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 § 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 22 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 22 is unclear as to what Applicant is intending to claim, particularly, it is unclear as to what the first electrical contact portion, the second electrical contact portion and the third electrical contact portion have a longer length than.
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.
Claims 1, 2 and 5-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sakakibara et al. (US 2022/0066387).
Sakakibara et al. (…387) disclose a cartridge (B) comprising: a frame (71); a process member (66) supported by the frame and used for an image forming process; and an electrode member (82) electrically connected to the process member, wherein the electrode member includes an electrical contact portion (82a) exposed to outside of the cartridge and to which an electric power for being supplied to the process member is supplied from outside of the cartridge ([0120]), and wherein the electrical contact portion includes a first surface which is a flat surface, a second surface positioned further outside of the frame in a normal direction of the first surface than the first surface and a connection surface connecting the first surface and the second surface (figures 10 and 12B) [see Applicant’s claim 1]. The connection surface is inclined to the normal direction of the first surface (figure 12B) [see Applicant’s claim 2]. The connection surface is provided so as to cover an entire periphery of the first surface (figure 10) [see Applicant’s claim 5]. The frame is constituted by a resin material of which flame retardancy based on UL94 standard is HB ([0120]) [see Applicant’s claim 6]. The electrode member is made of metal ([0120]) [see Applicant’s claim 7]. The process member is a charging roller (66) configured to charge a surface of a photosensitive member ([0120]) [see Applicant’s claim 8].
Claims 16 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sakata et al. (US 2017/0285570).
Sakata et al. (…570) disclose a cartridge (PC) comprising: a photosensitive drum (3) configured to rotate about a first rotational axis; a developing roller (5) configured to supply toner to the photosensitive drum and rotate about a second rotational axis ([0029]); a developing blade (7) configured to regulate a layer thickness of the toner carried by developing roller ([0030]); a supplying roller (6) configured to supply the toner to the developing roller ([0030]); a first electrical contact portion (11A) electrically connected to the developing roller and to which an electric power for being supplied to the developing roller is supplied from outside of the cartridge ([0041] and figures 2 and 3); a second electrical contact portion (13A) electrically connected to the developing blade and to which an electric power for being supplied to the developing blade is supplied from outside of the cartridge ([0043]; and figures 2 and 3); and a third electrical contact portion (12A) electrically connected to the supplying roller and to which an electric power for being supplied to the supplying roller is supplied from outside of the cartridge ([0042] and figures 2 and 3), wherein in a case in which an imaginary line passing through the first rotational axis and the second rotational axis is a first imaginary line as seen in a direction of the first rotational axis, as seen in the direction of the first rotational axis, the first electrical contact portion, the second electrical contact portion and the third electrical contact portion are provided on a second imaginary line parallel to the first imaginary line and aligned in a direction where the second imaginary line extends (figures 1(a) – 3) [see Applicant’s claim 16]. As seen in the direction of the first rotational axis, of the first electrical contact portion, the second electrical contact portion and the third electrical contact portion, the first electrical contact portion is at the closest position to the developing roller (figures 1(a) – 3) [see Applicant’s claim 17].
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sakakibara et al. (US 2022/0066387).
Sakakibara et al. (…387) disclose the features mentioned previously and disclose the cartridge (B) is constituted so as to be mountable to and dismountable from a main assembly of an image forming apparatus ([0076]) [see Applicant’s claim 4]. However, Sakakibara et al. (…387) do not disclose the specific claimed angle of the first surface with respect to the direction of gravity in a state in which the cartridge is mounted to the main assembly. The angle of the first surface with respect to the direction of gravity in a state in which the cartridge is mounted to the main assembly is considered to be merely a matter of an engineering decision [see Applicant’s claim 4]. 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 claimed angle of the first surface with respect to the direction of gravity in a state in which the cartridge is mounted to the main assembly, since such is considered to be merely an engineering decision.
Claims 18-21 and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sakata et al. (US 2017/0285570).
Sakata et al. (…570) disclose the features mentioned previously and disclose the cartridge (PC) comprising a drum unit (1) including the photosensitive drum (3), and a developing unit (2) including the developing roller (5), the supplying roller (6) and developing blade (7) and rotatably supported by the drum unit about a swing axis (RA) in a direction where the developing roller approaches the photosensitive drum (figures 1(a) – 1(b)) [see Applicant’s claim 23]. However, Sakata et al. (…570) do not disclose the claimed position of the swing axis and the claimed arrangement of the first electrical contact portion, second electrical contact portion and the third electrical contact portion. The position of the swing axis is considered to be merely an engineering decision [see Applicant’s claim 23]. The specific arrangement of the first electrical contact portion, second electrical contact portion and the third electrical contact portion is considered to be merely an engineering decision [see Applicant’s claims 18-21]. 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 claimed position of the swing axis and the claimed arrangement of the first electrical contact portion, second electrical contact portion and the third electrical contact portion, since such is considered to be merely an engineering decision.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9-15 are allowed.
Claim 3 is 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.
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Takarada et al. (US 2016/0018785) disclose a cartridge including an electrode member.
Amann et al. (US 2020/0133188) disclose a cartridge including electrical contact portions.
Inquiry
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SANDRA BRASE whose telephone number is (571)272-2131. The examiner can normally be reached M-F.
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, Walter Lindsay can be reached at 571-272-1674. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SANDRA BRASE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852 February 15, 2026