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
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 20-29 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipate by KOGUCHI et al. (US 2021/0318642 A1; WIPO US).
KOGUCHI teaches regarding claim 20, a toner container 40 comprising: a pouch 503 having flexibility and configured to store toner the pouch 503 being provided with an opening portion in communication with an inside of the pouch 503; a base member provided with (i) a discharge port 501r through which the toner port is discharged to outside of the toner container, (ii) a passage through which the toner passes to toward the discharge port 501r, and (iii) a shaft portion including an outer engaging surface and a ring member 511 including: a hole in communication with the opening portion of the pouch 503; an outer peripheral surface to which the opening portion of the pouch 503 is coupled; and an inner peripheral surface forming the hole and with which the outer engaging surface of the base member engages (figures 3A-3B; [0084-0085]).
Regarding claim 21, where a direction in which the pouch and the base member are aligned is a first direction, the discharge port 501r is provided on a side surface, of the base member, extending along the first direction, and the discharge port 501r opens in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction (figures 3A-4).
Regarding claim 22, the toner container further comprising a shutter 41 configured to be rotatable, with respect to the base member about a rotation axis extending in the first direction, between a shielding position where the shutter 41 shields the discharge port 501r and an open position where the shutter opens the discharge port 501r (figure 3A; [0084-0085]).
Regarding claim 23, the toner container further comprising a shutter 41 configured to be movable with respect to the base member in the first direction between a shielding position where the shutter shields the discharge port 501r and an open position where the shutter opens the discharge port 501r.
Regarding claim 24, the opening portion of the pouch is thermally welded to the outer peripheral surface of the ring member (figure 4; [0087]).
Regarding claim 25, the pouch 503 is adhered to the ring member by an adhesive [0087].
Regarding claim 26, the pouch 503 is formed of a resin sheet [0104].
Regarding claim 27, the resin sheet is formed of polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyethylene terephthalate [0105].
Regarding claim 28, the pouch is formed of paper or a composite material of paper and a resin [0105].
Regarding claim 29, the base member 501 includes a protrusion 501y and the ring member 511 includes a concave portion 511y, and wherein the protrusion 501y of the base member 501 engages with the concave portion 511y of the ring member 511 so that a rotation of the base member 501 with respect to the ring member 511 is restricted (figure 3A-5).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 1/2/2026 have been fully considered but are moot based on new claims and rejection.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to QUANA GRAINGER whose telephone number is (571)272-2135. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday, 9-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Clayton Labelle can be reached on 571-272-1594. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/QUANA GRAINGER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
QG