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 § 112
2. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
3. Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. Examiner is unsure as to how the head driving mechanism knows when to move the head or when to move the head to a standby position. Also how does the driving mechanism know once the head is in the correct position for the to detach the cap or in a printing position. Also how does the driving mechanism acquire data? The driving mechanism only moves the head from one position to another. It does not control the movements of the head positions nor does it acquire data.
There is no structural device claimed to acquire or provide print data once the head driving mechanism moves the jetting head to a printing position.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Claim(s) 1-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Inui Toshiji et al. (JP 2001-030512)
Inui Toshiji et al. disclose the following claimed limitations:
* Re clm 1 & 4, an inkjet printer & method for controlling a jetting head in an inkjet printer
* a jetting head/recording head unit 11/ that performs ink jetting from a plurality of nozzle holes/discharge ports 113/ formed in a nozzle surface/surface 112/ (paras 0018-0023, figs 1-6, 11);
* a cap/16/ that is attachable on the nozzle surface/surface 112/ of the jetting head/recording head unit 11/ paras 0018-0023, 0038, 0049-0056, figs 1-6, 11);
* a head driving mechanism/carriage 13/ that moves the jetting head/recording head unit 11/ to a standby position where the cap/16/ is detachable and a printing position where printing is performed by acquiring print data (paras 0018-0023, 0038, 0049-0056, figs 1-6, 11);
* a flushing control part that sequentially executes, for each group (paras 0018-0023, 0038, 0049-0056, figs 1-6, 11);
* a flushing operation/suction processing/ of ink jetting to the cap from all of a plurality of the nozzle holes belonging to groups grouped in advance in a case where the jetting head moves to the standby position (paras 0018-0023, 0038, 0049-0056, figs 1-6, 11);
* Re clm 2, wherein the jetting head has a configuration in which a plurality of nozzle rows are arranged in a main scanning direction, the plurality of nozzle rows having the plurality of nozzle holes arranged in a sub scanning direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction in which the jetting head moves, and the flushing control part defines each of the groups which includes every certain number of nozzle holes in at least one nozzle row, and executes a flushing operation for each group (paras 0027, 0032-0034, 0038, 0049-0056, figs 1-6, 11).
* Re clm 3, wherein the jetting head has a configuration in which a plurality of nozzle rows are arranged in a main scanning direction, the plurality of nozzle rows having the plurality of nozzle holes arranged in a sub scanning direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction in which the jetting head moves, and the flushing control part groups the individual nozzle holes adjacent to each other in the main scanning direction or the sub scanning direction into separate groups. paras 0018-0023, 0027, 0038, 0049-0056, figs 1-6, 11);
* Further re clm 4, a moving step of moving the jetting head to the standby position; and a flushing step of sequentially executing, for each group, a flushing operation of ink jetting to the cap from all of a plurality of the nozzle holes belonging to groups grouped in advance. (paras 0018-0023, 0038, 0049-0056, figs 1-6, 11).
* Re clm 5, wherein the inkjet printer further includes a flushing control part, and the jetting head has a configuration in which a plurality of nozzle rows are arranged in a main scanning direction, the plurality of nozzle rows having the plurality of nozzle holes arranged in a sub scanning direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction in which the jetting head moves (paras 0027, 0032-0034, 0038, 0049-0056, figs 1-6, 11).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
7. 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.
8. Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Inui Toshiji et al. (JP 2001-030512) in view of Tsumosaki Shota et al. (JP 2022-129724)
Toshiji et al. disclose all of the claimed limitations except for the following:
* Re clm 6, a step of grouping the individual nozzle holes adjacent to each other in the main scanning direction or the sub scanning direction into separate groups by the flushing control part, wherein, in the flushing step, jetting is not performed at the same timing from the nozzle holes adjacent in the main scanning direction or the sub scanning direction
Tsumosaki Shota et al. disclose the following claimed limitations:
* Re clm 6, a step of grouping the individual nozzle holes adjacent to each other in the main scanning direction or the sub scanning direction into separate groups by the flushing control part, wherein, in the flushing step, jetting is not performed at the same timing from the nozzle holes adjacent in the main scanning direction or the sub scanning direction (para 0034, figs 1-6).
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 a step of grouping the individual nozzle holes adjacent to each other in the main scanning direction or the sub scanning direction into separate groups by the flushing control part, wherein, in the flushing step, jetting is not performed at the same timing from the nozzle holes adjacent in the main scanning direction or the sub scanning direction, taught by Tsumosaki Shota et al. into Inui Toshiji et al. for the purpose of eliminating fine ink mist from flowing into nozzles thereby improving the quality of printed images. -.
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.
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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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