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) 1-9, 11-13 and 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Arrison (6,912,356) in view of Asada et al. (11,752,782).
Regarding claim 1, Arrison teaches a heating device comprising:
a heater (fig. 2, item 22); and
a cover (fig. 2, items 25a) to cover the heater,
the cover including
a first cover (fig. 2, cover 25a between heater 22 and fan 32) disposed in a first direction (fig. 2, direction generally indicated by arrow A) of the heater and
a second cover (fig. 2, either of items 25a between first cover and heater) disposed in the first direction (see fig. 2), the second cover being adjacent to the first cover (see fig. 2),
the first cover and the second cover having a gap (fig. 2, item 26) in between,
the gap having a length greater than an amount of thermal deformation of either one of the first cover or the second cover or a total amount of thermal deformation of the first cover and the second cover (see fig. 2, Note that “amount of thermal deformation” has not been defined in any way. Note that the covers could or could not be thermally deformed in the figure. Note that the gap is being taken to meet the limitation). Arrison does not teach a housing including an outlet, the outlet being disposed at a topside of the housing, wherein the heating device is disposed in the housing. Asada teaches this (Asada, see figs. 1-3, 7, See housing 1 of entire system and outlet of channel member 430, which is disposed toward the top of the housing where the heaters are located. Note applicator 100 drying device 400 with a plurality of heating devices 402). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply the specific heater/cover arrangement disclosed by Arrison to the heating devices disclosed by Asada because doing so would allow for air flow through the cover gap thereby allowing for better heat regulation of the heater.
Regarding claim 2, Arrison teaches the heating device according to claim 1, further comprising a support at both ends of the heater in the first direction to support the first cover and the second cover, wherein the support and both ends of each of the first cover and the second cover have another gap in between, and wherein said another gap has a length greater than an amount of thermal deformation of at least one of the first cover or the second cover (see fig. 1, Note that heaters of the disclosed type require support at both tends for all parts of the cover. Note that the gap between first and second covers exists at both ends of the cover along the longitudinal direction).
Regarding claim 3, Arrison teaches heating device according to claim 1, wherein the cover includes a lid (fig. 2, housing of item 30, note that “lid” has not been defined with any specificity) disposed above the gap.
Regarding claim 4, Arrison teaches the heating device according to claim 1, further comprising an air applicator (fig. 2, item 32) to apply air, wherein the first cover has a portion fixed to the air applicator (see fig. 2), and wherein the heater is disposed in space formed by an outer surface of the air applicator, the first cover, and the second cover (see fig. 2, Note that this language could be interpreted in any number of ways).
Regarding claim 5, Arrison teaches the heating device according to claim 3, further comprising an air applicator (fig. 2, item 32) to apply air, wherein the first cover has a portion fixed to the air applicator (see fig. 2), and wherein the heater is disposed in space formed by an outer surface of the air applicator, the first cover, and the second cover (see fig. 2, Note that this language could be interpreted in any number of ways).
Regarding claims 6-8, Arrison teaches a heater with a cover. Arrison does not teach liquid applying apparatus with a drier apparatus comprising:
a liquid applicator to apply liquid to an object;
a drying device to dry an object to which liquid has been applied; and a plurality of heating devices each of which includes a heater. Asada teaches this (Asada, see figs. 1-3, 7, See housing 1 of entire system and outlet of channel member 430, which is disposed toward the top of the housing where the heaters are located. Note applicator 100 drying device 400 with a plurality of heating devices 402). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply the specific heater/cover arrangement disclosed by Arrison to the heating devices disclosed by Asada because doing so would allow for air flow through the cover gap thereby allowing for better heat regulation of the heater.
Regarding claim 9, Arrison in view of Asada teaches a plurality of heating devices (Asada, fig. 3, items 402) attached to the housing.
Regarding claim 11, Arrison in view of Asada teaches a plurality of heating a front panel and a rear panel (Arrison, again, note that there must be two panels for holding both ends of the heater).
Regarding claim 12, note that Arrison’s device can be deconstructed or taken apart for any number of reasons, including thermal deformation.
Regarding claim 13, note that the rigidity of the lid must be greater than that of the second cover because other components that have no margin for movement are mounted to the lid.
Regarding claim 15, see Asada, figs. 4, 7, note outlet into which fans are fitted at end of channel member 430, and note that air is sucked in through fans and exhausted downwardly toward the media.
Regarding claim 16, see Asada, fig. 3, note heaters arranged in the conveyance direction.
Regarding claim 17, see Asada, figs. 3, 4, 7, note air-applicating fans wherein the cover 434/443 are fixed to the fans, and heaters 422 are disposed in a space formed by the applicators and the covers.
Regarding claim 18, Asada teaches a preprocessing unit to apply pretreatment liquid (Asada, fig. 1, item 20).
Regarding claim 19, Asada teaches applying different color liquids (Asada, col. 4, lines 4-11).
Regarding claim 20, Asada teaches a reversing mechanism (Asada, fig. 1, item 60).
Claim(s) 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Arrison in view of Asada as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of official notice.
Regarding claim 10, Arrison in view of Asada teaches the liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1. Arrison in view of Asada does not expressly teach wherein the first cover and the second cover are made of a metal material. Examiner takes official notice that one of skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have found it obvious to construct the covers from a metal, as claimed, because metal was a well-known heat reflecting material at the time invention.
Claim(s) 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Arrison in view of Asada as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Niestrath et al. (5,502,310).
Regarding claim 14, Arrison in view of Asada teaches the liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 3. Arrison in view of Asada does not teach wherein one end of the lid is supported by the first cover, and another end of the lid only touches and is not fixed to the second cover. Niestrath teaches this arrangement (Neistrath, figs. 2, 3, Note lid 44 supported on an end of first cover 34 and touching second cover 38). 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 lid disclosed by Neistrath to the device disclosed by Arrison in view of Asada because doing so would help to absorb heat.
(Examiner is aware that Neistrath is directed to a UV irradiation device and not a heater. Nonetheless, Examiner maintains adding the lid disclosed by Neistrath to any radiation shielding device, including heat, UV or infrared radiation, would have been obvious).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 6 and 8 have been considered but are moot in light of the new ground(s) of rejection.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/ALEJANDRO VALENCIA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853
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