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
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been received.
Information Disclosure Statement
The Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) submitted on 24 October 2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the Information Disclosure Statement has been considered by the Examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the Examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the Examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-3 & 10-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ogasawara et al. (US 2016/0347093 A1) in view of Takahashi et al. (JP2021-154702A [FPD #2 IDS]).
As related to independent claim 1, Ogasawara et al. teaches a liquid ejecting device comprising: a liquid ejecting unit configured to eject a liquid onto a medium (Ogasawara et al. – Page 2, Paragraphs 32-34 and Figure 1, Reference #3, shown below); a supporting portion disposed at a position that is opposed to the liquid ejecting unit to support the medium (Ogasawara et al. – Page 2, Paragraph 38 and Figure 6, Reference #13 & 3b, shown below), the supporting portion including a first discharging hole through which the liquid is discharged downward (Ogasawara et al. – Page 4, Paragraphs 51-53 and Figures 6 & 9, Reference #31f1, shown below); a liquid receiving section disposed lower than the supporting portion and configured to receive the liquid discharged from the first discharging hole (Ogasawara et al. – Page 3, Paragraphs 51-53 and Figures 8-9, Reference #31g1, shown below); and a device body including the liquid ejecting unit, the supporting portion, and the liquid receiving section, wherein when the device body [e.g. the device body includes #12 which is tilted relative to the horizon] is tilted from a first posture by a first angle, the liquid receiving section maintains horizontality (Ogasawara et al. – Figures 1 & 2, Reference #12, shown below). Ogasawara et al. teaches the liquid receiving section appears to be incorporated with the supporting portion (Ogasawara et al. – Figures 8-9, Reference #31g1, shown below). However, Takahashi et al. teaches a liquid ejecting device with a supporting portion including a first discharging hole which is disposed as a separate component from, and above a liquid receiving portion (Takahashi et al. – Figure 6, Reference #29 & #34, shown below). Meanwhile, Takahashi et al. teaches the device body including the supporting portion can be tilted relative to the liquid receiving portion [i.e. during removal or insertion of the liquid receiving portion in an effort to ensure the liquid receiving section maintains horizontality to prevent leakage or soiling] (Takahashi et al. – Figures 1 & 6, Reference #34, shown below). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the liquid receiving portion of Ogasawara et al. with that of Takahashi et al. in an effort to provide a liquid receiving section that can be removed for emptying, refreshing, or replacement (Takahashi et al. – Paragraphs 36-38 & 53-54).
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As related to dependent claim 2, the combination of Ogasawara et al. and Takahashi et al. remains as applied above and continues to teach the liquid receiving section includes: a second discharging hole through which the received liquid is discharged downward; and a guide surface configured to be tilted relative to a horizontal direction when the device body is at least in the first posture, the guide surface being configured to guide the liquid to the second discharging hole (Ogasawara et al. – Figure 8, Reference #30, #31g2, #31g1, shown above and Figure 19, shown below).
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As related to dependent claim 3, the combination of Ogasawara et al. and Takahashi et al. remains as applied above and continues to teach the supporting portion includes a recessed portion where the first discharging hole is formed, and the first discharging hole is provided at each of both ends, in a width direction, of the recessed portion, the width direction being a direction intersecting a medium transport direction (Ogasawara et al. – Figures 1, 6, & 9, shown above and Takahashi et al. – Figure 1, shown above).
As related to dependent claim 10, the combination of Ogasawara et al. and Takahashi et al. remains as applied above and continues to teach the supporting portion includes a plurality of the first discharging holes (Takahashi et al. – Figure 6, Reference #29, shown above), the device body includes a plurality of the liquid receiving sections that are independent of each other, and the plurality of the liquid receiving sections receive a liquid from the first discharging holes differing from each other (Takahashi et al. – Figure 6, Reference #34 & #29, shown above).
As related to further dependent claim 11, the combination of Ogasawara et al. and Takahashi et al. remains as applied above and continues to teach a plurality of the first discharging holes and a plurality of the liquid receiving sections are provided along a width direction that is a direction intersecting a medium transport direction (Takahashi et al. – Figure 6, Reference #34 & #29, shown above).
As related to further dependent claim 12, the combination of Ogasawara et al. and Takahashi et al. remains as applied above and continues to teach the supporting portion includes a recessed portion where the first discharging hole is formed, and a plurality of the recessed portions that are independent of each other are provided along the width direction (Ogasawara et al. – Figures 1, 6, & 9, shown above).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Ogasawara et al. (US 2016/0347093 A1) and Takahashi et al. (JP2021-154702A [FPD #2 IDS]) in further view of KOBASHI et al. (US 2015/0258795 A1).
The combination of Ogasawara et al. and Takahashi et al. remains as applied above but does not specifically teach a shaft from which the liquid receiving section is hung. However, KOBASHI et al. teaches a liquid ejecting device having a supporting portion and a liquid receiving section (KOBASHI et al. – Page 1, Paragraphs 4 & 8 and Figure 7, shown below) and specifically teaches a shaft from which the liquid receiving section is hung wherein the liquid receiving section swings [i.e. moves] with the shaft being a center to maintain a horizontal posture (KOBASHI et al. – Figure 7, Reference #241, shown below). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the liquid receiving section of the combination of Ogasawara et al. and Takahashi et al. to include the shaft of KOBASHI et al. in an effort to provide an obvious design choice connection for a liquid receiving section to ensure the liquid ejection apparatus is capable of efficiently control the liquid holding portions (KOBASHI et al. – Page 1, Paragraph 8).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Ogasawara et al. (US 2016/0347093 A1) and Takahashi et al. (JP2021-154702A [FPD #2 IDS]) in further view of HAGA et al. (US 2023/0117107 A1).
The combination of Ogasawara et al. and Takahashi et al. remains as applied above and continues to teach a detecting unit [i.e. sensor] and a notification unit configured to notify a user of information [i.e. display unit]; and a control unit configured to receive information about the detecting unit to control the notification unit, wherein when a detected amount exceeds a threshold value, the control unit makes a notification using the notification unit (Takahashi et al. – Paragraph 54). The combination does not specifically teach the detecting unit is a tilt detecting unit. However, HAGA et al. teaches a liquid ejecting device (HAGA et al. – Figure 1, shown below) and specifically teaches a tilt detecting unit and a control unit with allows the controller to display a message or control the system (HAGA et al. – Page 12, Paragraphs 150-152). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the detecting unit of the combination of Ogasawara et al. and Takahashi et al. to include the tilt detecting unit of HAGA et al. in an effort to provide a signal to the controller to determine if a threshold has been exceeded and take the appropriate actions (HAGA et al. – Page 12, Paragraphs 150-151).
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Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-6 & 8 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim [claim 1], but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim [claim 1] and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
As related to dependent claim 4 (and thereby further dependent claims 5-6), the prior art of record does not specifically teach a base body configured to swingably support the liquid receiving body, wherein the liquid receiving section swings to maintain a horizontal posture.
As related to dependent claim 8, the prior art of record does not specifically teach a when the device body is tilted, beyond a tilt at the first angle… a side surface, at an inner side, of the liquid receiving section is tilted so as to face upward with respect to the horizontal direction.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Soga (US 5,570,116 A) teaches a liquid ejecting device with a supporting section having a first discharge hole and a liquid receiving section including a second discharge hole. Fukuoka (US 6,039,432 A) teaches a liquid ejecting device with a supporting section and a receiving section with an inclined surface. Takahashi (US 2003/0151639 A1) teaches a liquid ejecting device with a supporting section and a receiving section with an inclined surface. Kanamitsu et al. (US 2005/0062794 A1) teaches a liquid ejecting device with a supporting section having a first discharge hole and a liquid receiving section. HEO et al. (US 2010/0171788 A1) teaches a liquid ejecting device with a supporting section having a first discharge hole and a liquid receiving section. Ogasawara (US 2013/0100202 A1) teaches a liquid ejecting device with a supporting section having a first discharge hole and a liquid receiving section. Tsukuda et al. (US 2016/0288505 A1) teaches a liquid ejecting device with a supporting section having a first discharge hole and a liquid receiving section including a second discharge hole. Nakagawa et al. (US 2017/0368830 A1) teaches a liquid ejecting device with a supporting section having a first discharge hole and a liquid receiving section. ARIMURA et al. (US 2020/0070521 A1) teaches a liquid ejecting device with a supporting section having two discharge holes and a liquid receiving section. LEE et al. (US 2022/0153030 A1) teaches a liquid ejecting device with a supporting section having a first discharge hole and a liquid receiving section including a second discharge hole. NOSE et al. (US 2024/019133 A1) teaches a liquid ejecting device with a supporting section having a first discharge hole and a liquid receiving section with an inclined surface and a second discharge hole.
Examiner's Note: Examiner has cited particular Figures & Reference Numbers, Columns, Paragraphs and Line Numbers in the references as applied to the claims above for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings of the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested from the applicant in preparing responses, to fully consider the references in their entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the Examiner should be directed to JOHN P ZIMMERMANN whose telephone number is (571)270-3049. The Examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 0700-1730 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.
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/John P Zimmermann/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853
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