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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 04/13/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Please see rejection using reference Amano in view of reference Tamaki below for claim 6 regarding the ink-jet recording apparatus including the limitation of “a movement direction of the ink ejection surface is inclined with respect to a direction orthogonal to the ink ejection surface and to the conveying surface”. Furthermore, in re DeLisle, 160 USPQ 806 (CCPA 1969), a reference is to be considered not only for what it expressly states, but for what it would reasonably have suggested to on of ordinary skill in the art.
Applicant’s arguments, filed 04/13/2026, with respect to Figure 1 of the drawings have been fully considered and are persuasive. The objection of Figure 1 of the drawings has been withdrawn.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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, 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) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Amano et al. (JP 2021121483 A) in view of Tamaki (US 20170225466 A1).
Regarding claim 6, Amano teaches an ink-jet recording apparatus (Figure 1 displays a “printer 1” described in paragraph [0024].) comprising:
a conveying unit (Figure 1 displays a “transport unit 10” described in paragraph [0025].) including a conveying belt (Figure 1 displays an “endless transport belt 15” described in paragraph [0032].) configured to convey a recording medium (Paragraph [0032] describes how the “medium P”, displayed in Figure 1, is transported by the “endless transport belt 15”.), and
a conveying roller (Figure 1 displays the “two pulleys 14” described in paragraph [0032]) over which the conveying belt is stretched (Paragraph [0032] describes how the “endless transport belt 15” is wound around the “two pulleys 14”.);
a recording head (Figure 1 displays the “line head 20” described in paragraph [0025]) includes an ink ejection surface (Figure 2 displays the “ink ejection surface NA” described in paragraph [0055]) provided with a plurality of nozzles (Figure 2 displays the “nozzle N” described in paragraph [0033].) configured to eject ink onto the recording medium conveyed by the conveying unit (Paragraph [0033] describes the “medium P” being recorded on by ejecting ink from the “nozzle N”.);
a guide rail configured to support the head housing so that the head housing can reciprocate with respect to the conveying belt (Figure 5 displays the “guide rail 37” that is part of the “support frame 22” that supports the “line head 20” move in the “B direction” which is an inclined array in the horizontal “X direction” described in paragraphs [0030]-[0033].),
wherein the ink ejection surface is parallel to a conveying surface of the conveying belt (Figure 2, displays a “ink ejection surface NA” that is parallel to the surface of the “transport belt 15”.),
the ink ejection surface is inclined with respect to a horizontal direction in a cross section orthogonal to an axial direction of the conveying roller (Figure 1 displays how the “ink ejection surface NA” is arranged along the “A direction”, described in paragraph [0033], that is at an angle with respect to the “X direction” described in paragraph [0025].),
the ink ejection surface reciprocates between a printing position close to the conveying surface and a maintenance position retracted from the conveying surface (Figures 14-18 display how the “ink ejection surface NA” of the “lined head 20” is moved from a “recording position” with the “ink ejection surface NA” printing on the “medium P” to a “retracted position” that allows the “maintenance unit” to clean the “ink ejection surface NA” described in paragraphs [0038],[0081]-[0082].).
a movement direction of the ink ejection surface is inclined with respect to a direction orthogonal to the ink ejection surface and to the conveying surface (Figure 1 displays how the “line head 20” moves in the “B direction”, which is orthogonal to the “A direction” that the “medium P” on the “transport path T” including the “transport unit 10” moves in, as described in paragraph [0025].).
Amano fails to teach a head housing holding the recording head.
However, Tamaki teaches a head housing holding the recording head (Figure 2 displays an “inkjet head 5” is attached to the bottom of the “sub-tank 4” that is mounted on the “carriage 3” described in paragraph [0036]-[0040].)
Amano and Tamaki are considered analogous to the art because they are in the same field involving inkjet recording apparatus. Therefore, it would be obvious for someone with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the printer taught by Amano to also apply a head housing holding the recording head taught by Tamaki. This would have been done for the purpose of holding the recording heads (Tamaki, paragraphs [0036]-[0040]).
Amano fails to teach moving the head housing along the guide rail extending in the horizontal direction.
However, Tamaki teaches moving the head housing along the guide rail extending in the horizontal direction (Figure 1 displays the “carriage 3” moving along the “guide rails 11 and 12” in the “scanning direction”, which is horizontal when compared to the “up-down direction” shown in Figure 2, described in paragraph [0037].).
Amano and Tamaki are considered analogous to the art because they are in the same field involving inkjet recording apparatus. Therefore, it would be obvious for someone with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the printer taught by Amano to also apply moving the head housing along the guide rail extending in the horizontal direction taught by Tamaki. This would have been done for the purpose of moving the inkjet head towards or from the maintenance unit for cleaning (Tamaki, paragraphs [0037]-[0041]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1 and 3-5 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding claim 1, the primary reason for claim 1 to be allowed is the inclusion of “An ink-jet recording apparatus comprising: a conveying unit including a conveying belt configured to convey a recording medium, and a conveying roller over which the conveying belt is stretched; a recording head includes an ink ejection surface provided with a plurality of nozzles configured to eject ink onto the recording medium conveyed by the conveying unit; a head housing holding the recording head; and a guide rail configured to support the head housing so that the head housing can reciprocate with respect to the conveying belt, wherein the ink ejection surface is parallel to a conveying surface of the conveying belt, the ink ejection surface is inclined with respect to a horizontal direction in a cross section orthogonal to an axial direction of the conveying roller, and by moving the head housing along the guide rail extending in the horizontal direction, the ink ejection surface reciprocates between a printing position close to the conveying surface and a maintenance position retracted from the conveying surface, the conveying unit includes a roller housing disposed outside the axial direction of the conveying roller, the head housing includes a protruding portion protruding in an ejection direction of the ink, and when the ink ejection surface is disposed in the printing position, the protruding portion is in contact with the roller housing, and holds constantly a distance between the ink ejection surface and the conveying surface.”
Regarding claims 3-4, claims 3-4 are allowed due to the dependency from independent claim 1.
Regarding claim 5, the primary reason for claim 5 to be allowed is the inclusion of “An ink-jet recording apparatus comprising: a conveying unit including a conveying belt configured to convey a recording medium, and a conveying roller over which the conveying belt is stretched; a recording head includes an ink ejection surface provided with a plurality of nozzles configured to eject ink onto the recording medium conveyed by the conveying unit; a head housing holding the recording head; and a guide rail configured to support the head housing so that the head housing can reciprocate with respect to the conveying belt, wherein the ink ejection surface is parallel to a conveying surface of the conveying belt, the ink ejection surface is inclined with respect to a horizontal direction in a cross section orthogonal to an axial direction of the conveying roller, by moving the head housing along the guide rail extending in the horizontal direction, the ink ejection surface reciprocates between a printing position close to the conveying surface and a maintenance position retracted from the conveying surface, the head housing includes a protruded region protruding in a width direction of the storage medium orthogonal to a conveying direction, the roller housing includes a recessed portion formed by being recessed in the horizontal direction from a surface that faces the head housing, and, when the ink ejection surface is disposed in the printing position, the protruded region is disposed in the recessed portion.”
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.”
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATASHA DEPHENIA QUINN whose telephone number is (571)272-6375. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 6:30 - 4:00 CT.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ricardo Magallanes can be reached at (571) 272-5960. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/RICARDO I MAGALLANES/Supervisor Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2853
Prosecution Insights