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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on August 21, 2024 was filed in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
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.
Claims 1-2, 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Taira (US 20130010028 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Taira teaches, in a first embodiment, a maintenance device, comprising: a cap to be attached to a nozzle surface of an inkjet head (fig. 5; head 10, ejection face 10a, support cap unit 50; ¶[0044]); an air supply opening provided in the cap (fig. 5; valve 62, tank 64, tube 67; ¶[0056]-[0059]). Taira fails to teach the first embodiment comprising a vent hole which is provided in the cap and is opened to an atmosphere.
However, Taira further teaches, in a second embodiment, a maintenance device comprising a cap and a vent hole which is provided in the cap and is opened to an atmosphere (fig. 10; discharge tube 505, valve member 510a, outside space A2; ¶[0106]-[0112]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the vent hole of the second embodiment with the maintenance device of the first embodiment of Taira in order to provide a system to regulate the pressure of the humidifying gas within the cap space.
Regarding claim 2, Taira teaches the maintenance device according to claim 1, and further teaches wherein the cap includes an exhaust opening, and the vent hole is provided more on a downstream side than the exhaust opening in a direction that is directed from a side of the air supply opening toward a side of the exhaust opening (fig. 5; suction tube 75; ¶[0060]-[0061]).
Regarding claim 5, Taira teaches an inkjet recording apparatus, comprising: the inkjet head; and the maintenance device according to claim 1 (fig. 1; printer 1, head 10, cap unit 50; ¶[0026]-[0031]).
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Taira (US 20130010028 A1) in view of Nukui et al. (US 20120206537 A1), hereinafter Nukui.
Regarding claim 3, Taira teaches the maintenance device according to claim 1. However, Taira fails to teach or fairly suggest a suppression member which is provided at least between the air supply opening and the nozzle surface and has a first gap with respect to the air supply opening and a second gap with respect to the nozzle surface.
Nukui teaches a capping unit for an inkjet printhead comprising a suppression member which is provided at least between the air supply opening and the nozzle surface and has a first gap with respect to the air supply opening and a second gap with respect to the nozzle surface (figs. 10-11; ejection surface 10a, guide members 262a, cap 340, opening 351a; ¶[0074]-[0078]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the suppression member of Nukui into the maintenance device of Taira in order to provide airflow of humidified air that passes along the entire length of the ejection surface to provide uniform humidification.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Taira in view of Nukui as applied to claim 3 above, and further in view of Tanda (US 20140210903 A1).
Regarding claim 4, Taira in view of Nukui teaches the maintenance device according to claim 3. However, Taira in view of Nukui fails to teach or fairly suggest the suppression member is formed of a resin.
Tanda teaches that a capping unit for an inkjet printhead wherein the components of the capping unit are formed of resin are well known in the art (fig. 6; cap main body 362; ¶[0071]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the resin material of Tanda into the maintenance device of Taira as modified by Nukui in order to provide structures with desired elasticity and deterioration resistance.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Katoh et al. (US 20120320125 A1) teaches a capping unit comprising a vent connected to an atmosphere.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THOMAS RAY KNIEF whose telephone number is (703)756-5733. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 8AM - 5 PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Stephen Meier can be reached at 5712722149. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TRK/Examiner, Art Unit 2853
/STEPHEN D MEIER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2853