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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed 2/13/2025 does not contain any reference(s) listed for consideration. The information disclosure statement has been placed in the application file, but the information referred to therein has not been considered.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-11 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 1, lines 9 and 10, “the respective” should be “respective”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 6 is considered to be indefinite because it is unclear which one of the developing devices is “the developing device” (line 1).
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.
Claim(s) 1-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nishimura et al. (US Pat. Pub. No. US 2009/0317133 A1)
Regarding claim 1, Nishimura et al. discloses an image forming apparatus 1 comprising: a main casing 2 having an opening (Fig. 8); an opening-closing member 2A configured to move between an open position for opening the opening (Fig. 8) and a closed position for closing the opening (Fig. 1); a plurality of developing devices 42 detachably attached to the main casing 2A through the opening, each of the plurality of developing devices 42 including a developing roller 42A, the developing roller 42A rotating around a shaft extending a first direction, the plurality of developing devices 42 being arranged in a second direction (rear <-> front) perpendicular to the first direction (Figs. 1 and 2C); a plurality of photosensitive drums 32, respective developing devices 42 forming toner images on respective photosensitive drums 32 (paragraphs [0026]-[0027]); an intermediate transfer belt 51 configured to transfer the toner images formed on the respective photosensitive drums 32 to a sheet P (paragraphs [0037]-[0038]); a developing device supporting structure 40 configured to support the plurality of developing devices 42 and configured to move through the opening in the second direction (rear <-> front) between an inner position inside the main casing 2A (Fig. 1) and an outer position outside the main casing 2A (Fig. 8) such that the plurality of developing devices 42 is attachable to and detachable from the developing device supporting structure 40 in the outer position; and a developing device moving mechanism 80, 90 extending in the second direction, a plurality of spring members 82B configured to press the plurality of developing devices 42 being arranged in the second direction, the developing device moving mechanism 80, 90 being configured to move between a first position and a second position with respect to the main casing 2A and configured such that the developing device moving mechanism 80 in the first position presses the plurality of developing devices 42 toward the intermediate transfer belt 51 via the plurality of spring members 82B (Figs. 1 and 2C), wherein in response to a movement of the opening-closing member 2A from the closed position to the open position, the developing device moving mechanism 80 moves from the first position to the second position which is located downstream in a direction in which the developing device supporting structure 40 moves from the inner position to the outer position and is away from the intermediate transfer belt 51 (Figs. 4C and 8), in response to a movement of the opening-closing member 2A from the open position to the closed position, the developing device moving mechanism 80 moves to the first position and presses the plurality of developing devices 42 toward the intermediate transfer belt 51 via the plurality of spring members 82B (Figs. 1, 2B and 2C), in response to a movement of the opening-closing member 2A from the closed position to the open position, the developing device moving mechanism 80 moves to the second position and releases the pressure of the plurality of developing devices 42 toward the intermediate transfer belt 51 via the plurality of spring members 82B (Figs. 4B, 4C and 8), the developing device moving mechanism 80 in the second position does not contact the opening-closing member 2A (Fig. 8), and the developing device moving mechanism 80 in the first position contacts the opening-closing member 2A (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 2, Nishimura et al. discloses wherein the intermediate transfer belt 51 is positioned above the plurality of photosensitive drums 32 (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 3, Nishimura et al. discloses wherein the plurality of developing devices 42 is configured to be pressed in response to a pressing force of the developing device moving mechanism 80 which moves in conjunction with the opening-closing member 2A (Figs. 1, 2B, 2C, 4B, 4C, and 8).
Regarding claim 4, Nishimura et al. discloses wherein the developing device moving mechanism 80 forms a pair, each of which is disposed in the first direction (paragraph [0041]).
Regarding claim 5, Nishimura et al. discloses wherein the developing device moving mechanism 80 includes the plurality of spring members 82B (Fig. 2B).
Regarding claim 6, Nishimura et al. discloses wherein the developing device 42 is interlocked with the opening-closing member 2A such that the developing roller 42A is separated from the photosensitive drum 32 when the opening-closing member 2A is in the open position (Figs. 4C and 8), and the developing roller 42A is close to the photosensitive drum 32 and developable when the opening-closing member 2A is in the closed position (Figs. 1 and 2C).
Regarding claim 7, Nishimura et al. discloses a drum frame 31 detachably attached to the main casing 2 through the opening and including a photosensitive drum 32 (paragraph [0024]).
Regarding claim 8, Nishimura et al. discloses wherein the developing device moving mechanism 80 is positioned below the developing roller 42A and is configured to move with respect to the main casing 2 and configured to press the developing roller 42A upwardly against the photosensitive drum 32 (Figs. 1, 2B, and 2C).
Regarding claim 9, Nishimura et al. discloses wherein the developing device moving mechanism 80 is configured to move horizontally (Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 10, Nishimura et al. discloses wherein the developing device moving mechanism 80 is configured to move upward and downward (Figs. 2A-2C and 4A-4C).
Regarding claim 11, Nishimura et al. discloses wherein the developing device moving mechanism 80 in the first position is configured such that the plurality of spring members 82B contact a certain portion of the plurality of developing devices 42 to press the plurality of developing devices 42 toward the intermediate transfer belt 51 (Figs. 1-2C).
Other Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Mushika et al. (US Pat. Pub. No. US 2009/0324283 A1) discloses an image forming apparatus comprising: a main casing; an opening-closing member; a plurality of developing device; a plurality of photosensitive drums; an intermediate transfer belt being positioned above the plurality of photosensitive drums; a developing device supporting structure; and a developing device moving mechanism.
Nishiuwatoko et al. (US Pat. Pub. No. US 2011/0305479 A1) discloses an image forming apparatus comprising: a main casing; an opening-closing member; a plurality of developing device; a plurality of photosensitive drums; an intermediate transfer belt being positioned above the plurality of photosensitive drums; a developing device supporting structure; and a developing device moving mechanism.
Nishimura et al. (US Pat. No. 8,467,703 B2) discloses an image forming apparatus comprising: a main casing; an opening-closing member; a plurality of developing device; a plurality of photosensitive drums; an intermediate transfer belt being positioned above the plurality of photosensitive drums; a developing device supporting structure; and a developing device moving mechanism including a plurality of spring members.
Contact Information
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/SOPHIA S CHEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
Ssc
January 27, 2026