CTNF 18/892,750 CTNF 87354 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Priority 02-26 AIA Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55. Claim Objections 07-29-01 AIA Claim 13 objected to because of the following informalities: The limitation “at least one nip portion forming member s ” is plural . Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 07-30-02 AIA 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. 07-34-01 Claims 7-8 and 10-12 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. 07-34-05 AIA Claim 7 recites the limitation " the supporting member " in line 2 . There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. 07-34-05 AIA Claim 8 recites the limitation " the supporting member " in line 2 . There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. 07-34-05 AIA Claim 8 recites the limitation " the supporting member " in line 2 . There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. 07-34-05 AIA Claim 10 recites the limitation " the central portion " in line 2 . There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. 07-34-05 AIA Claim 11 recites the limitation " the reinforcing portion " in line 1 . There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. 07-34-05 AIA Claim 12 recites the limitation " the pair of connecting members " in line 2 . There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 8 recites the protrusions are separate from the supporting member and fixed to the supporting member. Claim 8 depends from claim 6 which recites the supporting members include a plurality of protrusions. It is unclear to Examiner how the protrusions are separate from the supporting member. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 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 (s) 1-7, 9, 11 and 13-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kudo (JP 200215290) and further in view of Yamaguchi (JP 2021085930) . With regard to claim 1 , Kudo discloses a sheet conveyance apparatus [Fig. 2] comprising: a first belt unit including a rotating endless first belt (611); a second belt unit including a rotating endless second belt (612) that forms a nip portion for nipping and conveying a sheet with the first belt, wherein the first belt unit includes the first belt [Fig. 2], and a plurality of first stretching members (621A,-625A) configured to stretch the first belt, and wherein the second belt unit includes the second belt [Fig. 2], a plurality of second stretching members (621B-625B) configured to stretch the second belt, at least one nip portion forming member (603A) configured to form the nip portion between the first belt and the second belt by abutting on an inner peripheral surface of the second belt and supporting the second belt [Fig. 2], at least three supporting members (646) disposed along a conveyance direction of the sheet in the nip portion. Kudo does not disclose the at least three supporting members being in contact with surfaces of the nip portion forming member on a side opposite to the second belt at different positions in a width direction of the sheet intersecting with the conveyance direction to support the nip portion forming member, and at least one connecting member configured to connect the at least three supporting members. However, Yamaguchi teaches at least three supporting members (26b, 26d) being in contact with surfaces of a nip portion forming member (24) on a side opposite to a second belt (21) [an endless belt; Fig. 6] to support the nip portion forming member, at different positions in a width direction [Fig. 4] of the sheet intersecting with the conveyance direction to support the nip portion forming member, and at least one connecting member (26a) configured to connect the at least three supporting members [Fig. 4] It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize supporting members to support a nip portion forming member at different positions in the width direction connected by at least one connecting member for the purpose of restricting movement of the nip-forming member. With regard to claim 2 , Kudo’s modified sheet conveyance apparatus discloses all the limitations of claim 1, wherein the at least three supporting members include a first supporting member (26d) disposed at one end portion in the width direction [Fig. 4], a second supporting member (26d) disposed at another end in the width direction [Fig. 4], and a third supporting member (26b) disposed between the first supporting member and the second supporting member in the width direction [Fig. 4]. With regard to claim 3 , Kudo’s modified sheet conveyance apparatus discloses all the limitations of claim 1, and Yamaguchi discloses wherein two supporting members of the at least three supporting members are disposed outside a maximum image region with respect to a sheet of a maximum size conveyed in the nip portion in the width direction [Fig. 4]. With regard to claim 4 , Kudo’s modified sheet conveyance apparatus discloses all the limitations of claim 1, and Yamaguchi discloses wherein each of the at least three supporting members has a U-shaped cross-sectional shape cut along the width direction [Fig. 4], and a distal end side of the U-shaped cross-sectional shape is in contact with the nip portion forming member [Fig. 5]. With regard to claim 5 , Kudo’s modified sheet conveyance apparatus discloses all the limitations of claim 1, and Yamaguchi discloses wherein the nip portion forming member is a plate-shaped member [Fig. 4], and Kudo discloses the nip portion forming member has a crown shape curved such that a central portion in the conveyance direction of the plate-shaped member protrudes toward the first belt than both end portions [Figs. 6 and 7]. With regard to claim 6 , Kudo’s modified sheet conveyance apparatus discloses all the limitations of claim 5, and Yamaguchi also discloses wherein each of the at least three supporting members includes a protrusion protruding toward the nip portion forming member [Fig. 5], and the plurality of protrusions are in contact with a surface of the nip portion forming member opposite to the second belt at different positions in the conveyance direction as so to hold the nip portion forming member in the crown shape [Fig. 5]. Yamaguchi does not disclose a plurality of protrusion. However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the at least three supporting members to include a plurality of protrusions for the purpose of making the contact between the nip portion forming member and the three supporting more secure. In addition, it would have been an obvious s design choice to include a plurality of protrusions to each of the three supporting members, since such a change is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Rose, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955) With regard to claim 7 , Kudo’s modified sheet conveyance apparatus discloses all the limitations claim 6, and Yamaguchi discloses wherein the plurality of protrusions are formed integrally with the supporting member [Fig. 4]. With regard to claim 9 , Kudo’s modified sheet conveyance apparatus discloses all the limitations of claim 5, and Yamaguchi discloses wherein the nip portion forming member (24c) includes a reinforcing portion provided along the width direction [Fig. 4]. With regard to claim 11 , Kudo’s modified sheet conveyance apparatus discloses all the limitations of claim 9, and Yamaguchi also discloses wherein the reinforcing portion is a bent portion obtained by bending the both end portions of the nip portion forming member in the conveyance direction toward the side opposite to the second belt [Fig. 4]. With regard to claim 13 , Kudo’s modified sheet conveyance apparatus discloses all the limitations of claim 1, and Kudo also discloses wherein the at least one nip portion forming members includes a plurality of nip portion forming members disposed in the conveyance direction [Fig. 2]. With regard to claim 14 , Kudo’s modified sheet conveyance apparatus discloses all the limitations of claim 1, and Kudo discloses wherein the nip portion forming member is a first nip portion forming member (603A), and Yamaguchi also discloses the at least three supporting members are a first supporting members (26b, d), the connecting member is a first connecting member (26a), Kudu discloses the first belt unit includes second nip portion forming member (603B) configured to form the nip portion between the first belt and the second belt by abutting on an inner peripheral surface of the first belt and supporting the first belt [Fig. 2], Yamaguchi discloses at least three second supporting members disposed along the conveyance direction of the sheet in the nip portion, the at least three second supporting members being in contact with a surface of the second nip portion forming member on a side opposite to the first belt at different positions in the width direction to support the second nip portion forming member, and a second connecting member configured to connect the at least three second supporting members, and Kudo discloses the first nip portion forming member and the second nip portion forming member are disposed at different positions in the conveyance direction [Fig. 2]. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill int eh art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the second nip portion forming member in contact with at least three second supporting members for the purpose of duplicating the first nip portion forming member. With regard to claim 15 , Kudo’s modified sheet conveyance apparatus according to claim 1, and Kudo also discloses wherein the first belt unit includes a first heating device (604) [heater; Para. 0169; Fig. 2] configured to heat the first belt. With regard to claim 16 , Kudo’s modified sheet conveyance apparatus discloses all the limitations of claim 1, and Kudo also discloses wherein the second belt unit includes a second heating device (604) configured to heat the second belt [Para. 0169; Fig. 2]. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TRACEY M MCMILLION whose telephone number is (571)270-5193. 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If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /RICARDO I MAGALLANES/Supervisor Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2853 /TRACEY M MCMILLION/Examiner, Art Unit 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/892,750 Page 2 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/892,750 Page 3 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/892,750 Page 4 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/892,750 Page 5 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/892,750 Page 6 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/892,750 Page 7 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/892,750 Page 8 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/892,750 Page 9 Art Unit: 2853
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