tray (2) for a roll sheet (R) or for a plurality of sheets set in a stacked state (par 29-33), wherein the controller (9) is configured to cause the display to display thereon the first feeding tray causing the conveyance jam (par 54-55, Fig 3A).
Yamaguchi fails to disclose a second feeding tray configured to allow a plurality of sheets to be set in a stacked state, wherein the controller is configured to cause the display to display thereon which of the first feeding tray or the second feeding tray the sheet causing the conveyance jam is fed from.
However, Suzuki teaches a copying machine (100, Fig 1) that transfers a toner image on a recording medium selected from a plurality of front trays (13), a manual feed tray (74), and the roll sheet tray (17) (par 13). The copying machine (100) includes an LCD operation panel (151) presenting various information to the user including paper jams (fig 3) detected by the jam sensor (104) (par 15-18).
Given the teachings of Suzuki, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the feeding tray of Yamaguchi with a second feeding tray configured to allow a plurality of sheets to be set in a stacked state, wherein the controller is configured to cause the display to display thereon which of the first feeding tray or the second feeding tray the sheet causing the conveyance jam is fed from.
Doing so would urge the user to correct an abnormality by displaying a message to remove the jam preventing forgetting and further disruption of the printing process from the selected tray.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Yamaguchi in view of Takahasi et al (JP 2003223081).
Yamaguchi discloses an image recording device comprising: a first feeding tray (2).
Yamaguchi fails to disclose the first feeding tray comprises a side guide configured to move in a direction intersecting the feeding direction to contact the sheet passing through the passage, and wherein the first guidance comprises a screen indicating that the side guide is moved.
However, Takahasi teaches an image forming apparatus that alerts the user to set the paper size after changing the paper in the paper tray when the tray detection unit detects the loading or unloading of the paper tray in the apparatus , and a change in the size dial on the tray for different paper size, where at least one of a message regarding the setting of the paper size in the paper tray and the paper size setting operation screen is displayed for user confirmation of a different paper size (par 5-6, 40-43).
Given the teachings of Takahasi, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the first feeding tray of Yamaguchi with a side guide configured to move in a direction intersecting the feeding direction to contact the sheet passing through the passage, and wherein the first guidance comprises a screen indicating that the side guide is moved.
Doing so the image recording device would request the user to set the paper size and confirm based on the detection of the size guide making it is possible to prevent troubles such as paper jams and wasteful use of paper, without forgetting to set the paper size.
Claims 14-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Yamaguchi in view of Iwamura (JP 2002326412 – from IDS).
Yamaguchi discloses an image recording device (100) comprising: a cutter carriage (5) provided upstream of the first roller pair (41) in the conveyance direction in the conveyance path and configured to move in a movement direction intersecting the conveyance direction (par 38, 43); a cutter mounted on the cutter carriage; and an input device (10/ 72a, 72b), wherein the controller (9) is configured to cause the display to display thereon the third guidance after moving the cutter carriage in accordance with a command input to the input device (par 59-64, Fig 3); wherein the housing further comprises a second cover (8) configured to open the cutter carriage to the outside (Fig 5); and wherein the controller is configured to cause the display to display thereon a guidance (jam handling, Fig 3, 7-8) as the guidance data in response to causing the cutter carriage to move, wherein at least one object display screen comprises a screen indicating the second cover is opened (Fig 7c, 8a, 3a), and the sheet is cut (Fig 3b, 8b) (par 90-96).
Yamaguchi fails to disclose further comprising: a fourth sensor configured to detect the cutter carriage being located at a first position, the first position being one end in the movement direction; and a fifth sensor configured to detect the cutter carriage being located at a second position, the second position being another end in the movement direction, wherein the controller is configured to cause the display to display thereon a fourth guidance as the guidance data in response to causing the cutter carriage to move and determining, based on signals obtained from the fourth sensor and the fifth sensor, that the cutter carriage is not moved to the first position after being moved from the first position to the second position, and wherein the at least one object display screen in the fourth guidance comprises a screen indicating the cutter carriage is moved to the first position; further comprising: wherein the controller is configured to cause the display to display thereon a fifth guidance as the guidance data in response to causing the cutter carriage to move and determining, based on signals obtained from the fourth sensor and the fifth sensor, that the cutter carriage is moved to the first position without being moved from the first position to the second position; further comprising: wherein the controller is configured to cause the display to display thereon a sixth guidance as the guidance data in response to causing the cutter carriage to move and determining, based on signals obtained from the fourth sensor and the fifth sensor, that the cutter carriage is not moved from the first position to the second position and is not moved to the first position, and wherein the at least one object display screen in the sixth guidance comprises a screen indicating that the second cover is opened, the cutter carriage is moved to the first position, and the sheet is cut.
However, Iwamura teaches a roll paper printer (1) for printing and cutting on roll paper (2) set in a paper cassette (4) (par 24). The cutter device (36) has a movable blade (36a) fixed to a carriage (41) and is in a home position in front of a first sensor (62) and a second position in front of a second sensor (63) (Fig 3, par 32). The sensors (62, 63) detect the presence or absence of the cutter at its respective position and outputs a signal to the CPU (56)(par 35). When the cutter is considered to not be operating normally or a paper jam occurs then an error notification screens (49) are displayed to the user (par 38). The methods for forward cutter movement (Fig 4) and backward cutter movement (Fig 5) disclose determining the carriage (41) position relative to the first and second sensors (62, 63) and displaying instructions to the user to remove errors accordingly (fourth guidance data S209 par 56, fifth guidance data S112 par 47, sixth guidance data S116 par 50).
Given the teachings of Iwamura, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the image recording device of Yamaguchi with a fourth sensor and fifth sensor, and a fourth guidance, fifth guidance, and sixth guidance based on signals from the fourth sensor and fifth sensor regarding the cutter carriage position.
Doing so would notify the user that the cutter is malfunctioning, and the user will follow instructions displayed to perform maintenance work to resolve the error.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Christle I. Marshall whose telephone number is (571) 270-3086. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday – Friday 7:30AM - 4:00PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steven Paik can be reached on (571) 272-2404. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Christle I Marshall/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876