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
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 4/4/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement has been considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claims 1-17 are 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.
With regard to claim 1, the claimed “discharge opening allowing the printing tape to be discharged outside.” What structure is causing the tape to be discharged?
With regard to claim 3, the claimed “discharge opening allows the printing tape to be discharged from an inside.” What structure is causing the tape to be discharged?
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5-7, 11, 14-15 and 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP 2022045779A to Tagami ‘779.
With regard to claim 1, as best understood, Tagami ‘779 teaches a printing cassette (10) comprising:
a printing tape roll (11) including a printing tape (11A); and
a first case (42) arranged at a different position from the printing tape roll (11) in a first direction parallel to a central axis (L4) of the printing tape roll, the first case having: a discharge opening (33C) allowing the printing tape to be discharged outside;
a conveying passage (33D) through which the printing tape drawn off the printing tape roll is conveyed toward the discharging opening (33C);
a first outer surface (not labeled, but on the same side as 33C) and a second outer surface (not labeled, but the side opposite 33C closest to 42) , the first outer surface and the second outer surface constituting outermost surfaces of the first case (42) in a second direction parallel to a discharging direction in which the printing tape (11) is discharged at the discharging opening (33C) (Fig. 3A); and
a third outer surface (33A) and a fourth outer surface (not labeled, but opposite (33A), the third outer surface and the fourth outer surface constituting outermost surfaces of the first case (42) in a third direction orthogonal to both the first direction and the second direction (Fig. 3A),
wherein the printing tape roll (11) has an overlapping portion overlapping the first case (42) in the first direction (3A and 3B), and
wherein at least one of the first outer surface, the second outer surface, the third outer surface, or the fourth outer surface is spaced apart from the central axis of the printing tape roll (11) by a distance that is shorter than an outer radius of the printing tape roll.
With regard to claim 2, Tagami ‘779 teaches further comprising: a second case (41) accommodating therein the printing tape roll (11).
With regard to claim 3, Tagami ‘779 teaches wherein the second case (41) has a fifth outer surface (not labeled, but opposite 41) and a sixth outer surface (not labeled, but closer to 41), the printing tape roll (11) being interposed between the fifth outer surface and the sixth outer surface in the second direction (fig. 3A),
wherein the discharge opening (33C) allows the printing tape (11A) to be discharged from an inside of the first outer surface toward an outside of the first outer surface when viewed in the first direction (fig. 3B),
wherein the fifth outer surface is arranged closer to the first outer surface in the second direction than the sixth outer surface is to the first outer surface in the second direction (fig. 3B), and
wherein a distance between the first outer surface and the fifth outer surface in the second direction is shorter than a distance between the second outer surface and the sixth outer surface in the second direction (figs. 3A and 3B).
With regard to claim 5, Tagami ‘779 teaches wherein the second case has an outer surface continuous with at least one of the first outer surface, the second outer surface, the third outer surface or the fourth outer surface in the first direction (figs. 3A and 3B).
With regard to claim 6, Tagami ‘779 teaches wherein a volume of the second case (41) is larger than a volume of the first case (42) (figs. 3A and 3B).
With regard to claim 7, Tagami ‘779 teaches wherein a center of gravity of a printing tape accommodation part (101) overlaps the first case (42) in the first direction, the printing tape accommodation part (101) being a combination of the second case (41) and components accommodated in the second case (figs. 3A and 3B).
With regard to claim 11, Tagami ‘779 teaches (figs. 1-3) wherein one of the first outer surface, the second outer surface, the third outer surface, and the fourth outer surface, faces a roller holder (103) of a printing device body (100) in a state where the first case (42) is inserted in the printing device body (100), the one (surface – 33) being spaced apart from the central axis of the printing tape roll (11) by a distance that is shorter than the outer radius of the printing tape roll, the roller holder (103) holding a platen roller of the printing device body [0017-0018].
With regard to claim 14, Tagami ‘779 teaches (figs. 1-3) wherein further comprising: a spool (12) about which the printing tape (11A) is wound, wherein the first case (42) has a head opening (33B) in which the printing tape (11A) is exposed, and wherein at least a portion of the spool (12) overlaps the head opening (33B) in the first direction (figs. 3A and 3B).
With regard to claim 15, Tagami ‘779 teaches (figs. 1-3) further comprising: a spool (12) about which the printing tape (11A) is wound, wherein the first case (42) has: a head opening (33C) in which the printing tape is exposed; and an inner wall defining the head opening (33C) when viewed in the first direction, and wherein a rotational axis of the spool (12) overlaps the inner wall in the first direction (figs. 3A and 3B).
With regard to claim 17, Tagami ‘779 teaches wherein, in a state where the first case (42) is inserted in a cassette accommodation part (101), the printing tape roll (11A) overlaps a surface around an opening of the cassette accommodation part (101) in the first direction (figs. 1A, 3A and 3B).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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) 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tagami ‘779 as modified by JP 2022 056778A to Tagami ‘778.
With regard to Claim 10, Tagami ‘779 teaches the claimed invention except for
wherein the first case includes a detection target part, the detection target part enabling a printing device body to detect cassette identification information, the first case being inserted into the printing device body, and wherein the detection target part is provided at one of the first outer surface, the second outer surface, the third outer surface, and the fourth outer surface, the one being spaced apart from the central axis of the printing tape roll by a distance that is shorter than the outer radius of the printing tape roll.
However, Tagami ‘778 teaches (figs. 1 and 6) wherein the first case (42) includes a detection target part (51), the detection target part enabling a printing device body (100) to detect cassette identification information [0099], the first case being inserted into the printing device body, and wherein the detection target part (51) is provided at one of the first outer surface, the second outer surface, the third outer surface, and the fourth outer surface, the one being spaced apart from the central axis of the printing tape roll by a distance that is shorter than the outer radius of the printing tape roll (figs. 2A and 2B). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify Tagami ‘779 with the detection target part as taught by Tagami ‘778 to provide a printing cassette that can be smoothly inserted into and removed from the printing apparatus main body while having a detected portion [0006].
Examiner Note
The examiner cites particular columns and lines numbers (or paragraphs or figures) in the references as applied to the claims above for the convenience of the applicant. The specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim. Other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested that, in preparing responses, applicant fully consider the references in their entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 8-9, 12-13 and 16 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The primary reason for the allowance of Claim 4 is the inclusion of the limitations wherein a distance between the third outer surface and the seventh outer surface in the third direction is shorter than a distance between the fourth outer surface and the eighth outer surface in the third direction. It is these features found in the claim(s) which have not been found, taught or suggested by the prior art of record, which makes this claim allowable over the prior art.
The primary reason for the allowance of Claims 8-9 is the inclusion of the limitations wherein the pawl is provided on one of the first outer surface, the second outer surface, the third outer surface, and the fourth outer surface, the one being spaced apart from the central axis of the printing tape roll by a distance that is shorter than the outer radius of the printing tape roll. It is these features found in the claim(s) which have not been found, taught or suggested by the prior art of record, which makes these claims allowable over the prior art.
The primary reason for the allowance of Claim 12 is the inclusion of the limitations wherein the overlapping portion does not include a draw-off portion of the printing tape roll at which the printing tape is drawn off the printing tape roll. It is these features found in the claim(s) which have not been found, taught or suggested by the prior art of record, which makes this claim allowable over the prior art.
The primary reason for the allowance of Claim 13 is the inclusion of the limitations wherein a portion of an outer circumferential surface of the printing tape roll that is included in the overlapping portion has a length less than half a total circumferential length of the printing tape roll. It is these features found in the claim(s) which have not been found, taught or suggested by the prior art of record, which makes this claim allowable over the prior art.
The primary reason for the allowance of Claim 16 is the inclusion of the limitations a spool about which the printing tape is wound; and at least one gear configured to transmit a driving force, wherein a rotational axis of the spool does not overlap the at least one gear in the first direction. It is these features found in the claim(s) which have not been found, taught or suggested by the prior art of record, which makes this claim allowable over the prior art.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. WO 2020203177 A1 discloses the bonding tape 60 is not an indispensable requirement, and the printed tape 22 after printing may be discharged as it is. In this case, it is not necessary to provide the bonding tape roll 64 around which the bonding tape 60 is wound in the cassette 10, and the bottom area of the cassette 10 can be further reduced, or printing is performed while maintaining the bottom area of the cassette. The capacity of the tape 22 can be increased. Moreover, the configuration in the cassette 10 can be made simpler. Further, even when the above-mentioned thermal printing method is adopted, a configuration that does not use the bonding tape 60 can be similarly applied.
US 20230234387 A1 discloses a printing device includes a housing, a printing head, and an input unit. The housing includes a cassette accommodating portion to which a tape cassette accommodating a roll of a printing tape is detachably attachable. The cassette accommodating portion has an insertion opening through which the tape cassette can be inserted in an insertion direction. The printing head includes heat-generating elements arrayed in a scanning direction crossing an imaginary plane perpendicular to the insertion direction. The housing has: a principal surface at which the input unit is provided; a side surface crossing the principal surface and the imaginary plane; and a discharge opening formed in the side surface. The insertion opening is positioned above the input unit. At the discharge opening, a normal direction of a printed surface of the printing tape and a normal direction of the principal surface define an interior angle of less than 45 degrees therebetween.
US 20230302824 A1 discloses the case 35 includes the first cover part 31, the first frame part 32, a second frame part 33, and a second cover part 34. The first cover part 31 constitutes a top portion of the printing cassette 10. The first frame part 32 is provided below the first cover part 31 and is coupled to the first cover part 31 in the up-down direction. The second frame part 33 is provided below the first frame part 32 and is coupled to the first frame part 32 in the up-down direction. The second cover part 34 constitutes a bottom portion of the printing cassette 10. The second cover part 34 is coupled to the second frame part 33 in the up-down direction. The first cover part 31 and the first frame part 32 constitute a first case compartment 41 that accommodates the printing tape roll 11 therein. In other words, the printing tape roll 11 is accommodated in a space enclosed by the first cover part 31 and the first frame part 32.
Communication with the PTO
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHARON A POLK whose telephone number is (571)270-7910. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 7-3.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Douglas Rodriguez 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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SHARON A. POLK
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2853
/Sharon Polk/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853
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