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
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 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.
Claims 1, 3-9, 11-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as anticipated by or, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Kakudate JP 06-048590 A (hereinafter “Kakudate”).
Regarding claims 1 and similar claims 9 and 17 , Kakudate discloses a storage apparatus comprising:
an apparatus main body (printer housing, not shown, cassette is inserted into a printer, as mentioned in the description of the related art of FIG. 6); and
a cassette (refer to annotated FIG. 2 above) for storing a sheet to be fed, the cassette being configured to be pulled out from the apparatus main body and demounted from the apparatus main body,
wherein the cassette includes:
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a first tray portion (refer to annotated FIG. 1, shows portion that directly supports a first portion of a sheet) configured to support the sheet,
a second tray portion (refer to annotated FIG. 1, shows portion that directly supports a second portion of a sheet) configured to support the sheet,
a connection portion (portion includes 11, 2, 13, and 15, refer to FIG. 3) configured to connect the first tray portion and the second tray portion,
a first grip portion (refer to annotated FIG. 1) used when the cassette is pulled out from the apparatus main body, and
a second grip portion (10), pivotally provided on the connection portion so as to be rotatable, and used when the cassette is held in a state where the cassette is demounted from the apparatus main body.
Alternative rejection, while Kakudate does not explicitly state second grip portion (10) is pivotable, the drawings (FIG. 3-4) show second grip portion (10) in an opened (appears pivoted open) and closed state. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the claimed invention was effectively filed, to modify Kakudate’s second grip portion to pivot since it was well-known in the art that opened and closed positions are routinely performed by a member that pivots for ease of connection.
Regarding claims 3 and 11, further comprising a plurality of second grip portions (FIG. 1 shows at least two second grip portions (10) including the second grip portion,
wherein the plurality of second grip portions is provided so that the cassette can be held in a state where only the plurality of second grip portions is held (capable).
Regarding claims 4 and 12, wherein the second grip portion is arranged on each side of a sheet stacking area of the cassette (refer to FIG. 1).
Regarding claims 5 and 13, further comprising at least two second grip portions (FIG. 1 shows at least two second grip portions) including the second grip portion, and
wherein one of the at least two second grip portions is arranged on one side of a sheet stacking area of the cassette, and another one of the at least two second grip portions is arranged on another side of the sheet stacking area of the cassette, in a sheet width direction orthogonal to a feeding direction (feed direction is to the right in FIG. 1) in which the sheet is fed.
Regarding claims 6 and 14, wherein the second grip portion is arranged above a sheet stacking surface of the cassette so that a user can place a user's hand thereon (refer to FIGS. 1 AND 3).
Regarding claims 7 and 15, wherein the second grip portion is arranged above the sheet (capable) stacked in the cassette so that a user can place a user's hand thereon (refer to FIGS. 1 and 3).
Regarding claims 8 and 16, wherein the first grip portion is exposed, and the second grip portion is covered by the apparatus main body so as not to be gripped, in a state where the cassette is located at a mounted position (implicit) at which the stored sheet is feedable by a sheet feed unit.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2 and 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1, 9, and 17 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LUIS A GONZALEZ whose telephone number is (571)270-3094. The examiner can normally be reached 9am-5:30pm.
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.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael McCullough can be reached at 571-272-7805. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LUIS A GONZALEZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3653
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