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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
2. 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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 6/1/2026 has been entered.
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.
3. 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”) (a reference of record).
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),
a torque limiter (numbered paragraphs [0057] - [0058]) located between the motor (91) and the separation roller (12) to define a limit value (braking torque) of the torque applied to the separation roller (12),
wherein the circuitry (Figs. 21a - 21e and flow charts in Figs. 27) sets the motor torque before the conveyance roller (30) starts to align the leading end of the medium to a value (motor torque applied to feed roller 11) greater than the limit value (braking torque applied in numbered paragraph [0060]) and sets the motor torque after the conveyance roller (30) starts to align the leading end of the medium to a value (no motor torque with motor turned off) smaller than the limit value (braking torque applied in numbered paragraph [0060]). Numbered paragraphs [0059] – [0060] explain that motor (91) can rotate (apply torque to feed roller 11) during feeding of a single sheet, such that motor torque of motor (91) overcomes (greater than) the limit value (braking torque applied in numbered paragraph [0060]) of torque limiter (numbered paragraph [0057]) of separation roller (12) and the leading end of the single sheet (medium) is fed to the conveyance roller (30) before conveyance roller (30) starts to align the leading end of the single sheet (medium). Also, 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 (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(e) 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), before the conveyance roller (30) starts to align the leading end of the medium to a value greater than a limit value (braking torque) of the torque applied to the separation roller (12) and setting the motor torque (turn off motor) after the conveyance roller (30) starts to align the leading end of the medium to a value smaller than the limit value (braking torque), wherein the limit value (braking torque) is defined by a torque limiter (numbered paragraph [0057]) located between the motor (91) and the separation roller (12). Numbered paragraphs [0059] – [0060] explain that motor (91) can rotate (apply torque to feed roller 11) during feeding of a single sheet, such that motor torque of motor (91) overcomes (greater than) the limit value (braking torque applied in numbered paragraph [0060]) of torque limiter (numbered paragraph [0057]) of separation roller (12) and the leading end of the single sheet (medium) is fed to the conveyance roller (30) before conveyance roller (30) starts to align the leading end of the single sheet (medium). Also, 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), before the conveyance roller (30) starts to align the leading end of the medium to a value greater than a limit value (braking torque) of the torque applied to the separation roller (12) and setting the motor torque (turn off motor) after the conveyance roller (30) starts to align the leading end of the medium to a value smaller than the limit value (braking torque), wherein the limit value (braking torque) is defined by a torque limiter (numbered paragraph [0057]) located between the motor (91) and the separation roller (12). Numbered paragraphs [0059] – [0060] explain that motor (91) can rotate (apply torque to feed roller 11) during feeding of a single sheet, such that motor torque of motor (91) overcomes (greater than) the limit value (braking torque applied in numbered paragraph [0060]) of torque limiter (numbered paragraph [0057]) of separation roller (12) and the leading end of the single sheet (medium) is fed to the conveyance roller (30) before conveyance roller (30) starts to align the leading end of the single sheet (medium). Also, 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.
Response to Arguments
4. After a review of the new amendments, it was found that EP’366 reads on claims 1 and 3-6, as currently amended.
Conclusion
5. 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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