DETAILED ACTION
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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because of the following informalities:
Fig. 26(b), 23d (between 23f and 23d) should be labeled as 23e.
Figs. 29(a) and 29(b), one of the two 23b should be labeled as 24b.
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.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: 1 (page 5, lines 17 and 18, etc.), 35a (page 18, line 21, etc.), 31c1 (page 18, line 27), and g2-g2 (page 37, line 17). 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. 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.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: 22 (Fig. 7(b)), R3 (Fig. 16(a)), 200 (Fig. 19), 70b, 71b, 75, 75a, 75b, 601, 601a, and 602 (Fig. 21). Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) 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. 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.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Page 22, line 18, 04a should be written as 40a.
Page 35, line 6, w3 should be written as 23.
Appropriate correction is required.
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
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 6-7, 17-18, and 20 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.
Claim 6 is considered to be indefinite because it discloses a second portion-to-be-engaged without disclosing a first portion-to-be-engaged. It is unclear what and where the first portion-to-be-engaged is.
Claim 17 recites the limitation "the process cartridge" in lines 1-2, 3, 4, and 6-7. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 18 recites the limitation "the process cartridge" in lines 1-2, 6, and 9. There is no proper antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 20 recites the limitation "the guiding portion" in lines 2, 3, and 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-5, 8-16, 19 and 21 are allowed.
Claims 6-7, 17-18 and 20 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Independent claim 1 is allowable over the prior art of record because the prior art of record does not teach or suggest: “the restricting member includes a second engaging portion engageable with the shutter so that when the shutter is in the closed position, relative movement of the restricting member to the shutter in a direction from the first end portion toward the second end portion is restricted” as set forth in the claimed combination.
Independent claim 19 is allowable over the prior art of record because the prior art of record does not teach or suggest: “the shutter includes a guiding portion configured to guide the restriction member so as to restrict relative movement of the restricting member to the shutter in a direction of the rotational axis, and wherein the restricting member is guided by the guiding portion during movement of the restricting member from the engaging position to the disengaging position” as set forth in the claimed combination.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Citation of Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Suzuki (US Pat. Pub. No. US 2014/0376963 A1) discloses a cartridge comprising: a toner accommodating portion configured to accommodate toner and provided with an opening through which the toner is received; and a shutter rotatable about a rotational axis between a closed position closing the opening and an open position opening the opening. Suzuki does not disclose the cartridge comprising a restriction member.
Kawarago (US Pat. Pub. No. US 2014/0376972 A1) discloses a cartridge comprising: a toner accommodating portion configured to accommodate toner and provided with an opening through which the toner is received; a shutter rotatable about a rotational axis between a closed position closing the opening and an open position opening the opening; a restricting member (a cam) engaging with the shutter so as to restrict rotation of the shutter. Kawarago does not disclose the restriction member including a second engaging portion engageable with the shutter so that when the shutter is in the closed position, relative movement of the restricting member to the shutter in a direction from the first end portion toward the second end portion is restricted. Kawarago also does not disclose the shutter including a guide portion, and the restricting member being guided by the guiding portion during movement of the restricting member from the engaging position to the disengaging position.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SOPHIA S CHEN whose telephone number is (571)272-2133. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8 am - 5 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Stephanie Bloss can be reached at 571-272-3555. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/SOPHIA S CHEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
Ssc
December 22, 2025