Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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.
2. Claims 1-5 and 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0184447 (Tsukamoto et al.) (hereinafter “Tsukamoto”) in view of Japanese Publication No. 2006-44906 (hereinafter “JP’906”).
Regarding claim 1, Figs. 1-7 of Tsukamoto show a medium feeding apparatus (Fig. 1), comprising:
a media tray (including 40);
a feed roller (2) to sequentially feed a plurality of media placed on the media tray (including 40);
a separation roller (3) located facing the feed roller (2); and
circuitry (Figs. 2 and 4) configured to:
detect (via SN1 and SN2) a leading end position of each of a plurality of media in a nip between the feed roller (2) and the separation roller (3); and
set a characteristic value (e.g., amount of pressing force in numbered paragraph [0086] or amount of motor torque applied in numbered paragraph [0087]) of the separation roller (3), for controlling separation of sheets. In particular, Tsukamoto shows in Figs. 2 and 5-7 that the more overlap (smaller distance between the tip ends of sheets P1 and P2) there is between sheets P1 and P2, the more that sensor arm 53 rotates, resulting in a higher PE value and ultimately resulting in a higher torque Tr1 in Fig. 6 or reduced pressing force Fo in Fig. 6. As such, Tsukamoto can operate such that it sets the characteristic (amount of pressing force or amount of torque) based on the distance (distance between the tip ends of sheets P1 and P2). Tsukamoto teaches most of the limitations of this claim including detecting the leading end position of each of the media, but Tsukamoto does not explicitly teach that that circuitry is configured to determine a distance between a leading end position of a preceding medium, which is one of the plurality of media in the nip, and a leading end position of a medium following the preceding medium, as claimed.
JP’906 provides a general teaching that it is common in the art to determine a distance (d in Fig. 1(a)) between a leading end position of a preceding medium (5a), which is one of a plurality (5a and 5b) of media in a nip between rollers (1a and 1b), and a leading end position of a medium (5b) following the preceding medium (5a), and then set a characteristic value (e.g., drive or not drive a roller 1a via motor torque) of a separation roller (1a) based on the distance (d), for controlling separation of sheets. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to determine the distance between the leading ends of the plurality of media in the Tsukamoto apparatus and then set the characteristic of the separation roller (3) based upon the distance, because JP’906 teaches that it is common in the art to determine the distance between leading end positions of a plurality of media and then use this distance to set a characteristic of the separating roller to control separation of sheets in a similar type of medium feeding apparatus to that of Tsukamoto.
Regarding claim 2, Tsukamoto teaches that the characteristic value is a torque value (numbered paragraph [0087]),
the separation roller (3) is set to rotate in the same direction as the feed roller (2) when a torque equal to or greater than the torque value is applied to the separation roller (3).
Tsukamoto also shows that the circuitry (Figs. 2 and 4) sets the torque value to a first torque value or a second torque value greater than the first torque value according to the positions of sheets P1 and P2. Tsukamoto, in Figs. 2 and 5-7, shows that the more overlap (smaller distance between the tip ends of sheets P1 and P2) there is between sheets P1 and P2, the more that sensor arm 53 rotates, resulting in a higher PE value and ultimately resulting in a higher torque Tr1 in Fig. 6. As such, Tsukamoto can operate such that it sets the torque value to the first torque value when the distance (distance between tip ends of sheets P1 and P2) is equal to or greater than a threshold value, and set the torque to a second torque value greater than the first torque value when the distance (distance between tip ends of sheets P1 and P2) is less than the threshold value. Operating the Tsukamoto apparatus based upon the measured distance between the tip ends of the overlapped sheets, as taught by JP’906, results in the torque change by the circuitry, as claimed.
With regard to claim 3, Tsukamoto shows that the circuitry (Figs. 2 and 4) can set the torque value to a third value, which is greater than the first torque value and less than the second torque value according to the positions of sheets P1 and P2. More specifically, Tsukamoto, in Figs. 2 and 5-7, shows that the more overlap (smaller distance between the tip ends of sheets P1 and P2) there is between sheets P1 and P2, the more that sensor arm 53 rotates, resulting in a higher PE value and ultimately resulting in a higher torque Tr1 in Fig. 6. Conversely, the torque can be adjusted lower (e.g., lower than the second torque) when the distance is equal to or greater than the threshold value (i.e., larger distance between the tip ends of sheets P1 and P2). As such, Tsukamoto can operate such that it sets the torque value to the third torque greater than the first torque and less than the second torque when the leading end position of the preceding medium (P1) is downstream from the predetermined position in the nip (nip between rollers 2 and 3) in a medium conveying direction and the distance (distance between tip ends of sheets P1 and P2) is equal or greater than the threshold value. Operating the Tsukamoto apparatus based upon the measured distance between the tip ends of the overlapped sheets, as taught by JP’906, results in the torque change by the circuitry, as claimed.
With regard to claim 4, Tsukamoto shows that the circuitry (Figs. 2 and 4) can set the torque value to the second torque value or a fourth torque value greater than the second torque value according to the positions of sheets P1 and P2. More specifically, Tsukamoto, in Figs. 2 and 5-7, shows that the more overlap (smaller distance between the tip ends of sheets P1 and P2) there is between sheets P1 and P2, the more that sensor arm 53 rotates, resulting in a higher PE value and ultimately resulting in a higher torque Tr1 in Fig. 6. As such, Tsukamoto can operate such that it sets the torque value to the second torque or the fourth torque value greater than the second torque value when the leading end position of the preceding medium (P1) is downstream from the predetermined position in the nip (nip between rollers 2 and 3) in the conveying direction and the distance (distance between tip ends of sheets P1 and P2) is less than the threshold value. Operating the Tsukamoto apparatus based upon the measured distance between the tip ends of the overlapped sheets, as taught by JP’906, results in the torque change by the circuitry, as claimed.
With regard to claim 5, Tsukamoto teaches a pressing device (including 6a-6c, 6e and 51) to press the separation roller (3) toward the feed roller (2), wherein the characteristic value is a pressing force (numbered paragraph [0086]) with which the pressing device (including 6a-6c, 6e and 51) presses the separation roller (3) toward the feed roller (2), and the circuitry (Figs. 2 and 4) can set the pressing force to a first pressing force or a second pressing force according to the positions of sheets P1 and P2. More specifically, Tsukamoto, in Figs. 2 and 5-7, shows that the more overlap (smaller distance between the tip ends of sheets P1 and P2) there is between sheets P1 and P2, the more that sensor arm 53 rotates, resulting in a higher PE value and ultimately resulting in a lower pressing force Fo. As such, Tsukamoto can operate such that it sets the first pressing force when the distance (distance between tip ends of sheets P1 and P2) is equal to or greater than a threshold value, and sets the pressing force to a second pressing force (lower force Fo) less than the first pressing force when the distance (distance between tip ends of sheets P1 and P2) is less than the threshold value. Operating the Tsukamoto apparatus based upon the measured distance between the tip ends of the overlapped sheets, as taught by JP’906, results in the first and second pressing forces by the pressing device, as claimed.
Regarding claim 11, Figs. 1-7 of Tsukamoto disclose a medium feeding method, comprising:
sequentially feeding a plurality of media (P1 and P2) placed on a media tray (including 40) by a feed roller (2);
detecting a leading end position (via SN1 and SN2) of each of a plurality of media (P1 and P2) in a nip between the feed roller (2) and a separation roller (3) located facing the feed roller (2); and
setting a characteristic value (e.g., amount of pressing force in numbered paragraph [0086] or amount of motor torque applied in numbered paragraph [0087]), for controlling separation of sheets. More specifically, Tsukamoto, in Figs. 2 and 5-7, shows that the more overlap (smaller distance between the tip ends of sheets P1 and P2) there is between sheets P1 and P2, the more that sensor arm 53 rotates, resulting in a higher PE value and ultimately resulting in a higher torque Tr1 in Fig. 6 or reduced pressing force Fo in Fig. 6. As such, Tsukamoto can operate such that it sets the characteristic (amount of pressing force or amount of torque) based on the distance (distance between the tip ends of sheets P1 and P2). Tsukamoto teaches most of the limitations of this claim including detecting the leading end position of each of the media, but Tsukamoto does not explicitly teach determining a distance between a leading end position of a preceding medium, which is one of the plurality of media in the nip, and a leading end position of a medium following the preceding medium, as claimed.
JP’906 provides a general teaching that it is common in the art to determine a distance (d in Fig. 1(a)) between a leading end position of a preceding medium (5a), which is one of a plurality (5a and 5b) of media in a nip between rollers (1a and 1b), and a leading end position of a medium (5b) following the preceding medium (5a), and then set a characteristic value (e.g., drive or not drive a roller 1a using motor torque) based on the distance (d), for controlling separation of sheets. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to determine the distance between the leading ends of the plurality of media in the Tsukamoto apparatus and then set the characteristic based upon the distance, because JP’906 teaches that it is common in the art to determine the distance between leading end positions of a plurality of media and then use this distance to set the characteristic, for controlling separation of sheets, in a similar type of medium feeding apparatus to that of Tsukamoto.
Regarding claim 12, Figs. 1-7 of Tsukamoto show a non-transitory recording medium storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors (51) of a medium feeding apparatus (Fig. 1), causes the one or more processors (51) to perform a method, the method comprising:
sequentially feeding a plurality of media (P1 and P2) placed on a media tray (including 40) by a feed roller (2);
detecting a leading end position (via SN1 and SN2) of each of a plurality of media (P1 and P2) in a nip between the feed roller (2) and a separation roller (3) located facing the feed roller (2); and
setting a characteristic value (e.g., amount of pressing force in numbered paragraph [0086] or amount of motor torque applied in numbered paragraph [0087]) of the separation roller (3), for controlling separation of sheets. More specifically, Tsukamoto, in Figs. 2 and 5-7, shows that the more overlap (smaller distance between the tip ends of sheets P1 and P2) there is between sheets P1 and P2, the more that sensor arm 53 rotates, resulting in a higher PE value and ultimately resulting in a higher torque Tr1 in Fig. 6 or reduced pressing force Fo in Fig. 6. As such, Tsukamoto can operate such that it sets the characteristic (amount of pressing force or amount of torque) of the separation roller (3) based on the distance (distance between the tip ends of sheets P1 and P2). Tsukamoto teaches most of the limitations of this claim including detecting the leading end position of each of the media, but Tsukamoto does not explicitly teach determining a distance between a leading end position of a preceding medium, which is one of the plurality of media in the nip, and a leading end position of a medium following the preceding medium, as claimed.
JP’906 provides a general teaching that it is common in the art to determine a distance (d in Fig. 1(a)) between a leading end position of a preceding medium (5a), which is one of a plurality (5a and 5b) of media in a nip between rollers (1a and 1b), and a leading end position of a medium (5b) following the preceding medium (5a), and then set a characteristic value (e.g., drive or not drive a roller 1a by motor torque) of a separation roller (1a) based on the distance (d), for controlling separation of sheets. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to determine the distance between the leading ends of the plurality of media in the Tsukamoto apparatus and then set the characteristic of the separation roller (3) based upon the distance, because JP’906 teaches that it is common in the art to determine the distance between leading end positions of a plurality of media and then use this distance to control the separating roller, for controlling separation of sheets, in a similar type of medium feeding apparatus to that of Tsukamoto.
Allowable Subject Matter
3. Claims 6-10 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
4. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THOMAS A MORRISON whose telephone number is (571)272-7221. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am - 5pm.
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/THOMAS A MORRISON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3653
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