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 05/01/2025, 11/03/2025 are being considered by the examiner.
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 § 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.
Claims 1-3, and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Uchida et al.(JP 2003002462).
Regarding claim 1, Uchida et al teaches a printing apparatus (fig.1) comprising:
a main body (2 figs.1,3);
a printing unit (1 fig.1) configured to print an image on a print medium;
a loading unit (15 fig.1) configured to load a plurality of print media;
a feeding roller (3 fig.1) configured to feed the print media loaded on the loading unit;
a guide unit (20 figs.1,3,6) including a guide surface configured to form a part of a conveyance path through which the print media are conveyed from the feeding roller (3) to the printing unit, and an exterior surface located on a side opposite to the guide surface and configured to form an exterior of the main body, the guide unit (20) being detachable from the main body (figs.3,4,6); and
a separation member (5 figs.1-4,6) detachably held by the guide unit, and configured to separate one of a plurality of print media from the other print media in a case where the plurality of print media are fed by the feeding roller (figs.1-4), wherein
the guide unit (20) includes at least one restriction unit (22,44 including 44a,44b figs.3,4,6) configured to be moved, with an operation performed on an operation portion, between a position where the restriction unit is engaged with the main body and a position where the restriction unit is disengaged from the main body (figs.3,4,6).
Regarding claim 2, Uchida et al further teaches wherein at least one of the restriction units (22,44 including 44a,44b figs.3,4,6) is disposed to be substantially flush with the separation member in a plane of the guide unit, the plane being orthogonal to a conveyance direction of the print media (figs.3,4,6).
Regarding claim 3, Uchida et al further teaches wherein at least one of the restriction units (22,44 including 44a,44b figs.3,4,6) is energized in a direction in which the restriction unit is to be moved for the engagement (figs.3,4,6).
Regarding claim 9, Uchida et al further teaches wherein the separation member is a separation roller (5 figs.1-4,6).
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 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Uchida et al.(JP 2003002462).
Regarding claim 10, Uchida et al teaches substantially all the claimed invention including the printing unit (1 fig.1).
Uchida et al does not explicitly teach wherein the printing unit is a print head configured to eject ink.
However, it would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art, as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to used ejection type printhead as a printing unit based on the suitability of the type of print job intended.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-8 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
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HENOK D LEGESSE whose telephone number is (571)270-1615. The examiner can normally be reached General Schedule 9:00 am- 5:00 pm, IFP.
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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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/HENOK D LEGESSE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853
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