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 6/5/2026 was considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings filed on 6/5/2026 are acceptable for examination by the examiner.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over OGAWA et al. (US 2021/0405555 A1) in view of OKAMOTO (CN 102193470 A).
OGAWA teaches regarding claim 1, an image-forming apparatus (figure 1) comprising: a main housing having a first opening 93; a process cartridge 20 mountable in and removable from the main housing through the first opening, the process cartridge 20 comprising: a drum unit including a photosensitive drum 21; a developing unit including a developing roller 31; and a receptacle 600 to which a toner container 40 storing toner is connectable, the toner container 40 including a discharging part connectable to the receptacle 600 and a container-side shutter disposed on the discharging part for opening and closing the discharging part; and a first cover 83 movable relative to the main housing to open and close the first opening, the first cover having a second opening [0068] through which the receptacle can be exposed, the first cover 83 including an operating member 32g configured to move the container-side shutter 507, 505 to open and close the discharging part in a state where the discharging part of the toner container 40 is connected to the receptacle 600 (figures 1A-1B, 13A-13B; [0106-0107]).
Regarding claim 4, the operating member 600 (32g) is rotatable between a first position and a second position relative to the first cover, the operating member 32g at the first position enabling the discharging part of the toner container 40 to be connected to the receptacle, the operating member 32 at the second position restricting the discharging part of the toner container 40 from being connected to the receptacle, wherein the second cover has a groove, and wherein the operating member is fitted in the groove at the first position, and the operating member is not fitted in the groove at the second position] (figures 11A-11B, 15-16B (shows ring 32g), and 20).
Regarding claim 5, the operating member 600 comprises: a ring-shaped member 32 fitted over a periphery of the second opening on the first cover [0068], the ring-shaped member being rotatable relative to the second opening; an operating lever extending radially outwardly from the ring-shaped member; and a first engaging part disposed on an inner circumferential surface of the ring-shaped member, the first engaging part being engageable with a first receiving part of the toner container, the first receiving part being movable in association with movement of the container-side shutter, and wherein rotation of the operating member opens and closes the container-side shutter in a state where the first engaging part is engaged with the first receiving part.
Regarding claim 6, the process cartridge 20 further includes a unit-side shutter 41 configured to open and close the receptacle, and wherein the operating member is configured to open and close both the container-side shutter 41 and the unit-side shutter 505 simultaneously.
Regarding claim 7, the toner container 40 further includes a second engaging part 510b movable in association with movement of the first receiving part 510 and wherein the process cartridge 20 further includes a second receiving part 501x engageable with the second engaging part, the second receiving part 501x being movable in association with movement of the unit-side shutter 507 (figure 6B; [0090]).
Regarding claim 8, the first receiving part and the second engaging part 510b are disposed on the container-side shutter 41, and wherein the second receiving part 501 is disposed on the unit-side shutter 507, 505 [0090].
Regarding claim 9, the first receiving part and the second engaging part are integral with each other on the container-side shutter.
Regarding claim 10, the process cartridge 20 further includes a third engaging part 501k engageable with a third receiving part 41K of the toner container, and wherein the third engaging part is engaged with the third receiving part in the state where the discharging part of the toner container is connected to the receptacle of the process cartridge 20 [0091].
Regarding claim 12, the developing unit includes a developing-unit frame having an insertion opening, and wherein the receptacle 600 is received in the developing unit 30 attached to the drum unit 21 through the insertion opening, a seal member 504 being fitted in a gap between the receptacle and an inner circumferential surface of the insertion opening of the developing-unit frame.
OGAWA does not teach where the second cover is located relative to the first cover.
OKAMOTO teaches a first cover with a second opening (figure 3).
Regarding claim 2, the image-forming apparatus (figure 3) further comprising a second cover disposed on the first cover and configured to open and close the second opening (shown in figure 3).
Regarding claim 3, the main housing has a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion in a first direction, the receptacle being positioned closer to the first end portion of the main housing in the first direction than to the second end portion of the main housing in a state where the process cartridge is mounted in the main housing, wherein the first cover is movable between a first closed position for closing the first opening and a first open position for exposing the first opening, the first cover being positioned farther away from the first end portion of the main housing in the first direction at the first open position than at the first closed position, and wherein the second cover is movable relative to the first cover between a second closed position for closing the second opening and a second open position for exposing the second opening, the second cover being positioned closer to the second end portion of the main housing in the first direction at the second open position than at the second closed position (figure 3).
Regarding claim 11, in a state where the process cartridge is mounted in the main housing, the drum unit (shown in figure 23b) is fixed in position relative to the main housing and the developing unit is movable relative to the drum unit, and wherein the receptacle is disposed at the drum unit (figure 23B shows process cartridge).
OGAWA does not teach a second cover for a toner receptacle.
OKAMOTO teaches a separate cover for a toner supply bottle (figure 3; [0058, 0094].
OKAMOTO and OGAWA are concerned with toner management within an image forming apparatus.
The rationale for combining the teachings of OKAMOTO with the teachings of OGAWA relates to the rationale of combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results and of applying a known technique to a known device (method, or product) ready for improvement to yield predictable results.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains to use the teaching of OKAMOTO with the teaching of OGAWA to obtain an improvement in the supply operation of replenishment toner.
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. MITSUMATA et al. (US 2022/0413415 A1) teaches a toner replenishment process for an image forming apparatus.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to QUANA M GRAINGER whose telephone number is (571)272-2135. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday, 9-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Walter Lindsay can be reached on 571-272-1674. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/QUANA GRAINGER/Examiner, Art Unit 2852
QG
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