CTNF 18/937,062 CTNF 81435 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 05 November 2024, 08 April 2025, and 26 February 2026 have been considered by the examiner. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-12-aia AIA (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. 07-15 AIA Claim s 1-2, 4-5, and 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1)/(a)(2 ) as being anticipated by Urasaki (JP 2009-051081.) Regarding claim 1, Urasaki discloses a liquid discharge head [as seen in fig. 3], comprising: a nozzle member [4 in fig. 3(b)] including: a plurality of nozzles [5 in fig. 3(b)] to discharge liquid [paragraphs 0018-0019; and a blow-out hole [8 in fig. 3(b)] to blow out gas [paragraph 0018], wherein the blow-out hole is closer to an end in a longitudinal direction of the nozzle member than a nozzle closest to the end in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle member among the plurality of nozzles is [as seen in fig. 3(b).] Regarding claim 2, Urasaki further discloses wherein the blow-out hole is equal in diameter to each one of the plurality of nozzles [see the embodiment in fig. 6(b), with nozzle 25 and airflow hole 28.] Regarding claim 4, Urasaki further discloses wherein the nozzle member further includes another blow-out hole to blow out gas [as seen in fig. 6(b)], and said another blow-out hole is closer to another end in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle member than a nozzle closest to said another end in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle member among the plurality of nozzles is [as seen in fig. 6(b).] Regarding claim 5, Urasaki further discloses the liquid discharge head further comprising a channel member [23 in fig. 6(b)] including a liquid channel [26 in fig. 6(b)] in communication with the plurality of nozzles [as seen in fig. 6(b); paragraph 0030], wherein the channel member includes a gas path in communication with the blow-out hole [as seen in fig. 6(b).] Regarding claim 7, Urasaki further discloses a head module, comprising a plurality of liquid discharge heads [as seem om fig. 5], each one of which is the liquid discharge head according to claim 1 [see Rejection above.] Regarding claim 8, Urasaki further discloses a liquid discharge apparatus [as seen in fig. 15], comprising the liquid discharge head according to claim 1 [see Rejection above.] 07-15 AIA Claim s 1 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1)/(a)(2 ) as being anticipated by Horikawa (JP 2010-179195.) Regarding claim 1, Horikawa discloses a liquid discharge head [as seen in fig. 1], comprising: a nozzle member [1 in figs. 1-2] including: a plurality of nozzles [2 in figs. 1-2] to discharge liquid [paragraph 0040]; and a blow-out hole [3 in figs. 1-2] to blow out gas [paragraph 0044], wherein the blow-out hole is closer to an end in a longitudinal direction of the nozzle member than a nozzle closest to the end in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle member among the plurality of nozzles is [as seen in figs. 1-2.] Regarding claim 3, Horikawa further discloses wherein the blow-out hole is smaller in diameter than each one of the plurality of nozzles [paragraph 0051; the minimum dimension of the gas outlet 3 is 10µm, which is lower than the minimum dimension of the liquid discharge port 2, which is 20µm.] 07-15 AIA Claim s 1 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1)/(a)(2 ) as being anticipated by Ozaki et al. (US Patent 9,289,988 – hereinafter Ozaki.) Regarding claim 1, Ozaki discloses a liquid discharge head [501 in fig. 5], comprising: a nozzle member [502 in fig. 5] including: a plurality of nozzles [504 in fig. 5] to discharge liquid [col. 4, line 58 – col. 5, line 8]; and a blow-out hole [505 in fig. 5] to blow out gas [col. 4, line 58 – col. 5, line 8], wherein the blow-out hole is closer to an end in a longitudinal direction of the nozzle member than a nozzle closest to the end in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle member among the plurality of nozzles is [as seen in fig. 5.] Regarding claim 6, Ozaki further discloses the liquid discharge head further comprising a plurality of blow-out holes, including the blow-out hole, disposed side by side in the longitudinal direction [as seen in fig. 5], wherein the plurality of blow-out holes are disposed closer to the end in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle member than the nozzle closest to the end in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle member among the plurality of nozzles is [as seen in fig. 5.] Communication with the USPTO Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JANNELLE M LEBRON whose telephone number is (571)272-2729. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday: 9:00am - 5:00pm. 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, Douglas X Rodriguez can be reached at (571) 431-0716. 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. /JANNELLE M LEBRON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/937,062 Page 2 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/937,062 Page 3 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/937,062 Page 4 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/937,062 Page 5 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/937,062 Page 6 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/937,062 Page 7 Art Unit: 2853
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