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
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 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.
Claim(s) 1 & 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Amma et al (US 2008/0252705).
Amma et al. disclose the following claimed limitations:
* Re clms 1 & 17, a cartridge/100/ & a liquid ejection apparatus in which a cartridge can be mounted, the cartridge including (Abst., para 0004, figs 1-16);
* a printing element substrate/inkjet printing head 101/ that includes a first ejection port row/121Y/ in which a plurality of ejection ports/122Ya, 122Yb/ that eject a first liquid/Y/ are arrayed in a first direction (figs 3) and a second ejection port row/121C/ in which a plurality of ejection ports/121Ca, 121Cb/ that eject a second liquid/C/ are arrayed in the first direction (para 0041, see figs 2 & 3) the second ejection port row/121C/ being arranged in a second direction crossing the first direction with respect to the first ejection port row/121Y/ (figs 2 & 3);
* a first storage chamber/ink storage section 102Y/ that contains the first liquid/Y/;
* a second storage chamber/ink storage section/102C/ that contains the second liquid/C/ (paras 0040, 0066, figs 1-5, 10-12);
* a first channel/supply paths 107Y/ that can supply the first liquid/Y/ in the first storage chamber/102Y/ to the first ejection port row/121Y/ (paras 0040, 0066-0070, see figs 1-7);
* a second channel/supply path 107C/ that can supply the second liquid/C/ in the second storage chamber/102C/ to the second ejection port row/121C/, wherein widths of the first storage chamber/102Y/ and the second storage chamber/102C/ in the second direction are equal to each other, and the first storage chamber/102Y/ and the second storage chamber/102C/ are arrayed along the first direction (see figs-1-5, 10-12).
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.
Claim(s) 2-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Amma et al (US 2008/0252705) in view of Dowell (US 2003/0043240).
Amma et al. does disclose the following:
* Re clm 3, wherein the cartridge moves/reciprocation scanning of the inkjet head/, in the
second direction while ejecting the first liquid/Y/ and the second liquid/C/ from the
printing element substrate/inkjet printing head 101/ (paras 0010, 0016-0017, 0038, figs 10-12).
* Re clm 4, wherein the printing element substrate/101/ further includes a third ejection port row/121M/ in which a plurality of ejection ports that eject a third liquid/M/ are arrayed in the first direction between the first ejection port row/121Y/ and the second ejection port row/121C/ and the cartridge/100/;
* a third storage chamber/102M that contains the third liquid/M/;
* a third channel/107M/ that can supply the third liquid/M/ in the third storage chamber/ 102M/ to the third ejection port row/121M/ (figs 1-5, 10-12).
* Re clm 5, wherein widths of the first storage chamber/202Y/, the second storage chamber/202K/, and the third storage chamber/202C/ in the second direction are equal to each other, and the first storage chamber, the second storage chamber, and the third storage chamber are arrayed along the first direction (see fig 10).
* Re clm 6, wherein a center of gravity of the third storage chamber containing the liquid is on a vertical line in the third ejection port row (see fig 10).
* Re clm 10, wherein the first storage chamber, the second storage chamber, and the third storage chamber each include an absorber/103YCM, 203YCM/ formed of a fiber material or a porous body to hold the liquid therein (para 0040, figs 2 & 10).
* Re clm 11, wherein a width in the second direction.
* Re clm 12, wherein a width of each of the first storage chamber/202Y/, the second storage chamber/202C/, and the third storage chamber/202B/ in the second direction
* Re clm 13, wherein a filter/108Y, 108C, 108M/ is provided between the first storage chamber/102Y/ and the first channel/107Y/, between the second storage chamber/102C/ and the second channel/107C/, and between the third storage chamber/102M/ and the third channel/107M/ (paras 0044-0046, figs 5-7).
* Re clm 14, a case including a box portion in which the first storage chamber and the second storage chamber are formed and a channel formation portion in which the first channel and the second channel are formed, wherein the case is formed by joining the box portion and the channel formation portion with each other (figs 1-2 & 9-10).
* Re clm 15, wherein the joining is performed by pouring resin into a clearance that is formed in a case where the box portion and the channel formation portion are put in contact with each other/method steps of making are not given patentable weight in apparatus claims, they are not structural limitations or structural features/ (see figs 1-2 & 9-10).
* Re clm 16, wherein the first liquid is any one of inks of cyan, magenta, and yellow, the second liquid is any one of the inks of cyan, magenta, and yellow that is different from the first liquid, and the third liquid is any one of the inks of cyan, magenta, and yellow that is different from the first liquid and the second liquid (paras 0039 & 0066, figs 1-3 &10-11).
Amma et al. does not disclose the following:
* Re clm 2, wherein a center of gravity of the first storage chamber containing the liquid and a center of gravity of the second storage chamber containing the liquid are between an extension line of the first ejection port row and an extension line of the second ejection port row in the second direction.
* Re clm 7, wherein the first channel and the second channel each include at least one reservoir portion that can reserve air bubbles in an orientation while using the cartridge (para 0021, 0024, figs 1A-1B).
Re clm 8, wherein the reservoir portion has a shape that widens as it goes upward in a vertical direction in the orientation while using the cartridge.
* Re clm 9, wherein the first channel and the second channel each include a horizontal portion to move the liquid in a horizontal direction in an orientation while using the cartridge (see fig 1B).
* Re clm 11, wherein a width in the second direction is equal to or smaller than 25 mm.
However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the inventio was made to utilize a width in the second direction is equal to or smaller than 25mm, since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to utilize a width in the second direction is equal to or smaller than 25mm for the purpose of supplying ink a sufficient ink amount to the printhead in order to improve the quality of printed mages onto a printing medium.
* Re clm 12, wherein a width of each of the first storage chamber/202Y/, the second storage chamber/202C/, and the third storage chamber/202B/ in the second direction is equal to or greater than 5 mm.
However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to utilize a width of each of the first storage chamber, the second storage chamber, and the third storage chamber in the second direction is equal to or greater than 5 mm, since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to utilize a width of each of the first storage chamber, the second storage chamber, and the third storage chamber in the second direction is equal to or greater than 5 mm for the purpose of supplying a sufficient ink amount to the printhead in order to improve the quality of printed mages onto a printing medium.
* Re clm 13, wherein a filter/108Y, 108C, 108M/ is provided between the first storage chamber/102Y/ and the first channel/107Y/, between the second storage chamber/102C/ and the second channel/107C/, and between the third storage chamber/102M/ and the third channel/107M/ (paras 0044-0046, figs 5-7).
However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to utilize a filter that is provided between the first storage chamber and the first channel, between the second storage chamber and the second channel, and between the third storage chamber and the third channel, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70(CCPA 1950).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to utilize a filter that is provided between the first storage chamber and the first channel, between the second storage chamber and the second channel, and between the third storage chamber and the third channel for the purpose of supplying a sufficient ink amount to the printhead and preventing impurities form entering the printhead in order to improve the quality of printed mages onto a printing medium.
Dowell disclose the following claimed limitation:
* Re clm 2, wherein a center of gravity of the first storage chamber containing the liquid and a center of gravity of the second storage chamber containing the liquid are between an extension line of the first ejection port row and an extension line of the second ejection port row in the second direction (see figs 1A, 1B).
* Re clm 7, wherein the first channel and the second channel each include at least one reservoir portion that can reserve air bubbles in an orientation while using the cartridge (para 0021, 0024, figs 1A-1B).
* Re clm 8, wherein the reservoir portion has a shape that widens as it goes upward in a vertical direction in the orientation while using the cartridge (fig 1A, 1B).
Furthermore, a particular configuration is significant or is anything more than one of numerous configurations to a person of ordinary skill in the art would find obvious for the purpose of providing mating surfaces. See Graham v. John deere Co., 383 US 1, 148 USPQ 459, In re Dailey, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1976).
* Re clm 9, wherein the first channel and the second channel each include a horizontal portion to move the liquid in a horizontal direction in an orientation while using the cartridge (see fig 1B).
It would have been obvious at the time of the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to utilize wherein a center of gravity of the first storage chamber containing the liquid and a center of gravity of the second storage chamber containing the liquid are between an extension line of the first ejection port row and an extension line of the second ejection port row in the second direction.; wherein the first channel and the second channel each include at least one reservoir portion that can reserve air bubbles in an orientation while using the cartridge.; wherein the reservoir portion has a shape that widens as it goes upward in a vertical direction in the orientation while using the cartridge.; wherein the first channel and the second channel each include a horizontal portion to move the liquid in a horizontal direction in an orientation while using the cartridge, taught by Dowell into Amma et al. for the purpose of supplying a sufficient ink amount to the printhead in order to print images onto a printing medium.
Conclusion
7. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KRISTAL FEGGINS whose telephone number is (571)272-2254. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 930-530pm.
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, Ricardo Magallanes can be reached at 571-272-5960. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/KRISTAL FEGGINS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853