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 statement (IDS) submitted on 2/4/2025 was considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings filed on 2/4/2025 are acceptable for examination by the examiner.
Title
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 14-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by TSUKIJIMA (US 2010/0272452 A1).
TSUKIJIMA teaches regarding claim 14, an image forming method comprising: obtaining a detection result 701 of a remaining amount of a consumable contained in a replacement; determining that the remaining amount of the consumable is not greater than a predetermined threshold; determining that an image forming apparatus is powered on; determining that a cover is closed; and detecting an unlocking failure of a locking device that does not unlock an open-close member that covers the replacement (figure 6B; figures 1, 5-6B; [0055, 0062, 0070]).
TSUKIJIMA teaches regarding claim 15, an image forming method comprising: calculating a remaining amount of a consumable contained in a replacement 701; determining that the remaining amount of the consumable contained in the replacement is not greater than a predetermined threshold; detecting that a cover that is openable and closable is closed, the cover covering an open-close member in a state in which the open-close member that opens and closes an opening of a storage storing the replacement closes the opening in a case that the cover is closed (figure 5); and detecting a failure to determine whether or not a locking device that locks the open-close member in a state in which the open-close member closes the opening switches to an unlocking state in which the locking device unlocks the open-close member (figures 6B, figures 1, 5-6B; [0055, 0062, 0070]).
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 1 and 6-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over TSUKIJIMA (US 2010/0272452 A1) in view of TOMATSU (US 2011/0318050 A1).
TSUKIJIMA teaches regarding claim 1, an image forming apparatus (figures 1A-1B) comprising: a replacement 1 to contain a consumable; a storage 800K to store the replacement 1, the storage having an opening through which the replacement 1 is inserted into and removed from the storage 800K; an open-close member 2K to open and close the opening 800K; a locking device to lock the open-close member 2K in a state in which the open-close member 2K closes the opening; a cover 103 to open and close, the cover 103 to close to cover the open-close member and prohibit the open-close member 2K from opening; a cover detector 705 to detect whether or not the cover closes; and a failure detector 701 [to detect an unlocking failure of the locking device to determine whether or not the locking device switches to an unlocking state in which the locking device unlocks the open-close member in a case that the cover detector detects that the cover closes] and that the failure detector 701 determines that an amount of the consumable contained in the replacement is not greater than a predetermined threshold [0070].
TOMATSU (US 2011/0318050 A1) teaches a failure detector 47 to detect an unlocking failure of the locking device to determine whether or not the locking device switches to an unlocking state in which the locking device unlocks the open-close member in a case that the cover detector detects that the cover closes [0049].
Regarding claim 6, the locking device includes a solenoid 6 to move to switch between a locking state in which the locking device locks the open-close member and the unlocking state in which the locking device unlocks the open-close member [0041].
Regarding claim 7, the failure detector supplies power to the solenoid 6 and detects the unlocking failure of the locking device to determine whether or not the locking device switches to the unlocking state in which the locking device unlocks the open-close member [0041].
Regarding claim 8, the locking device further includes: a hook 2a, 2b mounted on the open-close member [0041]; a latch 3 to engage the hook to lock the open-close member; and a link 7 engaging the latch, the link moved by the solenoid 6 (figure 3A, [0041]).
Regarding claim 9, the consumable 1 includes toner with which an image is formed (figure 1B).
Regarding claim 10, the replacement includes a toner bottle containing the toner (figures 1A-1B).
Regarding claim 11, the open-close member includes a bottle cover to cover the toner bottle 1 stored in the storage 800K.
Regarding claim 12, the image forming apparatus, wherein the cover detector 705 includes a push sensor.
Regarding 13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the failure detector includes a controller 702 (figure 6B, [0051]).
TSUKIJIMA (US 2010/0272452 A1) and TOMATSU (US 2011/0318050 A1) are concerned with toner and toner cartridge management within an image forming apparatus. TOMATSU having a cover with a locking member. The locking member is attached to a front cover. TSUKIJIMA teach a toner cartridge locking cover for an individual toner cartridge and a control method for locking cover.
The rationale for combining the teachings of TOMATSU with the teachings of TSUKIJIMA relates to the rationale of combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains to use the teaching of TOMATSU with the teaching of TSUKIJIMA to provide a secure locking mechanism for controlling a toner cartridge replacement over the life of a toner cartridge installed in an image forming apparatus.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-5 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 claims are listed below.
2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in a case that the image forming apparatus is powered on, the failure detector detects a locking failure of the locking device to determine whether or not the locking device retains a locking state in which the locking device locks the open-close member.
3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in a case that the image forming apparatus resumes from an energy saver mode, the failure detector detects a locking failure of the locking device to determine whether or not the locking device retains a locking state in which the locking device locks the open-close member.
4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an exterior device to receive a command, wherein the failure detector changes the predetermined threshold according to the command received from the exterior device.
5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a remote access interface to receive a command, wherein the failure detector changes the predetermined threshold according to the command received from the remote access interface.
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Obata (US 2021/0243311 A1) teaches an interlocking device and a detector for the interlocking device for a cover within an image forming apparatus.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to QUANA GRAINGER whose telephone number is (571)272-2135. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday, 9-5.
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 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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/QUANA GRAINGER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
QG