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
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application filed in China on 5/14/2024. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of the CN202421049791.2 application as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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(s) 1-2, 5, 7-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (CN214563885) in view of Xu (CN106382907)
Regarding claim 1, an ink jet printing device, comprising: a conveying mechanism (20); ink jet assembly (40); a moving mechanism (Figures 1-4; Paragraphs 0009-0011); a frame (10); and an electronic control unit [operation of the ink jet printing device will be controlled] (Figure 1; Paragraphs 0038-0043)
Wherein the frame is provided with a processing zone (20a); and the conveying mechanism and the moving mechanism are mounted on the frame (Figure 1; Paragraphs 0045-0046)
The conveying mechanism comprises a transmission belt [conveyor belt], a transmission roller [conveying roller] and a first driving part [servo motor] (Figures 1-4; Paragraphs 0043-0044)
The transmission belt is configured to receive and convey a to-be-printed panel [PCB board]; the first driving part is configured to drive the transmission roller to rotate, so as to drive the transmission belt to convey the to-be-printed panel to the processing zone (Figures 1-4; Paragraphs 0038-0056)
The moving mechanism is configured to drive the ink jet assembly to reciprocate linearly above the processing zone; the ink jet assembly is configured to spray an ink material onto the to be printed panel in the processing zone; and the electronic control unit is electrically connected to the conveying mechanism, the ink jet assembly, the moving mechanism (Figures 1-4; Paragraphs 0038-0056)
Xu discloses a board (2) which is conveyed by a conveyor belt (1) with a first sensor (5) and a second sensor (6) are mounted on a bracket (7). Wherein the two sensors will determine the position of the board if it is skewed or tilted (Paragraph 0060, 0065).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the sensors on a bracket to sense the positioning of the board within the printing area as taught by Xu into the device of Chen, in order to determine if the substrate or board is properly positioned.
Regarding claim 2, Xu discloses a board (2) which is conveyed by a conveyor belt (1) with a first sensor (5) and a second sensor (6) are mounted on a bracket (7), the sensors are slidably connected to the bracket allowing the user to adjust the distance of the sensors to the dimensional specifications of the board. Wherein the two sensors will determine the position of the board if it is skewed or tilted (Paragraph 0060, 0065).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the sensors on a bracket to sense the positioning of the board within the printing area as taught by Xu into the device of Chen, in order to determine if the substrate or board is properly positioned.
Regarding claim 5, wherein the conveying mechanism further comprises a support strip provided within the transmission belt; and the support strip is configured to support a panel receiving surface of the transmission belt (Paragraphs 0042-0044; plurality of conveying rollers are disclosed)
Regarding claim 7, wherein the ink jet assembly comprises a first ink jet head and a first ink cartridge; the first ink cartridge is mounted on an outer side of the frame (above the frame); and the first ink jet head is configured to draw the ink material from the first ink cartridge through a first suction pump and spray the ink material onto the to be printed panel (Figures 1-4; Paragraphs 0051-0053)
Regarding claim 8, wherein the ink jet assembly further comprises a second ink jet head and a second ink cartridge; and the second ink jet head is configured to draw the ink material from the second ink cartridge through a second suction pump and spray the ink material onto the to be printed panel (Figures 1-4; Paragraphs 0051-0053)
Claim(s) 3-4, 6, 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (CN214563885) as modified by Xu (CN106382907) and further in view of Chang (U.S. Pub. 2014/0285565)
Regarding claim 3, Chang discloses wherein the frame is provided with an idle zone, and the idle zone (Figure 3; shown at the side of the conveyor system) is provided on a side of the processing zone; the moving mechanism is configured to drive the ink jet assembly to reciprocate linearly above the processing zone and the idle zone; and the ink jet assembly is provided in the idle zone in response to a case that the ink jet assembly is not in operation (Figure 3; Paragraphs 0027-0029)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Chang into the device of Chen as modified by Xu, for the purpose of incorporating multiple station printing apparatus of simple structure with small size and high efficiency (Paragraph 0003)
Regarding claim 4, Chang discloses wherein the frame is provided with an ink receiving portion, and the ink receiving portion is provided below the idle zone (printing module is above the ink receiving portion; the idle zone will be a space also between the printing module and ink receiving portion); two sides of the ink receiving portion are configured to be trapezoidal (portion of the ink receiving portion can formed to be a trapezoidal shape within the space; the trapezoidal structure is not clearly defined); a splash proof strip (cover for printing module 2) is provided at an opening of the ink receiving portion; and an area of the opening of the ink receiving portion is greater than an area of the idle zone (Figures 1, 3; Paragraphs 0027-0029)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Chang into the device of Chen as modified by Xu, for the purpose of incorporating multiple station printing apparatus of simple structure with small size and high efficiency (Paragraph 0003)
Regarding claim 6, Chen discloses a Z-axis slide rail with a driving part; wherein the mounting base (42) will move up and down by a driving member (43) (Figure 2; Paragraphs 0011, 0048-0049)
Chang discloses an X-axis slide rail to move the carriage in an X direction and wherein the printing module (2) will be moved along the Y axis direction (Figures 2-3; Paragraphs 0028-0031)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Chang into the device of Chen as modified by Xu, for the purpose of incorporating multiple station printing apparatus of simple structure with small size and high efficiency (Paragraph 0003)
Regarding claim 9, Chen discloses the frame is provided with a plurality of horizontal beams and a plurality of vertical beams which provided support for the printing apparatus (Figures 1-4)
Chang discloses an X-axis slide rail to move the carriage in an X direction and wherein the printing module (2) will be moved along the Y axis direction (Figures 2-3; Paragraphs 0028-0031)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Chang into the device of Chen as modified by Xu, for the purpose of incorporating multiple station printing apparatus of simple structure with small size and high efficiency (Paragraph 0003)
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (CN214563885) as modified by Xu (CN106382907) and Chang (U.S. Pub. 2014/0285565) and further in view of Long et al (U.S. Pub. 2022/0017027)
Regarding claim 10, Chen discloses the frame is provided with a plurality of horizontal beams and a plurality of vertical beams which provided support for the printing apparatus (Figures 1-4)
Chang discloses an X-axis slide rail to move the carriage in an X direction and wherein the printing module (2) will be moved along the Y axis direction (Figures 2-3; Paragraphs 0028-0031)
Long discloses it is known to use a drag chain slot fitting (Abstract; Paragraphs 0009, 0039)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Chang and Long into the device of Chen as modified by Xu, for the purpose of incorporating multiple station printing apparatus of simple structure with small size and high efficiency (Chang: Paragraph 0003) and providing a quick fitting and protection mechanism
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JASON S UHLENHAKE whose telephone number is (571)272-5916. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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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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/JASON S UHLENHAKE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853 July 11, 2026
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