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 .
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.
Claim 3 is 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.
Regarding claim 3, the flow rate of 2.0 mL/min or more and 10 mL/min is disclosed, wherein the specific value range is unclear and should be clarified based on paragraph 0082 of the Specification. Examiner notes paragraph 0082 of the Specification discloses “20.mL/min or more and 10.0 mL/min or less”.
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) 1-5, 14, 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kobayashi (JP2019163429) in view of Pourtier et al (U.S. Pub. 2017/0028736)
Regarding claim 1, an ink jet printing method for discharging an ink from a liquid discharge head, wherein the ink contains titanium oxide (Paragraph 0027; white ink having titanium oxide particles) having a precipitation velocity of 1.0 x 10 -11 m/s or more based on a Stokes equation in the ink (Paragraph 0048; sedimentation velocity)
The liquid discharge head comprises: a discharge port (4) for discharging the ink (Figure 4; Paragraph 0036)
A pressure chamber for supplying the ink to the discharge port (4) (Figures 2-3; Paragraphs 0030-0036)
An energy generating element (12) for generating energy for discharging the ink (Figures 1-3; Paragraph 0035)
An upstream flow channel (8) for supplying a liquid to the pressure chamber (Paragraphs 0029-0030)
A downstream flow channel (53) communicating with the pressure chamber (Paragraphs 0030-0031)
A pump (Paragraph 0038) communicating with the upstream flow channel and the downstream flow channel and forming a circulation path in which the ink circulates in an order of the upstream flow channel, the pressure chamber, the downstream flow channel, and the upstream flow channel (Paragraphs 0029-0031, 0038)
Pourtier discloses a ratio of a flow rate Q of the ink in the circulation path to a maximum cross-sectional area S of the circulation path, Q/S [m/s], is higher than the precipitation velocity (Paragraph 0202)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Pourtier into the device of Kobayashi, for the purpose of providing a sufficient and stable flow rate of the ink
Regarding claim 2, Pourtier discloses wherein the flow rate Q is a flow rate in the pump (Paragraphs 0200-0202)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Pourtier into the device of Kobayashi, for the purpose of providing a sufficient and stable flow rate of the ink
Regarding claim 3, Kobayashi discloses the claimed invention except for wherein the flow rate Q is 2.0 mL/min or more 10 mL/min. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to use a flow rate Q is 2.0 mL/min or more 10 mL/min, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of using a flow rate Q is 2.0 mL/min or more 10 mL/min, for the purpose of providing printing composition with good discharge ability (Paragraph 0008)
Regarding claim 4, Kobayashi discloses the claimed invention except for wherein a volume of the ink flowing in the circulation path is 5.0 mL or more and 30 mL or less. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to use a volume of the ink flowing in the circulation path is 5.0 mL or more and 30 mL or less, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of using a volume of the ink flowing in the circulation path is 5.0 mL or more and 30 mL or less, for the purpose of providing printing composition with good discharge ability (Paragraph 0008)
Regarding claim 5, wherein the liquid discharge head is configured so as to discharge a liquid while scanning in a direction orthogonal to a conveying direction of a print medium to which the ink is applied (Paragraph 0042)
Regarding claim 14, wherein a liquid storage portion is connected to the discharge head through a tube that is configured so as to supply the ink to the discharge head (Paragraph 0026)
Regarding claim 16, Kobayashi discloses the claimed invention except for wherein a concentration of titanium oxide in the ink is 5.00 mass% or more and 20.00 mass% or less. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to use a concentration of titanium oxide in the ink is 5.00 mass% or more and 20.00 mass% or less, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of using a concentration of titanium oxide in the ink is 5.00 mass% or more and 20.00 mass% or less, for the purpose of providing printing composition with good discharge ability (Paragraph 0008)
Claim(s) 6-13, 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kobayashi (JP2019163429) as modified by Pourtier et al (U.S. Pub. 2017/0028736) and further in view of Yamada et al (U.S. Pub. 2021/0394525)
Regarding claim 6, Yamada discloses a circulation unit comprising a first pressure regulation device (202) configured to adjust a pressure of a liquid in the upstream flow channel (Figure 5; Paragraphs 0034-0036)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effecting filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Yamada into the device of Kobayashi as modified by Pourtier, for the purpose of stabilizing the pressure and flow rate within the circulation path
Regarding claim 7, Pourtier discloses wherein the first pressure regulation device comprises a first valve chamber (2025), a first pressure control chamber (2026), a first opening communicating between the first valve chamber and the first pressure control chamber (Figure 2), and a first valve (2027) configured so as to be able to open and close the first opening (Figure 2; Paragraph 0034)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effecting filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Yamada into the device of Kobayashi as modified by Pourtier, for the purpose of stabilizing the pressure and flow rate within the circulation path
Regarding claim 8, Pourtier discloses the first pressure control chamber (2026) comprises a first pressing plate that has a portion of its surface formed of a first flexible member (2023) configured to be displaceable and can be displaced in conjunction with the first flexible member and a first biasing member (2021) that energizes the first pressing plate in a direction in which the volume of the first pressure control chamber is increased, and is configured such that the first valve can be opened and closed in response to displacement of the first pressing plate and the first flexible member (Figure 2; Paragraphs 0034-0035)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effecting filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Yamada into the device of Kobayashi as modified by Pourtier, for the purpose of stabilizing the pressure and flow rate within the circulation path
Regarding claim 9, Pourtier discloses the liquid discharge head further comprises a second pressure regulation device configured so as to adjust a pressure of a liquid in the downstream flow channel (multiple circulation units will be used for each color; Paragraphs 0031, 0034-0035, 0082)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effecting filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Yamada into the device of Kobayashi as modified by Pourtier, for the purpose of stabilizing the pressure and flow rate within the circulation path
Regarding claim 10, Pourtier discloses the second pressure regulation device comprises a second valve chamber, a second pressure control chamber, a second opening communicating between eh second valve chamber and the second pressure control chamber, and a second valve configured so as to b e able to open and close the second opening (multiple circulation units will be used for each color; Paragraphs 0031, 0034-0035, 0082)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effecting filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Yamada into the device of Kobayashi as modified by Pourtier, for the purpose of stabilizing the pressure and flow rate within the circulation path
Regarding claim 11, Pourtier discloses wherein a first communication port thorough which the first pressure control chamber communicates with the upstream flow channel is arranged vertically below the first pressure control chamber (Figure 2; Paragraphs 0034-0035)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effecting filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Yamada into the device of Kobayashi as modified by Pourtier, for the purpose of stabilizing the pressure and flow rate within the circulation path
Regarding claim 12, Pourtier discloses a second communication port through which the second pressure control chamber communicates with the downstream flow channel is arranged vertically below the first pressure control chamber (multiple circulation units will be used for each color; Paragraphs 0031, 0034-0035, 0082)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effecting filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Yamada into the device of Kobayashi as modified by Pourtier, for the purpose of stabilizing the pressure and flow rate within the circulation path
Regarding claim 13, Kobayashi discloses a discharge unit including an elemnt substrate including the discharge port and the pressure chamber (Paragraphs 0027-0029, 0036-0037)
Pourtier discloses a circulation unit including the pump, configured such that a liquid circulate between the discharge unit and the circulation unit; wherein in a portion where the discharge unit and the circulation unit are in fluid contact, a wall of a flow channel in the discharge unit fluid connected to the circulation unit is perpendicular or oblique to a vertical direction (Figure 2; Paragraphs 0034-0035)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effecting filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Yamada into the device of Kobayashi as modified by Pourtier, for the purpose of stabilizing the pressure and flow rate within the circulation path
Regarding claim 15, Pourtier discloses wherein the pump is a piezoelectric pump (Paragraph 0046)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effecting filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Yamada into the device of Kobayashi as modified by Pourtier, for the purpose of stabilizing the pressure and flow rate within the circulation path
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JASON S UHLENHAKE whose telephone number is (571)272-5916. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Douglas X. Rodriguez can be reached at (571) 431-0716. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JASON S UHLENHAKE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853 December 1, 2025