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 § 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 (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 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.
Claims 1,3-5, 9-11, 13-15, 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 as being anticipated by Sato et al. JP2017-052579).
With respect to claim 1, Sato et al. teaches a sheet conveying apparatus comprising:
a roller (43A) for conveying a sheet (P) along a conveyance path (22Y);
a first sensor holder (175) including a first sensor element (170, 178) that faces a first surface of the sheet (top surface of medium P, Figure 9) when the sheet (P) is conveyed, the first sensor holder (175) being movable along a first direction that is perpendicular to the conveyance path (Paragraph 0117, 0118, Figure 9);
a second sensor holder (155) including a second sensor element (150, 157, 158) that faces a second surface of the sheet (bottom surface of sheet P, Figure 9) when the sheet (P) is conveyed, the second surface being opposite to the first surface (Figures 9, 11), the second sensor holder being movable along the first direction (Paragraphs 0106, 0107);
an interlocking member (151, 171-173) mechanically connected to the first sensor holder (175) such that the interlocking member (151, 171-173) and the first sensor holder (175) move together in opposite directions along the first direction (Paragraph 0117, 0118);
and a connecting member (130, 132L, 160,168, 170) that is bent to partially surround the conveyance path (22Y) and connects the interlocking member (151, 171-173) and the second sensor holder (155) such that the interlocking member (151, 171-173) and the second sensor holder (155) move together in opposite directions along the first direction (Paragraphs 0106, 0107).
With respect to claim 3, Sato et al. teaches the connecting member (130, 132L, 160,168, 170) extends along the first direction and has flexibility in a direction that is transverse to the first direction and no stretchability in the first direction (Figures 8, 10, 12).
With respect to claim 4, Sato et al. teaches the connecting member is a leaf spring (168).
With respect to claim 5, Sato et al. teaches the first sensor holder (175) is movable between a first position and a second position (Paragraphs 0117, 0118 and additionally note the first sensor holder 175 can move in multiple positions along 171), and the second sensor holder (155) is movable between a third position and a fourth position that respectively correspond to the first and second positions (Paragraphs 0106, 0107 and additionally note the second sensor holder 155 can move in multiple positions along 151).
With respect to claim 9, Sato et al. teaches the first sensor element (170) is one of a lighting element and a light receiving element (178), and the second sensor element is the other of the lighting element and the light receiving element (157, 158).
With respect to claim 10, Sato et al. teaches a sheet holder (12) for holding the sheet in a wound state (PR, Figure 1).
With respect to claim 11, Sato et al. teaches a sheet conveying apparatus comprising:
a roller (43A) for conveying a sheet (P) along a conveyance path (22Y);
a print head (31, 41, functions as a print head) for printing an image on the conveyed sheet (P);
a first sensor holder (175) including a first sensor element (170, 178) that faces a first surface of the sheet (top surface of medium P, Figure 9) when the sheet (P) is conveyed, the first sensor holder (175) being movable along a first direction that is perpendicular to the conveyance path (Paragraph 0117, 0118, Figure 9);
a second sensor holder (155) including a second sensor element (150, 157, 158) that faces a second surface of the sheet (bottom surface of sheet P, Figure 9) when the sheet (P) is conveyed, the second surface being opposite to the first surface (Figures 9, 11), the second sensor holder being movable along the first direction (Paragraphs 0106, 0107);
an interlocking member (151, 171-173) mechanically connected to the first sensor holder (175) such that the interlocking member (151, 171-173) and the first sensor holder (175) move together in opposite directions along the first direction (Paragraph 0117, 0118);
and a connecting member (130, 132L, 160,168, 170) that is bent to partially surround the conveyance path (22Y) and connects the interlocking member (151, 171-173) and the second sensor holder (155) such that the interlocking member (151, 171-173) and the second sensor holder (155) move together in opposite directions along the first direction (Paragraphs 0106, 0107).
With respect to claim 13, Sato et al. teaches the connecting member (130, 132L, 160,168, 170) extends along the first direction and has flexibility in a direction that is transverse to the first direction and no stretchability in the first direction (Figures 8, 10, 12).
With respect to claim 14, Sato et al. teaches the connecting member is a leaf spring (168).
With respect to claim 15, Sato et al. teaches the first sensor holder (175) is movable between a first position and a second position (Paragraphs 0117, 0118 and additionally note the first sensor holder 175 can move in multiple positions along 171), and the second sensor holder (155) is movable between a third position and a fourth position that respectively correspond to the first and second positions (Paragraphs 0106, 0107 and additionally note the second sensor holder 155 can move in multiple positions along 151).
With respect to claim 19, Sato et al. teaches the print head (31, 41, functions as a print head) forms an image based on a signal that is output from the first sensor element or the second sensor element (Paragraph 30).
With respect to claim 20, Sato et al. teaches an ink ribbon holder (12) for holding an ink ribbon, wherein the print head (31, 41, functions as a print head) transfers ink from the ink ribbon to the sheet based on the signal.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 6-8, 12 and 16-18 are 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.
With respect to claims 2 and 12, the prior art does not teach or render obvious a pinion gear by which the interlocking member is connected to the first sensor holder, wherein the pinion gear meshes with a rack of the first sensor holder that extends along the first direction and a rack of the interlocking member that extends along the first direction.
With respect to claims 6 and 16, the prior art does not teach or render obvious a biasing member connected to the second sensor holder and biases the second sensor holder towards the third position when the second sensor holder is moved towards the fourth position.
With respect to claims 7 and 17, the prior art does not teach or render obvious a pinch for moving the first sensor holder along the first direction.
With respect to claims 8 and 18, the prior art does not teach or render obvious a rail along which the first sensor holder moves and including a serrated portion that can mesh with a serrated portion of the pinch to restrict movement of the first sensor holder.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARISSA LIANA FERGUSON SAMRETH whose telephone number is (571)272-2163. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Stephen Meier can be reached at 571-272-2149. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Marissa Ferguson-Samreth/Examiner, Art Unit 2853
/CHRISTOPHER E MAHONEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852