Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/981,292

INKJET RECORDING APPARATUS

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Dec 13, 2024
Priority
Dec 14, 2023 — JP 2023-211055
Examiner
MCMILLION, TRACEY M
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
88%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
4m
Est. Remaining
90%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 88% — above average
88%
Career Allowance Rate
557 granted / 635 resolved
+27.7% vs TC avg
Minimal +2% lift
Without
With
+2.2%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Fast prosecutor
1y 11m
Avg Prosecution
22 currently pending
Career history
668
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.7%
-39.3% vs TC avg
§103
84.5%
+44.5% vs TC avg
§102
9.3%
-30.7% vs TC avg
§112
2.4%
-37.6% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 635 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
CTNF 18/981,292 CTNF 87354 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Priority 02-26 AIA Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 1-2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kusumoto (US 2023/0140366) in view of Ozawa (US 2010/0220141) and Sato (US 2020/0114644) and Cuner (US 2021/0331492) . With regard to claim 1, Kusumoto discloses an inkjet recording apparatus (10), comprising: a nozzle unit (30) including a plurality of nozzles (32) [Para. 00], a plurality of piezoelectric elements (33) [Para. 00] corresponding to the plurality of nozzles [Fig. ], a first heater (36) [heating element; Para. 0], a first temperature sensor (71) [Para. 00], and a drive circuit (86) capable of supplying a drive signal [Para. 0051] to the plurality of piezoelectric elements, and configured to form an image on a sheet (9) [] by ink ejected from the plurality of nozzles by supplying the drive signal to the plurality of piezoelectric elements [Para. 0032-0034]; a control portion (8) [Fig. 3] configured to control the first heater, the drive circuit, the second heater, and the cooling device; wherein the control portion adjusts the power supplied to the first heater by a first temperature feedback control based on a first detected temperature (T1) detected by the first temperature sensor and a first target temperature [Para. 0089-0091]; the control portion further stops the supply of power to the first heater and the drive circuit when a pause condition including a state in which an image formation request is not received is satisfied under a situation in which the first temperature feedback control is being executed [Para. 0091]; and in a case in which the control portion receives the image formation request in the paused state, the control portion further adjusts the power supplied to the first heater by the first temperature feedback control [Para. 0061, 0105]. With regard to claim 1, Kusumoto does not disclose a second heater configured to externally heat the nozzle unit; a cooling device configured to cool the nozzle unit with a coolant ; a second temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature outside the nozzle unit; the control portion further operates the cooling device when the first detected temperature exceeds an allowable temperature under a condition in which the first temperature feedback control is being executed; the control portion further adjusts the power supplied to the second heater by a second temperature feedback control based on a second detected temperature detected by the second temperature sensor and a second target temperature in a paused state in which power supply to the first heater and the drive circuit is stopped; With regard to claim 2, Kusumoto does not disclose stop instruction include an external command from the host control device when an abnormality in the temperature detected by the second temperature sensor is detected. With regard to claim 1, Ozawa teaches a heater (not labeled) configured to externally heat the nozzle unit [heater is positioned very close to the inkjet head; Para. 0021]; a cooling device (50) [Para. 0045; Figs 1-3] configured to cool the nozzle unit with a coolant [refrigerant; Para. 0019]; a control portion [Para. 0037] further operates the cooling device when a detected temperature exceeds an allowable temperature [cooling mechanism operates to reduce the amount of heating by the heater; Para. 0021]. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize a second heater, a cooling device with a coolant and a second temperature sensor, as taught by Ozawa into the inkjet recording apparatus of Kusumoto for the purpose of preventing the inkjet head from heating or reducing the amount of heating and reducing the likelihood of the inkjet clogging. With regard to claim 1, Sato teaches a second temperature sensor (38) [Para. 0018] configured to detect a temperature outside the nozzle unit. It would be obvious for a control portion to further adjusts the power supplied to the second heater by a second temperature feedback control based on a second detected temperature detected by the second temperature sensor and a second target temperature in a paused state in which power supply to the first heater and the drive circuit is stopped, Sato into Kusumoto for the purpose of cooling the printhead without supplying ink to the printhead. With regard to claim 2, Sato teaches stop instruction include an external command from the host control device (100) when an abnormality in the temperature detected by the second temperature sensor is detected. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to stop the supply of power to the cooling device when the first detected temperature falls below a preset temperature while the first temperature feedback control is being executed, as taught by Sato into Kusumoto for the purpose of driving ink to the discharge head when ready to eject ink. With regard to claim 1, Cuner teaches a control portion further operates the cooling device when the first detected temperature exceeds an allowable temperature under a condition in which the first temperature feedback control is being executed [Para. 0030-0031]. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to operate a cooling device when temperatures exceed an allowable temperature under a condition in which the first temperature feedback control is being executed, as taught by Curner into Kusumoto for the purpose of cooling the heater . Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim 3 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 primary reason for indicating allowable subject matter of claim 3 is the inclusion of the limitations of wherein the control portion stops the supply of power to the second heater while the first temperature feedback control is being executed; and the control portion further waits until the second detected temperature falls below a preset temperature in the paused state, and starts adjusting the power supplied to the second heater by the second temperature feedback control. It is these limitation(s) found in the claims, as they are claimed in the combination of that has not been found, taught or suggested by the prior art of record, which makes these claims allowable over the prior art. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TRACEY M MCMILLION whose telephone number is (571)270-5193. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 6AM-2:30PM EST. 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, Ricardo Magallanes can be reached at 571-272-5960. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /TRACEY M MCMILLION/Examiner, Art Unit 2853 /KRISTAL FEGGINS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/981,292 Page 2 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/981,292 Page 3 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/981,292 Page 4 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/981,292 Page 5 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/981,292 Page 6 Art Unit: 2853
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Dec 13, 2024
Application Filed
Jun 17, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12649329
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HIGH CONTRAST PRINTING
3y 0m to grant Granted Jun 09, 2026
Patent 12643336
PRINTING APPARATUS, METHOD FOR CONTROLLING PRINTING APPARATUS, AND STORAGE MEDIUM
2y 7m to grant Granted Jun 02, 2026
Patent 12643330
INK JET RECORDING METHOD AND INK JET RECORDING APPARATUS
2y 6m to grant Granted Jun 02, 2026
Patent 12629942
INK-JET RECORDING APPARATUS CAPABLE OF MOVING SUPPLY MEMBER FOR SUPPLYING CLEANING LIQUID TO BLADE UPSTREAM OR DOWNSTREAM IN FORWARD DIRECTION OF WIPING ACTION ACCORDING TO POSITION OF INK-JET HEAD
1y 7m to grant Granted May 19, 2026
Patent 12617216
PRINTER AND PRINTING METHOD
3y 6m to grant Granted May 05, 2026
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
88%
Grant Probability
90%
With Interview (+2.2%)
1y 11m (~4m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 635 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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