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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for priority a national stage application under 35 U.S.C. 371. The requirements 35 U.S.C. 371 are met.
Information Disclosure Statement
The references cited on a Form PTO 1449 have been considered.
Specification
The specification has been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. However, the applicant's cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
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.
Claim(s) 1- is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kitamura et al. (U.S. 2021/0178767 A1).
Kitamura et al. disclose the following claimed limitations:
Regarding independent Claim 1, an inkjet recording device (I, §§0091-0095 and Figs. 1-5) comprising:
a printing head (1, §§0093, 0132-0153 and Figs. 1-5) having a nozzle (12, §§0093 and Fig. 3) making an ink to be fed into an ink particle to discharge the ink particle, a charging electrode (13, §§0112 and Fig. 3) charging the ink particle discharged from the nozzle, a deflection electrode (15, §§0112 and Fig. 3) deflecting the ink particle charged by the charging electrode, and a gutter (16, §§0096 and Fig. 3) collecting the unused ink not used for printing;
a head mounting unit (2, §§0136 and Fig. 1) accommodating the printing head and collecting the ink particle discharged from the printing head;
an ink container (104b, §0118 and Fig. 4) reserving the ink;
a first ink circulation path (24, 25, 28, §§0096, 0158-0161, 0174-0177, 0188-0190 and Figs. 4, 10) including the printing head, feeding the ink in the ink container to the printing head, and collecting the ink into the ink container while circulating the ink;
a second ink circulation path (22, 23, §§0159-0161, 0167, 0170 and Fig. 4) not including the printing head, not feeding the ink in the ink container to the printing head, and collecting the ink into the ink container while circulating the ink; and
a control section (101, §§0106-0109, 0169-0216 and Figs. 2) controlling the operation of the printing head and the circulation of the ink,
wherein the control section executes a printing mode performing a printing operation (e.g. §0197) and a rest mode not performing the printing operation (e.g. §0258), and
wherein in the rest mode, the control section performs the circulation of the ink in the first ink circulation path including the printing head or the circulation of the ink in the second ink circulation path not including the printing head (§0170). Please note that §0170 teaches the control section configured to perform the circulation of the ink the circulation of the ink in the second ink circulation path not including the printing head; the rest of this limitation amounts to a manner of operating the device. A manner of operating the device does not differentiate apparatus claim from the prior art. Please see MPEP §2141 II.
Regarding Claim 2, wherein in the rest mode, the control section forcibly performs the circulation of the ink in the first ink circulation path including the printing head when the printing head is accommodated in the head mounting unit (§§0096, 0158-0161, 0174-0177, 0188-0190). Please note that §§0096, 0158-0161, 0174-0177, 0188-0190 teach the control section configured to forcibly perform the circulation of the ink in the first ink circulation path including the printing head when the printing head is accommodated in the head mounting unit. A manner of operating the device does not differentiate apparatus claim from the prior art. Please see MPEP §2141 II.
Regarding Claim 3, wherein in the rest mode, the control section forcibly performs the circulation of the ink in the second ink circulation path not including the printing head when the printing head is not accommodated in the head mounting unit (§0170). Please note that §0170 teaches the control section configured to forcibly perform the circulation of the ink in the second ink circulation path not including the printing head; the rest of this limitation amounts to a manner of operating the device. A manner of operating the device does not differentiate apparatus claim from the prior art. Please see MPEP §2141 II.
Regarding Claim 4, wherein in the rest mode, the control section executes the circulation of the ink in the first ink circulation path including the printing head (§§0096, 0158-0161, 0174-0177, 0188-0190) or the circulation of the ink in the second ink circulation path not including the printing head (§0170) each time a first predetermined time passes (§§0179, 0294). Please note that §§0096, 0158-0161, 0170, 0174-0177, 0179, 0188-0190, 0294 teach the control section configured to executes the circulation of the ink in the first ink circulation path including the printing head or the circulation of the ink in the second ink circulation path not including the printing head each time a first predetermined time passes; the rest of this limitation amounts to a manner of operating the device. A manner of operating the device does not differentiate apparatus claim from the prior art. Please see MPEP §2141 II.
Regarding independent Claim 5, an inkjet recording device (I, §§0091-0095 and Figs. 1-5) comprising:
a printing head (1, §§0093, 0132-0153 and Figs. 1-5) having a nozzle (12, §§0093 and Fig. 3) making an ink to be fed into an ink particle to discharge the ink particle, a charging electrode (13, §§0112 and Fig. 3) charging the ink particle discharged from the nozzle, a deflection electrode (15, §§0112 and Fig. 3) deflecting the ink particle charged by the charging electrode, and a gutter (16, §§0096 and Fig. 3) collecting the unused ink not used for printing;
a head mounting unit (2, §§0136 and Fig. 1) accommodating the printing head and collecting the ink particle discharged from the printing head;
an ink container (104b, §0118 and Fig. 4) reserving the ink and provided with a stirring mechanism stirring the ink;
a first ink circulation path (24, 25, 28, §§0096, 0158-0161, 0174-0177, 0188-0190 and Figs. 4, 10) including the printing head, feeding the ink in the ink container to the printing head, and collecting the ink into the ink container while circulating the pigment-based ink;
a second ink circulation path (22, 23, §§0159-0161, 0167, 0170 and Fig. 4) not including the printing head, not feeding the ink in the ink container to the printing head, and collecting the pigment-based ink into the ink container while circulating ink; and
a control section (101, §§0106-0109, 0169-0216 and Figs. 2) controlling the operations of the printing head and the stirring mechanism,
wherein the control section executes a printing mode performing a printing operation (e.g. §0197) and a rest mode not performing the printing operation (e.g. §0258), and
wherein in the rest mode, the control section performs the stirring of the ink in the ink container and the circulation of the ink in the first ink circulation path including the printing head (§§0096, 0158-0161, 0174-0177, 0188-0190) or the circulation of the ink in the second ink circulation path not including the printing head (§0170). Please note that §§0096, 0158-0161, 0170, 0174-0177, 0188-0190 teach the control section configured to perform the circulation of the ink in the first ink circulation path including the printing head or the circulation of the ink in the second ink circulation path not including the printing head; the rest of this limitation amounts to a manner of operating the device. A manner of operating the device does not differentiate apparatus claim from the prior art. Please see MPEP §2141 II.
Regarding Claim 6, wherein in the rest mode, the control section forcibly performs the stirring in the ink container and the circulation of the ink in the first ink circulation path including the printing head (§§0096, 0158-0161, 0174-0177, 0188-0190) when the printing head is accommodated in the head mounting unit. Please note that §§0096, 0158-0161, 0174-0177, 0188-0190 teach the control section configured to forcibly perform the circulation of the ink in the first ink circulation path including the printing head when the printing head is accommodated in the head mounting unit; the rest of this limitation amounts to a manner of operating the device. A manner of operating the device does not differentiate apparatus claim from the prior art. Please see MPEP §2141 II. Please also note that the flow of circulating ink through the ink container inherently causes stirring.
Regarding Claim 7, wherein in the rest mode, the control section forcibly performs the stirring in the ink container and the circulation of the ink in the second ink circulation path not including the printing head when the printing head is not accommodated in the head mounting unit (§0170). Please note that §0170 teaches the control section configured to forcibly perform the circulation of the ink in the second ink circulation path not including the printing head when the printing head is not accommodated in the head mounting unit; the rest of this limitation amounts to a manner of operating the device. A manner of operating the device does not differentiate apparatus claim from the prior art. Please see MPEP §2141 II. Please also note that the flow of circulating ink through the ink container inherently causes stirring.
Regarding Claim 8, wherein in the rest mode, the control section stops the stirring of the pigment-based ink in the ink container when a second predetermined time passes, and thereafter, executes the circulation of the ink in the first ink circulation path including the printing head or the circulation of the ink in the second ink circulation path not including the printing head (§§0170, 0179, 0294). Please note that §§0170, 0179, 0294 teach the control section configured to stop the stirring of the pigment-based ink in the ink container when a second predetermined time passes, and thereafter, executes the circulation of the ink in the first ink circulation path including the printing head or the circulation of the ink in the second ink circulation path not including the printing head; the rest of this limitation amounts to a manner of operating the device. A manner of operating the device does not differentiate apparatus claim from the prior art. Please see MPEP §2141 II. Please also note that the flow of circulating ink through the ink container inherently causes stirring, and stopping the flow stops the stirring it caused.
Regarding Claim 9, wherein in the rest mode, the control section executes the circulation of the ink in the first ink circulation path including the printing head (§§0096, 0158-0161, 0174-0177, 0188-0190) or the circulation of the ink in the second ink circulation path not including the printing head (§0170) in the state where the stirring of the ink in the ink container is continuously executed; the rest of this limitation amounts to a manner of operating the device. Please note that §§0096, 0158-0161, 0170, 0174-0177, 0188-0190 teach the control section configured to executes the circulation of the ink in the first ink circulation path including the printing head (§§0096, 0158-0161, 0174-0177, 0188-0190) or the circulation of the ink in the second ink circulation path not including the printing head (§0170) in the state where the stirring of the ink in the ink container is continuously executed; the rest of this limitation amounts to a manner of operating the device. A manner of operating the device does not differentiate apparatus claim from the prior art. Please see MPEP §2141 II. Please also note that the flow of circulating ink through the ink container inherently causes stirring.
Kitamura et al. disclose the following claimed limitations:
Regarding independent Claim 5, the ink being pigment-based ink. However, this limitation amounts to a manner of operating the device. A manner of operating the device does not differentiate apparatus claim from the prior art. Please see MPEP §2141 II.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Okito et al. (U.S. 2007/0263048) disclose utilizing pigment-based ink in a printer performing either periodic or continuous stirring of the ink to counter sedimentation of the pigment.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALEXANDER D SHENDEROV whose telephone number is (571)270-7049. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Douglas X Rodrigues can be reached at (571) 431-0716. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ALEXANDER D SHENDEROV/ Examiner, Art Unit 2853
/JASON S UHLENHAKE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853
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