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 .
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.
Claims 1-8, 11-13, 17 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kuroda (US PG Pub 2022/0089388).
For claims 1, 17 and 18: Kuroda teaches an image recording, and image forming device (see Fig. 1), comprising a sheet conveyance apparatus comprising: a stacking tray 300 having a sheet stacking surface 330, 340 on which a sheet is stacked (see Figs. 2C and 3A, paragraphs 55 and 56, the surface of the portion 300 being a sheet stacking surface 330, 340); a feeding roller (see Fig. 1, rollers for feeding the sheet G stacked on tray 310 seen) configured to feed the sheet stacked on the stacking tray in a feeding direction H (see Fig. 2); and a first side regulating member 320 (see Fig. 2C, paragraph 56) disposed in the stacking tray to be movable in a width direction W orthogonal to the feeding direction H and configured to regulate a position of one end of the sheet G stacked on the stacking tray 300 in the width direction W (see paragraph 56, guide 320, 320a, see Fig. 2C and 4A, the guide movable in the width direction W), the first side regulating member 320 having a first regulating surface 322a to be brought into contact with the one end of the sheet in the width direction (see Fig. 5C), and a first supporting surface 321a configured to, together with the sheet stacking surface 330, 340, support the sheet (see Fig. 5C), wherein the first side regulating member 320a has, at a downstream side end of the first supporting surface in the feeding direction, a first scooping portion 321c that is configured to scoop the sheet onto the first supporting surface 321a when the first side regulating member 320a moves and that extends from the first supporting surface 321a (see Fig. 5C) to below the sheet stacking surface 330 (see Fig. 5C, see Fig. 3B), an image reading unit 102 configured to read an image of a sheet fed from the stacking tray (see paragraph 42) and an image forming unit configured to form an image on a recording medium base on the image of the sheet read by the image reading unit (see paragraph 43).
For claim 2: Kuroda teaches the sheet conveyance apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the first outer edge of the first support surface 321a has a first inclined portion 321a1 that is inclined with respect to the feeding direction so as to approach the first regulating surface 322a as the first inclined portion extends upstream from the first scooping portion 322a in the feeding direction W (see Fig. 3B).
For claim 3: Kuroda teaches the sheet conveyance apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first scooping portion 321c extends from the first support surface in the width direction and is inclined downward as the first scooping portion extends away from the first regulating surface (see Fig. 5C, element 321c dipping downward in the width direction W).
For claim 4: Kuroda teaches the sheet conveyance apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an abutting portion 321d configured to come into contact with a leading end of the sheet stacked on the stacking tray and regulate a movement of the sheet in the feeding direction (see Fig. 5C, by contact), wherein a distance from the abutting portion 321d to the first scooping portion 321c in the feeding direction is shorter than a length of a smallest-sized sheet that is conveyable by the sheet conveyance apparatus (see Fig. 5C, the distance is negligible as the two components are nearly adjacent).
For claim 5: Kuroda teaches the sheet conveyance apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an abutting portion 321d configured to come into contact with a leading end of the sheet stacked on the stacking tray and regulate a movement of the sheet in the feeding direction, wherein a distance from the abutting portion 321d to the first scooping portion 321c in the feeding direction is shorter than 91 millimeters (see Fig. 5C, the two components are adjacent so a distance between them is shorter than 91 mm).
For claim 6: Kuroda teaches the sheet conveyance apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second side regulating member disposed in the stacking tray to be movable in the width direction and configured to regulate a position of another end of the sheet stacked on the stacking tray in the width direction, the second side regulating member having a second regulating surface to be brought into contact with the other end of the sheet in the width direction, and a second supporting surface configured to, together with the sheet stacking surface, support the sheet, wherein the second side regulating member has, on a downstream side end of the second supporting surface in the feeding direction, a second scooping portion that is configured to scoop the sheet onto the second supporting surface when the second side regulating member moves and that extends from the second supporting surface to below the sheet stacking surface (see Fig. 2C and 3A, a second regulating member 320, 320b is provided with first regulating member 320, 320a, the second regulating member on the other side in the width direction, movable in the width direction and constructed similarly to the first having the same scooping portion provided therewith).
For claim 7: Kuroda teaches the sheet conveyance apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the first outer edge of the first support surface 321a has a first inclined portion 321a1 that is inclined with respect to the feeding direction so as to approach the first regulating surface 322a as the first inclined portion extends upstream from the first scooping portion 322a in the feeding direction W (see Fig. 3B), and wherein an outer edge of the second supporting surface has a second inclined portion that is inclined with respect to the feeding direction so as to approach the second regulating surface as the second inclined portion extends upstream from the second scooping portion in the feeding direction (see Fig. 2C and 3B, the construction of the second support surface is mirrored to the first support surface and has the same outer edge with its respective incline and scooping portions).
For claim 8: Kuroda teaches the sheet conveyance apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the first scooping portion 321c extends from the first support surface in the width direction and is inclined downward as the first scooping portion extends away from the first regulating surface (see Fig. 5C, element 321c dipping downward in the width direction W) and wherein the second scooping portion extends from the second supporting surface in the width direction, and is inclined downward as the second scooping portion extends away from the second regulating surface (see Fig. 2C, 3B, for the second support 320, 320b, the elements are designed in the same fashion).
For claim 11: Kuroda teaches the sheet conveyance apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising further comprising an abutting portion 321d configured to come into contact with a leading end of the sheet stacked on the stacking tray and regulate a movement of the sheet in the feeding direction (see Fig. 5C, by contact), wherein a distance from the abutting portion 321d to each of the first scooping portion 321c and the second scooping portion 321c in the feeding direction is shorter than a length of a smallest-sized sheet that is conveyable by the sheet conveyance apparatus (see Fig. 5C, the distance is negligible as the two components are nearly adjacent.
For claim 12: Kuroda teaches the sheet conveyance apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising an abutting portion 321d that is configured to come into contact with a leading end of the sheet stacked on the stacking tray and regulate a movement of the sheet in the feeding direction, wherein a distance from the abutting portion to each of the first scooping portion 321c and the second scooping portion 321c in the feeding direction is shorter than 91 mm (see Fig. 5C, the two components are adjacent so a distance between them is shorter than 91 mm).
For claim 13: Kuroda teaches the sheet conveyance apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising an interlocking mechanism 331, 332 (see paragraph 91-93, see Fig. 9) configured to move the first side regulating member 320, 320a and the second side regulating member 320, 320b in conjunction with each other, the interlocking mechanism having a first rack portion 331a in the first side regulating member, a second rack portion 331b in the second side regulating member, and a gear 332 configured to be engaged with the first rack portion 331a and the second rack portion 331b (see paragraphs 92-93, Fig. 9).
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.
Claims 9 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kuroda (US PG Pub 2022/0089388).
For claim 9: Kuroda teaches all of the limitations of claim 9 except that at a position upstream of the first scooping portion in the feeding direction, a third scooping portion extending below the sheet stacking surface, and wherein the second supporting surface has, at a position upstream of the second scooping portion in the feeding direction, a fourth scooping portion extending below the sheet stacking surface. However, this distinction from the prior art can be overcome through a duplication of the provided parts, to provide each of the supporting surfaces with two scooping portions, thus constituting a third and fourth scooping portion. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to provide two scooping portions for each supporting surface for the purpose of contacting the paper at multiple locations to adjust its alignment.
For claim 10: Kuroda teaches the sheet conveyance apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the sheet stacking surface has a slit 311 into which the third scooping portion and the fourth scooping portion are fitted so that the third scooping portion and the fourth scooping portion are slidable (see Fig. 3A, see paragraph 68).
Claims 14 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kuroda (US PG Pub 2022/0089388) in view of Tashiro et al. (US PG Pub 2021/0114834).
For claim 14: Kuroda teaches the sheet conveyance apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a movable stacking surface 321a configured to be movable in the width direction together with the first side regulating member 322, and be movable to a supporting position at which the movable stacking surface, together with the sheet stacking surface 330, supports the sheet (see Fig. 3A). Kuroda does not teach moving to a retracted position, below the lower side of the sheet stacking surface, at which the movable stacking surface is retracted. However, Tashiro et al. teaches moving to a retract position below the lower side of the sheet stacking portion at which the movable sheet stacking surface is retracted (See paragraph 95, mechanism 38 retracting the support surface). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention of Kuroda to provide a device for moving the surface to a retract position as taught by Tashiro et al. for the purpose of increasing the space surface and a feeding roller.
For claim 15: Kuroda teaches all of the limitations of claim 15 except that the first supporting surface has, at a position at a downstream side end of the movable stacking surface in the feeding direction, a third scooping portion extending below the sheet stacking surface. However, this distinction from the prior art can be overcome through a duplication of the provided parts, to provide each of the supporting surfaces with two scooping portions, thus constituting a third scooping portion. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to provide two scooping portions for the supporting surface for the purpose of contacting the paper at multiple locations to adjust its alignment.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kuroda (US PG Pub 2022/0089388) in view of Ukai (US PG Pub 2013/0135697).
For claim 16: Kuroda teaches all of the limitations of claim 16 except that the stacking tray is configured to be pivotable with respect to a main body of the sheet conveyance apparatus, and wherein the first scooping portion is configured to slide to a downstream side end of the stacking tray in the feeding direction. However, Ukai teaches a sheet tray to be pivotable with respect to the main body (see paragraph 31, see Fig. 2). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to provide the tray to be pivotable with respect to the main body of the apparatus to open and close the tray. In the pivoted position, the scooping portion moves to a relatively downstream position in the feeding direction.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID H BANH whose telephone number is (571)270-3851. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 12-8PM.
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/DAVID H BANH/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853
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