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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 3 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Kida (US 2020/0047505).
With regard to claim 1, Kida discloses a liquid ejection device (1) [printing apparatus; Para. 0028] comprising:
a device main body (not labeled) [Para. 0029; Fig. 1] including a liquid ejection head (8) [Para. 0028; Fig. 1] configured to eject a liquid onto a medium (S) [Para. 0030];
a reading unit (3) [scanner unit; Para. 0029] configured to open and close at an upper part of the device main body [Fig. 1] and read an image on a document [Para. 0029]; and
an operation unit (104) on which a user performs an operation [Para. 0039], wherein
a flow path (96) [Para. 0082; Figs. 15A, 15B] of a gaseous body [air; Para. 0082] is formed between the device main body and the reading unit [Figs. 15A, 15B], the gaseous body flowing in a direction from the liquid ejection head to the operation unit [Fig. 17B], and
a meandering formation portion (96) [Fig. 15A] is provided to a part of the flow path, the meandering formation portion narrowing the flow path and causing the flow path to meander [Fig. 15A].
With regard to claim 3, comprising
an operation panel (104) [Para. 0039] configured to receive various operations, wherein
the operation panel is arranged on a device front surface being a side surface facing a user among side surfaces of the device main body [Fig. 11], and
the operation unit is the operation panel [Fig. 11].
With regard to claim 5, Kida discloses a liquid ejection device (1) [printing apparatus; Para. 0028] comprising:
a device main body (not labeled) [Para. 0029; Fig. 1] including a liquid ejection head (8) [Para. 0028; Fig. 1] configured to eject a liquid onto a medium (S) [Para. 0030]; and
a reading unit (3) [scanner unit; Para. 0029] configured to open and close at an upper part of the device main body [Fig. 1] and read an image on a document [Para. 0029]; wherein
a flow path (96) [Para. 0082; Figs. 15A, 15B] of a gaseous body [air; Para. 0082] is formed between the device main body and the reading unit [Figs. 15A, 15B], the gaseous body flowing in a direction from the liquid ejection head to the operation unit [Fig. 17B], and
a meandering formation portion (96) [Fig. 15A] is provided to a part of the flow path, the meandering formation portion narrowing the flow path and causing the flow path to meander [Fig. 15A].
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, 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.
Claim(s) 2 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kida (US 2020/0047505) in view of Moriyama (US 2018/0126743).
With regard to claim 2, Kida discloses comprising:
a liquid accommodation unit (8) [print head; Para. 0028] configured to accommodates a liquid [ink; Para. 0028] ejected from the liquid ejection head [Fig. 1], wherein
the liquid accommodation unit is arranged at a device front surface being a side surface facing a user among side surfaces of a main body [Fig. 10], but does not disclose the liquid accommodation unit includes: an injection port for a liquid; and an opening/closing lever configured to open and close the injection port, and the operation unit is the opening/closing lever.
With regard to claim 4, Kida also discloses liquid ejection device discloses all the limitations of claim 1 and Kida also discloses a liquid accommodation unit (8) [print head; Para. 0028] configured to accommodate a liquid [ink; Para. 0028] ejected from the liquid ejection head [Fig. 1], an operation panel (104) configured to receive various operations [Para. 0039], the operation panel being arranged on the device front surface [Fig. 11];
With regard to claim 4, Kida does not disclose the liquid accommodation unit being arranged on a device front surface being a side surface facing a user among side surfaces of the device main body; and a plurality of the operations units, wherein the liquid accommodation unit includes: an injection port for a liquid; and an opening/closing lever configured to open and close the injection port, and the plurality of operation units include the opening/closing lever and the operation panel.
With regards to claim 2, Moriyama teaches a liquid accommodation unit (26) includes an injection port (28d) for a liquid [ink]; and an opening/closing lever (76) configured to open and close the injection port [Para.0075], and the operation unit is the opening/closing lever [user perform the operation of opening and closing the lever; Para. 0086; Fig. 3].
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize a liquid accommodation unit including an injection port and an opening/closing lever, as taught by Moriyama into Kida for the purpose of decrease the pressure in the ink tank.
With regard to claim 4, Moriyama also teaches a liquid accommodation unit (26) being arranged on a device front surface being a side surface facing a user among side surfaces of the device main body; and a plurality of the operations units [introduction ports; , wherein the liquid accommodation unit includes an injection port (28d) for a liquid [ink]; and an opening/closing lever (76) configured to open and close the injection port [Para.0075], and a plurality of the operation unit is the opening/closing lever [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 a liquid accommodation unit arranged on a device front surface of the main body and including an injection port and an opening/closing lever, as taught by Moriyama into Kida for the purpose of decrease the pressure in the ink tank.
Claim(s) 6-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kida (US 2020/0047505) in view of Kanome (US 2012/0075366)
With regard to claim 6, Kida discloses wherein the meandering formation portion includes: a first projection portion that projects from the device main body toward the reading unit and a second projection portion that projects from the reading unit toward the device main body, and the first projection portion and the second projection portion overlap with each other in a vertical direction.
With regard to claim 7, Kida also discloses the flow path of gaseous body arranged at a position closer to the liquid ejection head.
With regard to claim 6, Kida does not disclose a meandering formation portion (27) [trap portion; Para. 0039] includes a plurality of ribs formed on the inner wall of the duct along the direction of gas flow forming a small vortex.
With regard to claim 7, Kida does not disclose the ribs are arranged within the flow path.
With regard to claim 6, Kanome teaches a meandering formation portion (27) [trap portion; Para. 0039] includes a plurality of ribs formed on the inner wall of the duct along the direction of gas flow forming a small vortex.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize ribs on that overlap with each other in a vertical direction, as taught by for the purpose of capturing ink mist on the wall surfaces.
With regard to claim 7, Kanome also teaches the ribs are arranged within the flow path.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the first projection arranged at a position closer to the liquid ejection head than the second projection portion, as taught by Kamome into Kida for the purpose of capturing the mist as soon as the mist begins to fly.
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kida (US 2020/0047505) in view of Imai (US 20130/135423).
With regard to claim 8, Kida discloses all the claimed limitations except for wherein the second projection portion projects obliquely toward the liquid ejection head.
Imai teaches projection portions having different angles [ribs; Para. 0069]
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to project the second projection portion obliquely toward the liquid ejection head, as taught by Imai into Kida for the purpose of capturing ink droplets from the printhead.
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. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 6AM-2:30PM EST.
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, Ricardo Magallanes can be reached at 571-272-5960. 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.
/TRACEY M MCMILLION/Examiner, Art Unit 2853
/KRISTAL FEGGINS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853
Prosecution Insights