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 .
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s Amendment filed on July 13, 2026 regarding claims 1 and 7 is fully considered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed July 13, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
On page 8, the applicant argues that the GT-381 Overview discloses movement of the carriage to the center as merely a preparation for performing maintenance parts exchange within the maintenance station, and not a manual cleaning of the print head by the user. However, the GT-381 Overview reference discloses that as part of the maintenance operation the user may access the underside of the print heads in order to remove debris from the nozzle plates, stating “this will allow access to the underside of the print heads if you have to remove debris from the nozzle plates.” The movement operation described by the GT-381 Overview lowers the cap rubbers and moves the carriage to the center of the machine. This operation clearly provides the user access to the underside of the print heads, allowing the user to perform manual cleaning of the nozzle plates.
Furthermore, the applicant argues that the GT-381 Overview does not disclose the timing of when the movement of the head occurs as presented in amended claims 1 and 7. Though it is not explicitly stated in the GT-381 Overview, a video uploaded by Brother Industrial Printing – Americas titled “How to clean the nozzles on your GT-3” shows the movement of the print head in response to accepting a prompt initiating a manual cleaning process following the removal of the medium support portion. Therefore, the rejection is maintained under new grounds, necessitated by the amendment.
Claim Objections
Claims 1 and 7 objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claim 1, “…following acceptance of the prompt…” should be corrected to read “…following acceptance of the notification…”, as “the prompt” lacks proper antecedent basis.
Regarding claim 7, “…following acceptance of the prompt…” should be corrected to read “…following acceptance of the notification…”, as “the prompt” lacks proper antecedent basis.
Appropriate correction is required.
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, 3, 6, and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the Brother GT-3 Series Instruction Manual, Okajima et al. US 20160288490 A1, the Brother GT-381 GT-361 Maintenance Overview provided by GPI Supplies, and “How to clean the nozzles on your GT-3” posted by Brother Industrial Printing – Americas.
Regarding claim 1, the Brother GT-3 Series Instruction Manual teaches:
a printing apparatus (Page 1, “Garment Printer”) comprising,
an attachment unit configured to enable a medium support portion to be attached and detached, the medium support portion including a support face configured to support a medium (Section 4-4-1, Uninstalling the Platen),
a head configured to discharge a liquid to the medium supported by the support face (Section 2-4, Inside the Front Cover, Items 1 and 2, Print Heads);
an input unit configured to enable a user to input an instruction (Section 2-1, Front, Item 6, Control Panel),
a notification unit configured to give notification of information (Section 2-1, Front, Item 6, Control Panel),
the head is configured to move to an opposed region in which the head is opposed to the support face (Section 2-1, Front, Item 1, Platen, “Holds the T-shirt to be printed.” For the print head to print on the medium it must oppose the platen, being a support face supporting a medium).
The Brother GT-3 Series Instruction Manual does not teach:
a first movement unit configured to move the head in a first direction parallel to the support face,
a second movement unit configured to move the head in a second direction, the second direction being parallel to the support face and intersecting the first direction,
a control unit configured to control the first movement unit and the second movement unit.
However, Okajima et al. teaches a main scan driver which respectively moves the head unit along the main scan and a sub scan driver that moves the head unit along the sub scan direction (Paragraph 0012, "a main scan driver, driving the head unit to perform a main scan operation of ejecting ink drops while moving along a main scan direction which is predetermined; a sub scan driver, relatively moving the head unit with respect to the medium along a sub scan direction perpendicular to the main scan direction"). Furthermore, Okajima et al. teaches a controller which controls the movement operation of the print head (Paragraph 0054, "Thereby the controller 22 controls the head unit 12 such that the head unit performs a main scan operation, a sub scan operation, and the like").
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 the Brother GT-3 Series Instruction Manual to teach a first movement unit, a second movement unit, and a control unit to control the first and second movement units, as taught by Okajima et al., to allow the printing device to perform a printing operation in a multi-pass mode (Paragraph 0055, “in the present embodiment, the controller 22 controls the printing device 10 such that the printing device performs a printing operation in a multi-pass mode”).
The modified Brother GT-3 Series Instruction Manual further does not teach:
when a movement instruction is inputted into the input unit, the notification unit gives notification that prompts the user to detach the medium support portion from the attachment unit.
However, the Brother GT-381 GT-361 Maintenance Overview provided by GPI Supplies teaches that when a prompt appears, a user may remove the platen from the tray in order to clean the nozzle plates (Page 5, “When the prompt appears and you are ready to perform the maintenance, eject the platen and remove the platen from the tray. Press the platen button again so the tray moves into the machine”).
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 the Brother GT-3 Series Instruction Manual to teach that the notification unit gives notification that prompts the user to detach the medium support portion from the attachment unit as taught by the Brother GT-381 GT-361 Maintenance Overview provided by GPI Supplies, to allow access to the print head for the cleaning operation.
The further modified Brother GT-3 Series Instruction Manual further does not teach that following acceptance of the prompt following detaching the medium support portion the control unit causes the head to move from a standby position not included in the opposed region, to a cleaning position, a portion of or whole of the cleaning position being included in the opposed region.
However, in the video titled “How to clean the nozzles on your GT-3” posted by Brother Industrial Printing – Americas, it is taught that after the platen is removed from the tray (0:32, “Also if you are having issues reaching the plates or cleaning them, you can remove the platen before starting this process”), a prompt may be accepted by the user which causes the print head to move from a standby position to a cleaning position, a portion of which is included in the opposed region (0:54, “Press Down until Nozzle Cleaning is highlighted and Press OK. This will give you a prompt stating the platen and carriage will move. Press OK to start the process”; 1:20, “…the carriage will move to the right stopping near the edge of the platen”).
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 the Brother GT-3 Series Instruction Manual to teach that following acceptance of the prompt following detaching the medium support portion the control unit cases the head to move from a standby position to a cleaning position, a portion or a whole of the cleaning position being included in the opposed region, to allow access to the print head for the cleaning operation.
Regarding claim 3, the Brother GT-3 Series Instruction Manual teaches:
a housing configured to at least accommodate the medium support portion, the head, the first movement unit, and the second movement unit (Section 2-1, Front),
the housing includes a top surface, a side surface, and an opening portion (Section 2-1, Front, Item 4, Front Cover),
the opening portion opens a part of the top surface and a part of the side surface (Section 2-1, Front, Item 4, Front Cover),
The modified Brother GT-3 Series Instruction Manual further does not teach:
the cleaning position is disposed at a side of the side surface of the opening portion in the opposed region
However, the Brother GT-381 GT-361 Maintenance Overview provided by GPI Supplies teaches that when cleaning the nozzle plates, the carriage may be moved to the right from the center after opening the front cover (Page 5, “Press OK for this action to occur. The machine will… move the carriage to the center of the machine… push upward on the center latch and open the lid. If you need more clearance to the maintenance station area, you can move the carriage farther to the right side of the machine by pushing or pulling the vertical posts on the side of the carriage”).
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 the Brother GT-3 Series Instruction Manual to teach that the cleaning position is disposed at a side of the side surface of the opening portion in the opposed region, as taught by the Brother GT-381 GT-361 Maintenance Overview provided by GPI Supplies, to allow the user more clearance in the maintenance station area.
Regarding claim 6, the Brother GT-3 Series Instruction Manual teaches:
interference detector configured to detect interference against the head (Section 2-1, Front, Item 13, Clearance Sensor (Obstruction Sensor)),
the interference detector operates in association with movement of the head in the second direction (2-1, Front, Item 13, Clearance Sensor (Obstruction Sensor), "Cancels an operation for safety, if it detects obstructions on the Platen"),
when a movement instruction is inputted into the input unit, the control unit determines interference against the head, on a basis of a result of detection by the interference detector (2-1, Front, Item 13, Clearance Sensor (Obstruction Sensor), "Cancels an operation for safety, if it detects obstructions on the Platen").
Regarding claim 7, the Brother GT-3 Series Instruction Manual teaches:
a method of controlling a printing apparatus (Page 1, “Garment Printer”) comprising,
an attachment unit configured to enable a medium support portion to be attached and detached, the medium support portion including a support face configured to support a medium (Section 4-4-1, Uninstalling the Platen),
the head being configured to discharge a liquid to the medium supported by the medium support portion (Section 2-4, Inside the Front Cover, Items 1 and 2, Print Heads);
The Brother GT-3 Series Instruction Manual does not teach:
by a control unit of the printing apparatus, a head to move in a first direction parallel to the support face and also in a second direction,
the second direction being parallel to the support face and intersecting the first direction.
However, Okajima et al. teaches a main scan which respectively moves the head unit along the main scan and a sub scan driver that moves the head unit along the sub scan direction (Paragraph 0012, "a main scan driver, driving the head unit to perform a main scan operation of ejecting ink drops while moving along a main scan direction which is predetermined; a sub scan driver, relatively moving the head unit with respect to the medium along a sub scan direction perpendicular to the main scan direction"). Furthermore, Okajima et al. teaches a controller which controls the movement operation of the print head (Paragraph 0054, "Thereby the controller 22 controls the head unit 12 such that the head unit performs a main scan operation, a sub scan operation, and the like").
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 the Brother GT-3 Series Instruction Manual to teach that a control unit causes the head to move in a first direction parallel to the support face and a second direction parallel to the support face intersecting the first direction, as taught by Okajima et al., to allow the printing device to perform a printing operation in a multi-pass mode (Paragraph 0055, “in the present embodiment, the controller 22 controls the printing device 10 such that the printing device performs a printing operation in a multi-pass mode”).
The modified Brother GT-3 Series Instruction Manual further does not teach:
performing, by a notification unit of the printing apparatus, notification that prompts the user to detach a medium support portion including a support face configured to support a medium,
However, the Brother GT-381 GT-361 Maintenance Overview provided by GPI Supplies teaches that when a prompt appears, a user may remove the platen from the tray in order to clean the nozzle plates (Page 5, “When the prompt appears and you are ready to perform the maintenance, eject the platen and remove the platen from the tray. Press the platen button again so the tray moves into the machine”).
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 the Brother GT-3 Series Instruction Manual to teach that the notification unit gives notification that prompts the user to detach the medium support portion from the attachment unit as taught by the Brother GT-381 GT-361 Maintenance Overview provided by GPI Supplies, to allow access to the print head for the cleaning operation.
The further modified Brother GT-3 Series Instruction Manual further does not teach that following acceptance of the prompt following detaching the medium support portion the control unit causes the head to move from a standby position not included in the opposed region, to a cleaning position, a portion of or whole of the cleaning position being included in the opposed region.
However, in the video titled “How to clean the nozzles on your GT-3” posted by Brother Industrial Printing – Americas, it is taught that after the platen is removed from the tray (0:32, “Also if you are having issues reaching the plates or cleaning them, you can remove the platen before starting this process”), a prompt may be accepted by the user which causes the print head to move from a standby position to a cleaning position, a portion of which is included in the opposed region (0:54, “Press Down until Nozzle Cleaning is highlighted and Press OK. This will give you a prompt stating the platen and carriage will move. Press OK to start the process”; 1:20, “…the carriage will move to the right stopping near the edge of the platen”).
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 the Brother GT-3 Series Instruction Manual to teach that following acceptance of the prompt following detaching the medium support portion the control unit cases the head to move from a standby position to a cleaning position, a portion or a whole of the cleaning position being included in the opposed region, to allow access to the print head for the cleaning operation.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the Brother GT-3 Series Instruction Manual, Okajima et al., and the Brother GT-381 GT-361 Maintenance Overview provided by GPI Supplies as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Hayashi et al. US 20220242129 A1.
Regarding claim 4, the Brother GT-3 Series Instruction Manual teaches:
a maintenance unit configured to perform maintenance to the head (Section 2-5, Upper part of the Maintenance Unit, Item 3, Wipers),
the maintenance unit is disposed further toward one direction of the first direction than the medium support portion (Section 2-5, Upper part of the Maintenance Unit, Item 3, Wipers).
The modified Brother GT-3 Series Instruction Manual further does not teach:
the standby position is disposed further toward one direction of the first direction than the medium support portion,
when a movement instruction is inputted into the input unit, the control unit causes the head to move to be opposed to the maintenance unit during movement of the head from the standby position to the cleaning position.
However, Hayashi et al. teaches that the carriage is capped at the left end of the movement path (Paragraph 0054, "In a state in which the carriage 30 has moved to the left end of the movement path, the first cap 41A is positioned below the first head 31A"). 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 the Brother GT-3 Series Instruction Manual to teach that the standby position is disposed further toward one direction of the first direction than the medium support portion so that the print head can be capped while not printing, as taught by Hayashi et al.
Furthermore, Hayashi et al. teaches that when a command to perform maintenance or printing is input using the input unit, a control program is executed from the ROM (Paragraph 0136, "Main processing performed by the CPU 80 of the printer 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 12 to FIG. 20. When a command to perform a maintenance function of the printer 1 or a print command is input via the operation buttons 15B... the main processing is started by the CPU 80 reading out and executing the control program stored in the ROM 81"). The control program for main processing includes a first step of wiping the print head and a second step of performing a flushing operation (Figure 12, Items S25 and S31). Note that to perform the wiping operation, the print head must be opposed to the maintenance unit. 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 the Brother GT-3 Series Instruction Manual to teach that when a movement instruction is inputted into the input unit, the head moves to be opposed to the maintenance unit during movement of the head from the standby position to the cleaning position, as taught by Hayashi et al., to wipe away ink that has attached to the heads before the cleaning operation (Paragraph 0155, “As a result, the printer 1 can wipe the heads 3 using the wipers 60 whose wear has been suppressed, and can appropriately wipe away the ink that has attached to the heads 3”).
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the Brother GT-3 Series Instruction Manual, Okajima et al., the Brother GT-381 GT-361 Maintenance Overview provided by GPI Supplies, and Hayashi et al. as applied to claim 4 above, and further in view of Gaasch US 6151044 A.
The modified Brother GT-3 Series Instruction Manual further does not teach:
a maintenance cover,
a cover driving unit,
the maintenance cover is configured to move to an open position at which the maintenance unit is opened and also to a close position at which the maintenance unit is closed,
the cover driving unit causes the maintenance cover to move,
when a movement instruction is inputted into the input unit, the control unit controls the cover driving unit to move the maintenance cover to the open position.
However, Gaasch teaches a wiper which is retractable into a hide-away position within a scraper mechanism, where it is then covered by the arms of the scraper mechanism (Figures 3 through 5, Items 112 and 114), has a drive motor which drives the wiper between the wiping and retracted position, causing the scraper mechanism to open and close (Figure 3, Item 98), and is configured to move from the rest position into the wiping position when the printhead moves across the wiper (Column 3, Lines 16-20, "The wiping system also has a moveable support that moves the wiper between a rest position and a wiping position at which the printhead moves across the wiper to deposit ink residue on at least one of the first and second surfaces of the wiper").
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 the Brother GT-3 Series Instruction Manual to teach an opening and closing maintenance cover having a cover driving unit controlled to move the maintenance cover into the open position when a movement instruction is inputted into the input unit, as taught by Gaasch, to avoid paste-like ink build-up on the wiper and minimize the foot-print size of the printing unit (Column 3, Lines 6-10, “Thus, a need exists for an inkjet printhead wiping system including a wiper cleaner capable that is quiet, avoids paste-like ink build-up on the wiper, minimizes dirty and noisy ink flicking from the blade, and minimizes the footprint size of the printing unit”).
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 Rami Alshoroogi whose telephone number is (571)272-8946. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 10am-6pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Douglas Rodriguez can be reached at (571)431-0716. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/RAMI A ALSHOROOGI/ Examiner, Art Unit 2853
/DOUGLAS X RODRIGUEZ/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2853
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