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.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/20/2024 was considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings filed on 11/20/2024 are acceptable for examination by the examiner.
Title
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Claim Objection
Claims 5-6 and 18 is objected to because of the following informalities.
Regarding claim 5, the holding tool has an engagement portion configured to engage with the image forming apparatus movably in the axial directions of the photosensitive member, and a second restricting portion configured to restrict a position of the exposure head in leftward and rightward directions of the image forming apparatus perpendicular to the axial directions and vertical directions in a state where the holding tool is engaged with the image forming apparatus. This claim does not recite first restricting portions (claim 4 does respectively, but claim 5 depends from claim 1)
Regarding claim 6, the holding tool has an engagement portion configured to engage with the image forming apparatus movably in the axial directions of the photosensitive member, and a third restricting portion configured to restrict a position of the exposure head in vertical directions perpendicular to the axial directions in a state where the holding tool is engaged with the image forming apparatus. This claim does not recite first and second restricting portions (claims 4 and 5 does respectively, but claim 6 depends from claim 1).
Claim 18 recites “… wherein the holding tool is inserted into the image forming apparatus from outside the image forming apparatus and configured to hold the exposure head that is detached from the exposure support member in a state where the holding tool is inserted into the image forming apparatus”. This phrase of claim 18 is unclear because it applies to the holding tool is inserted into the apparatus but at the end also states that the tool is inserted into the apparatus.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
(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.
Claim(s) 1, 4-7, 18-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by FUKAO (US 2013/0071139 A1).
Regarding claim 1, FUKAO teaches a holding tool for an image forming apparatus (figure 1), the image forming apparatus including: an exposure head 16 configured to expose a photosensitive member 13, the exposure head 16 being elongated along axial directions of the photosensitive member 13; and an exposure support member 17 configured to support the exposure head 16 in a detachable manner, wherein the holding tool 17 is configured to hold the exposure head 16, and wherein the holding tool 17 is inserted into the image forming apparatus (figures 5-6) from outside the image forming apparatus and configured to hold the exposure head 16 that is detached from the exposure support member in a state where the holding tool 17 is inserted into the image forming apparatus (figures 1, 5-6, [0041-0044]; the figures show the open position. The closing process [0042] teaches a holding tool 17 being insert into the apparatus while holding the exposure head 16).
Regarding claim 4, the holding tool 17 has an engagement portion configured to engage with the image forming apparatus (figure 4) movably in the axial directions, and a first restricting portion 72 configured to restrict a position of the exposure head in the axial directions in a state where the holding tool 17 is engaged with the image forming apparatus (cover 72 has restricted the position of the exposure head 16 and the holding tool 17).
Regarding claim 5, the holding tool 17 has an engagement portion configured to engage with the image forming apparatus movably in the axial directions of the photosensitive member, and a second restricting portion configured to restrict a position of the exposure head in leftward and rightward directions of the image forming apparatus perpendicular to the axial directions and vertical directions in a state where the holding tool is engaged with the image forming apparatus (claim objection: figure 4; 11a or 11b is also a restricting portion).
Regarding claim 6, the holding tool 17 has an engagement portion configured to engage with the image forming apparatus movably in the axial directions of the photosensitive member, and a third restricting portion 11a, 11b configured to restrict a position of the exposure head 16 in vertical directions perpendicular to the axial directions in a state where the holding tool 17 is engaged with the image forming apparatus (claim objection: shown in figures 4 and 16).
Regarding claim 7, the holding tool 17 includes: a first movement restricting portion (front cover 1 as shown in figure 2) configured to restrict a movement in the axial directions in a first position where a part of the exposure head 16 is exposed outside the image forming apparatus in the axial directions; and a second movement restricting portion (back cover 1 based on figure 2) configured to restrict a movement in the axial directions in a second position where the exposure head 16 is located more inwardly in the axial directions in the image forming apparatus than in the first position (claim objection; holder tool 17 holds the exposure head along the axial direction of the photosensitive member and thus holds the exposure head along this entire length).
Regarding claim 18, FUKAO teaches an image forming apparatus (figure 1) comprising: an exposure head 16 configured to expose a photosensitive member, the exposure head 17 being of an elongated shape along axial directions of the photosensitive member 13; an exposure support member configured to support the exposure head in a detachably attachable manner; and a holding tool configured to hold the exposure head, wherein the holding tool 17 is inserted into the image forming apparatus from outside the image forming apparatus and configured to hold the exposure head 16 that is detached from the exposure support member in a state where the holding tool 17 is inserted into the image forming apparatus (figures 1, 5-6, [0041-0044]; the figures show the open position. The closing process [0042] teaches a holding tool 17 being insert into the apparatus while holding the exposure head 16).
Regarding claim 19, FUKAO teaches an image forming apparatus comprising: multiple exposure heads (shown in figure 5) configured to respectively expose multiple photosensitive members, the exposure heads each being of an elongated shape along axial directions of the photosensitive members; multiple exposure support members configured to respectively support the exposure heads 16 in a detachably attachable manner; and a holding tool 17 configured to hold each of the exposure heads 16, wherein the holding tool is inserted into the image forming apparatus (figure 1) from outside the image forming apparatus and configured to hold each of the exposure heads 16 that is detached from the exposure support member in a state where the holding tool is inserted into the image forming apparatus (figures 1, 5-6, [0041-0044]; the figures show the open position. The closing process [0042] teaches a holding tool 17 being insert into the apparatus while holding the exposure head 16).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-3 and 8-17 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.
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. TAKAHASHI (US 2011/0292151 S1) teaches a support structure for an optical element. Takahashi teaches regarding claim 1 (applicable to claims 1, 4-7, 18-19) a holding tool for an image forming apparatus (figure 1), the image forming apparatus including: an exposure head 200 configured to expose a photosensitive member 410, the exposure head 200 being elongated along axial directions of the photosensitive member 410; and an exposure support member configured to support the exposure head 200 in a detachable manner, wherein the holding tool is configured to hold the exposure head, and wherein the holding tool 660 is inserted into the image forming apparatus from outside the image forming apparatus and configured to hold the exposure head 200 that is detached from the exposure support member in a state where the holding tool 200 is inserted into the image forming apparatus (figures 2-3, 5, 8-11; a vibration structure is added to optical cartridge, while outside the image forming apparatus and then the cartridge with the vibration structure is inserted back into the image forming apparatus).
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to QUANA GRAINGER whose telephone number is (571)272-2135. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday, 9-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Walter 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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/QUANA GRAINGER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
QG