DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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) 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Inui (US Pat No 11,905,137).
Regarding claim 1, Inui discloses a sheet state detection device comprising:
a first conveyor (5) that conveys a sheet;
a second conveyor (6) that is arranged on a downstream side in a conveyance direction of the sheet relative to the first conveyor and conveys the sheet; and
a detector (SN1-4) that is arranged between the first conveyor and the second conveyor and detects a sheet state of the sheet, wherein
a contact width that is at least one of a first contact width and a second contact width has a length equal to or greater than a width of a detection range of the detector, the firsts contact width being a contact width when the first conveyor contacts a sheet surface of the sheet, and the second contact width being a contact width when the second conveyor contacts the sheet surface of the sheet (shown in figure 2), and
the detector is arranged such that the detection range is within the contact width which has the length equal to or greater than the width of the detection range in a width direction of the sheet (shown in figure 4).
Regarding claim 2, Inui discloses the first conveyor includes a first roller pair including a pair of first rollers that nip and convey the sheet, and the first contact width is the contact width of at least one first roller of the pair of first rollers (shown in figures 4 and 5).
Regarding claim 3, Inui discloses the second conveyor includes a second roller pair including a pair of second rollers that nip and convey the sheet, and the second contact width is the contact width of at least one second roller of the pair of second rollers (shown in figures 4 and 5).
Regarding claim 4, Inui discloses the first contact width is a contact width of all the first rollers forming the first roller pair.
Regarding claim 5, Inui discloses the second contact width is a contact width of all the second rollers forming the second roller pair.
Regarding claim 6, the conveyor of Inui is capable of being a higher conveyance speed of the sheet than a conveyance speed of the first conveyor.
Regarding claim 7, Inui discloses the detector detects a physical property of the sheet (e.g. length).
Regarding claim 8, Inui discloses the detector detects the sheet state of the sheet that is being conveyed (e.g. speed).
Regarding claim 9, Inui discloses an image forming apparatus (100c).
Regarding claim 10, Inui discloses when the detector detects the sheet state of the sheet, the sheet is nipped by both the first conveyor and the second conveyor (see figure 2).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 2/3/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to the applicant’s argument that the prior art (Inui) fails to disclose a range of the sensors provided (e.g. S1-S4); it is noted that Inui is silent to a range of detection of these sensors. However, these sensors are disclosed to be optical sensors, at least in the embodiment referenced. In alternate embodiments they are disclosed as CCD sensor arrays (shown in figures 17 and 20). It is well understood in the art that optical sensors have a finite, very small detection range as the optical detector is disposed (typically) opposite to an emitter of a beam to determine when that beam is disrupted. This effect is evidenced by Iwasaki (US Pat No 6,794,633) which shows a detection range (423) for determining the presence or absence of a sheet in a path being minute (e.g. smaller than that of a diode); Kondo (US Pat No 8,181,957) which discloses another use of optical sensors which are disposed on either side of the sheet path and a reasonable “detection range” relative to the placement of the sensor; i9sc et al (US Pat 8,540,239) which discloses the use of plural optical sensors disposed at the edge of a sheet to determined the size/position of the sheet wherein the optical sensors are used, again, in an exceptionally small detection range. As such, one having ordinary skill would understand from the disclosure of Inui that the detection range of the disclosed sensors would reasonably with within the bounds of the shown sensor.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 Patrick Cicchino whose telephone number is (571)270-1954. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:30AM to 5PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Anita Coupe can be reached at (571)270-3614. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Patrick Cicchino/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3619
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