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 § 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, 2, 4, 5, 9 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Codos et al. (US PG Pub 2005/0174412) in view of Kritchman (US PG Pub 2010/0215856).
For claim 1: Codos et al. teaches a method for printing on a garment (see paragraph 31, printing onto a fabric), comprising: placing the garment on a belt element 616 (see paragraph 31, Fig. 3, placing the element to be printed on the belt element 616); depositing a first printing fluid on the garment (see Fig. 3, with print head set 640); depositing a second printing fluid on the first printing fluid (see Fig. 3, with print head set 641), before the garment is removed from the belt 616; and providing heat from the support tray (see paragraph 31, heated platen to heat the substrate) to the garment after depositing the first printing fluid and before depositing the second printing fluid, to dry the first printing fluid at least partially (see paragraph 31, with or following the exposure, thus teaching an embodiment where the heating with a heated platen is simultaneous with the exposure of UV light, which occurs at the region opposing UV curing head 645, see Fig. 3, see paragraph 89). Codos et al. does not teach placing the garment on a movable support tray. However, Kritchman teaches the equivalence (see paragraph 20) in usage of movable support tray 120 (see Fig. 1) and a belt 120 (see Fig. 2) carrying the substrate 140. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention of Codos to replace the belt with the movable support substrate being the transfer platform as taught by Kritchman for the purpose of utilizing a known equivalent to perform the same function of moving a substrate from station to station.
For claim 2: The combination of Codos et al. and Kritchman teaches the method according to claim 1 and Kritchman teaches that wherein while the support tray is stationary in a print zone, first printing fluid is deposited on the garment, and second printing fluid is deposited on at least partially dried first printing fluid on the garment (see Fig. 1, printing and fabrication occur at each of respective stations).
For claim 4: The combination of Codos et al. and Kritchman teaches the method according to claim 2 and Codos et al. teaches depositing the first printing fluid from a first printhead (see paragraph 32, see Fig. 5) and the second printing fluid from a second printhead, the first printhead and the second printhead being on a reciprocating carriage displaceable over the print zone (see paragraph 32, see Fig. 5).
For claim 5: The combination of Codos et al. and Kritchman teaches the method according to claim 1 and Codos et al. teaches providing heat from the support tray to the garment before the first printing fluid is deposited (see paragraph 31, providing a heated platen with the exposure of UV light would provide heat from the tray 620 prior to deposition of the fluid from print head 640).
For claim 9: Codos et al. teaches a direct-to-garment printing apparatus, comprising: a first printhead 640 (see Fig. 3) for depositing a first printing fluid; a second printhead 641 (see Fig. 3) for depositing a second printing fluid on the first printing fluid; and a support tray 616 for supporting a garment during depositing of the first printing fluid and of the second printing fluid; the support tray comprising a heating element to dry at least partly the first printing fluid deposited on the garment (see paragraph 31, with or following the exposure, thus teaching an embodiment where the heating with a heated platen is simultaneous with the exposure of UV light, which occurs at the region opposing UV curing head 645, see Fig. 3, see paragraph 89). Codos et al. does not teach placing the garment on a movable support tray. However, Kritchman teaches the equivalence (see paragraph 20) in usage of movable support tray 120 (see Fig. 1) and a belt 120 (see Fig. 2) carrying the substrate 140. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention of Codos to replace the belt with the movable support substrate being the transfer platform as taught by Kritchman for the purpose of utilizing a known equivalent to perform the same function of moving a substrate from station to station.
For claim 15: The combination of Codos et al. and Kritchman teaches an apparatus according to claim 9 and Codos et al. teaches a reciprocating carriage (see Fig. 5, see paragraph 50) to displace the first printhead 640a-640d and second printhead 641a-641d above the support tray, the first printhead and the second printhead being mounted on the reciprocating carriage offset from each other and adjacent to each other in a direction perpendicular to a direction of displacement of the carriage (see Fig. 5).
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.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Codos et al. (US PG Pub 2005/0174412) and Kritchman (US PG Pub 2010/0215856) as applied to claim 2 above and further in view of Muroi et al. (US PG Pub 2003/0184248).
For claim 3: The combination of Codos et al. and Kritchman teaches of the limitations of claim 3 except depositing first printing fluid and second printing fluid on the garment in successive swaths, wherein in a swath first printing fluid is deposited on the garment and second printing fluid is deposited on first printing fluid that was deposited on the garment in a previous swath; and between successive swaths, advancing the support tray a swath distance within the print zone.
However, Muroi et al. teaches alternating intervals where the substrate is motionless in the print zone and a swath of first printing liquid is deposited and a swath of second printing fluid is deposited on the first printing fluid (see paragraph 208, printing from the nozzles at each stop position), and advance intervals during which the substrate is advanced (see paragraph 208, and printing intervals. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention to print and advance the substrate in successive swaths for the purpose of controlling the printing simply.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Codos et al. (US PG Pub 2005/0174412) and Kritchman (US PG Pub 2010/0215856) as applied to claim 1 above and further in view of Chang (US Pub 2016/0297207).
For claim 6: The combination of Codos et al. and Kritchman teaches all of the limitations of claim 6 except that the first printing fluid being white ink and the second printing fluid being color ink. However, Chang teaches providing print head to print white in an ink jet of a first row and color ink in a subsequent row atop the first ink (see Abstract, some ink jets of the second row print a white ink layer, ink jets of a third row print color on the white layer). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to print white ink and color ink with the first and second ink jet heads respectively as taught by Chang for the purpose of printing more distinguishable colors on the garment.
Claims 7 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Codos et al. (US PG Pub 2005/0174412) and Kritchman (US PG Pub 2010/0215856) as applied to claim 9 and further in view of Cummins et al. (US PG Pub 2003/0222928).
For claim 7: Codos et al. teaches a method for printing on a garment (see paragraph 31, printing onto a fabric), comprising: placing the garment on a support tray (see paragraph 31, fabric is on a platen, see Fig. 3, placing fabric onto platen 616); depositing a first printing fluid on the garment (see Fig. 3, with print head set 640); depositing a second printing fluid on the first printing fluid (see Fig. 3, with print head set 641), before the garment is removed from the support tray 620; and providing heat from the support tray (see paragraph 31, heated platen to heat the substrate) to the garment after depositing the first printing fluid and before depositing the second printing fluid, to dry the first printing fluid at least partially (see paragraph 31, with or following the exposure, thus teaching an embodiment where the heating with a heated platen is simultaneous with the exposure of UV light, which occurs at the region opposing UV curing head 645, see Fig. 3, see paragraph 89). Codos et al. does not teach placing the garment on a movable support tray. However, Kritchman teaches the equivalence (see paragraph 20) in usage of movable support tray 120 (see Fig. 1) and a belt 120 (see Fig. 2) carrying the substrate 140. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention of Codos to replace the belt with the movable support substrate being the transfer platform as taught by Kritchman for the purpose of utilizing a known equivalent to perform the same function of moving a substrate from station to station.
The combination of Codos et al. and Kritchman does not specify the support tray to be loaded in a loading zone of the printing apparatus and moving the support tray from the loading zone to a print zone. However, Cummins et al. teaches providing a support tray 22 for a substrate which is provided in a loading zone of the printing apparatus and moving the support tray into a print zone (see Fig. 1, see paragraph 71, see Fig. 11). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention of Codos et al. and Kritchman to provide a support at a loading zone for loading and advancing the substrate through the printing zone as taught by Cummins et al. for the purpose of supporting discrete substrate and loading at a location proximate to the printing location.
For claim 14: The combination of Codos et al. and Kritchman teaches all of the limitations of claim 14 except that the support tray is mounted on a guide and displaceable between a printing position in which the support tray is in a print zone of the apparatus, over which the first printhead and second printhead are displaceable, and a garment loading position in which the support tray is outside the print zone. However, Cummins et al. teaches providing a support tray 22 mounted on a guide 40 and displaceable between a printing position in which the support tray is in a print zone of the apparatus, over which the first printhead and second printhead are displaceable (see Fig. 2, when the tray 22 is under the bridge 12, 18 and the print heads 16, 16b, and a garment loading position in which the support tray is outside the print zone (see Figs. 1 and 2, see paragraph 71, the tray in the position of Figs. 1 and 2, see Fig. 11). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention of Codos et al. and Kritchman to provide a support at a loading zone for loading and advancing the substrate through the printing zone as taught by Cummins et al. for the purpose of supporting discrete substrate and loading at a location proximate to the printing location.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Codos et al. (US PG Pub 2005/0174412), Kritchman (US PG Pub 2010/0215856) and Cummins et al. (US PG Pub 2003/0222928) as applied to claim 7 above and further in view of Muroi et al. (US PG Pub 2003/0184248).
For claim 8: The combination of Codos et al., Kritchman and Cummins teaches all of the limitations of claim 8 except alternating printing intervals, during which the support tray is motionless in the print zone and a swath of first printing fluid is deposited on the garment and a swath of second printing fluid is deposited on the first printing fluid, with advance intervals, during which the support tray is advanced a swath distance and no printing fluid is deposited; and in a printing interval, depositing the second printing fluid on first printing fluid that was deposited in a previous printing interval.
However, Muroi et al. teaches alternating intervals where the substrate is motionless in the print zone and a swath of first printing liquid is deposited and a swath of second printing fluid is deposited on the first printing fluid (see paragraph 208, printing from the nozzles at each stop position), and advance intervals during which the substrate is advanced (see paragraph 208, and printing intervals. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention to have alternative print intervals with advance intervals where the substrate is printed at a stop in the print intervals and advanced in the advanced intervals for the purpose of simplifying line by line printing of the substrate.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Codos et al. (US PG Pub 2005/0174412) and Kritchman (US PG Pub 2010/0215856) as applied to claim 9 above and further in view of Neville et al. (US PG Pub 2006/0186106).
For claim 10: The combination of Codos et al. and Kritchman teaches all of the limitations of claim 10 except that the support tray comprises a heat conductive plate to be in contact with the garment and a heat insulating layer, the heating element being between the heat conductive plate and the heat insulating layer. However, Neville et al. teaches a support tray comprising a heat conductive plate 50 to be in contact with the garment, and a heat insulating layer 92, the heating element 94 being between the heat conductive plate 50 and the heat insulating layer 92 (see paragraph 51, Fig. 18). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention of Codos et al. and Kritchman to provide the platen and heating element with a conductive platen surface, a heat insulating and a heating element with the heat element between the heat insulating layer and platen for the purpose of heating the material near the platen without leaking heat in other directions.
Claims 11 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Codos et al. (US PG Pub 2005/0174412) and Kritchman (US PG Pub 2010/0215856) as applied to claim 9 above and further in view of Boss (US PG Pub 2001/0019691).
For claim 11: The combination of Codos et al. and Kritchman teaches all of the limitations of claim 11 except that the heating element being an electric heating element. However, Boss et al. teaches providing a heated platen 28 with an electrically resistive heating element 34 by current passing through the element (see paragraph 17, see Fig. 2). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention of Codos et al. and Kritchman to provide the heated plate with an electrically resistive heating element as taught by Boss for the purpose of controllably heating the plate with electricity.
For claim 12: The combination of Codos et al., Kritchman and Boss teaches the apparatus according to claim 11, and Boss further teaches that electric heating element comprising a resistor 34 (see paragraph 17), the resistor 34 extending on a plane parallel to the heat conductive plate 28 (see Fig. 2).
Claims 11 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Codos et al. (US PG Pub 2005/0174412) and Kritchman (US PG Pub 2010/0215856) as applied to claim 9 above and further in view of Yamamoto et al. (US PG Pub 2011/026410).
For claim 11: The combination of Codos et al. and Kritchman teaches all of the limitations of claim 11 except that the heating element being an electric heating element. However, Yamamoto et al. teaches an electric heating element for heating a platen unit (see Figs. 4-9, paragraph 36). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to provide an electric heating element for the platen unit as taught by Yamamoto et al. for the purpose of controllably heating the plate with electricity.
For claim 13. The combination of Codos et al., Kritchman and Yamamoto et al. teaches an apparatus according to claim 11 and Yamamoto et al. teaches that the electric heating element comprising a silicone rubber heater (see paragraph 36).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 6 and 7 of the Remarks, filed December 17, 2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim 1 under Codos et al. have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Codos et al. in view of Kritchman. In particular, the newly discovered Kritchman reference teaches an equivalence between a movable support tray 120 for a substrate 140 (see Fig. 1) and a belt mechanism carrying the substrate 140 (see Fig. 2). In light of this teaching, the rejections above are furnished under Codos et al. in view of Kritchman. While rejections could also be furnished with Codos et al. as a secondary reference, it is believed that they follow more coherently in this arrangement as the Kritchman reference demonstrates the missing feature in a concise manner.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID H BANH whose telephone number is (571)270-3851. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 12-8PM.
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/DAVID H BANH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853