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 § 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.
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) 1, 4, 5 and 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sato, US 20220161553 A1; Goto, US 20220169033 A1; and Yamada, US 20100309244 A1 (Hereinafter Yamada ‘244).
Regarding claim 1, Sato teaches:
An image forming apparatus (Paragraph 0006, "According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a recording apparatus…"),
an ejection portion which ejects ink (Paragraph 0006, "According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a recording apparatus includes a storage unit configured to store liquid to be supplied to a recording head configured to discharge the liquid..."),
a first ink flow path which forms a supply path of the ink that reaches the ejection portion (Paragraph 0006, "According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a recording apparatus includes a... a supply flow path connecting the storage unit and the recording head…"),
a heater which warms the ink at a warming position that is more on an upstream side of a flowing direction of the ink than the ejection portion on the supply path (Paragraph 0006, "According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a recording apparatus includes... a temperature adjustment unit positioned between the storage unit and the degassing unit and configured to adjust a temperature of the liquid flowing in the supply flow path"),
a drive control portion which controls drive of the heater based on a difference between a temperature of the ink at the warming position and a preset target temperature (Paragraph 0092, "The temperature adjustment device 24 for adjusting the temperature of the constant-temperature medium is connected to the heat exchanger 23..."),
an acquisition processing portion which acquires the temperature of the ink in the specific section (Paragraph 0095, "After that, in step S101, the temperature detection unit TS acquires information regarding the ink temperature"),
a flow processing portion which causes, when the temperature of the ink acquired by the acquisition processing portion is smaller than a predetermined threshold value, the ink warmed by the heater to flow along the supply path and the recovery path until the ink reaches the ejection portion (Paragraph 0092, "The temperature adjustment device 24 has a configuration with devices configured to contribute to the temperature adjustment of the constant-temperature medium, including a not-illustrated cooler, a heating heater, a constant-temperature medium circulation pump, and a temperature sensor"; Paragraph 0049, "The flow path 6a may be a flow path to circulate the ink between the storage unit TK and the recording head 30, and the supply unit 6 may include a pump or another device to circulate the ink"),
a setting processing portion which sets the target temperature based on the temperature of the ink acquired by the acquisition processing portion (Figure 9; Paragraphs 0095-0097, "After that, in step S101, the temperature detection unit TS acquires information regarding the ink temperature. In step S102, the recording apparatus 1A determines whether the acquired ink temperature is a predetermined temperature or higher. If the acquired ink temperature is the predetermined temperature or higher (YES in step S102), the recording apparatus 1A lowers the temperature of the ink by continuing the operation (driving) of the temperature adjustment unit 22... On the other hand, if the ink temperature acquired in step S102 is lower than the predetermined temperature (NO in step S102), in step S104, the recording apparatus 1A stops the operation (the driving) of the temperature adjustment unit 22 to raise the temperature of the ink").
Sato does not disclose:
a second ink flow path which forms a recovery path of waste ink ejected by the ejection portion,
an accumulation portion which is provided in a specific section from the warming position to the ejection portion on the supply path and accumulates the ink.
However, Goto teaches a pipeline, i.e., a second ink flow path, which transfers discharged ink to a downstream tank (Paragraph 0027, "The ink discharged from the discharge port 22 is transferred to the downstream tank 32 through the second pipeline 362 and stored in the downstream tank 32").
Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate into Sato a second ink flow path which forms a recovery path of discharged ink, as taught by Goto. This would have been done so as to allow unused ink to be recirculated, as taught by Goto (Paragraph 0027, "The ink stored in the downstream tank 32 is transferred to the upstream tank 31 through the third pipeline 363 by action of the circulation pump 34, and returns to the upstream tank 31").
Furthermore, Sato as modified by Goto fails to teach or suggest an accumulation portion which is provided in a specific section from the warming position to the ejection portion on the supply path and accumulates the ink.
However, Yamada ‘244 teaches a downstream sub-tank as well as an up-stream sub tank, i.e., an accumulation portion, between which heated ink is circulated (Paragraph 0041, "When ink in the downstream sub-tank 60 is pumped up by the pump 22, the ink passes through the ink filter 62 from the draw port, and is thereby filtered by the ink filter 62. Further, a temperature adjustment is performed by exchanging heat at the heat exchanger 30, and is then drawn up to the upstream sub-tank 50”). That is, Yamada ‘244 teaches an accumulation portion which is provided in a specific section from the warming position to the ejection portion on the supply path and accumulates the ink.
Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include an accumulation portion to modified Sato on the supply path between the warming position and the ejection portion, as taught by Yamada ‘244. This would have been done so as to allow greater control of ink temperature by allowing the circulation of warm ink through the supply path as needed, as taught by Yamada ‘244 (Paragraph 0124, “Thus, ink heated by the peltier element 32 through a control as described above flows from the upstream sub-tank 50 and passes through the ink feed path 14 and ink supply port 107”).
Regarding claim 4, Sato teaches:
a third ink flow path which forms a circulation path of the ink that passes through the ejection portion and the accumulation portion together with the first ink flow path (Claim 6, "The recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a collection flow path configured to be used to collect the liquid from the recording head to the storage unit"),
wherein the flow processing portion executes, after the ink warmed by the heater reaches the accumulation portion by execution of first flow processing for causing the ink to flow along the supply path and the recovery path, second flow processing for causing the ink to flow along the circulation path (Claim 7, "The recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the liquid is circulated in a circulation flow path including the storage unit, the supply flow path, the recording head, and the collection flow path").
Regarding claim 5, Sato teaches:
a second pump which is provided more on a downstream side of the flowing direction than the accumulation portion on the supply path, sucks the ink in a same amount as a supply amount of the ink by the first pump from the accumulation portion, and supplies the ink to the ejection portion (Paragraph 0084, "The first supply pump P1 and the second supply pump P2 function as circulation units for circulating the ink in the circulation flow path while supplying the ink to the recording head 30."),
Sato does not disclose:
a first pump which is provided more on the upstream side of the flowing direction than the accumulation portion on the supply path and supplies the ink warmed by the heater to the accumulation portion,
the flow processing portion supplies, after sucking the ink from the accumulation portion using the second pump, the ink warmed by the heater to the accumulation portion using the first pump,
the setting processing portion sets, when the temperature of the ink acquired by the acquisition processing portion is smaller than the threshold value, the target temperature such that the temperature of the ink in the accumulation portion becomes a predetermined specific value that is equal to or larger than the threshold value by drive of the first pump.
However, Yamada ‘244 teaches a pump, corresponding to the first pump of the present application, which provides heated ink to the upstream sub-tank from the downstream sub-tank through a feedback path (Figures 1 and 2, Item 22; Paragraph 0033, "Further, the ink feedback path 15 is connected from the downstream sub-tank 60 to the upstream sub-tank 50 through a pump 22 which pumps up ink and a heat exchanger 30 which adjusts temperatures of ink"), a set of valves, corresponding to the flow processing portion, which, when driven with the pump, causes a system of negative pressure which causes ink to circulate through the sub-tanks (Paragraph 0068, "As a preparation for starting image forming on a recording medium 202, the valves 24 and 25 and the pump 22 are simultaneously driven first. As a result, with the valve 25 opened, the pump 22 is driven, and accordingly, the pressure of inner air inside the downstream sub-tank 60 changes from an atmospheric pressure to a negative pressure"), and a sensor and driver, corresponding to the acquisition and setting portion, which is able to detect the temperature of the ink and ascertain whether or not it is within a designated temperature range, and begin temperature adjustment accordingly (Paragraphs 0074-0076, "As an example here, a range of 15° C. to 45° C. will be described as a drivable temperature range (printable temperature range). At first, before starting operation, ink is supposed to have a temperature of 10° C. both when a main power supply of the device is turned on and when an execution command for image forming is given. In this case, at first, both the temperature sensors 114 and 115 detect the ink temperature of 10° C. Next, ink circulation operation is started, and the peltier element 32 is let start heating ink, to increase the temperature of ink to a drivable temperature"; Paragraph 0086, "Further, as a particularly optimal control range within the temperature range, temperatures T2 to T3 are set to, for example, 25° C. to 35° C. Of course, these temperature settings are appropriately changed depending on characteristics of the recording head").
Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Sato so as to include a pump which provides warm ink to the accumulation portion, a flow processing portion which provides warm ink to the accumulation portion as ink is provided from the accumulation portion to the ejection portion, and a setting processing portion which adjusts the target temperature so as to increase the measured ink temperature if it is found to be less than the predetermined threshold value, as taught by Yamada ‘244. This would have been done so as to more effectively adjust ink temperature, allowing greater control over print quality, as taught by Yamada ‘244 (Paragraph 0007, “Hence, the present invention is directed to providing of an image forming apparatus capable of forming high quality images on recording media by estimating an ink temperature at nozzles in a recording head with improved accuracy and by accordingly optimizing an ink discharge amount of ink to be discharged from the recording head”).
Regarding claim 6, Sato teaches:
An operation control method executed in an image forming apparatus including an ejection portion which ejects ink (Paragraph 0006, "According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a recording apparatus includes a storage unit configured to store liquid to be supplied to a recording head configured to discharge the liquid..."),
a first ink flow path which forms a supply path of the ink that reaches the ejection portion (Paragraph 0006, "According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a recording apparatus includes a... a supply flow path connecting the storage unit and the recording head…"),
a heater which warms the ink at a warming position that is more on an upstream side of a flowing direction of the ink than the ejection portion on the supply path (Paragraph 0006, "According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a recording apparatus includes... a temperature adjustment unit positioned between the storage unit and the degassing unit and configured to adjust a temperature of the liquid flowing in the supply flow path"),
a drive control portion which controls drive of the heater based on a difference between a temperature of the ink at the warming position and a preset target temperature (Paragraph 0092, "The temperature adjustment device 24 for adjusting the temperature of the constant-temperature medium is connected to the heat exchanger 23..."),
an acquisition step of acquiring the temperature of the ink in the specific section (Paragraph 0095, "After that, in step S101, the temperature detection unit TS acquires information regarding the ink temperature"),
a flow step of causing, when the temperature of the ink acquired in the acquisition step is smaller than a predetermined threshold value, the ink warmed by the heater to flow along the supply path and the recovery path until the ink reaches the ejection portion (Paragraph 0092, "The temperature adjustment device 24 has a configuration with devices configured to contribute to the temperature adjustment of the constant-temperature medium, including a not-illustrated cooler, a heating heater, a constant-temperature medium circulation pump, and a temperature sensor"; Paragraph 0049, "The flow path 6a may be a flow path to circulate the ink between the storage unit TK and the recording head 30, and the supply unit 6 may include a pump or another device to circulate the ink"),
a setting step of setting the target temperature based on the temperature of the ink acquired in the acquisition step (Figure 9; Paragraphs 0095-0097, "After that, in step S101, the temperature detection unit TS acquires information regarding the ink temperature. In step S102, the recording apparatus 1A determines whether the acquired ink temperature is a predetermined temperature or higher. If the acquired ink temperature is the predetermined temperature or higher (YES in step S102), the recording apparatus 1A lowers the temperature of the ink by continuing the operation (driving) of the temperature adjustment unit 22... On the other hand, if the ink temperature acquired in step S102 is lower than the predetermined temperature (NO in step S102), in step S104, the recording apparatus 1A stops the operation (the driving) of the temperature adjustment unit 22 to raise the temperature of the ink").
Sato does not disclose:
a second ink flow path which forms a recovery path of waste ink ejected by the ejection portion,
an accumulation portion which is provided in a specific section from the warming position to the ejection portion on the supply path and accumulates the ink,
However, Goto teaches a pipeline, corresponding to the second ink flow path, which transfers discharged ink to a downstream tank (Paragraph 0027, "The ink discharged from the discharge port 22 is transferred to the downstream tank 32 through the second pipeline 362 and stored in the downstream tank 32").
Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Sato as to incorporate a second ink flow path which forms a recovery path of discharged ink, as taught by Goto. This would have been done so as to allow unused ink to be recirculated, as taught by Goto (Paragraph 0027, "The ink stored in the downstream tank 32 is transferred to the upstream tank 31 through the third pipeline 363 by action of the circulation pump 34, and returns to the upstream tank 31").
Furthermore, Sato as modified by Goto fails to teach or suggest an accumulation portion which is provided in a specific section from the warming position to the ejection portion on the supply path and accumulates the ink.
However, Yamada ‘244 teaches a downstream sub-tank as well as an up-stream sub tank, i.e., an accumulation portion, between which heated ink is circulated (Paragraph 0041, "When ink in the downstream sub-tank 60 is pumped up by the pump 22, the ink passes through the ink filter 62 from the draw port, and is thereby filtered by the ink filter 62. Further, a temperature adjustment is performed by exchanging heat at the heat exchanger 30, and is then drawn up to the upstream sub-tank 50”).
Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify Sato so as to include an accumulation portion on the supply path between the warming position and the ejection portion as taught by Yamada ‘244. This would have been done so as to allow greater control of ink temperature by allowing the circulation of warm ink through the supply path as needed, as taught by Yamada ‘244 (Paragraph 0124, “Thus, ink heated by the peltier element 32 through a control as described above flows from the upstream sub-tank 50 and passes through the ink feed path 14 and ink supply port 107”).
Claim(s) 2 and 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sato, US 20220161553 A1; Goto, US 20220169033 A1; and Yamada, US 20100309244 A1 as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Yamada, US 20090179937 A1 (Hereinafter Yamada ‘937).
Regarding claim 2, Sato does not disclose:
the acquisition processing portion acquires, when the image forming apparatus shifts from a first state where image formation is impossible to a second state where the image formation is possible, the temperature of the ink in the specific section based on an elapsed time since a previous shift to the first state and a temperature at an installation position of the image forming apparatus.
However, Yamada ‘937 teaches a system in which a controller acquires the temperature of the ink at a time and ascertains whether or not it is within a temperature range, and if the ink is found to be within the range, allows the printing operation to proceed, and if not, prohibits the printing operation (Figure 10, Items S1, S2, and S3; Paragraph 0091, “When the ink temperature T is out of the printable temperature range (first temperature range) (NO in S1), the printing operation is prohibited (S2). When the ink temperature T is within the printable temperature (YES in S1), which means printing is permitted (S3), a standby state is set until a printing instruction is given (S4)”).
Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the acquisition processing portion of Sato so as to acquire whether or not image formation is possible based on the measured temperature of the ink, as taught by Yamada ‘937. This would have been done so as to ensure that all printing is performed within the ideal temperature range allowing the user to maintain image quality, as taught by Yamada ‘937 (Paragraph 0138, “By thus performing the control, it is possible to prevent in advance the problem that some of the recording heads deviate from the preferable printable range and the image quality deteriorates”).
Regarding claim 3, Sato does not disclose:
a switch processing portion which switches an ink flowing function by the flow processing portion between effective and ineffective according to a user operation,
wherein when the temperature of the ink acquired by the acquisition processing portion is smaller than the threshold value, the flow processing portion causes the ink to flow in a case where the ink flowing function is effective and does not cause the ink to flow in a case where the ink flowing function is ineffective.
However, Yamada ‘937 teaches a system in which a controller, when given a printing operation, acquires the temperature of the ink at a time and ascertains whether or not it is within a temperature range, and if the ink is found to be within the range, allows the printing operation to proceed, and if not, prohibits the printing operation (Figure 10, Items S1, S2, and S3; Paragraph 0091, “When the ink temperature T is out of the printable temperature range (first temperature range) (NO in S1), the printing operation is prohibited (S2). When the ink temperature T is within the printable temperature (YES in S1), which means printing is permitted (S3), a standby state is set until a printing instruction is given (S4)”).
Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the acquisition processing portion of Sato so as to acquire whether or not image formation is possible based on the measured temperature of the ink, as taught by Yamada ‘937. This would have been done to ensure that all printing is performed within the ideal temperature range while maintaining image quality, as taught by Yamada ‘937 (Paragraph 0138, “By thus performing the control, it is possible to prevent in advance the problem that some of the recording heads deviate from the preferable printable range and the image quality deteriorates”).
Conclusion
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/RAMI A ALSHOROOGI//R.A.A./Examiner, Art Unit 2853
/DOUGLAS X RODRIGUEZ/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2853