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
Foreign priority papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or 35 U.S.C. § 365(a)-(c) are acknowledged.
Information Disclosure Statement
The Information Disclosure Statement(s) submitted by applicant on 01/27/2026, 09/03/2025, 03/13/2025, and 06/11/2024 has/have been considered. The submission(s) is/are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR § 1.97.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Correction is required. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
The specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant's cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Rejections - 35 U.S.C. § 103
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 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 of this title, 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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
1. Claim(s) 1-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Publication No. 2019023002 to Ohnishi et al. (hereinafter “Ohnishi”) in view of CN Patent Publication No. 110341337 to Xia (hereinafter “Xia”).
With respect to claim 1, Ohnishi discloses A printing method for drawing an image on a transfer-receiving medium by transferring the image printed on a transfer medium to the transfer-receiving medium ([0030]-[0037] FIG. 1 and FIG. 9), the printing method comprising: a printing stage of printing the image on the transfer medium with a printing device that performs printing through an inkjet method (104, [0030]-[0037] FIG. 1 and FIG. 9, and FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of Xia); a hot melt resin adhering stage of causing hot melt resin, which is containing a resin softened through heating, to adhere to the transfer medium on which the image is printed ([0022]-[0024], [0096]-[0100]); and a transfer stage of transferring the image from the transfer medium to the transfer-receiving medium by causing a hot melt resin portion to adhere to the transfer-receiving medium, the hot melt resin portion being a resin portion formed by heating the transfer medium to which the hot melt resin adheres, and softening the hot melt resin through heating (100,101,108,[0151] and examples 1-5 FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of Xia), wherein the printing device includes: a colored ink head that is an inkjet head ejecting a colored ink, which is an ink containing a coloring material showing a nonwhite color, and a clear ink head that is an inkjet head ejecting a clear ink, which is a colorless and translucent ink, and in the transfer medium, the clear ink is further ejected from the clear ink head to at least a part of a region to which the colored ink is ejected from the colored ink head in the printing stage (104 [0074] of Ohnishi and 9, 10 , and 11, examples 1-5, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of Xia).
However, Ohnishi fails to specifically disclose:
powder.
Xia discloses:
powder (examples 1-5 FIG. 1 and FIG. 2).
At the time of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the powder as disclosed by Xia with the method/apparatus of Ohnishi. The motivation for doing so would have been to improve the transfer. (examples 1-5 of Xia).
With respect to claim 2, Ohnishi in view of Xia discloses wherein in the transfer stage, the image is transferred from the transfer medium to the transfer-receiving medium by moving at least a part of the coloring material adhering to the transfer medium to the transfer-receiving medium together with at least a part of the hot melt resin portion, and in a case where a region to which the colored ink is ejected from the colored ink head in the transfer medium is defined as an image representing region, a region to which an amount of the colored ink ejected per unit area is smaller than a preset reference amount is defined as a small amount of ink region, and a ratio of the coloring material moving from the transfer medium to the transfer-receiving medium in the transfer stage is defined as a transfer rate, by ejecting the clear ink to at least a part of the small amount of ink region in the image representing region with the printing device in the printing stage, the transfer rate in at least the part of the small amount of ink region is higher than that in a case where the clear ink is not ejected (104 Fig. 1, FIG.s 4-9 [0074] of Ohnishi and 8-13, examples 1-5, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of Xia).
With respect to claim 3, Ohnishi in view of Xia discloses wherein by ejecting the clear ink to at least the part of the small amount of ink region in the printing stage, an amount of the hot melt resin powder adhering to a position to which the clear ink is ejected in the hot melt resin adhering stage is made larger than that in the case where the clear ink is not ejected (104 Fig. 1, FIG.s 4-9 [0074] of Ohnishi and 8-13, examples 1-5, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of Xia).
With respect to claim 4, Ohnishi in view of Xia discloses wherein in a case where a region to which the amount of the colored ink ejected per unit area is larger than a predetermined amount, which is larger than the reference amount in the image representing region is defined as a non-small amount of ink region, and an amount of the clear ink per unit area ejected to each position on the transfer medium is defined as a clear ejection amount, the clear ejection amount is differed according to the amount of the colored ink ejected per unit area, to make the clear ejection amount in the small amount of ink region larger than the clear ejection amount in the non-small amount of ink region in the printing stage(104 Fig. 1, FIG.s 4-9 [0074] of Ohnishi and 8-13, examples 1-5, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of Xia).
With respect to claim 5, Ohnishi in view of Xia discloses wherein the clear ink is not ejected to a position where the amount of the colored ink ejected per unit area is larger than a preset upper limit amount in the printing stage(104 Fig. 1, FIG.s 4-9 [0074] of Ohnishi and 8-13, examples 1-5, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of Xia).
With respect to claim 6, Ohnishi in view of Xia discloses wherein the printing device ejects the colored ink and the clear ink from the colored ink head and the clear ink head to ejection positions set according to a resolution of the printing, and in a case where the ejection positions to which the colored ink is ejected from the colored ink head are defined as colored ejection positions, and the colored ejection positions where adjacent ejection positions are not the colored ejection positions are defined as isolated ejection positions, the small amount of ink region is a region including the isolated ejection positions, and in the printing stage, the printing is performed on the transfer medium to connect ranges including a plurality of the ejection positions including the isolated ejection positions by the colored ink and the clear ink at least near the isolated ejection positions, by ejecting the clear ink from the clear ink head to at least some of the isolated ejection positions in the small amount of ink region or the ejection positions around the isolated ejection positions(104 Fig. 1, FIG.s 4-9 [0074] of Ohnishi and 8-13, examples 1-5, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of Xia).
With respect to claim 7, Ohnishi in view of Xia discloses further comprising an adjustment stage of adjusting spread of a dot of the clear ink formed on the transfer medium in the printing stage(104 Fig. 1, FIG.s 4-9 [0074] of Ohnishi and 8-13, examples 1-5, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of Xia).
With respect to claim 8, Ohnishi in view of Xia discloses wherein in the adjustment stage, it is determined whether or not the spread of the dot of the clear ink is insufficient based on a result of printing the image on the transfer medium with the printing device under a preset first printing condition, and in a case where it is determined that the spread of the dot is insufficient, a second printing condition that is a condition different from the first printing condition and that the spread of the dot of the clear ink becomes larger is selected as a printing condition for causing the printing device to perform the printing in the printing stage (100 Fig. 1, FIG.s 4-9 [0074] of Ohnishi and 8-13, examples 1-5, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of Xia).
With respect to claim 9, Ohnishi discloses a printing system that draws an image on a transfer-receiving medium by transferring the image printed on a transfer medium to the transfer-receiving medium ([0030]-[0037] FIG. 1 and FIG. 9), the printing system comprising: a printing device that performs printing on the transfer medium through an inkjet method (104, [0030]-[0037] FIG. 1 and FIG. 9, and FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of Xia); and a transfer unit that transfers the image from the transfer medium to the transfer-receiving medium, wherein the transfer unit transfers the image from the transfer medium to the transfer-receiving medium by causing a hot melt resin portion to adhere to the transfer-receiving medium in a state where hot melt resin (100,101,108,[0151] and examples 1-5 FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of Xia), which is containing a resin softened through heating, is caused to adhere to the transfer medium on which the image is printed, the hot melt resin portion being a resin portion formed by heating the transfer medium to which the hot melt resin adheres, and softening the hot melt resin through heating(100,101,108,[0151] and examples 1-5 FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of Xia), the printing device includes: a colored ink head that is an inkjet head ejecting a colored ink, which is an ink containing a coloring material showing a nonwhite color (104 FIG. 1), and a clear ink head that is an inkjet head ejecting a clear ink, which is a colorless and translucent ink, and in the transfer medium, the clear ink is further ejected from the clear ink head to at least a part of a region to which the colored ink is ejected from the colored ink head (100 Fig. 1, FIG.s 4-9 [0074] of Ohnishi and 8-13, examples 1-5, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of Xia).
However, Ohnishi fails to specifically disclose:
powder.
Xia discloses:
powder (examples 1-5 FIG. 1 and FIG. 2).
At the time of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the powder as disclosed by Xia with the method/apparatus of Ohnishi. The motivation for doing so would have been to improve the transfer. (examples 1-5 of Xia).
With respect to claim 10, Ohnishi discloses a printing device that performs printing on a transfer medium through an inkjet method in a printing system that draws an image on a transfer-receiving medium by transferring the image printed on the transfer medium to the transfer-receiving medium ([0030]-[0037] FIG. 1 and FIG. 9), the printing device(104, [0030]-[0037] FIG. 1 and FIG. 9, and FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of Xia) comprising: a colored ink head that is an inkjet head ejecting a colored ink, which is an ink containing a coloring material showing a nonwhite color (104 FIG. 1 [0073]); and a clear ink head that is an inkjet head ejecting a clear ink, which is a colorless and translucent ink (100 Fig. 1, FIG.s 4-9 [0074] of Ohnishi and 8-13, examples 1-5, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of Xia), wherein transfer of the image from the transfer medium to the transfer-receiving medium is transfer of the image from the transfer medium to the transfer-receiving medium performed by causing a hot melt resin portion to adhere to the transfer-receiving medium in a state where hot melt resin, which is containing a resin softened through heating, is caused to adhere to the transfer medium on which the image is printed (100,101,108,[0151] and examples 1-5 FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of Xia), the hot melt resin portion being a resin portion formed by heating the transfer medium to which the hot melt resin adheres, and softening the hot melt resin through heating, and in the transfer medium(100,101,108,[0151] and examples 1-5 FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of Xia), the clear ink is further ejected from the clear ink head to at least a part of a region to which the colored ink is ejected from the colored ink head, and a clear ejection amount, which is an amount of the clear ink per unit area ejected to each position on the transfer medium, is differed according to an amount of the colored ink ejected per unit area (100 Fig. 1, FIG.s 4-9 [0074] of Ohnishi and 8-13, examples 1-5, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of Xia).
However, Ohnishi fails to specifically disclose:
powder.
Xia discloses:
powder (examples 1-5 FIG. 1 and FIG. 2).
At the time of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the powder as disclosed by Xia with the method/apparatus of Ohnishi. The motivation for doing so would have been to improve the transfer. (examples 1-5 of Xia).
With respect to claim 11, Ohnishi in view of Xia discloses wherein in a case where a region to which the amount of the colored ink ejected per unit area is larger than a predetermined amount, which is larger than the reference amount in the image representing region is defined as a non-small amount of ink region (100 Fig. 1, FIG.s 4-9 [0074] and [0146] disclose controlling the amount of Ohnishi and 8-13, examples 1-5, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of Xia), and an amount of the clear ink per unit area ejected to each position on the transfer medium is defined as a clear ejection amount, the clear ejection amount is differed according to the amount of the colored ink ejected per unit area, to make the clear ejection amount in the small amount of ink region larger than the clear ejection amount in the non-small amount of ink region in the printing stage (100 Fig. 1, FIG.s 4-9 [0074] and [0146] disclose controlling the amount of Ohnishi and 8-13, examples 1-5, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of Xia).
With respect to claim 12, Ohnishi in view of Xia discloses wherein the clear ink is not ejected to a position where the amount of the colored ink ejected per unit area is larger than a preset upper limit amount in the printing stage (100 Fig. 1, FIG.s 4-9 [0074] of Ohnishi and 8-13, examples 1-5, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of Xia).
With respect to claim 13, Ohnishi in view of Xia discloses wherein the printing device ejects the colored ink and the clear ink from the colored ink head and the clear ink head to ejection positions set according to a resolution of the printing (100, 104 Fig. 1, FIG.s 4-9 [0074] of Ohnishi and 8-13, examples 1-5, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of Xia), and in a case where the ejection positions to which the colored ink is ejected from the colored ink head are defined as colored ejection positions, and the colored ejection positions where adjacent ejection positions are not the colored ejection positions are defined as isolated ejection positions, the small amount of ink region is a region including the isolated ejection positions, and in the printing stage, the printing is performed on the transfer medium to connect ranges including a plurality of the ejection positions including the isolated ejection positions by the colored ink and the clear ink at least near the isolated ejection positions, by ejecting the clear ink from the clear ink head to at least some of the isolated ejection positions in the small amount of ink region or the ejection positions around the isolated ejection positions (100 Fig. 1, FIG.s 4-9 [0074] of Ohnishi and 8-13, examples 1-5, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of Xia).
With respect to claim 14, Ohnishi in view of Xia discloses wherein the printing device ejects the colored ink and the clear ink from the colored ink head and the clear ink head to ejection positions set according to a resolution of the printing (100, 104 Fig. 1, FIG.s 4-9 [0074] of Ohnishi and 8-13, examples 1-5, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of Xia), and in a case where the ejection positions to which the colored ink is ejected from the colored ink head are defined as colored ejection positions, and the colored ejection positions where adjacent ejection positions are not the colored ejection positions are defined as isolated ejection positions, the small amount of ink region is a region including the isolated ejection positions, and in the printing stage, the printing is performed on the transfer medium to connect ranges including a plurality of the ejection positions including the isolated ejection positions by the colored ink and the clear ink at least near the isolated ejection positions, by ejecting the clear ink from the clear ink head to at least some of the isolated ejection positions in the small amount of ink region or the ejection positions around the isolated ejection positions (100 Fig. 1, FIG.s 4-9 [0074] of Ohnishi and 8-13, examples 1-5, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of Xia).
With respect to claim 15, Ohnishi in view of Xia discloses wherein the printing device ejects the colored ink and the clear ink from the colored ink head and the clear ink head to ejection positions set according to a resolution of the printing (100, 104 Fig. 1, FIG.s 4-9 [0074] of Ohnishi and 8-13, examples 1-5, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of Xia), and in a case where the ejection positions to which the colored ink is ejected from the colored ink head are defined as colored ejection positions, and the colored ejection positions where adjacent ejection positions are not the colored ejection positions are defined as isolated ejection positions, the small amount of ink region is a region including the isolated ejection positions, and in the printing stage, the printing is performed on the transfer medium to connect ranges including a plurality of the ejection positions including the isolated ejection positions by the colored ink and the clear ink at least near the isolated ejection positions, by ejecting the clear ink from the clear ink head to at least some of the isolated ejection positions in the small amount of ink region or the ejection positions around the isolated ejection positions (100 Fig. 1, FIG.s 4-9 [0074] of Ohnishi and 8-13, examples 1-5, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of Xia).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Bradley W Thies whose telephone number is (571)270-5667. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 9:30 am -6:00 pm.
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/BRADLEY W THIES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853