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 .
Response to Amendment
Receipt is acknowledged of applicant’s amendment filed on June 3, 2026. Claims 1, 2, 8, 9, 14, 15 have been amended. Claims 1-20 are pending and an action on the merits is as follows.
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- 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Morimoto et al (JP 2012062191).
RE 1, 8, 14, Morimoto discloses a method (par 80), for a printer (1, Fig 1) comprising a thermal print head (par 60-63, 172); a holder (4, Fig 6, 10) configured to hold a roll of paper with a rolled belt-like sheet (par 50-52, 74, 80-82); a conveyance component (200) configured to pull out the sheet from the holder (par 53-56, 109); and a keeping component (39, Fig 10, 16, 18) provided between the holder and the conveyance component and configured to keep an angle of a separation edge between a cylindrical outer circumferential surface of the roll of paper and the sheet pulled out from the roll of paper at a predetermined acute angle, the keeping component has a projecting shape that enters between the outer circumferential surface of the roll of paper and the sheet at the separation edge to facilitate separating the sheet pulled out from the roll of paper at the predetermined acute angle from the roll of paper (par 102, 110, 111, 129, 144-146).
RE 2, 9, 15, wherein the projecting shape (Fig 6, 10, 18) presses the outer circumferential surface of the roll of paper and enters between the outer circumferential surface and the sheet at the separation edge (1000a), and includes a roller (39a) that rolls in contact with the sheet in an end part of the projecting shape (par 102, 129).
RE 3, 10, 16, wherein the holder (4) has a pressing surface (35) that presses the outer circumferential surface of the roll of paper pressed by the projecting shape in a position opposed to the end part of the projecting shape (par 99, 129).
RE 4, 11, 17, further comprising: a damper (39) that absorbs fluctuations of a force necessary for conveyance of the sheet by the conveyance component is provided downstream of a position of the pressing surface (Fig 10, 18) to which the end part of the projecting shape is opposed (par 129).
Re 5, 12, 18, wherein the damper (39) is configured to be urged by an urging member (spring not shown) in a direction in which a sheet conveyance path is longer, and the damper is configured to pivot against the urge if a tension of the sheet increases and pivot in a direction of return to an original position of the urge if the tension of the sheet decreases (par 102, 129).
RE 6, 19, wherein the conveyance component (200) includes a platen roller that nips a sheet between a printing head printing on a belt-like sheet and itself and is rotationally driven to convey the sheet away from the roll of paper (par 53-56).
Re 7, 13, 20, further comprising: a sensor (11) for sensing presence or absence of the sheet in an ejection opening (par 84-90).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed June 3, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues Morimoto fails to disclose the keeping component provided between the holder and the conveyance component and configured to keep an angle of a separation edge between a cylindrical outer circumferential surface of the roll of paper and the sheet pulled out from the roll of paper at a predetermined acute angle, the keeping component has a projecting shape that enters between the outer circumferential surface of the roll of paper and the sheet at the separation edge to facilitate separating the sheet pulled out from the roll of paper at the predetermined acute angle from the roll of paper. The Office respectfully disagrees. Although the keeping component 39 may be biased by a spring, this keeping component 39 is provided between the holder 4 and conveyance component 200. The keeping component has a projection shape shown in Fig 6, 10 and 18 looking similar to a V-shape. This projection shape enters between the outer circumferential surface of the roll and the sheet separated edge at a predetermined acute angle (see Fig 14 and 18) and the V-shape acute angle never changes wider, narrower, shorter, nor longer, so it meets all the claimed features.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new grounds of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Christle I. Marshall whose telephone number is (571) 270-3086. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday – Friday 7:30AM - 4:00PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steven Paik can be reached on (571) 272-2404. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Christle I Marshall/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
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