DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 4 recites “wherein in a case where the stopping processing is executed based on the first sensor and the second sensor in a state where the different-width mixed stacking mode is set…” however claim 2, from which claim 4 depends from, recites “the controller does not execute the stopping processing based on the first sensor and the second sensor in the different-width mixed stacking mode” which contradicts the limitation recited in claim 4.
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.
Claims 1, 2, and 6-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tachibana (US Pub. 2021/0112171).
Regarding claims 1 and 7, Tachibana discloses a sheet conveyance apparatus comprising:
a stacking tray (202) on which a sheet is stacked;
a conveyance roller (e.g., 243, 244) configured to convey the sheet stacked on the stacking tray;
a first sensor (e.g., 153 or 154) configured to detect the sheet conveyed by the conveyance roller; (Figs. 5-7)
a second sensor (e.g., 154, or 153) configured to detect the sheet conveyed by the conveyance roller, the second sensor and the first sensor being located side by side in a width direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of the sheet; (Figs. 5-7)
a controller (Fig. 1) configured to execute stopping processing to stop conveyance of the sheet by the conveyance roller in a case where one of the first sensor and the second sensor does not detect the sheet before a predetermined time period elapses since the sheet is detected by the other of the first sensor and the second sensor; (i.e., detects skew; see Fig. 6; [0041], [0058], [0061] and stops conveyance; [0071]) and
a display portion (401) configured to display a predetermined screen (Fig. 8D; 810) configured to set a different-width mixed stacking mode ([0080]-[0084]), which is a mode to be used when a plurality of sheets with different widths is stacked on the stacking tray, in a case where the stopping processing is executed based on the first sensor and the second sensor. (see [0064], [0066], [0078], Figs. 12-13; [0108], [0112], [0118], [0125])
Regarding claim 2, Tachibana discloses wherein the controller does not execute the stopping processing based on the first sensor and the second sensor in the different-width mixed stacking mode. (e.g., [0109]; Fig. 12; S1201-S1203)
Regarding claim 6, Tachibana discloses a pair of regulation members (231, 232) configured to be movable in the width direction on the stacking tray, ( [0045]) the pair of regulation members being in contact with both edges in the width direction of the sheet stacked on the stacking tray, (Figs. 5-6) wherein, in the different-width mixed stacking mode, a sheet with a smaller width in a plurality of sheets with different widths stacked on the stacking tray is stacked on the stacking tray in a state where the sheet contacts one of the pair of regulation members, the one of the pair of regulation members being located on a back side. (Fig. 7; [0063])
Regarding claim 8, Tachibana discloses a sheet conveyance apparatus comprising:
a stacking tray (202) on which a sheet is stacked;
a conveyance roller (e.g., 243, 244) configured to convey the sheet stacked on the stacking tray;
a first sensor (e.g., 153 or 154) configured to detect the sheet conveyed by the conveyance roller; (Figs. 5-7)
a second sensor (e.g., 154, or 153) configured to detect the sheet conveyed by the conveyance roller, the second sensor and the first sensor being located side by side in a width direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of the sheet; (Figs. 5-7)
a controller (Fig. 1) configured to determine whether the sheets conveyed by the conveyance roller are bound with a staple based on the first sensor and the second sensor; (i.e., causing a skew; Fig. 6; [0059], [0061], [0064], [0065]) and
a display portion (401) configured to display a predetermined screen (Fig. 8D; 810) configured to set a different-width mixed stacking mode ([0080]-[0084]) configured to set a different-width mixed stacking mode, which is mode to be used when a plurality of sheets with different widths is stacked on the stacking tray, in a case where the controller determines that the sheets conveyed by the conveyance roller are bound with a staple (i.e., skewed). (see [0064], [0066], [0078], Figs. 12-13; [0108], [0112], [0118], [0125])
Regarding claim 9, Tachibana discloses an image reading apparatus comprising: a sheet conveyance apparatus according to claim 1; (see rejection of claim 1) and a reading sensor (e.g., 144; [0051]) configured to read an image on a sheet conveyed by the conveyance roller from the stacking tray. (Fig. 4)
Regarding claim 10, Tachibana discloses an image forming apparatus comprising: an image reading apparatus according to claim 9; (see rejection of claim 9) and an image forming unit (120) configured to form an image on a recording medium based on image information of a sheet read by the reading sensor. (Fig. 4; [0034])
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claims 3 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tachibana.
Regarding claim 3, Tachibana discloses the sheet conveyance apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined screen (810; Fig. 8D) includes a second setting button (814; [0082]) for disabling the stopping processing based on the first sensor and the second sensor without setting the different-width mixed stacking mode but does not explicitly disclose the predetermined screen includes a first setting button for setting the different-width mixed stacking mode. However, the predetermined screen does display an instruction to “set the mixed document size mode (i.e., different-width mixed stacking mode) if documents include different sizes”. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize the benefit of adding a setting button adjacent to that instruction in order to provide a shortcut to fast track the mode selection and save the user time by not having to navigate through different menus to locate the mixed document size mode.
In view of this, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effectively filing date of the claimed invention to provide Tachibana’s predetermined screen with a first setting button for setting the different-width mixed stacking mode for the purpose of providing a shortcut key to fast track the selection of the different-width mixed stacking mode and to save the user time by not having to navigate through different menus to change the mode.
Regarding claim 4, Tachibana discloses wherein in a case where the stopping processing is executed based on the first sensor and the second sensor in a state where the different-width mixed stacking mode is set, the display portion (401) does not display the second setting button (Fig. 9C; 906; [0084]).
Claim 5 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tachibana in view of Nakayoshi et al. (US Pat. 10,518, 995) hereinafter Nakayoshi.
Tachibana discloses the claimed invention but does not explicitly recite wherein the controller controls the conveyance roller in such a manner that an interval between sheets in the different-width mixed stacking mode is larger than the interval in a case where the different-width mixed stacking mode is not set.
Nakayoshi teaches a controller that controls a conveyance roller (Fig. 1; e.g., 1-3) in an image scanning apparatus in such a manner that an interval between sheets in the different-width mixed stacking mode is larger than the interval in a case where the different-width mixed stacking mode is not set for the purpose of preventing, even if a document sheet is skewed, the trailing edge of the currently scanned document sheet and the leading edge of the document sheet to be scanned next from overlapping each other in the scanning portion. (Fig. 4A; S102, S107, S108; C9/L31-50)
In view of Nakayoshi’s teaching, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effectively filing date of the claimed invention to modify Tachibana’s controller to control the conveyance roller such that an interval between sheets in the different-width mixed stacking mode is larger than the interval in a case where the different-width mixed stacking mode is not set for the purpose of preventing, even if a document sheet is skewed, the trailing edge of the currently scanned document sheet and the leading edge of the document sheet to be scanned next from overlapping each other in the scanning portion.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Ernesto Suarez whose telephone number is (571)270-5565. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9-5:30.
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.
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.
/ERNESTO A SUAREZ/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3655
Prosecution Insights