CTFR 18/771,524 CTFR 87354 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Response to Arguments Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-7 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. Claim Objections 07-29-01 AIA Claim 8 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 8 is grammatically missing a preposition between “inserted” and “the liquid” . Appropriate correction is required. Claim 8 is examined using the term “onto”. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 07-30-02 AIA 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. 07-34-05 AIA Claim 8 recites the limitation " the plurality of outlets " in line 3 . There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-07 AIA 07-07-aia The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C/ 102 that forms the basis for the rejection under this section made in this office action: A person shall be entitled to a patent unless- 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15 AIA Claim s 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by Mizutani (JP 2018075723A) . With regard to claim 1 , Mizutani discloses a liquid storage container (26) [supply container; Para. 0067; Fig. 7] comprising: a plurality of liquid storage portions (41a to 41d) [ink chambers; Para. 0073] that store liquids (IK) [ink; Para. 0073]; and a plurality of outlets (42a-42d) through which the liquids are dispensed out of the plurality of liquid storage portions [Para. 0067], respectively, wherein, on a first surface of the plurality of liquid storage portions (55) , including a connection surface (44) connected with the outlets of the liquid storage portions, A/B > 1 is satisfied where an array pitch between midpoints of points where a center line, which is passing through centers of adjacent outlets, intersects sections of the liquid storage portions is A, and an array pitch between the adjacent outlets is B1 PNG media_image1.png 416 568 media_image1.png Greyscale wherein, in a case of refilling a plurality of liquid tanks that store the liquids, the liquid storage container refills the liquid tanks with a plurality of liquids by gas-liquid exchange [Para. 0073]. With regard to claim 2 , wherein A/B < 2 is satisfied with a relationship of the array pitch A and the array pitch B [Fig. 4]. With regard to claim 3 , wherein the plurality of liquid storage portions are in a rectangular form [Fig. 4]. With regard to claim 4, wherein the plurality of liquid storage portions are in the form of a fan [plurality of liquid storage portions are aligned in a line; Fig. 4]. With regard to claim 5 , wherein a partition wall (47a- 47c) [Fig. 4] is formed between the plurality of outlets, and the partition wall is higher than a height of the plurality of outlets [Fig. 4]. With regard to claim 6 , further comprising a member (35) that defines how the plurality of outlets are arranged [Para. 0051]. With regard to claim 7 , Mizutani discloses a liquid ejection apparatus (11) [printer; Para. 0043; Fig. 1] comprising: a liquid storage container (26); a plurality of liquid tanks (25) [Para. 0048; Fig. 7] that store liquids (IK) [Para. 0048]; and a liquid ejection head (17) that is connected to the plurality of liquid tanks [Para. 0048; Fig. 3] and ejects the liquids [Para. 0045], wherein wherein, in a case of refilling the plurality of liquid tanks, the liquid storage container refills the liquid tanks with a plurality of liquids by gas-liquid exchange [Para. 0073]. With regard to claim 8 , wherein the plurality of liquid tanks include a plurality of inlets (31), the plurality of inlets include a liquid inlet path (30a) and an air outlet path (30b) [Para. 0068], and the plurality of outlets are inserted the liquid inlet path and the air outlet path [Fig. 7]. Conclusion 07-40 AIA Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL . See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a). A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TRACEY M MCMILLION whose telephone number is (571)270-5193. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 6AM-2:30PM EST. 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. /TRACEY M MCMILLION/Examiner, Art Unit 2853 /RICARDO I MAGALLANES/Supervisor Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/771,524 Page 2 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/771,524 Page 3 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/771,524 Page 4 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/771,524 Page 5 Art Unit: 2853
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