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 disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
The applicant should delete from page 16, line 32 through page 18, line 7 since it is just a repeat of the claims.
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 1-10 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.
In claim 1, lines 3 and 6, the applicant describes a “drive” signal however there is no structure to support that this signal is a “drive” signal and thus the claim is unclear and incomplete.
In claim 1, line 6, “to” should be changed to -- from -- because the “transmission” signal line 123K connected the first terminal 131A transmits the laser “drive” signal from the first connection terminal to the writing unit (see Fig.8).
In claim 4, line 4, “in” should be changed to -- along -- because the first and second connection terminals are arrayed “in a line” (implies a linear direction, see claim 2) and thus the terminals cannot be “in the line”. See also claim 6.
In claim 7, the applicant claims that both ends of the bent signal line are connected to the two terminals connected to ground potential and additionally to the two other terminals connected to a higher impedance than ground which is not accurate. Referring to applicant’s Fig.12, there are two bend signal lines wherein one connects to the ground and the other to the higher impedance. Thus, the applicant would need to claim a second bent signal line.
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 1-2,5,9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sato (U.S. 2020/0225601).
Sato teach an image forming apparatus (Fig.1) including main body having a controller 120 and a laser writing unit 2 (Fig.2) which are connected via a connector module 203 (Fig.3); the connector module transmitting “drive” signals 40a, 40b,46,47,31 via first connection terminals and a “pull-up signal” via second connection terminals which are not used to transmit the “drive” signals; the pull-up signal being transmitted via terminals “1” and “n” (applicant’s second connection terminals) and the “drive” signals being transmitted via terminals between these terminals (i.e. “2” to “n-1”); a bent signal line 42 is connected to the second connection terminals wherein both ends of the signal line 42 are connected to terminals “1” and “n”; the bent signal line having a fold between both ends. See par. 36-37.
Regarding claim 2, the first connection terminals and the second connection terminals are arrayed in a line (linear connection) and the second connection terminal “1” or “n” is arranged at the end of the line.
Regarding claim 5, the second connection terminals “1” and “n” are connected to a voltage source (i.e. 3.3V) which has a higher impedance than ground potential.
Regarding claims 9-10, a laser control board 11 which controls laser diodes LD1, LD2, etc to write electrostatic latent images onto a photosensitive drum (writing unit) is connected to the first connection terminals (i.e. “2” to “n-1”) to receive a laser drive signal via the transmission signal line; the laser drive signal being generated via circuitry in the image controller 211 and image signal generation portion 215 (see Fig.3; par. 28-34).
Claims 1,3-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tashiro (U.S. 2015/0093138).
Tashiro teach an image forming apparatus (Fig.s 1-2) including a connector module consisting of a main body connector 90(C,M,Y,K) and a replaceable unit connector 80(C,M,Y,K); the connector module includes first connection terminals 81(C,M,Y,K), and 84(C,M,Y,K) to transmitting “drive” signals and second connection terminals 82(C,M,Y,K) and 83(C,M,Y,K) which are not used to transmit the “drive” signals; a transmission signal line is connected between the first connection terminals and part 3(C,M,Y,K) and part 87(C,M,Y,K); a bent signal line (no reference number but clearly seen in Fig.2) is connected to the second connection terminals wherein both ends of the signal line 42 are connected to adjacent terminals (e.g. 82C is connected to 83C); the bent signal line having a fold between both ends.
Regarding claim 3, when all the separate connectors 80 and 90 are connected together to form connector module 90, the second terminals are all connected to ground (referring to Fig.2, when connectors 80K and 90K are connected, the terminal 93K is connected to ground and thus 83K is connected to ground and thus 82K is connected to ground via the bent signal line). See par.81,107.
Regarding claim 4, the second terminals are arrayed in a line (linear connection) and are adjacent to each other along the line (e.g. 82K is adjacent 83K).
Regarding claim 5, when the separate connectors are not connected, the path to ground will be interrupted, and the two adjacent second terminals will reflect an impedance value of the resistor 22. See par. 82,108.
Regarding claim 6, the second terminals are arrayed in a line (linear connection) and are adjacent to each other along the line.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-8 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding claims 7-8, the second connection terminals having two terminals connected to ground and two adjacent terminals having an impedance higher than ground potential; a first bent signal line connected the two terminals connected to ground and a second bent signal line connected to the two other terminals having an impedance higher than ground potential 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.
Takami, Ueda and Teramoto teach a connector using a loop (bent) connector (Fig.5) relevent to the claimed invention. Takeda teach a connector connecting a laser drive controller to an image forming apparatus. Iriyama et al., Araki et al. and Imada et al. teach various connectors related to image forming apparatus. Kikuchi is a related patent application.
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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