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 .
Claim Objections
Claims 1-5 and 10-12 are objected to because of the following informalities. The term “extending portion” is not supported by the specification. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
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 1-5 and 10-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over MURANO (US 2007/0002122 A1; cited by applicant) in view of MATSUNO (JP2018-037445A).
MURANO teaches regarding claim 1, an image forming apparatus (shown in figure 1) comprising: a metallic plate 32; a projection member 15-17 provided with a projection portion projecting from the metallic plate; a hole formed by [cutting and raising] a part of the metallic plate; and a bent portion cut [and raised] from the hole, wherein the projection portion projects from the hole, and wherein the bent portion is positioned below the projection portion in a direction of gravity in a state in which the projection portion projects from the hole, and covers the projection portion as seen from below in the direction of gravity.
Regarding claim 3, the projection member is a sliding member 41 [0064].
Regarding claim 4, in the direction of gravity a distance between a lower end portion of the projection portion and a surface, of the bent portion, opposite to the projecting portion is 3mm or less (shown in figures 4 and 6).
Regarding claim 10, the projection member is a [resin] member.
MURANO uses a cut and bend method to form the metallic plate but does NOT teach the use of a cut and raise process to form the metallic plate. Claims 2 and 5 are listed because of the objection above.
MATSUNO teaches using the cutting and raising a method for forming a plate.
MURANO and MATSUNO are concerned with the forming of plates that function within an image forming device.
The rationale for combining the teachings of MATSUNO with the teachings of MURANO relates to the rationale of use of known technique to improve similar devices (methods, or products) in the same way.
Further, with respect to claim 10, it is known in the art to select a known material for inherent properties.
The rationale for combining the teachings of ordinary skill in the art with the teachings of MURANO relates to the rationale of applying a known technique to a known device (method, or product) ready for improvement to yield predictable results.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains to use the known in the art teachings regarding materials with the teaching of MURANO to obtain an equally sturdy position holder for an imager forming device.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains to use the teaching of MATSUNO with the teaching of MURANO to obtain improved the position determining holder for the image forming structure.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6 and 8-9 are allowed.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-5 and 10-15 have been considered but are moot because of the new claim objection discussed above. The claim contains allowable subject matter.
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.
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, 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.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/QUANA GRAINGER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
QG
Prosecution Insights