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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of Invention II in the reply filed on 12/3/25 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that multiple applications may need to be filed. This is not found persuasive because the allowance of a linking claim would cause rejoinder of any withdrawn claims that require all the limitations of the allowed linking claim.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Claims 2 and 6-9 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected Invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 12/3/25.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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 1 and 10 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.
Regarding claim 1, the last indented clause of claim 1, in light of the specification, is inconsistent with the previous clauses of claim 1. More specifically, the previous clauses of claim 1, in light of para 60-61 of PG-PUB, suggest that the “first conveying unit” includes at least roller 3, fig. 5, but not rollers 5 and 10, and the “second conveying unit” includes at least roller 5, fig. 5, but not rollers 3 and 20. However, the last clause of claim 1, in light of fig. 8A-9C and para 80-89 of PG-PUB, suggests that the “first conveying unit” includes rollers 5 and 10, fig. 8A-9C, but not rollers 3 and 20, and the “second conveying unit” includes at least roller 20, fig. 8A-9C, but not rollers 5 and 10, which is inconsistent with the previous clauses of claim 1. Therefore, claim 1 appears to be inconsistent with the written description and drawings. Furthermore, the last clause of claim 1 is inconsistent with fig. 8A-9B and para 80-88, which show that the printing unit 71 is located in the to-be-printed region Ky2 during the operation that removes the overlap between first print medium P1 and second print medium P2. Therefore, the last clause of claim 1 is further inconsistent with the written description and drawings.
Dependent claims 3-5 are considered rejected for incorporating defects from rejected parent claim.
Regarding claim 10, for the same reasons as for claim 1, the last two indented clauses of claim 10, in light of the specification, are inconsistent with the previous clauses of claim 10, and the last two clauses of claim 10 are further inconsistent with the written description and drawings; detailed discussion is omitted for brevity.
Dependent claim 11 is considered rejected for incorporating defects from rejected parent claim.
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.
Claims 1 and 10 are 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.
Regarding claim 1, as stated above and repeated here, the last indented clause of claim 1, in light of the specification, is inconsistent with the previous clauses of claim 1. More specifically, the previous clauses of claim 1, in light of para 60-61 of PG-PUB, suggest that the “first conveying unit” includes at least roller 3, fig. 5, but not rollers 5 and 10, and the “second conveying unit” includes at least roller 5, fig. 5, but not rollers 3 and 20. However, the last clause of claim 1, in light of fig. 8A-9C and para 80-89 of PG-PUB, suggests that the “first conveying unit” includes rollers 5 and 10, fig. 8A-9C, but not rollers 3 and 20, and the “second conveying unit” includes at least roller 20, fig. 8A-9C, but not rollers 5 and 10, which is inconsistent with the previous clauses of claim 1. Therefore, claim 1 is unclear.
Dependent claims 3-5 are considered rejected for incorporating defects from rejected parent claim.
Regarding claim 10, for the same reasons as for claim 1, the last two indented clauses of claim 10, in light of the specification, are inconsistent with the previous clauses of claim 10; detailed discussion is omitted for brevity.
Dependent claim 11 is considered rejected for incorporating defects from rejected parent claim.
The following reference(s) is/are considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure and is/are cited for disclosing related limitations to the applicant’s claimed and disclosed invention.
US 20180272755 A1
A recording apparatus which is capable of suppressing or avoiding a concern on a defect such as a paper jam, deterioration of recording quality, or the like at the time of performing an overlapping transportation is provided.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JUSTIN SEO whose telephone number is (571)270-1327. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-5pm.
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/JUSTIN SEO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853
January 31, 2026