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.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 6/24/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement has been considered by the examiner.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: Paragraph [0052] of the specification as originally filed, recites rib portion as having a fine irregularity shape. It is not clear what is meant by that. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 5 and 16 are 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.
With regard to claims 5 and 16, it is unclear what is meant by “a fine irregularity shape.” Please clarify. The retaining portion in the figures 5A and 5B do not depict a shape that is irregular.
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) 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US 2024/0042767 to Kosaka et al. “Kosaka.”
With regard to Claim 1, Kosaka teaches a liquid discharge apparatus (figs. 1 and 2) comprising:
a suction unit (23) configured to suction liquid from a discharge head (4) configured to discharge liquid ([0041] and fig. 4); and
a tank (28) that includes an introduction portion (not labeled but, next to down arrow near element 28) into which liquid suctioned by the suction unit is introduced, and is detachable from the liquid discharge apparatus (fig. 4 and [0049]),
wherein the tank (28) includes a retaining portion (29) configured to retain liquid that has dripped from the introduction portion [0049].
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.
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(s) 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kosaka as modified by Han Sang Man.
With regard to Claim 6, Kosaka teaches the claimed invention except for further comprising a shielding unit configured to shield the introduction portion.
However, Han Sang Man provides a teaching of a shielding unit (152) configured to shield the introduction portion [0046]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify Kosaka with the shielding unit as taught by Han Sang Man to prevent ink from thickening and clogging the introduction port.
Examiner Note
The examiner cites particular columns and lines numbers (or paragraphs or figures) in the references as applied to the claims above for the convenience of the applicant. The specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim. Other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested that, in preparing responses, applicant fully consider the references in their entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-4 and 7-11 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 primary reason for the allowance of Claims 2-4 is the inclusion of the limitations wherein the retaining portion has a rib shape protruding from a surface on which the introduction portion is arranged. It is these features found in the claim(s) which have not been found, taught or suggested by the prior art of record, which makes these claims allowable over the prior art.
The primary reason for the allowance of Claims 7-11 is the inclusion of the limitations wherein the shielding unit causes the introduction portion to be exposed when the tank is attached to the liquid discharge apparatus, and shields the introduction portion when the tank is removed from the liquid discharge apparatus. It is these features found in the claim(s) which have not been found, taught or suggested by the prior art of record, which makes these claims allowable over the prior art.
Claim 5 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The primary reason for the allowance of Claim 5 is the inclusion of the limitations wherein the retaining portion has a fine irregularity shape having capillary force. It is these features found in the claim(s) which have not been found, taught or suggested by the prior art of record, which makes this claim allowable over the prior art.
Claims 12-15 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The primary reason for the allowance of Claims 12-16 is the inclusion of the limitations the shielding unit includes a second retaining portion configured to retain liquid that has dripped from the introduction portion. It is these features found in the claim(s) which have not been found, taught or suggested by the prior art of record, which makes this claims allowable over the prior art.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Claim 16 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The primary reason for the allowance of Claim 16 is the inclusion of the limitations wherein the retaining portion has a fine irregularity shape having capillary force. It is these features found in the claim(s) which have not been found, taught or suggested by the prior art of record, which makes this claim allowable over the prior art.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 2022/0258473 discloses a waste liquid storing container capable of reducing imbalance in the absorption of waste liquid in an absorber that absorbs waste liquid. The liquid storing container includes a liquid absorber that absorbs liquid, a casing that houses the liquid absorber, a discharge portion that discharges liquid down in a direction of gravitational force into the casing, and an introduction space into which the liquid from the discharge portion is introduced. The liquid storing container further includes a liquid divider provided inside the introduction space to divide the liquid discharged from the discharge portion.
JP 2016-043557A discloses a waste ink recovery unit that can reduce such risk that an ink introduction port of a waste ink recovery container is blocked by ink that is easily thickened.
US 5,386,222 discloses an ink jet recording system comprises an ink receiving member for receiving ink discharged from a recording head, an introducing device for directing the ink from the ink receiving member to a waste ink containing portion, and control structure, for controlling a relative position between the recording head and the ink receiving member so that the ink receiving member is not disposed in confronting relation to the recording head during an introducing process effected by the introducing device.
JP 4848699 B2 discloses a waste ink storage structure for storing waste ink generated by a head cleaning operation or the like in an ink jet printer, an ink cartridge including the same, and an ink jet printer.
Communication with the PTO
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHARON A POLK whose telephone number is (571)270-7910. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 7-3.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Douglas 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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SHARON A. POLK
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2853
/Sharon Polk/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853