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
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been received.
Information Disclosure Statement
The Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) submitted on 04 February 2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the Information Disclosure Statement has been considered by the Examiner.
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 (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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-2 & 4-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kanamitsu et al. (US 2005/0062794 A1) in view of Wall (US 2016/0236863 A1).
As related to independent claim 1, Kanamitsu et al. teaches a liquid ejecting device, comprising: a liquid ejecting section configured to eject a liquid to a medium; and a liquid receiving section disposed at a position facing the liquid ejecting section across the medium, and configured to receive the liquid (Kanamitsu et al. – Figure 2, Reference #9, #S, & #10, shown below), wherein the liquid receiving section includes: a side surface portion rising from a bottom (Kanamitsu et al. – Figure 2, Reference #10 and Figure 9, Reference #210 & #211, shown below); and a marker provided at an inner surface of the side surface portion (Kanamitsu et al. – Figure 9, Reference #210 & #211, shown below). Kanamitsu et al. teaches the structural limitations of the claim, the marker of Kanamitsu et al. is not completely clear on the marker’s position. However, Wall teaches a waste receiving section which includes a side surface portion rising from a bottom (Wall – Figure 10, shown below); and a marker provided at an inner surface of the side surface portion (Wall – Figure 10, shown below). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present application to modify the marker of Kanamitsu et al. to be more visual on the inner surface of the side surface portion of the as taught by Wall in an effort to provide alignment of the receiving section (Wall – Page 1, Paragraphs 6-7; Page 2, Paragraph 30; and Page 3, Paragraphs 33-34).
PNG
media_image1.png
416
578
media_image1.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image2.png
390
632
media_image2.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image3.png
512
382
media_image3.png
Greyscale
As related to dependent claim 2, the combination of Kanamitsu et al. and Wall remains as applied above and continues to teach a holding section configured to detachably hold the liquid receiving section (Kanamitsu et al. – Figures 18 & 41, shown below and Wall – Figure 10, shown above), wherein the side surface portion of the liquid receiving section is tilted outward from the bottom, and the side surface portion of the liquid receiving section is held by the holding section so as to be deformed in a direction in which an angle of the tilting reduces [i.e. pressure on tapered walls] (Wall – Page 1, Paragraphs 6-7; Page 2, Paragraph 30; and Page 3, Paragraphs 33-34).
PNG
media_image4.png
288
614
media_image4.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image5.png
286
372
media_image5.png
Greyscale
As related to dependent claim 4, the combination of Kanamitsu et al. and Wall remains as applied above and continues to teach the marker is formed of a plurality of ribs provided at an inner surface of the side surface portion (Kanamitsu et al. – Figures 9 & 41, shown above and Wall – Figure 10, shown above).
As related to further dependent claim 5, the combination of Kanamitsu et al. and Wall remains as applied above and continues to teach a recessed groove having a shape corresponding to the rib is provided at an external surface side of the side surface portion of the rib (Kanamitsu et al. – Figures 50A-50D, shown below and Wall – Figure 10, shown above).
PNG
media_image6.png
648
404
media_image6.png
Greyscale
As related to further dependent claim 6, the combination of Kanamitsu et al. and Wall remains as applied above and continues to teach a longitudinal direction of the rib is a vertical direction Kanamitsu et al. – Figure 47, Reference #738, shown below and Wall – Figure 10, shown above).
PNG
media_image7.png
432
574
media_image7.png
Greyscale
As related to further dependent claim 7, the combination of Kanamitsu et al. and Wall remains as applied above and continues to teach the liquid receiving section is provided with a bottom rib at the bottom, and the bottom rib is coupled to the rib at the side surface portion (Kanamitsu et al. – Figures 50A-50D, shown above).
As related to dependent claim 8, the combination of Kanamitsu et al. and Wall remains as applied above and continues to teach a transparent portion configured to make the marker to be visually recognized is provided at a top surface portion positioned above the marker (Kanamitsu et al. – Page 10, Paragraphs 205-208 and Figure 13, Reference #223, shown below).
PNG
media_image8.png
428
506
media_image8.png
Greyscale
Claim 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Kanamitsu et al. (US 2005/0062794 A1) and Wall (US 2016/0236863 A1) and further in view of LEE et al. (US 2022/0153030 A1).
The combination of Kanamitsu et al. and Wall remains as applied above and continues to teach the liquid ejecting section includes: an ink head configured to eject a pigment ink (Kanamitsu et al. – Page 1, Paragraph 10; Figure 9, Reference #207 & Figure 18, Reference #319, both shown above), and the liquid receiving section is provided with: the side surface portion at both end portions along a longitudinal direction of the bottom; and no side surface portion at both end portions along a short-length direction of the bottom (Kanamitsu et al. – Figures 9, 13, & 18, all shown above), but does not specifically teach a treatment solution head configured to eject a treatment solution. LEE et al. teaches a liquid ejecting device with a liquid receiving portion, and specifically teaches a treatment solution head configured to eject a treatment solution (LEE et al. – Page 1, Paragraph 11 and Figures 2 & 5, shown below). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present application to modify liquid ejecting section of the combination of Kanamitsu et al. and Wall with the liquid ejecting section o LEE et al. in an effort to provide an inkjet printing device with the ability to provide head maintenance to the unit and perform maintenance of the print head (LEE et al. – Page 1, Paragraphs 4-11).
PNG
media_image9.png
440
574
media_image9.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image10.png
320
514
media_image10.png
Greyscale
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Kanbayashi et al. (US 5,847,736 A) teaches a waste ink tank with multiple grooves and channels and also teaches a light transmission region for determining levels. Takahashi (US 2003/0151639 A1) teaches a liquid ejecting device with a liquid receiving section having side surface section tilting outward from the bottom. Ogasawara (US 2013/0100202 A1) teaches a liquid ejecting device having a liquid receiving section and a supporting portion and inclined portion. KOBASHI et al. (US 2015/0258795 A1) teaches a liquid ejecting device having a liquid receiving section and a holding section. Tsukuda et al. (US 2016/0288505 A1) teaches a liquid ejecting device with a liquid receiving section having a plurality of ribs and markers in the surface. Ogasawara et al. (US 2016/0347093 A1) teaches a liquid ejecting device with a liquid receiving section having a plurality of ribs and a tilted side surface. HAGA et al. (US 2023/0117107 A1) teaches a liquid ejecting device with a liquid receiving section having ribs and markers formed on the side surface portion(s). NOSE et al. (US 2024/0190133 A1) teaches a liquid ejecting device having a liquid receiving section having a side surface portion. Which tilted outward from the bottom.
Examiner's Note: Examiner has cited particular Figures & Reference Numbers, Columns, Paragraphs and Line Numbers in the references as applied to the claims above for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings of 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 from the applicant in preparing responses, to 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the Examiner should be directed to JOHN P ZIMMERMANN whose telephone number is (571)270-3049. The Examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 0700-1730 EST.
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, Ricardo Magallanes can be reached at (571) 272-5960. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/John P Zimmermann/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853
