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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d).
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 03/26/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Status of Claims
Claims 1-12 are pending in this application.
Oath/Declaration
The receipt of Oath/Declaration is acknowledged.
Drawings
6. The receipt of Drawings is acknowledged.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-12 are objected to because the lines are crowded too closely together, making reading difficult. Substitute claims with lines one and one-half or double spaced on good quality paper are required. See 37 CFR 1.52(b).
Claims 1-12 are objected to because they include reference characters which are not enclosed within parentheses.
(Please see reference character [0078] in line 14 of claim 1)
(Please see reference character [0079] in line 8 of claim 9)
Reference characters corresponding to elements recited in the detailed description of the drawings and used in conjunction with the recitation of the same element or group of elements in the claims should be enclosed within parentheses so as to avoid confusion with other numbers or characters which may appear in the claims. See MPEP § 608.01(m).
Claims 1-8 are objected to because of the following informalities: In lines 1-2 of Claims 1-8, please include an “A” at the beginning/preamble of the claim and correct the capitalization of the claim terms (i.e.: “A method for synchronizing a printing process on cardboard”). Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 9-12 are objected to because of the following informalities: In line 1 of Claims 9-12, please include an “A” at the beginning/preamble of the claim and correct the capitalization of the claim terms (i.e.: “A device for synchronizing a printing process on cardboard”). Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-8 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.
The term “in such a way that” in claim 1 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “in such a way that” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. Please amend claim to define the term “in such a way that” in order to provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree and base meaning of the term “in such a way that” in the claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
15. Claims 1-8 are objected to but would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the Claim Objections for informalities and the 35 USC 112(b) rejection for indefiniteness.
Claim 12 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.
17. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter shown within the combination of limitations as expressed below:
Regarding Independent Claim 1, the prior art(s) searched, cited and/or of record fails to explicitly teach, disclose or suggest the claimed subject matter of independent claim 1 as follows:
“METHOD FOR SYNCHRONIZING A PRINTING PROCESS ON CARDBOARD to align and synchronize the flexographic printing process and the digital printing process respectively in a hybrid printer characterized in that it comprises a calibration process comprising:
Printing of a registration mark on a first cardboard plate and
detection of said mark by the sensor; A first sample plate with a registration mark printed by the flexographic printing where, upon arriving at the printing line, the sensorics detect the color of the printing line, the color of the cardboard plate and the color of the registration mark.
Validation of the settings by accepting the detected color sequence.
Generation of a time window where these colors will be recognized
as good signals allowing a single detection in this window which becomes the recognition pattern.
Introduction into the print line of a second printed sample plate to
verify the correct detection of the recognition pattern and that the time window is well established.
[0078] The system is synchronized in such a way that, each time the sequence of colors "cardboard color - registration mark color" on the cardboard is detected in the sensor area, it will record the specified recognition pattern and generate a warning signal for the system to perform the calculation of the time in which it will start printing in digital.”, in addition to all the limitations as required by the independent claim 1.
In the primary prior art cited but not relied upon of De Roeck (US PG. Pub. 2018/0264851 A1) teaches in Sect. [0120], An inkjet printing device (50) is a corrugated fibreboard inkjet printing device, performing a corrugated fibreboard inkjet printing method. The inkjet receiver (200) of such inkjet printing device is always corrugated fibreboard. Corrugated fibreboard is a paper-based material consisting of a fluted corrugated medium and one or two flat linerboards. The corrugated medium and linerboard board are preferably made of kraft containerboard and/or preferably corrugated fibreboard is between 3 mm and 15 mm thick. Corrugated fibreboard is sometimes called corrugated cardboard; although cardboard might be any heavy paper-pulp based board. The handling of such inkjet receivers (200) on a vacuum belt is difficult due to uncontrolled adhering of the inkjet receiver (200) against the vacuum belt. Differences of humidity in bottom and top layer of the inkjet receiver (200) may cause a curvature effect on the inkjet receiver (200) which can not be hold down on current vacuum belts so the inkjet receiver (200) may crash against a printhead (75) from the inkjet printing device (50). If no extra guiding means are implemented in the inkjet printing device (50) to hold down the corrugated fibreboard which introduces an extra manufacturing cost. For example in a hot printing area and/or hot curing area, if available, the differences of humidity in bottom and top layer of the corrugated fibreboard can be become bigger. But in the present invention the connection, the hold-down, of the inkjet receiver (200) with the vacuum belt is guaranteed even in these hot printing area and/or curing area, if available, from the inkjet printing device (50).
In the secondary prior art cited but not relied upon of Lunga (US PG. Pub. 2008/0063980 A1) discloses in Sect. [0142], The imaging element of the present invention is particularly useful in forming the recording element for flexographic printing on surfaces which are soft and easily deformable, such as packaging materials, e.g., cardboard and plastic films. The photosensitive printing elements of the present invention can be used in the formation of seamless, continuous flexographic printing forms. The present imaging elements in the form of a flat sheet can be wrapped around a cylindrical form, usually a printing sleeve or the printing cylinder itself, and its edges fused together to form a seamless, continuous photosensitive printing element. In a preferred method, the photopolymerizable layer is wrapped around the cylindrical form and the edges joined. One process for joining the edges has been disclosed in German patent DE 28 44 426. The photopolymerizable layer can then be spray coated with at least one additional layer as described herein, if desired.
In particular, the closest reference cited but not relied upon of De Roeck fails to disclose and would not have rendered obvious the claimed subject matter of independent claim 1. Also, secondary cited reference but not relied upon of Lunga does not remedy the deficiencies required by claim 1 as follows:
“METHOD FOR SYNCHRONIZING A PRINTING PROCESS ON CARDBOARD to align and synchronize the flexographic printing process and the digital printing process respectively in a hybrid printer characterized in that it comprises a calibration process comprising:
Printing of a registration mark on a first cardboard plate and
detection of said mark by the sensor; A first sample plate with a registration mark printed by the flexographic printing where, upon arriving at the printing line, the sensorics detect the color of the printing line, the color of the cardboard plate and the color of the registration mark.
Validation of the settings by accepting the detected color sequence.
Generation of a time window where these colors will be recognized
as good signals allowing a single detection in this window which becomes the recognition pattern.
Introduction into the print line of a second printed sample plate to
verify the correct detection of the recognition pattern and that the time window is well established.
[0078] The system is synchronized in such a way that, each time the sequence of colors "cardboard color - registration mark color" on the cardboard is detected in the sensor area, it will record the specified recognition pattern and generate a warning signal for the system to perform the calculation of the time in which it will start printing in digital.”, since both De Rock and Lunga fail to provide an image printing device for print on cardboard type material or paper including steps of generating a time window where these colors will be recognized as good signals allowing a single detection in this window which becomes the recognition pattern, introduction into the print line of a second printed sample plate to verify the correct detection of the recognition pattern and that the time window is well established and system synchronization in such a way that, each time the sequence of colors "cardboard color - registration mark color" on the cardboard is detected in the sensor area, it will record the specified recognition pattern and generate a warning signal for the system to perform the calculation of the time in which it will start printing in digital.as suggested by the claim.
18. Therefore, whether taken individually or in combination therof, the prior arts searched, cited and/or of record to include De Rock and Lunga fails to explicitly teach the claimed limitation(s) as required by independent claim 1.
19. It follows that dependent claims 2-8 would be inherently allowable for depending on an allowable base claim.
20. Any comments considered necessary by Applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance."
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) 9-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by De Roeck (US PG. Pub. 2018/026851 A1).
Referring to Claim 9, De Roeck teaches DEVICE FOR SYNCHRONIZING A PRINTING PROCESS ON CARDBOARD (See De Roeck, Figs. 5-6, Cardboard Inkjet Printer 50, Sect. [0120], the inkjet printing device (50) is a corrugated fibreboard cardboard inkjet printing device, performing a corrugated fibreboard cardboard inkjet printing method.) characterized in that it comprises:
A flexographic printing station (See DeRoeck, Sect. [0108], The
inkjet printing device (50) performs a printing method used to create a structure through a sequential layering process by jetting sequential layers, also called additive manufacturing or 3D inkjet printing. So the printing method is preferably comprised in a 3D inkjet printing method or stereolithographic method with objects that may be manufactured additively in layers by the inkjet printing device (50) using a flexographic printing plate.);
A transition table (See DeRoeck, Fig. 4, Transition Surface 315, Sect.
[0067], a transitional surface (315) connects the portion (310) to the dimple perimeter. The transitional surface may be a flat surface, substantially flat surface or a curved surface, such as conical, cylindrical, spherical, parabolic or other shapes. The transition surface (315) preferably blends the curvature of the portion (310) to the border of the polygonal dimple perimeter.);
Sensorics (See DeRoeck, Sect. [0239] lines 1-6, the encoder measures
the linear feed of the vacuum belt directly on the vacuum belt by a measuring device comprising a position sensor that may attachable to the vacuum belt and a stationary reference means wherein the relative position of the position sensor to the stationary reference means is detected.);
A transport table (See De Roeck, Fig. 6, Printing Table or Vacuum
Table 400, Sect. [0064] lines 15-17, The printing table with the second set of air-channels is also called a porous printing table or vacuum table (400).);
A digital printing station (See De Roeck, Figs. 5-6, Digital Inkjet Printer
50, Sect. [0123], the inkjet printing device (50) is a decoration inkjet printing device, performing a decoration inkjet printing method, to create digital printed wallpaper, laminate, digital printed objects such as flat workpieces, bottles, butter boats or crowns of bottles.);
[0079] Where in the flexographic printing station the registration mark is printed that the sensorics will read prior to enabling the digital printing process (See De Roeck, Sect. [0100]-[0101], The inkjet printing device (50) may mark a broad range of inkjet receivers (200) on the flexographic plates. The inkjet printing device (50) comprises one or more printheads jetting UV curable ink to mark inkjet receiver (200) and a UV source (=Ultra Violet source), as dryer system (900), to cure the inks after marking.).
Referring to Claim 10, De Roeck teaches DEVICE FOR SYNCHRONIZING A PRINTING PROCESS ON CARDBOARD according to claim 9 (See De Roeck, Figs. 5-6, Sect. [0120], Cardboard Inkjet Printer 50), characterized in that the sensorics is arranged at a point prior to digital printing (See De Roeck, Sect. [0239] lines 6-11, The position sensor comprises preferably an optical sensor which may interpret the distance between the position sensor and the stationary reference means on a distance ruler, such as an encoder strip, which is preferably comprised at the stationary reference means.).
Referring to Claim 11, De Roeck teaches DEVICE FOR SYNCHRONIZING A PRINTING PROCESS ON CARDBOARD according to claim 9 (See De Roeck, Figs. 5-6, Sect. [0120], Cardboard Inkjet Printer 50), characterized in that the sensorics comprises at least one color sensor (See De Roeck, Sect. [0255], the inkjet ink includes at least one colorant, more preferably a colour pigment. The inkjet ink may be a cyan, magenta, yellow, black, red, green, blue, orange or a spot color inkjet ink, preferable a corporate spot color inkjet ink such as red colour inkjet ink of Coca-Cola™ and the blue colour inkjet inks of VISA™ or KLM™. In a preferred embodiment the inkjet ink comprises metallic particles or comprising inorganic particles such as a white inkjet ink.).
Cited Art
24. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure Lunga et al. (US PG. PUB. No. 2008/006980 A1) discloses an imaging element and a method of using the imaging element to form a recording element. The imaging element includes a composition sensitive to actinic radiation from a source of radiation having a range of wavelengths and a photoluminescent tag that is responsive to at least one wavelength from the source of radiation. The photoluminescent tag can be used to authenticate the identity of the element, provide information about the element, and/or to establish one or more conditions in a device used to prepare the recording element from the imaging element.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DARRYL V DOTTIN whose telephone number is (571)270-5471. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-5pm.
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/DARRYL V DOTTIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2683
/DARRYL V DOTTIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2683