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.
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.
Claim(s) 1-8, 10, 16 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nagata (US 2010/0026762) in view of Kasai (JP 2017213874).
With regard to claim 1, Nagata discloses an element substrate (H1051) [Para. 0032] comprising:
a plurality of energy generation elements (H1103) [recording elements; Para. 0032] configured to generate energy for ejection of a liquid;
a plurality of first drivers (H1116) [Para. 0057] configured to respectively drive the plurality of energy generation elements; and
a plurality of second drivers (H1118) [Para. 0061] configured to respectively drive the plurality of heating elements, wherein
the plurality of energy generation elements, the first drivers, and the second drivers are arranged along a first direction [Fig. 2], and
a single driver array (not labeled) in which the first drivers and the second drivers are arranged along the first direction is formed [Fig. 2].
Nagata does not disclose a plurality of heating elements configured to regulate a temperature of the liquid and the plurality of heating elements arranged along a first direction.
Kasai teaches a plurality of heating elements (105) [sub-heater; Para. 0011]configured to regulate a temperature of the liquid [Para. 0011]and the plurality of heating elements arranged along a first direction [Fig. 1].
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize a plurality of heating elements arranged along a first direction as taught by Kasai for the purpose of maintaining the temperature of the recording element substrate.
With regard to claim 2, Nagata discloses wherein in the driver array, the plurality of second drivers are arranged at regular intervals along the first direction [Fig. 2].
With regard to claim 3, Nagata discloses wherein in the driver array, one of the second drivers is arranged subsequent to every two or more consecutive ones of the plurality of first drivers [Fig. 2].
With regard to claim 4, Nagata does not disclose wherein in the driver array, the first drivers and the second drivers are alternately arranged.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the first drivers and the second drivers arranged alternately, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70.
With regard to claim 5, Nagata discloses wherein an interval between the drivers in the driver array is smaller than an interval between the energy generation elements in an energy generation element array including the plurality of energy generation elements [interval between the drivers in the driver array [Fig. 2].
With regard to claim 6, Nagata discloses wherein an energy generation element array including the plurality of energy generation elements [Fig. 2] is arranged along a second direction intersecting the first direction and Kasai also discloses a heating element array including the plurality of heating elements are arranged along a second direction intersecting the first direction [Fig. 1].
With regard to claim 7, Nagata discloses further comprising a plurality of supply ports (H1102) arranged along the first direction so as to correspond to the plurality of energy generation elements, respectively, and configured to supply the liquid to the plurality of energy generation elements [Fig. 2].
With regard to claim 8, Nagata discloses wherein a supply port array including the plurality of supply ports is arranged at a position shifted from the energy generation element array in the second direction [Fig. 2].
With regard to claim 10, Nagata does not disclose wherein the heating elements are arranged more densely at an end portion of a heating element array including the plurality of heating elements than at a center portion of the heating element array.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to arrange the heating elements more densely at an end portion of a heating element array including the plurality of heating elements than at a center portion of the heating element array since it has been held that the provision of adjustability, where needed involves only routine skill in the art. In re Stevens, 101 USPQ 284 (CCPA 1954).
With regard to claim 16, Nagata discloses wherein a power supply wiring (H1114) is provided in common to the energy generation elements [Para. 0065].
Kasai discloses wherein a power supply wiring (311) is provided in common to the heating elements [Para. 0029].
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize a power supply wiring in common to the heating element and the energy generating element for the purpose of connecting to the driver without influence by the heater.
With regard to claim 20, Nagata discloses a print head (H1000) [Para. 0070] comprising: an element substrate (H1051),
the element substrate including,
a plurality of energy generation elements (H1103) [recording elements; Para. 0032] configured to generate energy for ejection of a liquid,
a plurality of first drivers (H1116) [Para. 0057] configured to respectively drive the plurality of energy generation elements, and
a plurality of second drivers (H1118) [Para. 0061] configured to respectively drive the plurality of heating elements, wherein
the plurality of energy generation elements, the first drivers, and the second drivers are arranged along a first direction [Fig. 2], and
a single driver array (not labeled) in which the first drivers and the second drivers are arranged along the first direction is formed [Fig. 2].
Nagata does not disclose a plurality of heating elements configured to regulate a temperature of the liquid and the plurality of heating elements arranged along a first direction.
Kasai teaches a plurality of heating elements (105) [sub-heater; Para. 0011]configured to regulate a temperature of the liquid [Para. 0011]and the plurality of heating elements arranged along a first direction [Fig. 1].
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize a plurality of heating elements arranged along a first direction as taught by Kasai for the purpose of maintaining the temperature of the recording element substrate.
Claim(s) 12-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nagata (US 2010/0026762) in view of Kasai (JP 2017213874) and further in view of Taniguchi (US 2018/0236761).
With regard to claim 12, Nagata discloses a logic circuit [Para. 0069]
Nagata does not disclose further comprising: a plurality of first logic circuits arranged along the first direction and configured to select the first drivers; and a plurality of second logic circuits arranged along the first direction and configured to select the second drivers, wherein a single logic circuit array in which the first logic circuits and the second logic circuits are arranged along the first direction is formed.
Taniguchi teaches a plurality of first logic circuits (AND1) arranged along the first direction (Y) and configured to select the first drivers (MD1) [Para. 22]; and a plurality of second logic circuits (AND2) arranged along the first direction [Fig. 5] and configured to select the second drivers (MD2) [Para. 0023], wherein a single logic circuit array in which the first logic circuits and the second logic circuits are arranged along the first direction is formed [Fig. 5].
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the art to utilize a first and second logic circuit arranged in the first direction in a single logic array as taught by Taniguchi for the purpose of reducing the length of the substrate in the x direction.
With regard to claim 13, Nagata does not disclose wherein in the logic circuit array, the second logic circuits are arranged at regular intervals in the first direction.
Taniguchi teaches wherein, in the logic circuit array, the second logic circuits are arranged at regular intervals in the first direction [Fig. 5].
With regard to claim 14, Nagata does not disclose wherein in the logic circuit array, one of the second logic circuits is arranged subsequent to every two or more consecutive ones of the plurality of first logic circuits.
Taniguchi teaches wherein in the logic circuit array, one of the second logic circuits is arranged subsequent to every two or more consecutive ones of the plurality of first logic circuits [Fig. 6A].
With regard to claim 15, Nagata does not disclose wherein in the logic circuit array, the first logic circuits and the second logic circuits are alternately arranged.
Taniguchi teaches wherein, in the logic circuit array, the first logic circuits and the second logic circuits are alternately arranged [Fig. 6A].
Claim(s) 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nagata (US 2010/0026762) in view of Kasai (JP 2017213874) and further in view of Komata (JP 2009109261)
With regard to claim 17, Nagata does not disclose wherein a ground wiring is provided in common to the heating elements and the energy generation elements.
Komata teaches a ground wiring provided in common to heating elements and energy generation elements [Para. 0006].
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the ground wiring in common to heating elements and energy generation elements for the purpose of supplying power to heating element and the energy generation elements.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 9, 11 and 18-19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The primary reason for indicating allowable subject matter of claim 9 is the inclusion of the limitations of wherein the heating element array is provided between the energy generation element array and the supply port array in the second direction. It is this limitation(s) found in the claims, as it is claimed in the combination of that has not been found, taught or suggested by the prior art of record, which makes these claims allowable over the prior art.
The primary reason for indicating allowable subject matter of claim 11 is the inclusion of the limitations of wherein each of the first drivers and the second drivers includes an insulated-gate field- effect transistor, and a common source side wiring is connected to drain side wirings of the first drivers and the second drivers. It is this limitation(s) found in the claims, as it is claimed in the combination of that has not been found, taught or suggested by the prior art of record, which makes these claims allowable over the prior art.
The primary reason for indicating allowable subject matter of claims 18 is the inclusion of the limitations of a plurality of layers stacked along a direction perpendicular to a surface of the element substrate, wherein the second drivers are arranged in a layer different from a layer where a power supply wiring or a ground wiring of the heating elements is arranged, and are arranged so as to overlap the power supply wiring or the ground wiring along the direction perpendicular to the surface of the element substrate. It is this limitation(s) found in the claims, as it is claimed in the combination of that has not been found, taught or suggested by the prior art of record, which makes these claims allowable over the prior art.
Conclusion
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/TRACEY M MCMILLION/ Examiner, Art Unit 2853
/RICARDO I MAGALLANES/ Supervisor Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2853
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