Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 29 August 2025 has been entered.
Claim Objections
Claim 8 is objected to because of the following informalities: All claims must end in a period, claim 8 has an extraneous ‘,’. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: “a component” in claim 8.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
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.
Claims 8-20 and 23-24 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.
Claim 8 comprises the terms “a top surface facing upward” and “a bottom surface facing downward” (emphasis added). Terms like upward and downward are relative terms have no definite meaning unless tied to a specific use or placement orientation when a three-dimensional item is manipulatable in three-dimensional space.
Claims 11-16 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.
Claim 11 recites “a third axis” without previously introducing a ‘second axis’. It is unclear if this is an unconventional naming or if there are claim limitations missing from the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 8-10, 17-19 and 23-24 are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(b) as being anticipated by Tokuda (US Pub.2007/0059018), embodiment 2. (Examiner note: Claims appear out of order because they are rejected in order of dependency.)
Regarding claim 8, Tokuda (US Pub.2007/0059018) teaches a developing cartridge (fig.17&18) comprising: a developing roller rotatable about a first axis extending in a first direction (fig.17&18, #31 rotatable about #31a extending into and out of the page); a housing configured to accommodate toner therein (fig.17&18, #34), the housing having a first side (fig.17&18 side visible, equivalent to side #85 in fig.6) and a second side spaced apart from the first side in the first direction (fig.17&18, not visible opposite side, equivalent to side #96in fig.6), the housing having a first outer surface at the first side of the housing (fig.17&18, side on which #80,#90,#91 are mounted), the housing having a second outer surface at the second side of the housing (fig.17&18, not shown but exists), the second outer surface being separated from the first outer surface in the first direction (in this aspect, fig.17&18 and fig.6 would be configured equivalently), the housing having a third side (fig.17&18, ‘left’ side with #31) and a fourth side spaced apart from the third side in a second direction (fig.17&18, ‘right’ side in the left-right direction of the page), the developing roller being positioned at the third side of the housing (fig.17&18, #31 at ‘left’ side), the housing having a top surface facing upward and a bottom surface facing downward (fig.17&18, #79 surface and unlabeled ‘bottom’ of #34); an electrode being positioned at the first outer surface of the housing (fig.17&18, #146/#148; para.0110-0111), the electrode being electrically connected to a component of the developing cartridge (fig.17&18, via #148”a to #31/#31a); a cover covering at least a part of the first outer surface and at least a part of the electrode (fig.17&18, #86), the cover being positioned at the first outer surface of the housing (fig.17&18, #86 on visible first side), the cover having an opening (fig.17&18, #147 and edge portion of #86 that doesn’t cover the rest of #85; para.0110) wherein the electrode includes an electrode protrusion which extends through the opening in the first direction (fig.18, #146 projects in first direction while in opening #147, #148a projects along axis #31a on the open side of #85; para.0110-0112), the electrode protrusion being spaced apart from the component of the developing cartridge in the second direction (fig.17&18, #146 spaced from #31 in the left-right direction), at least a part of the electrode protrusion being exposed upward (fig.18, when #146 in that position; para.0110).
Regarding claim 10, Tokuda (US Pub.2007/0059018) teaches a developing cartridge wherein the developing roller includes a developing roller shaft, and wherein the component of the developing cartridge is the developing roller shaft (fig.17&18, #31 has #31a and connects to #148a; para.0110-0112).
Regarding claim 17, Tokuda (US Pub.2007/0059018) teaches a developing cartridge wherein the electrode protrusion is formed substantially in the shape of a cylinder extending in the first direction (fig.17&18, #148a is substantially a cylinder extending out of the page).
Regarding claim 18, Tokuda (US Pub.2007/0059018) teaches a developing cartridge wherein the electrode is formed of a conductive resin (para.0111).
Regarding claim 19, Tokuda (US Pub.2007/0059018) teaches a developing cartridge further comprising: a gear positioned at the first outer surface (fig.17&18, any of #80, #87, #90, #88, or #91).
Regarding claim 23, Tokuda (US Pub.2007/0059018) teaches a developing cartridge further comprising: a supply roller (fig.1, #33 in #34) rotatable about a second axis extending in the first direction (fig.17&18, see axis of #33 relative to axis of #31a), the supply roller including a supply roller shaft (fig.17&18, #33 on which #90 is mounted, see shaft indicator in fig.1, #33; para.0049).
Regarding claim 24, Tokuda (US Pub.2007/0059018) teaches a developing cartridge further comprising: a protrusion movable relative to the electrode (fig.17&18, #145 movable relative to #148 part), the protrusion being positioned at the first outer surface of the housing (see fig.17&18).
Regarding claim 9, Tokuda (US Pub.2007/0059018) teaches a developing cartridge wherein the protrusion is exposed through the opening of the cover (see fig.18).
Claims 8-15, 17-19 and 23-24 are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(b) as being anticipated by Tokuda (US Pub.2007/0059018), embodiment 1. (Examiner note: Claims appear out of order because they are rejected in order of dependency.)
Regarding claim 8, Tokuda (US Pub.2007/0059018) teaches a developing cartridge (fig.6&7) comprising: a developing roller (fig.6&7, #31) rotatable about a first axis extending in a first direction (fig.7, #31a extending in direction into the page and fig.6, extending left-right); a housing configured to accommodate toner therein (fig.6&7, #34), the housing having a first side (fig.6, side with #96) and a second side (fig.6, side with #85) spaced apart from the first side in the first direction (see fig.6, in left-right direction), the housing having a first outer surface at the first side of the housing (fig.8, ~#79), the housing having a second outer surface at the second side of the housing (fig.7, side of #34 with #38 and #90 mounted thereon), the second outer surface being separated from the first outer surface in the first direction (see fig.6), the housing having a third side (fig.6, ‘top’ side in the image near #31) and a fourth side (fig.6, ‘bottom’ side in the image spaced from #31) spaced apart from the third side in a second direction (fig.6, second direction top-bottom; fig.7, second direction left-right), the developing roller being positioned at the third side of the housing (fig.6&7, #31 at third side), the housing having a top surface facing upward and a bottom surface facing downward (fig.7, ‘top’ surface near indicator #79 and ‘bottom surface closer to the designation ‘fig.7’); an electrode being positioned at the first outer surface of the housing (fig.6, #95), the electrode being electrically connected to a component of the developing cartridge n(para.0077); a cover covering at least a part of the first outer surface and at least a part of the electrode (fig.5&6, #97), the cover being positioned at the first outer surface of the housing (see position on fig.6), the cover having an opening (fig.5&14-16, #114) wherein the electrode includes an electrode protrusion (fig.8-10, #113) which extends through the opening in the first direction (para.0081), the electrode protrusion being spaced apart from the component of the developing cartridge in the second direction (fig.8, second direction corresponds to top-bottom in fig.8, #113 spaced somewhat from #80 which holds #31a), at least a part of the electrode protrusion being exposed upward (fig.8-10, when #113 protrudes, a portion of the top surface of #113 will be exposed upwards).
Regarding claim 10, Tokuda (US Pub.2007/0059018) teaches a developing cartridge wherein the developing roller includes a developing roller shaft (fig.1, #31a), and wherein the component of the developing cartridge is the developing roller shaft (para.0077).
Regarding claim 11, Tokuda (US Pub.2007/0059018) teaches a developing cartridge further comprising: a coupling rotatable about a third axis extending in the first direction (fig.7, #87a), the coupling being positioned at the second outer surface (see fig.6&7, #87a in #85 displaced from #31a).
Regarding claim 13, Tokuda (US Pub.2007/0059018) teaches a developing cartridge further comprising: an agitator rotatable about an agitator axis extending in the first direction (fig.1, #36).
Regarding claim 14, Tokuda (US Pub.2007/0059018) teaches a developing cartridge further comprising: a first agitator gear rotatable with the agitator (fig.7, #91), the first agitator gear being positioned at the second outer surface of the housing (fig.6&7, #91 positioned within #85).
Regarding claim 15, Tokuda (US Pub.2007/0059018) teaches a developing cartridge further comprising: a gear cover positioned at the second outer surface, the gear cover covering the first agitator gear (fig.7, #86 at least partially covers #91).
Regarding claim 17, Tokuda (US Pub.2007/0059018) teaches a developing cartridge wherein the electrode protrusion is formed substantially in the shape of a cylinder extending in the first direction (fig.9&14, #116 inside #117; para.0082).
Regarding claim 18, Tokuda (US Pub.2007/0059018) teaches a developing cartridge wherein the electrode is formed of a conductive resin (para.0081).
Regarding claim 19, Tokuda (US Pub.2007/0059018) teaches a developing cartridge further comprising: a gear positioned at the first outer surface (fig.10&11, #100; para.0079).
Regarding claim 23, Tokuda (US Pub.2007/0059018) teaches a developing cartridge further comprising: a supply roller (fig.1, #33 in #34) rotatable about a second axis extending in the first direction (fig.7, see axis of #33 relative to axis of #31a), the supply roller including a supply roller shaft (fig.1&7, #33 on which #90 is mounted; para.0049).
Regarding claim 24, Tokuda (US Pub.2007/0059018) teaches a developing cartridge further comprising: a protrusion movable relative to the electrode (fig.10-16, #127 movable relative to #111/#113 part), the protrusion being positioned at the first outer surface of the housing (see fig.8&9).
Regarding claim 9, Tokuda (US Pub.2007/0059018) teaches a developing cartridge wherein the protrusion is exposed through the opening of the cover (fig.11-16, opening #128 where #127 protrudes).
Regarding claim 12, Tokuda (US Pub.2007/0059018) teaches a developing cartridge further comprising: a coupling rotatable about a third axis extending in the first direction (fig.7, #87a), the coupling being positioned at the second outer surface (see fig.6&7, #87a in #85 displaced from #31a), wherein the protrusion is movable according to rotation of the coupling (para.0075&0079-0081).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim 20 is rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Tokuda (US Pub.2007/0059018) [either of embodiments 1 or 2] in view of Sato et al. (US Pub.2007/0009281).
Tokuda (US Pub.2007/0059018) teach all of the limitations of claim 23, upon which claim 20 depends.
However, while Tokuda (US Pub.2007/0059018) disclose that a developing bias is applied to a developing roller (para.0114), Tokuda (US Pub.2007/0059018) is silent as to how the bias is applied to a supply roller.
Regarding claim 20, Sato et al. (US Pub.2007/0009281) teach a developing cartridge wherein an electrical connection is provided on one end of a cartridge, opposite from a driven end of the cartridge (fig.19-21) wherein an end portion electrode (fig.22-24, #118 and #127 of #117 contact and support #52 and #50, respectively) is configured to support multiple shafts and formed of a material such that the electrical bias can be supplied to multiple shafts with just one apparatus-side contact position (fig.15, #122 in contact with #131; para.0165&0168), wherein the developing roller includes a developing roller shaft (fig.4, #38 includes #52), and wherein the electrode is electrically connected to the developing roller (fig.22-24, #118 of #117 contacts #52; para.0214&0168) and/or wherein the electrode is electrically connected the supply roller shaft (fig.4, #37 has #50; fig.22-24, #127 of #117 contacts #50; para.0219&0168).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the electrical setup of Tokuda (US Pub.2007/0059018) by using an end electrode capable of contacting each of the electrified rollers as in Sato et al. (US Pub.2007/0009281) in order to be able to supply the bias to both the developing roller and the supply roller by a simple known means (para.0168&0225).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 16 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Prior art does not disclose or suggest the claimed “a second agitator gear rotatable with the agitator, the second agitator gear positioned at the first outer surface” in combination with all of the remaining claim elements as set forth in claim 16.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 8-15 and 17-19 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Itabashi et al. (US Pub.2017/0185032) does not constitute prior art, but is being cited as particularly related art.
Takarada et al. (US Pub.2013/0022368) teach a process cartridge with an electrode providing power to a component with the electrode exposed in the first direction and projecting in a second direction; however, other elements of claim 8 are not met.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LAURA K ROTH whose telephone number is (571)272-2154. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 7:30AM-3:30 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Stephanie Bloss can be reached on 571-272-3555. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LKR/
10/2/2025
/STEPHANIE E BLOSS/ Supervisory Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852