DETAILED ACTION
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) 1-6, 8 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wells, Jr. et al. (2013/0229473) in view of Chen et al. (9,318,835).
Regarding claim 1, Wells, Jr. teaches liquid discharge head comprising:
a supply connector (fig. 1C, item 11) connectable to a supply path to be supplied with a liquid from the supply path ([0036]);
a signal connector (fig. 1C, item 157) connectable to a signal wire through which an electrical signal is transmitted ([0041]).
Wells, Jr. does not teach a cover movable between: an exposing position where the signal connector is exposed to be connectable with the signal wire; and a covering position where the cover covers the signal connector from which the signal wire is disconnected, wherein the cover includes a rib on a part of an upper face of the cover
Chen teaches this (Chen, fig. 16, Note cover 34 covering and exposing electrical connector 321. Note rib 343 on top of cover in figure). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to add a cover of the type disclosed by Chen to the electrical connector disclosed by Wells, Jr. because doing so would help prevent contact of debris and foreign materials with the electrical connector when the connector was not connected to an electrical source.
Upon combination of Hung with Wells, Jr., the resultant device would mean the limitation: wherein the cover covers the signal connector from above in a direction of gravity and wherein the upper face of the cover faces in a direction opposite to a direction of gravity when the liquid discharge head is mounted on a carriage. That is, Wells, Jr.’s electrical connector protrudes upward from its printhead, and Chen’s cover’s upper face faces upward.
Regarding claim 2, Wells, Jr. in view of Chen teaches the liquid discharge head according to claim 1, wherein the cover at the covering position covers an entire of a connection face of the signal connector above the connection face (Chen, see fig. 16).
Regarding claim 3, Wells, Jr. in view of Chen teaches the liquid discharge head according to claim 1, wherein the cover moves from the covering position to the exposing position in response to a connection of the signal wire to the signal connector (Chen, fig. 16, Note that the cover must be moved to connect the connector to a signal connector).
Regarding claim 4, Wells, Jr. in view of Chenb teaches the liquid discharge head according to claim 1, wherein the cover is biased toward the covering position (Chen, see fig. 17).
Regarding claim 5 Wells, Jr. in view of Chen teaches the liquid discharge head according to claim 1, wherein the cover is swingable between the exposing position and the covering position in a swing direction (Chen, compares figs. 16, 17).
Regarding claim 6 Wells, Jr. in view of Chen teaches a liquid discharge apparatus comprising: the liquid discharge head according to claim 5, wherein the signal wire includes a signal wire support at a leading end of the signal wire to support the signal wire, the cover includes a projection contactable with the signal wire support of the signal wire, the signal wire support of the signal wire being connected to the signal connector contacts the projection of the cover to cause the cover to swing from the covering position to the exposing position; and the signal wire support of the signal wire being disconnected from the signal connector causes the projection of the cover contacting the signal wire support to swing from the exposing position to the covering position (See Chen, figs. 16, 17, Wells, Jr., fig. 1C, Note that, upon combination of the prior art teachings, the positional limitations are met).
Regarding claim 8, Wells, Jr. in view of Chen teaches the liquid discharge head according to claim 1, wherein the rib projects above from the upper face of the cover at a leading end side of the cover in the swing direction from the exposing position to the covering position (Chen, see figs. 16, 17).
Regarding claim 9, Wells, Jr. in view of Chen teaches a liquid discharge apparatus comprising: the liquid discharge head according to claim 1; a carriage (Wells, Jr., fig. 1A, item 1016) on which the liquid discharge head is mountable; the supply path to supply the liquid to the liquid discharge head (Wells, Jr., see fig 1); and the signal wire to transmit the electrical signal to the liquid discharge head (Wells, Jr., see fig. 1).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 have been considered but are moot in light of the new ground(s) of rejection.
Conclusion
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/ALEJANDRO VALENCIA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853
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