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 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-6 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hirota 2011/0229258.
Regarding claim 1, Hirota discloses an image forming apparatus (par 0003) provided with an electric unit (1, Fig 1), the electric unit comprising: an electric substrate (3 considered electric substrate at least when 4 attaches, Fig 2) including a mounting surface (mounting surface of 3, Fig 2) on which an electric component (such as 4, Fig 2) is mounted (Fig 2); a first sheet metal (2, Fig 2) including a first plate portion (side of 2 where 28 locates, Figs 2, 3); and a second sheet metal (8, Fig 2) including a second plate portion (side of 8 where 81 locates, Fig 3) disposed on the same side as the first plate portion with respect to the mounting surface of the electric substrate (see Fig 2 with respect to Fig 3), wherein a first opening (between 27a, 27b, including opening formed between 27 on both sides and recess area near 28, Fig 4) is formed in the first plate portion (Fig 4), the first opening penetrating the first plate portion in a thickness direction (direction of thickness of 27b, for example, Fig 4) of the first plate portion (Fig 4), and wherein, when viewed in the thickness direction of the first plate portion (as in Fig 8), the second plate portion covers at least a part of the first opening (once assembled, Fig 5).
Regarding claim 2, Hirota discloses the image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first sheet metal includes a first extending portion (25, Fig 2) extending from an edge (edge where 25 locates, Fig 2) of the first opening (Fig 2) in a first crossing direction crossing a surface formed by the first plate portion (cross direction of protruding 25 crossing plane of side of 2, Fig 2).
Regarding claim 3, Hirota discloses the image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the electric substrate includes at least a first electric substrate (9, Fig 2), and wherein the first extending portion supports the first electric substrate (once assembled, Figs 1, 2).
Regarding claim 4, Hirota discloses the image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first plate portion and the first extending portion is integrally formed by one sheet metal subjected to a bending method (see Fig 2, par 0022).
Regarding claim 5, Hirota discloses the image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second sheet metal incudes a second extending portion extending from (82, Fig 3), of the second plate portion (Fig 3), a part covering the first opening in a second crossing direction crossing a surface formed by the second plate portion (82 cover side of opening once assembled, Figs 3, 5), and wherein the second extending portion is inserted into the first opening (Figs 3, 5).
Regarding claim 6, Hirota discloses the image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the second plate portion and the second extending portion is integrally formed by one sheet metal subjected to a bending method (see Figs 3-4).
Regarding claim 12, Hirota discloses an electric unit (1, Fig 1) for an image forming apparatus (par 0003), the electric unit comprising: an electric substrate (3 considered electric substrate at least when 4 attaches, Fig 2) including a mounting surface (mounting surface of 3, Fig 2) on which an electric component (4, Fig 2) is mounted (Fig 2); a first sheet metal (2, Fig 2) including a first plate portion (side of 2 where 28 locates, Figs 2, 3); and a second sheet metal (8, Fig 2) including a second plate portion (81, Fig 3) disposed on the same side as the first plate portion with respect to the mounting surface of the electric substrate (see Fig 2 with respect to Fig 3), wherein a first opening (between 27a, 27b, including opening formed between 27 on both sides and recess area near 28, Fig 4) is formed in the first plate portion (Fig 4), the first opening penetrating the first plate portion in a thickness direction (direction of thickness of 27b, Fig 4) of the first plate portion (Fig 4), and wherein, when viewed in the thickness direction of the first plate portion (as in Fig 8), the second plate portion covers at least a part of the first opening (once assembled, Fig 5).
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.
Claim(s) 7-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hirota 2011/0229258 in view of Suzuki 2018/0270991.
Regarding claim 7, Hirota discloses the image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electric substrate includes at least a first electric substrate (in the form of portion 4, Fig 2), wherein the first sheet metal includes a first extending portion (portion between 28 and 27, not labeled, Fig 3) extending from an edge of the first opening (edge where said portion locates, Fig 3) in a first crossing direction crossing a surface formed by the first plate portion (in inward direction from side 2, Fig 3), wherein the second sheet metal includes a second extending portion (83, Fig 3) extending from (Fig 3), of the second plate portion (Fig 3), a part covering the first opening in a second crossing direction crossing a surface formed by the second plate portion (see Figs 3-5), wherein the first extending portion supports the first electric substrate (Figs 2-5), and wherein the second extending portion is inserted into the first opening (Fig 5).
Hirota discloses the claimed invention except for expressly teaching the electric substrate (61, 63, Fig 9) including a second substrate (63, Fig 9).
Suzuki however teaches an electric substrate including a second substrate.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the electric substrate to include a second substrate of Hirota where the second substrate is supported, as taught by Suzuki, in order to accommodate more components to carry out more electrically necessitate tasks, thereby improving functionality.
Regarding claim 8, Hirota in view of Suzuki discloses the image forming apparatus according to claim 7, Hirota teaches wherein, when viewed in the thickness direction of the first plate portion (Fig 3), the first electric substrate (Figs 2-3) and the second electric substrate (of Suzuki) are at least partially overlapped with each other (of Suzuki).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the electric substrate to include a second substrate of Hirota where the second substrate is supported, as taught by Suzuki, in order to accommodate more components to carry out more electrically necessitate tasks, thereby improving functionality.
Regarding claim 9, Hirota in view of Suzuki discloses the image forming apparatus according to claim 7, Hirota discloses wherein a slit portion (at 102, for example, Fig 3) penetrating the first plate portion in the thickness direction is formed in the first plate portion (Fig 3), and wherein the first plate portion is adjacent to an edge of the slit portion (Fig 3) and includes a drawn portion projecting from the first plate portion in the thickness direction (drawn portion between 27 and 28, Fig 3).
Regarding claim 10, Hirota, in view of Suzuki discloses the image forming apparatus according to claim 9, Hirota teaches wherein the second sheet metal includes a third extending portion (85, Fig 3) extending from the second plate portion in the thickness direction (Fig 3) and inserted into the slit portion (Fig 3, 6).
Regarding claim 11, Hirota in view of Suzuki discloses the image forming apparatus according to claim 7, Hirota teaches wherein the first sheet metal includes a side wall portion (portion where 25 attaches, Fig 2) extending from an edge of the first plate portion (Fig 2) toward the same direction as the first extending portion (Fig 2), and wherein the first plate portion and the side wall portion form an accommodating portion (21, Fig 2) for accommodating the electric substrate (Figs 1, 2).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Nishikawa - US 11503722 B2, Fig 3. Teaches similar apparatus including electric substrate.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RASHEN E MORRISON whose telephone number is (571)272-8852. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5.
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/RASHEN E MORRISON/Examiner, Art Unit 2841 /IMANI N HAYMAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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