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 § 103
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 7-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yokoyama (U.S. Pub. 2005/0068397) in view of Oshima et al (U.S. Pub. 2006/0007290)
Regarding claims 1, 7, a liquid ejection apparatus comprising: a liquid ejection unit configured to eject a liquid that is cured by irradiation with ultraviolet light onto a medium (Abstract; Figure 1)
An irradiation unit (7) configured to irradiate the liquid ejected onto the medium with ultraviolet light (Figure 1; Paragraphs 0098-0100, 0105)
A carriage (3) loaded with the liquid ejection unit and the irradiation unit so as to be arranged side by side in a first direction, and configured to move in the first direction above the medium (Figure 1; Paragraphs 0095-0097)
A motor configured to move the carriage (carriage reciprocates along the carriage rail; Paragraph 0096)
The irradiation unit includes an ultraviolet light source configured to emit the ultraviolet light toward a second direction crossing the first direction (Abstract; Paragraphs 0100-0101; Figures 1-2)
A reflective surface (domed reflecting section 9) configured to reflect at least a part of the ultraviolet light emitted from the ultraviolet light source (Figure 2; Paragraphs 0100-0101)
An angle between an extending direction of the reflective surface and the second direction is 5 degrees or more and 15 degrees or less in a cross-sectional view of the irradiation unit viewed in a direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction (Figures 1-2; the reflecting dome in an arch shape, therefore it is inherent there will be a at least a portion of the reflective surface in an extending direction that have an angle of 5 degrees or more and 15 degrees or less in cross-sectional view; Paragraphs 0100-0101)
Oshima discloses a distance between the irradiation unit and the medium is 1 mm or more and 15 mm or less (Paragraph 0142)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Oshima into the device of Yokoyama, for the purpose of efficiently curing the ink ejected onto the medium
Regarding claims 2, 8, the angle between the extending direction of the reflective surface and the second direction is 5 degrees or more and 10 degrees or less in the cross-sectional view of the irradiation unit viewed in the direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction (Figures 1-2; the reflecting dome in an arch shape, therefore it is inherent there will be a at least a portion of the reflective surface in an extending direction that have an angle of 5 degrees or more and 10 degrees or less in cross-sectional view; Paragraphs 0100-0101)
Regarding claims 3, 9, Yokoyama discloses using a lens with the light source (Paragraph 0113). Therefore, Yokoyama discloses the claimed invention except for wherein the height of the lens part is larger than a diameter of the lens part. It would have been an obvious matter of design choice to use a lens wherein the height of the lens part is larger than a diameter of the lens part, since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the size and/or shape of a component. A change in size/shape is generally recognized as being within eh level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Rose, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate wherein the height of the lens part is larger than a diameter of the lens part, for the purpose of forming a structure in a way that the light rays emitted form the light source(s) will be concentrated by the lens
Claim(s) 4, 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yokoyama (U.S. Pub. 2005/0068397) as modified by Oshima et al (U.S. Pub. 2006/0007290) and further in view of Takezawa et al (U.S. Pub. 2010/0289860) and Suzuki et al (U.S. Pub. 2024/0258493)
Regarding claims 4, 10, Yokoyama does not specifically disclose a rubber component within the liquid ejection apparatus. It is well known in the art for the liquid ejection apparatus to incorporate rubber/elastic components (wipers, tubing), Takezawa discloses rubber tubes which are connected to the ink tanks and print heads (Paragraph 0031)
Further, Suzuki discloses it is known to use an irradiation unit with light having a wavelength qual to or less than 450 nm (Paragraph 0020) in order to prevent decomposition or deterioration of rubber
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Takezawa and Suzuki, for the purpose of maintaining a properly functioning ink ejection apparatus (wiping, suppling fluid/inks with tubing) while preventing decomposition or deterioration of rubber
Claim(s) 5-6, 11-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yokoyama (U.S. Pub. 2005/0068397) as modified by Oshima et al (U.S. Pub. 2006/0007290) and further in view of Barry et al (U.S. Pub. 2010/0259589)
Regarding claims 5, 11, Barry discloses the irradiation unit includes a cover plate (film 323 which are transparent to the ultraviolet spectrum of light) disposed between the ultraviolet light source and the medium and configured to transmit the ultraviolet light (Figure 3; Paragraphs 0046-0050)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Barry into the device of Yokoyama as modified by Oshima, for the purpose of providing more efficient curing of ultraviolet curable ink
Regarding claims 6, 12, Barry discloses the cover plate (323) is replaceable (continuously rolls between the ultraviolet light source and substrate) without detaching the ultraviolet light source from the irradiation unit (Figure 3; Paragraphs 0046-0050)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Barry into the device of Yokoyama as modified by Oshima, for the purpose of providing more efficient curing of ultraviolet curable ink
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JASON S UHLENHAKE whose telephone number is (571)272-5916. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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/JASON S UHLENHAKE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853 August 14, 2026
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