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 .
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.
Specification
The Title has been updated according to the amended Specification dated 01/02/2026. The objection to the Title has been withdrawn.
Claim Interpretation
The claims have been amended to avoid a rebuttal presumption that the claim elements are to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f).
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1, 4-7, 9, 10, and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over EP 1246027 to Fukuchi in view of US 6,144,811 to Ohori et al.
Fukuchi teaches:
(claim 1) An image forming apparatus (Fig.9) comprising:
a casing (Fig.9);
a door (20) configured to open and close by pivoting with respect to the casing;
an image forming unit (1-4+6) accommodated in the casing and configured to form an image on a sheet, the image being formed on the sheet at an image forming position (i.e., transfer section, nip section);
a registration roller pair (5a,5b) positioned upstream of the image forming position in a sheet conveyance direction along a vertical direction, including a first roller (5a) and a second roller (5b) configured to come into contact with each other to form a nip portion, and configured to nip the sheet at the nip portion to convey the sheet to the image forming position;
a sensor (23) disposed on the door to be positioned between the registration roller pair and the image forming position in the sheet conveyance direction (first embodiment, Fig.2), and
a guide unit configured to form a sheet conveyance path that is configured to guide the sheet from the registration roller pair to the image forming position, the guide unit including a guide surface configured to guide the sheet (see Fig.2).
wherein the guide unit and the registration roller pair are arranged such that a nip line of the registration roller pair intersects the guide surface of the guide unit at a position upstream of a detection position of sensor and downstream of the nip portion of the registration roller pair in the sheet conveyance direction as viewed in an axial direction of the first roller;
(claim 4) wherein the registration roller pair is arranged below the image forming position (Figs. 1, 2 & 10);
(claim 5) wherein the first roller is disposed in the casing, and the second roller is disposed in the door (Fig,1);
(claim 6) wherein the door is configured to open and close by pivoting with respect to the casing about a pivot shaft (26, Fig.1) arranged in the axial direction;
(claim 7) wherein the pivot shaft is disposed at a lower portion of the door (Fig.1);
(claim 10) wherein the guide surface is a flat surface (see flat guide portions of paper conveyance path just downstream of roller pair 5a/5b, Figs.2 & 10); and
(claim 12) wherein the sensor is an optical sensor including a light emitting unit configured to emit light, and a light receiving unit configured to receive light that has been emitted from the light emitting unit and reflected on the sheet [0059].
Fukuchi discloses the sensor 23 configured to perform detection of toner density on the surface of the image carrier 1, but appears silent about the sensor being configured to detect a leading edge of the sheet conveyed from the registration roller pair toward the image forming position.
Ohori discloses an image forming apparatus (100, Fig.1) comprising a casing; a door (25) configured to open and close by pivoting with respect to the casing; an image forming unit (1-4+10) accommodated in the casing and configured to form an image on a sheet, the image being formed on the sheet at an image forming position (i.e., transfer section, nip section); a registration roller pair (9) positioned upstream of the image forming position in a sheet conveyance direction along a vertical direction, including a first roller and a second roller configured to come into contact with each other to form a nip portion, and configured to nip the sheet at the nip portion to convey the sheet to the image forming position; a sensor (8) disposed on the door to be positioned between the registration roller pair and the image forming position in the sheet conveyance direction, and configured to detect density of the toner pattern on the surface of drum (1) and to detect a leading edge of the sheet conveyed from the registration roller pair toward the image forming position (Fig.6B: S10).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Fukuchi and Ohori such that the sensor of Fukuchi is configured to detect a leading edge of the sheet conveyed from the registration roller pair toward the image forming position for at least the purpose of enabling detection of presence/absence of a sheet at the image forming position using same elements of the sensor for toner density detection, thus reducing cost.
Regarding claim 9, Ohori further discloses the sensor mounted (a) close enough to the path of the transfer sheet to accurately detect voltages and patterns on the drum and sheets and (b) far enough away from the transfer path to avoid jams; such a distance is in the range of 16-24 mm (col. 4 lines 18-25). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to discover the optimum or workable range of the distance between an intersecting position where the nip line intersects the guide surface and the detection position, as a recognized result-effective variable, by routine experimentation (MPEP 2144.05).
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over EP 1246027 to Fukuchi in view of US 6,144,811 to Ohori et al., as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of US 2018/0017913 to Sato.
Regarding claim 11, Fukuchi in view of Ohori teaches an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, but appears silent about a reconveyance path as claimed.
Sato teaches an image forming apparatus (1, Fig.1) comprising: a casing (10); an door (11+70) configured to open and close by pivoting with respect to the casing; an image forming unit (30) accommodated in the casing and configured to form an image on a sheet, the image being formed on the sheet at an image forming position (i.e., secondary transfer portion) [0024-0027]; a registration roller pair (51) positioned upstream of the image forming position in a sheet conveyance direction along a vertical direction, including a first roller and a second roller configured to come into contact with each other to form a nip portion, and configured to nip the sheet at the nip portion to convey the sheet to the image forming position [0031]; a guide unit (70) configured to form a sheet conveyance path (50A) that is configured to guide the sheet from the registration roller pair to the image forming position, the guide unit including a guide surface (501, 73; Fig.4) arranged in a manner inclined toward a side of the registration roller pair from a direction parallel to a straight line connecting centers of the first roller and the second roller when viewed in an axial direction of the first roller [0040]; and a reconveyance roller pair configured to convey the sheet in a reconveyance path (50B) configured to convey the sheet that has been conveyed from the image forming position again to the registration roller pair, wherein the reconveyance roller pair includes a third roller and a fourth roller configured to come into contact with each other and form a nip portion, and wherein the door includes a body portion (70) in which the third roller is disposed, and a cover portion (11) in which the fourth roller is disposed and configured to open and close with respect to the body portion (Figs. 2-6, [0036-0041]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Fukuchi and Sato such that an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprises: a reconveyance roller pair configured to convey the sheet in a reconveyance path configured to convey the sheet that has been conveyed from the image forming position again to the registration roller pair, wherein the reconveyance roller pair includes a third roller and a fourth roller configured to come into contact with each other and form a nip portion, and wherein the door includes a body portion in which the third roller is disposed, and a cover portion in which the fourth roller is disposed and configured to open and close with respect to the body portion for at least the purpose of enabling double-sided printing while facilitating access for clearance of jammed sheets.
Claim(s) 1-7, 9, 10, 12, and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2008/0232847 to Kusukawa et al. in view of US 6,144,811 to Ohori et al.
Kusukawa teaches:
(claim 1) An image forming apparatus (Fig.6) comprising:
a casing (1A);
a door (S+60) configured to open and close by pivoting with respect to the casing;
an image forming unit (102) accommodated in the casing and configured to form an image on a sheet, the image being formed on the sheet (P) at an image forming position (i.e., transfer section, nip section);
a registration roller pair (109) positioned upstream of the image forming position in a sheet conveyance direction along a vertical direction, including a first roller and a second roller configured to come into contact with each other to form a nip portion, and configured to nip the sheet at the nip portion to convey the sheet to the image forming position; and
a guide unit configured to form a sheet conveyance path (5A) that is configured to guide the sheet from the registration roller pair to the image forming position, the guide unit including a guide surface (inner side surface of intermediate conveying device S) configured to guide the sheet;
(claim 2) wherein the guide unit includes a first guide member disposed in the casing and including a first surface configured to guide the sheet, and a second guide member disposed in the door and facing the first guide member, the second guide member including a second surface, which is the guide surface, configured to guide the sheet and configured to form the sheet conveyance path together with the first guide member (see Fig.7);
(claim 3) wherein the guide unit and the registration roller pair are arranged such that the nip line of the registration roller pair does not intersect the first surface as viewed in the axial direction;
(claim 4) wherein the registration roller pair is arranged below the image forming position;
(claim 5) wherein the first roller is disposed in the casing, and the second roller is disposed in the door (Fig.7);
(claim 6) wherein the door is configured to open and close by pivoting with respect to the casing about a pivot shaft (111A, Fig.7) arranged in the axial direction;
(claim 7) wherein the pivot shaft is disposed at a lower portion of the door;
(claim 10) wherein the guide surface is a flat surface (see flat guide portions of paper conveyance path just downstream of roller pair 109); and
(claim 13) wherein the guide surface is provided on the door.
Kusukawa appears silent about a sensor, as claimed.
Ohori discloses an image forming apparatus (100, Fig.1) comprising a casing; a door (25) configured to open and close by pivoting with respect to the casing; an image forming unit (1-4+10) accommodated in the casing and configured to form an image on a sheet, the image being formed on the sheet at an image forming position (i.e., transfer section, nip section); a registration roller pair (9) positioned upstream of the image forming position in a sheet conveyance direction along a vertical direction, including a first roller and a second roller configured to come into contact with each other to form a nip portion, and configured to nip the sheet at the nip portion to convey the sheet to the image forming position; a sensor (8, Fig.7) disposed on the door to be positioned between the registration roller pair and the image forming position in the sheet conveyance direction, and configured to detect density of the toner pattern on the surface of drum (1) and to detect a leading edge of the sheet conveyed from the registration roller pair toward the image forming position (Fig.6B: S10). Ohori further discloses the sensor arranged such that an occurrence of jamming of the sheet is reduced (col.9 lines 13-14).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include a sensor as taught by Ohori in the apparatus of Fukuchi such that the image forming apparatus comprises
a sensor disposed on the door to be positioned between the registration roller pair and the image forming position in the sheet conveyance direction, and configured to detect a leading edge of the sheet conveyed from the registration roller pair toward the image forming position,
wherein the guide unit and the registration roller pair are arranged such that a nip line of the registration roller pair intersects the guide surface of the guide unit at a position upstream of a detection position of sensor and downstream of the nip portion of the registration roller pair in the sheet conveyance direction as viewed in an axial direction of the first roller
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for at least the purpose of improved control of image formation by enabling position detection of the sheet and a toner density detection on the photoconductive drum (3), while reducing jamming of the sheet.
The modification further renders obvious
(claim 12) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is an optical sensor including a light emitting unit configured to emit light, and a light receiving unit configured to receive light that has been emitted from the light emitting unit and reflected on the sheet (Ohori:Fig.2).
Regarding claim 9, Ohori further discloses the sensor mounted (a) close enough to the path of the transfer sheet to accurately detect voltages and patterns on the drum and sheets and (b) far enough away from the transfer path to avoid jams; such a distance is in the range of 16-24 mm (col. 4 lines 18-25). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to discover the optimum or workable range of the distance between an intersecting position where the nip line intersects the guide surface and the detection position, as a recognized result-effective variable, by routine experimentation (MPEP 2144.05).
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2008/0232847 to Kusukawa et al. in view of US 6,144,811 to Ohori et al., as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of US 2008/0205953 to Takemoto et al.
Regarding claim 11, Kusuka in view of Ohori teaches an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a reconveyance roller configured to convey the sheet in a reconveyance path (5B) configured to convey the sheet that has been conveyed from the image forming position again to the registration roller pair, wherein the reconveyance roller, and wherein the door includes a body portion (S2) as part of the reconveyance path, and a cover portion (60) in which the reconveyance roller is disposed and configured to open and close with respect to the body portion (Fig.7).
Kusuka does not explicitly disclose a reconveyance roller pair.
Takemoto discloses an image forming apparatus (10, Fig.2) comprising: a reconveyance roller pair configured to convey the sheet in a reconveyance path (104) configured to convey a sheet that has been conveyed from an image forming position again to a registration roller pair (142), wherein the reconveyance roller pair includes a third roller and a fourth roller configured to come into contact with each other and form a nip portion, and wherein a door (19+20) includes a body portion (20) in which the third roller is disposed, and a cover portion (19) in which the fourth roller is disposed and configured to open and close with respect to the body portion.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the reconveyance path of Kusuka to comprise a roller pair, as suggested by such that an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprises: a reconveyance roller pair configured to convey the sheet in a reconveyance path configured to convey the sheet that has been conveyed from the image forming position again to the registration roller pair, wherein the reconveyance roller pair includes a third roller and a fourth roller configured to come into contact with each other and form a nip portion, and wherein the door includes a body portion in which the third roller is disposed, and a cover portion in which the fourth roller is disposed and configured to open and close with respect to the body portion for at least the purpose of reliably ensure conveyance of the sheet while facilitating access for clearance of jammed sheets.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 8 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 7-8, filed 01/02/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-7 and 9-12 under 35 USC 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of a new prior art combination.
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 ARLENE HEREDIA whose telephone number is (571)272-8393. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9:30-5:30.
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/Arlene Heredia Ocasio/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852