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.
Drawings
The drawings filed on 8/21/2025 are acceptable for examination by the examiner.
Title
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
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) 1-2 and 5-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by HAYAYUMI (JP2021-184029A).
Regarding claim 1, HAYAUMI teaches an image forming apparatus (figure 1) comprising: a drive unit detachably attached to the image forming apparatus; a drive control board 21 disposed on a back surface side of the drive unit 20 and configured to control the drive unit; a first unit 10; a second unit 11; a first cable 34 (right) configured to electrically connect the first unit and the drive control board 21; and a second cable 34 (left) configured to electrically connect the second unit and the drive control board 20, wherein the drive control board includes: a first connector to which the first cable is connected, a second connector to which the second cable (34, left) is connected, and a wiring configured to electrically connect the first connector and the second connector (figure 9, abstract; last 7 paragraphs in translation).
Regarding claim 2, the first unit includes a power supply board 21 configured to supply power, wherein the second unit includes a controller board configured to integrally control the image forming apparatus, and wherein power is supplied from the power supply board to the controller board via the first cable, the wiring, and the second cable (figures 5, 9).
Regarding claim 5, the drive control board is disposed between the first unit and the second unit (between the motor unit).
Regarding claim 6, the first connector is disposed along an edge of the drive control board that is adjacent to the first unit, and the second connector is disposed along an edge of the drive control board that is adjacent to the second unit.
Regarding claim 7, the drive control board has a first surface facing the drive unit and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and the first connector and the second connector are disposed on the second surface (figure 9).
Regarding claim 8, the drive unit includes a motor 12 configured to drive a rotating member, and the drive control board controls an operation of the motor (figure 7 and translation discussion of development drive unit).
Regarding claim 9, the image forming apparatus further comprising: a photoreceptor; and a developing portion configured to develop a latent image formed on the photoreceptor, wherein the drive unit includes a first motor configured to drive the photoreceptor and a second motor configured to drive the developing portion, and the drive control board is configured to control an operation of the first motor and an operation of the second motor (figures 1 , 5, and 9; abstract; drive control board unit discussion in translation)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-4 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.
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. KAKUTANI et al. (US 2015/0016835 A1) teaches a connector layout for an image forming apparatus.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to QUANA GRAINGER whose telephone number is (571)272-2135. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday, 9-5.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Clayton Labelle can be reached on 571-272-1594. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/QUANA GRAINGER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
QG
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