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.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDSs) submitted on 1/14/2025 and 9/16/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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(s) 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2009/0047039 to Noguchi et al. “Noguchi” as modified by US 20180305143 to Uchino.
With regard to claim 1, Noguchi teaches a linkage apparatus [0068] for a printer (100), characterized in that the linkage apparatus comprises:
a compartment assembly (81L and 81R), provided with a side opening (30), a base (101), a tray (35) located in the base, and a advancing member disposed opposite the side opening, the end of the advancing member opposite the side opening being provided with an advancing plate extending upward [0068, 0084, and 0091];
a door assembly (31), movably connected to the compartment assembly and capable of closing or opening the side opening (figs. 1 and 3); and
a transmission mechanism (34L and 34R), one side of which is connected to the door assembly (31), the transmission mechanism driving the advancing member to move toward the side opening along with opening of the door assembly, causing the advancing member to, by means of the advancing plate, advance the tray to move toward the door assembly [0010 and 0011].
Noguchi does not expressly teach a paper tray, paper compartment, or a paper advancing member as claimed.
However, Uchino teaches a paper tray (20), paper compartment (fig. 5), and a paper advancing member (27) as claimed [0007-0008]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify Noguchi with the teachings of Uchino to provide a small-sized apparatus having a casing and a sheet support unit to be subjected to the state change. [0007].
Claim(s) 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2009/0047039 to Noguchi et al. “Noguchi” as modified by US 20180305143 to Uchino and further in view of US 2002/0054780 to Chiu.
With regard to Claim 12, Noguchi as modified by Uchino teach the claimed invention, except for wherein the paper tray comprises: a top cover and a bottom cover; and the bottom cover is disposed on the base, and a space for accommodating paper is formed between the top cover and the bottom cover.
However, Chiu teaches wherein the paper tray comprises: a top cover and a bottom cover; and the bottom cover is disposed on the base, and a space for accommodating paper is formed between the top cover and the bottom cover (figs. 4 and 6). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify Noguchi as modified by Uchino with the teachings of Chiu for the purpose of providing the most efficient use of space since the paper receiving means can be extended only when required [0010].
With regard to Claim 13, Noguchi as modified by Uchino teach the claimed invention, except for wherein the bottom cover is provided with an opening, and the opening has a shape matching that of the advancing plate of the paper advancing member, enabling the advancing plate of the paper advancing member to move in the opening.
However, Chiu teaches wherein the bottom cover is provided with an opening, and the opening has a shape matching that of the advancing plate of the paper advancing member, enabling the advancing plate of the paper advancing member to move in the opening [0043]. The same motivation applies as discussed above in claim 12.
Examiner Note
The examiner cites particular columns and lines numbers (or paragraphs or figures) in the references as applied to the claims above for the convenience of the applicant. The specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim. Other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested that, in preparing responses, applicant fully consider the references in their entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-11 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: The primary reason for the allowance of Claims 2-4 is the inclusion of the limitations a propeller shaft, and a rack linked to the gear set by means of the propeller shaft. It is these features found in the claim(s) which have not been found, taught or suggested by the prior art of record, which makes these claims allowable over the prior art.
The primary reason for the allowance of Claims 5-11 is the inclusion of the limitations a rotation lock part disposed in the base, one end of which is connected to the transmission mechanism, and the other end of which is connected to the paper advancing member so as to be openable and closable. It is these features found in the claim(s) which have not been found, taught or suggested by the prior art of record, which makes these claims allowable over the prior art.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 2011/0023861 discloses an oven having an oven body that defines a cavity, the cavity having a support structure for supporting a rack. At least a front portion of the rack is paramagnetic. The cavity is closed by a door that is hinged to a lower front portion of the oven body. The door further has lateral frame elements, and at least one frame element comprises a magnet. The magnet is adapted to engage and attract the front portion of the rack.
US 2002/0093135 discloses an improved media output paper control system are described, the improved system including a mechanical linkage between a housing door of an image forming device, such as a printer, and a media diverter that changes direction of the media exiting the print engine. The mechanical linkage provides a sure method of switching the media path from a face-down output mode to a face-up output mode, by directing media to the housing door whenever it is open, thus, allowing, the housing door to become an output tray. The preferred mechanical linkage includes a member pivotally connected to, and extending between, the door and the diverter, in such a way that pivoting the door also pivots the diverter to a lesser degree. The preferred linkage member includes an elongated slot or channel at one end for pivotally and slidably receiving a portion of the diverter, so that the linkage member may pivot and slide relative to the diverter, when the door is being opened and closed, until a point where the linkage member engages the diverter to rotate the diverter the required amount.
Communications with the PTO
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHARON A POLK whose telephone number is (571)270-7910. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 7-3.
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, Douglas Rodriguez can be reached at 571-431-0716. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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SHARON A. POLK
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2853
/Sharon Polk/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853
Prosecution Insights