Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. 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
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 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.
2. Claims 1 and 3-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by European Publication No. 1369366 (hereinafter “EP’366”).
Regarding claim 1, Figs. 1-21(e) show a media conveying apparatus, comprising:
a feed roller (11) to feed a medium;
a separation roller (12) located facing the feed roller (11);
a conveyance roller (30) located downstream from the feed roller (11) in a media conveyance direction to convey the medium by rotating in a first direction (counter-clockwise) and to align a leading end of the medium by stopping or rotating in a second direction (clockwise) opposite to the first direction (counter-clockwise) (see, e.g., numbered paragraph [0178]);
a motor (91) to generate a driving force for rotating the separation roller (12) (See numbered paragraphs [0134] and [0174]), wherein a motor torque of the motor (91) is changeable (i.e., motor can be turned on and off between positive torque and zero torque); and
circuitry (Figs. 21a – 21e and flow charts in Figs. 27-32) configured to set a torque applied to the separation roller (12),
wherein the circuitry (Figs. 21a - 21e and flow charts in Figs. 27) sets the motor torque after the conveyance roller (30) starts to align the leading end of the medium to a value smaller than the motor torque before the conveyance roller (30) starts to align the leading end of the medium. Numbered paragraphs [0231] – [0232] explain that when registration (leading end alignment) is performed, motor 91 is turned on and forwardly rotated (i.e., torque applied to motor 91), but after motor 91 rotates by a certain amount to bring the leading end into contact with the nip between rollers 29 and 30, the motor is stopped (i.e., no torque is applied to motor 91). As such, the motor torque (i.e., zero torque of stopped motor) after roller 30 starts to align the leading end is smaller than before the conveyance roller 30 starts to align the leading end, as claimed.
Regarding claim 3, Figs. 1-21(e) show a second conveyance roller (31) located downstream from the conveyance roller (including 30) in the media conveyance direction,
wherein the circuitry (Figs. 21a - 21e and flow charts in Figs. 27-32) sets the torque applied to the separation roller (12) from when the conveyance roller (30) starts to align the leading end of the medium to when the leading end of the medium passes through a position of the second conveyance roller (31) to a value smaller than the torque applied to the separation roller (12) before the conveyance roller (30) starts to align the leading end of the medium. See, e.g., numbered paragraph [0154] for torque before the conveyance roller starts to align the leading end of the medium, and Fig. 22 and numbered paragraphs [0166] - [0167] & [0182] - [0185] for torque between rollers 30 and 31.
Regarding claim 4, Figs. 1-21(e) show an imaging device (including 81) located downstream from the conveyance roller (30) in the media conveyance direction,
wherein the circuitry (Figs. 21a - 21e and flow charts in Figs. 27-32) sets the torque applied to the separation roller (12) from when the conveyance roller (30) starts to align the leading end of the medium (sheet) to before the leading end of the medium (sheet) reaches an imaging position (at 81) of the imaging device (including 81) to a value smaller than the torque applied to the separation roller (12) before the conveyance roller (30) starts to align the leading end of the medium (sheet). See, e.g., numbered paragraph [0154] for torque before the conveyance roller starts to align the leading end of the medium, and Fig. 22 and numbered paragraphs [0166] - [0167] & [0182] - [0185] for torque between rollers 30 and 31.
Regarding claim 5, Figs. 1-21 disclose a media conveying method, comprising:
feeding a medium (sheet) by a feed roller (11);
conveying the medium (sheet) by a conveyance roller (30) located downstream from the feed roller (11) in a media conveyance direction rotating in a first direction (counter-clockwise) and aligning a leading end of the medium (sheet) by the conveyance roller (30) stopping or rotating in a second direction (clockwise) opposite to the first direction (counter-clockwise) (see, e.g., numbered paragraph [0178]); and
setting a torque applied to a separation roller (12) located facing the feed roller (11),
wherein the setting includes setting a motor torque of a motor (91) to generate a driving force for rotating the separation roller (12) (See numbered paragraphs [0134] and [0174]), which is changeable (i.e., motor can be turned on and off between positive torque and zero torque), after the conveyance roller (30) starts to align the leading end of the medium (sheet) to a value smaller than the motor torque before the conveyance roller (30) starts to align the leading end of the medium (sheet). Numbered paragraphs [0231] – [0232] explain that when registration (leading end alignment) is performed, motor 91 is turned on and forwardly rotated (i.e., torque applied to motor 91), but after motor 91 rotates by a certain amount to bring the leading end into contact with the nip between rollers 29 and 30, the motor is stopped (i.e., no torque is applied to motor 91). As such, the motor torque (i.e., zero torque of stopped motor) after roller 30 starts to align the leading end is smaller than before the conveyance roller 30 starts to align the leading end, as claimed.
Regarding claim 6, Figs. 1-21(e) show a non-transitory recording medium storing a plurality of instructions (flow charts in Figs. 27-32) which, when executed by one or more processors of a media conveying apparatus (Fig. 1), causes the one or more processors to perform a method, the method comprising:
feeding a medium (sheet) by a feed roller (11);
conveying the medium (sheet) by a conveyance roller (30) located downstream from the feed roller (11) in a media conveyance direction rotating in a first direction (counter-clockwise) and aligning a leading end of the medium (sheet) by the conveyance roller (30) stopping or rotating in a second direction (clockwise) opposite to the first direction (counter-clockwise) (see, e.g., numbered paragraph [0178]); and
setting a torque applied to a separation roller (12) located facing the feed roller (11),
wherein the setting includes setting a motor torque of a motor (91) to generate a driving force for rotating the separation roller (12) (See numbered paragraphs [0134] and [0174]), which is changeable (i.e., motor can be turned on and off between positive torque and zero torque), after the conveyance roller (30) starts to align the leading end of the medium (sheet) to a value smaller than the motor torque before the conveyance roller (30) starts to align the leading end of the medium (sheet). Numbered paragraphs [0231] – [0232] explain that when registration (leading end alignment) is performed, motor 91 is turned on and forwardly rotated (i.e., torque applied to motor 91), but after motor 91 rotates by a certain amount to bring the leading end into contact with the nip 99 of conveyance roller 30, the motor is stopped (i.e., no torque is applied to motor 91). As such, the motor torque (i.e., zero torque of stopped motor) after roller 30 starts to align the leading end is smaller than before the conveyance roller 30 starts to align the leading end, as claimed.
Response to Arguments
3. Applicant's arguments filed 1/7/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues
EP'366 discloses that "The separation roller 12 receives a torque from the sheets in the counterclockwise direction in the figure by the advance of the sheets 2. However, as shown in Figure 19(e), the state is a state in which the protrusion 23a of the returning lever 13 is engaged in the gear portion 12d of the clutch shaft 12b, so that the rotation of the clutch shaft 12b is interrupted. For this reason, by the action of the above-mentioned clutch spring 12c, a clockwise torque, which overcomes the counterclockwise torque by the sheets 2, is exerted on the separation roller 12." (paragraph [0158]), and "As shown in Figure 21(e), the returning lever working portion 28c of the release cam 28 pushes the cam surface 23b of the returning lever 23 upward to move the protrusion 23a of the returning lever 23 away from the gar portion 12d of the clutch shaft 12. As a result, the clutch shaft 12b is placed in a free state, whereby the separation roller 12 is rotated by the feed roller." (paragraph [0178])
In EP'366, it is described that the torque exerted on the separation roller 12 is changed by switching the returning lever. However, in EP'366, it is not described that a torque of a motor for rotating the separation roller 12 is changed.
Therefore, EP'366 does not disclose or suggest "a motor to generate a driving force for rotating the separation roller, wherein a motor torque of the motor is changeable" and "wherein the circuitry sets the motor torque after the conveyance roller starts to align the leading end of the medium to a value smaller than the motor torque before the conveyance roller starts to align the leading end of the medium", or "setting a motor torque of a motor to generate a driving force for rotating the separation roller, which is changeable, after the conveyance roller starts to align the leading end of the medium to a value smaller than the motor torque before the conveyance roller starts to align the leading end of the medium", as recited in amended claims 1, 5 and 6.
In view of the above, independent claims 1, 5 or 6 are patentable over the cited reference.
The examiner disagrees with this argument. Numbered paragraphs [0134], [0174], [0177] - [0178] and [0132] – [0133] of EP’366 state
[0134] In the recording apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the conveyance roller 30 and the feed roller 11 are rotated by the driving force of the conveyance motor 91, i.e., have a common driving power supply, but may be designed to be separately driven by different driving power supplies.
[0174] Figure 21(e) shows a conveyance state of the sheet 2 after the separation in this state. As shown in Figure 21(e), the returning lever working portion 28c of the release cam 28 pushes the cam surface 23b of the returning lever 23 upward to move the protrusion 23a of the returning lever 23 away from the gar portion 12d of the clutch shaft 12. As a result, the clutch shaft 12b is placed in a free state, whereby the separation roller 12 is rotated by the feed roller. More specifically, the pair of the feed roller 11 and the separation roller 12 can be regarded as a pair of a drive roller and a roller driven by the drive roller, thus functioning as the conveyance roller pair for the separated (one) sheet 2.
[0177] Referring again to Figure 21, the thus-conveyed sheet 2 is, after being guided by the guiding members 25a and 25b, carried to the nip portion 99 constituted between the conveyance roller 30 and the roller 29 rotated by the rotation of the conveyance roller 30.
[0178] The recording apparatus 1 of this embodiment employs a common driving power source for driving the conveyance roller 30 and the feed roller 11, so that the (registration) operation for truing up the leading end of the sheet 2 is performed in such a reverse registration manner that the registration is performed by backwardly rotating the conveyance roller 30. In a state in which the conveyance roller 30 is rotated clockwise, the leading end of the sheet 2 is struck against the nip portion 99 constituted by the conveyance roller 11 and the roller 29 and a predetermined amount of the sheet is conveyed by the feed roller 11, whereby the sheet 2 is curved between the feed roller 11 and the nip portion 99. The sheet leading end is pressed against the nip portion 99, whereby oblique advance of the sheet is corrected. In the recording apparatus 1, by this registration method, the conveyance roller is rotated forwardly after the registration of the sheet 2 is performed by striking the leading end of the sheet 2 against the nip portion 99, to convey the sheet 2 to the recording head 81, thus subjecting the sheet 2 to recording.
[0231] When the registration is performed, the conveyance motor 91 is forwardly rotated in Step 106 by a pulse number CP after the sheet end detection sensor 97 detects the sheet 2 leading end, and then is stopped. The pulse number CP is calculated according to the following equation: CP = CP0 + (BP-BP0) x γ, wherein CP0 represents a calculatory pulse number of the conveyance roller 30 in a period from the detection position by the sheet end detection sensor 97 to the registration by forcedly conveying the sheet leading end in the nip portion 99; BP0 represents a calculatory pulse number of the conveyance roller 30 in period from an open state ("OPEN"), in which the feeding (state) sensor 38 is open without light-interrupted by the first and second light-interrupting portions (shield portions), to the sheet 2 leading end detection; BP represents an actual pulse number of the conveyance motor in a period from the OPEN of the feeding sensor 37 to the detection of the sheet 2 leading end; γ represents a ratio between a conveyance distance between the detection position of the sheet 2 and a conveyance distance after the detection position.
[0232] Accordingly, even if the slippery sheet 2 is fed, an amount of slippage is calculated from the difference between the pulse number BP (which are pulse numbers in a period up to the leading end detection of the sheet 2 by the sheet end detection sensor 97) and based on the slippage amount the pulse number of the conveyance motor 91 in the state after the sheet 2 leading end is detected is corrected. As a result, it becomes possible to stabilize an amount of the sheet 2 leading end which is forcedly conveyed into the nip portion 99 at the time of the registration, thus stabilizing a registration performance.
Numbered paragraphs [0134] and [0174] explain that rollers 11 and 12 are driven by motor 91 in Fig. 21(e). More specifically, separation roller 12 is driven by motor torque of motor 91 in Fig. 21(e). Also, numbered paragraphs [0174], [0177] and [0178] explain that the sheet (medium) is driven into nip 99 (i.e., the nip at conveyance roller 30) for alignment of the leading end of the sheet (medium) in Fig. 21(e). Then, numbered paragraphs [0231] – [0232] explain that during registration (alignment) of the leading end of the sheet (medium) by nip 99 (i.e., by the nip of conveyance roller 30), motor 91 is turned on, but after registration is started, motor 91 is stopped (i.e., zero motor torque is applied to motor 91). As such, motor torque is changeable from when motor 91 is turned on (positive motor torque) to when motor 91 is turned off (zero motor torque). Also, numbered paragraphs [0177] - [0178] and [0231] – [0232] explain that motor 91 is turned on (i.e., positive motor torque) during the start of alignment of the leading end of the medium by nip 99 (i.e., by the nip of conveyance roller 30) and turned off (zero motor torque applied to motor 91) after nip 99 of conveyance roller (30) starts to align the leading end of the medium. As such, EP’366 teaches a motor (91) to generate a driving force for rotating the separation roller (12), wherein a motor torque of the motor (91) is changeable (i.e., motor can be turned on and off between positive torque and zero torque), as claimed. Also, EP’366 teaches setting a motor torque of a motor (91) to generate a driving force for rotating the separation roller (12), which is changeable (i.e., motor can be turned on and off between positive torque and zero torque), after the conveyance roller (30) starts to align the leading end of the medium (sheet) to a value smaller than the motor torque before the conveyance roller (30) starts to align the leading end of the medium (sheet). Numbered paragraphs [0231] – [0232] explain that when registration (leading end alignment) is performed, motor 91 is turned on and forwardly rotated (i.e., positive torque on motor 91), but after motor 91 rotates by a certain amount to bring the leading end into contact with nip 99 of conveyance roller 30, motor 91 is stopped (i.e., zero torque on motor 91). As such, the motor torque (i.e., zero torque on stopped motor 91) after roller 30 starts to align the leading end is smaller than before the conveyance roller 30 starts to align the leading end, as claimed.
The rejections of claims 1 and 3-6 are outlined above.
Allowable Subject Matter
4. Claim 2 is 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.
Conclusion
5. 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.
6. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THOMAS A MORRISON whose telephone number is (571)272-7221. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am - 5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Mike 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.
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/THOMAS A MORRISON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3653
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