Office Action 1: Notice of Allowance (2025-06-10)

CLAIMS:
What is claimed is:
1\. A fibrous body processing apparatus, comprising: a coarsely-crushed-pieces reservoir unit that stores coarsely crushed pieces made of a material that contains fibers; a humidifying unit that generates humidified air and supplies the humidified air to the coarsely-crushed-pieces reservoir unit; a weight measurement unit that measures a weight of the coarsely crushed pieces let out of the coarsely-crushed-pieces reservoir unit; a fixed amount supplying unit that supplies a fixed amount of the coarsely crushed pieces measured by the weight measurement unit; a defibrating unit that defibrates the coarsely crushed pieces supplied from the fixed amount supplying unit; a first transportation portion through which the coarsely crushed pieces are sent from the coarsely-crushed-pieces reservoir unit to the weight measurement unit; a second transportation portion through which the coarsely crushed pieces are sent from the fixed amount supplying unit to the defibrating unit; and a humidified air supplying passage which includes an upstream-side end portion and a downstream-side end portion and through which humidified air generated at the humidifying unit is supplied to the defibrating unit while bypassing the weight measurement unit.
2\. The fibrous body processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the humidified air supplying passage includes, between the upstream-side end portion and the downstream-side end portion, a first blowing unit that generates airflow directed toward the defibrating unit.
3\. The fibrous body processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the upstream-side end portion of the humidified air supplying passage is connected directly or indirectly to the coarsely-crushed-pieces reservoir unit, and the downstream-side end portion of the humidified air supplying passage is connected directly or indirectly to the second transportation portion.
4\. The fibrous body processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a returning passage through which humidified air that is present inside the humidified air supplying passage or the second transportation portion is returned to the humidifying unit.
5\. The fibrous body processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the returning passage includes a second blowing unit that generates airflow directed toward the humidifying unit.
6\. The fibrous body processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a communication portion via which the first transportation portion and the humidified air supplying passage are in communication with each other.

OFFICE ACTION:
Notice of Allowability
Claim Interpretation and 112(f)
The Office interprets claims under 112(f) based upon the three-prong test [MPEP 2181 (I)].
In claim 1 the Examiner interprets “reservoir unit that stores” as invoking 112(f).
It uses the generic place holder “unit” [MPEP 2181 (I) (A)]
It uses the functional language of “stores” and the transition word “that” [MPEP 2181 (I) (B)]
It is not modified by sufficient structure [MPEP 2181 (I) (C)]
The Examiner interprets “reservoir unit that stores” as linked to a tank with a crushed pieces feed port, a crushed pieces exit port, humidified air exit port, and humidified air entrance port and equivalents thereof [see instant spec 0081, 0085, Figure 2]
In claim 1 the Examiner interprets “humidifying unit that generates” as invoking 112(f).
It uses the generic place holder “unit” [MPEP 2181 (I) (A)]
It uses the functional language of “generates” and the transition word “that” [MPEP 2181 (I) (B)]
It is not modified by sufficient structure [MPEP 2181 (I) (C)]
The Examiner interprets “humidifying unit that generates” as linked to an ultrasonic humidifier or a vaporizing unit with a pass through-filter or equivalents thereof [see instant spec 0023-0024]
In claim 1 the Examiner interprets “weight measurement unit that measures” as invoking 112(f).
It uses the generic place holder “unit” [MPEP 2181 (I) (A)]
It uses the functional language of “measures” and the transition word “that” [MPEP 2181 (I) (B)]
It is not modified by sufficient structure [MPEP 2181 (I) (C)]
The Examiner interprets “weight measurement unit that measures” as linked to a load cell (magnetorestrictive, capacitance, gyro-type, or strain gauge) or equivalents thereof [see instant spec 0098]
In claim 1 the Examiner interprets “fixed amount supplying unit that supplies” as invoking 112(f).
It uses the generic place holder “unit” [MPEP 2181 (I) (A)]
It uses the functional language of “supplies” and the transition word “that” [MPEP 2181 (I) (B)]
It is not modified by sufficient structure [MPEP 2181 (I) (C)]
The Examiner interprets “fixed amount supplying unit that supplies” as linked to a container with a shutter that opens and closes operated by a controller or equivalents thereof [see instant spec 0099]
In claim 1 the Examiner interprets “defibrating unit that defibrates” as invoking 112(f).
It uses the generic place holder “unit” [MPEP 2181 (I) (A)]
It uses the functional language of “supplies” and the transition word “that” [MPEP 2181 (I) (B)]
It is not modified by sufficient structure [MPEP 2181 (I) (C)]
The Examiner interprets “defibrating unit that defibrates” as linked to a turbo mill with a cylindrical casing, inlet, outlet, rotor, and motor or equivalents thereof [see instant spec 0027]
In claim 1 the Examiner does not interpret “first transportation portion”, “second transportation portion”, “air supplying passage” as invoking 112(f) and are interprets under BRI as pipes/conduits.
In claim 2 the Examiner interprets “blowing unit that generates” as invoking 112(f).
It uses the generic place holder “unit” [MPEP 2181 (I) (A)]
It uses the functional language of “blowing” and the transition word “that” [MPEP 2181 (I) (B)]
It is not modified by sufficient structure [MPEP 2181 (I) (C)]
The Examiner interprets “blowing unit that generates” as linked to a rotary blade fan or equivalents thereof [see instant spec 00112]
In claim 5 the Examiner interprets “blowing unit that generates” as invoking 112(f).
It uses the generic place holder “unit” [MPEP 2181 (I) (A)]
It uses the functional language of “blowing” and the transition word “that” [MPEP 2181 (I) (B)]
It is not modified by sufficient structure [MPEP 2181 (I) (C)]
The Examiner interprets “blowing unit that generates” as linked to a rotary blade fan or equivalents thereof [see instant spec 00112]
Reasons for Allowance
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The closest prior art was TAKASHI (JP 20211037642A) which discloses a fibrous body processing apparatus with a reservoir (52) for holding coarse fibers (M2), a measurement device for measuring weight (load cell 62) in container (61) which acts as a fixed amount supplying unit by rotating to discharge the collected fibers with a shutter for opening and closing.  TAKASHI further discloses a humidifying unit (231) that operates above the deliberating portion (13) [Figure 2].  The humidifier works by ultrasonic evaporation.  The prior art differs from the claim as the humidified air goes to the pieces being dropped from the fixed amount supplying unit (61) before the deliberating portion (13) [Figure 2].  The instant claims require that the humidified air goes to the reservoir and to defibrating unit.  Therefore the instant invention sends the humidified air both upstream and downstream of the prior art location.  This is not a mere change in order of addition [MPEP 2144.04 (IV)(C)] because it would require substantive changes to the piping structure.  The time of humidification is also much longer in the instant invention because of the retention time in the reservoir as compared to humidifying dropping pieces in the prior art.  The humidified pieces would also affect the weight measured in the prior art load cell.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee.  Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion



CITED REFERENCE SUMMARIES: Ref US12258712B2: Claims:
A sheet manufacturing system comprising: a coarsely crushing apparatus that coarsely crushes a paper; a sheet manufacturing apparatus that generates a sheet-shaped recycled paper using coarsely crushed pieces of the paper as a raw material; and a server that is connected to the coarsely crushing apparatus and the sheet manufacturing apparatus via a network, wherein the sheet manufacturing apparatus has a reserving section that reserves the coarsely crushed pieces, a remaining amount detector that detects a remaining amount of the coarsely crushed pieces in the reserving section, a calculation section that calculates an allowable filling amount of the coarsely crushed pieces in the reserving section based on a detection result of the remaining amount detector, and an output section that transmits information related to the calculated allowable filling amount to the server, and the coarsely crushing apparatus has an integration section that integrates the coarsely crushed pieces, an input section that acquires the information related to the allowable filling amount from the server, a display information generation section that generates display information related to the allowable filling amount based on the information acquired by the input section, and a display section that displays the display information.
a coarsely crushing apparatus that coarsely crushes a paper;
a sheet manufacturing apparatus that generates a sheet-shaped recycled paper using coarsely crushed pieces of the paper as a raw material; and
a server that is connected to the coarsely crushing apparatus and the sheet manufacturing apparatus via a network, wherein
the sheet manufacturing apparatus has a reserving section that reserves the coarsely crushed pieces, a remaining amount detector that detects a remaining amount of the coarsely crushed pieces in the reserving section, a calculation section that calculates an allowable filling amount of the coarsely crushed pieces in the reserving section based on a detection result of the remaining amount detector, and an output section that transmits information related to the calculated allowable filling amount to the server, and
the coarsely crushing apparatus has an integration section that integrates the coarsely crushed pieces, an input section that acquires the information related to the allowable filling amount from the server, a display information generation section that generates display information related to the allowable filling amount based on the information acquired by the input section, and a display section that displays the display information.
The sheet manufacturing system according to claim 1 , wherein the display information is information obtained by quantifying the allowable filling amount.
the display information is information obtained by quantifying the allowable filling amount.
The sheet manufacturing system according to claim 1 , wherein the coarsely crushing apparatus has an integration amount detector that detects an integration amount of the coarsely crushed pieces in the integration section.
the coarsely crushing apparatus has an integration amount detector that detects an integration amount of the coarsely crushed pieces in the integration section.
The sheet manufacturing system according to claim 3 , wherein the coarsely crushing apparatus has a determination section that determines whether or not the integration amount exceeds the allowable filling amount based on the integration amount detected by the integration amount detector and the information related to the allowable filling amount acquired from the server, and the display information generated by the display information generation section includes information related to a determination result in the determination section.
the coarsely crushing apparatus has a determination section that determines whether or not the integration amount exceeds the allowable filling amount based on the integration amount detected by the integration amount detector and the information related to the allowable filling amount acquired from the server, and
the display information generated by the display information generation section includes information related to a determination result in the determination section.
The sheet manufacturing system according to claim 1 , wherein the sheet manufacturing apparatus has at least one piece of specific information of a device ID that specifies the sheet manufacturing apparatus and a user ID that specifies a user who uses the sheet manufacturing apparatus, and the information related to the allowable filling amount, which is transmitted from the output section, is associated with the specific information.
the sheet manufacturing apparatus has at least one piece of specific information of a device ID that specifies the sheet manufacturing apparatus and a user ID that specifies a user who uses the sheet manufacturing apparatus, and
the information related to the allowable filling amount, which is transmitted from the output section, is associated with the specific information.
A sheet manufacturing system comprising: a coarsely crushing apparatus that coarsely crushes a paper; a first sheet manufacturing apparatus that generates a sheet-shaped recycled paper using coarsely crushed pieces of the paper as a raw material; a second sheet manufacturing apparatus that generates a sheet-shaped recycled paper using coarsely crushed pieces of the paper as a raw material; and a server that is connected to the coarsely crushing apparatus, the first sheet manufacturing apparatus, and the second sheet manufacturing apparatus via a network, wherein the first sheet manufacturing apparatus has a first reserving section that reserves the coarsely crushed pieces, a first remaining amount detector that detects a remaining amount of the coarsely crushed pieces in the first reserving section, a first calculation section that calculates a first allowable filling amount of the coarsely crushed pieces in the first reserving section based on a detection result of the first remaining amount detector, and a first output section that transmits information related to the calculated first allowable filling amount to the server, the second sheet manufacturing apparatus has a second reserving section that reserves the coarsely crushed pieces, a second remaining amount detector that detects a remaining amount of the coarsely crushed pieces in the second reserving section, a second calculation section that calculates a second allowable filling amount of the coarsely crushed pieces in the second reserving section based on a detection result of the second remaining amount detector, and a second output section that transmits information related to the calculated second allowable filling amount to the server, and the coarsely crushing apparatus has an integration section that integrates the coarsely crushed pieces, an input section that acquires information related to the first allowable filling amount and the second allowable filling amount from the server, a display information generation section that generates display information related to the first allowable filling amount and the second allowable filling amount based on the information acquired by the input section, and a display section that displays the display information.
a first sheet manufacturing apparatus that generates a sheet-shaped recycled paper using coarsely crushed pieces of the paper as a raw material;
a second sheet manufacturing apparatus that generates a sheet-shaped recycled paper using coarsely crushed pieces of the paper as a raw material; and
a server that is connected to the coarsely crushing apparatus, the first sheet manufacturing apparatus, and the second sheet manufacturing apparatus via a network, wherein
the first sheet manufacturing apparatus has a first reserving section that reserves the coarsely crushed pieces, a first remaining amount detector that detects a remaining amount of the coarsely crushed pieces in the first reserving section, a first calculation section that calculates a first allowable filling amount of the coarsely crushed pieces in the first reserving section based on a detection result of the first remaining amount detector, and a first output section that transmits information related to the calculated first allowable filling amount to the server,
a first reserving section that reserves the coarsely crushed pieces,
a first remaining amount detector that detects a remaining amount of the coarsely crushed pieces in the first reserving section,
a first calculation section that calculates a first allowable filling amount of the coarsely crushed pieces in the first reserving section based on a detection result of the first remaining amount detector, and
a first output section that transmits information related to the calculated first allowable filling amount to the server,
the second sheet manufacturing apparatus has a second reserving section that reserves the coarsely crushed pieces, a second remaining amount detector that detects a remaining amount of the coarsely crushed pieces in the second reserving section, a second calculation section that calculates a second allowable filling amount of the coarsely crushed pieces in the second reserving section based on a detection result of the second remaining amount detector, and a second output section that transmits information related to the calculated second allowable filling amount to the server, and
a second reserving section that reserves the coarsely crushed pieces,
a second remaining amount detector that detects a remaining amount of the coarsely crushed pieces in the second reserving section,
a second calculation section that calculates a second allowable filling amount of the coarsely crushed pieces in the second reserving section based on a detection result of the second remaining amount detector, and
a second output section that transmits information related to the calculated second allowable filling amount to the server, and
the coarsely crushing apparatus has an integration section that integrates the coarsely crushed pieces, an input section that acquires information related to the first allowable filling amount and the second allowable filling amount from the server, a display information generation section that generates display information related to the first allowable filling amount and the second allowable filling amount based on the information acquired by the input section, and a display section that displays the display information.
an integration section that integrates the coarsely crushed pieces,
an input section that acquires information related to the first allowable filling amount and the second allowable filling amount from the server,
a display information generation section that generates display information related to the first allowable filling amount and the second allowable filling amount based on the information acquired by the input section, and
a display section that displays the display information.
The sheet manufacturing system according to claim 6 , wherein the coarsely crushing apparatus has an integration amount detector that detects an integration amount of the coarsely crushed pieces in the integration section, and a determination section that performs first determination of whether or not the integration amount exceeds the first allowable filling amount and second determination of whether or not the integration amount exceeds the second allowable filling amount based on the integration amount detected by the integration amount detector, and the information related to the first allowable filling amount and the information related to the second allowable filling amount which are acquired from the server, and the display information generated by the display information generation section includes information related to results of the first determination and the second determination by the determination section.
the coarsely crushing apparatus has an integration amount detector that detects an integration amount of the coarsely crushed pieces in the integration section, and a determination section that performs first determination of whether or not the integration amount exceeds the first allowable filling amount and second determination of whether or not the integration amount exceeds the second allowable filling amount based on the integration amount detected by the integration amount detector, and the information related to the first allowable filling amount and the information related to the second allowable filling amount which are acquired from the server, and
an integration amount detector that detects an integration amount of the coarsely crushed pieces in the integration section, and
a determination section that performs first determination of whether or not the integration amount exceeds the first allowable filling amount and second determination of whether or not the integration amount exceeds the second allowable filling amount based on the integration amount detected by the integration amount detector, and the information related to the first allowable filling amount and the information related to the second allowable filling amount which are acquired from the server, and
the display information generated by the display information generation section includes information related to results of the first determination and the second determination by the determination section.
Ref US20210301463A1: Claims:
A fiber body manufacturing method comprising: a dispersing step of dispersing a mixture containing a defibrated material which includes fibers and a binding agent which exhibits a binding property by moisture absorption, the mixture having a moisture content of 10 to 30 percent by weight; a depositing step of depositing the mixture dispersed in the dispersing step; a humidifying step of imparting moisture by water vapor or mist to the binding agent in a deposit deposited in the depositing step so as to exhibit the binding property; and a forming step of forming the deposit humidified in the humidifying step into a fiber body.
a dispersing step of dispersing a mixture containing a defibrated material which includes fibers and a binding agent which exhibits a binding property by moisture absorption, the mixture having a moisture content of 10 to 30 percent by weight;
a depositing step of depositing the mixture dispersed in the dispersing step;
a humidifying step of imparting moisture by water vapor or mist to the binding agent in a deposit deposited in the depositing step so as to exhibit the binding property; and
a forming step of forming the deposit humidified in the humidifying step into a fiber body.
The fiber body manufacturing method according to claim 1 , wherein the deposit humidified in the humidifying step has a moisture content of 15 to 50 percent by weight.
wherein the deposit humidified in the humidifying step has a moisture content of 15 to 50 percent by weight.
The fiber body manufacturing method according to claim 1 , further comprising, before the dispersing step, a preliminary humidifying step of performing humidification so that the mixture has a moisture content of 10 to 30 percent by weight.
further comprising, before the dispersing step, a preliminary humidifying step of performing humidification so that the mixture has a moisture content of 10 to 30 percent by weight.
The fiber body manufacturing method according to claim 3 , wherein in the preliminary humidifying step, the mixture is humidified by supply of water vapor or mist.
wherein in the preliminary humidifying step, the mixture is humidified by supply of water vapor or mist.
The fiber body manufacturing method according to claim 1 , wherein in the dispersing step, a moisture content of the fibers and a moisture content of the binding agent are each 50 percent by weight or less.
wherein in the dispersing step, a moisture content of the fibers and a moisture content of the binding agent are each 50 percent by weight or less.
The fiber body manufacturing method according to claim 3 , wherein the defibrated material is obtained by coarsely pulverizing a raw material including the fibers, followed by performing defibration, and the preliminary humidifying step is performed before the raw material is defibrated.
wherein the defibrated material is obtained by coarsely pulverizing a raw material including the fibers, followed by performing defibration, and
the preliminary humidifying step is performed before the raw material is defibrated.
The fiber body manufacturing method according to claim 6 , wherein the raw material contains the binding agent, and a content of the binding agent in the raw material is 1 to 50 percent by weight.
wherein the raw material contains the binding agent, and
a content of the binding agent in the raw material is 1 to 50 percent by weight.
The fiber body manufacturing method according to claim 1 , wherein a content of the binding agent in the fiber body formed in the forming step is 1 to 25 percent by weight.
wherein a content of the binding agent in the fiber body formed in the forming step is 1 to 25 percent by weight.
A fiber body manufacturing apparatus comprising: a dispersing portion to disperse a mixture containing a defibrated material which includes fibers and a binding agent which exhibits a binding property by moisture absorption, the mixture having a moisture content of 10 to 30 percent by weight; a depositing portion to deposit the mixture dispersed in the dispersing portion; a humidifying portion to impart moisture to the binding agent in a deposit deposited in the depositing portion so as to exhibit the binding property; and a forming portion to form the deposit humidified in the humidifying portion into a fiber body.
a dispersing portion to disperse a mixture containing a defibrated material which includes fibers and a binding agent which exhibits a binding property by moisture absorption, the mixture having a moisture content of 10 to 30 percent by weight;
a depositing portion to deposit the mixture dispersed in the dispersing portion;
a humidifying portion to impart moisture to the binding agent in a deposit deposited in the depositing portion so as to exhibit the binding property; and
a forming portion to form the deposit humidified in the humidifying portion into a fiber body.
Ref US20190030750A1: Claims:
A defibrated material manufacturing device configured to defibrate a feedstock of clumps of shreds containing fiber into defibrated material, the defibrated material manufacturing device comprising: a removal device configured to remove at least a part of foreign matter contained in the feedstock; a metering device configured to measure the feedstock that has passed the removal device; a storage device configured to store a measured feedstock measured by the metering device; and a defibrator configured to defibrate the measured feedstock supplied from the storage device into the defibrated material.
a removal device configured to remove at least a part of foreign matter contained in the feedstock;
a metering device configured to measure the feedstock that has passed the removal device;
a storage device configured to store a measured feedstock measured by the metering device; and
a defibrator configured to defibrate the measured feedstock supplied from the storage device into the defibrated material.
The defibrated material manufacturing device according to claim 1 , further comprising: a conveyance device configured to convey the feedstock by vibration, wherein the removal device is disposed on a downstream side of the conveyance device in a conveyance direction of the feedstock.
a conveyance device configured to convey the feedstock by vibration, wherein
the removal device is disposed on a downstream side of the conveyance device in a conveyance direction of the feedstock.
The defib
[Truncated to input limit]