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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election, with traverse, of Group II (claims 7-9) and Species III
of Fig. 21, in the reply filed on September 2, 2026, is acknowledged. Applicant traverses the restriction requirement, arguing that amended claims 7-9 of Group I, amended claim 11 of non-elected Group II, and new independent claim 11 are all directed to the same invention shown in Fig. 21 and, therefore, should be examined together. Applicant’s arguments are persuasive. Accordingly, amended claim 11 and new claim 12 will be examined together with elected claims 7-9 of Group I.
The requirement is therefore still deemed proper and is made FINAL.
2. Claims 1-6 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to
37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected Species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
Drawings
3. The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must
show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the rotating shaft set forth in claims 7 and 12; and an elastic member set forth in claims 9 and 12 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
4. The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a) because they fail to
show a clear illustration of the invention as described in the specification. Any structural detail that is essential for a proper understanding of the disclosed invention should be shown in the drawing. MPEP § 608.02(d).
The drawings do not include a clear figure showing the cutter body, the shock absorbing plate, the shock plate, the elastic member, the protrusions, and the cutter together in their respective operative positions. The drawings also do not clearly illustrate the structural and operative relationships among these components, including the relationship between the cutter body and the shock absorbing plate, the shock plate and the rotating shaft, the elastic member and the rotating shaft, the protrusions and the shock plate, and the cutter and the tape. Although various components are depicted in different figures and embodiments, the drawings do not provide a clear view of the claimed tape cutter as a whole or sufficiently illustrate how the respective components cooperate during operation.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
5. The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
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.
6. Claims 7-9 and 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112
(pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Regarding claim 8, the claim requires a protrusion that, when the tape is drawn out, both guides draw-out of the tape and guides the shock plate to be rotated in the reverse direction such that the cover surface is formed at the end portion of the tape. Although paragraph [0474] states that the protrusion (256) “guides draw-out of the tape” and “guides the shock plate to be rotated in a reverse direction,” the specification does not adequately describe the structural arrangement, location, configuration, or interaction of the protrusion (256) with the shock plate that would provide such guidance. In particular, Fig. 21 depicts the protrusion (256) only as a solid point and does not clearly illustrate how the protrusion contacts or otherwise guides the shock plate (255) to rotate in the reverse direction. Paragraph [0483] further describes that the protrusions (256) may be selectively positioned on either side of the tape (251) “to support folding,” but does not explain how such protrusions guide the reverse rotation of the shock plate as recited in claim 8. Accordingly, the specification does not provide sufficient descriptive support for the claimed functional relationship between the protrusion (256) and the reverse rotation of the shock plate.
Regarding claim 12, the specification does not reasonably convey possession of the claimed combination of the cutter, shock absorbing plate, shock plate, elastic member, and one or more protrusions disposed on either side of the tape, including the claimed functional relationships among these components. Although paragraph [0483] states that protrusions (256) may be selectively placed on either side of the tape (251) to support folding, the specification does not adequately describe or illustrate how the protrusions (256) interact with the shock plate (255) during the first and second rotational directions, or how the protrusions support folding of the end portion of the tape while the folded part contacts the shock absorbing plate (257) such that the bonded surfaces of the folded part are joined together. In particular, Fig. 21 does not clearly illustrate the structural relationship among the cutter (253), shock plate (255), protrusions (256), and shock absorbing plate (257), and the specification does not provide sufficient structural detail explaining how the protrusions (256) cooperate with these components during operation. The mere statement in paragraph [0483] that the protrusions support folding does not, without an adequate description of their structure and interaction with the other claimed components, reasonably convey possession of the entire combination recited in claim 12.
7. Claims 7-9 and 11 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.
Regarding claim 7, the relationship and operation of the “shock absorbing plate” and the “shock plate” is not clear. The claim first recites that “a shock absorbing plate is fixedly installed on one side of the cutter body” and subsequently recites “a shock plate” that is configured to rotate about a rotating shaft. However, the claim does not clearly establish the structural relationship between these two plates or explain how the shock plate cooperates with the shock absorbing plate to perform the claimed folding operation.
Further, claim 7 recites that, after the tape is cut, “the shock plate is rotated in a reverse direction by a rotational force of the shock plate.” This language is ambiguous because the shock plate is identified both as the component being rotated and as the source of the “rotational force” causing that rotation. Thus, it is unclear what structure generates the rotational force and what physical mechanism causes the shock plate to reverse its direction of rotation.
Regarding claim 8, the claim recites “a protrusion” that “guides draw-out of the tape and guides the shock plate to be rotated in the reverse direction,” without adequately identifying the structural relationship or location of the protrusion relative to the tape, shock plate, rotating shaft, or cutter body. In particular, it is unclear from the claim language how the protrusion “guides” the shock plate to rotate in the reverse direction. The claim does not identify whether the protrusion physically contacts the shock plate, contacts the tape to cause movement of the shock plate, or otherwise cooperates with the rotating shaft. Consequently, the phrase “guides the shock plate to be rotated in the reverse direction” does not provide a sufficiently definite description of the claimed structure or its required operation.
Regarding claim 11, “the elastic member” lacks antecedent basis.
Regarding claim 11, “the tape is released and removed from an object. a second step of rotating the shock plate by draw-out of the tape; and” is unclear. It is not clear whether the claim is ended with a period after “an object.” In addition, the claim is incomplete, therefore, the scope of the claim is indefinite.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
8. 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.
9. Claims 7, 9 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takashi et al. (WO 2011030395 A1), hereinafter Takashi. Regarding claim 7, as best understood, Takashi teaches a tape cutter 100 for folding a tip of a tape, the tape cutter comprising: a cutter body (1) configured to draw-out one end of a tape (5) from a tape reel (6), which includes a base member formed of a synthetic resin film, paper, or cloth and the tape wound around the base member and having adhesive or cohesive force, in which a shock absorbing plate (51; defined by base member 51) is fixedly installed on one side of the cutter body (1). It should be noted that the tape dispenser main body (1) includes side plates (2) and a support base (4) supporting the tape cutter (50), and the tape cutter (50) is provided on the main body (1), with the base member (51) forming a plate-like supporting member of the tape cutter (50). Takashi further discloses a cutter (52) positioned at an end of the cutter body (1; particularly on the base member 51) to cut the tape (5) drawn out from the tape reel (6), wherein the tape cutter (50) further includes an elastic plate (53) and a folded plate (54), the folded plate (54) being provided to rotate about a rotating shaft (56), wherein, when the one end of the tape (5) is drawn out from the tape reel (6), the tape (5) presses and moves the elastic plate (53) against the urging force of the coil spring (59), thereby causing the elastic plate (53) to rotate about shaft portion (55), and the folding mechanism to move in response to draw-out of the tape, and wherein, after the tape (5) is cut by the cutter (52), the elastic plate (53) returns toward its initial position and the folded plate (54) rotates about shaft portion (56) so that the cut end of the tape (5) is folded back, thereby forming a cover surface over the adhesive surface and forming a non-adhesive folded portion (5d) at the end portion of the tape (Fig. 5D), wherein the folded plate (54) includes a flange portion (54a) that presses the tape (5) against the suction roller (58), causing adhesive surfaces (5a) of the folded tape to be bonded together at the folded position, and wherein the non-adhesive folded portion (5d) permits the user to hold and remove the tape without contacting the adhesive surface. Takashi further discloses a torsion coil spring (57) provided on shaft portion (55), against the urging force of which the folded plate (54) is folded, and by which the folded plate (54) is returned toward its original position after the folding operation. See Figs. 1-5 and the corresponding description in Takashi. Therefore, Takashi teaches the claimed cutter body (1), tape reel (6), plate-like shock absorbing plate (51), cutter (52), rotatable shock/folding plate (54), rotation of the folding mechanism in response to drawing out the tape, cutting of the tape, reverse/return rotation of the folding plate after cutting, folding of the adhesive surface to form a cover surface, and formation of a non-adhesive part (5d) that facilitates removal of the tape. To the extent that the term “shock absorbing plate” is not expressly defined in the specification as requiring any particular shock-absorbing material or structure, the ordinary plate-like base member (51), which supports the folding mechanism and receives the movement/force associated with the tape and elastic plate (53), satisfies this limitation.
Regarding claim 11, as best understood, Takashi teaches a method of folding a tip of a tape using the tape cutter of claim 7, the method comprising: drawing-out one end of the tape (5) from the tape reel (6); rotating the shock plate (54) in the forward direction by draw-out of the tape (5); accumulating an elastic force in the elastic member (59) as the shock plate (54) rotates about the rotating shaft (55); cutting the tape (5) with the cutter (52); and, after the tape (5) is cut, rotating the shock plate (54) in the reverse direction by the accumulated elastic force so that the adhesive surface (5a) of the tape (5) is folded to form a cover surface at an end portion of the tape, thereby forming a non-adhesive part (5d) that allows the tape to be detached when the tape is released and removed from an object. In particular, Takashi discloses that the adhesive tape (5) is pulled out from the reel (8) held by the drum (6), and that the tape presses the elastic plate (53), causing the elastic plate (53) to rotate about shaft portion (55) against the urging force of coil spring (59), whereby the elastic plate (53) retains elastic force (Figs. 1-5). Takashi then teaches that the adhesive tape (5) is cut by blade (52), after which the elastic plate (53) returns toward its initial position and the folded plate (54) rotates so as to move upward against the urging force of torsion coil spring (57), thereby folding the cut end of the adhesive tape (5) (Fig. 5C). The flange portion (54a) of the folded plate (54) presses the non-adhesive surface (5b) of the adhesive tape (5) against the suction roller (58), whereby the adhesive surfaces (5a) are bonded to each other at the folded position and the folded portion (5d) is formed at the end of the tape (Fig. 5D). Takashi therefore teaches drawing out the tape (5), accumulating elastic force in the elastic member (59), cutting the tape (5), and subsequently returning/rotating the folding mechanism to fold the adhesive surface (5a) and form the non-adhesive folded portion (5d). To the extent that claim 11 requires the elastic member to be associated with the rotating shaft and the reverse movement to result from the accumulated elastic force, Takashi further teaches a torsion coil spring (57) provided on shaft portion (55), wherein the folded plate (54) is folded against the urging force of the torsion coil spring (57) and thereafter returned toward its original position by the biasing force of the torsion coil spring (57). See Figs. 2-5 and the corresponding description in Takashi.
10. Claims 7, 9 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable
over Yoshimine Takashi (WO 2006085398 A1), hereinafter Yoshimine. Regarding claim 7, as best understood, Yoshimine teaches a tape cutter (100) for folding a tip of a tape, the tape cutter comprising: a cutter body (1) configured to draw-out one end of a tape (2) from a tape reel (3), which includes a base member formed of a synthetic resin film, paper, or cloth and the tape wound around the base member and having adhesive or cohesive force, in which a shock absorbing plate (5b-2) is fixedly installed on one side of the cutter body (1); a cutter (5a) positioned at an end of the cutter body (1) to cut the tape drawn out from the tape reel, and a shock plate (5b-1) is provided to rotate about a rotating shaft (5b-3), wherein, when the one end of the tape is drawn out from the tape reel, the shock plate (5b-2) is rotated in a forward direction (Fig. 3A-3B) due to draw-out of the tape, and wherein, after the tape is cut by the cutter, the shock plate is rotated in a reverse direction (Figs. 3C-3D) by a rotational force (created by the spring 5b-4) of the shock plate (5b-1) so that a cover surface covering an adhesive surface of the tape is formed at an end portion of the tape, thereby forming a non-adhesive part at the end portion of the tape, and wherein the non-adhesive part allows the tape to be easily detached when releasing and removing the tape bonded to an object. See Figs. 1-6 in Yoshimine.
Regarding claim 9, as best understood, Yoshimine teaches the tape cutter of claim 7, further comprising an elastic member provided on the rotating shaft (torsion spring (5b-4) provided on hinge (5b) having rotating shaft (5b-3), Figs. 2-3), wherein, when the one end of the tape (2) is drawn out from the tape reel (3), the shock plate (folding plate (5b-1)) rotates about the rotating shaft (5b-3) due to draw-out of the tape to accumulate an elastic force in the elastic member (folding plate (5b-1) is rotated in the direction of arrow A against the urging force of torsion spring (5b-4), Fig. 3B), and after the tape is cut by the cutter (5a), the shock plate (folding plate (5b-1)) is rotated in the reverse direction by the accumulated elastic force (torsion spring (5b-4) rotates folding plate (5b-1) in the direction of arrow B, Fig. 3C-3D) so that the cover surface covering the adhesive surface (2b) of the tape is formed at the end portion of the tape, thereby forming a non-adhesive part (2c) at the end portion of the tape. See Figs. 1-6 in Yoshimine.
Regarding claim 11, as best understood, Yoshimine teaches a method of folding a tip of a tape using the tape cutter of claim 7, the method comprising: drawing-out one end of the tape (2) from the tape reel (3) (Fig. 3A); rotating the shock plate (folding plate (5b-1)) in the forward direction by draw-out of the tape (Fig. 3B); accumulating an elastic force in the elastic member as the shock plate rotates about the rotating shaft (5b-3) (folding plate (5b-1) is rotated against the urging force of torsion spring (5b-4)); cutting the tape with the cutter (5a) (Fig. 3C); and after the tape is cut, rotating the shock plate (folding plate (5b-1)) in the reverse direction by the accumulated elastic force (torsion spring (5b-4) rotates folding plate (5b-1) in the direction of arrow B) so that the adhesive surface (2b) of the tape is folded to form a cover surface at an end portion of the tape, thereby forming a non-adhesive part (2c) that allows the tape to be detached when the tape is released and removed from an object. See Figs. 1-6 in Yoshimine.
11. Claims 7 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable
over Ryohei et al. (JP 2014009092 A), hereinafter Ryohei. Regarding claim 7, as best understood, Ryohei teaches a tape cutter (100) for folding a tip of a tape, the tape cutter comprising: a cutter body (1) configured to draw-out one end of a tape (5) from a tape reel (6), which includes a base member formed of a synthetic resin film, paper, or cloth and the tape wound around the base member and having adhesive or cohesive force, in which a shock absorbing plate (51, 53; Fig. 4) is fixedly installed on one side of the cutter body (1); a cutter (52) positioned (above the base 4 of the cutter body) at an end of the cutter body (1) to cut the tape drawn out from the tape reel, and a shock plate (54) is provided to rotate about a rotating shaft (56), wherein, when the one end (5b;Fig. 10) of the tape 5 is drawn out from the tape reel, the shock plate (54) is rotated in a forward direction (Fig. 10) due to draw-out of the tape, and wherein, after the tape is cut by the cutter, the shock plate is rotated in a reverse direction (Fig. 10) by a rotational force so that a cover surface covering an adhesive surface of the tape is formed at an end portion of the tape, thereby forming a non-adhesive part at the end portion of the tape, and wherein the non-adhesive part allows the tape to be easily detached when releasing and removing the tape bonded to an object. See Figs. 1-66 in Ryohei.
Regarding claim 8, as best understood, Ryohei teaches everything noted above including a protrusion (63), wherein, when the one end of the tape is drawn out from the tape reel, the protrusion guides draw- out of the tape and guides the shock plate (54) to be rotated in the reverse direction such that the cover surface covering the adhesive surface of the tape is formed at the end portion of the tape.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
12. 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.64
13. Claims 8 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takashi in view of Namekawa et al. (7,537,036 B2), hereinafter Namekawa. Regarding claim 8, as best understood, Takashi teaches everything noted above except a protrusion, wherein, when the one end of the tape is drawn out from the tape reel, the protrusion guides draw- out of the tape and guides the shock plate to be rotated in the reverse direction such that the cover surface covering the adhesive surface of the tape is formed at the end portion of the tape. However, Namekawa teaches an adhesive-tape cutter having a bending guide block (60) provided with a guide protrusion (62), wherein the guide protrusion (62) projects from the bending guide block (60) and contacts the non-adhesive surface of the side edge (2aS) of the adhesive tape (2a), thereby guiding the side edge of the adhesive tape toward the folding mechanism and facilitating bending of the tape (Figs. 4A-4C and corresponding description in Namekawa. Namekawa further teaches that the bending guide block (60) and guide protrusion (62) cooperate with a bending roller (32) to bend the side edge (2aS) of the adhesive tape and guide the tape toward the folding mechanism, thereby facilitating smooth and reliable folding of the adhesive tape. Therefore, Namekawa teaches the claimed protrusion for guiding the tape during draw-out and toward the folding mechanism. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the guide protrusion (62) of Namekawa in the tape cutter of Takashi, including in cooperation with the side guide structures (53a), to guide the drawn-out tape toward the folded plate (54) and facilitate reliable engagement of the tape with the folding mechanism, because both Takashi and Namekawa are directed to tape cutters that draw out adhesive tape, cut the tape, and fold an end portion thereof to form a non-adhesive portion, and Namekawa expressly teaches that the guide protrusion (62) facilitates smooth and reliable folding of the tape. Such a combination would merely apply the known tape-guiding function of the guide protrusion (62) to Takashi’s known tape-folding mechanism and would have yielded predictable results.
Regarding claim 12, Takashi teaches a tape cutter for forming a non-adhesive part at an end portion of a tape, the tape cutter comprising: a cutter body (1) configured to draw out one end of the tape (5) from a tape reel (6); a cutter (52) positioned at an end of the cutter body (1) and configured to cut the tape (5) drawn out from the tape reel (6); a shock absorbing plate (51) fixedly installed on one side of the cutter body (1); a shock plate (54) provided to rotate about a rotating shaft (56); and an elastic member (57) provided on the rotating shaft (56), wherein, when the tape (5) is drawn out from the tape reel (6), the shock plate (54) is configured to rotate in a first rotational direction about the rotating shaft (56) to accumulate an elastic force in the elastic member (57), wherein, after the tape (5) is cut by the cutter (52), the shock plate (54) is configured to rotate in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction, wherein one or more protrusions are disposed on either side of the tape (5), wherein the one or more protrusions support folding of an end portion of the tape (5), and wherein a folded part of the tape (5) contacts the shock absorbing plate (51) such that bonded surfaces of the folded part are joined together to form the non-adhesive part at the end portion of the tape (5). In particular, Takashi teaches a cutter body (1) having side plates (2) and a support base (4) supporting the tape cutter (50), the cutter body (1) rotatably supporting the tape reel (6), a blade (52) mounted on the base member (51) for cutting the adhesive tape (5), an elastic plate (53), a folded plate (54), and shaft portions (55, 56), wherein the elastic plate (53) is elastically attached to the base member (51) through shaft portion (55), the folded plate (54) is rotatably attached to the elastic plate (53) through shaft portion (56), and a torsion coil spring (57) is provided on shaft portion (56). When the adhesive tape (5) is pulled out from the tape reel (6), the tape presses the elastic plate (53), causing the elastic plate (53) to rotate about shaft portion (55) against the elastic force of coil spring (59), thereby accumulating elastic force, and, after the tape (5) is cut by blade (52), the elastic plate (53) returns toward its initial position and the folded plate (54) rotates about shaft portion (56), thereby folding the cut end of the tape (5) (Figs. 1-5). Takashi further teaches that the flange portion (54a) of the folded plate (54) presses the adhesive tape (5) against the suction roller (58), whereby the adhesive surfaces (5a) of the folded portion are brought into contact and bonded together to form folded portion (5d), which constitutes a non-adhesive portion at the end of the tape (Fig. 5D). Takashi also discloses notched grooves (53a) formed on both sides of the elastic plate (53), which receive and guide the folded plate (54) during the folding operation.
However, to the extent that Takashi does not expressly disclose the claimed one or more protrusions disposed on either side of the tape, Namekawa teaches an adhesive-tape cutter having a bending guide block (60) provided with guide protrusions (62), wherein the guide protrusions (62) project from the bending guide block (60) and cooperate with the tape during bending to guide and support the side edge of the adhesive tape (2a) toward the folding operation (Figs. 4A-4C in Namekawa). Namekawa further teaches that the adhesive tape is folded so that adhesive surfaces of the folded portion overlap and are joined together to form a non-adhesive portion that can be grasped for removing the tape. Therefore, Namekawa teaches one or more projecting guide structures (62) that support and guide folding of an end portion of adhesive tape. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the guide protrusions (62) of Namekawa in the tape cutter of Takashi, including on opposite sides of the tape to guide and support the tape during folding, because both references are directed to adhesive-tape cutters that draw out adhesive tape, cut the tape, and fold an end portion of the tape so that adhesive surfaces of the folded portion are joined to form a non-adhesive portion, and because the guide protrusions of Namekawa provide the known function of guiding and supporting the tape during the folding operation. Such a modification would have predictably facilitated positioning and folding of the tape by Takashi’s folded plate (54) without changing the operation of Takashi’s elastic plate (53), rotating shaft (56), or elastic member (57).
Conclusion
14. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to
applicant’s disclosure.
Takashi (WO 2006085398 A1) and Yamada (2008/026873 A1) teach a tape cutter.
15. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GHASSEM ALIE whose telephone number is (571) 272-4501. The examiner can normally be reached on 8:30 am-5:00 pm EST.
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/GHASSEM ALIE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3724
August 24, 2026
