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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election of Invention I in the reply filed on 7/1/26 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
Claims 7-10 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 7/1/26.
Claim Objections
Claims 3, 4, and 6 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claim 3, the recited “wherein the acceleration and the deceleration of the rotation of the rotary are started in the first feeding orientation” should be corrected to “wherein the acceleration/deceleration operation of the rotary is started in the first feeding orientation”.
Regarding claim 4, the recited “the acceleration and the deceleration of the rotation of the rotary” should be corrected to “the acceleration/deceleration operation of the rotary”.
Regarding claim 6, the recited “wherein an absolute value of the acceleration and the deceleration of the rotation of the rotary is greater than an absolute value of acceleration and deceleration of the rotary during image formation” should be corrected to “wherein an absolute value of the acceleration and the deceleration of the rotation of the rotary during the acceleration/deceleration operation of the rotary is greater than an absolute value of acceleration and deceleration of the rotary during image formation.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 4 and 5 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.
Regarding claim 4, the recited “wherein the acceleration and the deceleration of the rotation of the rotary are started in a second feeding orientation different from the first feeding orientation before being started in the first feeding orientation” renders the claim indefinite since it is unclear how the acceleration/deceleration operation can be started in both the second feeding orientation and the first feeding orientation.
Regarding claim 5, the recited “wherein the second feeding orientation includes a plurality of orientations obtained by rotating the rotary by 90 degrees each time from the first feeding orientation” renders the claim indefinite since it is unclear how the second feeding orientation (position at start of acceleration/deceleration operation) is multiple positions. Furthermore, it is unclear as to what the recited “each time” refers.
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.
Claims 1 and 3-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamada et al. US 20040240906 in view of Kimura et al. US 20050254860.
Regarding claim 1, Yamada et al. discloses:
An image forming apparatus to and from which a first cartridge (portion of 540 including 530b of 51) (FIGs. 1 and 4) containing a first developer (black) and a second cartridge (portion of 540 including 530b of 54) (FIGs. 1 and 4) containing a second developer (yellow) are attachable and detachable, the image forming apparatus comprising:
a first developing unit including:
a first container (portion of 540 including 530a of 51) (FIGs. 1 and 4) for containing the first developer supplied from the first cartridge; and
a first developing member (510 of 51) (FIGs. 1 and 4) configured to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on a photosensitive member (20) (FIG. 1) using the first developer contained in the first container;
a second developing unit including:
a second container (portion of 540 including 530a of 54) (FIGs. 1 and 4) for containing the second developer supplied from the second cartridge; and
a second developing member (510 of 54) (FIGs. 1 and 4) configured to develop the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive member using the second developer contained in the second container;
a rotatable rotary (50) (FIG. 1) including the first developing unit and the second developing unit;
a drive mechanism (pulse motor) [0218] configured to drive the rotary to rotate the rotary; and
a controller (100) (FIG. 2) configured to control the drive mechanism [0236],
wherein the first developer in the first cartridge is supplied to the first container by being discharged from the first cartridge to the first container [0207] (FIGs. 4 and 5A),
the rotary is configured to assume:
a first feeding orientation in which a direction from the first discharge opening to the first receiving opening has a vertical downward component (FIG. 5A); and
a first developing orientation in which the first developing member is capable of developing the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member (FIG. 5B),
the controller comprises:
at least one memory (ROM) (FIG. 2) storing instructions; and
at least one processor (CPU of 101/102) (FIG. 2) that is in communication with the at least one memory and that, when executing the instructions, cooperates with the at least one memory to execute processing, and
the processing includes controlling the drive mechanism to perform at least two times an acceleration/deceleration operation in which the rotary accelerates and thereafter decelerates, during a period in which the rotary rotates from the first feeding orientation to the first developing orientation [0234-237] (FIGs. 6A and 7A).
Yamada et al. does not explicitly disclose a separate first discharge opening and first receiving opening (since Yamada et al. does not explicitly disclose wherein the developer cartridges are detachable from the developing units).
Kimura et al. discloses
An image forming apparatus to and from which a first cartridge (45K) (FIG. 2) containing a first developer (black) and a second cartridge (45Y) (FIG. 2) containing a second developer (yellow) are attachable and detachable, the image forming apparatus comprising:
a first developing unit including:
a first container (5K) (FIGs. 2 and 6) for containing the first developer supplied from the first cartridge; and
a first developing member (48 of 5K) (FIG. 2) configured to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on a photosensitive member (2) (FIG. 1) using the first developer contained in the first container;
a second developing unit including:
a second container (5Y) (FIGs. 2 and 6) for containing the second developer supplied from the second cartridge; and
a second developing member (48 of 5Y) (FIG. 2) configured to develop the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive member using the second developer contained in the second container;
a rotatable rotary (5) (FIG. 2) including the first developing unit and the second developing unit;
wherein the first developer in the first cartridge is supplied to the first container by being discharged from a first discharge opening (71 of 45K) (FIG. 5) formed in the first cartridge to a first receiving opening (61 of 5K) (FIG. 6) formed in the first container [0069 and 0075].
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the apparatus as disclosed by Yamada et al. to include the first and second cartridges detachable from the first and second developing units, wherein the first developer in the first cartridge is supplied to the first container by being discharged from a first discharge opening formed in the first cartridge to a first receiving opening formed in the first container as disclosed by Kimura et al. in order to allow for the replenishment of developer without having to replace all of the components of the developing unit.
Regarding claim 3, Yamada et al. discloses:
wherein the acceleration and the deceleration of the rotation of the rotary are started in the first feeding orientation [0234-237] (FIGs. 6A and 7A).
Regarding claim 4 as best understood, Yamada et al. discloses:
wherein the acceleration and the deceleration of the rotation of the rotary are started in a second feeding orientation different from the first feeding orientation before being started in the first feeding orientation (the rotary can be at a number of feeding orientations depending on the job completed prior to the additional acceleration and deceleration operations and during rotation in the acceleration and deceleration operation).
Regarding claim 5 as best understood, Yamada et al. discloses:
wherein the second feeding orientation includes a plurality of orientations obtained by rotating the rotary by 90 degrees each time from the first feeding orientation (the rotary is rotated 90 degrees when printing a color image and during rotation in the acceleration and deceleration operation).
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamada et al. US 20040240906 in view of Kimura et al. US 20050254860 and further in view of Ichikawa et al. US 20050025513.
Regarding claim 2, Yamada et al. in view of Kimura et al. teaches the limitations of claim 1 as set forth above, but does not explicitly teach wherein the rotation of the rotary is repeatedly accelerated and decelerated, alternately in a first rotation direction and a second rotation direction different from the first rotation direction.
Ichikawa et al. discloses repeatedly accelerating and decelerating a rotary developing unit (61) (FIG. 2) in a first rotation direction and a second rotation direction different from the first rotation direction in order to agitate the developer [0031].
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to further modify the apparatus as taught by Yamada et al. in view of Kimura et al. to include wherein the rotation of the rotary is repeatedly accelerated and decelerated, alternately in a first rotation direction and a second rotation direction different from the first rotation direction as disclosed by Ichikawa et al. in order to ensure even and homogeneous printing [0031] (Ichikawa et al.).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamada et al. US 20040240906 in view of Kimura et al. US 20050254860 and further in view of Sakoda et al. US 20120114350.
Regarding claim 6, Yamada et al. in view of Kimura et al. teaches the limitations of claim 1 as set forth above, but does not explicitly teach wherein an absolute value of the acceleration and the deceleration of the rotation of the rotary is greater than an absolute value of acceleration and deceleration of the rotary during image formation.
Sakoda et al. discloses shortening an operation time by making an absolute value of the acceleration and the deceleration of the rotation of the rotary (14) (FIG. 1) greater than an absolute value of acceleration and deceleration of the rotary during image formation [0086].
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to further modify the apparatus as taught by Yamada et al. in view of Kimura et al. to include wherein an absolute value of the acceleration and the deceleration of the rotation of the rotary is greater than an absolute value of acceleration and deceleration of the rotary during image formation in order to shorten the amount of time spent during the acceleration and deceleration operation.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THOMAS S GIAMPAOLO II whose telephone number is (571)272-6619. The examiner can normally be reached T-Th 9-5.
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/THOMAS S GIAMPAOLO II/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
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