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
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 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 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)(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.
Claims 1-13 and 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tomono US 2014/0348522 (Tomono).
Regarding claim 1, Tomono teaches a process cartridge, detachably installed on an image-forming apparatus, comprising:
a main body (cartridge 10), configured to store a developer (¶031-¶0038); and
a working element (thermistor 400), disposed on the main body (10) and configured to detect or obtain a first parameter related to the process cartridge (¶0053-¶0055), wherein:
when the first parameter or a second parameter obtained based on the first parameter does not meet expectation, the image-forming apparatus controls the process cartridge to stop conveying the developer (via stopping the image forming process, ¶0045).
Regarding claim 2, Tomono teaches the process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein: the working element (400) is configured at an outer side or an inner side of the main body (FIG. 6, ¶0061).
Regarding claim 3, Tomono teaches the process cartridge according to claim 2, wherein: when the working element (400) is configured at the outer side of the main body, an installation cavity (see section of connector board, 300 FIG. 4-6) is configured at the outer side of the main body, and the working element is at least partially in the installation cavity.
Regarding claim 4, Tomono teaches the process cartridge according to claim 3, wherein: the main body (10) includes a cartridge body (10S) and an end cover (300);
the cartridge body (10S) is configured to store the developer;
the end cover is installed at an end portion of the cartridge body (FIG. 5);
the end cover and the cartridge body enclose the installation cavity (FIG. 5); and
the working element (400) is at least partially installed in the installation cavity (FIG. 5-6).
Regarding claim 5, Tomono teaches the process cartridge according to claim 4, wherein:
the cartridge body includes a base and an upper cover (see FIG. 5);
the upper cover and the base are connected to form an accommodating cavity configured to accommodate the developer (FIG. 5);
the end cover is installed at an end portion of the base; and
the end cover (300), the upper cover and the base enclose the installation cavity (FIG. 5).
Regarding claim 6, Tomono teaches the process cartridge according to claim 5, wherein: the end cover (300) is configured to be an inverted L shape;
a lower portion of the end cover is connected to the end portion of the base, and an upper portion of the end cover is configured to be spaced apart from the base (FIG. 4-6); and
the upper portion of the end cover, the base and the upper cover enclose the installation cavity (FIG. 4-6).
Regarding claim 7, Tomono teaches the process cartridge according to claim 1, further including:
an information processing apparatus (110), configured at the main body, wherein the information processing apparatus is configured to communicate with the image-forming apparatus (¶0053);
the information processing apparatus (110) includes a communication module (300c) configured to communicate with the image-forming apparatus; and
the communication module (300c) and the working element are configured to be electrically connected to a same contact or different contacts of the image-forming apparatus (¶0053).
Regarding claim 8, Tomono teaches the process cartridge according to claim 7, wherein:
when the communication module (300c) and the working element (400) are configured to be electrically connected to the same contact of the image-forming apparatus, the communication module includes a data terminal (300p); and
the working element (400) is electrically connected to the information processing apparatus (300);
when the process cartridge (10) is installed at a preset position on the image-forming apparatus (FIG. 3), the working element (400) is electrically connected to the image-forming apparatus through the data terminal of the information processing apparatus (¶0053);
a side surface (310) of the second end of the second conductive part away from the data terminal of the information processing apparatus is a conductive surface (300e);
a side surface (310) of the second end of the second conductive part adjacent to the data terminal of the information processing apparatus is an insulating surface (between contacts of 300e);
the conductive surface (351) is insulated from the data terminal of the information processing apparatus; and when the process cartridge is installed at a preset position on the image-forming apparatus, the second end of the second conductive part and the data terminal of the information processing apparatus are electrically connected to a same contact of the image-forming apparatus (FIG. 5).
Regarding claim 9, Tomono teaches the process cartridge according to claim 8, wherein when the working element is electrically connected to the information processing apparatus:
the information processing apparatus (110) is configured with an input portion electrically connected to the data terminal, and the working element is electrically connected to the input portion (¶0053); and
the working element (400) is electrically connected to the image-forming apparatus through the data terminal (¶0053); or
the working element (400) is configured to be electrically connected to the image-forming apparatus through a third conductive part (see connector for wires 300c attaching to 300 of FIG. 6); and
a first end of the third conductive part is electrically connected to the working element, and a second end of the third conductive part is electrically connected to the data terminal (FIG. 6).
Regarding claim 10, Tomono teaches the process cartridge according to claim 7, wherein: the working element (400) is detachably and electrically connected to the information processing apparatus.
Regarding claim 11, Tomono teaches the process cartridge according to claim 10, wherein: the process cartridge further includes a socket (FIG. 6);
the socket is configured at the main body and electrically connected to the information processing apparatus (FIG. 6); and
the working element includes a plug detachably plugged into the socket (FIG. 6).
Regarding claim 12, Tomono teaches the process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein:
the working element (400) is a working environment sensor configured to detect the first parameter of the process cartridge and enable the image-forming apparatus to obtain the first parameter (¶0063).
Regarding claim 13, Tomono teaches the process cartridge according to claim 12, wherein:
when the working element is the adjustable resistor (a thermistor), the adjustable resistor includes a switching element and at least two branch circuits (¶0053-¶0055); and
the switching element is configured to receive a command signal and switch to turn on or off different branch circuits to form the adjustable resistor with different resistance values, wherein the adjustable resistor is configured to be electrically connected to the image-forming apparatus (¶0053-¶0055).
Regarding claim 15, Tomono teaches the process cartridge according to claim 12, wherein:
when the working element is the working environment sensor, the working environment sensor includes a temperature sensor (¶0053).
Regarding claim 16, Tomono teaches the process cartridge according to claim 7, wherein:
the main body includes an image-forming assembly (10) and a developing assembly (14);
the image-forming assembly includes a photosensitive drum (11);
the developing assembly (14) includes a developing roller (¶0031); and
one of the information processing apparatus (10) and the working environment sensor (400) is configured on the image-forming assembly, and another one of the information processing apparatus and the working environment sensor (400) is configured on the developing assembly (FIG. 1-2).
Regarding claim 17, Tomono teaches a detection method, comprising:
obtaining a first parameter (via 400) corresponding to a process cartridge;
determining whether the first parameter or a second parameter obtained based on the first parameter meets expectation (¶0053-¶0055); and
when the first parameter or the second parameter obtained based on the first parameter does not meet expectation, controlling the process cartridge to stop conveying a developer (¶0045).
Regarding claim 18, Tomono teaches the method according to claim 17, wherein determining whether the first parameter or the second parameter obtained based on the first parameter meets expectation further includes:
comparing the first parameter with a first preset parameter range (¶0064-0071); and
if the first parameter is not within the first preset parameter range, determining the first parameter does not meet expectation (¶0064-0071); and
comparing the second parameter with a second preset parameter range (¶0064-0071); and
if the second parameter is not within the second preset parameter range, determining the second parameter does not meet expectation (¶0064-0071).
Regarding claim 19, Tomono teaches the method according to claim 17, further including: when a difference between an internal environment parameter measured by an internal environment sensor in the image-forming apparatus and the first parameter or the second parameter is not within a preset value range, stopping determining whether the first parameter or the second parameter meets expectation (¶0064-0071).
Regarding claim 20, Tomono teaches the method according to claim 17, further including:
when an internal environment parameter measured by an internal environment sensor in the image-forming apparatus in multiple detections gradually increases, if the first parameter or the second parameter measured sequentially in a same time period does not increase accordingly, stopping determining whether the first parameter or the second parameter meets expectation (¶0064-0071).
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.
Claim(s) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tomono US 2014/0348522 (Tomono) and List et al. US 2019/0175828 A1 (List).
Regarding claim 14, Tomono teaches the process cartridge according to claim 13. Tomono differs from the instant claimed invention by not explicitly disclosing: the at least two branch circuits are arranged in parallel; resistance values of different branch circuits are different; the switching element includes at least two controlled switches; a controlled switch is configured on a branch circuit; and based on different command signals corresponding to different temperatures, different controlled switches are turned on to make one branch circuit to be in conduction and other branch circuits to be in disconnection. However this is known.
List teaches the known variant to thermistors is the at least two branch circuits are arranged in parallel; resistance values of different branch circuits are different; the switching element includes at least two controlled switches; a controlled switch is configured on a branch circuit; and based on different command signals corresponding to different temperatures, different controlled switches are turned on to make one branch circuit to be in conduction and other branch circuits to be in disconnection (¶0150).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the thermistor taught by Tomono in the variant style taught by List, since List teaches this is a known alternative that could be implemented and yield the predictable result of temperature difference being measured.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JESSICA L ELEY whose telephone number is (571)272-9793. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM CST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Walter Jr. Lindsay can be reached on (571)272-1674. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JESSICA L ELEY/
Examiner, Art Unit 2852