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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 10/24/2024 and 08/05/2025 were filed in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Applicant has not provided an explanation of relevance of cited document(s) discussed below.
Reference JP 2010094882 A is a general background reference covering: The printer has a holding chuck holding a printing target object (80), and a main carriage (41) which are relatively moved in a three-dimensional space. A sub carriage (44) is moved along left and right directions with respect to a movable head holding apparatus (42) and the printer heads (43). The sub carriage is passed along a clearance gap between the movable printer heads and printing surfaces (81) of printing target object. An UV irradiation device (45) is moved adjacent to the printing surface of printing target object and the opposing side of printer head. (see abstract).
Reference JP 2004082442 A is a general background reference covering: To provide a method for printing on a conical surface by an inkjet printer capable of printing a printing original faithfully on a conical surface.
SOLUTION: When printing is performed on a conical surface 3 while rotating it about its central axis 3a by an inkjet head 7 facing the conical surface 3 in parallel when viewed along the print width direction, a printing original 9 is corrected at each part of the conical surface 3 in the print width direction while taking account of a difference in moving speed relative to the inkjet head 7 to acquire corrected image data 10 which is then printed while rotating the conical surface 3. Such troubles as deformation of a print image or variation of print density at different parts due to the difference in relative speed between respective parts of the conical surface 3 and the inkjet head 7 can thereby be avoided. (see abstract).
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.
Claims 1-4, 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by Bullington et al. (Bullington) (US 11,141,994 B2).
Regarding claim 1, Bullington discloses a printing system (e.g., FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the printing system showing the major elements of the machine, paragraph 2, Description) comprising:
a printing device including a rotation support unit that rotates a printing target object tapered having a large- diameter-side end portion and a small-diameter-side end portion in an axial direction of a central axis about an axial rotation direction of the central axis (e.g., an inkjet print head assembly and a method of using the assembly is disclosed for applying images on the exterior of an axially symmetrical media object that has a varying exterior surface, such as occurs on curved wine bottles and sports equipment like bats, abstract),
a head that is arranged along a side surface of the printing target object, includes a plurality of nozzles aligned along a generatrix direction of the printing target object, and ejects an ink from the plurality of nozzles to the side surface of the printing target object (e.g., Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6 it may be seen an arrangement of elements that causes a printable media object 51 to be secured and moved into the imaging area 17 from media loading area 18 responsive to electronic control elements held in bay 26. Initially a piece of media, such as an object having an axially symmetrical surface area, is clamped at its ends between two clamping fixtures 52a,b with the help of a media support member 56. Clamping fixtures 52a,b form a rotatable mandrel holding object 51 rotatable via internal bearings at each end which allow media 51 to freely rotate about its longitudinal central axis via rotary servo 53 causing axial rotation responsive to inputs received from electronics held in bay 26. In this arrangement, object 51 along with clamps 52a,b effectively becomes a spindle the surface of which becomes a printable surface during rotation. A carriage 57 supports the servo motor, media, and the spindle arrangement which is slidable back and forth 69 from the media loading area 18 into printing area 17 responsive to control inputs from a pair of control knobs 58. Critically, as carriage 57 travels inward under assemblies 29, its axial orientation remains fixed so that a target distance between the surface of object 51 and each ink print head is maintained during rotation, which comports with the surface features of object 51 which has an axially symmetric shape, paragraph 22), and
a control unit that controls the rotation support unit and the head to form an image on the printing target object based on print data supplied (e.g., Positioned above assemblies 29 are multiple ink supply tanks 31 feeding each ink head assembly via tubing (not shown). Adjacent to each tank is a control board 34 for controlling the operation of each printing head manipulator assembly in the bank 29, paragraph 20); and
a print data generation device that acquires a rectangular original image having two edges facing each other in a longitudinal direction corresponding to the generatrix direction of the printing target object, and two edges facing each other in a lateral direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, generates an image for printing deformed in the lateral direction in such a manner that, for two edges facing each other in the longitudinal direction of the acquired original image, the acquired original image is tapered from a second edge side corresponding to the small-diameter-side end portion of the printing target object to a first edge side corresponding to the large-diameter-side end portion of the printing target object, and supplies the image for printing generated to the printing device as print data (e.g., paragraphs 23, 24).
Regarding claim 2, Bullington discloses wherein the print data generation device generates an intermediate image trapezoidal in which deletion regions have been deleted from the acquired original image by setting the deletion regions including both ends of the second edge in such a manner that, for the two edges facing each other in the longitudinal direction of the acquired original image, the acquired original image is tapered from a first edge side corresponding to the large-diameter-side end portion of the printing target object to a second edge side corresponding to the small-diameter-side end portion of the printing target object; and generates the image for printing by deforming the intermediate image in the lateral direction so that the intermediate image trapezoidal has a rectangular shape (e.g., Referring now to FIGS. 10 and 11, it may be seen the manner and movement 100 of ink heads 72 to conform to the surface of media object 51 as it rotates 108 within printing area 17. As shown media object 51 includes an axially symmetric surface area that varies by radius R.sub.i 119 from central axis 107 of object 51, thereby creating a print path 122 having a print length of L 117 along the curve which is parallel to target media surface 121, but spaced away from surface 121 by a small amount representing the space or “offset” 126 between an ink print head 72 lower surface 105 and object surface 121. This distance is small, typically 0.80 mm to 1.0 mm, and is the distance that ink droplets must traverse prior to landing on object surface 121 to create an image. A contoured media object having an axially symmetrical surface will present a contoured surface portion 102 to the extent that R.sub.i 119 varies from axis 107, thereby creating a fixed local slope M.sub.i 116 along lower surface 105 for the width 123 of each print head that varies as each print head 72 traverses along media surface 121 in print head path 122. As print head bank 29 adjusts to the surface 121 of media 51 within a contour 102, a plurality of ink heads, for example 103, 104, and 106, alter their angle by pivoting around pivot path 74 (see FIG. 7A) to match the slope M.sub.i at each R.sub.i along surface 121 so that offset 126 is minimized. During rotation 108 of object 51, for each R.sub.i along surface 121 ink head lower surface 105 is positioned a corresponding distance Z.sub.i from axis 107, paragraph 29, figure 10, 11).
Regarding claim 3, Bullington discloses wherein the print data generation device sets dimensions of the deletion regions based on a diameter of each of the large-diameter-side end portion and the small-diameter-side end portion of the printing target object and a length of a generatrix of the printing target object (e.g., paragraph 22, figures 5, 6).
Regarding claim 4, Bullington discloses wherein the print data generation device sets dimensions of the deletion regions in such a manner that, in the acquired original image, a main region to be printed remains in a visually recognizable range in a case where a side surface of the printing target object is viewed from one direction orthogonal to the central axis (e.g., Referring now to FIGS. 10 and 11, it may be seen the manner and movement 100 of ink heads 72 to conform to the surface of media object 51 as it rotates 108 within printing area 17. As shown media object 51 includes an axially symmetric surface area that varies by radius R.sub.i 119 from central axis 107 of object 51, thereby creating a print path 122 having a print length of L 117 along the curve which is parallel to target media surface 121, but spaced away from surface 121 by a small amount representing the space or “offset” 126 between an ink print head 72 lower surface 105 and object surface 121, paragraph 29).
Regarding claim 8, Bullington discloses wherein the print data generation device sets dimensions of the deletion regions in such a manner that, in the acquired original image, a main region to be printed remains in a visually recognizable range in a case where a side surface of the printing target object is viewed from one direction orthogonal to the central axis (e.g., paragraph 29, figures 10, 11).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 5-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bullington et al. (Bullington) (US 11,141,994 B2) in view of Martinez, Jr. (US 6,918,641 B2).
Regarding claim 5, Bullington does not specifically disclose wherein the print data generation device acquires a plurality of divided images by dividing the acquired original image in the lateral direction, and generates the image for printing by deforming each of the plurality of the divided images in the lateral direction in such a manner that each of the plurality of the divided images is tapered from the second edge side to the first edge side.
Martinez discloses wherein the print data generation device acquires a plurality of divided images by dividing the acquired original image in the lateral direction, and generates the image for printing by deforming each of a plurality of the divided images in the lateral direction in such a manner that each of a plurality of the divided images is tapered from the second edge side to the first edge side (e.g., In this regard, when the image to be printed is, by way of nonlimiting example, a depiction of a human figure, such as a baseball player of the character shown in FIG. 13, the image is either scanned or originally computer generated using specialized software of a character well known to those skilled in the art. Because of the tapered configuration of the bat, it is obvious that the image as shown in FIG. 13, which is bounded by a rectangle "R" could not be imprinted on the bat because the image does not conform to the surface to be imprinted. This is due to the fact that, if the surface of the bat that is to be printed is projected into a planar configuration, the configuration would obviously be non-rectangular in shape. Therefore, it is necessary to produce a distorted image that is of the character generally depicted in FIG. 14. As indicated in FIG. 14, the distorted image, which now generally conforms to the planar projection of the surface to be imprinted, is bounded by a trapazoid with the lower portion of the image being substantially narrowed so as to conform to the tapering of the bat, paragraph 17).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to have modified Bullington to include wherein the print data generation device acquires a plurality of divided images by dividing the acquired original image in the lateral direction, and generates the image for printing by deforming each of a plurality of the divided images in the lateral direction in such a manner that each of a plurality of the divided images is tapered from the second edge side to the first edge side as taught by Martinez. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to have modified Bullington by the teaching of Martinez to apply for particular applications.
Regarding claim 6, Martinez discloses wherein the print data generation device generates a divided intermediate image trapezoidal in which divided deletion regions have been deleted from each of the divided images by setting the divided deletion regions including both ends of the second edge in such a manner that, for two edges facing each other in the longitudinal direction of each of the divided images acquired, each of the divided images acquired are tapered from the first edge side to the second edge side, and generates the image for printing by deforming the divided intermediate image in the lateral direction so that the divided intermediate image trapezoidal has a rectangular shape (e.g., see figure 14 deformed comparing to figure 13, paragraph 17).
Regarding claim 7, Martinez discloses wherein the print data generation device generates, in a case where the acquired original image includes a main target image and a background image, the image for printing by deforming the main target image and the background image separately in the lateral direction in such a manner that each of the main target image and the background image is tapered from the second edge side to the first edge side (e.g., In this regard, when the image to be printed is, by way of nonlimiting example, a depiction of a human figure, such as a baseball player of the character shown in FIG. 13, the image is either scanned or originally computer generated using specialized software of a character well known to those skilled in the art. Because of the tapered configuration of the bat, it is obvious that the image as shown in FIG. 13, which is bounded by a rectangle "R" could not be imprinted on the bat because the image does not conform to the surface to be imprinted. This is due to the fact that, if the surface of the bat that is to be printed is projected into a planar configuration, the configuration would obviously be non-rectangular in shape. Therefore it is necessary to produce a distorted image that is of the character generally depicted in FIG. 14. As indicated in FIG. 14, the distorted image, which now generally conforms to the planar projection of the surface to be imprinted, is bounded by a trapazoid with the lower portion of the image being substantially narrowed so as to conform to the tapering of the bat, paragraph 17).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to QUANG N VO whose telephone number is (571)270-1121. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 7AM-4PM, EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abderrahim Merouan can be reached at 571-270-5254. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/QUANG N VO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2683
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