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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Objections
Claims 7 & 11 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 7: “are arranged on both sides with respect to the middle in the width direction” should be corrected to add “width direction of the sheet”.
Claim 11: “on a sheet” should be corrected to “on the sheet”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 2 & 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being incomplete for omitting essential elements, such omission amounting to a gap between the elements. See MPEP § 2172.01. The omitted elements are: the disclosed sheet sensor 48. Applicant discloses the use of a sheet sensor that can sense the timing of a sheet (such as its leading or trailing end) passing through a portion of the sheet discharger in order to calculate a timing of when a sheet will contact the sheet discharge tray (Applicant’s disclosure: ¶0038, ¶0042, ¶0054-0056). Note that the sensing of the leading or trailing end of a sheet is used as a proxy for the claimed limitation regarding timing associated with when the end of sheet “contacts” the sheet discharge tray or a sheet is “loaded” on the sheet discharge tray. In other words, the event of the end of a sheet contacting the tray is not the data input used by the control portion, despite the phrasing of the claim. That form of data input used in the control portion is not supported in the Applicant’s disclosure. The Applicant’s disclosure supports the leading or trailing end of a sheet (as sensed by sheet sensor 48) as a form of data input used in the control portion (Applicant’s disclosure: ¶0038, ¶0042, ¶0054-0056). In an effort to advance prosecution of the application, the examiner is examining Claims 2 & 4 with the assumption that a sheet sensor, capable of detecting a leading or trailing edge of a sheet, can be used as a proxy to achieve the limitations specified with regards to the sheet contacting the sheet discharge tray.
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.
Claims 1, 3, 6-7, & 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) & 102 (a)(2) as being anticipated by Awaji & Uehara (US 20230257223 A1; herein referred to as “Awaji”).
With respect to Claim 1, Awaji teaches a sheet discharger (i.e., “discharge position P” , “discharge unit 5”, “placement unit 7” with “placement surface 2”, “air blowing unit 9” including “91” & “92”, “air 8”, & “air blowing ports 6”; ¶0061-0065 & ¶ Fig. 1-5), comprising:
a sheet discharge outlet (i.e., “discharge position P”; ¶0061 & Fig. 2) through which a sheet is discharged (i.e., “medium S” [aka “S1” post-discharge and “S2” pre-discharge]; ¶0061 & Fig. 2);
a discharge member that is arranged at the sheet discharge outlet and conveys the sheet in a discharge direction (i.e., “discharge unit 5” conveys the sheet “S,S2” in the direction “F”; ¶0062 & Fig. 2);
a sheet discharge tray (i.e., “placement unit 7” with “placement surface 2”); ¶0066-0069 & Fig. 1-2) that is arranged downstream of the sheet discharge outlet in the discharge direction (i.e., downstream of “P” in direction “F”; Fig. 2) and on which the sheet discharged through the sheet discharge outlet is loaded (i.e., sheet “S” is discharged through “P” and loaded onto “7”; Fig. 2); and
an air blowing mechanism (i.e., “air blowing unit 9”; ¶0061-0065 & Fig. 2) that blows an air flow (i.e., “8”; ¶0065 & Fig. 2) to the sheet discharged through the sheet discharge outlet (i.e., “S” discharged though “P”; ¶ Fig. 2), wherein the air blowing mechanism (i.e., “9”; ¶0061-0065 & Fig. 2) includes:
an air blowing port (i.e., “air blowing port 6”; ¶0063-0065 & Fig. 2) for blowing the air flow (i.e., “8”; ¶0065 & Fig. 2) from upward to the sheet discharged through the sheet discharge outlet (i.e., “8” flows from upward to sheet “S” discharged through “P”; ¶0065 & Fig. 2); and
an air blower (i.e., “91” & “92”, which are included within “air blowing unit 9”; ¶0063-0065; Fig. 5) that is connected to the air blowing port (i.e., “6”; ¶0063-0065, Fig. 2&5) and generates the air flow (i.e., “8”; ¶0065, Fig. 2&5), and
the air blowing port (i.e., “6”; ¶0063-0065 & Fig. 2&5) is provided above the sheet discharge outlet (i.e., above “P”; ¶0065 & Fig. 2),
at least a pair of air blowing ports (i.e., two “air blowing ports 6”, one for each air blower “91” & “92”; ¶0063-0065 & Fig. 5) is arranged at a middle in a width direction of the sheet (i.e., middle of “S” in the “X” direction; ¶0064, Fig. 1&5) orthogonal to the discharge direction (i.e., “X” direction is orthogonal to the “F” direction; Fig. 1-2 & Fig. 5), and
the air flow (i.e., “8”, with arrows indicating a diagonally downward trajectory; ¶0065 & Fig. 5) is blown through the air blowing port (i.e., “6”; ¶0063-0065 & Fig. 5) diagonally downward from inside toward outside in the width direction of the sheet (i.e., ”8” moves diagonally downward from inside towards outside in the “X” direction; Fig. 5).
With respect to Claim 3, Awaji teaches the sheet discharger (i.e., “P” , “5”, “7” with “2”, “9” including “91” & “92”, “8”, & “6”; ¶0061-0065 & ¶ Fig. 1-5) according to claim 1, further comprising:
a control portion (“control unit 11”; Awaji: ¶0019-0030, 0081-0084, & Fig. 4) that controls the air blower (i.e., “91” & “92”, which are included within “air blowing unit 9”; ¶0063-0065; Fig. 5),
wherein in a case of continuously discharging the sheet through the sheet discharge outlet (i.e., discharging the “medium S” that is being provided from the “recording unit 3” that is continuously operating; ¶0085-0091; Fig. 4), the control portion performs control so that
during discharge of the sheet through the sheet discharge outlet, the air blower is driven at a first speed (i.e., “air 8” blown from blower “9” at “predetermined air blowing amount” during steps S1 and S2, wherein S2 is “discharge medium to placement unit”; ¶0085-0091; Fig. 4), and
during a period after the discharge of the sheet through the sheet discharge outlet until a succeeding sheet is discharged through the sheet discharge outlet, the air blower is driven at a second speed lower than the first speed (i.e., “air 8” blown from blower “9” is “attenuated” compared to the original blowing speed during step 5, which occurs after a sheet is discharged; ¶0092-0093; Fig. 4). As shown in Figure 4’s block diagram (see Fig. 4, steps S5-S6 & S1), if the recording job is continued (i.e., if a succeeding sheet is discharged), then the air blower is reset from the second speed (i.e., the attenuated speed that was activated in S5) to regain the first speed (i.e., “air 8” blown from blower “9” at “predetermined air blowing amount” during steps S1 and S2).
With respect to Claim 6, Awaji teaches the sheet discharger (i.e., “P” , “5”, “7” with “2”, “9” including “91” & “92”, “8”, & “6”; ¶0061-0065 & ¶ Fig. 1-5) according to claim 1, wherein a blowing angle of the air flow blown through the air blowing port is adjustable (i.e., the angles of the flow of air “8” from each port “6”, symbolized by curved arrows in Fig. 5, can be adjusted using “air blowing direction changing members 81 and 82”; ¶0108-0109 & Fig. 5).
With respect to Claim 7, Awaji teaches the sheet discharger (i.e., “P” , “5”, “7” with “2”, “9” including “91” & “92”, “8”, & “6”; ¶0061-0065 & ¶ Fig. 1-5) according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of air blowing ports (i.e., two “air blowing ports 6”, one for each air blower “91” & “92”; ¶0063-0065 & Fig. 5) are arranged on both sides with respect to the middle in the width direction (i.e., “X” direction; ¶0064 & Fig. 5).
With respect to Claim 11, Awaji teaches an image forming apparatus (i.e., “recording device 1”; ¶0059, Fig. 1&3), comprising:
an image forming portion (i.e., “recording unit 3”; ¶0062, ¶0059, & Fig. 3) that forms an image on a sheet (i.e., “medium S”; ¶0062, ¶0088 & Fig. 3); and
the sheet discharger (i.e., “P” , “5”, “7” with “2”, “9” including “91” & “92”, “8”, & “6”; ¶0061-0065 & ¶ Fig. 1-5) according to claim 1
that discharges the sheet on which the image has been formed by the image forming portion (i.e., after “3” discharges ink on sheet “S”, the sheet is then transported through the sheet discharger and out “discharge position P” to be loaded onto tray “7”; ¶0061-0062, ¶0066-0069, ¶0080, & Fig. 3).
With respect to Claim 12, Awaji teaches the image forming apparatus (i.e., “recording device 1”; ¶0059, Fig. 1&3) according to claim 11, wherein the image forming portion (i.e., “recording unit 3”; ¶0062, ¶0059, & Fig. 3) performs image recording by ejecting ink to the sheet (¶0062).
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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Awaji.
With respect to Claim 5, Awaji teaches the sheet discharger (i.e., “P” , “5”, “7” with “2”, “9” including “91” & “92”, “8”, & “6”; ¶0061-0065 & Fig. 1-5) according to claim 1, wherein
when a vertical direction is taken as 0 degrees, a blowing angle of the air flow (i.e., “8”; ¶0065 & Fig. 2) blown through the air blowing port (i.e., “air blowing port 6”; ¶0063-0065 & Fig. 5) is 15° to 20° (i.e., air blowing ports “6” contain “air blowing direction changing members 81 and 82” which are “configured to change directions of the air blowing to the medium S”; ¶0108 & Fig. 5). Awaji teaches that “the air blowing direction changing members 81 and 82 appropriately change positions where the air is applied according to the size of the medium S. Furthermore, the suppression effect of curl is appropriately adjusted” (emphasis added; ¶0108 & Fig. 5). It has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art (in re Aller, 105 USPQ 233). Moreover, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a blowing angle of the air flow blown through the air blowing port be 15° to 20°, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art (in re Aller, 105 USPQ 233).
Claims 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Awaji in view of Okada (US 20200122498 A1).
With respect to Claim 8, Awaji teaches the sheet discharger (i.e., “P” , “5”, “7” with “2”, “9” including “91” & “92”, “8”, & “6”; Awaji: ¶0061-0065 & ¶ Fig. 1-5) according to claim 1 that discharges the sheet.
Awaji is silent on a sheet post-processing device, comprising:
a post-processing section that performs a prescribed type of post-processing on a sheet
the sheet discharger according to claim 1 that discharges the sheet that has been subjected to the prescribed type of post-processing by the post-processing section.
Okada teaches a sheet post-processing device (i.e., ”post-processing device 1”; Okada: ¶0021, Fig. 1-2), comprising:
a post-processing section that performs a prescribed type of post-processing on a sheet (i.e., “stapler 29” used in the stapling process of the “post-processing device 1”; Okada: ¶0021, Fig. 1).
the sheet discharger according to claim 1 that discharges the sheet that has been subjected to the prescribed type of post-processing by the post-processing section (Okada: ¶0021, Fig. 1-2). Note that Okada teaches this post-processed (i.e., stapled) sheet is then discharged via a sheet discharger (as shown in Fig. 2, which includes “discharge port 11”, discharge mechanism (not shown), “discharge tray 15”, among other elements). This teaches that a sheet discharger (such as the sheet discharger taught by Awaji) can be used after the post-processing section taught by Okada.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a sheet post-processing device (i.e., ”post-processing device 1”; Okada: ¶0021, Fig. 1-2) include the sheet discharger according to Claim 1 taught by Awaji (i.e., “P” , “5”, “7” with “2”, “9” including “91” & “92”, “8”, & “6”; Awaji: ¶0061-0065 & ¶ Fig. 1-5). Incorporating stapling as a post-processing step prior to sheet discharging enables users to automate the stapling of a bundle of sheets prior to their discharge from a device such as an “inkjet type image forming apparatus” (Okada: ¶0021 & ¶0054).
With respect to Claim 9, Awaji teaches
an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a sheet (i.e., “recording device 1”; Awaji: ¶0059, Fig. 1&3); and
the sheet on which the image has been formed by the image forming apparatus (i.e., “medium S”; Awaji: ¶0062, ¶0088 & Fig. 3).
Awaji is silent on an image forming system, comprising:
the sheet post-processing device according to claim 8 that performs the prescribed type of post-processing on the sheet on which the image has been formed by the image forming apparatus.
Okada teaches an image forming system (i.e., “inkjet type image forming apparatus”; Okada: ¶0054), comprising:
the sheet post-processing device (i.e., ”post-processing device 1”; Okada: ¶0021, Fig. 1-2) according to claim 8 that performs the prescribed type of post-processing on the sheet on which the image has been formed by the image forming apparatus (Okada: ¶0054). Note that Okada teaches the sheet post-processing device may be applied for an “inkjet type image forming apparatus” (Okada: ¶0054). Therefore, Okada teaches the sheet post-processing device may be applied to the image forming apparatus taught by Awaji (i.e., “recording device 1”; Awaji: ¶0059, Fig. 1&3).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have an image forming system (i.e., “inkjet type image forming apparatus”; Okada: ¶0054) include the sheet post-processing device according to Claim 8, which includes the sheet discharger according to Claim 1 taught by Awaji (i.e., “P” , “5”, “7” with “2”, “9” including “91” & “92”, “8”, & “6”; Awaji: ¶0061-0065 & ¶ Fig. 1-5). Incorporating stapling as a post-processing step prior to discharging a sheet with a printed image enables users to automate the stapling of a bundle of printed sheets prior to their discharge from a printer (Okada: ¶0021 & ¶0054).
With respect to Claim 10, Awaji teaches the image forming apparatus is an inkjet recording apparatus that performs image recording by ejecting ink to the sheet (i.e., “recording device 1…an inkjet printer”; Awaji: ¶0057 & ¶0059, Fig. 1&3).
Awaji is silent on the image forming system according to claim 9.
Okada teaches the image forming system (i.e., “inkjet type image forming apparatus”; Okada: ¶0054) according to claim 9. Note that Okada also teaches the image forming apparatus is an inkjet recording apparatus that performs image recording by ejecting ink to the sheet (i.e., “inkjet type”; Okada: ¶0054).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the inkjet-type image forming apparatus taught by Awaji (i.e., “recording device 1…an inkjet printer”; Awaji: ¶0057 & ¶0059, Fig. 1&3) be incorporated in the image forming system according to claim 9 (i.e., “inkjet type image forming apparatus”; Okada: ¶0054), because doing so enables an automated printing system wherein a sheet can be inkjet-printed, post-processed with stapling, and subsequently discharged from the printer (Awaji: ¶0057, ¶0059, ¶0061-0065 & ¶ Fig. 1-5; Okada: ¶0021, ¶0054, & Fig. 1-2).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2 & 4 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim as well as being rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b), but would be allowable if the 112(b) issue is corrected and then the corrected claim limitations were rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following are statements of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter for each claim. Note that, in an effort to advance prosecution of the application, the language used below is the current phrasing of each claim, although this language must be corrected to address the 112(b) issue before it would be allowable subject matter (see 112(b) section for more details).
With respect to Claim 2, Awaji teaches the sheet discharger (i.e., “discharge position P” , “discharge unit 5”, “placement unit 7” with “placement surface 2”, “air blowing unit 9” including “91” & “92”, “air 8”, & “air blowing ports 6”; ¶0061-0065 & ¶ Fig. 1-5) according to claim 1, further comprising:
a control portion (“control unit 11”; Awaji: ¶0019-0030, 0081-0084, & Fig. 4) that controls the air blower (i.e., “91” & “92”, which are included within “air blowing unit 9”; ¶0063-0065; Fig. 5).
Also note that Awaji teaches the use of a sheet sensor that can sense the timing of a sheet passing through a portion of the sheet discharger (i.e., use of a “medium detection unit 13” to detect a leading end and a trailing end of a sheet; Awaji: ¶0023-0024, ¶0070-0071, ¶0074-0075, ¶0014-0016, & Fig. 2-4; also see the discussion in the 112(b) section). This detected information is then used to calculate an “interval” and is utilized by the control portion to adjust the blowing of the air blower, including halting the blowing entirely (Awaji: ¶0024, ¶0074, ¶0014-0016, ¶0081-0084, & Fig. 4). As discussed in the 112(b) section, an interval associated with the leading or trailing end of a sheet can be used as a proxy for the timing when a leading or trailing end of a sheet contacts the tray. Moreover, Awaji teaches other information can also be utilized and is not limited to the use of this particular sensor (Awaji: ¶0015, ¶0075, & Fig. 4).
However, Awaji in combination with the other prior art of record does not reasonably teach or suggest the feature of the sheet discharger according to claim 1, further comprising:
a control portion that controls the air blower, wherein
the control portion performs control so that
at or after a timing when a leading end of the sheet contacts the sheet discharge tray or a sheet loaded on the sheet discharge tray, the air blower starts blowing of the air flow, and
at a timing when a trailing end of the sheet contacts the sheet discharge tray or the sheet loaded on the sheet discharge tray, the air blower halts the blowing of the air flow.
It is these limitations, expressed in the claimed combination not found, taught, or suggested in the prior art that makes this claim allowable over the prior art, subject to the correction of the 112(b) issue associated with the claim (see 112(b) section for more details).
With respect to Claim 4, the sheet discharger (i.e., “discharge position P” , “discharge unit 5”, “placement unit 7” with “placement surface 2”, “air blowing unit 9” including “91” & “92”, “air 8”, & “air blowing ports 6”; ¶0061-0065 & ¶ Fig. 1-5) according to claim 3
wherein in a case of continuously discharging n sheets through the sheet discharge outlet (i.e., discharging the “medium S” that is being provided from the “recording unit 3” that is continuously operating; Awaji: ¶0085-0091; Fig. 4), the control portion (“control unit 11”; Awaji: ¶0019-0030, 0081-0084, & Fig. 4) performs an operation.
Note that the instant application discloses “n sheets” as the total quantity of sheets being discharged and therefore is equivalent to the total “medium S” being discharged prior to the ending of the recording job (i.e., the number of sheets discharged prior to reaching path “No” for S6; Awaji: ¶0085-0094 & Fig. 4). Therefore, every sheet in the air blowing control method that is discharged prior to the n-th sheet can be considered equivalent to the Applicant’s designated “m-th” sheet (Awaji: Fig. 4).
Please note that Awaji additionally teaches the following which are related to the claim limitations:
the use of a sheet sensor that can sense the timing of a sheet passing through a portion of the sheet discharger (i.e., use of a “medium detection unit 13” to detect a leading end and a trailing end of a sheet; Awaji: ¶0023-0024, ¶0070-0071, ¶0074-0075, ¶0014-0016, & Fig. 2-4; also see 112(b) section). This detected information is then used to calculate an “interval” and is utilized as a proxy for the timing when a leading end of the sheet contacts the tray (Awaji: ¶0024, ¶0074, ¶0014-0016, & Fig. 4). Note that Awaji teaches other information can also be utilized and is not limited to the use of this particular sensor (Awaji: ¶0015, ¶0075, & Fig. 4).
A control portion (i.e., “control unit 11”; Awaji: ¶0019-0030, ¶0081-0084, & Fig. 4) which can control an air blower (i.e., “91” & “92”, which are included within “air blowing unit 9”; ¶0063-0065; Fig. 5) to operate blowing at different speeds, including halting the blowing entirely (Awaji: ¶0081-0084 & Fig. 4).
However, Awaji in combination with the other prior art of record does not reasonably teach or suggest the feature of the sheet discharger according to claim 3, wherein
in a case of continuously discharging n sheets through the sheet discharge outlet, the control portion performs an operation in which
at or after a timing when a leading end of an m-th (1 ≤ m < n) sheet contacts the sheet discharge tray or an m – 1-th sheet loaded on the sheet discharge tray, the air blower is driven at the first speed,
at a timing when a trailing end of the m-th sheet contacts the sheet discharge tray or the m – 1-th sheet loaded on the sheet discharge tray, the air blower is switched to be driven at the second speed, and
at or after a timing when a leading end of an m + 1-th sheet contacts the m-th sheet loaded on the sheet discharge tray, the air blower is switched back to be driven at the first speed,
the operation being repeatedly performed until m + 1 = n , and
at a timing when a trailing end of an n-th sheet contacts an n – 1-th sheet loaded on the sheet discharge tray, the control portion halts driving of the air blower.
It is these limitations, expressed in the claimed combination not found, taught, or suggested in the prior art that makes this claim allowable over the prior art, subject to the correction of the 112(b) issue associated with the claim (see 112(b) section for more details).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure. Okazaki (US 20170113470 A1) teaches:
“A liquid discharge apparatus includes: a liquid discharge head; a conveyer that supports and conveys a medium; a blower that is disposed on the upstream side of the liquid discharge head or the downstream side of the liquid discharge head and suppresses the change of the posture of the medium by sending the air to the medium; a temperature adjuster that is disposed on the side of the blower opposite to the liquid discharge head in the medium conveying direction and adjusts the temperature of an object to a temperature higher than the ambient temperature of the liquid discharge head or a temperature lower than the ambient temperature of the liquid discharge head; and a blast controller sends an operation stop command or an air reduction command to the blower at a blast region-pass timing at which the medium passes through a blast region of the blower.” (emphasis added; Okazaki: Abstract). Okazaki also teaches a sheet sensor that can detect the leading end of a sheet and subsequently send that information to a control portion to adjust an air blower’s amount of blowing (including starting and stopping) based on a variety of conditions. These conditions can be determined based on data collected from the sheet sensor regarding the leading end of a sheet. Okazaki also teaches the blower may be positioned downstream of the image forming portion and upstream the sheet discharge tray.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHLOMIT CHELST whose telephone number is (571)272-0832. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ricardo Magallanes, can be reached at telephone number 571-272-5960. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SHLOMIT CHELST/ Examiner, Art Unit 2853
/RICARDO I MAGALLANES/ Supervisor Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2853
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