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 .
Drawings
The objections to the drawings under 37 CFR 1.83(a) is hereby withdrawn.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 3, 7-12 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. The finality of February 17, 2026 has been withdrawn.
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.
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, 3 and 7-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kwarta et al. US 2011/0287357 and Gunji US 4,908,663 (Gunji).
Regarding claim 1, Kwarta teaches an image forming apparatus (20), comprising:
a process cartridge (22) including a recording material;
an image former (40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50) configured to form a first image (25 in area 112 “Image Area”) for a body and a second image (25 in area 110 “Bonding Area”) for adhesion on a sheet by using a recording material (¶0049);
a sheet bonder (100) configured to bond together a predetermined number of sheets on which at least one image has been formed (¶0048);
at least one memory device (88) configured to store a set of instructions; and
at least one processor (82) that executes the set of instructions to:
set a first density level corresponding to a first image, the first density level being received from a user (via the image sent by the user, ¶0043-¶0049), and
control a density of the first image in accordance with the first density level (¶0043-¶0049).
Kwarta differs from the instant claimed invention by not explicitly disclosing the processing steps of: set a strength at which to bond the predetermined number of sheets as a second density level corresponding to the second image, the strength being received from the user, control density of the second image in accordance with the second density level. However this technique is known. Gunji teaches set a strength at which to bond the predetermined number of sheets as a second density level corresponding to the second image, the strength being received from the user (the max being set by the user C2, L1-11), control density of the second image in accordance with the second density level (F-7). It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the device taught by Kwarta so that the second density level corresponding to the strength of the bond for the predetermined number of sheets is set from data received from the user as suggested by Gunji since Gunji teaches the user sets the max binding margin and combing that with look-up-tables results in an image forming apparatus that can bind a desired size besides the normal copy mode, without an increase in the size of the device body and without an increase in cost (Gunji, C6 L63-68).
Regarding claim 3, Kwarta and Gunji teach the image forming apparatus according to claim 2. Kwarta differs from the instant claimed invention by not explicitly disclosing: a threshold for the second image density. However Gunji teaches the at least one processor executes instructions stored in the at least one memory device to control a density of the second image with a threshold value set in advance as a lower limit (as set by the standard index board, (C4 L14-32). It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to set a lower limit in advance based on the standard index board as taught by Gunji with the device taught by Kwarta since Gunji teaches this is a known technique and can be combined with a known device to yield a predictable result, namely a standard threshold limit for bonding.
Regarding claim 7, Kwarta and Gunji teach the image forming apparatus according to claim 1. Furthermore Kwarta teaches an area in which to form the second image is a long side of the sheet (¶0049-¶0055).
Regarding claim 8, Kwarta and Gunji teach the image forming apparatus according to claim 1. Furthermore Kwarta teaches an area in which to form the second image can be set by a user input (¶0050).
Regarding claim 9, Kwarta and Gunji teach the image forming apparatus according to claim 1. Furthermore Kwarta teaches the image former is configured to form the second image by using a first recording material including an adhesive component among recording materials of a plurality of colors included in the process cartridge (¶0012), and
the image former is configured to form the first image by using at least one recording material out of the first recording material and another recording material different from the first recording material and not including an adhesive component, among the recording materials of the plurality of colors included in the process cartridge (¶0012).
Regarding claim 10, Kwarta and Gunji teach the image forming apparatus according to claim 1. Furthermore Kwarta teaches the first recording material is a black toner (¶0038), and
the another recording material includes a yellow toner, a magenta toner, and a cyan toner (¶0038).
Regarding claim 11, Kwarta teaches a method of controlling an image forming apparatus comprising:
a process cartridge (22) including a recording material;
an image former (40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50) configured to form a first image (25 in area 112 “Image Area”) for a body and a second image (25 in area 110 “Bonding Area”) for adhesion on a sheet by using a recording material (¶0049); and
a sheet bonder (100) configured to bond together a predetermined number of sheets on which at least one image has been formed, the method comprising:
setting a density level of an image to be formed (¶0049), and
based on the set density level, individually controlling densities of the first image and the second image (¶0049).
Kwarta differs from the instant claimed invention by not explicitly disclosing the processing steps of: setting a first density level corresponding to the first image, the first density level being received from a user; setting a strength at which to bond the predetermined number of sheets as a second density level corresponding to the second image, the strength being received from the user; controlling a density of the first image in accordance with the first density level; and controlling a density of the second image in accordance with the second density level. However this technique is known. Gunji teaches set a strength at which to bond the predetermined number of sheets as a second density level corresponding to the second image, the strength being received from the user (the max being set by the user C2, L1-11), control density of the second image in accordance with the second density level (F-7). It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the device taught by Kwarta so that the second density level corresponding to the strength of the bond for the predetermined number of sheets is set from data received from the user as suggested by Gunji since Gunji teaches the user sets the max binding margin and combing that with look-up-tables results in an image forming apparatus that can bind a desired size besides the normal copy mode, without an increase in the size of the device body and without an increase in cost (Gunji, C6 L63-68).
Regarding claim 12, Kwarta teaches a non-transitory storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a method of controlling an image forming apparatus comprising a process cartridge including a recording material (¶0049);
an image former (22) configured to form a first image (25 in area 112 “Image Area”) for a body and a second image (25 in area 110 “Bonding Area”) for adhesion on a sheet by using a recording material (¶0049); and
a sheet bonder (100) configured to bond together a predetermined number of sheets on which at least one image has been formed, the method comprising:
setting a density level of an image to be formed (¶0049), and
based on the set density level, individually controlling densities of the first image and the second image (¶0049).
Kwarta differs from the instant claimed invention by not explicitly disclosing the processing steps of: setting a first density level corresponding to the first image, the first density level being received from a user; setting a strength at which to bond the predetermined number of sheets as a second density level corresponding to the second image, the strength being received from the user; controlling a density of the first image in accordance with the first density level; and controlling a density of the second image in accordance with the second density level. Gunji teaches set a strength at which to bond the predetermined number of sheets as a second density level corresponding to the second image, the strength being received from the user (the max being set by the user C2, L1-11), control density of the second image in accordance with the second density level (F-7). It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the device taught by Kwarta so that the second density level corresponding to the strength of the bond for the predetermined number of sheets is set from data received from the user as suggested by Gunji since Gunji teaches the user sets the max binding margin and combing that with look-up-tables results in an image forming apparatus that can bind a desired size besides the normal copy mode, without an increase in the size of the device body and without an increase in cost (Gunji, C6 L63-68).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JESSICA L ELEY whose telephone number is (571)272-9793. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM CST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Walter Jr. Lindsay can be reached on (571)272-1674. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JESSICA L ELEY/
Examiner, Art Unit 2852