Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/951,873

LIQUID EJECTING HEAD AND LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Nov 19, 2024
Priority
Feb 04, 2022 — JP 2022-016087 +3 more
Examiner
UHLENHAKE, JASON S
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Seiko Epson Corporation
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
87%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
6m
Est. Remaining
85%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 87% — above average
87%
Career Allowance Rate
1032 granted / 1184 resolved
+27.2% vs TC avg
Minimal -2% lift
Without
With
+-2.1%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Fast prosecutor
2y 2m
Avg Prosecution
28 currently pending
Career history
1213
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.3%
-39.7% vs TC avg
§103
80.6%
+40.6% vs TC avg
§102
15.3%
-24.7% vs TC avg
§112
0.8%
-39.2% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1184 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
CTNF 18/951,873 CTNF 81623 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. 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. 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 1-4, 7-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Tamai et al (U.S. Pub. 2022/0234354) Regarding claim 1, a liquid ejecting head comprising a nozzle plate (51) on which a nozzle configured to eject a liquid is formed (Figure 3; Paragraph 0041) First and second pressure chambers arranged side by side in a first direction (Figures 2, 4; C_1, C_2; Paragraphs 0035, 0057-0058) Third and fourth pressure chambers arranged side by side in the first direction (Figures 2, 4; C_3, C_4; Paragraph 0035, 0057-0058) A communication flow path (NF_1) extending along the nozzle plate, coupled to the nozzle, and communicating with the first to fourth pressure chambers (Figure 4; Paragraph 0057) A first common liquid chamber (R1) communicating with the first and second pressure chambers (Figure 4; Paragraph 0056) A second common liquid chamber (R2) communicating with the third and fourth pressure chambers (Figure 4; Paragraph 0056) The first and second pressure chambers and the third and fourth pressure chambers are shifted in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction (Figure 4) A length of a part of the communication flow path in the second direction between the first pressure chamber and the third pressure chamber is equal to or less than a length of the firs pressure chamber in the second direction (Figure 4 discloses the communication flow path NF_1 has a length less than the first pressure chamber in the second direction) Regarding claim 2, the length of the part of the communication flow path in the second direction between the first pressure chamber and the third pressure chamber is less than the length of the first pressure chamber in the second direction (Figure 4) Regarding claim 3, the length of a part of the communication flow path in the second direction between the first pressure chamber and the third pressure chamber is equal to or less than a width of the communication flow path in the first direction at a potion overlapping the nozzle in plan view seen toward the nozzle plate (Figure 4; refer to figure below) Regarding claim 4, the length of a part of the communication flow path in the second direction between the first pressure chamber and the third pressure chamber is less than a width of the communication flow path in the first direction at a potion overlapping the nozzle in plan view seen toward the nozzle plate (Figure 4; refer to figure below) PNG media_image1.png 528 768 media_image1.png Greyscale Regarding claim 7, a total length in the second direction of the communication flow path is equal to or less than the length of the first pressure chamber in the second direction (Figure 4) Regarding claim 8, the total length in the second direction of the communication flow path is less than the length of the first pressure chamber in the second direction (Figure 4) Regarding claim 9, the first common liquid chamber is a flow path for supplying a liquid to the first and second pressure chambers; and the second common liquid chamber is a flow path for collecting a liquid from the third and fourth pressure chambers (Figure 4; Paragraph 0056) Regarding claim 10, a first flow path that is communication the first pressure chamber with the communication flow path and that extends in a third direction, the third direction being a thickness direction of the nozzle plate A second flow path that is communicating the second pressure chamber with the communication flow path and that extends in the third direction A third flow path that is communicating the third pressure chamber with the communication flow path and that extends int eh third direction A fourth flow path that is communicating the fourth pressure chamber with the communication flow path and that extends in the third direction (Figures 4, 6; as shown in Figure 6, the communication channel Ra1 disclosed flow paths for each of the pressure chambers; Paragraphs 0090-0091) Regarding claim 11, a liquid ejecting head comprising a nozzle plate (51) on which a nozzle configured to eject a liquid is formed (Figure 3; Paragraph 0041) First and second pressure chambers arranged side by side in a first direction (Figures 2, 4; C_1, C_2; Paragraphs 0035, 0057-0058) Third and fourth pressure chambers arranged side by side in the first direction (Figures 2, 4; C_3, C_4; Paragraph 0035, 0057-0058) A communication flow path (NF_1) extending along the nozzle plate, coupled to the nozzle, and communicating with the first to fourth pressure chambers (Figure 4; Paragraph 0057) A first common liquid chamber (R1) communicating with the first and second pressure chambers (Figure 4; Paragraph 0056) A second common liquid chamber (R2) communicating with the third and fourth pressure chambers (Figure 4; Paragraph 0056) The first and second pressure chambers and the third and fourth pressure chambers are shifted in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction (Figure 4) A length of a part of the communication flow path in the second direction between the first pressure chamber and the third pressure chamber is equal to or less than a width of the communication flow path in the first direction at a potion overlapping the nozzle in plan view seen toward the nozzle plate (Figure 4) Only a part of a length of the communication flow path in the second direction needs to be equal to or less than a width of the communication flow path in the first direction, which will meet the claim limitation. Refer to figure below. PNG media_image1.png 528 768 media_image1.png Greyscale Regarding claim 12, the length of the part of the communication flow path in the second direction between the first pressure chamber and the third pressure chamber is less than the width of the communication flow path I the first direction at the position overlapping the nozzle in plan view seen toward the nozzle plate (Figure 4) Regarding claims 13, 15, a total length in the second direction of the communication flow path is equal to or less than a length of the first pressure chamber in the second direction (Figure 4) Regarding claim 14, a liquid ejecting head comprising a nozzle plate (51) on which a nozzle configured to eject a liquid is formed (Figure 3; Paragraph 0041) First and second pressure chambers arranged side by side in a first direction (Figures 2, 4; C_1, C_2; Paragraphs 0035, 0057-0058) Third and fourth pressure chambers arranged side by side in the first direction (Figures 2, 4; C_3, C_4; Paragraph 0035, 0057-0058) A communication flow path (NF_1) extending along the nozzle plate, coupled to the nozzle, and communicating with the first to fourth pressure chambers (Figure 4; Paragraph 0057) A first common liquid chamber (R1) communicating with the first and second pressure chambers (Figure 4; Paragraph 0056) A second common liquid chamber (R2) communicating with the third and fourth pressure chambers (Figure 4; Paragraph 0056) The first and second pressure chambers and the third and fourth pressure chambers are shifted in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction (Figure 4) A total length in the second direction of the communication flow path is equal to or less than a length of the first pressure chamber in the second direction (Figure 4) Regarding claims 16-18, a liquid storage section for storing a liquid supplied to the liquid ejecting head (Paragraph 0040) Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim s 5-6 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 Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JASON S UHLENHAKE whose telephone number is (571)272-5916. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm. 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. /JASON S UHLENHAKE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853 June 16, 2026 Application/Control Number: 18/951,873 Page 2 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/951,873 Page 3 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/951,873 Page 4 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/951,873 Page 5 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/951,873 Page 6 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/951,873 Page 7 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/951,873 Page 8 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/951,873 Page 9 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/951,873 Page 10 Art Unit: 2853
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Prosecution Timeline

Nov 19, 2024
Application Filed
Jun 18, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102 (current)

Precedent Cases

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
87%
Grant Probability
85%
With Interview (-2.1%)
2y 2m (~6m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1184 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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