CTNF 19/417,916 CTNF 86527 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia 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 § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-20-02-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 1 and 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shibata et al. (U.S. Pub. 2023/0312287) in view of Nagayama et al. (U.S. Patent 5,471,290) . Regarding claim 1, Shibata discloses (Figs. 1-9) a sheet feeding control method for controlling a sheet feeding device (as shown in Fig. 1; see pars. [0033]-[0036], [0044], etc.), comprising: a feeding mechanism having a feeding rotating body 12 [0036] that contacts an upper surface of a topmost sheet of a stack of sheets [0036]-[0039], and configured to execute a feeding process of feeding each sheet from the stack of sheets to a conveying path by rotating the feeding rotating body 12 [0036]-[0039]; a sheet detecting device “S” [0061] configured to detect each sheet [0061] at a position on a downstream side of the feeding rotating body 12 in a sheet feeding direction (as shown in Figs. 1 and 3); and a timing device 18a (control unit: [0067]) configured to measure an elapsed time from a time when the feeding process for each sheet is started [0067] to a time when each sheet is detected by the sheet detecting device “S” [0061]/[0067]; the sheet feeding control method comprising: a control device 18a measures a preset reference feeding time (see pars. [0067] and [0087]) and a target measurement time (detection time: [0067] and [0087]) measured by the timing device 18a for the target sheet fed by the feeding process [0067]-[0069]; and the control device 18a adjusting a feeding start timing (paper feed start timing: see Fig. 9; [0108]-[0109] and [0128]) for causing the feeding mechanism to start the feeding process for the next sheet following the target sheet in accordance with the positional deviation amount of the target sheet (see Fig. 9; [0108]-[0109] and [0128]). Shibata does not disclose the control device derives a positional deviation amount of a target sheet from an initial reference position at a time when the feeding process for the target sheet is started, based on a preset reference feeding time and a target measurement time measured by the timing device for the target sheet fed by the feeding process. Nagayama discloses (Fig. 20) the control device derives a positional deviation amount ΔX (col. 11, lines 44-53) of a target sheet from an initial reference position at a time when the feeding process for the target sheet is started (col. 11, lines 44-53), based on a preset reference feeding time (col. 11, lines 44-53) and a target measurement time measured by the timing device for the target sheet fed by the feeding process (col. 11, lines 44-53). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Shibata’s method so that the control device derives a positional deviation amount of a target sheet from an initial reference position at a time when the feeding process for the target sheet is started, based on a preset reference feeding time and a target measurement time measured by the timing device for the target sheet fed by the feeding process, as taught by Nagayama. Such a modification would be the application of a known technique to a known device (method, or product) ready for improvement to yield predictable results – MPEP 2143(I)(D). Regarding claim 7, Shibata discloses (Figs. 1-9) a sheet feeding device (as shown in Figs. 1 and 3) comprising: a feeding mechanism having a feeding rotating body 12 [0036] that contacts an upper surface of a topmost sheet of a stack of sheets [0036]-[0039], and configured to execute a feeding process of feeding each sheet from the stack of sheets to a conveying path by rotating the feeding rotating body 12 [0036]-[0039]; a sheet detecting device “S” [0061] configured to detect each sheet [0061] at a position on a downstream side of the feeding rotating body 12 in a sheet feeding direction (as shown in Figs. 1 and 3); and a timing device 18a (control unit: [0067]) configured to measure an elapsed time from a time when the feeding process for each sheet is started [0067] to a time when each sheet is detected by the sheet detecting device “S” [0061]/[0067]; and a control device 18a configured to achieve the sheet feeding control method according to claim 1 (see rejection of claim 1, above). Regarding claim 7, Shibata discloses (Figs. 1-9) an image forming apparatus 1 [0033], comprising: the sheet feeding device according to claim 7 (see above); and a printing device 1 configured to form an image on each sheet fed by the sheet feeding device [0033]-[0036] (see Fig. 1) . Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim s 2-6 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. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter. The prior art of record does not show or suggest: “…when the positional deviation amount of the target sheet exceeds the positional deviation threshold value, “the control device causing the feeding mechanism to start the feeding process for the next sheet at a timing when a second waiting time longer than the first waiting time has elapsed since the target sheet was detected by the sheet detecting device.” (as in claim 2; Shibata teaches that when the timing exceeds the threshold, the feed start timing is decreased; and Nagayama teaches that when the position deviation amount exceeds a threshold, the speed of feeding is increased; neither reference teaching that a wait time is increased when the position deviation is greater ) And “…when the sheet feeding device includes a lift mechanism configured to lift the stack of sheets to a contact position where an upper surface of a topmost sheet of the stack of sheets contacts the feeding rotating body, “the control device deriving the reference feeding time based on one or more reference measurement times measured by the timing device when one or more reference feeding processes are executed that satisfy a count condition that the one or more feeding processes are executed a predetermined number of times since the lift mechanism lifted the stack of sheets to the contact position…” (as in claim 4) Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Benjamin Schmitt, whose telephone number is (571) 270-7930. The examiner can normally be reached M-F | 8:30-5:00. 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, Walter Lindsay can be reached at (571) 272-1674. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /BENJAMIN R SCHMITT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852 Application/Control Number: 19/417,916 Page 2 Art Unit: 2852 Application/Control Number: 19/417,916 Page 3 Art Unit: 2852 Application/Control Number: 19/417,916 Page 4 Art Unit: 2852 Application/Control Number: 19/417,916 Page 5 Art Unit: 2852 Application/Control Number: 19/417,916 Page 6 Art Unit: 2852 Application/Control Number: 19/417,916 Page 7 Art Unit: 2852 Application/Control Number: 19/417,916 Page 8 Art Unit: 2852
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