CTNF 18/882,082 CTNF 83721 DETAILED ACTION Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114 07-42-04 AIA A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 4/6/2026 has been entered. Claim Objections 07-29-01 AIA Claim 19 is objected to because of the following informalities: Lines 5-6, the limitation “first gap is positioned between the first protruding member the and the first side frame”, should be replaced with --first gap is positioned between the supporting member and the first side frame--. Similarly, lines 7-8, the limitation “second gap is positioned between the second protruding member the and the second side frame”, should be replaced with --second gap is positioned between the supporting member and the second side frame --. Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15 AIA Claim s 7, 11, 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by Morimoto JP 2004-331369 A (hereinafter “Morimoto”) . Regarding independent claim 18, Morimoto discloses a medium stacking device (FIG. 2) on which a medium discharged from a processing device (1, shown in FIG. 1) is stacked, the medium stacking device being separate from the processing device, the medium stacking device comprising: a moving mechanism (207) configured to move the medium stacking device separately from the processing device; and a stacking unit (210 and 220) on which a medium is stacked, the stacking unit extending in a first direction, wherein the stacking unit includes: a supporting member (210) configured to support a medium; and a first protruding member (broadest reasonable interpretation includes one of 215) and a second protruding member (broadest reasonable interpretation includes another of 215) each positioned on a respective side of the supporting member in a second direction different from the first direction, the supporting member includes a supporting surface (upper surface of 210 in FIG. 4) configured to support a medium, the first protruding member includes a first protruding surface configured to support a medium, the second protruding member includes a second protruding surface configured to support a medium, and the first protruding surface and the second protruding surface are positioned above the supporting surface, wherein the first protruding member is configured to define a first gap (space filled by one of 215) outward in the second direction, wherein the second protruding member is configured to define a second gap (space filled by another of 215) outward in the second direction, wherein the first gap is positioned between the first protruding surface and the supporting surface in a third direction different from the first direction and the second direction, the third direction being a medium thickness direction, and wherein the second gap is positioned between the second protruding surface and the supporting surface in the third direction. Regarding claim 7, comprising a stopper (225) being attached to the stacking unit and coming into contact with a leading edge of a medium. Regarding claim 11, wherein the first direction is an obliquely downward direction . 07-15 AIA Claim s 7, 8, 11, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by Kimura et al. JP 2007-112622 A (hereinafter “Kimura”) . Regarding independent claim 18, Kimura discloses a medium stacking device (FIG. 4) on which a medium discharged from a processing device (“paper processing machine”) is stacked, the medium stacking device being separate from the processing device, the medium stacking device comprising: a moving mechanism (8-10) configured to move the medium stacking device separately from the processing device; and a stacking unit (1-7) on which a medium is stacked, the stacking unit extending in a first direction, wherein the stacking unit includes: a supporting member (4) configured to support a medium; and a first protruding member (broadest reasonable interpretation includes guide plate assembly 1) and a second protruding member (broadest reasonable interpretation includes guide plate assembly 2) each positioned on a respective side of the supporting member in a second direction different from the first direction, the supporting member includes a supporting surface (upper surface of 4) configured to support a medium, the first protruding member includes a first protruding surface (inclined supporting surface of 1) configured to support a medium, the second protruding member includes a second protruding surface (inclined supporting surface of 2) configured to support a medium, and the first protruding surface and the second protruding surface are positioned above the supporting surface, wherein the first protruding member is configured to define a first gap (space filled by 1) outward in the second direction, wherein the second protruding member is configured to define a second gap (space filled by 2) outward in the second direction, wherein the first gap is positioned between the first protruding surface and the supporting surface in a third direction different from the first direction and the second direction, the third direction being a medium thickness direction, and wherein the second gap is positioned between the second protruding surface and the supporting surface in the third direction. Regarding claim 7, comprising a stopper (7) being attached to the stacking unit and coming into contact with a leading edge of a medium. Regarding claim 8, wherein the stopper is attached to the stacking unit so as to be displaced in the first direction. Regarding claim 11, wherein the first direction is an obliquely downward direction . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kimura in view of Yashita et al. US 2022/0169475 A1 (hereinafter “Yashita”) . Regarding claim 12, Kimura teaches wherein the moving mechanism comprises a leg (10) that extend from the stacking unit and wheels (8) that are connected to the leg. Kimura’s moving mechanism does not include a plurality of legs. Yashita teaches a movable stacker that uses a well-known arrangement leg frame (34) arrangement comprising two legs. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to substitute the leg arrangement of Kimura with the leg arrangement of Yashita in order to achieve the predictable result of stably supporting the stacking unit . Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-07 AIA 07-97 12-51-07 Claim s 2-6, 14-17 and 20 are allowed. 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim s 9-10 and 19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Response to Arguments Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 18 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 Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LUIS A GONZALEZ whose telephone number is (571)270-3094. The examiner can normally be reached 9am-5:30pm. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael McCullough can be reached at 571-272-7805. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /LUIS A GONZALEZ/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3653 Application/Control Number: 18/882,082 Page 2 Art Unit: 3653 Application/Control Number: 18/882,082 Page 3 Art Unit: 3653 Application/Control Number: 18/882,082 Page 4 Art Unit: 3653 Application/Control Number: 18/882,082 Page 5 Art Unit: 3653 Application/Control Number: 18/882,082 Page 6 Art Unit: 3653 Application/Control Number: 18/882,082 Page 7 Art Unit: 3653 Application/Control Number: 18/882,082 Page 8 Art Unit: 3653 Application/Control Number: 18/882,082 Page 9 Art Unit: 3653
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