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
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) 1-4 and 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsuhisa et al (U.S. Patent No. 12,103,799), hereinafter “Matsuhisa”, in view of Christensen et al (U.S. Patent No. 6,425,548), hereinafter “Christensen”.
With respect to Claim 1, Matsuhisa, Figures 1-5, teaches a system for installing ribbon material in a printer, comprising:
a spindle 31 provided in the form of a spindle arm 31A and a key 313 associated with the spindle arm 31A; and
a ribbon cartridge 61 having a keyway 615 with an end wall (See Figure 2 on Page 3 of this Office Action), the keyway 615 arranged to align with the key 313 of the spindle arm 31A,
wherein engagement between the key 313 and the end wall of the keyway (See Figure 2 on Page 3 of this Office Action) positions the cartridge on the spindle arm 31A in a correct orientation.
Matsuhisa teaches all the elements of the system except for a ribbon roll including a supply of ribbon material in a ribbon cartridge.
However, Christensen, Figures 1-5, teaches a ribbon roll including a supply of ribbon material in a ribbon cartridge (See Column 1, lines 14-16).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a ribbon roll, as taught by Christensen, because one of ordinary skill in the art would have been expected to determine the best arrangement for a particular use.
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With respect to Claim 2, Matsuhisa further teaches wherein engagement between the key 313 and the keyway (See Figure 2 on Page 3 of this Office Action) centers the ribbon cartridge with respect to the spindle arm 31A.
With respect to Claim 3, Christensen further teaches wherein the ribbon material is imparted with one of a first width or a second width, wherein the first width is less than the second width.
With respect to Claim 4, Matsuhisa further teaches wherein engagement between the key 313 and the keyway (See Figure 2 on Page 3 of this Office Action) centers the ribbon cartridge with respect to the printer.
With respect to Claim 6, Christens further teaches the ribbon cartridge having a first end and a second end opposing the first end, wherein the keyway is positioned at the first end and the first end must be installed on the spindle before the second end in order for the keyway to engage the key and position the ribbon cartridge in the correct orientation.
Claim(s) 7 and 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsuhisa in view of Christensen as applied to Claims 1-4 and 6 above, and further in view of Riegner, III et al (U.S. Patent No. 9,038,937), hereinafter “Riegner”.
With respect to Claim 7, Matsuhisa in view of Christensen are advanced above. Matsuhisa further teaches the ribbon cartridge further comprising a support member but does not teach an end cap releasably couplable to the support member.
However, Riegner, Figures 1-3, teaches and end cap 24.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide Matsuhisa with an end cap, as taught by Riegner, for the purpose of maintaining the ribbon confined on the support.
With respect to Claim 18, Matsuhisa in view of Christensen, Figures 1-5, teaches a method of installing a ribbon cartridge on a spindle of a printer, comprising the steps of:
providing a ribbon cartridge comprising:
a support element positioned at a first end of the ribbon cartridge, the support element including a first opening and a keyway having an end wall; and
aligning the ribbon cartridge with the spindle such that the first end of the ribbon cartridge is positioned adjacent to the spindle;
mounting the ribbon cartridge onto the spindle such that the spindle extends through the first opening before extending through the second opening; and
moving the ribbon cartridge along the spindle until the end wall of the keyway is engaged by a key positioned on the spindle.
Matsuhisa teaches all the elements of the system except for a ribbon roll including a supply of ribbon material in a ribbon cartridge.
However, Christensen, Figures 1-5, teaches a ribbon roll including a supply of ribbon material in a ribbon cartridge (See Column 1, lines 14-16).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a ribbon roll, as taught by Christensen, because one of ordinary skill in the art would have been expected to determine the best arrangement for a particular use.
Matsuhisa in view of Christensen do not teach an end cap positioned at a second end of the ribbon cartridge opposing the first end, the end cap having a second opening.
However, Riegner, Figures 1-3, teaches and end cap 24.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide Matsuhisa with an end cap, as taught by Riegner, for the purpose of maintaining the ribbon confined on the support.
With respect to Claim 19, Matsuhisa in view of Christensen further teaches wherein providing a ribbon cartridge, further comprises the steps of: providing a ribbon cartridge having a first width at a first time; and providing a ribbon cartridge having a second width at a second time, wherein the first width is different than the second width, and wherein the first time is different from the second time.
With respect to Claim 20, Matsuhisa in view of Christensen further teaches wherein engagement between the end wall of the keyway and the key centers the ribbon cartridge with respect to the spindle.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5 and 8-9 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Claim 5 is allowable over the prior art of record because the prior art of record does not teach or suggest the entire combination of elements of the system set forth including wherein the supply of ribbon material is wound about a core of the ribbon roll, the spindle further comprising one or more leaf springs for inhibiting the ribbon roll from moving out of alignment with respect to the spindle arm during operation of the printer.
None of the references of the prior art teach or suggest wherein the supply of ribbon material is wound about a core of the ribbon roll, the spindle further comprising one or more leaf springs for inhibiting the ribbon roll from moving out of alignment with respect to the spindle arm during operation of the printer as advanced above and such do not provide the necessary motivation, absent applicant's specification, for modifying the system in the manner required by the claims.
Claim 8 is allowable over the prior art of record because the prior art of record does not teach or suggest the entire combination of elements of the system set forth including a transmission member, and the ribbon cartridge further comprising a smart cell capable of transmitting an electrical signal to the printer via the transmission member, wherein the printer detects whether the ribbon cartridge is intended for use with the spindle based on the electrical signal transmitted by the smart cell.
None of the references of the prior art teach or suggest a transmission member, and the ribbon cartridge further comprising a smart cell capable of transmitting an electrical signal to the printer via the transmission member, wherein the printer detects whether the ribbon cartridge is intended for use with the spindle based on the electrical signal transmitted by the smart cell as advanced above and such do not provide the necessary motivation, absent applicant's specification, for modifying the system in the manner required by the claims.
Claim 9 is allowable over the prior art of record because the prior art of record does not teach or suggest the entire combination of elements of the system set forth including one or more fail-safe features and the ribbon cartridge further comprising one or more fail-safe members, wherein the fail-safe members are configured to engage the fail-safe features and inhibit installation of the ribbon cartridge with an incorrect orientation relative to the spindle.
None of the references of the prior art teach or suggest one or more fail-safe features and the ribbon cartridge further comprising one or more fail-safe members, wherein the fail-safe members are configured to engage the fail-safe features and inhibit installation of the ribbon cartridge with an incorrect orientation relative to the spindle as advanced above and such do not provide the necessary motivation, absent applicant's specification, for modifying the system in the manner required by the claims.
Claims 10-17 are allowed.
Claims 10-17 are allowable over the prior art of record because the prior art of record does not teach or suggest the entire combination of elements of the ribbon cartridge set forth including a ribbon cartridge for installation on a spindle of a printer, comprising: a supply of ribbon material; and a ribbon holder for holding the supply of ribbon material, the ribbon holder including: a support member having a flange, a first opening extending through the flange, and a first fail-safe member disposed about the first opening; and an end cap releasably couplable to the support member, the end cap including a second opening extending therethrough and a second fail-safe member disposed about the second opening, wherein the first fail-safe member and the second fail-safe member are configured to engage at least a portion of the spindle when the ribbon cartridge is being installed in an incorrect orientation, and wherein engagement between the spindle and the first fail-safe member or the second fail-safe member inhibits movement of the ribbon cartridge along the spindle.
None of the references of the prior art teach or suggest a ribbon cartridge for installation on a spindle of a printer, comprising: a supply of ribbon material; and a ribbon holder for holding the supply of ribbon material, the ribbon holder including: a support member having a flange, a first opening extending through the flange, and a first fail-safe member disposed about the first opening; and an end cap releasably couplable to the support member, the end cap including a second opening extending therethrough and a second fail-safe member disposed about the second opening, wherein the first fail-safe member and the second fail-safe member are configured to engage at least a portion of the spindle when the ribbon cartridge is being installed in an incorrect orientation, and wherein engagement between the spindle and the first fail-safe member or the second fail-safe member inhibits movement of the ribbon cartridge along the spindle as advanced above and such do not provide the necessary motivation, absent applicant's specification, for modifying the ribbon cartridge in the manner required by the claims.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to Claim(s) 1-20 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.
Conclusion
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 WILLIAM ARAUZ RIVERA whose telephone number is (571)272-6953. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM MDT.
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, Victoria P. Augustine can be reached at 313-446-4858. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/WILLIAM A. RIVERA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3654
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