DETAILED ACTION
Election/Restrictions
Claims 10-13 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 12/23/2025. Applicant traverses on the basis that a search for one embodiment would necessarily encompass the subject matter of the remaining species. Examiner maintains this is not the case. The species are materially different, and to search for one would not necessarily encompass the others. The Requirement is maintained.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 9 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
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) 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Dowell (2003/0043240).
Regarding claim 1, Dowell teaches a liquid container configured to contain a liquid to be ejected onto a medium by a liquid ejection apparatus, the liquid container comprising:
a first containing unit (fig. 1B, item 106) configured to contain the liquid;
a second containing unit (fig. 1B, item 104) which is disposed not to communicate with the first containing unit (see fig. 1B), and which is configured to contain a same liquid as the liquid contained in the first containing unit (see fig. 1B); and
a coupling portion (fig. 1B, item 100) configured to couple the first containing unit and the second containing unit to each other,
wherein the first containing unit is provided with a first derivation unit (fig. 1B, item 77) configured to derive the liquid contained in the first containing unit,
the second containing unit is provided with a second derivation unit (fig. 1B, item 76) configured to derive the liquid contained in the second containing unit, and
the first containing unit and the second containing unit are individually sealed (see fig. 1B).
Regarding claim 2, Dowell teaches the liquid container according to claim 1, wherein a derivation direction of the liquid from the first derivation unit is same as a derivation direction of the liquid from the second derivation unit (see fig. 1B, Note that liquid is derived in the direction of gravity through interconnect structures 77A, 76A where the derivation direction can be said to turn horizontal. Note that “derivation direction” has not been defined with any specificity. For purposes of this claim, the gravity direction is being taken to be the derivation direction).
Regarding claim 3, Dowell teaches the liquid container according to claim 2, wherein the first derivation unit and the second derivation unit are located at a same position in a direction along the derivation direction (see fig. 1B).
Regarding claim 4, Dowell teaches the liquid container according to claim 1, wherein a derivation direction of the liquid from the first derivation unit is opposite to a derivation direction of the liquid from the second derivation unit (see fig. 1B, Note that liquid is derived in the direction of gravity through interconnect structures 77A, 76A where the derivation direction can be said to turn horizontal. Note that “derivation direction” has not been defined with any specificity. For purposes of this claim, opposing arrows if the fluid once downstream of interconnects 77A, 76A are being taken to be the respective derivation directions).
Regarding claim 5, Dowell teaches the liquid container according to claim 1, wherein the coupling portion is a housing (fig. 1B, item 100) configured to house the first containing unit and the second containing unit (see fig. 1B).
Regarding claim 6, Dowell teaches the liquid container according to claim 1, wherein the liquid container contains the liquid to be injected into a liquid reservoir unit provided to the liquid ejection apparatus (see fig. 1B).
Regarding claim 7, Dowell teaches the liquid container according to claim 1, wherein the liquid container is detachably attached to a loading unit of the liquid ejection apparatus (see fig. 1A).
Regarding claim 8, Dowell teaches the liquid container according to claim 7, wherein the liquid container is configured to be loaded on the loading unit in a first posture in which the liquid is derived from the first derivation unit to the liquid ejection apparatus, and a second posture which is different from the first posture, and in which the liquid is derived from the second derivation unit to the liquid ejection apparatus (see figs. 1A, 1B, Note that housing 100 can be rotated 180 degrees about a vertical axis and repositioned on the loading unit 94, and note that liquid is derived from both derivation units in both postures).
Conclusion
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/ALEJANDRO VALENCIA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853