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
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Claim(s) 10, 11 & 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)92) as being anticipated by Arai et al. (EP 1285761.
Arai et al. discloses the following claimed limitations:
* Re clm 10, a printhead assembly
* a plurality of droplet jetting units/chip 12/ mounted on a support structure, wherein the support structure/32, 42/ includes a plurality of fluid channels/23, 35/ configured to supply fluid to the droplet jetting units; at least one damper cavity/45/ and at least one connection channel formed in the support structure, wherein the at least one connection channel connects the at least one damper cavity to at least one common unsealable release opening/46/, wherein the release opening is arranged to substantially connect the at least one damper cavity to the ambient (para 0041) when the release opening is unsealed; a membrane provided in and/or on the support structure, so that the at least one damper cavity, the at least one connection channel, and the at least one common release opening/59. Sealed off from the fluid channels/ are adhered to one side of the membrane, which membrane locally forms a damper membrane over the at least one damper cavity (para 0041, fig 2).
* Re clm 11, wherein the at least one damper cavity/42, 45(1)/, the at least one connection channel/32/, and the at least one common release opening/59/ are positioned together in one flat plane (See Abst, Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments, figs 1- 2).
* Re clm 15, a printer/1/; the printhead assembly/head unit 4/ (See Abst, Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments, figs 1- 2).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
5. 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.
6. Claim(s) 12-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Arai et al. (EP 1285761) in view of Shklyarevskiy et al. (EP 4 151 416).
Arai et al. (EP 1285761) do not disclose the following claimed limitations:
* Re clm 12, wherein the at least one damper cavity, the at least one connection channel, and the at least one common release opening are formed in a first layer opposite to a second layer that faces the droplet jetting units.
* Re clm 13, wherein the second layer comprises fluid channels in fluid connection to the droplet jetting units and positioned on an opposite side of the damper membrane with respect to the at least one damper cavity.
* Re clm 14, wherein a plurality of damper cavities and connection channels are formed in the support structure, and wherein the damper cavities are formed as longitudinal trenches separated by trenches forming the fluid channels in the first layer and are in fluid connection to openings in the damper membrane and are in fluid connection to fluid channels in the second layer via those openings.
Shklyarevskiy et al. (EP 4 151 416) disclose the following:
* Re clm 12, wherein the at least one damper cavity/70/, the at least one connection channel, and the at least one common release opening are formed in a first layer/12/ opposite to a second layer/13/ that faces the droplet jetting units/10’-10’’, 50/ (See Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments, figs 1, 3).
* Re clm 13, wherein the second layer comprises fluid channels in fluid connection to the droplet jetting units and positioned on an opposite side of the damper membrane with respect to the at least one damper cavity (See Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments figs 1, 3).
* Re clm 14, wherein a plurality of damper cavities and connection channels are formed in the support structure, and wherein the damper cavities are formed as longitudinal trenches separated by trenches forming the fluid channels in the first layer and are in fluid connection to openings in the damper membrane and are in fluid connection to fluid channels in the second layer via those openings (See Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments, figs 1, 3).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to utilize wherein the at least one damper cavity, the at least one connection channel, and the at least one common release opening are formed in a first layer opposite to a second layer that faces the droplet jetting units.; wherein the second layer comprises fluid channels in fluid connection to the droplet jetting units and positioned on an opposite side of the damper membrane with respect to the at least one damper cavity.; wherein a plurality of damper cavities and connection channels are formed in the support structure, and wherein the damper cavities are formed as longitudinal trenches separated by trenches forming the fluid channels in the first layer and are in fluid connection to openings in the damper membrane and are in fluid connection to fluid channels in the second layer via those openings;, taught by Shklyarevskiy et al. into Arai et al. for the purpose of improving performance of printhead and achieving high nozzle density and thereby improve printing quality of printed images.
Allowable Subject Matter
7. Claims 1-9 are allowed.
8. The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The primary reason for allowance of claims 1-9 is the inclusion of a method steps of a printhead assembly that includes detecting a deformation of a portion of the damper membrane over the substantially sealed at least one damper cavity at a second pressure different from the first pressure; and equalizing pressures on opposite sides of the damper membrane. It is these steps found in the claim, as they are claimed in the combination of that has not been found, taught or suggested by the prior art of record, which makes these claims allowable over the prior art.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's
disclosure and. prior art fails to explicitly teach all limitations and/or not combinable to meet the claimed invention.
Arimoto (US 2013/0208059) discloses a liquid ejection apparatus having a head, a nozzle to eject liquid; a supply port to which the liquid is continuously supplied; and a recovery port from which the liquid is continuously recovered; a supply flow channel through which the liquid is supplied to the head; a recovery flow channel through which the liquid is recovered from the head an d a flow channel resistance inside the head.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
9. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KRISTAL FEGGINS whose telephone number is (571)272-2254. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 930-530pm.
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, 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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/KRISTAL FEGGINS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853
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