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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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 1-6,8-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sudo et al. (JP 2023-036208) in view of Isomura et al. (EP 1,357,441).
Sudo et al. teach an image forming apparatus 10 having a main assembly including a photosensitive drum 21 and a developing unit 24 in which the developing unit has a developing roller 242 (Fig.s 1-2, page 3 of translation, fourth paragraph) for supplying toner to an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum, a toner cartridge 1 is attachable/detachable from the developing unit and includes a frame housing 401 extending in a longitudinal direction having a first accommodating chamber space 41 and a second accommodating chamber space 42 separated by a partitioning portion 43; the first accommodating chamber 41 having a first toner discharge opening 411 to discharge toner to the developing device and the second accommodating chamber having a second discharge opening 421 (see Fig.4, page 4, last six paragraphs). Another embodiment has a cylindrical toner cartridge 1 having a first accommodating chamber space 51 and a second accommodating chamber space 52 separated by a partition plate 53; the first accommodating chamber space has a first discharge opening 511 and the second discharge chamber space has a second discharge opening 521 as seen in Fig.s 9A-11.
Regarding claim 2, the first space 41/51 and second space 42/52 are arranged in a longitudinal direction of the toner cartridge frame housing 401.
Regarding claim 3, the first discharge opening 411/511 is located at one end of the frame housing 401 in the longitudinal direction and the second discharge opening 421/521 is located at the opposite end of the housing.
Regarding claim 4, the partition plate 43/53 is located in the central middle portion of the frame 401 with respect to the longitudinal direction.
Regarding claim 5, a first conveying member 412 (or ribs 513 in second embodiment) is provided in the first space for guiding the toner to the first discharge opening and a second conveying member 422 (or ribs 523 in second embodiment) is provided in the second space for guiding the toner to the second discharge opening; the toner being discharge out of the discharge openings by the self-weight of the toner and is supplied into the developing device.
Regarding claim 6, the guiding portions are inclined relative to the longitudinal direction (conveying members 412/422 are spiral in shape (see Fig.4) and the ribs 513/523 are inclined as seen in Fig.9A.
Regarding claims 8-9, the amounts of toner in each chamber are equal (partition is in the middle) and therefore the volume and amount of toner are equal (100% of the toner/space in the first space = 100% of the toner/space in the second space).
Regarding claim 10, the image forming apparatus includes an exposure device 23 to form an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum; in a state the toner cartridge is mounted to the developing device, the first toner outlet 411 aligns with a first developing unit supply port 243 and the second toner outlet 421 aligns with a second developer unit supply port 244 as best seen in Fig.6; the toner container does not overlap the developing unit in the longitudinal direction (they overlap in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction).
Specifically, Sudo et al. teach all that is claimed except the developing device/toner container being supported by a “rotary” (limitation in claim 1); the rotary’s rotational axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the toner cartridge (limitation in claim 11).
Isomura et al. teach an image forming apparatus (Fig.s 1-2) including a rotary type developing apparatus 30 including a rotary 26 for supporting developing devices 7Y, 7M, 7C, 7BK in a rotatable fashion (par. 25); each developing device includes attachable/detachable toner cartridges 1 (par. 28) in which have toner outlets 2a (Fig.3, par.30); the toner cartridges extend in the same direction as the rotational axis direction of the rotary.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Sudo et al. such that the developing devices are mounted in a rotary because such support of developing devices is notoriously well known in the art for the purpose of conserving space.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 7 is 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.
Regarding claim 7, the partitioning portion being provided with a first guiding surface and a second guiding surface (see applicant’s Fig.24 embodiment) is not taught, suggested or rendered obvious by the prior art of record.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Sesek et al. and Arimoto teach a partition to separate a toner container into two chambers. Kamimura et al. and Sakata et al. teach toner cartridges having two outlets but no partition. Takashima and Asakura et al. (JP)teach rotary type developing apparatus. Okayasu et al. ‘026 and Okayasu et al. ‘025 are co-pending related applications.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT B BEATTY whose telephone number is (571) 272-2130. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F from 7 to 3.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Stephanie Bloss, can be reached on (571) 272-3555. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571) 273-2130.
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/ROBERT B BEATTY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
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