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 Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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)(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, 8-13, and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Fukusawa et al. (US 2017/0075293 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Fukusawa et al. discloses a cartridge (B1; fig. 5) comprising: a developing roller (13) rotatable about a first axis extending in a first direction (rotating axis of developing roller 13 extends in a right-left direction; figs. 5 and 6); a casing (16) configured to accommodate toner therein, the casing (16) having a first outer surface and a second outer surface spaced apart from the first outer surface in the first direction (developer container 16 has right and left outer surfaces in a right-left direction of cartridge B1; figs. 5 and 6); a layer thickness regulation blade (15) extending in the first direction, the layer thickness regulation blade (15) having one end portion and another end portion spaced apart from the one end portion in the first direction (developing blade 15 has right and left end portions spaced apart in the right-lift direction; figs. 5 and 6), the one end portion of the layer thickness regulation blade (15) being closer to the first outer surface in the first direction than the another end portion of the layer thickness regulation blade (15) is to the first outer surface in the first direction (the right end portion of developing blade 15 is closer to the right outer surface of developer container 16 than the left end portion of developing blade 15 is to the right outer surface of developer container 16 in the right-left direction; fig. 6); an electrode (15f; fig. 8B) electrically connected to the layer thickness regulation blade (15), the electrode (15f) being positioned at the first outer surface (developing blade contact portion 15f is positioned at the right outer surface of developer container 16 and is electrically connected to developing blade 15; fig. 8B), the electrode (15f) being in contact with the one end portion of the layer thickness regulation blade (developing blade contact portion 15f is in contact with the right end portion of developing blade 15; ¶ [0064]); and a screw (52; fig. 8B) fixing the layer thickness regulation blade (15) to the casing (screw 52 fixes developing blade 15 to developer container 16; ¶ [0058]), wherein the one end portion of the layer thickness regulation blade (15) has a distal end (the right end portion of developing blade 15 has a distal end at conducting portion 15f3; fig. 8A), wherein the electrode (15f) includes a portion (15f2; fig. 8B) aligned with the distal end (at 15f3) of the layer thickness regulation blade (15) in the first direction (developing blade contact portion 15f includes contact portion 15f2 aligned with the distal end at conducting portion 15f3 of developing blade 15; fig. 8B), and wherein the distal end of the layer thickness regulation blade (15f3) is closer to the portion (15f2) of the electrode (15f) than the screw (52) is to the portion (15f2) of the electrode (15f) in the first direction (as the distal end conducting portion 15f3 contacts contact portion 15f2, conducting portion 15f3 is closer to contact portion 15f2 than screw 42 is to contact portion 15f2 in the right-left direction; fig. 8B and ¶ [0098]).
Regarding claims 2 and 3, Fukusawa et al. discloses wherein the layer thickness regulation blade (15) has a through-hole (developing blade 15 has a through-hole in which screw 52 is threaded; fig. 8A), and wherein the screw (52) is inserted through the through-hole in a second direction (screw 52 is inserted in the through-hole in a front-rear direction; fig. 8A); wherein the portion (15f2; fig. 8B) of the electrode (15f) extends in the second direction (contact portion 15f2 extends in the front-rear direction; fig. 8B).
Regarding claim 4, Fukusawa et al. discloses wherein the first outer surface having an opening extending therethrough in the first direction, and wherein the electrode (15f) is inserted in the opening (bearing 46 at the right outer surface of developing container 16 has an opening extending in the right-left direction in which electrode 15f is inserted; figs. 8A and 8B).
Regarding claim 8, Fukusawa et al. discloses wherein the layer thickness regulation blade (15) includes: a blade (15b); and a support member (15a) including a first wall and a second wall, wherein the first wall supports a surface of the blade (15b), and wherein the second wall extends from the first wall in a direction away from the blade. (support member 15a has an L-shape which includes a first wall that supports blade 15b and a bent portion that extends from the first wall in a direction away from blade 15b; fig. 8A).
Regarding claims 9-11, Fukusawa et al. discloses wherein the electrode (15f) further includes an electrical contact surface (surface on an outer side of bearing 46) positioned on an opposite side of the first outer surface from the layer thickness regulation blade (15) in the first direction (a surface of electrode 15f on an outer side of bearing 46 is on an opposite side of bearing 46 from developing blade 15; fig. 8A); wherein the portion (15f2) of the electrode (15f) is between the electrical contact surface (surface on an outer side of bearing 46) and the distal end (at 15f3) of the layer thickness regulation blade (15) in the first direction (contact portion 15f2 is between the surface on an outer side of bearing 46 and conducting portion 15f3 of blade 15 in the right-left direction; fig. 8B); wherein the electrical contact surface (15f) is made of conductive resin (electroconductive polyacetal resin; ¶ [0065]).
Regarding claims 12 and 13, Fukusawa et al. discloses further comprising: a bearing (46) supporting the developing roller (bearing 46 supports developing roller 13; fig. 8B); wherein the bearing (46) is made of non-conductive resin (¶ [0065]).
Regarding claim 16, Fukusawa et al. discloses wherein the layer thickness regulation blade (15) is in contact with a circumferential surface of the developing roller (¶ [0044]).
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.
Claim(s) 14 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fukusawa et al. (US 2017/0075293 A1) in view of Yamazaki et al. (JP 2007-114653 A).
Regarding claim 14, Fukusawa et al. disclose the invention as set forth above with regard to claim 1.
Fukusawa et al. is silent on providing a supply roller.
Yamazaki et al. teaches a developing device with a supply roller (53).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the apparatus of Fukusawa et al. with the supply roller of Yamazaki et al. to improve image quality by providing a more efficient supply of toner to a developing roller.
Regarding claim 15, Fukusawa et al. disclose the invention as set forth above with regard to claim 14.
Fukusawa et al. is silent on providing a supply roller with an electrical connection.
Yamazaki et al. teaches a developing device in which an electrode is electrically connected to a supply roller (53) and a layer thickness regulation blade (an electrode connects to supply roller 53 and blade 9; fig. 5 and Abstract, Solution).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the apparatus of Fukusawa et al. with the electrode arrangement of Yamazaki et al. to improve charging of toner particles by providing current to a regulating blade and supply roller without requiring a separate electrode.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-7 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 prior art does not disclose or suggest “wherein the electrode includes a spring” in combination with the remaining claim elements as recited in claim 5.
The prior art does not disclose or suggest “wherein the electrode includes a coil spring” in combination with the remaining claim elements as recited in claim 6.
The prior art does not disclose or suggest “wherein the layer thickness regulation blade includes: a blade; and a support member supporting the blade, and wherein the electrode is in contact with the blade” in combination with the remaining claim elements as recited in claim 7.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Erika J. Villaluna whose telephone number is (571)272-8348. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 9:00 am - 5:30 pm.
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/ERIKA J. VILLALUNA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
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