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.
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 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 1-7, 9-17, 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sakurai et al. US 2016/0124343 (Sakurai).
Regarding claim 1, Sakurai teaches an image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a sheet, comprising:
an image forming unit (40) configured to expose a photosensitive member with laser light (41), while the photosensitive member (413) is rotating, to form an electrostatic latent image to develop the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive member (¶0018);
a sensor (80) configured to detect a pattern (patch image) image formed by the image forming unit (¶0054); and
a controller (101) configured to suppress density unevenness (i.e., concentration unevenness) in a rotation direction of the photosensitive member (41) of an image to be formed by the image forming unit, based on detection results which are obtained by the sensor (80) and correspond to different positions of the pattern image in the rotation direction (¶0070-¶0071),
wherein, a first interval (patch image T1 to T6 at regular intervals) between positions on the photosensitive member where laser light for the pattern image is applied in the rotation direction of the photosensitive member (¶0076) is different from a second interval (R1 to R8), between positions on the photosensitive member where laser light for an image that is formed so as to correspond to a print job is applied in the rotation direction (¶0076-¶0081).
Regarding claim 2, Sakurai teaches the image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second interval (time interval of the margin) is determined based on a setting value for adjusting a length of a margin of the sheet, the margin being caused due to rotation unevenness of the photosensitive member (¶0088-¶0089).
Regarding claim 3, Sakurai teaches the image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to:
acquire a correspondence relationship between a rotation phase of the photosensitive member and the detection results which are obtained by the sensor and correspond to the different positions of the pattern image in the rotation direction (¶0074); and
suppress the density unevenness based on the correspondence relationship (¶0074).
Regarding claim 4, Sakurai teaches the image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the image forming unit is configured to rotate, before the pattern image is formed, the photosensitive member so that a write start position of the pattern image and a default rotation phase of the photosensitive member match each other (¶0086).
Regarding claim 5, Sakurai teaches the image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor (80) comprises:
a potential sensor configured to measure a potential of an electrostatic latent image for measurement formed as the pattern image (in the form of charged potential or developing potential, ¶0068).
Regarding claim 6, Sakurai teaches the image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor (80) comprises:
an optical sensor including a light receiver configured to receive reflected light reflected from the pattern image (¶0054).
Regarding claim 7, Sakurai teaches the image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor (80) comprises:
a sensor configured to read the pattern image formed on the sheet (¶0078).
Regarding claim 9, Sakurai teaches the image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pattern image comprises a band image having a longitudinal direction in the rotation direction (FIG. 4A).
Regarding claim 10, Sakurai teaches the image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to:
determine a light amount correction amount corresponding to each of a plurality of regions of the photosensitive member in the rotation direction based on the detection results of the sensor (i.e., exposure amount, ¶0068); and
control an exposure amount of the laser light based on the light amount correction amount corresponding to the each of the plurality of regions (¶0068).
Regarding claim 11, Sakurai teaches a method (FIG. 3) of controlling an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a sheet, the image forming apparatus including:
an image forming unit (40) configured to expose a photosensitive member with laser light (41), while the photosensitive member (413) is rotating, to form an electrostatic latent image to develop the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive member (¶0018);
a sensor (80) configured to detect a pattern (patch image) image formed by the image forming unit (¶0054); and
a controller (101), the method comprising:
executing, by the controller, suppressing density unevenness in a rotation direction of the photosensitive member of an image to be formed by the image forming unit (s120), based on detection results which are obtained by the sensor and correspond to different positions of the pattern image in the rotation direction (s200),
wherein, a first interval (patch image T1 to T6 at regular intervals) between positions on the photosensitive member where laser light for the pattern image is applied in the rotation direction of the photosensitive member (¶0076) is different from a second interval (R1 to R8), between positions on the photosensitive member where laser light for an image that is formed so as to correspond to a print job is applied in the rotation direction (¶0076-¶0081).
Regarding claim 12, Sakurai teaches the method of controlling an image forming apparatus according to claim 11, the method of controlling an image forming apparatus according to wherein second interval (time interval of the margin) is determined based on a setting value for adjusting a length of a margin of the sheet, the margin being caused due to rotation unevenness of the photosensitive member (¶0088-¶0089).
Regarding claim 13, Sakurai teaches the method of controlling an image forming apparatus according to The method of controlling an image forming apparatus according to further comprising:
acquire a correspondence relationship between a rotation phase of the photosensitive member and the detection results which are obtained by the sensor and correspond to the different positions of the pattern image in the rotation direction (¶0074); and
suppress the density unevenness based on the correspondence relationship (¶0074).
Regarding claim 14, Sakurai teaches the method of controlling an image forming apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising rotating, by the controller, before the pattern image is formed, the photosensitive member so that a write start position of the pattern image and a default rotation phase of the photosensitive member match each other (¶0086).
Regarding claim 15, Sakurai teaches the method of controlling an image forming apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:
measuring, by the sensor, a potential of an electrostatic latent image for measurement formed as the pattern image (in the form of charged potential or developing potential, ¶0068).
Regarding claim 16, Sakurai teaches the method of controlling an image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the sensor includes a light receiver configured to receive reflected light reflected from the pattern image (¶0054).
Regarding claim 17, Sakurai teaches the method of controlling an image forming apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:
reading, by the sensor, the pattern image formed on the sheet (¶0078).
Regarding claim 19, Sakurai teaches the method of controlling an image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the pattern image comprises a band image having a longitudinal direction in the rotation direction (FIG. 4A).
Regarding claim 20, Sakurai teaches the method of controlling an image forming apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:
determining, by the controller, a light amount correction amount (i.e., exposure amount, ¶0068) corresponding to each of a plurality of regions of the photosensitive member in the rotation direction based on the detection results of the sensor (¶0068); and
controlling, by the controller, an exposure amount of the laser light based on the light amount correction amount corresponding to the each of the plurality of regions (¶0068).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 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 of this title, 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 8 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sakurai et al. US 2016/0124343 (Sakurai) and Akiyama et al. US 2022/0083828 (Akiyama).
Regarding claims 8 and 18, Sakurai teaches the image forming apparatus according to claim 7 and the method of controlling the image forming apparatus according to claim 17. Furthermore Sakurai teaches the image forming unit further includes a fixing unit (60) configured to fix the image formed on the sheet to the sheet. Sakurai differs from the instant claimed invention by not explicitly disclosing: the sensor (80) is configured to read the pattern image on a downstream side of the fixing unit in a conveying direction of the sheet. However this configuration is known. Akiyama teaches an image density sensor 70 that measures density of the image as it’s ejected from the fixing device (¶0044). It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the position the sensor 80 taught by Sakurai to the position taught by Akiyama which is downstream of the fixing device, since Akiyama teaches that positioning the sensor downstream of the fixing device is a known alternative to positioning the detection sensor on the intermediate transfer belt (¶0047), and thus modifying the position is recognized as part of the ordinary capabilities of one skilled in the art.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JESSICA L ELEY whose telephone number is (571)272-9793. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM CST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Walter Jr. Lindsay can be reached on (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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/JESSICA L ELEY/
Examiner, Art Unit 2852