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 02/05/2025, 10/05/2025 are being considered by the examiner.
Specification
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
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.
Claims 1, 2, 5-14, 16, 17, 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Takamura (EP 3 928 989 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Takamura teaches a liquid ejection head (100 figs.1-4) comprising:
a nozzle (8 figs.2-4);
a pressure chamber (15 of 3 figs.4,6-9) that is capable of storing liquid and communicates with the nozzle (8), a volume of the pressure chamber (15) being variable to eject the liquid from the nozzle (8);
an actuator (16 figs.3,6-9) configured to vary the volume of the pressure chamber (15) in response to a drive signal (figs.10,11); and
a drive circuit (12,101 fig.5) configured to generate the drive signal (figs.10,11), wherein the pressure chamber (15) has one of states including:
a steady state in which the volume is unchanged (fig.6; paragraph 0057),
an expanded state in which the volume is expanded (for instance 15b in fig.7; expansion pulse in figs.10,11; paragraph 0058),
a first contracted state in which the volume is contracted (for instance 15b in fig.8; first contraction pulse in figs.10,11; paragraphs 0059,0060), and
a second contracted state in which the volume is contracted further from the first contracted state (for instance 15b in fig.9; second contraction pulse in figs.10,11; paragraph 0061),
the drive signal (figs.10,11) comprises:
a first waveform (expansion pulse + first contraction pulse in figs.10,11) that causes the pressure chamber (15) to transition from the steady state (fig.6) to the expanded state (15b in fig.7), and then transition from the expanded state to the first contracted state (15b in fig.8) (figs.10,11),
a second waveform (second contraction pulse in figs.10,11) that is subsequent to the first waveform and causes the pressure chamber (15) to transition from the first contracted state (15b in fig.8) to the second contracted state (15b in fig.9) at or after a first timing (92,82 figs.11,10) at which a flow rate of the liquid in the pressure chamber becomes zero (figs.10,11), and
a third waveform (stepwise waveform that transitioned +1V of the second contraction pulse to 0V in figs.10,11) that is subsequent to the second waveform and causes the pressure chamber (15) to transition from the second contracted state to the steady state after a second timing (93,83 figs.11,10) at which the flow rate first becomes zero (figs.10,11), and
the first timing (92,82 figs.11,10) is reached when at least 1.5 AL has elapsed after a beginning of the first waveform, where AL is a half of a natural vibration period of the liquid in the pressure chamber (in fig.11, AL corresponds of 2.5μs and the first timing 92 corresponds to 5μs which is equal to 2AL since the beginning of the first waveform. In fig.10 also, AL corresponds of 2.5μs and the first timing 82 corresponds to 5μs which is equal to 2AL since the beginning of the first waveform).
Regarding claim 2, Takamura further teaches wherein the third waveform (stepwise waveform that transitioned +1V of the second contraction pulse to 0V in figs.10,11) comprises: a waveform (upper part of the stepwise waveform) that causes the pressure chamber (15) to transition from the second contracted state to the first contracted state, and a waveform (lower part of the stepwise waveform) that causes the pressure chamber (15) to transition from the first contracted state to the steady state.
Regarding claim 5, Takamura further teaches wherein the first timing (92,82 figs.11,10) is reached before 2 AL has elapsed after the beginning of the first waveform.
Regarding claim 6, Takamura further teaches wherein a duration of the expanded state is 0.9 AL to 1.1 AL (AL figs.10,11).
Regarding claim 7, Takamura further teaches wherein a duration of the second contracted state is 0.9 AL to 1.1 AL (AL fig.11).
Regarding claim 8, Takamura further teaches wherein the duration of the second contracted state is shorter than a duration of the first contracted state (fig.11).
Regarding claim 9, Takamura further teaches wherein the duration of the first contracted state is longer than a duration of the expanded state (fig.11).
Regarding claim 10, Takamura further teaches wherein
the drive signal (figs.10,11) is a signal of a voltage applied to the actuator (16), and
the first waveform (expansion pulse + first contraction pulse in figs.10,11) includes a first voltage of a first value, which is followed by a second voltage of a second value that is greater than the first value, which is followed by a third voltage of a third value that is greater than the second value (-1V,0V,+0.5V figs.10,11).
Regarding claim 11, Takamura further teaches wherein the second value is zero (-1V,0V ,+0.5V figs.10,11).
Regarding claim 12, Takamura further teaches wherein the second waveform (second contraction pulse in figs.10,11) includes a fourth voltage of a fourth value that is greater than the third value (+1V figs.10,11).
Regarding claim 13, Takamura further teaches wherein an absolute value of the first value (-1V figs.10,11) is equal to an absolute value of the fourth value (+1V figs.10,11).
Regarding claim 14, Takamura further teaches wherein the third waveform includes a fifth voltage of a fifth value that is equal to the second value (0V after second contraction pulse figs.10,11).
Regarding claim 16, Takamura teaches an inkjet printer (figs.1,2) comprising:
a plurality of rollers for conveying a print medium (conveyance mechanisms 206,207 fig.1; paragraphs 0014,0026-0028); and
an inkjet head (100 figs.1-4) configured to eject ink onto the conveyed medium and including:
a nozzle (8 figs.2-4),
a pressure chamber (15 of 3 figs.4,6-9) that is capable of storing the ink and communicates with the nozzle (8), a volume of the pressure chamber being variable to eject the ink from the nozzle (8),
an actuator (16 figs.3,6-9) configured to vary the volume of the pressure chamber (15) in response to a drive signal (figs.10,11), and
a drive circuit (12,101 fig.5) configured to generate the drive signal, wherein the pressure chamber (15) has one of states including:
a steady state in which the volume is unchanged (fig.6; paragraph 0057),
an expanded state in which the volume is expanded (for instance 15b in fig.7; expansion pulse in figs.10,11; paragraph 0058),
a first contracted state in which the volume is contracted (for instance 15b in fig.8; first contraction pulse in figs.10,11; paragraphs 0059,0060), and
a second contracted state in which the volume is contracted further from the first contracted state (for instance 15b in fig.9; second contraction pulse in figs.10,11; paragraph 0061),
the drive signal (figs.10,11) comprises:
a first waveform (expansion pulse + first contraction pulse in figs.10,11) that causes the pressure chamber (15) to transition from the steady state (fig.6) to the expanded state (15b in fig.7), and then transition from the expanded state to the first contracted state (15b in fig.8) (figs.10,11),
a second waveform (second contraction pulse in figs.10,11) that is subsequent to the first waveform and causes the pressure chamber (15) to transition from the first contracted state (15b in fig.8) to the second contracted state (15b in fig.9) at or after a first timing (92,82 figs.11,10) at which a flow rate of the liquid in the pressure chamber becomes zero (figs.10,11), and
a third waveform (stepwise waveform that transitioned +1V of the second contraction pulse to 0V in figs.10,11) that is subsequent to the second waveform and causes the pressure chamber (15) to transition from the second contracted state to the steady state after a second timing (93,83 figs.11,10) at which the flow rate first becomes zero (figs.10,11), and
the first timing (92,82 figs.11,10) is reached when at least 1.5 AL has elapsed after a beginning of the first waveform, where AL is a half of a natural vibration period of the liquid in the pressure chamber (in fig.11, AL corresponds to 2.5μs and the first timing 92 corresponds to 5μs which is equal to 2AL since the beginning of the first waveform. In fig.10 also, AL corresponds to 2.5μs and the first timing 82 corresponds to 5μs which is equal to 2AL since the beginning of the first waveform).
Regarding claim 17, Takamura further teaches wherein the third waveform (stepwise waveform that transitioned +1V of the second contraction pulse to 0V in figs.10,11) comprises: a waveform (upper part of the stepwise waveform) that causes the pressure chamber (15) to transition from the second contracted state to the first contracted state, and a waveform (lower part of the stepwise waveform) that causes the pressure chamber (15) to transition from the first contracted state to the steady state.
Regarding claim 20, Takamura further teaches wherein the first timing (92,82 figs.11,10) is reached before 2 AL has elapsed after the beginning of the first waveform (figs.11,10).
Claims 1, 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Watanabe et al. (US 2019/0091999).
Regarding claim 1, Watanabe et al teaches a liquid ejection head (figs.1-4) comprising:
a nozzle (25 figs.2-4);
a pressure chamber (51 fig.4) that is capable of storing liquid and communicates with the nozzle, a volume of the pressure chamber being variable to eject the liquid from the nozzle (25);
an actuator (18 figs.4,3) configured to vary the volume of the pressure chamber in response to a drive signal (figs.6,7); and
a drive circuit (fig.5) configured to generate the drive signal, wherein
the pressure chamber (51 fig.4) has one of states including:
a steady state in which the volume is unchanged (in PL1 at zero potential (a) in fig.6),
an expanded state in which the volume is expanded (in PL1 including (a)+(b)+(c)+(d) in fig.6; paragraph 0066),
a first contracted state in which the volume is contracted (in PL2 including (e)+(f) in fig.6), and
a second contracted state in which the volume is contracted further from the first contracted state (in PL2 including (g) in fig.6),
the drive signal (figs.6,7) comprises:
a first waveform (in PL1 including (a)+(b)+(c)+(d)+(e)+(f) in fig.6) that causes the pressure chamber (51) to transition from the steady state to the expanded state, and then transition from the expanded state to the first contracted state,
a second waveform (in PL2 including (g)+ vertical pulse going +0.5 to +1V in fig.6) that is subsequent to the first waveform and causes the pressure chamber (51) to transition from the first contracted state to the second contracted state at or after a first timing (flow rate becomes zero close to the beginning of the second waveform/right end of W) at which a flow rate of the liquid in the pressure chamber becomes zero (see the flow velocity graphs in figs.6,7), and
a third waveform (in PL2 including (h)+(i) in fig.6) that is subsequent to the second waveform and causes the pressure chamber (51) to transition from the second contracted state to the steady state after a second timing (flow rate becomes zero close the vertical line passing through (h) /right end of P) at which the flow rate first becomes zero (see the flow velocity graphs in figs.6,7), and
the first timing is reached when at least 1.5 AL has elapsed after a beginning of the first waveform, where AL is a half of a natural vibration period of the liquid in the pressure chamber (fig.6, paragraphs 0078,0082,0083,0097; D=1AL, W=1AL, R=0.2μs; the flow rate becomes zero at the beginning of the second contraction waveform, thus the first timing is around 2AL).
Regarding claim 16, Watanabe et al teaches an inkjet printer (fig.1) comprising:
a plurality of rollers for conveying a print medium (3a,4 fig.1); and
an inkjet head (figs.2-4) configured to eject ink onto the conveyed medium and including:
a nozzle (25 figs.2-4);
a pressure chamber (51 fig.4) that is capable of storing liquid and communicates with the nozzle, a volume of the pressure chamber being variable to eject the liquid from the nozzle (25);
an actuator (18 figs.4,3) configured to vary the volume of the pressure chamber in response to a drive signal (figs.6,7); and
a drive circuit (fig.5) configured to generate the drive signal, wherein
the pressure chamber (51 fig.4) has one of states including:
a steady state in which the volume is unchanged (in PL1 at zero potential (a) in fig.6),
an expanded state in which the volume is expanded (in PL1 including (a)+(b)+(c)+(d) in fig.6; paragraph 0066),
a first contracted state in which the volume is contracted (in PL2 including (e)+(f) in fig.6), and
a second contracted state in which the volume is contracted further from the first contracted state (in PL2 including (g) in fig.6),
the drive signal (figs.6,7) comprises:
a first waveform (in PL1 including (a)+(b)+(c)+(d)+(e)+(f) in fig.6) that causes the pressure chamber (51) to transition from the steady state to the expanded state, and then transition from the expanded state to the first contracted state,
a second waveform (in PL2 including (g)+ vertical pulse going +0.5 to +1V in fig.6) that is subsequent to the first waveform and causes the pressure chamber (51) to transition from the first contracted state to the second contracted state at or after a first timing (flow rate becomes zero close to the beginning of the second waveform/right end of W) at which a flow rate of the liquid in the pressure chamber becomes zero (see the flow velocity graphs in figs.6,7), and
a third waveform (in PL2 including (h)+(i) in fig.6) that is subsequent to the second waveform and causes the pressure chamber (51) to transition from the second contracted state to the steady state after a second timing (flow rate becomes zero close the vertical line passing through (h) /right end of P) at which the flow rate first becomes zero (see the flow velocity graphs in figs.6,7), and
the first timing is reached when at least 1.5 AL has elapsed after a beginning of the first waveform, where AL is a half of a natural vibration period of the liquid in the pressure chamber (fig.6, paragraphs 0078,0082,0083,0097; D=1AL, W=1AL, R=0.2μs; the flow rate becomes zero at the beginning of the second contraction waveform, thus the first timing is around 2AL).
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.
Claims 3, 4, 15, 18, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takamura (EP 3 928 989 A1) in view of Nishimura et al (US 2013/0135397) and/or Nitta et al. (JP 2014208411).
Regarding claims 3,18, Takamura substantially teaches the claimed invention including the drive signal (figs.10,11) further comprises a 0V waveform subsequent to the third waveform (stepwise waveform).
Takamura does not teach a fourth waveform that is subsequent to the third waveform and causes the pressure chamber to transition from the steady state to the first contracted state, and then transition from the first contracted state to the steady state.
However, Nishimura et al teaches drive signal including residual vibration suppression waveform (P12 fig.10; P32 fig.11B) following ejection waveform (P11 fig.10; P31 fig.11B).
Similarly, Nitta et al teaches drive signal including residual vibration suppression waveform (DP figs.6,8,11,14,17) following ejection waveform (SP figs.6,8,11,14,17).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art, as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include such waveform after ejection waveform of Takamura based on the teachings of Nishimura et al for instance to improve print quality by suppressing residual vibration in pressure chamber.
Regarding claims 4,19, Takamura as modified by Nishimura et al and/or Nitta et al further teaches wherein the fourth waveform (P12 fig.10; P32 fig.11B of Nishimura et al as applied above; DP figs.6,8,11,14,17 of Nitta et al as applied above) is input between a timing at which the flow rate is the greatest and a timing at which the flow rate is the second greatest after the liquid is ejected (figs.10,11B of Nishimura et al; figs.6,8,11,14,17 of Nitta et al).
Regarding claim 15, Takamura as modified by Nishimura et al and/or Nitta et al further teaches wherein the drive signal further comprises a fourth waveform (P12 fig.10; P32 fig.11B of Nishimura et al as applied above; DP figs.6,8,11,14,17 of Nitta et al as applied above) that is subsequent to the third waveform and causes the pressure chamber (15 fig.4 of Takamura; 56 fig.6 of Nishimura et al; 11 figs.2,3 of Nitta et al as applied above) to transition from the steady state to the first contracted state, and then transition from the first contracted state to the steady state, and the fourth waveforms (P12 fig.10; P32 fig.11B of Nishimura et al; DP figs.6,8,11,14,17 of Nitta et al) applies a sixth voltage of a sixth value that is equal to the third value (figs.10,fig.11B of Nishimura et al; figs.6,8,11,14,17 of Nitta et al).
Conclusion
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/HENOK D LEGESSE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853
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