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 .
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed 12/18/2025 is objected to under 35 U.S.C. 132(a) because it introduces new matter into the disclosure. 35 U.S.C. 132(a) states that no amendment shall introduce new matter into the disclosure of the invention. The added material which is not supported by the original disclosure is as follows: amendments to independent claims 1 and 16, and depending claims 10, and 14; add the modifier “terminal” to the “end” portion mentioned in the limitation. The term “terminal,” nor any apparent synonyms to the term, do not appear to be supported by the specification in its original form.
Applicant is required to cancel the new matter in the reply to this Office Action.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 05/27/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
With regard to the applicant’s argument that the prior art does not teach the amendments placed on independent claims 1 and 16, with regard to the ends being a now “terminal” end, and those claims depending there from them.
The examiner respectfully disagrees, as is stated above this “terminal“ end language appears to be new matter and as such is not disclosed or supported by the specification. As such the rejection has been repeated below and is believed to be in proper form.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1, 10, 14 and 16 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Independent claims 1 and 16, and depending claims 10, and 14; add the modifier “terminal” to the “end” portion mentioned in the limitation. The term “terminal,” nor any apparent synonyms to the term, do not appear to be supported by the specification in its original form.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this end 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.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Laor (US 6295154, of record) herein after referred to as D1.
With regard to claim 1, D1 teaches An apparatus, in at least one of (figs. 1, 2, 3, 7, 9; and Col. 3, Ln. 18-27); comprising: an optics housing (1) providing an environmentally isolated optics cavity (81a); and a magnetically-actuated laser beam control assembly (29) having a first sub-assembly (55) located inside the environmentally isolated optics cavity and further having a second sub-assembly (89/91) located outside the environmentally isolated optics cavity (81a), wherein the first sub-assembly that is located inside the environmentally isolated optics cavity (81a) includes a linkage (55) having a first terminal end (53a Left) and a second terminal end (53a right) with a pivot (centered at center 53a) between the first terminal end and the second terminal end; an optical component (29) on the first terminal end of the linkage; and a ferroelectric or ferromagnetic material (53) on the second different end of the linkage (55); wherein the second sub-assembly (89/91a-d) that is located outside the environmentally isolated optics cavity includes an electromagnet (91a) energizable to impart a magnetic force to the ferroelectric or ferromagnetic material (53) to move the optical component (29) from one of a resting position and a different position to the other of the resting position and the different position (tilt or flat), wherein in one of the positions the optical component is located along a path of a laser beam for optically processing the laser beam and in the other of the positions the optical component is not located along the path of the laser beam (Col. 3, Ln. 18-27).
With regard to claim 2, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 1, wherein D1 further teaches an apparatus, in at least one of (figs. 1, 2, 3, 7, 9; and Col. 3, Ln. 18-27); wherein the optics housing defines an opening, and the apparatus further comprises a magnetically permeable barrier to cover the opening, the magnetically permeable barrier sealingly coupled to the optics housing.
With regard to claim 3, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 2, wherein D1 further teaches an apparatus, in at least one of (figs. 1, 2, 3, 7, 9; and Col. 3, Ln. 18-27); wherein the magnetically permeable barrier is formed from a plastic material and the optics housing is formed from a different material.
With regard to claim 4, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 2, wherein D1 further teaches an apparatus, in at least one of (figs. 1, 2, 3, 7, 9; and Col. 3, Ln. 18-27); wherein the magnetically permeable barrier comprises a planar cover.
With regard to claim 5, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 2, wherein D1 further teaches an apparatus, in at least one of (figs. 1, 2, 3, 7, 9; and Col. 3, Ln. 18-27); wherein the magnetically permeable barrier comprises a non-planar cover.
With regard to claim 6, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 4, wherein D1 further teaches an apparatus, in at least one of (figs. 1, 2, 3, 7, 9; and Col. 3, Ln. 18-27); wherein the linkage comprises a flexure.
With regard to claim 7, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 6, wherein D1 further teaches an apparatus, in at least one of (figs. 1, 2, 3, 7, 9; and Col. 3, Ln. 18-27); wherein the first terminal end of the flexure is coupled to part of an inside of the optics housing.
With regard to claim 8, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 7, wherein D1 further teaches an apparatus, in at least one of (figs. 1, 2, 3, 7, 9; and Col. 3, Ln. 18-27); further comprising a support on a different part of the inside of the optics housing, wherein the linkage rests on the support in the resting position.
With regard to claim 9, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 5, wherein D1 further teaches an apparatus, in at least one of (figs. 1, 2, 3, 7, 9; and Col. 3, Ln. 18-27); wherein the non-planar cover includes a flange, wherein the flange is sealingly coupled to a part of the optics housing that defines the opening.
With regard to claim 10, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 7, wherein D1 further teaches an apparatus, in at least one of (figs. 1, 2, 3, 7, 9; and Col. 3, Ln. 18-27); wherein the non-planar cover forms a projection on the optics housing when sealingly coupled to the optics housing, wherein an interior of the projection defines an aperture, wherein the second terminal end of the linkage is located in the aperture and the first terminal end of the linkage is located outside the cavity defined by the aperture.
With regard to claim 11, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 1, wherein D1 further teaches an apparatus, in at least one of (figs. 1, 2, 3, 7, 9; and Col. 3, Ln. 18-27); wherein the optical component comprises a light-reflecting optical component or a light-refracting optical component.
With regard to claim 12, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 1, wherein D1 further teaches an apparatus, in at least one of (figs. 1, 2, 3, 7, 9; and Col. 3, Ln. 18-27); wherein the optical component comprises a reflector.
With regard to claim 13, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 12, wherein D1 further teaches an apparatus, in at least one of (figs. 1, 2, 3, 7, 9; and Col. 3, Ln. 18-27); wherein the reflector comprises a partial reflector.
With regard to claim 14, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 1, wherein D1 further teaches an apparatus, in at least one of (figs. 1, 2, 3, 7, 9; and Col. 3, Ln. 18-27); further comprising an adjustable mount on the first terminal end of the linkage, wherein the optics component is coupled to the linkage using the adjustable mount, wherein the adjustable mount includes: a lower end to attach to the first terminal end of the linkage; and an upper end hingably or pivotally coupled to the lower end, wherein the optical component is coupled to the upper end.
With regard to claim 15, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 1, wherein D1 further teaches an apparatus, in at least one of (figs. 1, 2, 3, 7, 9; and Col. 3, Ln. 18-27); wherein the electromagnet comprises a solenoid, and wherein the further comprising a circuitry configured to operate the solenoid as a sensor by detecting changes in inductance of the solenoid, wherein the circuitry identifies the presence or absence of a magnetic field proximate to the coil to identify a current position of the optical component.
With regard to claim 16, D1 teaches a magnetically-actuated laser beam control assembly, in at least one of (figs. 1, 2, 3, 7, 9; and Col. 3, Ln. 18-27); comprising: a magnetically permeable cover (81/83) arranged to sealingly couple to an optics housing to cover an opening of the optics housing (1); and a first sub-assembly (55) on a first side of the magnetically permeable cover, and a second sub-assembly (89/91) on a second different side of the magnetically permeable cover; wherein the first sub-assembly (55) located on the first side of the magnetically permeable cover (81/83) includes a linkage (55) having a first terminal end (53a left) and a second terminal end (453a right) with a pivot (53a middle) between the first terminal end and the second terminal end; an optical component (29/47) disposed on the first terminal end of the linkage; and a ferroelectric or ferromagnetic material (53) on the second terminal end of the linkage (55); wherein the second sub-assembly (89/91) that is located outside the optics housing includes an electromagnet (91) energizable to impart a magnetic force to the ferroelectric or ferromagnetic material (63) to move the optical component from one of a resting position (flat) and a different position (tilt) to the other of the resting position and the different position, wherein in one of the positions the optical component is located along a path of a laser beam for optically processing the laser beam and in the other of the positions the optical component is not located along the path of the laser beam (Col. 3, Ln. 18-27).
With regard to claim 17, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 16, wherein D1 further teaches an apparatus, in at least one of (figs. 1, 2, 3, 7, 9; and Col. 3, Ln. 18-27); further comprising one or more adjustable stopping devices to adjustably limit a range of travel of the linkage.
With regard to claim 18, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 16, wherein D1 further teaches an apparatus, in at least one of (figs. 1, 2, 3, 7, 9; and Col. 3, Ln. 18-27); further comprising means for urging the linkage into the resting position.
With regard to claim 19, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 16, wherein D1 further teaches an apparatus, in at least one of (figs. 1, 2, 3, 7, 9; and Col. 3, Ln. 18-27); wherein the urging means comprises a permanent magnet.
With regard to claim 20, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 16, wherein D1 further teaches an apparatus, in at least one of (figs. 1, 2, 3, 7, 9; and Col. 3, Ln. 18-27); wherein the ferroelectric or ferromagnetic material includes a permanent magnet and the urging means comprises circuitry to reverse a polarity of the electromagnet.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GRANT A GAGNON whose telephone number is (571)270-0642. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-5:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Bumsuk Won can be reached at (571) 272-2713. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/GRANT A GAGNON/Examiner, Art Unit 2872
/BUMSUK WON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2872