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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claims 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hotani et al. (US 20210107282 A1; herein referred to as “Hotani”) in view of Goto & Yamada (US 20070252869 A1; herein referred to as “Goto”), and further in view of Yamada & Edamura (US 20010038400 A1; herein referred to as “Yamada”).
With respect to Claim 1, Hotani teaches an inkjet recording apparatus (i.e., "printer"; Hotani: [0028]) comprising:
a recording head that includes a plurality of nozzles which discharge an ink (Hotani: [0005]);
a conveyance member (i.e., “first conveyor belt”; Hotani: Fig. 3, element “8”) that includes an opening through which the ink discharged from the recording head passes (i.e., "opening portion groups"; Hotani: [0066]), and conveys a recording medium (i.e., “paper”; Hotani: [0066]);
a control unit (i.e., "control unit"; Hotani [0028]) that controls drive of the recording head and the conveyance member to perform flushing which discharges, with timing different from timing contributing to image recording (Hotani: [0028] and [0047]), the ink from the nozzles of the recording head to cause the ink to pass through the openings (i.e., the “opening portions 80 of an opening portion groups 82”; Hotani: [0046] and Fig. 3, elements “80” and “82”);
an ink collection unit that is arranged opposite the recording head through the conveyance member and includes an ink reception portion (i.e., "ink receiving units"; Hotani: Fig. 5, elements “31Y”, “31M”,”31C”, & “31K”) which receives the ink that has passed through the openings when the flushing is performed (Hotani: [0046]);
an ink passage which is formed between the conveyance member and the ink reception portion and through which the ink that has passed through the openings passes (Hotani: Fig. 5; see annotated figure below); and
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a suction unit that is coupled to the ink reception portion and sucks the ink that has passed through the openings together with air in the ink passage (i.e., “second suction chambers 52a to 52d” and “suction members 53”; Hotani: [0054], [0056], and Fig. 6),
wherein the inkjet recording apparatus satisfies elements of the formula (1) below:
{(Vh + Vi) / 1000} × (Ls / Vp) ≥ Ld (1)
where a conveyance speed of the conveyance member (i.e., a “conveying speed of the recording medium”; Hotani: [0004]) is Vp [mm /s],
an air speed of suction air generated in the ink passage by the suction unit (i.e., “suction force” used to suck chambers 52a to 52d; Hotani: [0058] and Fig. 6) is Vh [m /s],
a discharge speed of the ink in a position in which the ink passes through the conveyance member (i.e., “the speed at which the ink ejected from the recording heads 17a to 17c during flushing passes through the opening portions 80 of the first conveyor belt 8”; Hotani: [0058]) is Vi [m /s],
The aforementioned conveyance speed (i.e., “Vp”) is a known variable which affects the efficacy of the flushing process, as Hotani teaches: “By decreasing the conveying speed of the recording medium, the number of rows in the conveying direction of the opening portions located between the recording media on the conveyor belt increases, so ejection defects may be reduced by increasing the ink ejection amount required for flushing” (Hotani: [0004]).
Suction force is a variable which correlates to an air speed of suction air. The aforementioned suction force, and therefore air speed (i.e., “Vh”), are known variables which affect misting, as Hotani teaches: ”…the inner portions of the first suction chambers 51a to 51e are sucked with a relatively strong suction force, and the inner portions of the second suction chambers 52a to 52d are sucked with a relatively weak suction force. As a result, the speed at which the ink ejected from the recording heads 17a to 17c during flushing passes through the opening portions 80 of the first conveyor belt 8 is suppressed, and scattering of ink (mist) due to collision with the liquid surface of ink accumulated in the ink receiving units 31Y to 31K may be reduced. This makes it possible to reduce the above-mentioned inconvenience caused by the mist” (emphasis added; Hotani: [0058]). Note that this also teaches that the air speed variable (i.e., “Vh”) can influence the variable of discharge speed (i.e., “Vi”).
The aforementioned discharge speed (i.e., “Vi”) is a known variable which improves the efficacy of the flushing process misting, as Hotani teaches: “the speed at which the ink ejected from the recording heads 17a to 17c during flushing passes through the opening portions 80 of the first conveyor belt 8 is suppressed, and scattering of ink (mist) due to collision with the liquid surface of ink accumulated in the ink receiving units 31Y to 31K may be reduced. This makes it possible to reduce the above-mentioned inconvenience caused by the mist” (Hotani: [0058]).
It would have been obvious to incorporate variables which affect the flushing process (e.g., can increase the efficacy of the process and decrease printer contamination which may occur during the process) within a formula used to define an inkjet recording apparatus, especially a formula used to optimize a printer’s flushing process (Hotani: [0004] and [0058]). This type of formula, developed via experimentation or other means, provides benefits such as decreasing misting issues during the flushing process, thereby decreasing the internal contamination of the printer which could occur during flushing.
Hotani is silent on an inkjet recording apparatus wherein the inkjet recording apparatus satisfies elements of the formula (1) below:
{(Vh + Vi) / 1000} × (Ls / Vp) ≥ Ld (1), where
a distance from the conveyance member to a reception surface of the ink reception portion is Ld [mm] and
a distance from a position in which a last ink droplet passing through the openings passes through the openings to an upstream end portion of the openings is Ls [mm].
Goto teaches an inkjet recording apparatus wherein the inkjet recording apparatus satisfies an element of the formula (1) below:
{(Vh + Vi) / 1000} × (Ls / Vp) ≥ Ld (1), where
a distance from the conveyance member to a reception surface of the ink reception portion (i.e., a “distance to the paper between surface of ejection port and…absorber”; Goto: [0060] and [0069]) is Ld [mm]
Goto teaches that a “distance to the paper between surface of ejection port and print medium (or absorber)” is one of the “conditions which induces occurrence of the mist” (Goto: [0060] and [0069]). This distance contains the distance between the conveyance member and the reception surface (i.e., the ink absorber) of the ink reception portion (i.e., “Ld”). Therefore, the distance from the conveyance member to a reception surface of the ink reception portion (i.e., “Ld”) is a known variable which affects misting (Goto: [0060] and [0069]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate a variable which affects misting within a formula used to define an inkjet recording apparatus, especially a formula used to optimize a printer’s flushing process (Goto: [0060] and [0069]). This type of formula, developed via experimentation or other means, provides benefits such as decreasing misting issues during the flushing process, thereby decreasing the internal contamination of the printer which could occur during flushing.
Yamada teaches an inkjet recording apparatus wherein the inkjet recording apparatus satisfies the element of the formula (1) below:
{(Vh + Vi) / 1000} × (Ls / Vp) ≥ Ld (1), where
a distance from a position in which a last ink droplet passing through the openings passes through the openings to an upstream end portion of the openings is Ls [mm].
Yamada teaches that, during the flushing process, a droplet can generate mist upon contact with an ink absorber (see annotated Yamada Fig. 6 below; Yamada: [0063] and Fig. 6). The printer can be enhanced with structural elements positioned in relation to the ink droplet, such as a “shielding member”, in order to prevent the “blown up mist” from traveling outside the ink collection unit, thereby decreasing contamination inside the printer (see annotated Yamada Fig. 6 below; Yamada: [0063] and Fig. 6). Yamada teaches that the trajectory of this mist radiates from the droplet wherever it contacts the ink absorber (see annotated Yamada Fig. 6 below; Yamada: Fig. 6). Therefore, a physical barrier (such as a shielding member, a belt support plate, a platen, or a conveyance member) can be positioned in accordance with that mist’s trajectory to block its escape from the ink collection unit. In an equivalent embodiment, the position of the released droplet can be adjusted in relation to the aforementioned physical barriers to similar effect. Therefore, the distance from a position in which a last ink droplet passing through the opening passes through the openings to an upstream end portion of the openings (i.e., “Ls”) is a known variable which affects the spread of mist within a printer. This explanation can be further shown by comparing the Applicant’s depiction of an ink droplet passing through the opening (Figure 10) to a similar depiction taught by Yamada (see annotated figures of Applicant’s Fig. 10 and Yamada’s Fig. 6).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate a variable which affects misting within a formula used to define an inkjet recording apparatus, especially a formula used to optimize a printer’s flushing process (see annotated Yamada Fig. 6 above; Yamada: [0063] and Fig. 6). This type of formula, developed via experimentation or other means, provides benefits such as decreasing misting issues during the flushing process, thereby decreasing the internal contamination of the printer which could occur during flushing.
With respect to Claim 2, Hotani in view of Goto, and further in view of Yamada, teaches the inkjet recording apparatus according to Claim 1,
wherein in the conveyance member, one or more openings groups are formed, and each of the openings groups includes a plurality of the openings which are arranged in a conveyance direction of the recording medium and in a width direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction (Hotani: [0013], [0066], and Fig. 8),
the openings group includes a most upstream openings that is located on a most upstream side in the conveyance direction and a distance from a position in which a last ink droplet passing through the most upstream openings passes through the most upstream openings to an upstream end portion of the most upstream openings is Ls [mm] (see annotated Hotani Fig. 9 below; Hotani: [0046], Fig. 5, and Fig. 9).
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With respect to Claim 3, Hotani in view of Goto, and further in view of Yamada, teaches the inkjet recording apparatus according to Claim 1,
wherein a support plate (see annotated Hotani Fig. 5 below) that supports the conveyance member is arranged between the conveyance member (Hotani: Fig. 5, element “8”) and the ink reception portion (Hotani: Fig. 5, element “31Y”), and
the ink passage is formed in the support plate (Hotani: Fig. 5; see annotated version below).
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With respect to Claim 4, Hotani in view of Goto, and further in view of Yamada, teaches the inkjet recording apparatus according to Claim 1,
wherein the ink reception portion is filled with an ink absorber formed of a porous material (i.e., “ink absorber such as a sponge”), and an upper surface of the ink absorber is the reception surface of the ink reception portion (Hotani: [0003]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHLOMIT CHELST whose telephone number is (571)272-0832. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm.
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/SHLOMIT CHELST/ Examiner, Art Unit 2853
/RICARDO I MAGALLANES/ Supervisor Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2853