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.
Drawings
The drawings filed on 12/17/2024 are acknowledged and accepted.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1-2, 4, 7-8, and 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Miyatake (US 20150346487 A1).
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With respect to Claim 1, Miyatake discloses an optical scanning apparatus (Fig. 1-- element 2010, optical scanning device; [0108]) comprising:
a deflector (Fig. 21, element 2104, polygon mirror; [0156]) including a deflection surface ([0157]: element 2104 includes a deflecting-reflecting surface), on which a first light beam (Fig. 21-- element lbd, light; [0158]) and a second light beam (Fig. 21-- element lbc, light; [0160]) are deflected to scan a first scanned surface (Fig. 21-- element y1, drum; [0055]) and a second scanned surface (Fig. 21-- element m1, drum; [0055]), respectively, in a main scanning direction (Fig. 21-- z-axis direction; [0082]);
a first optical system (Fig. 21--elements which propagate element lbd; [0158]) configured to guide the first light beam (Fig. 21-- element lbd, light; [0158]) deflected by the deflection surface ([0157]: element 2104 includes a deflecting-reflecting surface) to the first scanned surface (Fig. 21-- element y1, drum; [0055]); and
a second optical system (Fig. 21--elements which propagate element lbc; [0158]) configured to guide the second light beam (Fig. 21-- element lbc, light; [0160]) deflected by the deflection surface ([0157]: element 2104 includes a deflecting-reflecting surface) to the second scanned surface (Fig. 21-- element m1, drum; [0055]),
wherein the first optical system (Fig. 21--elements which propagate element lbd; [0158]) includes a first refractive element (Fig. 21-- first scanning lens; [0111]), a second refractive element (Fig. 21-- second scanning lens; [0113]), and a first reflective element (Fig. 21-- folding mirror; [0108]) arranged in an order from the deflection surface ([0157]: element 2104 includes a deflecting-reflecting surface) to the first scanned surface (Fig. 21-- element y1, drum; [0055]),
wherein the second optical system (Fig. 21--elements which propagate element lbc; [0158]) includes a third refractive element (Fig. 21-- first scanning lens; [0111]), a second reflective element (Fig. 21-- folding mirror; [0108]), a fourth refractive element (Fig. 21-- second scanning lens; [0113]), and a third reflective element (Fig. 21-- folding mirror; [0108]) arranged in an order from the deflection surface ([0157]: element 2104 includes a deflecting-reflecting surface) to the second scanned surface (Fig. 21-- element m1, drum; [0055]),
wherein at least one of the first refractive element (Fig. 21-- first scanning lens; [0111]) and the third refractive element (Fig. 21-- first scanning lens; [0111]) includes an optical surface (Fig. 21-- surface of the first scanning lens which receives light from element 2104; [0111]) in which a normal line on an optical axis is non-parallel to the optical axis in a sub-scanning cross section (See Fig. 17 and [0126]: the field curvature on the surface of the first scanning lens in the sub-scanning direction changes asymmetrically about the optical axis), and
wherein distances on the optical axis from an axial deflection point on the deflection surface ([0157]: element 2104 includes a deflecting-reflecting surface) to the second refractive element (Fig. 21-- second scanning lens; [0113]) and the fourth refractive element (Fig. 21-- second scanning lens; [0113]) differ from each other (Fig. 21— the second scanning mirrors in both optical paths are disposed at different distances from the surface of element 2104).
With respect to Claim 2, Miyatake discloses the optical scanning apparatus (Fig. 1-- element 2010, optical scanning device; [0108]) according to claim 1, and further discloses wherein the first refractive element (Fig. 21-- first scanning lens; [0111]) and the third refractive element (Fig. 21-- first scanning lens; [0111]) are formed integrally with each other (Fig. 21—The first scanning lens emits light from both lbd and lbc; it is thus analogous to the first and third refractive elements).
With respect to Claim 4, Miyatake discloses the optical scanning apparatus (Fig. 1-- element 2010, optical scanning device; [0108]) according to claim 1, and further discloses wherein a tilt of the normal line in the sub-scanning cross section with respect to the optical axis changes (See Fig. 17 and [0126]: the field curvature on the surface of the first scanning lens changes asymmetrically about the optical axis) in the main scanning direction (Fig. 21-- z-axis direction; [0082]).
With respect to Claim 7, Miyatake discloses the optical scanning apparatus (Fig. 1-- element 2010, optical scanning device; [0108]) according to claim 1, and further discloses wherein light emitting surfaces of the first refractive element (Fig. 21-- first scanning lens; [0111]) and third refractive element (Fig. 21-- first scanning lens; [0111]) are each the optical surface (Fig. 21-- surface of the first scanning lens which recieves light from element 2104; [0111]) (Fig. 21—the light emitting surface of the first scanning lens).
With respect to Claim 8, Miyatake discloses the optical scanning apparatus (Fig. 1-- element 2010, optical scanning device; [0108]) according to claim 1, and further discloses wherein in regard to light emitting surfaces of the first refractive element (Fig. 21-- first scanning lens; [0111]) and the third refractive element (Fig. 21-- first scanning lens; [0111]), when an origin represents an intersection point with the optical axis, an x-axis is an axis parallel to the optical axis, a y-axis is an axis perpendicular to the optical axis in a main-scanning cross section, a z-axis is an axis perpendicular to the optical axis in a sub-scanning cross section, mi, j represents an aspherical coefficient, r represents a curvature radius in the sub-scanning cross section including the optical axis, Ei represents a change coefficient, and S represents a shape of each of the light emitting surfaces of the first refractive element (Fig. 21-- first scanning lens; [0111]) and the third refractive element (Fig. 21-- first scanning lens; [0111]) in the sub-scanning cross section, in the following equations:
[Equation 1]
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[Equation 2]
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a value of m0, 1 of the light emitting surface of the first refractive element (Fig. 21-- first scanning lens; [0111]) is smaller than a value of m0, 1 of the light emitting surface of the third refractive element (Fig. 21-- first scanning lens; [0111]) (Fig. 17 and [0139]: the scanning lens is an aspherical shape).
With respect to Claim 11, Miyatake discloses an image formation apparatus (Fig. 1-- element 2000, color printer; [0108]) comprising:
the optical scanning apparatus (Fig. 1-- element 2010, optical scanning device; [0108]) according to claim 1; and
a developing device (Fig. 1-- elements K4, C4, M4, Y4, developing devices; [0055]) configured to develop, as a toner image, an electrostatic latent image formed on a scanned surface ([0064]-[0070]: formed latent image moves toward the corresponding developing device so that the developing device may deposit toner) by the optical scanning apparatus (Fig. 1-- element 2010, optical scanning device; [0108]).
With respect to Claim 12, Miyatake discloses an image formation apparatus (Fig. 1-- element 2000, color printer; [0108]) comprising:
the optical scanning apparatus (Fig. 1-- element 2010, optical scanning device; [0108]) according to claim 1; and
a controller (Fig. 1—element 2090, printer control device; [0055]) configured to convert code data output from an external device into an image signal and inputs the image signal ([0057]: The printer control device 2090 notifies the optical scanning device 2010 of multicolor image information received from the host device via the communication control device 2080) to the optical scanning apparatus (Fig. 1-- element 2010, optical scanning device; [0108]).
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.
Claims 3, 5-6 and 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Miyatake (US 20150346487 A1).
With respect to Claim 3, Miyatake discloses the optical scanning apparatus (Fig. 1-- element 2010, optical scanning device; [0108]) according to claim 1, and further discloses the first refractive element (Fig. 21-- first scanning lens; [0111]) and the third refractive element (Fig. 21-- first scanning lens; [0111]). However, Miyatake does not explicitly disclose wherein incident surfaces of the first refractive element and the third refractive element have the same shape in effective regions.
However, Miyatake does disclose in [0139] that the scanning lenses are made of a malleable resin material which may easily be formed into complex aspheric shapes. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to make the incident surfaces of the first and third refractive elements the same shape in effective regions, since it has been held that a mere change in shape of an element is generally recognized as being with in the level of ordinary skill in the art when the change in shape is not significant to the function of the combination. In re Dailey 149
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USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966).
With respect to Claim 5, Miyatake discloses the optical scanning apparatus (Fig. 1-- element 2010, optical scanning device; [0108]) according to claim 1, and further discloses the second refractive element (Fig. 21-- second scanning lens; [0113]) and the fourth refractive element (Fig. 21-- second scanning lens; [0113]). However, Mitake does not explicitly disclose wherein the distance on the optical axis from the axial deflection point to the second refractive element is shorter than the distance on the optical axis from the axial deflection point to the fourth refractive element. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to alter the distances between the axial deflection point and the second or fourth refractive element, since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Antonie 195 USPQ 6 (CCPA 1977); In re Boesch 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980).
With respect to Claim 6, Miyatake discloses the optical scanning apparatus (Fig. 1-- element 2010, optical scanning device; [0108]) according to claim 5, and further discloses wherein the following inequality is satisfied:
0.5 < L1/L2 (example value: 7.82/7.06= 1.1)
where L1 (See annotated excerpt of Fig. 21—L1= 7.82 cm) represents the distance on the optical axis from the axial deflection point to the second refractive element (Fig. 21-- second scanning lens; [0113]), and L2 (See annotated excerpt of Fig. 21—L2= 7.06 cm) represents the distance on the optical axis from the axial deflection point to the fourth refractive element (Fig. 21-- second scanning lens; [0113]).
Thus, Miyatake discloses the claimed invention except for L1/L2 < 1.0. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to alter the distances between the axial deflection point and the second or fourth refractive element, since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Antonie 195 USPQ 6 (CCPA 1977); In re Boesch 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980).
With respect to Claim 9, Miyatake discloses the optical scanning apparatus (Fig. 1-- element 2010, optical scanning device; [0108]) according to claim 8, but Miyatake does not explicitly disclose wherein the following inequality is satisfied:
0.01 < |m10, 1/m30, 1| < 100.00
where m10, 1 represents the value of m0, 1 of the light emitting surface of the first refractive element, and m30, 1 represents the value of m0, 1 of the light emitting surface of the third refractive element.
However, Miyatake does disclose in [0139] that the scanning lenses are made of a malleable resin material which may easily be formed into complex aspheric shapes. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to alter the distances between the axial deflection point and the second or fourth refractive element, since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Antonie 195 USPQ 6 (CCPA 1977); In re Boesch 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980).
With respect to Claim 10, Miyatake discloses the optical scanning apparatus (Fig. 1-- element 2010, optical scanning device; [0108]) according to claim 8, but Miyatake does not explicitly disclose wherein a sign of m0, 1 of the light emitting surface of the first refractive element and a sign of m0, 1 of the light emitting surface of the third refractive element differ from each other.
However, Miyatake does disclose in [0139] that the scanning lenses are made of a malleable resin material which may easily be formed into complex aspheric shapes. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to alter the distances between the axial deflection point and the second or fourth refractive element, since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Antonie 195 USPQ 6 (CCPA 1977); In re Boesch 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Hirakawa (US 20080068440 A1) discloses aspects of the instant invention, see Fig. 3 and [0121]-[0123].
Miyatake (US 20060291026 A1) discloses aspects of the instant invention, see Fig. 2 and [0045]-[0048].
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Pinping Sun can be reached at (571) 270-1284. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MACKENZI BOURQUINE/Examiner, Art Unit 2872
/WILLIAM R ALEXANDER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
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