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 .
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed 06/26/2026 has been entered. Claims 1, 12 and 14-15 have been amended. No claims have been canceled or newly submitted. Accordingly, claims 1-15 remain pending and are the claims addressed and examined below.
Applicant’s amendments to claim 1, claim 12, and claims 14-15 have overcome the 35 USC 112(b) rejections previously set forth in the Office action mailed 03/31/2026.
The non-final action mailed on 03/31/2026 will be vacated with the instant non-final office action replacing the previously mailed non-final action in view of Applicant’s persuasive arguments against previously applied reference(s).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's remarks regarding amended claims 1, 12 and 14-15 have overcome the rejections under 35 USC 103 as being unpatentable over Namba et al. (US 2022/0111655) in view of Nishikawa (US 2020/0101717) previously set forth in the Office action mailed 03/31/2026. Therefore, the rejections under 35 USC § 103 have been withdrawn.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-3, 8-9 and 11-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Namba et al. (US 2022/0111655; of record) in view of Laubersheimer et al. (US 2016/0059495).
As to claim 1: Namba discloses the claimed liquid ejecting apparatus (i.e., liquid discharge apparatus 10) (Namba at [0041], FIG. 2) comprising: an accommodation unit configured to accommodate an ejection liquid (i.e., liquid container 12 containing the liquid) (Namba at [0041], [0042], FIG. 2); an ejection unit including a plurality of nozzles ejecting the ejection liquid (i.e., liquid discharge portion 11 including a common liquid chamber 56 and a module board 57, the common liquid chamber 56 is a liwuid chamber for supplying the discharge material 114 to a plurality of nozzles provided in the module board; and each of the plurality of nozzles includes a supply port 21) (Namba at [0041], [0050], [0051], [0052], FIG. 2); and a circulation unit configured to circulate the ejection liquid of an individual flow passage in the nozzle (i.e., circulation unit 40) (Namba at [0041], [0045], FIG. 2, FIG. 3).
Namba discloses utilizing a piezoelectric element 18, or energy generating elements 18, provided in each nozzle 54 (Namba at [0052], [0053]); and a detection unit 90 for detecting information as to whether the discharge port 19 is covered with the liquid, where the piezoelectric element is deformed by application of a voltage and this deformation causes a change in pressure of the discharge material 114 in the nozzle 54, which allows the discharge material 114 to be discharged – when the energy generating element 18 is forcibly vibrated for discharge, a residual vibration is generated, and a counter electromotive force is generated due to the piezoelectric effect and the detection unit 90 detects the counter electromotive force generated by this residual vibration, and since the counter electromotive force is generated for each energy generating element 18, in other words, for each nozzle 54, the detection unit 90 detects the counter electromotive force for each nozzle 54 and determining, based on the detection result of the detection unit 90, whether the discharge port 19 is covered with the liquid (i.e., at least one processor or circuit configured to function as a control unit configured to remove foreign matters with which an ejection port of the nozzle has become clogged by applying a foreign-matter drawing waveform to a piezoelectric element included in the nozzle) (Namba at [0059], [0060], [0061], [0062]).
Though, Namba fails to explicitly disclose the claimed control unit configured to draw in and remove foreign matters with which an ejection port of the nozzle has become clogged inside, and then cause the circulation unit to circulate the ejection liquid of the individual flow passage in the nozzle and discharge the foreign matters from the individual flow passage.
However, Laubersheimer teaches a piezo printhead 2 having ink feed systems 4 which lead to a collecting line 5, and a plurality of nozzles 6 are (of which only one is provided with reference numbers) are connected to the collecting line 5, such that a piezo element 8 is allotted to each nozzle 6 and when the piezo element 8 acts mechanically on the nozzle 6 liquid is discharged from the nozzle 6; each piezo element 8 is actuated individually by a control unit and is supplied with control pulses by the control unit in order to carry out the discharge of drops, individually controlled, for each nozzle 6 (Laubersheimer at [0032], [0033], Fig. 2).
Moreover, Laubersheimer teaches that the nozzles of the piezo printheads are cleaned when it has been established that a nozzle is partially or completely blocked, which Fig. 7 illustrates as deposits having formed in the base area of the collecting line and in the area of the nozzle, and because of these deposits the nozzle 6 is partially blocked and its functioning is therefore disrupted (Laubersheimer at [0039], [0040], Fig. 7); where the nozzle cleaning is carried out by the control unit causing the piezo element 8 to vibrate using high-frequency control pulses and alternating pressurization of the ink chamber with negative and positive pressure, with the result that a pulsating, oscillating flow through the nozzle is generated, by which the released deposits are to be washed away, and the negative pressure being applied, sucks ink upwards out of the nozzle and air bubbles through the nozzle into the collecting line and the ink feed system, and through the subsequent supply to the ink of positive pressure ink is pressed outwards through the nozzle 6 in a jet of liquid, whereby released parts of the deposits are washed away (i.e., control unit configured to draw in and remove foreign matters with which an ejection port of the nozzle has become clogged inside, and then cause the circulation unit to circulate the ejection liquid of the individual flow passage in the nozzle and discharge the foreign matters from the individual flow passage) (Laubersheimer at [0041], [0042], [0043], Fig. 8, Fig. 9, Fig. 10).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the control unit configured to drawn in and remove foreign matter with which an ejection port of the nozzle has become clogged inside and then cause the discharge of the foreign matters from the nozzle as such is known in the art of liquid ejection devices given the discussion of Laubersheimer above presenting a reasonable expectation of success; and doing so is the use of a known technique to improve similar devices in the same way, with the added benefit of ensuring the efficient functioning of the piezo printhead over the course of a printing process for the construction of a shaped body, without unchecked breakdowns of parts of the piezo printhead occurring because of blockages (as recognized by Laubersheimer at [0015]).
As to claim 2: Namba and Laubersheimer disclose the liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 1. Namba further discloses the claimed wherein the at least one processor or circuit is further configured to function as a nozzle clogging detection unit configured to detect clogging of foreign matters in the nozzle, and wherein the control unit applies the foreign-matter drawing waveform to the nozzle for which the nozzle clogging detection unit detects the clogging of the foreign matters (Namba at [0059]-[0064], FIG. 5).
As to claim 3: Namba and Laubersheimer disclose the liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 2. Namba further reads on the claimed wherein the nozzle clogging detection unit detects the clogging of the foreign matters in the nozzle by measuring residual vibration in the individual flow passage by a counter electromotive force of the piezoelectric element (Namba at [0059]-[0064], FIG. 5).
As to claim 8: Namba and Laubersheimer disclose the liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 1. Namba, modified by Laubersheimer further reads on the claimed wherein the foreign matters in the nozzle are removed, and then bubbles in the accommodation unit are removed (Namba at [0059]-[0064], [0067]).
As to claim 9: Namba and Laubersheimer disclose the liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 9. Namba further reads on the claimed wherein the bubbles in the accommodation unit are removed via a separation membrane contacting with the ejection liquid (Namba at [0042], FIG. 2).
As to claim 11: Namba and Laubersheimer disclose the liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 1. Namba further discloses the claimed wherein the control unit determines whether the clogging of the nozzle is eliminated after the foreign matters clogged inside the ejection port of the nozzle is drawn and removed (Namba at [0059]-[0064], [0066]-[0080], FIG. 5, FIG. 6), for similar motivation discussed in the rejection of claim 1.
As to claim 12: Namba discloses the claimed forming apparatus (i.e., imprint apparatus 101) (Namba at [0025], FIG. 1) comprising: an accommodation unit configured to accommodate an ejection liquid (i.e., liquid container 12 containing the liquid) (Namba at [0041], [0042], FIG. 2); an ejection unit including a plurality of nozzles ejecting the ejection liquid (i.e., liquid discharge portion 11 including a common liquid chamber 56 and a module board 57, the common liquid chamber 56 is a liwuid chamber for supplying the discharge material 114 to a plurality of nozzles provided in the module board; and each of the plurality of nozzles includes a supply port 21) (Namba at [0023]-[0024], [0041], [0050], [0051], [0052], FIG. 2); a circulation unit configured to circulate the ejection liquid of an individual flow passage in the nozzle (i.e., circulation unit 40) (Namba at [0041], [0045], FIG. 2, FIG. 3); and a forming control unit (i.e., control unit 106) configured to perform a process of bringing a mold into contact with the ejection liquid on a substrate and forming the ejection liquid after the ejection unit ejects the ejection liquid to the substrate (Namba at [0024], [0036], [0037], FIG. 1).
Namba discloses utilizing a piezoelectric element 18, or energy generating elements 18, provided in each nozzle 54 (Namba at [0052], [0053]); and a detection unit 90 for detecting information as to whether the discharge port 19 is covered with the liquid, where the piezoelectric element is deformed by application of a voltage and this deformation causes a change in pressure of the discharge material 114 in the nozzle 54, which allows the discharge material 114 to be discharged – when the energy generating element 18 is forcibly vibrated for discharge, a residual vibration is generated, and a counter electromotive force is generated due to the piezoelectric effect and the detection unit 90 detects the counter electromotive force generated by this residual vibration, and since the counter electromotive force is generated for each energy generating element 18, in other words, for each nozzle 54, the detection unit 90 detects the counter electromotive force for each nozzle 54 and determining, based on the detection result of the detection unit 90, whether the discharge port 19 is covered with the liquid (i.e., at least one processor or circuit configured to function as a control unit that removes foreign matters with which an ejection port of the nozzle has become clogged by applying a foreign-matter drawing waveform to a piezoelectric element included in the nozzle) (Namba at [0059], [0060], [0061], [0062]).
Though, Namba fails to explicitly disclose the claimed control unit that draws in and remove foreign matters with which an ejection port of the nozzle has become clogged inside, and then cause the circulation unit to circulate the ejection liquid of the individual flow passage in the nozzle and discharge the foreign matters from the individual flow passage.
However, Laubersheimer teaches a piezo printhead 2 having ink feed systems 4 which lead to a collecting line 5, and a plurality of nozzles 6 are (of which only one is provided with reference numbers) are connected to the collecting line 5, such that a piezo element 8 is allotted to each nozzle 6 and when the piezo element 8 acts mechanically on the nozzle 6 liquid is discharged from the nozzle 6; each piezo element 8 is actuated individually by a control unit and is supplied with control pulses by the control unit in order to carry out the discharge of drops, individually controlled, for each nozzle 6 (Laubersheimer at [0032], [0033], Fig. 2).
Moreover, Laubersheimer teaches that the nozzles of the piezo printheads are cleaned when it has been established that a nozzle is partially or completely blocked, which Fig. 7 illustrates as deposits having formed in the base area of the collecting line and in the area of the nozzle, and because of these deposits the nozzle 6 is partially blocked and its functioning is therefore disrupted (Laubersheimer at [0039], [0040], Fig. 7); where the nozzle cleaning is carried out by the control unit causing the piezo element 8 to vibrate using high-frequency control pulses and alternating pressurization of the ink chamber with negative and positive pressure, with the result that a pulsating, oscillating flow through the nozzle is generated, by which the released deposits are to be washed away, and the negative pressure being applied, sucks ink upwards out of the nozzle and air bubbles through the nozzle into the collecting line and the ink feed system, and through the subsequent supply to the ink of positive pressure ink is pressed outwards through the nozzle 6 in a jet of liquid, whereby released parts of the deposits are washed away (i.e., control unit configured to draw in and remove foreign matters with which an ejection port of the nozzle has become clogged inside, and then cause the circulation unit to circulate the ejection liquid of the individual flow passage in the nozzle and discharge the foreign matters from the individual flow passage) (Laubersheimer at [0041], [0042], [0043], Fig. 8, Fig. 9, Fig. 10).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the control unit configured to drawn in and remove foreign matter with which an ejection port of the nozzle has become clogged inside and then cause the discharge of the foreign matters from the nozzle as such is known in the art of liquid ejection devices given the discussion of Laubersheimer above presenting a reasonable expectation of success; and doing so is the use of a known technique to improve similar devices in the same way, with the added benefit of ensuring the efficient functioning of the piezo printhead over the course of a printing process for the construction of a shaped body, without unchecked breakdowns of parts of the piezo printhead occurring because of blockages (as recognized by Laubersheimer at [0015]).
As to claim 13: Namba and Laubersheimer disclose the forming apparatus of claim 12. Namba, modified by Laubersheimer further reads on the claimed wherein, when the foreign matters clogged inside the ejection port of the nozzle are drawn and removed and then it is determined that the clogging of the nozzle is eliminated, the forming control unit resumes the forming after exchange of the substrate with a new substrate (Namba at [0024], [0036], [0037], [0059]-[0064], [0066]-[0080], FIG. 5).
As to claim 14: Namba discloses the claimed control method of controlling a liquid ejection apparatus (Namba at [0036], [0037]) including an accommodation unit that accommodates an ejection liquid (i.e., liquid container 12 containing the liquid) (Namba at [0041], [0042], FIG. 2), an ejection unit that includes a plurality of nozzles ejecting the ejection liquid (i.e., liquid discharge portion 11 including a common liquid chamber 56 and a module board 57, the common liquid chamber 56 is a liquid chamber for supplying the discharge material 114 to a plurality of nozzles provided in the module board; and each of the plurality of nozzles includes a supply port 21) (Namba at [0023]-[0024], [0041], [0050], [0051], [0052], FIG. 2), and a circulation unit that circulates the ejection liquid of an individual flow passage in the nozzle (i.e., circulation unit 40) (Namba at [0041], [0045], FIG. 2, FIG. 3).
Namba discloses utilizing a piezoelectric element 18, or energy generating elements 18, provided in each nozzle 54 (Namba at [0052], [0053]); and a detection unit 90 for detecting information as to whether the discharge port 19 is covered with the liquid, where the piezoelectric element is deformed by application of a voltage and this deformation causes a change in pressure of the discharge material 114 in the nozzle 54, which allows the discharge material 114 to be discharged – when the energy generating element 18 is forcibly vibrated for discharge, a residual vibration is generated, and a counter electromotive force is generated due to the piezoelectric effect and the detection unit 90 detects the counter electromotive force generated by this residual vibration, and since the counter electromotive force is generated for each energy generating element 18, in other words, for each nozzle 54, the detection unit 90 detects the counter electromotive force for each nozzle 54 and determining, based on the detection result of the detection unit 90, whether the discharge port 19 is covered with the liquid (i.e., the method comprising: a control step of removing foreign matters with which an ejection port of the nozzle has become clogged inside by applying a foreign-matter drawing waveform to a piezoelectric element included in the nozzle) (Namba at [0059], [0060], [0061], [0062]).
Though, Namba fails to explicitly disclose the claimed method comprising: a control step of drawing in and removing foreign matters with which an ejection port of the nozzle has become clogged inside, and then causing the circulation unit to circulate the ejection liquid of the individual flow passage in the nozzle and discharging the foreign matters from the individual flow passage.
However, Laubersheimer teaches a piezo printhead 2 having ink feed systems 4 which lead to a collecting line 5, and a plurality of nozzles 6 are (of which only one is provided with reference numbers) are connected to the collecting line 5, such that a piezo element 8 is allotted to each nozzle 6 and when the piezo element 8 acts mechanically on the nozzle 6 liquid is discharged from the nozzle 6; each piezo element 8 is actuated individually by a control unit and is supplied with control pulses by the control unit in order to carry out the discharge of drops, individually controlled, for each nozzle 6 (Laubersheimer at [0032], [0033], Fig. 2).
Moreover, Laubersheimer teaches that the nozzles of the piezo printheads are cleaned when it has been established that a nozzle is partially or completely blocked, which Fig. 7 illustrates as deposits having formed in the base area of the collecting line and in the area of the nozzle, and because of these deposits the nozzle 6 is partially blocked and its functioning is therefore disrupted (Laubersheimer at [0039], [0040], Fig. 7); where the nozzle cleaning is carried out by the control unit causing the piezo element 8 to vibrate using high-frequency control pulses and alternating pressurization of the ink chamber with negative and positive pressure, with the result that a pulsating, oscillating flow through the nozzle is generated, by which the released deposits are to be washed away, and the negative pressure being applied, sucks ink upwards out of the nozzle and air bubbles through the nozzle into the collecting line and the ink feed system, and through the subsequent supply to the ink of positive pressure ink is pressed outwards through the nozzle 6 in a jet of liquid, whereby released parts of the deposits are washed away (i.e., a control step of drawing in and removing foreign matters with which an ejection port of the nozzle has become clogged inside, and then causing the circulation unit to circulate the ejection liquid of the individual flow passage in the nozzle and discharging the foreign matters from the individual flow passage) (Laubersheimer at [0041], [0042], [0043], Fig. 8, Fig. 9, Fig. 10).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the control step of drawing in and removing foreign matter with which an ejection port of the nozzle has become clogged inside and then cause the discharge of the foreign matters from the nozzle as such is known in the art of liquid ejection devices given the discussion of Laubersheimer above presenting a reasonable expectation of success; and doing so is the use of a known technique to improve similar devices in the same way, with the added benefit of ensuring the efficient functioning of the piezo printhead over the course of a printing process for the construction of a shaped body, without unchecked breakdowns of parts of the piezo printhead occurring because of blockages (as recognized by Laubersheimer at [0015]).
As to claim 15: Namba discloses the claimed article manufacturing method (Namba at [0024]) using a liquid ejection apparatus (i.e., liquid discharge apparatus 10) (Namba at [0041], FIG. 2) including an accommodation unit that accommodates an ejection liquid (i.e., liquid container 12 containing the liquid) (Namba at [0041], [0042], FIG. 2), an ejection unit that includes a plurality of nozzles ejecting the ejection liquid (i.e., liquid discharge portion 11 including a common liquid chamber 56 and a module board 57, the common liquid chamber 56 is a liquid chamber for supplying the discharge material 114 to a plurality of nozzles provided in the module board; and each of the plurality of nozzles includes a supply port 21) (Namba at [0041], [0050], [0051], [0052], FIG. 2), and a circulation unit that circulates the ejection liquid of an individual flow passage in the nozzle (i.e., circulation unit 40) (Namba at [0041], [0045], FIG. 2, FIG. 3), the method comprising: an applying step of applying the ejection liquid to a substrate (Namba at [0024], FIG. 1); a forming step of forming the ejection liquid by bringing a mold into contact with the substrate to which the ejection liquid has been applied and hardening the ejection liquid (Namba at [0024], FIG. 1); and a manufacturing step of manufacturing an article from the substrate on which the ejection liquid is formed in the forming step (Namba at [0024], FIG. 1).
Namba discloses utilizing a piezoelectric element 18, or energy generating elements 18, provided in each nozzle 54 (Namba at [0052], [0053]); and a detection unit 90 for detecting information as to whether the discharge port 19 is covered with the liquid, where the piezoelectric element is deformed by application of a voltage and this deformation causes a change in pressure of the discharge material 114 in the nozzle 54, which allows the discharge material 114 to be discharged – when the energy generating element 18 is forcibly vibrated for discharge, a residual vibration is generated, and a counter electromotive force is generated due to the piezoelectric effect and the detection unit 90 detects the counter electromotive force generated by this residual vibration, and since the counter electromotive force is generated for each energy generating element 18, in other words, for each nozzle 54, the detection unit 90 detects the counter electromotive force for each nozzle 54 and determining, based on the detection result of the detection unit 90, whether the discharge port 19 is covered with the liquid (i.e., the method comprising: a control step of drawing in and removing foreign matters with which an ejection port of the nozzle has become clogged by applying a foreign-matter drawing waveform to a piezoelectric element included in the nozzle) (Namba at [0059], [0060], [0061], [0062]).
Though, Namba fails to explicitly disclose the claimed the method comprising: a control step of drawing in and removing foreign matters with which an ejection port of the nozzle has become clogged inside, and then causing the circulation unit to circulate the ejection liquid of the individual flow passage in the nozzle and discharging the foreign matters from the individual flow passage.
However, Laubersheimer teaches a piezo printhead 2 having ink feed systems 4 which lead to a collecting line 5, and a plurality of nozzles 6 are (of which only one is provided with reference numbers) are connected to the collecting line 5, such that a piezo element 8 is allotted to each nozzle 6 and when the piezo element 8 acts mechanically on the nozzle 6 liquid is discharged from the nozzle 6; each piezo element 8 is actuated individually by a control unit and is supplied with control pulses by the control unit in order to carry out the discharge of drops, individually controlled, for each nozzle 6 (Laubersheimer at [0032], [0033], Fig. 2).
Moreover, Laubersheimer teaches that the nozzles of the piezo printheads are cleaned when it has been established that a nozzle is partially or completely blocked, which Fig. 7 illustrates as deposits having formed in the base area of the collecting line and in the area of the nozzle, and because of these deposits the nozzle 6 is partially blocked and its functioning is therefore disrupted (Laubersheimer at [0039], [0040], Fig. 7); where the nozzle cleaning is carried out by the control unit causing the piezo element 8 to vibrate using high-frequency control pulses and alternating pressurization of the ink chamber with negative and positive pressure, with the result that a pulsating, oscillating flow through the nozzle is generated, by which the released deposits are to be washed away, and the negative pressure being applied, sucks ink upwards out of the nozzle and air bubbles through the nozzle into the collecting line and the ink feed system, and through the subsequent supply to the ink of positive pressure ink is pressed outwards through the nozzle 6 in a jet of liquid, whereby released parts of the deposits are washed away (i.e., a control step of drawing in and removing foreign matters with which an ejection port of the nozzle has become clogged inside, and then causing the circulation unit to circulate the ejection liquid of the individual flow passage in the nozzle and discharging the foreign matters from the individual flow passage) (Laubersheimer at [0041], [0042], [0043], Fig. 8, Fig. 9, Fig. 10).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the control step of drawing in and removing foreign matter with which an ejection port of the nozzle has become clogged inside and then cause the discharge of the foreign matters from the nozzle as such is known in the art of liquid ejection devices given the discussion of Laubersheimer above presenting a reasonable expectation of success; and doing so is the use of a known technique to improve similar devices in the same way, with the added benefit of ensuring the efficient functioning of the piezo printhead over the course of a printing process for the construction of a shaped body, without unchecked breakdowns of parts of the piezo printhead occurring because of blockages (as recognized by Laubersheimer at [0015]).
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Namba and Laubersheimer as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Arnold (US 2021/0237460).
As to claim 10: Namba and Laubersheimer disclose the liquid ejecting apparatus of claim 1. Namba, modified thus far, discloses the liquid container 12 including a separation film 14 made of a material having low permeability with respect to a liquid and a gas (Namba at [0042], FIG. 2), but fails to explicitly disclose the claimed wherein the accommodation unit includes a bubble vent valve for removing bubbles in the accommodation unit (Namba at [0025]-[0036]).
However, Arnold teaches a print substance reservoir 10 for a printing system 100, the reservoir 10 including housing 12, and housing 12 having an active vent valve 14 disposed at or through the housing 12 for selective fluid transfer of gases (e.g., air) into and out of the reservoir, such as when print substance is received or extracted from the reservoir (Arnold at [0012]-[0014], FIG. 1).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the reservoir having an active vent valve for gases/air into and out of the reservoir as such is known in the art of print reservoir venting given the discussion of Arnold above presenting a reasonable expectation of success; and doing so is combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 4-7 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art of record discloses applying a voltage to deform the piezoelectric element (Namba at [0060], [0072]; Nishikawa at [0052]); though, the prior art of record, fails to disclose or reasonably suggest the claimed wherein the foreign-matter drawing waveform includes a maximum drawing waveform and a first pushing waveform before the maximum drawing waveform, and a voltage change amount of the first pushing waveform is equal to or less than a voltage change amount of the maximum drawing waveform of claim 4; and the claimed wherein the foreign-matter drawing waveform includes a maximum drawing waveform and a second pushing waveform after the maximum drawing waveform, and a voltage change amount of the maximum drawing waveform is greater than a voltage change amount of the second pushing waveform of claim 6. Claims 5 and 7 are allowed due to their dependency on claims 4 and 6, respectively.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BAILEIGH K. DARNELL whose telephone number is (469)295-9287. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 9am-5pm, MST.
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/BAILEIGH KATE DARNELL/Examiner, Art Unit 1743
