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
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed June 12, 2026 has been entered. Claims 9-13 remain pending in the application. Applicant’s amendments to the Specification and Drawings have overcome each objection previously set forth in the Non-Final Office Action mailed on February 19, 2026.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed June 12, 2026 with respect to new claim 9 have been fully considered and are persuasive. However, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Kawakita et al. (US 20240408898 A1 and US 20240391256 A1).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Regarding claim 9, line 5, “print belt that has a plurality of first suction holes on a surface thereof and that conveys the sheet while attracting the sheet to the surface” is not disclosed in the specification. While details about the presence of suction holes is disclosed for a belt in the drying unit (at para. 0043), there is no mention of suction holes on a surface of the print belt. The only recitation in the specification related to the print belt having some form of suction is “The print belt unit 2010 includes an endless print belt 4 which sucks and conveys the sheet S” (at para. 0036). As understood by the examiner, there exists alternative methods for suction conveyance other than having a plurality of holes, such as a printing belt made out of mesh or the like. Therefore, as understood by the examiner, the claim will be examined such that it recites “a print belt that sucks and conveys the sheet”.
Claims 10-13 are rejected to for their dependency on claim 9.
Further regarding claim 11, “wherein when the sheet is being conveyed by both the first conveying belt and the second conveying belt, the sheet is set to be conveyable while sliding on the first conveying belt” is not disclosed in the specification. The only recitation in the specification related to sliding on the first conveying belt is “That is, the sheet S always slides on the belt 2a while the trailing end of the sheet Sis on the print belt 4” (at para. 0036) and “At this time, it is necessary to control air blowing force of the cold air blowing unit 3 so that the sheet S does not slide against conveyance resistance” (at para. 0037). Therefore, claim 11 will not be examined as there is no explicit disclosure in the specification of drawings supporting the sheet sliding on the first conveying belt (belt 7) when conveyed by both the first and second conveying belts (belts 7 and 2a).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
Claim(s) 9 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Kawakita et al. (US 20240408898 A1), hereinafter referred to as Kawakita ’898, and Kawakita et al. (US 20240391256 A1), hereinafter referred to as Kawakita ‘256.
Each of the applied references has a common applicant with the instant application. Based upon the earlier effectively filed date of the reference, it constitutes prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2). This rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) might be overcome by: (1) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(a) that the subject matter disclosed in the reference was obtained directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor of this application and is thus not prior art in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(A); (2) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(b) of a prior public disclosure under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(B) if the same invention is not being claimed; or (3) a statement pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) establishing that, not later than the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the subject matter disclosed in the reference and the claimed invention were either owned by the same person or subject to an obligation of assignment to the same person or subject to a joint research agreement.
Regarding claim 9, Kawakita ‘898 discloses an image forming apparatus comprising:
a first casing (casing around printing module 2000; at para. 0014; Fig. 1, 2);
a printing unit (printing module 2000; Fig. 1, 2) provided in the first casing and configured to convey a sheet (print belt unit 2010; Fig. 1) and to form an image on the sheet (recording portion 2020; Fig. 1), which is being conveyed, by ejecting ink, the printing unit being rotatably provided with a print belt that sucks and conveys the sheet (“print belt unit 2010 includes an endless print belt 4 (FIG. 1 ) which sucks and conveys the sheet S”; at para. 0028);
a second casing disposed adjacent to the first casing and configured to receive the sheet from the first casing (casing around drying module 3000; at para. 0014; Fig. 1, 2); and
a drying unit (drying module 3000; Fig. 1, 2) provided in the second casing and configured to convey the sheet (decoupling belt unit 2 and drying belt unit 5; Fig. 2, 4) and to dry the sheet on which the image is formed by the printing unit by blowing warm air against the sheet (warm air blowing unit 8; Fig. 2, 4),
wherein the drying unit includes
a conveying portion configured to receive the sheet from the print belt and to convey the sheet (decoupling belt unit 2 and drying belt unit 5; Fig. 2, 4) and
a warm air blowing portion configured to blow the warm air on the sheet conveyed by the conveying portion (warm air blowing unit 8; Fig. 2, 4),
wherein the warm air blowing portion includes
a first duct configured to guide air to the sheet on the conveying portion (air blowing duct 14; at para. 0036; Fig. 4),
a heater provided inside the first duct (heater 15; at para. 0037; Fig. 4),
a first fan provided in the first duct and configured to blow air in the first duct (fan 13; at para. 0037; Fig. 4), and
a plurality of blowing openings configured to blow the air in the first duct onto the sheet (air blowing holes 10; at para. 0038; Fig. 4),
wherein the conveying portion includes
a first conveying belt that is rotatably provided and that conveys the sheet (“endless belt 2 a which is rotatable”; at para. 0027; Fig. 2), and
a second conveying belt that is rotatably provided downstream of the first conveying belt in a sheet conveyance direction (“drying belt 7 which is rotatable”; at para. 0042; Fig. 2, 4) and that has a plurality of second suction holes for attracting and conveying the sheet (“drying belt 7 includes a plurality of suction holes 11”; at para. 0043; Fig. 4),
wherein when the sheet is being conveyed by both the first conveying belt and the print belt, the sheet is set to be conveyable while sliding on the first conveying belt (“the sheet S always slides on the belt 2 a while the trailing end of the sheet S is on the print belt 4”; at para. 0028),
wherein a distance from an end position of suction conveyance by the print belt to a start position of suction conveyance by the second conveying belt is longer than a maximum sheet length (“a distance from a suction end position of the print belt 4 to a suction start position of the drying belt 7 is set to be longer than a maximum sheet length”; at para. 0046), and
wherein the plurality of blowing openings of the warm air blowing portion are not provided at a position facing a sheet conveying surface of the first conveying belt, but are provided at a position facing a sheet conveying surface of the second conveying belt (warm air blowing unit 8 is disposed only above belt 7 and not above belt 2; Fig. 2, 4).
Regarding claim 10, Kawakita ‘898 further discloses wherein the print belt is configured to be driven at a first speed during sheet conveyance, and wherein the first conveying belt is configured to be driven at a second speed higher than the first speed during sheet conveyance (“the belt 2 a is driven at a slightly faster speed than the print belt 4”; at para. 0028).
Regarding claim 9, Kawakita ‘256 discloses an image forming apparatus comprising:
a first casing (casing around printing module 2000; at para. 0027; Fig. 1, 2);
a printing unit (printing module 2000; Fig. 1, 2) provided in the first casing and configured to convey a sheet (print belt unit 2200; Fig. 1) and to form an image on the sheet (recording portion 2300; Fig. 1), which is being conveyed, by ejecting ink, the printing unit being rotatably provided with a print belt that sucks and conveys the sheet (“printing belt 4 in the printing belt unit 2200… sheet S is suctioned and conveyed by the printing belt 4”; at para. 0042);
a second casing disposed adjacent to the first casing and configured to receive the sheet from the first casing (casing around drying module 3000; at para. 0027; Fig. 1, 2); and
a drying unit (drying module 3000; Fig. 1, 2) provided in the second casing and configured to convey the sheet (decoupling belt unit 2 and drying belt unit 3300; Fig. 2) and to dry the sheet on which the image is formed by the printing unit by blowing warm air against the sheet (warm air blowing unit 8; Fig. 2, 3),
wherein the drying unit includes
a conveying portion configured to receive the sheet from the print belt and to convey the sheet (decoupling belt unit 2 and drying belt unit 3300; Fig. 2) and
a warm air blowing portion configured to blow the warm air on the sheet conveyed by the conveying portion (warm air blowing unit 8; Fig. 2, 3),
wherein the warm air blowing portion includes
a first duct configured to guide air to the sheet on the conveying portion (blowing duct 14; at para. 0050; Fig. 3),
a heater provided inside the first duct (sheath heater 15; at para. 0050; Fig. 3),
a first fan provided in the first duct and configured to blow air in the first duct (fan 13; at para. 0050; Fig. 3), and
a plurality of blowing openings configured to blow the air in the first duct onto the sheet (warm air blowing nozzles 10; at para. 0051; Fig. 3),
wherein the conveying portion includes
a first conveying belt that is rotatably provided and that conveys the sheet (“decoupling belt 2 that rotates”; at para. 0041; Fig. 2), and
a second conveying belt that is rotatably provided downstream of the first conveying belt in a sheet conveyance direction (“conveying belt 7 that rotates”; at para. 0045; Fig. 2, 3) and that has a plurality of second suction holes for attracting and conveying the sheet (“In order that the sheet S is suctioned onto the conveying belt 7, a lot of suction holes are formed on the conveying belt 7”; at para. 0045; Fig. 3),
wherein when the sheet is being conveyed by both the first conveying belt and the print belt, the sheet is set to be conveyable while sliding on the first conveying belt (“when the trailing end of the sheet S is on the printing belt 4, the sheet S is conveyed as sliding on the decoupling belt 2”; at para. 0042),
wherein a distance from an end position of suction conveyance by the print belt to a start position of suction conveyance by the second conveying belt is longer than a maximum sheet length (“a distance from a position where the printing belt 4 stops suctioning to a position where the conveying belt 7 starts suctioning is determined as longer than a maximum sheet length”; at para. 0045), and
wherein the plurality of blowing openings of the warm air blowing portion are not provided at a position facing a sheet conveying surface of the first conveying belt, but are provided at a position facing a sheet conveying surface of the second conveying belt (warm air blowing unit 8 is disposed only above belt 7 and not above belt 2; Fig. 2, 3).
Regarding claim 10, Kawakita ‘256 further discloses wherein the print belt is configured to be driven at a first speed during sheet conveyance, and wherein the first conveying belt is configured to be driven at a second speed higher than the first speed during sheet conveyance (“decoupling belt 2 is rotated slightly faster than the printing belt 4”; at para. 0042).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 12 and 13 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 1st paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 12, Kawakita ‘898 further discloses a non‑warmed air blowing device provided to face the first conveying belt and configured to blow air onto the sheet on the first conveying belt (“cold air blowing unit 3 is disposed above the decoupling belt unit 2”; at para. 0027; Fig. 2),
wherein the non‑warmed air blowing device includes an intake opening (air intake portion; at para. 0029), and a second fan provided configured to blow the air onto the sheet on the first conveying belt (intake fan; at para. 0029).
However, Kawakita 98 does not disclose the non‑warmed air blowing device as including an intake opening configured to take in air from outside the second casing, a second duct configured to guide the air taken in through the intake opening to the sheet on the first conveying belt, and the second fan as provided in the second duct and configured to blow the air in the second duct onto the sheet on the first conveying belt.
Further regarding claim 12, Kawakita ‘256 further discloses a non‑warmed air blowing device provided to face the first conveying belt and configured to blow air onto the sheet on the first conveying belt (“cold air blowing unit 3 blowing cold air from above the decoupling belt 2”; at para. 0041; Fig. 2),
wherein the non‑warmed air blowing device includes a second duct (duct; at para. 0044) configured to guide the air to the sheet on the first conveying belt, and a second fan (blowing fan; at para. 0043) configured to blow the air onto the sheet on the first conveying belt.
However, Kawakita 56 does not disclose the non‑warmed air blowing device as including an intake opening configured to take in air from outside the second casing, the second duct configured to guide the air taken in through the intake opening to the sheet on the first conveying belt, and the second fan as provided in the second duct and configured to blow the air in the second duct onto the sheet on the first conveying belt.
Prior art of record does not explicitly teach wherein a non‑warmed air blowing device faces a first conveying belt and includes all of (1) an intake opening configured to take in air from outside the second casing, (2) a second duct configured to guide the air taken in through the intake opening to the sheet on the first conveying belt, and (3) a second fan provided in the second duct and configured to blow the air in the second duct onto the sheet on the first conveying belt.
Therefore, one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention may have been drawn to a configuration wherein a non-warmed air blowing device is such as taught by Kawakita 98 and Kawakita 56 without the intake opening taking in air from outside the second casing or as taught by other prior art of record, such as Yoshimoto (JP 2014172226 A, from IDS), wherein both the warm air blowing portion and non‑warmed air blowing device are disposed above a single belt with the warm air blowing portion disposed upstream of the non‑warmed air blowing device.
Claim 13 would be allowed due to its dependency on claim 12.
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 KYRA M VAN KREUNINGEN whose telephone number is (571)272-9423. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thur 9:00am-6:00pm and Fri 9:00am-1:00pm.
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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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07 July 2026
/KYRA MELOR VAN KREUNINGEN/Examiner, Art Unit 2853
/DOUGLAS X RODRIGUEZ/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2853
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