The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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 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.
DETAILED ACTION
Response to Arguments
Examiner acknowledges the receipt of the Applicant’s Amendment dated January 7, 2026. Applicant amended claims 1-15. Claims 1-15 are pending with claims 2, 6, 8, and 11 previously withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments as to light emitted from curved surface R in Fig. 2D of Fujii not being incident on light-distribution windows 1A, 1B is not found to be persuasive, because although windows 1A, 1B function as light-distribution wherein light is emitted which subsequently passes through curved surface R, the emitted light can be reflected by the environment back to curved surface R and towards light-distribution windows 1A, 1B.
As to Applicant’s arguments regarding a curved surface that is convex to the exit surface, Applicant’ refers to elements 8A, 8B of Fujii. Examiner clarifies that the previous Office Action notes a lens (6) in Fig. 2D that has two surfaces both convex and concave relative to the exit surface, and provides for an inner light distribution surface and first inner surface.
For the reasons discussed above, the previous rejections are similarly maintained.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112(b)
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Applicant amended claims 1-15 and the previous rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) are withdrawn.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1, 3-5, 7, 9, 10, and 12-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Fujii (U.S. Publication 2016/0195706).
As to Claim 1, Fujii discloses an endoscope illumination system provided in an insert part (102) in [0042] and Figs. 1-2D, the endoscope illumination system comprising:
an exit surface “R” in [0055] and Fig. 2D from which illumination light is emitted from the exit surface;
an entrance side optical surface (1A, 1B) in [0045] and Fig. 2D on which the illumination light is incident; and
an exit side optical surface (8A, 8B) in [0043] and Fig. 2D from which the illumination light goes out,
wherein the entrance side optical surface (2) in [0045] and Fig. 2D includes an inner light distribution surface the portion located centrally in the vicinity of lens (6) in [0046] in coordination with the lens (6) itself and an outer light distribution surface the portion located peripherally annularly in the vicinity of (12) in [0054] in coordination with an “interior” portion of cap (3) abutting (8A, 8B),
the outer light distribution surface is located farther from a center axis of the insert part than the inner light distribution surface as shown in Fig. 2D wherein the outer light distribution surface is located on a larger outside diameter,
the inner light distribution surface includes a first inner surface of (6) in [0046],
the first inner surface is a curved surface that is convex to the exit surface as shown in Fig. D, and
the outer light distribution surface is a flat surface or a curved surface that is concave to the exit surface as shown in Fig. 2D.
As to Claim 3, Fujii discloses the endoscope illumination system according to claim 1, wherein the exit side optical surface includes a first exit side surface and a second exist side surface the “interior” portion of cap (3) abutting (8A, 8B), the first exit side surface is a flat surface between (5) and (8A, 8B), the second exit side surface is a curved surface, the second exit side surface is located farther from the center axis than the first exit side surface, and a straight line that is parallel to the center axis and passes the boundary of the first exit side surface and the second exit side surface intersects with the exit surface as shown in Fig. 2D.
As to Claim 4, Fujii discloses the endoscope illumination system according to claim 1, wherein the endoscope illumination system satisfies the following conditional expression (1):
8 ≤ d1/d2 ≤ 32
where d1 is the width of the inner light distribution surface, and d2 is the width of the outer light distribution surface wherein lengths in the longitudinal direction can vary as discussed in [0005].
As to Claim 5, Fujii discloses the endoscope illumination system according to claim 1, further comprising a light transmissive member (4A, 4B) in [0043] and Fig. 2D, wherein an inner surface of the light transmissive member includes the entrance side optical surface, and an outer surface of the light transmissive member includes the exit side optical surface.
As to Claim 7, Fujii discloses the endoscope illumination system according to claim 1, wherein a first region and a second region are defined as two regions formed by dividing the insert part by an imaginary plane (forming the cross-sectional views of Figs. 2B-2D) containing the center axis, and the exit surface, the entrance side optical surface, and the exit side optical surface are provided in each of the first and second regions.
As to Claim 9, Fujii discloses the endoscope illumination system according to claim 7, wherein the entrance side optical surface is different between the first region and the second regions as shown in Fig. 2D.
As to Claim 10, Fujii discloses the endoscope illumination system according to claim 7, wherein the exit surface is different between the first region and the second regions as shown in Fig. 2D.
As to Claim 12, Fujii discloses an endoscope illumination system provided in an insert part (102) in [0042] and Figs. 1-2D, the endoscope illumination system comprising:
an exit surface “R” in [0055] and Fig. 2D from which illumination light is emitted;
an entrance side optical surface (1A, 1B) in [0045] and Fig. 2D on which the illumination light emitted from the exit surface is incident; and
an exit side optical surface (8A, 8B) in [0043] and Fig. 2D from which the illumination light goes out,
wherein: the entrance side optical surface (2) in [0045] and Fig. 2D includes, in order away from a center axis of the insert part, a first flat surface the portion located centrally in the vicinity of lens (6) in [0046] in coordination with the lens (6) itself, a first curved surface the portion located peripherally annularly in the vicinity of (12) in [0054] in coordination with an “interior” portion of cap (3) abutting (8A, 8B) abutting on the first flat surface, and a second flat surface abutting on the first curved surface located laterally in the “vertical direction” of Fig. 2,
the exit side optical surface on the “interior” of cap (3) includes, in order away from the center axis of the insert part, a third flat surface between (5) and (8A, 8B) and a second curved surface the “interior” portion of cap (3) abutting (8A, 8B) abutting on the third flat surface,
the first curved surface is a surface convex to the exit surface as shown in Fig. 2D, and
the second curved surface is a surface convex to the outside as shown in Fig. 2D.
As to Claim 13, Fujii discloses the endoscope illumination system according to claim 12, wherein a straight line that is parallel to the center axis and passes through a boundary of the first curved surface and the second flat surface intersects with the second curved surface as shown in Fig. 2D.
As to Claims 14 and 15, Fujii discloses an endoscope (100) in [0042] and Fig. 1 comprising:
the endoscope illumination system according to claims 1 and 12 respectively; and
an objective optical system (5, 6, 7) in [0046] and Fig. 2D,
wherein the endoscope illumination system is located farther from the center axis than the objective optical system as shown in Fig. 2D.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILLIAM B CHOU whose telephone number is (571) 270-3367. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 9 am - 6 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Carey can be reached on (571) 270-7235. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/WILLIAM CHOU/
Examiner, Art Unit 3795
/MICHAEL J CAREY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3795
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