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)(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 1-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nishimura, U.S.P.G. Pub. No. 2021/0200116.
Regarding independent claim 1, an image forming apparatus, comprising:
a photosensitive drum (50);
a development cartridge (60) comprising a development roller (61) that is movable between a contact position in which the development roller is in contact with the photosensitive drum and a spaced position in which the development roller is spaced apart from the photosensitive drum (¶¶ 37, 56);
a motor rotatable in a forward direction and in a reverse direction;
a rotating cam rotatable in a forward direction and in a reverse direction in response to receiving a driving force of the motor (¶ 44); and
a cam follower (170 including 171, 172, and 174) configured to move in a direction of a rotation axis of the rotating cam in response to rotation of the rotating cam (¶ 63, at least the slide shaft portion 171 so moves) and to push the development cartridge to move the development roller between the contact position and the spaced position (¶ 64),
wherein the rotating cam includes a wall configured to contact the cam follower in a direction of rotation of the rotating cam to restrict the rotation of the rotating cam (F11, F12, F13, and F14 on walls 152 and 153 all “restrict the rotation of the rotating cam” through contact with the cam follower in that any rotation of the cam must overcome the biasing torque of the spring attached to the cam follower as a result of the direct sliding contact between the cam follower and the cam, which torque restricts the rotation of the cam to other than what it would have had without the presence of the biasing torque, the walls contacting the cam follower in a direction of rotation of the rotating cam as the cam surface makes sliding contact as it rotates, noting that motion can be restricted without being prohibited).
Regarding claim 2, which depends from claim 1, wherein the cam follower is movable between a pushing position in which the cam follower pushes the development cartridge to locate the development roller in the spaced position (¶ 64, fig 6B, pushing as shown with the arrow in fig 6B), and a non-pushing position in which the cam follower locates the development roller in the contact position (¶ 64, fig 6A, with no pushing as shown by the lack of the arrow in fig 6A),
wherein the rotating cam comprises:
a first surface (F11) configured to locate the cam follower in the non-pushing position (¶ 58);
an inclined surface extending obliquely from the first surface and configured to push the cam follower in the direction of the rotation axis away from the first surface to move the cam follower from the non-pushing position to the pushing position (the connecting inclined surfaces between F11 and F12); and
a second surface (F12) connected to the inclined surface and configured to retain the cam follower in the pushing position (¶ 58), and
wherein the wall includes a first wall protruding from the first surface (F11 comprises a portion of the wall, and F11 being inclined, protrudes axially outward from its innermost axial portion).
Regarding claim 3, which depends from claim 2, wherein the wall includes a second wall protruding from the second surface (F12 comprises a portion of the wall, and F12 being inclined, protrudes axially outward from its innermost axial portion).
Regarding claim 4, which depends from claim 3, wherein the first wall, the first surface, the inclined surface, the second surface and the second wall are located in this order in the direction of rotation of the rotating cam (so that F11 and F12 function as intended due to rotation of the cam), and
the rotating cam is rotatable from a position in which the first wall contacts the cam follower to a position in which the second wall contacts the cam follower (making contact and breaking contact with each accordingly as the cam rotates).
Regarding claim 5, which depends from claim 4, wherein the first wall has a first side surface that contacts the cam follower (the surface that directly contacts the cam follower),
wherein the second wall has a second side surface that contacts the cam follower (the surface that directly contacts the cam follower), and
wherein an angle formed by a first straight line connecting the rotation axis of the rotating cam and the first side surface, and a second straight line connecting the rotation axis of the rotating cam and the second side surface is equal to or smaller than 180 degrees as viewed in the direction of the rotation axis (fig 5B, showing that there are portions of each of the above surfaces that meet this limitation).
Regarding claim 6, which depends from claim 4, wherein the motor rotates in the forward direction during printing (¶ 44), and
wherein the cam follower is configured to move in a direction from the second surface toward the first surface by way of the inclined surface relative to the rotating cam in response to rotation of the motor in the forward direction (¶ 55).
Regarding claim 7, which depends from claim 6, wherein the cam follower is configured to move in a direction from the first surface toward the second surface by way of the inclined surface relative to the rotating cam in response to rotation of the motor in the reverse direction (¶ 55, noting that such motion is what causes the contact and separation).
Regarding claim 8, which depends from claim 3, wherein the cam follower comprises:
a slide shaft (171) movable in the direction of the rotation axis (¶ 63);
an arm (figs 5 and 6, ref 172) extending from the slide shaft in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the rotation axis (figs 5, 6); and
a pin (the “pin” at the end of the arm along the rotational axis direction making direct contact with the cam surfaces by being pinned against them due to the spring) extending from the arm in the direction of the rotation axis and configured to push the development cartridge (the action through being pinned against the cam surface causes the slide shaft to move and push against the development cartridge as shown in figs 6).
Regarding claim 9, which depends from claim 8, wherein the arm is contactable with the first wall (indirectly through the direct contact of the pin and the cam surfaces, whenever the pin is in direct contact with the first wall).
Regarding claim 10, which depends from claim 8, wherein the arm is contactable with the second wall (indirectly through the direct contact of the pin and the cam surfaces, whenever the pin is in direct contact with the second wall).
Regarding claim 11, which depends from claim 2, further comprising a spring (194) that biases the cam follower toward the non-pushing position (¶ 69).
Regarding claim 12, which depends from claim 1, further comprising a stopper (the support shaft 179) configured to restrict the cam follower from rotating in the direction of rotation of the rotating cam (the support shaft restricts the cam follower to move only axially, and therefore restricts the entire cam follower from rotating along with the cam through sliding contact as the cam rotates).
Regarding claim 13, which depends from claim 12, further comprising a cover (the outermost housing of the image forming apparatus) configured to cover the rotating cam,
wherein the cover includes the stopper (the stopper is included within the outermost housing of the image forming apparatus).
Relevant Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The following are related to the present claims: Yanagihara et al., 2025/0306513; Ota, U.S.P.G. Pub. No. 2024/0255894; and Haruta, U.S.P.G. Pub. No. 2020/0310281. The following teach providing physical stops to prohibit the motion of cammed surfaces beyond prescribed limits: Ota (above); Izumichi, U.S.P.G. Pub. No. 2025/0036050; and, Okamoto, U.S.P.G. Pub. No. 2010/0104311.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SEVAN A AYDIN whose telephone number is (571)270-3209. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 9AM-6PM PT.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Walter Lindsay can be reached at (571) 272-1674. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SEVAN A AYDIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
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