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 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4, 6-11, 13, and 15-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nishikawa et al. US 4,307,432 (“Nishikawa”).
Regarding claim 1, Nishikawa disclosed a sheet discharging apparatus including:
a sheet discharge unit (3a 3b) configured to discharge a sheet in a sheet discharge direction;
a sheet supporting unit (7) configured to support the sheet discharged by the sheet discharge unit;
a first charge eliminating unit (15b) arranged downstream of the sheet discharge unit in the sheet discharge direction and configured to eliminate electric charge from a surface of the sheet; and
a second charge eliminating unit (13) arranged downstream of the first charge eliminating unit in the sheet discharge direction and configured to eliminate electric charge from a surface of the sheet,
wherein the first charge eliminating unit includes a plurality of first charge eliminating portions that are aligned with a first pitch in an intersecting direction intersecting the sheet discharge direction (see Figure 6 and col. 4, lines 22-24), and
wherein the second charge eliminating unit includes a plurality of second charge eliminating portions that are aligned with a second pitch, that differs from the first pitch, in the intersecting direction (see Figure 6).
Regarding claim 2, Nishikawa disclosed the first pitch is longer than the second pitch (see Figure 6).
Regarding claim 4, Nishikawa disclosed each of the plurality of first charge eliminating portions is formed of a material that differs from that of each of the plurality of second charge eliminating portions (see at least Figure 6).
Regarding claim 6, Nishikawa disclosed the first charge eliminating unit includes a first supporting portion (15a) having conductivity and configured to support the plurality of first charge eliminating portions, and wherein the second charge eliminating unit includes a second supporting portion (including 14) having conductivity and configured to support the plurality of second charge eliminating portions.
Regarding claim 7, Nishikawa disclosed the sheet discharge unit includes a first roller (3a), and a second roller (3b) configured to form a nip portion, together with the first roller, that nips and conveys the sheet, and wherein both the first charge eliminating unit and the second charge eliminating unit are arranged on a side on which the first roller is disposed with respect to the sheet nipped by the nip portion (Figure 6).
Regarding claim 8, Nishikawa disclosed the plurality of first charge eliminating portions and the plurality of second charge eliminating portions extend in a gravity direction (see Figures 5-7).
Regarding claim 9, Nishikawa disclosed an image forming apparatus comprising:
an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet; and the sheet discharging apparatus according to claim 1 configured to discharge the sheet on which an image has been formed by the image forming unit (see col. 1, lines 21-30).
Regarding claim 10, Nishikawa disclosed a sheet discharging apparatus including:
a sheet discharge unit (3a, 3b) configured to discharge a sheet in a sheet discharge direction;
a sheet supporting unit (7) configured to support the sheet discharged by the sheet discharge unit;
a first charge eliminating unit arranged downstream of the sheet discharge unit in the sheet discharge direction and configured to eliminate electric charge from a surface of the sheet; and a second charge eliminating unit arranged downstream of the first charge eliminating unit in the sheet discharge direction and configured to eliminate electric charge from a surface of the sheet (Figure 6),
wherein the first charge eliminating unit includes a plurality of upstream charge eliminating portions (15b) aligned in an intersecting direction intersecting the sheet discharge direction, the plurality of upstream charge eliminating portions including a first upstream charge eliminating portion and a second upstream charge eliminating portion that are arranged adjacent to each other in the intersecting direction (Figure 6),
wherein the second charge eliminating unit includes a plurality of downstream charge eliminating portions (13) aligned in the intersecting direction, the plurality of downstream charge eliminating portions including a first downstream charge eliminating portion and a second downstream charge eliminating portion that are arranged adjacent to each other in the intersecting direction (Figure 6), and
wherein a first distance between the first upstream charge eliminating portion and the second upstream charge eliminating portion differs from a second distance between the first downstream charge eliminating portion and the second downstream charge eliminating portion in the intersecting direction (as seen in Figure 6 and discussed above).
Regarding claim 11, Nishikawa disclosed the first distance is longer than the second distance (Figure 6).
Regarding claim 13, Nishikawa disclosed the first upstream charge eliminating portion and the second upstream charge eliminating portion are formed of a material that differs from that of the first downstream charge eliminating portion and the second downstream charge eliminating portion (see at least Figure 6).
Regarding claim 15, Nishikawa disclosed the first charge eliminating unit includes a first supporting portion having conductivity and configured to support the first upstream charge eliminating portion and the second upstream charge eliminating portion (as discussed above with regard to claim 6), and wherein the second charge eliminating unit includes a second supporting portion having conductivity and configured to support the first downstream charge eliminating portion and the second downstream charge eliminating portion (see claim 6 above).
Regarding claim 16, Nishikawa disclosed the sheet discharge unit includes a first roller (3a), and a second roller (3b) configured to form a nip portion, together with the first roller, that nips and conveys the sheet, and wherein both the first charge eliminating unit and the second charge eliminating unit are arranged on a side on which the first roller is disposed with respect to the sheet nipped by the nip portion (Figures 5-7).
Regarding claim 17, Nishikawa disclosed each of the first upstream charge eliminating portion, the second upstream charge eliminating portion, the first downstream charge eliminating portion, and the second downstream charge eliminating portion extends in a gravity direction (see Figures 5-7).
Regarding claim 18, Nishikawa disclosed a image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet; and the sheet discharging apparatus according to claim 10 configured to discharge the sheet on which an image has been formed by the image forming unit (see col. 1, lines 21-30).
Claim(s) 1-3, 6-12, 15-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Fujiwara et al. US 2025/0368465 (“Fujiwara”).
Regarding claim 1, Fujiwara disclosed a sheet discharging apparatus including:
a sheet discharge unit (45, 47) configured to discharge a sheet in a sheet discharge direction;
a sheet supporting unit (96) configured to support the sheet discharged by the sheet discharge unit;
a first charge eliminating unit (142, 143) arranged downstream of the sheet discharge unit in the sheet discharge direction and configured to eliminate electric charge from a surface of the sheet; and
a second charge eliminating unit (141) arranged downstream of the first charge eliminating unit in the sheet discharge direction and configured to eliminate electric charge from a surface of the sheet,
wherein the first charge eliminating unit includes a plurality of first charge eliminating portions that are aligned with a first pitch in an intersecting direction intersecting the sheet discharge direction (see Figure 8), and
wherein the second charge eliminating unit includes a plurality of second charge eliminating portions that are aligned with a second pitch, that differs from the first pitch, in the intersecting direction (see Figure 8).
Regarding claim 2, Fujiwara disclosed the first pitch (between the left and right sides of the two 142 sets in Figure 8) is longer than the second pitch.
Regarding claim 3, Fujiwara disclosed the first pitch (between the fibers 143) is shorter than the second pitch.
Regarding claim 6, Fujiwara disclosed the first charge eliminating unit includes a first supporting portion (the portion of 145 supporting 142, 143) having conductivity and configured to support the plurality of first charge eliminating portions, and wherein the second charge eliminating unit includes a second supporting portion (the portion of 145 supporting 141) having conductivity and configured to support the plurality of second charge eliminating portions.
Regarding claim 7, Fujiwara disclosed the sheet discharge unit includes a first roller (45A), and a second roller (45B) configured to form a nip portion, together with the first roller, that nips and conveys the sheet, and wherein both the first charge eliminating unit and the second charge eliminating unit are arranged on a side on which the first roller is disposed with respect to the sheet nipped by the nip portion (Figures 3 and 9).
Regarding claim 8, the plurality of first charge eliminating portions and the plurality of second charge eliminating portions may extend in a gravity direction, by being pressed to do so or by the apparatus being turned sideways.
Regarding claim 9, Fujiwara disclosed an image forming apparatus comprising:
an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet; and the sheet discharging apparatus according to claim 1 configured to discharge the sheet on which an image has been formed by the image forming unit (see at least Figure 12).
Regarding claim 10, Fujiwara disclosed a sheet discharging apparatus including:
a sheet discharge unit (45, 47) configured to discharge a sheet in a sheet discharge direction;
a sheet supporting unit (96) configured to support the sheet discharged by the sheet discharge unit;
a first charge eliminating unit arranged downstream of the sheet discharge unit in the sheet discharge direction and configured to eliminate electric charge from a surface of the sheet; and a second charge eliminating unit arranged downstream of the first charge eliminating unit in the sheet discharge direction and configured to eliminate electric charge from a surface of the sheet (Figure 8),
wherein the first charge eliminating unit includes a plurality of upstream charge eliminating portions (142, 143) aligned in an intersecting direction intersecting the sheet discharge direction, the plurality of upstream charge eliminating portions including a first upstream charge eliminating portion and a second upstream charge eliminating portion that are arranged adjacent to each other in the intersecting direction (Figure 8),
wherein the second charge eliminating unit includes a plurality of downstream charge eliminating portions (141) aligned in the intersecting direction, the plurality of downstream charge eliminating portions including a first downstream charge eliminating portion and a second downstream charge eliminating portion that are arranged adjacent to each other in the intersecting direction (Figure 8), and
wherein a first distance between the first upstream charge eliminating portion and the second upstream charge eliminating portion differs from a second distance between the first downstream charge eliminating portion and the second downstream charge eliminating portion in the intersecting direction (as seen in Figure 8 and discussed above).
Regarding claim 11, Fujiwara disclosed the first distance (between the left and right sides of the two 142 sets in Figure 8) is longer than the second distance (between 141 fibers).
Regarding claim 12, Fujiwara disclosed the first distance (between 143) is shorter than the second distance (between 141).
Regarding claim 15, Fujiwara disclosed the first charge eliminating unit includes a first supporting portion (the portion of 145 supporting 142, 143) having conductivity and configured to support the first upstream charge eliminating portion and the second upstream charge eliminating portion, and wherein the second charge eliminating unit includes a second supporting portion (the portion of 145 supporting 141) having conductivity and configured to support the first downstream charge eliminating portion and the second downstream charge eliminating portion (Figure 8).
Regarding claim 16, Fujiwara disclosed the sheet discharge unit includes a first roller (45A), and a second roller (45B) configured to form a nip portion, together with the first roller, that nips and conveys the sheet, and wherein both the first charge eliminating unit and the second charge eliminating unit are arranged on a side on which the first roller is disposed with respect to the sheet nipped by the nip portion (Figures 3 and 9).
Regarding claim 17, Fujiwara disclosed each of the first upstream charge eliminating portion, the second upstream charge eliminating portion, the first downstream charge eliminating portion, and the second downstream charge eliminating portion may extend in a gravity direction as discussed above with regard to claim 8.
Regarding claim 18, Fujiwara disclosed a image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet; and the sheet discharging apparatus according to claim 10 configured to discharge the sheet on which an image has been formed by the image forming unit (see at least Figure 12).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5 and 14 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 HOWARD J SANDERS whose telephone number is (571)270-3096. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-5:00.
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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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/HOWARD J SANDERS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3653