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 .
Specification
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.
The following title is suggested:
MEDIUM CONVEYING APPARATUS INCLUDING CONVEYANCE GUIDE TO MOVE IN CONJUNCTION WITH MOVEMENT OF ROLLER, THE CONVEYING GUIDE CONTAIN SURFACES, WHEREIN ONE SURFACE CONTAINS A SMALLER ANGLE THAN ANOTHER SURFACE.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: a unit and moving member in claims 1, 4 and 5.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
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)(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) 1-3, 5 and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1 and/or a2) as being anticipated by Morikawa (US Pub 2019/0270604).
Re claim 1: Morikawa discloses a medium conveying apparatus comprising:
a conveyance guide to guide a medium (e.g. the conveyance guide is used to guide a sheet within the apparatus, which is taught in ¶ [50].);
[0049] Conveyor
[0050] The conveyor 31 is arranged inside the housing 2. The conveyor 31 includes plural conveyance guides 33 to 37, a switching guide 38, and plural rollers 41 to 47. The plural conveyance guides 33 to 37 include a first conveyance guide 33, a second conveyance guide 34, a third conveyance guide 35, a fourth conveyance guide 36, and a fifth conveyance guide 37. The first conveyance guide 33 is formed in a plate shape that is mostly flat. The first conveyance guide 33 is arranged to be along a plane substantially parallel to the installation surface for the medium conveying apparatus 1, and is fixed to the frame 20. The second conveyance guide 34 is formed in a plate shape that is mostly flat. The second conveyance guide 34 is arranged above the first conveyance guide 33, so as to be opposite to the first conveyance guide 33. Furthermore, the second conveyance guide 34 is supported by the frame 20, so as to be able to be lifted and lowered in a vertical direction.
a roller to convey the guided medium (e.g. the system discloses rollers used to convey a sheet, which is taught in ¶ [55].); and
[0055] The plural rollers 41 to 47 include a pick roller 41, a first conveyance roller 42, a pinch roller 43, a second conveyance roller 44, a third conveyance roller 45, a fourth conveyance roller 46, and a fifth conveyance roller 47. The pick roller 41 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and is arranged above the conveyance path 65. The pick roller 41 is supported by the frame 20, rotatably about a rotation axis 51. The rotation axis 51 is parallel to the rotation axis 12. Furthermore, the pick roller 41 is arranged to come into contact with a medium placed on the shooter placement surface 11 of the shooter 3 that has been expanded. By the pick roller 41 rotating normally (clockwise in FIG. 7) about the rotation axis 51, one of plural media that have been placed on the shooter placement surface 11 is conveyed onto the conveyance path 65, the one being a medium that is in contact with the pick roller 41.
[0056] The first conveyance roller 42 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and is arranged below the conveyance path 65 and more forward than the pick roller 41. The first conveyance roller 42 is supported by the frame 20, rotatably about a rotation axis 52. The rotation axis 52 is parallel to the rotation axis 51. The pinch roller 43 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and arranged above the first conveyance roller 42. The pinch roller 43 is supported by the frame 20, rotatably about a rotation axis 53, and so as to be able to be lifted and lowered in the vertical direction. The rotation axis 53 is parallel to the rotation axis 52. Furthermore, the first conveyance roller 42 and the pinch roller 43 are arranged, such that a medium conveyed on the conveyance path 65 is sandwiched between the first conveyance roller 42 and the pinch roller 43. The medium conveyed on the conveyance path 65 is conveyed onto the conveyance path 66, by the first conveyance roller 42 normally (anticlockwise in FIG. 7) rotating about the rotation axis 52, and the pinch roller 43 pressing the medium against the first conveyance roller 42. By the medium conveyed on the conveyance path 65 coming into contact with the second conveyance guide 34, the second conveyance guide 34 is lifted or lowered relatively to the frame 20, such that the second conveyance guide 34 is placed at a height corresponding to a thickness of that medium. That is, the thicker the medium conveyed on the conveyance path 65 is, the higher the height where the second conveyance guide 34 is placed becomes. The pinch roller 43 is lifted or lowered to be placed at a height corresponding to the thickness of the medium conveyed on the conveyance path 65. That is, the thicker the medium conveyed on the conveyance path 65 is, the higher the height where the pinch roller 43 is placed becomes.
an unit (interpretation: The first imaging unit 117 is an example of an imaging unit, and is provided on the upper housing 102. The first imaging unit 117 includes an imaging unit housing 117a and an imaging unit guide 117b. The first imaging unit 117 includes a line sensor based on a unity-magnification optical system type contact image sensor (CIS) including an imaging element based on a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) linearly located in a main scanning direction, in the imaging unit housing 117a. The first imaging unit 117 includes a lens for forming an image on the imaging element, and an analog-digital (A/D) converter for amplifying and analog-digital (A/D) converting an electric signal output from the imaging element, in the imaging unit housing 117a. The first imaging unit 117 generates and outputs an input image imaging a back surface of a conveyed medium, in accordance with control from a processing circuit (not shown), which is taught in ¶ [31] and [32]. This interpretation and its equivalents are utilized for this claim term hereinafter in the Office Action.) having a housing, to execute a predetermined process on the conveyed medium (e.g. the invention discloses a housing that contains a reader to perform scanning, which is taught in ¶ [62].);
[0061] Reader
[0062] The reader 32 is arranged inside the housing 2 and between the conveyance path 65 and the conveyance path 66. The reader 32 includes a lower image sensor 61 and an upper image sensor 62. The lower image sensor 61 is arranged on a lower side of a plane that the conveyance path 65 and the conveyance path 66 are along, and is fixed to the frame 20. The lower image sensor 61 is formed of a contact image sensor (CIS) type image sensor. The lower image sensor 61 comes into contact with a lower read surface of a medium conveyed from the conveyance path 65 to the conveyance path 66, illuminates the lower read surface, and receives light reflected from the lower read surface; thereby reading an image of the lower read surface. The upper image sensor 62 is arranged on an upper side of the plane that the conveyance path 65 and the conveyance path 66 are along, and is supported by the frame 20 to be able to move parallelly to the vertical direction. The upper image sensor is formed of a CIS type image sensor. The upper image sensor 62 illuminates an upper read surface of the medium conveyed from the conveyance path 65 to the conveyance path 66, and receives light reflected from the upper read surface; thereby reading an image of the upper read surface.
wherein the conveyance guide, the roller and the unit are capable of moving upward (e.g. the roller, conveyance guide and unit can be lifted vertically, which is taught in ¶ [50], [56] and [62].), wherein
the conveyance guide includes a first guide surface and a second guide surface located on a downstream side of the first guide surface in a medium conveying direction (e.g. as seen in figure 18, the conveyance guide has an upper portion considered as the first guide surface and the downstream portion that is considered as the second guide surface. The conveyance guide is illustrated in figures 18-20 and taught in ¶ [83]-[85].), wherein
[0083] FIG. 18 is a schematic side view illustrating the reader 32 and the second conveyance guide 34 when no medium is placed on the conveyance path 65. The second conveyance guide is formed, such that, as illustrated in FIG. 18, the engagement portion 103 and the image sensor engagement portion 104 are not in contact with each other when no medium is placed on the conveyance path 65.
[0084] FIG. 19 is a schematic side view illustrating the reader 32 and the second conveyance guide 34 when a thick medium 106 comes into contact with a part of the second conveyance guide 34, the part being at the back side of the second conveyance guide 34. When the thick medium 106 comes into contact with a part of the lower surface of the second conveyance guide 34, the part being at the back side of the second conveyance guide 34, as illustrated in FIG. 19, the second conveyance guide 34 becomes inclined such that the back side of the second conveyance guide 34 becomes higher than the front side of the second conveyance guide 34. When the thick medium 106 is conveyed, such that the thick medium 106 comes into contact with a portion of the lower surface of the second conveyance guide 34, the portion being near the pinch roller shaft suspending portion 95, the second conveyance guide 34 moves, such that the upper surface of the first conveyance guide 33 and the lower surface of the second conveyance guide 34 become parallel to each other (see FIG. 17).
[0085] FIG. 20 is a schematic side view illustrating the second conveyance guide 34 when the reader 32 is reading the thick medium 106. When the thick medium 106 has been conveyed until the thick medium 106 is no longer in contact with the second conveyance guide 34, as illustrated in FIG. 20, the second conveyance guide 34 starts to be lowered and is lowered until the second conveyance guide 34 reaches a position illustrated in FIG. 18.
a second angle formed by the second guide surface and a conveying surface of a medium is smaller than a first angle formed by the first guide surface and the conveying surface (e.g. the downstream portion of the conveyance guide has a lower angle formed with the conveyance area than the front portion of the conveyance guide that has a larger angle, which is seen in figures 18-20 and taught in ¶ [83]-[85] above.), and wherein
the conveyance guide is provided swingably (e.g. as seen in figures 18-20, the conveyance guide is provided swingably around a point to be lowered and lifted, which is taught in ¶ [50] above.).
Re claim 2: Morikawa discloses the medium conveying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conveyance guide includes a swinging axis, and wherein the swinging axis is provided on upstream side in the medium conveying direction (e.g. the conveyance guide swings around a suspending portion and is provided upstream of the scanning mechanism, which is taught in ¶ [75].).
[0075] FIG. 13 is a perspective sectional view illustrating the pinch roller support structure 91. The pinch roller support structure 91 further includes, as illustrated in FIG. 13, a compression coil spring 94 and a pinch roller shaft suspending portion 95. The compression coil spring 94 is formed of an elastic material, and provides elastic force to the pinch roller shaft 92, such that the pinch roller shaft 92 moves downward relatively to the pinch roller shaft guide 93 (that is, the frame 20). The pinch roller shaft suspending portion 95 is formed to be opposite to a lower side of the pinch roller shaft 92, and is fixed to the second conveyance guide 34.
[0076] The pinch roller 43 is formed in a cylindrical shape having a cavity formed therein. The pinch roller shaft 92 is inserted in the cavity of pinch roller 43, such that an inner wall of the cavity closely contacts an outer peripheral surface of the pinch roller shaft 92. The pinch roller 43 is rotated, by the inner wall of the cavity sliding along the outer periphery of the pinch roller shaft 92. By the provision of this pinch roller support structure 91, the pinch roller 43 is supported by the frame 20, rotatably about the rotation axis 53, and so as to be able to be lifted and lowered in the vertical direction. By the provision of the pinch roller support structure 91 as described above, the pinch roller shaft suspending portion 95 comes into contact with the lower side of the pinch roller shaft 92 when the second conveyance guide 34 is lifted to a predetermined height. When the second conveyance guide 34 is further lifted in the state where the pinch roller shaft suspending portion 95 is in contact with the pinch roller shaft 92, the second conveyance guide 34 lifts the pinch roller shaft 92 and thereby lifts the pinch roller 43.
Re claim 3: The medium conveying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the roller includes a first conveyance roller and a second conveyance roller located apart from each other in a direction intersecting to the medium conveying direction (e.g. the scanner contains the first and second conveyance rollers that are used to pinch the medium that are located opposite of one another in an intersecting direction of the conveyed medium. This is seen in figure 18 and explained in ¶ [56] above.), and wherein
the conveyance guide is located between the first conveyance roller and the second conveyance roller (e.g. as seen in figure 18, the conveyance guide is located between the rollers, which is seen in figure 18 and explained in ¶ [83]-[85] above.).
Re claim 5: Morikawa discloses the medium conveying apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a moving member (interpretation: In this manner, the moving member 121 engages with the imaging unit guide 117b to move the first imaging unit 117 upward in the vertical direction A3, which is taught in ¶ [77]. That is, in the medium conveying apparatus 100, the moving member 121 engages with the engaging portion 117g in conjunction with the movement of the first conveyance roller 115, to move the imaging unit guide 117b and the first imaging unit 117 when a medium having a predetermined thickness or more is conveyed, which is taught in ¶ [82]. This interpretation and its equivalent are utilized for this claim term hereinafter in the Office Action hereinafter.) to move in conjunction with a movement of the roller and engage with the second conveyance guide (e.g. the pinch roller shaft suspending portion is moved with the pinch roller and engages the conveyance guide, which is taught in ¶ [75] and [76] above.), to move the unit, wherein
the second conveyance guide and the moving member are located apart from each other when a medium is not conveyed (e.g. as seen in figure 18, the conveyance guide is separated from being on the same level as the shaft itself. The shaft is not apart from the conveying guide in figure 19, which is taught in ¶ [83]-[85] above.), and
the moving member engages with the second conveyance guide to move the unit only when a medium having a predetermined thickness or more is conveyed (e.g. the shaft engages the second conveyance guide to lift the scanning mechanism when the sheet of paper is a predetermined thickness, which is explained in ¶ [81] and [82].).
[0081] The second conveyance guide 34 includes an image sensor engagement portion 104. The image sensor engagement portion 104 is arranged below the engagement portion 103, and is fixed to the second conveyance guide 34.
[0082] FIG. 17 is a schematic side view illustrating the reader 32 and the second conveyance guide 34 when a thick medium 105 is conveyed on the conveyance path 65. When the thick medium 105 is conveyed on the conveyance path 65, as illustrated in FIG. 17, the second conveyance guide 34 is lifted. When the second conveyance guide 34 has not been lifted to a predetermined height, the image sensor engagement portion 104 is not in contact with the engagement portion 103 of the upper image sensor 62. When the second conveyance guide has been lifted to the predetermined height, the image sensor engagement portion 104 is in contact with the engagement portion 103 of the upper image sensor 62. When the second conveyance guide 34 is lifted further in the state where the image sensor engagement portion 104 is in contact with the engagement portion 103, the image sensor engagement portion 104 lifts the engagement portion 103 and thereby lifts the upper image sensor 62. The engagement portion 103 and the image sensor engagement portion 104 are formed, such that the sensor surface 101 is arranged above a plane that is along the lower surface of the second conveyance guide 34 when the image sensor engagement portion 104 is in contact with the engagement portion 103.
Re claim 8: Morikawa discloses the medium conveying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined process includes generation of an image of the conveyed medium (e.g. the system discloses image generation from the conveyed document, which is taught in ¶ [62] above.).
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 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.
Claim(s) 4, 6 and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Morikawa in view of Takato (US Pub 2020/0198910).
Re claim 4: However, Morikawa fails to specifically teach the features of the medium conveying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the unit includes a second conveyance guide to contact the medium to move the unit.
However, this is well known in the art as evidenced by Takato. Similar to the primary reference, Takato discloses a scanner device that contains a conveyance guide (same field of endeavor or reasonably pertinent to the problem).
Takato discloses wherein the unit includes a second conveyance guide to contact the medium to move the unit (e.g. the scanning unit contains a conveyance guide that contacts the medium in order to move the scanner mechanism based on the sheet thickness, which is taught in ¶ [48], [94] and [95].).
[0048] The conveyance guide 116 is provided with the second imaging device 115b to move the second imaging device 115b. The conveyance guide 116 is formed by a member separate from the second imaging device 115b. The conveyance guide 116 may be formed by a member integrated with the second imaging device 115b. The conveyance guide 116 has an eaves-like shape and guides a medium conveyed by the first conveyance rollers 113 and the second conveyance rollers 114 between the first imaging device 115a and the second imaging device 115b.
[0094] FIG. 11A illustrates a state in which a medium is not conveyed between the first conveyance rollers 113 and the second conveyance rollers 114. The second conveyance guide 130 is applied with an urging force for swinging in a direction of an arrow A10 by an unillustrated helical torsion coil spring. However, the urging force is set at such a magnitude that the second conveyance rollers 114 cannot be lifted. Consequently, the second conveyance guide 130 comes into contact with the second joint 125, and the front edge of the second conveyance guide 130 stops at a position lower than the upper guide 107b in the direction A8 perpendicular to the medium conveying direction.
[0095] FIG. 11B illustrates a state in which a medium M3 is conveyed between the first conveyance rollers 113 and the second conveyance rollers 114. By the second conveyance rollers 114 being pushed up by the medium M3, the second joint 125 is raised. The second conveyance guide 130 is swung in the direction of the arrow A10 along with the second joint 125 by the urging force of the helical torsion coil spring, and a stopper 130a comes into contact with a contact member 130b. Consequently, the second conveyance guide 130 separates from the second joint 125, and the front edge of the second conveyance guide 130 stops at the same height as the upper guide 107b in the direction A8 perpendicular to the medium conveying direction. By the front edge of the second conveyance guide 130 not moving above the upper guide 107b, an incident of a medium conveyed in a bent state colliding with the front edge of the conveyance guide 116, etc., beyond the upper guide 107b is prevented.
Therefore, in view of Takato, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to have the feature of wherein the unit includes a second conveyance guide to contact the medium to move the unit, incorporated in the device of Morikawa, in order to contain a scanning mechanism with a conveyance guide to contact a medium to suppress an occurrence of a jam, which improves the scanning process (as stated in Takato ¶ [116]).
Re claim 6: Morikawa discloses the medium conveying apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
a second housing (e.g. lower image sensor is considered as a second housing, which is taught in ¶ [62] above.).
However, Morikawa fails to specifically teach the features of a third conveyance guide, wherein the third conveyance guide is fixed on the second housing to face the conveyance guide.
However, this is well known in the art as evidenced by Takato. Similar to the primary reference, Takato discloses a scanner device that contains a conveyance guide (same field of endeavor or reasonably pertinent to the problem).
Takato discloses a third conveyance guide, wherein the third conveyance guide is fixed on the second housing to face the conveyance guide (e.g. a conveyance guide is fixed onto the lower scanning mechanism within the scanning lower housing, which is taught in ¶ [132]-[135].).
[0132] FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram for illustrating a positional relation of first conveyance rollers 213 and second conveyance rollers 214 in a medium conveying apparatus 200 according to another embodiment. Further, FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram for illustrating a positional relation of the second conveyance rollers 214, a conveyance guide 216, and fourth conveyance rollers 218 in the medium conveying apparatus 200.
[0133] In the medium conveying apparatus 200, first to fourth conveyance rollers, imaging devices, and conveyance guides are located in a reversed manner across a medium conveyance path with respect to the corresponding parts in the medium conveying apparatus 100, in a direction A8 perpendicular to a medium conveying direction. Specifically, in the medium conveying apparatus 200, the second conveyance rollers 214 are located below the first conveyance rollers 213, a second imaging device 215b is located below a first imaging device 215a, and the fourth conveyance rollers 218 are located below third conveyance rollers 217.
[0134] Similarly to the medium conveying apparatus 100, the first conveyance rollers 213 are provided with a first shaft 221, etc. Further, the second conveyance rollers 214 are provided with a second shaft 222, a first joint 223, a third shaft 224, a second joint 225, a fourth shaft 226, a moving member 227, springs 227a, groove parts 227b, plate members 227c, engaged parts 227d, etc. The first joint 223 includes a first receiving member 223a, a second receiving member 223b, and a joint shaft 223c, and the second joint 225 includes a first receiving member 225a, a second receiving member 225b, and a joint shaft 225c. Further, the conveyance guide 216 is provided with a guide part 231a, springs 231b, an engaging member 231d, slopes 231e, etc., and the fourth conveyance rollers 218 are provided with a moving member 232, a spring 232a, etc. When a medium with a predetermined thickness or greater is conveyed in the medium conveying apparatus 200, the second conveyance rollers 214, the second imaging device 215b, the conveyance guide 216, and the fourth conveyance rollers 218 move downward in the direction A8 perpendicular to the medium conveying direction.
[0135] As described in detail above, the medium conveying apparatus 200 can satisfactorily convey a thicker medium.
Therefore, in view of Takato, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to have the feature of a third conveyance guide, wherein the third conveyance guide is fixed on the second housing to face the conveyance guide, incorporated in the device of Morikawa, in order to contain a scanning mechanism with a conveyance guide to contact a medium to suppress an occurrence of a jam, which improves the scanning process (as stated in Takato ¶ [116]).
Re claim 7: However, Morikawa fails to specifically teach the features of the medium conveying apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the conveyance guide is provided such that a distance between the conveyance guide and the third conveyance guide is bigger the further to the upstream side in the medium conveying direction.
However, this is well known in the art as evidenced by Takato. Similar to the primary reference, Takato discloses a scanner device that contains a conveyance guide (same field of endeavor or reasonably pertinent to the problem).
Takato discloses wherein the conveyance guide is provided such that a distance between the conveyance guide and the third conveyance guide is bigger the further to the upstream side in the medium conveying direction (e.g. based on the conveyance guide within the primary reference combined with the lower housing conveyance guide in the Takato reference, the distance between the first conveyance part of the guide is a greater distance from the lower sensor the further upstream on the conveyance guide from the lower sensor conveyance guide. The lower sensor housing with the conveyance guide is explained in ¶ [132]-[135] above).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Seki discloses a conveyance guide.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHAD S DICKERSON whose telephone number is (571)270-1351. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10AM-6PM EST..
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abderrahim Merouan can be reached at 571-270-5254. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHAD DICKERSON/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2683
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