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 Objections
Claims 4 and 20 are objected to because of the following informalities:
With respect to claim 4, it is suggested that the term --of-- be inserted after the term “display” (third occurrence) in line 2 to correct an obvious grammatical error.
With respect to claim 20, it is suggested that the term “distributer” be deleted and replaced with the term --distributor-- to correct an obvious typographical error.
Appropriate correction and/or clarification 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.
Claims 1, 4-15 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hamabata et al. (US 2022/0324672 A1) in view of Wang (TW M634875 U) and Ogawara (US 2021/0026270 A1).
With respect to claim 1, Hamabata et al. teaches an image formation system 10 comprising:
a printer 20 that prints an image on a sheet (paragraph [0032]);
a static eliminating roller 61, 62 that performs static elimination on the sheet on which the image has been printed by the printer 20 (paragraphs [0049]-[0055]);
an ionizer 55 that performs static elimination on the sheet (paragraph [0056]).
It is noted that Hamabata et al. shows a display unit in Figure 1, but is silent with respect to whether the display unit display maintenance information relating to the static eliminating roller and the ionizer as recited. However, the provision of a warning system for a plurality of static eliminators which monitors the plurality of static eliminators and displays information related to abnormalities occurring in the eliminators is well known in the art, as exemplified by the teaching of Wang in the English language abstract and Figures 1-6. Additionally, while neither Hamabata et al. nor Wang explicitly teach the display of maintenance requests with respect to the static eliminating devices, note that the provision of printing device including a display of maintenance requests with respect to a static eliminating device based upon different conditions of the static eliminating device is well known in the art, as exemplified by the teaching of the display apparatus 27, the maintenance notifications, and the operating conditions as set forth in Ogawara in paragraphs [0027]-[0028] and {0065]-[0067] and Figures 2, 10, and 12. In view of these teachings, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the display of Hamabata et al. to allow for display of requests for maintenance relative to both the static eliminating roller and the ionizer based upon conditions ( such as abnormal operations and/or failure) of these static eliminating elements to allow for better real-time monitoring and correction of abnormal operation of the static eliminating elements in the printer.
With respect to claim 4, note Wang teaches the display can display abnormalities for multiple static eliminators such that an operator can recognize when multiple static eliminators are not operating normally. Furthermore, Ogawara teaches a display capable of displaying either first or second maintenance requests depending upon the conditions that are satisfied with respect to the static eliminator. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to provide that the display switches between display of the first request and display of the second request in a case where both the first condition and the second condition are satisfied such that a user can easily see how to perform maintenance for each of the static eliminators that are experiencing an abnormal operation.
With respect to claim 5, note Wang teaches it is well known in the art to have a network interface that transmits information to an information processing apparatus 40 connected to the processing system A via a network (i.e., wireless communication network 10, 20). In view of this teaching, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a network interface in the system of Hamabata et al. as modified by Wang and Ogawara to allow for better real-time monitoring and correction of abnormal operation of the static eliminating elements in the printer.
With respect to claim 6, note Hamabata et al. teaches an image forming apparatus 20 that comprises the printer and the display (see element labeled 20 in Figure 1) and a static eliminating apparatus 50 that comprises the static eliminating roller 61, 62 and the ionizer 55, as shown in Figures 1 and 3.
With respect to claims 7-8, Hamabata et al. as modified by Wang and Ogawara teaches the static eliminating apparatus as recited, but does not specifically teach another display that performs notifying based on the first condition. However, the provision of a plurality of different types of notification devices such as displays, alarms, LED indicators in a printer for indication of various warnings and/or proper operation of various structure of the printer is well known in the art. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide another display such as a LED lamp to indicates the first condition of the static eliminating roller.
With respect to claims 9-15 and 20, it is noted that each of these claims are reciting different types of maintenance for the static eliminating roller and/or ionizer and the particular type of maintenance to be displayed on the display does not affect the structure of the display. Note MPEP § 2114 states: "[A]pparatus claims cover what a device is, not what a device does." Hewlett-Packard Co. v. Bausch & Lomb Inc., 909 F.2d 1464, 1469, 15 USPQ2d 1525, 1528 (Fed. Cir. 1990) (emphasis in original). A recitation of the intended use of the claimed invention must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. Since Hamabata et al. as modified by Wang and Ogawara teaches an image forming system including a display that is capable of displaying various information (such as cleaning or inspection of the static eliminating roller, cleaning or inspection of the ionizer, use of tools to perform maintenance, turning off the static eliminating apparatus, contacting a distributor or manufacturer, etc.), it meets the claim language as recited.
With respect to claim 18, Hamabata et al. teaches an image formation apparatus 10 comprising:
a printer 20 that prints an image on a sheet (paragraph [0032]); and
a display (Fig. 1).
It is noted that Hamabata et al. shows a display unit in Figure 1, but is silent with respect to whether the display unit display maintenance information relating to conditions of the static eliminating roller and the ionizer as recited. However, the provision of a warning system for a plurality of static eliminators which monitors the plurality of static eliminators and displays information related to abnormalities occurring in the eliminators is well known in the art, as exemplified by the teaching of Wang in the English language abstract and Figures 1-6. Additionally, while neither Hamabata et al. nor Wang explicitly teach the display of maintenance requests with respect to the static eliminating devices, note that the provision of printing device including a display of maintenance requests with respect to a static eliminating device based upon different conditions of the static eliminating device is well known in the art, as exemplified by the teaching of the display apparatus 27, the maintenance notifications, and the operating conditions as set forth in Ogawara in paragraphs [0027]-[0028] and {0065]-[0067] and Figures 2, 10, and 12. In view of these teachings, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the display of Hamabata et al. to allow for display of requests for maintenance relative to both the static eliminating roller and the ionizer based upon conditions (such as abnormal operations and/or failure) of these static eliminating elements to allow for better real-time monitoring and correction of abnormal operation of the static eliminating elements in the printer.
With respect to claim 19, note Hamabata et al. as modified by Wang and Ogawara renders obvious the computer readable medium storing executable instructions for performing the control method as recited. See the above comments with respect to claims 1 and 18 in particular.
Claims 2-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hamabata et al. (US 2022/0324672 A1) in view of Wang (TW M634875 U) and Ogawara (US 2021/0026270 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Hasenauer et al. (US 7,227,735 B2).
With respect to claims 2-3, Hamabata et al. as modified by Wang and Ogawara teaches an image forming system as recited with the exception of the system including another ionizer that performs static elimination on the sheet, wherein the ionizer performs the static elimination on a first surface of the sheet and the another ionizer performs static elimination on a second surface of the sheet. Hasenauer et al. teaches the provision of a first ionizer and a second ionizer arranged on opposite sides of a sheet to perform static elimination of the sheet, as shown in Figure 1 and described in column 3, lines 31-67. In view of this teaching, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide an image forming system including both a static eliminating roller and multiple ionizers which arranged on either side of the sheet to provide better dissipation of the charge on the sheet as desired. Additionally, note it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the display of any desired number of requests for maintenance of the static eliminating structures (including the another ionizer) based on various different conditions (such as malfunction of ionizer or contamination of the wire) to allow for better real-time monitoring, correction of abnormal operation, and/or performance of maintenance of the static eliminating elements in the printer.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-15 and 18-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Fukai (JP 2003-332095 A) teaches a system for monitoring static eliminators and displaying alarms having similarities to the claimed subject matter that are readily apparent. Dickhoff (US 6668154 B2) teaches an arrangement of ionizers arranged on either side of a sheet for dissipating static charges on the sheet.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LESLIE J THOMPSON whose telephone number is (571) 272-2161. The examiner can normally be reached M-W 8:30-5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Stephen D Meier can be reached at 571-272-7149. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Leslie J Thompson/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853
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