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 Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitations are: a sheet support portion (corresponding in the instant application to 102), a regulation portion (corresponding in the instant application to 104), a brake unit (corresponding in the instant application to 106) in claims 14-21, a brake member (corresponding in the instant application to 107) and a brake urging portion (corresponding in the instant application to 108) in claims 15-18, a brake release member (corresponding in the instant application to 105) in claim 17, a feeding portion (corresponding in the instant application to 30) in claim 19, and an image forming portion (corresponding in the instant application to 20) in claim 21.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
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.
Claims 14, 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sekido (JP 2007076887 A).
As to claim 14, Sekido teaches a sheet support apparatus (figure 1) comprising:
a sheet support portion (1) configured to support a sheet (paragraph [0032]);
a regulation portion (one of 2) supported by the sheet support portion (1) such that the regulation portion (one of 2) is configured to move in a first direction (direction of arrow Fw in figure 1) and a second direction opposite to the first direction (direction of Fn in figure 1), the first direction being a direction orthogonal to both a sheet conveyance direction and a vertical direction (figure 1), the regulation portion being configured to regulate a position of a downstream edge, in the first direction, of the sheet supported by the sheet support portion (paragraph [0035]; and
a brake unit configured to produce a first frictional force (Fn) between the sheet support portion and the regulation portion in a case where the regulation portion moves toward the second direction (direction of arrow Fn in figure 1), and produce a second frictional force (Fw) larger than the first frictional force (figure 1 and paragraph [0039]) between the sheet support portion and the regulation portion in a case where the regulation portion moves toward the first direction (direction of arrow Fw in figure 1; paragraph [0039]).
As to claim 19, Sekido teaches further comprising a feeding portion (6, 52) configured to feed a sheet (paragraph [0032]), supported by the sheet support portion (1), in a feeding direction, wherein the first direction and the second direction are orthogonal to the feeding direction (figures 1 and 3).
As to claim 21, Sekido teaches an image forming apparatus (figure 3) comprising:
the sheet support apparatus (1) according to claim 14 (as noted above in detail for claim 14); and
an image forming portion (53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 61, 62, 64) configured to form an image on a sheet fed from the sheet support apparatus (paragraphs [0025]-[0029]).
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 14 and 19-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kawashima (US 2014/0306397 A1) in view of Sekido (JP 2007076887 A)
As to claim 14, Kawashima teaches a sheet support apparatus (46) comprising:
a sheet support portion (46A) configured to support a sheet (paragraph [0040]);
a regulation portion (one of 713) supported by the sheet support portion (46A) such that the regulation portion (one of 713) is configured to move in a first direction (back direction in figure 2) and a second direction opposite to the first direction (forward direction in figure 2), the first direction being a direction orthogonal to both a sheet conveyance direction and a vertical direction (figure 2), the regulation portion being configured to regulate a position of a downstream edge, in the first direction, of the sheet supported by the sheet support portion (paragraph [0042]).
Kawashima does not explicitly teach a brake unit configured to produce a first frictional force between the sheet support portion and the regulation portion in a case where the regulation portion moves toward the second direction, and produce a second frictional force larger than the first frictional force between the sheet support portion and the regulation portion in a case where the regulation portion moves toward the first direction.
Sekido teaches a brake unit configured to produce a first frictional force (Fn) between the sheet support portion and the regulation portion in a case where the regulation portion moves toward the second direction (direction of arrow Fn in figure 1), and produce a second frictional force (Fw) larger than the first frictional force (figure 1 and paragraph [0039]) between the sheet support portion and the regulation portion in a case where the regulation portion moves toward the first direction (direction of arrow Fw in figure 1; paragraph [0039]).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date to modify Kawashima to have a brake unit configured to produce a first frictional force between the sheet support portion and the regulation portion in a case where the regulation portion moves toward the second direction, and produce a second frictional force larger than the first frictional force between the sheet support portion and the regulation portion in a case where the regulation portion moves toward the first direction as taught by Sekido because it improves movement resistance in the opening direction while maintaining ease of use by the user (paragraphs [0008]-[0013]) with predictable results.
As to claim 19, Kawashima as modified teaches (citations to Kawashima unless otherwise indicated) further comprising a feeding portion (461, 701) configured to feed a sheet (paragraph [0060]), supported by the sheet support portion (46), in a feeding direction, wherein the first direction and the second direction are orthogonal to the feeding direction (figures 1 and 2).
As to claim 20, Kawashima as modified teaches (citations to Kawashima unless otherwise indicated) further comprising:
an apparatus body (10), and
a manual feed cover (46) supported by the apparatus body (10) such that the manual feed cover (46) is configured to be opened (figure 8) and closed (figure 2),
wherein the sheet support portion (46A) is configured to be supported by the manual feed cover (figure 1).
As to claim 21, Kawashima as modified teaches (citations to Kawashima unless otherwise indicated) an image forming apparatus (figure 1) comprising:
the sheet support apparatus (46) according to claim 14 (as noted above in detail for claim 14); and
an image forming portion (30) configured to form an image on a sheet fed from the sheet support apparatus (paragraphs [0059]-[0060]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 15-18 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Imai (US 2019/0119056 A1) and Ogasawara (US PGPub 2019/0337743 A1) teach systems with similarities to the disclosed invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JENNIFER E S BAHLS whose telephone number is (571)270-7807. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9:00 am-3:30 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Stephen Meier can be reached at (571) 272-2149. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JENNIFER BAHLS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853
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