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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after allowance or after an Office action under Ex Parte Quayle, 25 USPQ 74, 453 O.G. 213 (Comm'r Pat. 1935). Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, prosecution in this application has been reopened pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 5/11/2026 has been entered.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Claim Objections
Claim 177 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Line 13, the term “engagable” should be changed to “engageable” to correct spelling error.
Line 27, the term “relative movement” should be changed to “the relative movement” to avoid double recitation of the same term in line 24 above. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claims 177-194 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Morioka et al. (US 2013/0164028).
Regarding claim 177, Morioka discloses a cartridge 120 (fig. 2) comprising: a photosensitive drum 1; a charging roller 2 for charging the photosensitive drum; a first unit 121 including the photosensitive drum and the charging roller; a developing roller 41 for depositing developing toner onto on the photosensitive drum; a second unit 122 including the developing roller and movable between a developing position in which the developing roller is capable of developing a latent image on the photosensitive drum with the toner and a spaced position in which at least a part of the developing roller is spaced from the photosensitive drum (see G1, fig. 10a); a first engaging portion 48 (fig. 25) included in the first unit; a second engaging portion 1c (fig. 15-17) included in the second unit and engageable with the first engaging portion (par. 0226); a spacing force receiving portion 48b capable of receiving a spacing force causing the second unit to move from the developing position to the spaced position (par. 0023); and a contact force receiving portion 1c capable of receiving a contact force causing the second unit to move from the spaced position to the developing position (par. 0226), wherein, in the state where the first engaging portion engages with the second engaging portion, the second unit is held in the spaced position, wherein, when the contact force receiving portion receives the contact force causing the second unit to move from the spaced position to the developing position, the second engaging portion is spaced from the first engaging portion by relative movement of the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion so that the second unit is permitted to move from the spaced position to the developing position, wherein, when the spacing force receiving portion receives the spacing force, the second engaging portion engages with the first engaging portion by the relative movement of the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion so that the second unit is restricted to move from the space position to the developing position (par. 0105-0119), and wherein, when a predetermined tangential line is tangential to a surface of the photosensitive drum at an intersection, which is more remote from a rotational center of the charging roller, of intersections between a line connecting a rotational center of the charging roller and a rotational center of the photosensitive drum and the surface of the photosensitive drum, as viewed along a direction of a rotational axis of the developing roller, and the cartridge is divided by the predetermined tangential line into sections, a predetermined section is a section in which the rotational center of the charging roller does not exist, and wherein, as viewed along the rotational axis of the developing roller when the second unit is in the spaced position, the spacing force receiving portion is in the predetermined section (see fig. 7).
Regarding claim 178, Morioka discloses wherein, as viewed along the rotational axis of the developing roller when the second unit is in the space position, the contact force receiving portion 1c is in the predetermined section (see fig.15).
Regarding claim 179, Morioka discloses a first frame 121 supporting the photosensitive member drum 1 and a second frame 122 supporting the developing roller 41 (fig. 2).
Regarding claim 180, Morioka discloses wherein the second frame is rotatable relative to the first frame so that the second unit moves between the developing position and the spaced position (see fig. 25).
Regarding claim 181, Morioka discloses a movable member 48a movable relative to the first frame, wherein the movable member includes the spacing force receiving portion 48b (see fig. 15-17).
Regarding claim 182, Morioka discloses wherein the movable member is movable relative to the second frame (see fig. 25).
Regarding claim 183, Morioka discloses wherein the movable member is movably supported by the second frame (fig. 25).
Regarding claims 184 and 194, Morioka discloses wherein the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion deforms elastically (par. 0098).
Regarding claim 185, Morioka discloses wherein the first engaging portion includes a claw engageable with the second engaging portion (fig. 25).
Regarding claim 186, Morioka discloses wherein the second engaging portion includes a claw engageable with the first engaging portion (fig. 25).
Regarding claim 187, Morioka discloses a second unit urging member 55 for urging the second unit in a direction from the spaced position toward the developing position (fig. 11).
Regarding claim 188, Morioka discloses wherein the second unit urging member includes an elastic member 55 (fig. 11).
Regarding claim 189, Morioka discloses wherein the elastic member includes a spring 55 (fig. 11).
Regarding claim 190, Morioka discloses wherein, when the spacing force receiving portion receives the spacing force, the second engaging portion engages with the first engaging portion by deformation of the first engaging portion and/or the second engaging portion so that the second unit is restricted to move from the space position to the developing position (par. 0105-0119).
Regarding claim 191, Morioka discloses wherein the contact force receiving portion 1c is in the predetermined section (fig. 7).
Regarding claim 192, Morioka discloses wherein the movable member 48 includes the contact force receiving portion 48b (fig. 7).
Regarding claim 193, Morioka discloses wherein the second engaging portion 48b2 is provided with a projection 48b1 that projects toward the first engaging portion 1C1, and wherein, in the state where the first engaging portion engages with the projection of the second engaging portion, the second unit is held in the spaced position (fig. 15)
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Hoang Ngo whose telephone number is (571)272-2138. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30 am - 4:00 pm.
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/HOANG X NGO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
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