DETAILED ACTION
Election/Restrictions
Claims 11-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 12/15/2025.
Claim Objections
Claim 2 is objected to because of the following informalities: “the n,” “the first surface of the (n)th module,” “the second surface of the (n)th module” and “the (n-1)th module” lack antecedent basis. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. The claim recites a body “interconnectable in a first direction.” Without a recitation as to what the body is connected in the claimed first direction, the claim is indefinite.
Because all other claims depend from claim 1, they are also rejected on this basis.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. The claim recites wherein an (n)th module is “spaced farthest from the first module,” but it does not seem, among two things, one thing can said to be farthest from that other thing.
Because claims 3-6 depend from claim 2, they are also rejected on this basis.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 7 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kachi et al. (11,173,717).
Regarding claim 1, Kachi teaches an inkjet printer comprising:
an ink ejection module (fig. 6, item 500) including a plurality of head packs (fig. 6, heads 100) including a plurality of heads (fig. 6, items 100) which eject an ink;
an ink storage module (fig. 6, item 401) which stores the ink; and
a plurality of modules (col. 4, lines 8-16, fig. 10, items 505/506, note that there is at least one module for each print color, each module with a plurality of corresponding heads, i.e., head packs) which receive the ink from the ink storage module and deliver the ink to each of the plurality of head packs (see fig. 6); and
each of the plurality of modules including:
a body (fig. 10, note body) having a structure which is interconnectable in a first direction (note that this could mean anything) and including a first surface (fig. 10, item 163) and a second surface (fig. 10, surface on opposite side of module corresponding to item 163) which faces the first surface in the first direction (see fig. 10);
a plurality of pipes (figs. 8, 9, items 551, 561) penetrating the body in the first direction (fig. 8, 9, left/right direction) and separated from each other in a second direction (fig. 8, 9, up/down direction) crossing the first direction;
a first supply flow path (fig. 8, item 513) and a first recovery flow path (fig. 9, item 514) disposed between at least one of the plurality of pipes and the ink ejection module and separated from each other (see figs. 6-10); and
a flow controller (fig. 8, item 556) connected to the first supply flow path between a pipe of the plurality of pipes and the ink ejection module (see fig. 8, Note that “flow controller” has not been defined in any meaningful way).
(Note that all the claimed “modules” have not been defined in the claim in any way so as to distinguish them from non-modular components. That is, because all components in printers are replaceable, it can be said that all components also constitute modules).
Regarding claim 7, Kachi teaches the inkjet printer of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of modules further includes: a pressure compensation block disposed on a bottom surface of each of the plurality of modules (see figs. 8-11, Note block-shaped portion on bottom of item 506. Note that “pressure compensation block” has not been defined in any way so as to distinguish it from any other block).
Regarding claim 10, Kachi teaches the inkjet printer of claim 1, wherein, the ink storage module includes an ink tank (fig. 6, item 510), a first reservoir (fig. 1, item 402), and a second reservoir (fig. 6, item 506), and wherein the ink flows in: a first path (fig. 6, path from 510 to 402) supplying from the ink tank to the first reservoir; a second path (fig. 6, path from 402) circulating between the first reservoir and the second reservoir (see fig. 6); a third path (fig. 6, path from 506 to 510) recovering from the second reservoir to the ink tank; and a fourth path (fig. 6) circulating between the plurality of modules and the second reservoir (fig. 6, Note that any number of modules provide liquid from the second reservoir to the ink tank).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 2-6 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kachi in view of Camino Salinas et al. (2017/0313091).
Regarding claim 2, Kachi teaches the inkjet printer of claim 1, further comprising a connection block (fig. 8, item 553). Kachi does not teach wherein, the plurality of modules includes a first module which receives the ink from the ink storage module, to an (n)th module, where the n is a natural number of 2 or more, spaced farthest from the first module in the first direction, the first surface of the body of the (n)th module contacts the (n-1)th module, and the second surface of the body of the (n)th module contacts the connection block.
Camino Salinas teaches wherein first through (n)th printhead modules are connected back-to-back in a first direction (Camino Salinas, see figs. 1-4). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to arrange the modules disclosed by Kachi in a back-to-back abutting fashion as disclosed by the printheads of Camino Salinas because doing so would allow for connection and liquid flow from one module to another. In other words, because Kachi does not go into any detail about the arrangement of its modules with respect to each other, it would have been obvious to look to Camino Salinas for an arrangement.
Regarding claim 3, Kachi in view of Camino Salinas teaches the inkjet printer of claim 2, wherein, the plurality of pipes includes a first pipe (Kachi, fig. 9, second to bottommost pipe 561), a second pipe (Kachi, fig. 9, bottommost pipe 561) connected to the first recovery flow path (Kachi, see fig. 9), a third pipe (Kachi, fig. 8, bottommost pipe 551) connected to the first supply flow path, and a fourth pipe (fig. 8, second to bottommost pipe 551), and the connection block includes a first connection pipe (fig. 8, note cap 553 on bottom left) connecting the first pipe and the second pipe, and a second connection pipe connecting the third pipe and the fourth pipe (Kachi, see figs. 8, 9).
Regarding claim 4, Kachi in view of Camino Salinas teaches the inkjet printer of claim 3, wherein, the first pipe of the first module includes a first end (Kachi, figs. 8, 9, left end of first pipe, as defined above), and a second end (Kachi, figs. 8, 9, right end of first pipe, as defined above) spaced apart from the first end in the first direction, the first end is connected to the ink storage module (Kachi, figs. 8, 9, note that all pipes are connected to the storage module), the second end is connected to the first pipe of the second module (Kachi, figs. 8, 9, note that the modules and pipes are all connected), the first pipe of the (n)th module includes a third end, and a fourth end spaced apart from the third end in the first direction, the third end is connected to the first end of the (n-1)th module, the fourth end is connected to the first connection pipe, the fourth pipe of the first module includes a fifth end, and a sixth end spaced apart from the fifth end in the first direction, the fifth end is connected to the ink storage module, the sixth end is connected to the fourth pipe of the second module, the fourth pipe of the (n)th module includes a seventh end, and an eighth end spaced apart from the seventh end in the first direction, the seventh end is connected to the fourth pipe of the (n-1)th module, and the eighth end is connected to the second connection pipe (Kachi, figs. 8, 9, Note that each module has the same construction, and thus any number of pipes with first and second ends can meet the spacing and connection limitations recited).
Regarding claim 5, Kachi in view of Camino Salinas teaches the inkjet printer of claim 3, further comprising: a first heater penetrating the body and disposed between the first pipe and the second pipe; and a second heater penetrating the body and disposed between the third pipe and the fourth pipe (Kachi, see figs. 8-11, Note head drive boards 160 with heat generating MOSFETs penetrating the body and between pipes).
Regarding claim 6, Kachi in view of Camino Salinas teaches the inkjet printer of claim 5, further comprising: a thermometer (Kachi, fig. 14, item 812) disposed in the body (Kachi, note that, to detect the temperature of the temperature-controlled, the sensor must contact the liquid and therefore be in the body); and a temperature controller connected to the first heater and the second heater (Kachi, fig. 14, item 812) disposed in the body (Kachi, note that, to detect the temperature of the temperature-controlled, the sensor must contact the liquid and therefore be in the body).
Regarding claim 9, Kachi in view of Camino Salinas teaches the inkjet printer of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of modules further comprises a sealing member which surrounds each of the plurality of pipes on the second surface (Camino Salinas, fig. 3, item 316).
Claim(s) 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kachi in view of Frates (2008/0110939).
Regarding claim 8, Kachi in view of Camino Salinas teaches the inkjet printer of claim 1. Kachi does not teach wherein each of the plurality of modules further includes an alignment pin protruding from the first surface, an alignment hole is defined at a position corresponding to the alignment pin in the second surface, and the alignment hole has a degree of freedom in the second direction. Frates teaches a liquid interconnect with an alignment pin and sealing members surrounding all liquid interfaces (Frates, [0033], [0044]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the alignment pins and liquid seals disclosed by Frates to the interconnects of Kachi because doing so would allow for proper alignment and sealing of liquid interfaces.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALEJANDRO VALENCIA whose telephone number is (571)270-5473. The examiner can normally be reached M-F.
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, DOUGLAS X. 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.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ALEJANDRO VALENCIA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853
Prosecution Insights