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 .
2. This office action is responsive to the application Nº 19/065,202 filed on February 27th, 2025 in which claims 1-10 are pending and ready for examination.
Information Disclosure Statement
3. Acknowledgment is made of Applicant’s Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) form PTO-1449. These IDS have been considered.
Priority
4. Receipt is acknowledged of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Drawings
5. The examiner contends that the drawings submitted on 02/27/2025 are acceptable for examination proceedings.
Double Patenting
6. The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
7. A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321© or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
8. The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07€ and 714.13.
9. The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
10. Claims 1-10 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-10 of co-pending Application No 19/065,273. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the claims are essentially directed to the same subject matter.
The table below shows how the claims are anticipated:
Co-pending application Nº 19/065,273:
Instant application Nº 19/065,202:
1. A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising: an ejection section that includes a nozzle from which liquid is ejected onto a medium, a pressure chamber communicating with the nozzle, and a drive element that is configured to cause pressure applied to the liquid in the pressure chamber to fluctuate when a drive signal is supplied to the drive element; and a drive signal generator that is configured to generate the drive signal, wherein the drive signal includes a first common drive signal including a plurality of ejection pulses corresponding to a plurality of droplets that are combined before the droplets land on the medium, the plurality of ejection pulses include filling elements that change an electrical potential to drive the drive element so as to generate negative pressure in the pressure chamber, and ejection elements that change the electrical potential to drive the drive element to generate positive pressure in the pressure chamber such that a droplet is ejected from the nozzle, an ejection element of a first ejection pulse in chronological order among the plurality of ejection pulses changes in electrical potential from a first electrical potential to a reference electrical potential and is coupled to a first coupling element, a filling element of a last ejection pulse in chronological order among the plurality of ejection pulses changes in electrical potential from an electrical potential equal to or higher than the reference electrical potential to a second electrical potential, and an ejection element of the last ejection pulse changes in electrical potential from the second electrical potential to a third electrical potential, the last ejection pulse includes a damping element that changes in electrical potential after the ejection element of the last ejection pulse so as to reduce a fluctuation in the pressure in the pressure chamber, the reference electrical potential is between the first electrical potential and the third electrical potential, the reference electrical potential is between the second electrical potential and the third electrical potential, a time period from start of the filling element of the last ejection pulse to start of the ejection element of the last ejection pulse is greater than or equal to 0.3 TC and less than 0.5 TC, and TC indicates a natural vibration period of the ejection section.
1. A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising: an ejection section that includes a nozzle from which liquid is ejected onto a medium, a pressure chamber communicating with the nozzle, and a drive element that is configured to cause pressure applied to the liquid in the pressure chamber to fluctuate when a drive signal is supplied to the drive element; and a drive signal generator that is configured to generate the drive signal, wherein the drive signal includes a first common drive signal including a plurality of ejection pulses corresponding to a plurality of droplets that are combined before the droplets land on the medium, the plurality of ejection pulses include filling elements that change an electrical potential to drive the drive element so as to generate negative pressure in the pressure chamber, and ejection elements that change the electrical potential to drive the drive element to generate positive pressure in the pressure chamber such that a droplet is ejected from the nozzle, an ejection element of a first ejection pulse in chronological order among the plurality of ejection pulses changes in electrical potential from a first electrical potential to a reference electrical potential and is coupled to a first coupling element, a filling element of a last ejection pulse in chronological order among the plurality of ejection pulses changes in electrical potential from an electrical potential equal to or higher than the reference electrical potential to a second electrical potential, and an ejection element of the last ejection pulse changes in electrical potential from the second electrical potential to a third electrical potential, the last ejection pulse includes a damping element that changes in electrical potential after the ejection element of the last ejection pulse to reduce a fluctuation in the pressure in the pressure chamber, the reference electrical potential is between the first electrical potential and the third electrical potential, the reference electrical potential is between the second electrical potential and the third electrical potential, a time period from start of the filling element of the last ejection pulse to start of the ejection element of the last ejection pulse is greater than or equal to 0.5 TC and less than 0.7 TC, and TC indicates a natural vibration period of the ejection section.
2. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first coupling element is an element that maintains the reference electrical potential until start of a next ejection pulse that follows the first ejection pulse in chronological order among the plurality of ejection pulses, and a first pulse interval from start of a filling element of the first ejection pulse to start of a filling element of the next ejection pulse is greater than or equal to 1.7 TC and less than 2.7 TC.
2. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first coupling element is an element that maintains the reference electrical potential until start of a next ejection pulse that follows the first ejection pulse in chronological order among the plurality of ejection pulses, and a first pulse interval from start of a filling element of the first ejection pulse to start of a filling element of the next ejection pulse is greater than or equal to 1.7 TC and less than 2.7 TC.
3. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a pulse width of the first ejection pulse is greater than or equal to 0.5 TC and less than 0.7 TC.
3. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a pulse width of the first ejection pulse is greater than or equal to 0.5 TC and less than 0.7 TC.
4. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a pulse width of the first ejection pulse is greater than or equal to 0.3 TC and less than 0.5 TC.
4. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a pulse width of the first ejection pulse is greater than or equal to 0.3 TC and less than 0.5 TC.
5. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to The liquid ejecting apparatus according to
Wherein the drive signal includes a second common drive signal including a vibration imparting pulse that changes the electrical potential to drive the drive element so as to pressurize and depressurize the liquid in the pressure chamber to cause the pressure applied to the liquid in the pressure chamber to fluctuate without ejecting the liquid from the nozzle, a first dot is printed on the medium by supplying, to the drive element, a first dot drive signal generated by selecting the first ejection pulse and the last ejection pulse of the first common drive signal during a single driving cycle of the drive signal, a second dot smaller than the first dot is printed on the medium by supplying, to the drive element, a second dot drive signal generated by selecting the vibration imparting pulse of the second common drive signal and the last ejection pulse of the first common drive signal during the single driving cycle of the drive signal, in the first dot drive signal, a first pulse interval that is a time interval from a starting edge of a filling element of the first ejection pulse to a starting edge of the filling element of the last ejection pulse is greater than or equal to 1.7 TC and less than 2.7 TC, and in the second dot drive signal, a time period of a second coupling element that couples an ending edge of the vibration imparting pulse and a starting edge of the ejection element of the last ejection pulse is greater than or equal to 0.3 TC and less than 0.5 TC.
5. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to The liquid ejecting apparatus according to wh 'rein the drive signal includes a second common drive signal including a vibration imparting pulse that changes the electrical potential to drive the drive element to pressurize and depressurize the liquid in the pressure chamber to cause the pressure applied to the liquid in the pressure chamber to fluctuate without ejecting the liquid from the nozzle, a first dot is printed on the medium by supplying, to the drive element, a first dot drive signal generated by selecting the first ejection pulse and the last ejection pulse of the first common drive signal during a single driving cycle of the drive signal, a second dot smaller than the first dot is printed on the medium by supplying, to the drive element, a second dot drive signal generated by selecting the vibration imparting pulse of the second common drive signal and the last ejection pulse of the first common drive signal during the single driving cycle of the drive signal, in the first dot drive signal, a first pulse interval that is a time interval from a starting edge of a filling element of the first ejection pulse to a starting edge of the filling element of the last ejection pulse is greater than or equal to 1.7 TC and less than 2.7 TC, and in the second dot drive signal, a time period of a second coupling element that couples an ending edge of the vibration imparting pulse and a starting edge of the ejection element of the last ejection pulse is greater than or equal to 0.3 TC and less than 0.5 TC.
6. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drive signal includes a second common drive signal including a second ejection pulse including a filling element that changes the electrical potential to drive the drive element so as to generate negative pressure in the pressure chamber, and an ejection element that changes the electrical potential to drive the drive element so as to generate positive pressure in the pressure chamber such that a droplet is ejected from the nozzle, a first dot is printed on the medium by supplying, to the drive element, a first dot drive signal generated by selecting the first ejection pulse and the last ejection pulse of the first common drive signal during a single driving cycle of the drive signal, a second dot smaller than the first dot is printed on the medium by supplying, to the drive element, a second dot drive signal generated by selecting the second ejection pulse of the second common drive signal during the single driving cycle of the drive signal, in the first dot drive signal, a first pulse interval that is a time interval from a starting edge of a filling element of the first ejection pulse to a starting edge of the filling element of the last ejection pulse is greater than or equal to 1.7 TC and less than 2.7 TC, and a time period of the filling element of the first ejection pulse included in the first common drive signal overlaps a time period of the filling element of the second ejection pulse included in the second common drive signal, and a time period of the ejection element of the first ejection pulse included in the first common drive signal overlaps a time period of the ejection element of the second ejection pulse included in the second common drive signal.
6. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drive signal includes a second common drive signal including a second ejection pulse including a filling element that changes the electrical potential to drive the drive element so as to generate negative pressure in the pressure chamber, and an ejection element that changes the electrical potential to drive the drive element so as to generate positive pressure in the pressure chamber such that a droplet is ejected from the nozzle, a first dot is printed on the medium by supplying, to the drive element, a first dot drive signal generated by selecting the first ejection pulse and the last ejection pulse of the first common drive signal during a single driving cycle of the drive signal, a second dot smaller than the first dot is printed on the medium by supplying, to the drive element, a second dot drive signal generated by selecting the second ejection pulse of the second common drive signal during the single driving cycle of the drive signal, in the first dot drive signal, a first pulse interval that is a time interval from a starting edge of a filling element of the first ejection pulse to a starting edge of the filling element of the last ejection pulse is greater than or equal to 1.7 TC and less than 2.7 TC, and a time period of the filling element of the first ejection pulse included in the first common drive signal overlaps a time period of the filling element of the second ejection pulse included in the second common drive signal, and a time period of the ejection element of the first ejection pulse included in the first common drive signal overlaps a time period of the ejection element of the second ejection pulse included in the second common drive signal.
7. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drive signal includes a second common drive signal including a second ejection pulse including a filling element that changes the electrical potential to drive the drive element so as to generate negative pressure in the pressure chamber, and a ejection element that changes the electrical potential to drive the drive element so as to generate positive pressure in the pressure chamber such that a droplet is ejected from the nozzle, a first dot is printed on the medium by supplying, to the drive element, a first dot drive signal generated by selecting the plurality of ejection pulses of the first common drive signal during a single driving cycle of the drive signal, a second dot smaller than the first dot is printed on the medium by supplying, to the drive element, a second dot drive signal generated by selecting the first ejection pulse of the first common drive signal and the second ejection pulse of the second common drive signal during the single driving cycle of the drive signal, in the first dot drive signal, a pulse interval that is a time interval from a starting edge of a filling element of the first ejection pulse to a starting edge of a filling element of a next ejection pulse that follows the first ejection pulse in chronological order among the plurality of ejection pulses is greater than or equal to 1.7 TC and less than 2.7 TC, and in the second dot drive signal, a pulse interval that is a time interval from the starting edge of the filling element of the first ejection pulse to a starting edge of the filling element of the second ejection pulse is greater than or equal to 1.7 TC and less than 2.7 TC.
7. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drive signal includes a second common drive signal including a second ejection pulse including a filling element that changes the electrical potential to drive the drive element so as to generate negative pressure in the pressure chamber, and a ejection element that changes the electrical potential to drive the drive element so as to generate positive pressure in the pressure chamber such that a droplet is ejected from the nozzle, a first dot is printed on the medium by supplying, to the drive element, a first dot drive signal generated by selecting the plurality of ejection pulses of the first common drive signal during a single driving cycle of the drive signal, a second dot smaller than the first dot is printed on the medium by supplying, to the drive element, a second dot drive signal generated by selecting the first ejection pulse of the first common drive signal and the second ejection pulse of the second common drive signal during the single driving cycle of the drive signal, in the first dot drive signal, a pulse interval that is a time interval from a starting edge of a filling element of the first ejection pulse to a starting edge of a filling element of a next ejection pulse that follows the first ejection pulse in chronological order among the plurality of ejection pulses is greater than or equal to 1.7 TC and less than 2.7 TC, and in the second dot drive signal, a pulse interval that is a time interval from the starting edge of the filling element of the first ejection pulse to a starting edge of the filling element of the second ejection pulse is greater than or equal to 1.7 TC and less than 2.7 TC.
8. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drive signal includes a second common drive signal including a second ejection pulse including a filling element that changes the electrical potential from the reference electrical potential to a fourth electrical potential to drive the drive element so as to generate negative pressure in the pressure chamber, and a ejection element that changes the electrical potential from the fourth electrical potential to the reference electrical potential to drive the drive element so as to generate positive pressure in the pressure chamber such that a droplet is ejected from the nozzle, a first dot is printed on the medium by supplying, to the drive element, a first dot drive signal generated by selecting the plurality of ejection pulses of the first common drive signal during a single driving cycle of the drive signal, and a second dot smaller than the first dot is printed on the medium by supplying, to the drive element, a second dot drive signal generated by selecting the second ejection pulse of the second common drive signal and the last ejection pulse of the first common drive signal during the single driving cycle of the drive signal.
8. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drive signal includes a second common drive signal including a second ejection pulse including a filling element that changes the electrical potential from the reference electrical potential to a fourth electrical potential to drive the drive element so as to generate negative pressure in the pressure chamber, and a ejection element that changes the electrical potential from the fourth electrical potential to the reference electrical potential to drive the drive element so as to generate positive pressure in the pressure chamber such that a droplet is ejected from the nozzle, a first dot is printed on the medium by supplying, to the drive element, a first dot drive signal generated by selecting the plurality of ejection pulses of the first common drive signal during a single driving cycle of the drive signal, and a second dot smaller than the first dot is printed on the medium by supplying, to the drive element, a second dot drive signal generated by selecting the second ejection pulse of the second common drive signal and the last ejection pulse of the first common drive signal during the single driving cycle of the drive signal.
9. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 8, wherein an ejection element included in a predetermined ejection pulse among the plurality of ejection pulses included in the first common drive signal includes a maintained element that maintains an electrical potential that is between a starting electrical potential and an ending electrical potential during a change in the electrical potential from the starting electrical potential to the ending electrical potential.
9. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 8, wherein an ejection element included in a predetermined ejection pulse among the plurality of ejection pulses included in the first common drive signal includes a maintained element that maintains an electrical potential that is between a starting electrical potential and an ending electrical potential during a change in the electrical potential from the starting electrical potential to the ending electrical potential.
10. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a rate of change in an electrical potential of a filling element of the first ejection pulse is lower than rates of change in electrical potentials of the filling elements of the ejection pulses other than the first ejection pulse.
10. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a rate of change in an electrical potential of a filling element of the first ejection pulse is lower than rates of change in electrical potentials of the filling elements of the ejection pulses other than the first ejection pulse.
11. This is a provisional nonstatutory double patenting rejection because the patentably indistinct claims have not in fact been patented.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
12. 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 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.
13. 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.
14. Claims 1 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by Nishikawa (US Pub. Nº 2012/0306954).
15. Regarding independent claim 1: Nishikawa disclosed a liquid ejecting apparatus ([0188], line 1; also see Fig. 20, reference 100) comprising:
an ejection section ([0163], lines 1-3) that includes a nozzle from which liquid is ejected (Fig. 23, reference 251) onto a medium (Fig. 20, reference 124), a pressure chamber communicating with the nozzle (Fig. 23, reference 252), and a drive element that is configured to cause pressure applied to the liquid in the pressure chamber to fluctuate when a drive signal is supplied to the drive element ([0242], lines 1-3; also see Fig. 23, reference 258); and
a drive signal generator that is configured to generate the drive signal ([0247], line 3), wherein
the drive signal includes a first common drive signal including a plurality of ejection pulses corresponding to a plurality of droplets that are combined before the droplets land on the medium ([0068], lines 1-3),
the plurality of ejection pulses include filling elements that change an electrical potential to drive the drive element so as to generate negative pressure in the pressure chamber ([0051], lines 1-2; also see Fig. 1, references 11a, 12a, 13a, 14a and 15a), and ejection elements that change the electrical potential to drive the drive element to generate positive pressure in the pressure chamber such that a droplet is ejected from the nozzle ([0051], lines 6-7; also see Fig. 1, references 11c, 12c, 13c, 14c and 15c),
an ejection element of a first ejection pulse in chronological order among the plurality of ejection pulses (Fig. 1, reference 11c) changes in electrical potential from a first electrical potential (Fig. 1, reference V1) to a reference electrical potential (Fig. 1, reference V0) and is coupled to a first coupling element (Fig. 1, the coupling element between 11c and 12a),
a filling element of a last ejection pulse in chronological order among the plurality of ejection pulses (Fig. 1, reference 15a) changes in electrical potential from an electrical potential equal to or higher than the reference electrical potential (Fig. 1, reference V0) to a second electrical potential (Fig. 1, reference V1), and an ejection element of the last ejection pulse (Fig. 1, reference 15c) changes in electrical potential from the second electrical potential (Fig. 1, reference V1) to a third electrical potential (Fig. 1, the potential of element 16b),
the last ejection pulse includes a damping element that changes in electrical potential after the ejection element of the last ejection pulse to reduce a fluctuation in the pressure in the pressure chamber ([0049], lines 1-2; also see Fig. 1, reference 16),
the reference electrical potential is between the first electrical potential and the third electrical potential (Fig. 1, V0 is between V1 and V0),
the reference electrical potential is between the second electrical potential and the third electrical potential (Fig. 1, V0 is between V1 and the potential of element 16b),
a time period from start of the filling element of the last ejection pulse to start of the ejection element of the last ejection pulse is greater than or equal to 0.5 TC and less than 0.7 TC, and TC indicates a natural vibration period of the ejection section (Fig. 1, the period from the beginning of 15a to the beginning of 15c is equal to the period from the beginning of 11a to the beginning of 11c and is equal to 0.5 TC (Tc/2)).
16. Regarding claim 3: Nishikawa disclosed the liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a pulse width of the first ejection pulse is greater than or equal to 0.5 TC and less than 0.7 TC (Fig. 1, the pulse width from the beginning of 11a to the end of 11c is greater than or equal to 0.5 TC and less than 0.7 TC).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
17. 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 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.
18. 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 of this title, 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.
19. Claims 2 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nishikawa (US Pub. Nº 2012/0306954), in view of Mawatari (EP 3 736 136).
20. Regarding claim 2: Nishikawa disclosed the liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first coupling element is an element that maintains the reference electrical potential until start of a next ejection pulse that follows the first ejection pulse in chronological order among the plurality of ejection pulses (Fig. 1, the coupling element between 11c and 12a).
Nishikawa is silent about a first pulse interval from start of a filling element of the first ejection pulse to start of a filling element of the next ejection pulse is greater than or equal to 1.7 TC and less than 2.7 TC.
Mawatari disclosed a driving pulse for an inkjet printer (Fig. 1, reference 1) comprising a first ejection pulse (Fig. 4B, first pulse) and a second ejection pulse (Fig. 4B, second pulse) that combine before landing on a recording medium (see Fig. 5), wherein a first pulse interval from start of a filling element of the first ejection pulse to start of a filling element of the next ejection pulse is greater than or equal to 1.7 TC and less than 2.7 TC (Fig. 4B, the interval from start of a filling element of the first ejection pulse to start of a filling element of the next ejection pulse is equal to 2.0 TC).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Mawatari with those of Nishikawa by adjusting the interval between successive droplets in order to ensure that the droplets merge in flight and prevent a degradation of the print quality as disclosed by Mawatari in the fifth paragraph of page 8.
21. Regarding claim 4: Nishikawa disclosed the liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1.
Nishikawa is silent about wherein a pulse width of the first ejection pulse is greater than or equal to 0.3 TC and less than 0.5 TC.
Mawatari disclosed a driving pulse for an inkjet printer (Fig. 1, reference 1) comprising a first ejection pulse (Fig. 4B, first pulse) and a second ejection pulse (Fig. 4B, second pulse) that combine before landing on a recording medium (see Fig. 5), wherein a pulse width of the first ejection pulse is greater than or equal to 0.3 TC and less than 0.5 TC (Fig. 4B, a pulse width of the first ejection pulse is greater than or equal to 0.3 TC and less than 0.5 TC).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Mawatari with those of Nishikawa by adjusting a pulse width of the first ejection pulse in order to ensure that the droplets merge in flight and prevent a degradation of the print quality as disclosed by Mawatari in the fifth paragraph of page 8.
Allowable Subject Matter
22. Claims 5-10 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, provided the double patenting rejection is overcome.
Conclusion
23. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
24. U.S. Patent application publication number 2017/0165964 to Misawa et al. disclosed a similar invention in Fig. 5.
25. U.S. Patent application publication number 2024/0239100 to Asami also disclosed a similar invention in Fig. 5.
26. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YAOVI M. AMEH whose telephone number is (571)272-4578. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM.
27. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
28. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, RICARDO MAGALLANES can be reached at (571)272-5960. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/YAOVI M AMEH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853
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