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
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.
Claim 12 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.
Regarding claim 12, lines 3-4 discloses “the inside of the bag body to the outside via the second flow path”. Claim 11 previously discloses a first flow path is configured to discharge the ink from an inside of the bag body to an outside, it appears the term “second flow path” in lines 3-4 should read “first flow path”. Please advise and/or correct.
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) 1-2, 7, 10-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Murakami (WO2023210214)
Regarding claim 1, an ink storage bag comprising: a bag body (1) configured to store an ink (Paragraphs 0026-0028)
A spout fixed to the bag body
Wherein the spout (20) includes: a first opening (31) configured to discharge the ink from an inside of the bag body to an outside
A second opening (41) configured to refill the inside of the bag body with the ink from the outside and formed at a fixing portion at which the spout and the bag body are fixed to each other (Figure 3; Paragraphs 0026-0028)
A seal member (45, 46) configured to seal the second opening in an openable and closable manner (Figures 3-4; Paragraphs 0040-0043)
Regarding claim 2, wherein the second opening is formed at a welded portion at which the spout and the bag body are welded to each other (Figure 3; Paragraph 0035)
Regarding claim 7, the spout further includes a check valve (33) configured not to allow the ink to flow from the first opening toward the inside of the bag body but to allow the ink to flow from the inside of the bag body toward the first opening; and the second opening is located between the check valve and the bag body in a direction in which the ink is discharged from the first opening (Figure 4; Paragraphs 0026, 0031-0032, 0035-0038)
Regarding claim 10, a method for manufacturing a recyclable ink storage bag, comprising the steps of:
Preparing an ink storage bag including a bag body (1) configured to store an ink, a first flow path (31) configured to discharge the ink from an inside of the bag body to an outside, and a spout (20) fixed to the bag body
Forming a second flow path (41) configured to connect the outside of the spout and the first flow path (Figure 3; Paragraphs 0026-0028)
Regarding claim 11, inserting a seal member (45,46) configured to seal the second flow path (Figures 3-4; Paragraphs 0040-0043)
Regarding claim 12, discharging the ink from the inside of the bag body to the outside via the second flow path; and refilling the inside of the bag body with the ink from the outside via the second flow path (Figure 3; Paragraphs 0026-0028)
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) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Murakami (WO2023210214) in view of Kachi (U.S. Pub. 2006/0215000)
Regarding claim 3, Kachi discloses it is known in the art to include a filter configured to filter the ink flowing from the inside of the body toward the opening (Paragraph 0034)
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 Kachi into the device of Murakami, for the purpose of filtering components of ink to prevent clogging of the nozzles
Claim(s) 4-6, 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Murakami (WO2023210214) in view of Domae (U.S. Pub. 2009/0290001)
Regarding claim 4, Murakami discloses wherein the seal member includes a seal unit configured to seal the second opening (Figures 3-4; Paragraphs 0040-0043)
Domae discloses an adapter configured to connect with an ink ejection apparatus (Figures 3a, 7a, 7b; Paragraphs 0174-0185)
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 Domae into the device of Murakami, for the purpose of accurately positioning the storage means (storage bag) (Paragraph 0009)
Regarding claim 5, Murakami discloses wherein the seal member includes a seal unit configured to seal the second opening (Figures 3-4; Paragraphs 0040-0043)
Domae discloses the adapter includes a first member and a second member configured to fix the spout between the first member and the second member; the first member includes a positioning portion configured to position the spout (Figures 3a, 7a, 7b; Paragraphs 0036-0040; 0174-0185)
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 Domae into the device of Murakami, for the purpose of accurately positioning the storage means (storage bag) (Paragraph 0009)
Regarding claim 6, Murakami discloses wherein the seal member includes a seal unit configured to seal the second opening (Figures 3-4; Paragraphs 0040-0043); Domae discloses the claimed adapter (Figures 3a, 7a, 7b; Paragraphs 0036-0040; 0174-0185)
Murakami in view of Domae discloses the claimed structural limitations and the different colors are a mere design choice and do not disclose any further limiting structural limitations
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 Domae into the device of Murakami, for the purpose of accurately positioning the storage means (storage bag) (Paragraph 0009)
Regarding claim 8, the spout further includes a valve unit (33, 37) connected to the first opening, and the valve unit is configured to open in a state where the ink storage bag is connected to the ink ejection apparatus and close in a state where the ink storage bag is disconnected from the ink ejection apparatus (Figures 3-4; Paragraphs 0031-0032, 0035-0038)
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Murakami (WO2023210214) in view of Ikegame (U.S. Pub. 2021/0268802)
Regarding claim 9, Ikegame discloses a spacer (90) arranged inside the bag body and configured to form a certain space inside the bag body (60); and a flow path member (66, 85) configured to conn3ect a flow path formed in the spout and a flow path formed in the spacer (Figure 3a; Paragraph 0024)
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 Ikegame into the device of Murakami, for the purpose of securing a volume inside the bag and applying support for flow path member to supply the 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 September 18, 2026
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