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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 6 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
The limitation of Claim 6, reading: “the engagement piece including a protrusion configured to be inserted into the hole and removed from the hole and ….a button formed at an upper end of the engagement piece and exposed at an upper surface of the support” is indefinite. It is not clear which part is the button in the figures, nor what the metes and bounds of a button are. The only mention of a button in the specification is with regard to a power button 46B, par 0058. This does not appear to be a button on the engagement piece 34. With regard to the engagement piece 34 the specification at par 0048 states:
“The engagement piece 34 includes a claw 33 (protrusion) protruding upward from the connecting piece 26 as shown in FIG. 11. The claw 33 is inserted into and removed from the hole 17 of the cutting plotter 1. An inclined surface 35 that goes up when approaching forward is formed on the upper end of the claw 33 that slopes forward as shown in FIG. 8. In other words, the claw 33 has a rear end of the support 21 or an upper surface that goes down towards the cutting plotter 1.”.
From this passage it appears that the “button” of claim 6 is either a sloped part 35 of the claw 33, or some other protrusion that extends from the piece 34. For purposes of advancing prosecution, this is how said limitation will be interpreted as best understood in light of the Specification.
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 of this title, 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 1, 3 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over USPGPUB 20050186010, Shibata in view of USPN 11311024, Crystal.
Regarding Claim 1, Shibata discloses cutting plotter medium supporting device (components shown in fig 1, which support the medium 7) comprising:
A cutting plotter (combination of parts 1-6),
an electrostatic chucking mat (combination of electrode patterns 65 and base 60) configured to be moved movably in a first direction (par. 0065) and generate an electrostatic chucking force by being energized (par 0086-0088), wherein
the cutting plotter includes: a work stage (portion of body of cutting plotter body 1, which is in front of the roller parts 2 and 3, and which helps removably support the support, due to its operational connection to the pinch rollers) extending in the first direction (front to back in fig 1) and in a second direction (left to right fig 1) perpendicular to the first direction and parallel to a horizontal direction (fig 1);
a drive roller (2) provided on the work stage (1) and extending in the second direction (fig 1); and a pinch roller (3) configured to reciprocate a medium (sheet material 7) on the work stage (1) in the first direction by sandwiching the medium between the drive roller and the pinch roller (fig 2),
the electrostatic chucking mat (60 and 65) is moved to slide by the drive roller and the pinch roller (par 0086-0089) while the medium (7) is chucked by the electrostatic chucking force (par 0086-0089).
Shibata lacks a support configured to be removably connected to a cutting plotter (1), and the mat configured to be supported by the support (while the mat is moved in the manner discussed above in the first direction); and the electrostatic chucking mat is moved to slide over the support (when) the drive roller and the pinch roller (feed the mat and the workpiece to be cut) while the medium is chucked by the electrostatic chucking force (Claim 1), and wherein the support includes a connecting portion connected to the cutting plotter, and the connecting portion includes a first structure configured to mate with a second structure provided on the cutting plotter (Claim 3).
Crystal discloses a sheet material cutter (10/40/20), where a sheet (W, fig. 1) is moved relative to a cutter (20/12a) in the same field of endeavor as the sheet material cutter, where a sheet is moved relative to a cutter tool of the present invention and discloses that such a system includes a cutting plotter (10 and 64) which moves a chucking mat 36 with a workpiece W thereon toward a cutter 20, via nip and drive rolls 54 and 68, and discloses that in such an assembly it is known to include:
a support (fig 2, support 40c) configured to be removably connected to the cutting plotter (10)( (par 0149, since supports 40a-c are separate non-attached segments that are placed individually adjacent to and operatively connected to the plotter 10), and the workpiece chucking mat (36) configured to be supported by the support (while the mat is moved in the manner discussed above in first direction toward the cutter, fig. 2); and the chucking mat (36) is moved to slide over the support 40c (when) the drive roller and the pinch roller (54, 68) (feed the chucking mat 36 and the workpiece W) while the workpiece/medium is chucked by the chucking force (adhesive) of the mat 36 (Claim 1), and wherein the support includes a connecting portion connected to the cutting plotter, and the connecting portion includes a first structure configured to mate with a second structure provided on the cutting plotter (see annotated fig 2 below) (Claim 3), in order to support the workpiece while it is cut, in a reconfigurable fashion (par 0178).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Shibata by including a support configured to be removably connected to a cutting plotter (1), and the mat configured to be supported by the support (while the mat is moved in the manner discussed above in the first direction); and the electrostatic chucking mat is moved to slide over the support (when) the drive roller and the pinch roller (feed the mat and the workpiece to be cut) while the medium is chucked by the electrostatic chucking force (Claim 1), and wherein the support includes a connecting portion connected to the cutting plotter, and the connecting portion includes a first structure configured to mate with a second structure provided on the cutting plotter (Claim 3), in order to support the workpiece while it is cut, in a reconfigurable fashion, as taught by Crystal.
Regarding Claim 13, Shibata discloses a cutting plotter (parts 1-6) comprising:
the medium supporting device according to claim 1 (see claim 1 rejection above);
the work stage (portion of body of cutting plotter body 1, which is in front of the roller parts 2 and 3, and which helps removably support the support, due to its operational connection to the pinch rollers, see Claim 1rejection above)
the drive roller (2 see Claim 1rejection above);
the pinch roller (3 see Claim 1rejection above); and
a pen carriage 4 configured to move above the work stage in the second direction and support a cutting pen movable in an up-down direction (fig 1, par 0068), wherein
the drive roller and the pinch roller are configured to cause the electrostatic chucking mat on which the medium is chucked by the electrostatic chucking force to move reciprocally in the first direction (par 0067-0070).
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shibata and Crystal as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of FR 2844470 A1, Ganci.
Shibata lacks the support including a connecting portion connected to the cutting plotter the connecting portion includes a first contact terminal connected to a second contact terminal of the cutting plotter, the first contact terminal is electrically connected to the electrostatic chucking mat, and the second contact terminal is connected to a power supply of the cutting plotter.
Ganci discloses an electrostatic holding means device, in the same field of endeavor as the electrostatic holding means device of the present invention and discloses that such a system includes a medium supporting device (“electrostatic holding means”, seventh par. of page 3 of attached copy of Ganci) having a connecting portion (“electric voltage source”) which includes a first contact terminal (“first terminal”) connected to a second contact terminal (“second terminal”) of the device, the first contact terminal is electrically connected to the electrostatic chucking holder (seventh par. of page 3 of attached copy of Ganci), and the second contact terminal is connected to a power supply of the cutting plotter, (seventh par. of page 3 of attached copy of Ganci), in order to power the electrostatic holder in a disconnectable manner, (seventh par. of page 3 of attached copy of Ganci).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Shibata by including the support including a connecting portion connected to the cutting plotter the connecting portion including a first contact terminal connected to a second contact terminal of the cutting plotter, the first contact terminal is electrically connected to the electrostatic chucking mat, and the second contact terminal is connected to a power supply of the cutting plotter in order to power the electrostatic holder in a disconnectable manner, as taught in Ganci.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shibata and Crystal and Ganci as applied to Claim 4 above, and further in view of USPGPUB 20040125432, Ishizuya.
Shibata as modified above lacks the electrostatic chucking mat including: a substrate movably supported by the support; and an electrode pattern formed on the substrate, and the medium supporting device further comprises a flexible cable electrically connecting the electrode pattern to the first contact terminal, and the flexible cable is housed inside the support (Claim 5).
Ishizuya discloses an electrostatic holding means device in the same field of endeavor as the electrostatic holding means device of the present invention and discloses that such a system includes an electrostatic chucking mat (par 0192) including: a substrate 11 movably supported by a support 11, (par 0192); and an electrode pattern (on electrode fil 23a,) formed on the substrate (par 0192), and the medium supporting device further comprises a flexible cable (par 0192 wiring line 23b) electrically connecting the electrode pattern to a first contact terminal (“external power source), and the flexible cable is housed inside a support 11, fig. 5, (Claim 5), in order to allow the position of the supporting surface be moveable to change it’s position, when a user so desires, par 0192.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Shibata by having the medium supporting device according to claim 4, wherein the electrostatic chucking mat includes: a substrate movably supported by the support; and an electrode pattern formed on the substrate, and the medium supporting device further comprises a flexible cable electrically connecting the electrode pattern to the first contact terminal, and the flexible cable is housed inside the support (Claim 5), in order to allow the position of the supporting surface be moveable to change it’s position, when a user so desires, as taught by Ishizuya.
Claims 6 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shibata and Crystal as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of USPGPUB 20090239405, Amidon.
Shibata lacks the apparatus having wherein the support includes a connecting portion connected to the cutting plotter, and the connecting portion includes a locking mechanism configured to prevent the support connected to the cutting plotter from disengaging from the cutting plotter, and the locking mechanism includes: an engagement piece supported movably in an up-down direction, the engagement piece being configured to engage with a hole which is formed on the cutting plotter and which is open to a downward direction the engagement piece including a protrusion configured to be inserted into the hole and removed from the hole; a spring configured to bias the engagement piece toward an upward direction; and a button formed on the engagement piece and exposed at an upper surface of the support (Claim 6), and the protrusion includes an upper surface that goes down as approaching the cutting plotter (Claim 8).
Amidon discloses a device for releasably supporting an electrically connected device (20) to a support portion (220) of an electrically powered system (combined parts 240 and 220, par 0124), in the same field of endeavor as the a device for releasably supporting an electrically connected device (electrostatic feed device) to a base portion (plotter and base) of an electrically powered system (plotter and feed device) tool of the present invention and discloses that such, a system, in Amidon, includes a connecting portion (210/250/265) including a locking mechanism (250/230) configured to prevent a support 240 connected to a base 260 from disengaging from the base (par. 0215), the locking mechanism includes: an engagement piece (210/250) supported movably in the up-down direction (fig 14, up direction being toward holes 230), the engagement piece being configured to engage with a hole 230 which is formed on the base 260 and which is open to a downward direction (from above the part 260 toward the portion of the arms 210, fig 14), the engagement piece including a protrusion 250 configured to be inserted into the hole and removed from the hole (par 0215);
a spring (resilient portions of tabs 250 which lock the tabs into the holes 230, par 0125) configured to bias the engagement piece toward an upward direction (fig 14 par 0125); and a button 240 formed on the engagement piece and exposed at an upper surface of the support (end of par. 00125) (Claim 6), and the protrusion includes an upper surface (upper most surface of 125, in fig 14) that goes down as approaching the cutting plotter (end par 0125) (Claim 8) in order to secure the electrical interface portions with one another in a secure user releasable manner (par 0124).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Shibata by including the apparatus having wherein the support includes a connecting portion connected to the cutting plotter, and the connecting portion includes a locking mechanism configured to prevent the support connected to the cutting plotter from disengaging from the cutting plotter, and, the locking mechanism includes: an engagement piece supported movably in the up-down direction, the engagement piece being configured to engage with a hole which is formed on the cutting plotter and which is open to a downward direction the engagement piece including a protrusion configured to be inserted into the hole and removed from the hole; a spring configured to bias the engagement piece toward an upward direction; and a button formed on the engagement piece and exposed at an upper surface of the support (Claim 6), and the protrusion includes an upper surface that goes down as approaching the cutting plotter (Claim 8), in order to secure the electrical parts to one another in a secure user releasable manner as taught by Amidon.
Claims 9-12, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shibata and Crystal as applied to Claim 1 above, and further in view of in view of Ishizuya.
Regarding Claim 9, Shibata lacks the medium supporting device according to claim 1, wherein the electrostatic chucking mat includes: a substrate movably supported by the support; and an electrode pattern formed on a front surface of the substrate.
Ishizuya discloses an electrostatic holding means device in the same field of endeavor as the electrostatic holding means device of the present invention and discloses that such a system includes an electrostatic chucking mat (par 0192) including: a substrate 11 movably supported by the support (par 0192); and an electrode pattern (on electrode fil 23a,) formed on the substrate (par 0192), in order to allow the position of the supporting surface be moveable to change it’s position, when a user so desires, par 0192.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Shibata by having wherein the electrostatic chucking mat includes: a substrate movably supported by the support; and an electrode pattern formed on a front surface of the substrate in order to allow the position of the supporting surface be moveable to change it’s position, when a user so desires, as taught by Ishiyuza.
Regarding Claim 10, in Shibata, the medium supporting device according to claim 9, further comprises a protective sheet 62 placed on the electrostatic chucking mat (fig 2).
Regarding Claim 11, Shibata lacks wherein the electrostatic chucking mat further includes a drive film affixed to a back surface of the substrate, the drive sheet includes an end protruding outwardly from an end surface of the substrate in the second direction, and the drive film has a thickness thinner than a thickness of the substrate.
Ishiyuza discloses wherein the electrostatic chucking mat further includes a drive film (23a) affixed to a back surface of the substrate (11), the drive sheet/film (23a) includes an end protruding outwardly from an end surface of the substrate in the second direction (fig 5 and fig 4, showing the film extending in directions perpendicular to the substrate top surface), and the drive film 23a has a thickness thinner than a thickness of the substrate 11 (fig 5), par 0192, in order to allow the position of the supporting surface be moveable to change it’s position, when a user so desires, par 0192.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Shibata by having wherein the electrostatic chucking mat further includes a drive film affixed to a back surface of the substrate, the drive sheet includes an end protruding outwardly from an end surface of the substrate in the second direction, and the drive film has a thickness thinner than a thickness of the substrate, in order to allow the position of the supporting surface be moveable to change it’s position, when a user so desires, as taught by Ishiyuza.
Regarding Claim 12, in Shibata, the medium supporting device also includes:
the electrostatic chucking mat is configured to move (See claim 1 rejection, above, where the mat is moved with the sheet, par 0066 of Shibata).
Thus, Shibata as modified to include the drive fil as above, would include the chucking mat configured to move by the end of the drive film being sandwiched between the drive roller and the pinch roller.
Claims 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shibata and Crystal, Ganci, and Ishizuya as applied to Claim 5 above, and further in view of USPN 7249480, Gihran.
Modified Shibata lacks wherein the support includes a groove extending in the first direction inside the support, and the flexible cable is accommodated in the groove (Claim 14), wherein the support includes: a box with an opening facing upward; and a plate covering the opening of the box, and the groove is formed in a bottom of the box (Claim 15).
Ghiran discloses an electronically powered cutting device in the same field of endeavor as the electronically powered cutting device of the present invention and involved with the same problem of powering the device via wires in a support thereof and discloses that such a system includes a work piece support (12 and 28, fig. 4) which includes a groove (groove in part 12 which accepts the cable 57A) extending in a first direction inside the support (fig 4), and a flexible cable 57A is accommodated in the groove (fig 4) (Claim 14), and wherein the support (12 and 28) includes: a box (die button 26) with an opening facing upward (in the orientation shown in annotated fig 4 below); and a plate 10 covering the opening of the box (fig 4), and the groove is formed in a bottom of the box (in the orientation shown in annotated fig 4 below) (Claim 15), in order to provide for connection of the electromagnet device with an electrical circuit of a suitable conventional type that includes a programmable controller programmed to operate the device, col 5, 55-60.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Shibata by having the support include a groove extending in the first direction inside the support, and the flexible cable is accommodated in the groove (Claim 14), and wherein the support includes: a box with an opening facing upward; and a plate covering the opening of the box, and the groove is formed in a bottom of the box (Claim 15), in order to provide for connection of the electromagnet device with an electrical circuit of a suitable conventional type that includes a programmable controller programmed to operate the device, as taught by Ghiran.
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Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see remarks, filed 6/11/26, with respect to the 35 USC 112f claim interpretations have been fully considered and are persuasive. Applicant’s amendment have rendered the interpretation of the claims under 35 USC 112(f) moot.
Applicant’s arguments, see remarks, filed 6/11/26, with respect to the claim objections have been fully considered and are persuasive. Applicant has amended the claims in accordance with the suggestions presented in the previous Action, and the amendments have rendered these objections moot. The claim objections have been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed 6/11/26, with respect to the prior art rejections of the claims (as the claims have now been amended) have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the prior art rejections have been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Shibata in view of Crystal.
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.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. USPNs/USPGPUBs 20250336663 5060363 20140283658 disclose worksheet processing mechanisms, while USPNs/USPGPUBs 20040125432, 20250336663, 5060363 and 20140283658 discloses wiring devices. Thus, each of these references disclose elements relevant to the present invention/application.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FERNANDO A AYALA whose telephone number is (571)270-5336. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5pm Eastern standard.
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/FERNANDO A AYALA/Examiner, Art Unit 3724
/BOYER D ASHLEY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3724
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