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 .
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.
Specification
ABSTRACT - Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure. The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details. The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, “The disclosure concerns,” “The disclosure defined by this invention,” “The disclosure describes,” etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as “means” and “said,” should be avoided.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because it merely consists of a single run-on sentence without regard for proper grammatical form.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because the recitation “that indicates at least a part of a placing position at which the films MA and MB” appears incomplete.
Correction is required. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
TITLE - The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, because the specification, while being enabling for a supporting device that supports film in a printing device, does not reasonably provide enablement for a supporting device that is, for example: a micropillar for microfluidic channels; a biodegradable scaffolding; a rocket launcher; a ski lift tower; one of an entangled pair of atoms in a quantum computer; a hard disk platter; a magnetic bearing; a belt as an article of clothing; or, a chemical scaffold of a molecule (hereinafter “the unenabled”).
The specification does not enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make or use the invention commensurate in scope with these claims. The level of ordinary skill of one having ordinary skill in the art of electrophotography, to which the Specification pertains, at the time of effective filing is that of one having a Bachelor’s degree in engineering. However, the level of ordinary skill of one having ordinary skill in the art of the unenabled, to which the enormously broad Claims pertain, at the time of effective filing is as advanced as that of one having an advanced Doctoral degree. Nonetheless, due to the broad claimed applicability, the state of the prior art is largely undeveloped for vast swaths of the Claims’ scope. The predictability thus cannot be said to have any degree of certainty. Applicant has provided no guidance to those having ordinary skill in the art of the unenabled at the time of effective filing for making or using the claimed invention. There are no working examples in the art of the unenabled. Applicant has left the entire onus of experimentation on those who wish to make or use the claimed invention in the art of the unenabled. Applicant did not possess of the full scope of the claimed invention at the time of effective filing.
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 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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4, 5, and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by EP 4360895 to Matassini et al.
Matassini teaches:
(claim 1) A supporting device (12) comprising:
a support section (4) configured to support a film (16) on a support surface (14);
a static electricity generating section (24, Fig.4) configured to generate static electricity at a static electricity generation location provided at a part (28) of the support surface; and
a positioning reference section (20, Fig.6) that is provided at the support surface and that indicates at least a part of a placing position where the film having a predetermined shape is placed (Fig.7),
wherein the positioning reference section is disposed in accordance with the predetermined shape such that a part of the film and the static electricity generation location overlap each other in a support direction of the film by the support surface [0026-0029].
(claim 2) The supporting device according to claim 1, wherein the positioning reference section is visually distinguishably indicated on the support surface.
(claim 4) The supporting device according to claim 2, wherein the positioning reference section is indicated by a surface shape different from the surroundings on the support surface (Fig. 6 in view of Fig.3, [0026]).
(claim 5) The supporting device according to claim 1, wherein the positioning reference section is disposed at a position that overlaps with the static electricity generating section in the support direction [0027].
(claim 13) A printing device (4, Fig.1) comprising: a support section (12) configured to support a film (16) on a support surface (14); a printing section (8) configured to perform printing on the film supported by the support surface; a static electricity generating section (24, Fig.4) configured to generate static electricity at a static electricity generation location (28) provided at a part of the support surface; and a positioning reference section (20, Fig.5) that is provided at the support surface and that indicates at least a part of a placing position where the film having a predetermined shape is placed, wherein the positioning reference section is disposed in accordance with the predetermined shape such that a part of the film and the static electricity generation location overlap each other in a support direction of the film by the support surface [0026-0029].
Claim(s) 1-5, 8-11, and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by DE 1203969 to Beardsley.
Beardsley teaches:
(claim 1) A supporting device comprising:
a support section configured to support a film (14) on a support surface (20);
a static electricity generating section (30, Fig.2) configured to generate static electricity at a static electricity generation location provided at a part of the support surface [0013]; and
a positioning reference section (see scales in Fig.1) that is provided at the support surface and that indicates at least a part of a placing position where the film having a predetermined shape is placed,
wherein the positioning reference section is disposed in accordance with the predetermined shape such that a part of the film and the static electricity generation location overlap each other in a support direction of the film by the support surface .
(claim 2) The supporting device according to claim 1, wherein the positioning reference section is visually distinguishably indicated on the support surface (Fig.1).
(claim 3) The supporting device according to claim 2, wherein the positioning reference section is indicated in a color different from the surroundings on the support surface (Fig.1).
(claim 4) The supporting device according to claim 2, wherein the positioning reference section is indicated by a surface shape different from the surroundings on the support surface (Fig.1).
(claim 5) The supporting device according to claim 1, wherein the positioning reference section is disposed at a position that overlaps with the static electricity generating section in the support direction (Fig.1).
(claim 8) The supporting device according to claim 1, wherein the film is rectangular and the positioning reference section corresponds to a position that is overlapped by a corner of the film (Fig.1, horizontal and vertical alignment meet this feature).
(claim 9) The supporting device according to claim 1, wherein the film is rectangular and the positioning reference section corresponds to a position along which an edge of the film is to be aligned (Fig.1, horizontal or vertical alignment meet this feature).
(claim 10) The supporting device according to claim 1, wherein the support section is configured to support films of different sizes and the positioning reference section is disposed corresponding to the films of different sizes (Fig.1, [0012]).
(claim 11) The supporting device according to claim 10, wherein a plurality of different types of positioning reference sections are disposed so as to be distinguishable from each other in accordance with the films of different sizes (Fig.1).
(claim 13) A printing device (10) comprising: a support section (20) configured to support a film on a support surface (20) ; a printing section (11-13) configured to perform printing on the film (14) supported by the support surface; a static electricity generating section (30, Fig.2) configured to generate static electricity at a static electricity generation location provided at a part of the support surface [0013]; and a positioning reference section (see scales in Fig.1) that is provided at the support surface and that indicates at least a part of a placing position where the film having a predetermined shape is placed, wherein the positioning reference section is disposed in accordance with the predetermined shape such that a part of the film and the static electricity generation location overlap each other in a support direction of the film by the support surface.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4, 5, and 8-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP 2017-159606 to Yamashita.
Yamashita teaches:
(claim 1) A supporting device (2) comprising:
a support section (4) configured to support a film (M) on a support surface (8);
a static electricity generating section (13, Fig.5) configured to generate static electricity at a static electricity generation location (regions R1-R16) provided at a part of the support surface; and
a positioning reference section (grid) that is provided at the support surface and that indicates at least a part of a placing position where the film having a predetermined shape is placed,
wherein the positioning reference section is disposed in accordance with the predetermined shape such that a part of the film and the static electricity generation location overlap each other in a support direction of the film by the support surface (Figs.7-9) .
(claim 2) The supporting device according to claim 1, wherein the positioning reference section is visually distinguishably indicated on the support surface (Fig.7-9).
(claim 4) The supporting device according to claim 2, wherein the positioning reference section is indicated by a surface shape different from the surroundings on the support surface (Fig.8-9).
(claim 5) The supporting device according to claim 1, wherein the positioning reference section is disposed at a position that overlaps with the static electricity generating section in the support direction (Fig.7).
(claim 8) The supporting device according to claim 1, wherein the film is rectangular and the positioning reference section corresponds to a position that is overlapped by a corner of the film (e.g. R16, Fig.8).
(claim 9) The supporting device according to claim 1, wherein the film is rectangular and the positioning reference section corresponds to a position along which an edge of the film is to be aligned (e.g., R13-R16, Fig.8).
(claim 10) The supporting device according to claim 1, wherein the support section is configured to support films of different sizes and the positioning reference section is disposed corresponding to the films of different sizes [0034, 0041].
(claim 11) The supporting device according to claim 10, wherein a plurality of different types of positioning reference sections are disposed so as to be distinguishable from each other in accordance with the films of different sizes (Figs. 5 & 11).
(claim 12) The supporting device according to claim 10, wherein the static electricity generating section is configured to switch the occurrence state of static electricity in accordance with films of different sizes [0034, 0041].
(claim 13) A printing device (1, Fig,1) comprising: a support section (2) configured to support a film on a support surface (8) ; a printing section (7) configured to perform printing on the film (M) supported by the support surface; a static electricity generating section (13, Fig.5) configured to generate static electricity at a static electricity generation location (regions R1-R16) provided at a part of the support surface; and a positioning reference section (grid) that is provided at the support surface and that indicates at least a part of a placing position where the film having a predetermined shape is placed, wherein the positioning reference section is disposed in accordance with the predetermined shape such that a part of the film and the static electricity generation location overlap each other in a support direction of the film by the support surface (Figs. 7-9).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6 and 7 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ARLENE HEREDIA whose telephone number is (571)272-8393. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9:30-5:30.
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/Arlene Heredia Ocasio/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
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