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 lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
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.
Claim(s) 63-68, 72, 76, and 80 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Komatsu et al. (US Pat. Pub. No. US 2021/0200147 A1; cited in IDS filed 1/6/2025)
Regarding claim 63, Komatsu et al. discloses an image forming apparatus 1 comprising: an apparatus main assembly 2; a first cartridge (a process cartridge including a drum cartridge 6 and a developing cartridge 7) 5 configured to be detachably mounted to the apparatus main assembly 2 in a first mounting direction S1 (Fig. 1), the first cartridge 5 including (i) a developing roller 71 configured to rotate about a first rotation axis extending in a first axial direction RIGHT <-> LEFT (Fig. 3), (ii) a developing frame 700 provided with a developing chamber 74 configured to accommodate toner to be supplied to the developing roller 71 (paragraph [0100]), and (iii) a first memory 101 configured to store information and including a first conductive portion 101a (Figs. 21 and 44), wherein, the first cartridge 5 includes a first end (right) (Fig. 44) and a second end (left) (Fig. 44) opposite to the first end (right) with respect to the first axial direction RIGHT <-> LEFT, and the first axial direction RIGHT <-> LEFT crosses the first mounting direction S1; and a second cartridge (a toner cartridge) 9 configured to be detachably mounted to the apparatus main assembly 2 in a second mounting direction S3 (Figs. 1 and 15A), the second cartridge 9 including (i) a toner feeding member 96 configured to rotate about a second rotation axis extending in a second axial direction RIGHT <-> LEFT (Figs. 13 and 14), (ii) a toner frame 911 provided with a toner chamber configured to accommodate the toner feeding member 96 and toner to be supplied to the developing chamber 74 (Figs. 1 and 15A), and (iii) a second memory 102 (Fig. 26) or 110 (Fig. 44) configured to store information and including a second conductive portion 102a or 110a, and wherein, the second cartridge 9 includes a third end (right) (Fig. 44) and a fourth end (left) (Fig. 44) opposite to the third end (right) with respect to the second axial direction RIGHT <-> LEFT, and the second axial direction RIGHT <-> LEFT crosses the second mounting direction S3 (Fig. 15A); wherein the second cartridge 9 is detachably mounted to the first cartridge 5 (Fig. 15A), and wherein, in a state where the first cartridge 5 and the second cartridge 9 are mounted to the apparatus main body 2 (Fig. 1), the first conductive portion 101a directs the first mounting direction S1, and the second conductive portion 102a or 110a directs the second mounting direction S3.
Regarding claim 64, Komatsu et al. discloses wherein the apparatus main assembly 2 includes a first main assembly contact 103a and a second main assembly contact 104a, wherein, in the state where the first cartridge 5 and the second cartridge 9 are mounted to the apparatus main body 2, the first conductive portion 101a contacts the first main assembly contact 103a, and the second conductive portion 110a contacts the second main assembly contact 104a (paragraph [0198]).
Regarding claim 65, Komatsu et al. discloses wherein the toner frame 911 includes a discharge opening 94A communicate with the toner chamber, and wherein with respect to the second axial direction RIGHT <-> LEFT, a distance between the second conductive portion 102A and the third end (right) is shorter than a distance between the second conductive portion 102a and the fourth end (left) (Fig. 20).
Regarding claim 66, Komatsu et al. discloses wherein with respect to the second axial direction RIGHT <-> LEFT, a distance between the discharge opening 94a and the third end (right) is shorter than a distance between the discharge opening 94A and the fourth end (left) (Fig. 20).
Regarding claim 67, Komatsu et al. discloses wherein with respect to the second axial direction RIGHT <-> LEFT, the second conductive portion 102a is provided between the discharge opening 94A and the third end (right) (Fig. 20).
Regarding claim 68, Komatsu et al. discloses wherein with respect to the first axial direction RIGHT <-> LEFT, a distance between the second end (left) and the first conductive portion 101a is shorter than a distance between the first end (right) and the first conductive portion 101a (Fig. 21), and wherein the first end (right) is closer to the third end (right) than to the fourth end (left) with respect to the first axial direction RIGHT <-> LEFT (Figs. 20 and 21).
Regarding claim 72, Komatsu et al. discloses wherein the first cartridge 5 includes a photosensitive drum 61 (Fig. 5)
Regarding claim 76, Komatsu et al. discloses wherein with respect to the first axial direction RIGHT <-> LEFT, a distance between the second end (left) and the first conductive portion 101a is shorter than a distance between the first end (right) and the first conductive portion 101a (Figs. 21 and 44).
Regarding claim 80, Komatsu et al. discloses wherein the first cartridge 5 includes a photosensitive drum 61 (Fig. 5).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 69-71, 73-75, 77-79, and 81-83 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 following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Dependent claims 69 and 77 are allowable over the prior art of record because the prior art of record does not teach or suggest “with respect to the first axial direction, a distance between the development driving member and the first end is shorter than a distance between the development driving member and the second end” as set forth in the claimed combination.
Dependent claims 70 and 78 are allowable over the prior art of record because the prior art of record does not teach or suggest “with respect to the first axial direction, a distance between the developing roller contact and the second end is shorter than a distance between the developing roller contact and the first end” as set forth in the claimed combination.
Dependent claims 73 and 80 are allowable over the prior art of record because the prior art of record does not teach or suggest “with respect to the first axial direction, a distance between the drum driving member and the first end is shorter than a distance between the drum driving member and the second end” as set forth in the claimed combination.
Dependent claims 74 and 82 are allowable over the prior art of record because the prior art of record does not teach or suggest “with respect to the first axial direction, a distance between the charging contact and the second end is shorter than a distance between the charging contact and the first end” as set forth in the claimed combination.
Other Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Abe et al. (US Pat. Pub. No. US 2019/0391529 A1) discloses an image forming apparatus comprising: an apparatus main assembly; a first cartridge (drum cartridge) including a photosensitive drum and a first memory; and a second cartridge (developing cartridge) including a developing roller and a second memory.
Minoshima et al. (US Pat. Pub. No. US 2024/0012345 A1) an image forming apparatus comprising: an apparatus main assembly; a first cartridge (process cartridge) including a photosensitive drum, a developing roller, and a first memory; and a second cartridge (toner cartridge) including a second memory.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SOPHIA S CHEN whose telephone number is (571)272-2133. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8 am - 5 pm.
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/SOPHIA S CHEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
Ssc
January 6, 2026