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 § 112
2. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
3. Claims 11 & 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. Examiner is unsure what applicant is claiming. Is the belt in contact with the media over less than 10% of the belt (covering 10% or more) or is belt in contact with the media less than 10% of the belt.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Claim(s) 1-3, 6-9, 11, 16-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Uland (US 5437228).
Uland discloses the following claimed limitations:
* Re clms 1 & 16, a printer/printing apparatus 10/ (Abst., figs 1-6);
* a platen assembly/platen 26 having mounts/ including a belt/endless belt 14/, a platen roller/26/, a guide roller/platform roller 32, drive roller 30/, and a tensioning roller/backup roller 31/, wherein the belt/14/ is driven by the platen roller/26/ along a belt path/upper delivery run 18, lower return run 20/ (col 5, lns 2-9, 20-30, 44-60, figs 1-6);
* a printer outlet/see fig 2, label 12 outlet/ positioned adjacent to the platen assembly (col 5, lns 20-30, figs 1, 2 & 4);
* a media feed path extending from a media supply/wound roll 58, labels 12/ to the printer outlet, wherein the media feed path passes adjacent to the platen roller/26/ (figs 1, 2 & 4);
* wherein the belt path/upper delivery run 18/ intersects the media feed path in proximity to the platen roller/26/ at an oblique angle (figs 1, 2 & 4).
* Re clm 2, wherein the platen assembly/26/ further includes a tensioner/spring 42, first arm 36/ configured to adjust the tensioning roller/backup roller 34/ to modify tension in the belt/14/ (col 5, lns 44-61, figs 1, 2, 4 & 6)
* Re clms 3 & 17, wherein the media supply/12/ is linerless media (fig 2, clm 1).
* Re clm 6, wherein the platen roller/26/ is positioned adjacent to a printhead assembly/44/ within the printer/10/ (figs 1-6).
* Re clm 7, wherein the belt path intersects the media feed path at an angle of 30-35 degrees (col 6, lines 34-58, figs 1, 2. 4-6).
* Re clm 8, wherein the belt is replaceable/mounted to a frame/ (col 2, lines 52-60, fig 2).
* Re clm 9, wherein the guide roller/drive roller 30, platform roller 32/ includes alignment features configured to maintain alignment of the belt on the platen assembly (col 5, lines 44-52, figs 2, 4 & 6).
* Re clms 11 & 18, wherein the belt is in contact with media over less than 10% of the belt at any time during operation (fig 2).
* Re clm 16, a printhead/44/; (Abst., figs 1-2)
* the printhead/44/ and the platen roller/26/ forming a nip (abst., col 4, lines 8-15, col 5, line 61- col 6, line 16, fig 2)
* wherein the belt path intersects the media feed path in proximity to the platen roller at an angle of 120 degrees (see fig 2).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
7. 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.
8. Claim(s) 4, 5, 12-13 & 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Uland (US 5437228) in view of Bottger et al. (US 2006/0220306).
Uland discloses the following:
* Re clm 5, a guide roller/platform roller 32, drive roller 30/, configured to maintain alignment of the belt as it passes around the platen assembly (col 5, lines 21-32, figs 2, 4 & 6);
* a tensioning roller/backup roller 31/, wherein configured to control the tension on the belt (col 3, lines 24-40, figs 1-6).
* Re clm 12, a platen assembly/mounted platen 26/ (col 5, lns 21-26, figs 1, 2, 4 & 6);
* a belt/11/ configured to drive the media/12/ past a printhead assembly/44/ (col 5, lns 33-43, figs 1-6).
* Re clm 13, a tensioner/ spring 42, first arm 36/ configured to adjust a position of the tensioning roller/backup roller 34/ (col 5, lines 44-61, figs 1, 2, 4 & 6).
* Re clm 15, wherein the tensioning roller/backup roller 34/ can be adjusted for removal of the belt/rotatably mounted/ (col 1, lines 58-66, col 5, lines 44-61, figs 1, 2, 4 & 6).
Uland does not disclose the following:
* Re clm 4, wherein a platen roller having a plurality of pins configured to interact with the belt.
* Re clm 5, wherein the belt includes a plurality of pin holes configured to receive the plurality of pins.
* Re clm 12, the platen belt including a plurality of pin holes;
* a platen roller configured to drive the belt around the belt assembly, the platen roller including a plurality of pins concentrically arranged around the platen roller, the plurality of pins configured to align with the plurality of pin holes.
Bottger et al. disclose the following:
* Re clm 4, wherein a platen roller/first roller 8/ includes a plurality of pins/10/ configured to interact with the belt (paras 0032-0034, figs 1-2).
* Re clm 5, wherein the belt/conveyor belt 7, belt 11/ includes a plurality of pin holes/openings 12/ configured to receive the plurality of pins (para 0033-0034, fig 2).
* Re clm 12, the platen belt/11/ including a plurality of pin holes/openings 12/;
* a platen roller/first roller 8/ configured to drive the belt around the belt assembly, the platen roller/first roller 8/ including a plurality of pins/2/ concentrically arranged around the platen roller/8/, the plurality of pins/10/ configured to align with the plurality of pin holes/12/.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to utilize wherein a platen roller having a plurality of pins configured to interact with the belt.; wherein the belt includes a plurality of pin holes configured to receive the plurality of pins.; and the platen belt including a plurality of pin holes; a platen roller configured to drive the belt around the belt assembly, the platen roller including a plurality of pins concentrically arranged around the platen roller, the plurality of pins configured to align with the plurality of pin holes, taught by Bottger et al. into Uland for the purpose driving a belt without any friction lock between the inner surface of the belt and the peripheral surface of the roller thereby preventing wear of the belt.
9. Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Uland
(US 5437228) in view of Gordon et al. (EP 0915050).
Uland discloses all of the claimed limitations except for the following:
* Re clm 10, wherein the alignment features include tapered ends of the guide roller.
Gordon et al. disclose the following claimed limitations:
* Re clm 10, wherein the alignment features include tapered ends of the guide roller/drive roller 42/ (paras 0023, 0028, figs 1, 4a, 4b).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to utilize wherein the alignment features include tapered ends of the guide roller. taught by Gordon et al. into Uland for the purpose of ensuring that the web is properly aligned the feed direction as it moves.
10. Claim(s) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Uland as modified by Bottger et al. as applied to claim 12 above, and further in view of Zhu Dongjie (CN 210029365).
Uland as modified by Bottger et al. disclose the following:
* Re clm 14, wherein the tensioner comprises a rack and pinion system and a tensioning wheel configured to drive the rack and pinion system to adjust the position of the tensioning roller.
Gordon et al. disclose the following:
* Re clm 14, wherein the tensioner comprises a rack/205/ and pinion/209/ system and a tensioning wheel configured to drive the rack and pinion system to adjust the position of the tensioning roller (paras 0004, 0014-0016, 0030, 0037-0042).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to utilize wherein the tensioner comprises a rack and pinion system and a tensioning wheel configured to drive the rack and pinion system to adjust the position of the tensioning roller, taught by Zhu Dongjie into Uland as modified by Bottger et al. for the purpose of controlling the tension of the printed material in order to prevent wrinkles.
Conclusion
11. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KRISTAL FEGGINS whose telephone number is (571)272-2254. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 930-530pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ricardo Magallanes can be reached at 571-272-5960. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KRISTAL FEGGINS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853
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