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 statements (IDS) submitted on 18 February 2025 and 26 June 2025 have been considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: in line 2, “is configure” should be replaced by – is configured --. 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.
Claims 6-9 are 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 recites the limitation "a third fixing member" in lines 1-2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Please note that the preceding claims do not include ‘a second fixing member’, making the metes and bounds of the claim unclear. The rejection also applies to Claims 7 and 8 since they depend on claim 6.
Claim 9 recites the limitation "an elastic third sealing member" and “the third flow path opening”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim. Please note that the preceding claims do not include ‘an elastic second sealing member’ or ‘a/the second flow path opening’, making the metes and bounds of the claim unclear.
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 1-3, 5-11 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Watanabe (US 2021/0023842.)
Regarding claim 1,
Watanabe discloses a liquid ejecting head [200 in figs. 1-6] comprising:
a first head module [215 in figs. 13-14] that is configure to eject a liquid in a first direction [vertical / Z-axis in figs. 13-14; through nozzles 282 that are part of nozzle plate 280 in figs. 12-14] and includes a first flow path opening forming member [270 in figs. 7 and 13-14] in which a first flow path opening is formed [as seen in figs. 13-14], and a first chip [260 in figs. 13-14] disposed in the first direction with respect to the first flow path opening forming member [as seen in figs. 7 and 13-14];
a supply flow path member [253 in fig. 7] that supplies the liquid to the first head module [as seen in fig. 7; paragraph 0045];
an elastic first sealing member [220 in figs. 13-14] that is sandwiched between the first head module [below sealing member 220 in figs. 13-14] and the supply flow path member [above sealing member 220 in figs. 13-14] in the first direction to liquid-tightly couple the first flow path opening and a flow path opening of the supply flow path member to each other [paragraph 0044]; and
a first fixing member [screws 293-296 in figs. 12-14] that fixes the supply flow path member and the first flow path opening forming member [as seen in figs. 12-14],
wherein a first sealing region [extension of seal member 220 in figs. 13-14] sandwiched between the first flow path opening forming member and the supply flow path member in the first sealing member overlaps the first chip when viewed in the first direction [as seen in figs. 12-14], and
a first dimension of a portion of the first flow path opening forming member that overlaps the first sealing region in the first direction [dimension from seal 220 to flow path member 270 in figs. 12-13] is larger than a first distance between the first sealing region and the first fixing member [293 / 295 in figs. 12-13] when viewed in the first direction.
Regarding claim 2,
Watanabe further discloses wherein the first dimension is larger than twice the first distance [as seen in figs. 12-13.]
Regarding claim 3,
Watanabe further discloses wherein the first dimension is larger than three times the first distance [as seen in figs. 12-13.]
Regarding claim 5,
Watanabe further discloses wherein a dimension of a portion of the first flow path opening forming member that overlaps the first fixing member in the first direction is larger than the first distance [as seen in fig. 13.]
Regarding claim 6,
Watanabe further discloses further comprising a third fixing member [see screws 293-296 in fig. 12] that fixes the supply flow path member and the first flow path opening forming member [as seen in the figures],
wherein the first dimension is larger than a distance between the first sealing region and the third fixing member when viewed in the first direction, and the third fixing member is not positioned on a half line extending from the first sealing region toward the first fixing member when viewed in the first direction [as seen in fig. 12.]
Regarding claim 7,
Watanabe further discloses wherein the first sealing region is disposed between the first fixing member and the third fixing member when viewed in the first direction [as seen in fig. 12.]
Regarding claim 8,
Watanabe further discloses the liquid ejecting head further comprising a plurality of fixing members [293-296 in fig. 12] which include three or more fixing members including the first fixing member and the third fixing member, of which a distance to the first sealing region is smaller than the first dimension when viewed in the first direction, and which fix the supply flow path member and the first flow path opening forming member
wherein the first sealing region is disposed inside a smallest protruding polygon that contains the plurality of fixing members when viewed in the first direction [see figures.]
Regarding claim 9,
Watanabe further discloses the liquid ejecting head further comprising an elastic third sealing member that is sandwiched between the first head module and the supply flow path member in the first direction to liquid-tightly couple the third flow path opening and the flow path opening of the supply flow path member to each other, wherein
the third flow path opening is formed in the first flow path opening forming member,
a third sealing region sandwiched between the first flow path opening forming member and the supply flow path member in the third sealing member overlaps the first chip when viewed in the first direction, and
a dimension of a portion of the first flow path opening forming member that overlaps the third sealing region in the first direction is larger than a distance between the third sealing region and the first fixing member when viewed in the first direction [see 112 Rejection above; please note that since the preceding claims do not include ‘an elastic second sealing member’ or ‘a/the second flow path opening’, the metes and bounds of the claim are unclear.]
Regarding claim 10,
Watanabe further discloses wherein the first sealing region and the first fixing member do not overlap each other when viewed in the first direction [see figs. 12-13.]
Regarding claim 11,
Watanabe further discloses wherein the first dimension is larger than a shortest distance between the first sealing region and a fixing position of the first flow path opening forming member where the first fixing member is fixed [as seen in figs. 12-13.]
Regarding claim 13,
Watanabe further discloses a liquid ejecting apparatus [100 in fig. 1] comprising:
a plurality of the liquid ejecting heads according to claim 1 [see Rejection above];
a unit base to which the plurality of liquid ejecting heads are fixed [see figs. 12-13.]
Claims 1 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hagiwara et al. (US 2016/0167384 – hereinafter Hagiwara.)
Regarding claim 1,
Hagiwara discloses a liquid ejecting head [3 in fig. 3] comprising:
a first head module [17 / 3’ in figs. 2-3] that is configure to eject a liquid in a first direction and includes a first flow path opening forming member [14 in figs. 2-3] in which a first flow path opening is formed, and a first chip [13 in fig. 2] disposed in the first direction with respect to the first flow path opening forming member [para 0047-0054];
a supply flow path member [12 in figs. 2-3] that supplies the liquid to the first head module [paragraph 0047];
an elastic first sealing member [19 in fig. 3] that is sandwiched between the first head module and the supply flow path member in the first direction to liquid-tightly couple the first flow path opening and a flow path opening of the supply flow path member to each other [paragraph 0056]; and
a first fixing member [35b in fig. 4] that fixes the supply flow path member and the first flow path opening forming member [paragraph 0051],
wherein a first sealing region [extension of seal member 19] sandwiched between the first flow path opening forming member and the supply flow path member in the first sealing member overlaps the first chip when viewed in the first direction [see fig. 2], and
a first dimension of a portion of the first flow path opening forming member that overlaps the first sealing region in the first direction is larger than a first distance between the first sealing region and the first fixing member when viewed in the first direction [as seen in figs. 2-3.]
Regarding claim 4,
Hagiwara further discloses wherein the first fixing member overlaps the first chip when viewed in the first direction [as seen in figs. 2-3.]
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.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Watanabe.
Regarding claim 12,
Watanabe discloses the claimed limitations as set forth above but fails to expressly disclose the liquid ejecting head further comprising:
a second head module that includes a second flow path opening forming member in which a second flow path opening is formed, and a second chip disposed in the first direction with respect to the second flow path opening forming member;
an elastic second sealing member that is sandwiched between the second head module and the supply flow path member in the first direction to liquid-tightly couple the second flow path opening and the flow path opening of the supply flow path member to each other; and
a second fixing member that fixes the supply flow path member and the second flow path opening forming member,
wherein a second sealing region sandwiched between the second flow path opening forming member and the supply flow path member in the second sealing member overlaps the second chip when viewed in the first direction, and
a second dimension of a portion of the second flow path opening forming member that is sandwiched between the second chip and the second sealing member in the first direction is larger than a second distance between the second sealing region and the second fixing member when viewed in the first direction.
However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to duplicate a head module and its components, an elastic sealing member, and a fixing member, since it has been held that a mere duplication of working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. In re Harza, 274 F.2d 669, 124 USPQ 378 (CCPA 1960). One would have been motivated to duplicate these components for the purpose of improving manufacturing yield, structural stability, and printing reliability.
Communication with the USPTO
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JANNELLE M LEBRON whose telephone number is (571)272-2729. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday: 9:00am - 5:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Douglas X Rodriguez can be reached at (571) 431-0716. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JANNELLE M LEBRON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853
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