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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-15 are pending.
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.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claim 7 recites the limitation "as viewed from a direction of the bonding, an inlet of the buffer section is arranged at a position diagonal from the gate section” in lines 1-3. It is unclear as to what reference direction the position is “diagonal”. Examiner assumes a diagonal relative to any direction for examination. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claim 13 recites the limitation "A printing apparatus which is equipped with the cartridge" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation “the cartridge” in the claim.
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 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 and 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hasagawa et al. (U.S. Patent Application 20210387455 A1, hereinafter “Hasagawa”).
Regarding Claim 1, Hasagawa teaches a cartridge (par 0028 Fig 1 inkjet recording cartridge 1) comprising:
a box unit configured to store a liquid (par 0041 Fig 2 second [box]-shaped member 3 for storing different liquids such as cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) [inks] to be stored separately in the respective storage tanks, or for providing a single black storage tank);
a print element board capable of ejecting the liquid from ejection ports arrayed (par 0032 Fig 2 portion of liquid discharge head portion 4 comprising discharge ports and configured for discharging ink liquid onto recording materials);
a channel forming unit in which a channel configured to supply the liquid from the box unit to the print element board is formed (par 0032 Fig 2 third shaped member 4 is a shaped member that forms a liquid discharge head portion with walls forming liquid flow passages/channels to supply the liquid from the box unit to the print element board); and
a joint unit which is formed of a first resin filled in a space formed between the box unit and the channel forming unit and which joins the box unit and the channel forming unit together (par 0038 Figs 4A,6A [box]-shaped unit/member 3 and channel forming unit/member 4 are joined by bonding with molten resin 15 which forms a joint unit filled in a space/bonding groove 14 between members 3 and 4; par 0035 Fig 4B a resin bonding portion is formed in each bonding section).
Regarding Claim 2, Hasagawa teaches the cartridge according to claim 1, wherein
the box unit includes a plurality of tank chambers capable of storing different liquids (par 0041 Fig 2 second [box]-shaped member 3 for storing different liquids such as cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) [inks] to be stored separately in the respective storage tanks), and
in the channel forming unit, a plurality of channels configured to supply the respective liquids stored in the plurality of tank chambers are formed (par 0002 Fig 4A a multicolor inkjet recording head and an inkjet recording cartridge include a channel forming unit/member 4 with plates/walls 40 for forming flow passages/channels; par 0032 Fig A a partition wall 40, which is one of the [plurality of] walls defining liquid flow passages, respective flow channels of unit 4 shown corresponding to respective tank chambers in the box unit 3).
Regarding Claim 3, Hasagawa teaches the cartridge according to claim 1, wherein
the first resin is injected from a gate section provided in the channel forming unit (par 0035 Fig 4B,6A molten resin is injected into the cavity defined by the box shaped member 3, its mold 200, the channel forming member 4, and its mold 300 through an injection port [not shown]).
Regarding Claim 13, Hasagawa teaches a printing apparatus (par 0002 Fig 2 image recording device) which is equipped with the cartridge (par 0002 Fig 2 the image recording device includes a liquid discharge cartridge), the cartridge comprising:
a box unit configured to store a liquid (par 0041 Fig 2 second [box]-shaped member 3 for storing different liquids such as cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) [inks] to be stored separately in the respective storage tanks, or for providing a single black storage tank);
a print element board capable of ejecting the liquid from ejection ports arrayed (par 0032 Fig 2 portion of liquid discharge head portion 4 comprising discharge ports and configured for discharging ink liquid onto recording materials);
a channel forming unit in which a channel configured to supply the liquid from the box unit to the print element board is formed (par 0032 Fig 2 third shaped member 4 is a shaped member that forms a liquid discharge head portion with walls forming liquid flow passages/channels to supply the liquid from the box unit to the print element board); and
a joint unit which is formed of a first resin filled in a space formed between the box unit and the channel forming unit and which joins the box unit and the channel forming unit together (par 0038 Figs 4A,6A [box]-shaped unit/member 3 and channel forming unit/member 4 are joined by bonding with molten resin 15 which forms a joint unit filled in a space/bonding groove 14 between members 3 and 4; par 0035 Fig 4B a resin bonding portion is formed in each bonding section).
Regarding Claim 14, Hasagawa teaches a method of producing a cartridge (par 0001 e.g. Fig 4B method) including
a box unit configured to store a liquid (par 0041 Fig 2 second [box]-shaped member 3 for storing different liquids such as cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) [inks] to be stored separately in the respective storage tanks, or for providing a single black storage tank);
a print element board capable of ejecting the liquid from ejection ports arrayed (par 0032 Fig 2 portion of liquid discharge head portion 4 comprising discharge ports and configured for discharging ink liquid onto recording materials); and
a channel forming unit in which a channel configured to supply the liquid from the box unit to the print element board is formed (par 0032 Fig 2 third shaped member 4 is a shaped member that forms a liquid discharge head portion with walls forming liquid flow passages/channels to supply the liquid from the box unit to the print element board) (par 0038 Figs 4A,6A [box]-shaped unit/member 3 and channel forming unit/member 4 are joined by bonding with molten resin 15 which forms a joint unit filled in a space/bonding groove 14 between members 3 and 4; par 0035 Fig 4B a resin bonding portion is formed in each bonding section),
the method comprising:
a first forming step of filling a resin into a first mold and a second mold that are clamped at first relative positions to form the box unit inside the first mold and form the channel forming unit inside the second mold (paras 0034-0036 Fig 4A in the first step of this manufacturing method, the box shaped member 3 and the channel forming unit/ member 4 are individually shaped at first positions and manufactured by injection molding an injected resin into a first and a second mold respectively); and
a second forming step of filling a resin into the first mold and the second mold which are clamped at second relative positions that are different from the first relative positions to join the box unit and the channel forming unit together (par 0035 Fig 4B in the second step, the molds [200 and 300] to which the members [3 and 4] are fixed are clamped together at second, adjoined positions and are bonded to each other so that the members are joined by molten resin that is injected into the joint section .
Regarding Claim 15, Hasagawa teaches the method according to claim 14, wherein
the first resin is injected from a gate section provided in the channel forming unit (par 0035 Fig 4B,6A molten resin is injected into the cavity defined by the box shaped member 3, its mold 200, the channel forming member 4, and its mold 300 through an injection port [not shown]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
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 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hasagawa et al. (U.S. Patent Application 20210387455 A1, hereinafter “Hasagawa”) in view of Ino et al. (U.S. Patent Application 20040159298 A1, hereinafter “Ino”).
Regarding Claim 4, Hasagawa teaches the cartridge according to claim 1. However, Hasagawa appears not to expressly teach wherein
the box unit and the channel forming unit are formed of a second resin, and
the first resin is a thermoplastic resin having a melting point higher than a melting point of the second resin.
Ino teaches wherein
a first unit and a second unit are formed of a second resin, and the first resin is a thermoplastic resin having a melting point higher than a melting point of the second resin (par 0104 Figs 1,3 a first unit comprising half-hollow member 30 and a second unit comprising half-hollow member 40 are formed of a second [Ino’s first] resin, and joined by an injected molten first resin [Ino’s secondary molding resin]; par 0106 Fig the first resin is a thermoplastic resin [Ino’s secondary molding resin] having a melting point higher than a melting point of the second resin [Ino’s first resin]).
Hasagawa and Ino are analogous art as they each pertain to bonding of two molded resin parts with another injected molten resin. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the cartridge of Hasagawa with the inclusion of the relative resin melting temperatures of Ino. The motivation would have been in order to provide, by using as the secondary molding resin a resin having a melting point which is higher than that of the first molding resin, the inner walls of the edge portion 31 and the edge portion 41 which form the packing portion 51 are molten easily, that the inner walls of the two original molded parts are welded together as the secondary molding resin is cooled (Ino par 0106).
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hasagawa et al. (U.S. Patent Application 20210387455 A1, hereinafter “Hasagawa”) in view of Albertin et al. (U.S. Patent Application 20090213195 A1, hereinafter “Albertin”).
Regarding Claim 5, Hasagawa teaches the cartridge according to claim 2. However, Hasagawa appears not to expressly teach wherein
in the box unit, the plurality of tank chambers are provided in line.
Albertin teaches a similar ink cartridge wherein
in the box unit, the plurality of tank chambers are provided in line (par 0060 Fig 3 inline reservoir portions (liquid storage spaces) 11a,11b,11c are formed in the body 1).
Hasagawa and Albertin are analogous art as they each pertain to ink cartridges. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the cartridge of Hasagawa with the inclusion of the inline tank chambers of Albertin. The motivation would have been in order to provide an orderly layout of multiple ink colors for swath printing.
Claims 6-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hasagawa et al. (U.S. Patent Application 20210387455 A1, hereinafter “Hasagawa”) in view of Yamamoto (Japan Patent Application JP2010089324A).
Regarding Claim 6, Hasagawa teaches the cartridge according to claim 3. However, Hasagawa appears not to expressly teach wherein
in the space formed between the box unit and the channel forming unit, a buffer section configured to store the first resin excessively filled in a finally-filled portion of the first resin is arranged,
the buffer section is formed at one end of the channel forming unit, and
the gate section is formed at another end of the channel forming unit.
Yamamoto teaches wherein
in the space formed between
the buffer section is formed at one end of the
the gate section is formed at another end of the
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the space formed between the box unit and the channel forming unit of Hasagawa to include the buffer section configured to store the first resin excessively filled in a finally-filled portion of the first resin of Yamamoto because such a modification is the result of combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results.
More specifically, the space formed between the box unit and the channel forming unit of Hasagawa as modified by the buffer section configured to store the first resin excessively filled in a finally-filled portion of the first resin of Yamamoto can yield a predictable result of better more-ensured full completion of the resin injection into the molding grooves. Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated including in the buffer section configured to store the first resin excessively filled in a finally-filled portion of the first resin of the ability to use the buffer section configured to store the first resin excessively filled in a finally-filled portion of the first resin of Yamamoto since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Regarding Claim 7, Hasagawa as modified teaches the cartridge according to claim 6, wherein
as viewed from a direction of the bonding, an inlet of the buffer section is arranged at a position diagonal from the gate section (Yamamoto par 0040 Fig 6 as viewed from a direction of the bonding/injection direction, an inlet of the buffer section 78 is arranged at a position diagonal from the gate section 55).
Hasagawa and Yamamoto are analogous art as they each pertain to injection molding methods and parts. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the cartridge of Hasagawa with the inclusion of the injection gate to buffer portion direction of Yamamoto . The motivation would have been in order to ensure full completion of the resin injection into the molding spaces.
Regarding Claim 8, Hasagawa as modified teaches the cartridge according to claim 6, wherein
the channel forming unit has a first surface configured to support the print element board (Hasagawa par 0032 Fig 2 lower surface of element/ head portion 4 configured to support portion of head portion 4 comprising discharge ports and configured for discharging ink liquid onto recording materials) and a second surface that is closer to the box unit than the first surface is (Hasagawa par 0032 Fig 2 upper surface of element/ head portion 4 in Fig 2 is closer to box unit 3 than element 4 bottom surface).
Claims 11 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hasagawa et al. (U.S. Patent Application 20210387455 A1, hereinafter “Hasagawa”) in view of Toda et al. (U.S. Patent Application 20170368829 A1, hereinafter “Toda”) and further in view of Amma et al. (U.S. Patent Application 20080252705 A1, hereinafter “Amma”).
Regarding Claim 11, Hasagawa as modified teaches the cartridge according to claim 5. However, Hasagawa as modified appears not to expressly teach wherein
the box unit is provided with three tank chambers described above.
Amma teaches a similar ink cartridge tank arrangement wherein
the box unit is provided with three tank chambers described above (par 0066 Fig 10 the box unit/case 104/204 is provided with three tank chambers 202Y, 202C, and 202K, these tank chambers inline as described above in Claim 5).
Hasagawa Toda and Amma are analogous art as they each pertain to ink cartridges. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the cartridge of Hasagawa/Toda with the inclusion of the inline tank chambers of Amma. The motivation would have been in order to provide an orderly layout of multiple ink colors.
Regarding Claim 12, Hasagawa as modified teaches the cartridge according to claim 11, wherein
each of the tank chambers is provided with an absorber configured to retain the liquid (Hasagawa par 0028 Fig 2 absorbers 6 are provided in each of the tank chambers to retain the liquid).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9-10 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claim 9:
While closest prior art Hasagawa (20210387455 A1) and Yamamoto (JP2010089324A) teach portions of the limitations of Claim 9, the prior art of record fails to teach or fairly suggest the particular limitations of Claim 9, namely "wherein in the channel forming unit, a first cavity is formed between the first surface and the buffer section" in combination with all other limitations of the claim and of claims on which the claim depends.
Claim 10 would be allowable dependent on the allowability of Claim 9.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARK EDWARDS whose telephone number is 571-270-7731. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 9a-5p.
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/MARK EDWARDS/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2624