DETAILED ACTION
Response to Arguments
Rejections under 35 USC 112(b)
The amendment to claims 1 and 11 overcomes the indefiniteness rejection, therefore the rejections of claims 1-11 under 35 USC 112(b) have been withdrawn.
Rejections under 35 USC 103
Applicant’s arguments, see remarks filed 10/14/2025, with respect to the rejection(s) under 35 USC 103 have been fully considered but are not persuasive.
The amended claims 1, 11, and 12 which have incorporated previous claim 6 and additional limitations, are rendered obvious in view of previously cited references, including Schaffer.
For further details, see the rejection under 35 USC 103 of claim the claims below.
On pg. 13 of the remarks, Applicant states “the top header 102 of SCHAFFER is merely an insulating substrate (e.g., an FR-4 printed circuit board), rather than a conductive base plate.” This argument is found to be unpersuasive because the claim does not require that the base plate be entirely conductive, just that the base plate “includes a first metal conductor on one surface” (see the claims). Schaffer teaches this, by element 4, which is a metal conductor (see [0145], [0168] of Schaffer). Applicant further states “These traces (e.g. the printed/stenciled/winding portion 104) do not, however, constitute a metal conductor covering one surface of the substrate. This argument is found to be unpersuasive because, as just discussed, these windings are conductive, and, the claim does not require “a metal conductor covering one surface of the substrate”.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d) filed on 12/07/2020. Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are:
“an ionizer unit that ionizes a sample” in claim 1
An ionizer unit will be interpreted as described in [0025] of the specification of the instant application as a filament that ionizes the sample gas with thermoelectrons emitted from the filament.
“a voltage applying unit that applies a voltage obtained by superimposing a high-frequency voltage over a DC voltage to each pair of the two opposing electrodes” in claim 1
The voltage applying unit will be interpreted as described in paragraphs [0031] and [0030] of the specification of the instant application
“An ion detecting unit that detects the ions having passed through the quadrupole unit” in claim 1
An ion detecting unit will be interpreted as described in [0029] of the specification of the instant application as a Faraday cup.
“a control unit that controls the voltage applying unit, wherein the control unit controls the voltage applying unit to measure a specific mass-to-charge ratio continuously over a predetermined time period” in claim 9
The voltage applying unit will be interpreted as described in paragraphs [0031] and [0030] of the specification of the instant application
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-2, 4-5, 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Worthington, et. al. (US 20220130655 A1), hereinafter Worthington, in view of Sasai (US 20110291002 A1), Radzelovage (US 20030080847 A1), and Schaffer, et. al. (US 20120058676 A1), hereinafter Schaffer.
Regarding claim 1, Worthington teaches a quadrupole mass spectrometer (quadrupole mass analyser, mass spectrometer, [0032], [0067]) comprising:
a quadrupole unit that includes two pairs of opposing electrodes selectively passing ions ([0077]-[0078], Fig. 1A);
a control unit that controls a DC voltage and a high-frequency voltage based on a specific mass-to-charge ratio ([0078], [0093], [0038]-[0041]);
a voltage applying unit that applies a voltage obtained by superimposing the high- frequency voltage over the DC voltage by the control unit to each pair of the two pairs of opposing electrodes (RF voltage supply and DC voltage supply, [0077]); and
the voltage applying unit (voltage controller, [0038]-[0041], processor, [0093]) includes a transformer that transforms the high-frequency voltage (transformer 4, [0079], Fig. 2),
the transformer includes a toroidal core (transformer 4 comprises toroidal core 8, [0079]), and a primary winding and a secondary winding (primary winding 10, and secondary windings 13, 15, [0079]-[0080]).
Although Worthington teaches an ion detector that detects the ions having passed through the quadrupole unit, (ion detector, [0038]), Worthington does not teach an ionizer unit that ionizes a sample (as interpreted under 112(f) as having a filament that emits electrons) and an ion detecting unit that detects the ions having passed through the quadrupole unit (as interpreted under 112(f) as being a Faraday cup). Further, Worthington does not teach a primary winding and a secondary winding that are wound around the toroidal core, the primary comprises: a base plate that includes a first metal conductor on one surface; a center pin member that includes a second metal conductor, and that is connected to a central portion of the base plate and that is disposed at a center of the toroidal core; and a plurality of peripheral pin members that is connected to a peripheral portion of the base plate, and that includes a third metal conductor disposed around the toroidal core, the secondary winding is formed of a linear metal conductor, and the secondary winding is wound around the toroidal core, and the primary winding is wound around the toroidal core outward of the secondary winding and surrounds the secondary winding, and the first metal conductor provided on the one surface of the base plate is configured such that currents flow from the center pin member through the first metal conductor to the plurality of peripheral pin members in radial directions.
Sasai teaches an ionizer unit that ionizes a sample, as interpreted under 112(f) as having a filament that emits electrons, ([0035] the ionizing part 211 comprises a filament and ionizes the sample gas by a thermal electron emitted from the filament) and an ion detecting unit that detects the ions having passed through the quadrupole unit, as interpreted under 112(f) as being a Faraday cup, ([0038], ion detecting part 214 is the Faraday cup).
Radzelovage teaches the secondary winding is formed of a linear metal conductor (conductors 105 cut from a single sheet of plated copper are formed as tabs, as shown in Fig. 1b, [0025]), and the secondary winding is wound around the toroidal core ([0025], Fig. 1b “The sheet 107 encloses at least portions of the core cross-section and features selectively placed tabs 105 at both the inside and outside faces of the core…”), and the primary winding is wound around the torioidal core (103 is wound around 101, Fig. 1b, [0025]) outward of the secondary winding and surrounds the secondary winding (“the three primaries 103 are also spaced at 120-degree intervals around the core annulus, interleaved between the secondary tabs 105” such that there is always a 103 adjacent a 105, i.e. 103 surrounds 105 and is outward of 105 (outward on its right and left sides), [0025], Fig. 1b).
Schaffer teaches the primary winding comprises: a base plate that includes a first metal conductor on one surface (wire-less substrate headers 102 and 108 with 102 having winding portions 104 on its surface, Fig. 1, [0148]); a center pin member that includes a second metal conductor, and that is connected to a central portion of the base plate and that is disposed at a center of the toroidal core (inner winding vias 116 connected to raised center 114, [0150], Fig. 1); and a plurality of peripheral pin members that are connected to a peripheral portion of the base plate, and that includes a metal conductor disposed around the toroidal core (outer winding vias 106, [0150], Fig. 1), and the first metal conductor provided on the one surface of the base plate (104 on surface of 102) is configured such that currents flow from the center pin member (122, 116) through the first metal conductor to the plurality of peripheral pin members (120, 106, Fig. 1F) in radial directions ([0037] “electrical pathways around the core”, [00156] teaches that 122/116 to 104 to 120/106 to 118 forms an electrical pathway in radial direction, see Fig.1 , esp Fig. 1F and Fig. 1E).
Sasai modifies the combination by suggesting ionizing a gas sample by emitting thermal electrons from a filament and by suggesting the ion detecting unit is a Faraday cup. Radzelovage modifies the combination by suggesting the secondary winding is formed of a linear metal conductor, the secondary winding is wound around the toroidal core, and the primary winding is wound around the toroidal core outward of the secondary winding and surrounds the secondary winding. Schaffer modifies the combination by suggesting the primary winding comprises a base plate provided with conductive center pins connecting to peripheral conductive pins around the toroidal core, forming an electrical pathway for current in a radial direction.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Sasai because a Faraday cup is capable of capturing and detecting the ions separated by the quadrupole part (Sasai, [0038]) and because a filament allows for ionization of a sample gas to be analyzed, (Sasai, [0035]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Radzelovage because the configuration of the windings of the transformer is cost-effective and well-suited for high frequency switching power supply circuits and meets low profile packaging requirements because the high current conductors can be relatively thin ([0009], [0010], [0043]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Schaffer because the configuration provides a low-cost and high-precision inductive device, (Schaffer, Abstract and [0137]-[0141]).
Regarding claim 2, Worthington teaches wherein the secondary winding wound around the toroidal core ([0080]) includes:
a first secondary winding connected to a first pair of the two pairs of opposing electrodes (13 Fig. 1B); and
a second secondary winding connected to a second pair of the two pairs of opposing electrodes (15 Fig. 1B).
Regarding claim 4, Worthington does not teach wherein the primary winding is wound radially around the toroidal core.
Radzelovage teaches wherein the primary winding is wound radially around the toroidal core (conductor 103 is wound radially around magnetic core 101 which has a toroidal shape, [0024]-[0025], Fig. 1b).
Radzelovage modifies the combination by suggesting the primary winding is wound radially around the toroidal core.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Radzelovage because the configuration of the windings of the transformer is cost-effective and well-suited for high frequency switching power supply circuits and meets low profile packaging requirements because the high current conductors can be relatively thin ([0009], [0010], [0043]).
Regarding claim 5, Worthington does not teach wherein the primary winding includes the center pin and the plurality of peripheral pin members that are radially arranged, from the center pin in a development view, and each of the plurality of peripheral pin members is wound around the toroidal core.
Radzelovage teaches wherein the primary winding includes the center pin (inside portions of 103 in the center part of 101) and a plurality of peripheral pin members that are radially arranged, from the center pin in a development view (portions of 103 arranged from the center portions of 103 that are radially arranged, see Fig. 1b), and each of the plurality of peripheral pin members is wound around the toroidal core (103 is U-shaped and wound around 101).
Radzelovage modifies the combination by suggesting the primary winding has a core portion with a plurality of portions radially arranged and wound around the toroidal core.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Radzelovage because the configuration of the windings of the transformer is cost-effective and well-suited for high frequency switching power supply circuits and meets low profile packaging requirements because the high current conductors can be relatively thin ([0009], [0010], [0043]).
Regarding claim 9, Worthington teaches further comprising the control unit (processor, [0093]) controls the voltage applying unit (voltage controller, [0038]-[0041], wherein
the control unit controls the voltage applying unit to measure the specific mass-to-charge ratio continuously over a predetermined time period ([0093], [0038]-[0041] where the predetermined time period is the time until optimization is achieved).
Regarding claim 10, Worthington in view of Sasai and Radzelovage teaches the quadrupole mass spectrometer according to claim 1 (see 103 rejection of claim 1 above).
Worthington does not explicitly teach a residual gas analysis method comprising: analyzing a residual gas in a vacuum chamber.
Sasai teaches a residual gas analysis method comprising analyzing a residual gas in a vacuum chamber ([0031]).
Sasai modifies the combination by suggesting a residual gas analysis method in a vacuum chamber.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Sasai because residual gas analysis can be used to monitor gas in a vacuum chamber during a semiconductor manufacturing process or after a semiconductor manufacturing device is cleaned, (Sasai, [0031]).
Regarding claim 11, Sasai teaches a quadrupole mass spectrometer ([0001]), comprising:
a sensor that ionizes a sample (sensor part 21, [0034], Fig. 2);
the sensor that includes two pairs of opposing electrodes that selectively pass ions generated from the sample (quadrupole part 213, [0034], Fig. 2);
a processor (calculating part 22, [0040], Fig. 1) that controls a DC voltage and a high-frequency voltage based on a specific mass-to-charge ratio ([0037]);
the processor that applies a voltage obtained by superimposing the high-frequency voltage over the DC voltage to each pair of the two pairs of opposing electrodes ([0037]); and
the sensor that further detects the ions having passed therethrough as an ion current ([0038]), wherein
Sasai does not teach wherein the processor includes a transformer that transforms the high-frequency voltage, the transformer includes a toroidal core, and a primary winding and a secondary winding that are wound around the toroidal core, the primary winding is formed of a metal conductor having a flat, circular shape, the secondary winding is formed of a linear metal conductor, and the secondary winding is wound around the toroidal core on an inner side, and the primary winding is wound around the toroidal core on an outer side and surrounds the secondary winding.
Worthington teaches the processor includes a transformer that transforms the high-frequency voltage (transformer 4, [0079], [0093], Fig. 2), the transformer includes a toroidal core (toroidal core 8, [0079]), and a primary winding and a secondary winding (primary winding 10 and secondary winding portions 13, 15, [0079]-[0080]).
Radzelovage teaches the secondary winding is formed of a linear metal conductor (conductors 105 cut from a single sheet of plated copper are formed as tabs, as shown in Fig. 1b, [0025]), and the secondary winding is wound around the toroidal core ([0025], Fig. 1b “The sheet 107 encloses at least portions of the core cross-section and features selectively placed tabs 105 at both the inside and outside faces of the core…”), and the primary winding is wound around the torioidal core (103 is wound around 101, Fig. 1b, [0025]) outward of the secondary winding and surrounds the secondary winding (“the three primaries 103 are also spaced at 120-degree intervals around the core annulus, interleaved between the secondary tabs 105” such that there is always a 103 adjacent a 105, i.e. 103 surrounds 105 and is outward of 105 (outward on its right and left sides), [0025], Fig. 1b).
Schaffer teaches the primary winding comprises: a base plate that includes a first metal conductor on one surface (wire-less substrate headers 102 and 108 with 102 having winding portions 104 on its surface, Fig. 1, [0148]); a center pin member that includes a second metal conductor, and that is connected to a central portion of the base plate and that is disposed at a center of the toroidal core (inner winding vias 116 connected to raised center 114, [0150], Fig. 1); and a plurality of peripheral pin members that are connected to a peripheral portion of the base plate, and that includes a metal conductor disposed around the toroidal core (outer winding vias 106, [0150], Fig. 1), and the first metal conductor provided on the one surface of the base plate (104 on surface of 102) is configured such that currents flow from the center pin member (122, 116) through the first metal conductor to the plurality of peripheral pin members (120, 106, Fig. 1F) in radial directions ([0037] “electrical pathways around the core”, [00156] teaches that 122/116 to 104 to 120/106 to 118 forms an electrical pathway in radial direction, see Fig.1 , esp Fig. 1F and Fig. 1E).
Worthington modifies the combination by suggesting the processor includes a transformer with a toroidal core and primary and secondary windings. Radzelovage modifies the combination by suggesting the transformer including a toroidal core and metal conductor primary and secondary windings wound around the toroidal core Radzelovage modifies the combination by suggesting the secondary winding is formed of a linear metal conductor, the secondary winding is wound around the toroidal core, and the primary winding is wound around the toroidal core outward of the secondary winding and surrounds the secondary winding. Schaffer modifies the combination by suggesting the primary winding comprises a base plate provided with conductive center pins connecting to peripheral conductive pins around the toroidal core, forming an electrical pathway for current in a radial direction.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Worthington because the transformer can apply voltage to electrodes of an ion optical device in order to balance or adjust another AC voltage applied to the electrode, for example to counteract imperfect electric fields, (Worthington, [0005]-[0007], [0055], [0065]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Radzelovage because the configuration of the windings of the transformer is cost-effective and well-suited for high frequency switching power supply circuits and meets low profile packaging requirements because the high current conductors can be relatively thin ([0009], [0010], [0043]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Schaffer because the configuration provides a low-cost and high-precision inductive device, (Schaffer, Abstract and [0137]-[0141]).
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Worthington (US 20220130655 A1) in view of Sasai (US 20110291002 A1) and Radzelovage (US 20030080847 A1) further in view of Fischer, et. al. (EP 0601225 A1), hereinafter Fischer.
Regarding claim 3, Worthington in view of Sasai and Radzelovage does not teach wherein the toroidal core is configured as a stack of two or more toroidal core elements.
Fischer teaches wherein the toroidal core is configured as a stack of two or more toroidal core elements ([0012])
Fischer modifies the combination by suggesting the toroidal core is configured as a stack of two or more toroidal core elements.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Fischer because stacking toroidal cores allows for forming a compact, self-contained construction of the transformer core (Fischer, [0012]).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Worthington (US 20220130655 A1) in view of Sasai (US 20110291002 A1) and Radzelovage (US 20030080847 A1), further in view of Brookes (US 20160118176 A1).
Regarding claim 7, Worthington teaches primary winding (primary winding 10, [0079]).
Worthington in view of Sasai and Radzelovage does not teach wherein a space between the toroidal core and the primary winding is filled with an adhesive having thermal conductivity.
Brookes teaches wherein a space between the toroidal core and the winding is filled with an adhesive having thermal conductivity ([0035] teaches that the potting creates a thermal conduction path between the windings of the toroid and the PCB that the transformer is mounted to. [0037] teaches that the potting fills the central hole of the toroid and in this way the potting can help to draw more of the heat generated by the toiroid windings and core losses out of the device. This indicates that the potting must exist in a space between the toroid core and the windings. [0022]-[0023] teaches the potting can be a resin loaded with thermally conductive particles and has thermal conductivity.).
Brookes modifies the combination by suggesting an adhesive having thermal conductivity that exists in an area between the toroidal core and primary winding.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Brookes because the potting provides a path for conductive heat flow which can improve thermal performance of the device, allowing the use of smaller devices with higher power densities, (Brookes, [0012]).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Worthington (US 20220130655 A1) in view of Sasai (US 20110291002 A1) and Radzelovage (US 20030080847 A1), further in view of Prager, et. al. (US 20170154726 A1), hereinafter Prager.
Regarding claim 8, Worthington in view of Sasai and Radzelovage does not explicitly teach wherein the transformer is fixed to a circuit board by fixing the primary winding to the circuit board.
Prager teaches wherein the transformer is fixed to a circuit board by fixing the primary winding to the circuit board ([0040] teaches the transformer coupled with a printed circuit board having a plurality of feedthroughs for the primary winding).
Prager modifies the combination by suggesting that the transformer is fixed to a circuit board via the primary winding.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Miller because the configuration allows for the primary winding to electrically couple with the primary circuitry, (Miller, [0047]).
Claims 12-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sasai (US 20110291002 A1) in view of Worthington (US 20220130655 A1) and Schaffer (US 20120058676 A1).
Regarding claim 12, Sasai teaches a quadrupole mass spectrometer ([0001]), comprising:
a sensor that ionizes a sample (sensor part 21, [0034], Fig. 2);
the sensor that includes two pairs of opposing electrodes that selectively pass ions generated from the sample (quadrupole part 213, [0034], Fig. 2);
a processor (calculating part 22, [0040], Fig. 1) that controls a DC voltage and a high-frequency voltage based on a specific mass-to-charge ratio ([0037]);
the processor that applies a voltage obtained by superimposing the high-frequency voltage over the DC voltage to each pair of the two pairs of opposing electrodes ([0037]); and
the sensor that further detects the ions having passed therethrough as an ion current ([0038]), wherein
Sasai does not teach the processor includes a transformer that transforms the high-frequency voltage, the transformer includes a toroidal core, a primary winding, and a secondary winding that is wound around the toroidal core, and the primary winding is composed of at least one metal conductor, the at least one metal conductor including a flat base plate, at least one center portion that extends into a center of the toroidal core, and a plurality of peripheral portions disposed around the toroidal core, the at least one metal conductor of the primary winding is a flat conductor provided on one surface of a flat base plate, and the at least one metal conductor provided on the one surface of the flat bas plate is configured such that currents flow from the at least one center portion through the at least one metal conductor to the plurality of peripheral portions in radial directions.
Worthington teaches the processor includes a transformer that transforms the high-frequency voltage (transformer 4, [0079], [0093], Fig. 2), the transformer includes a toroidal core (toroidal core 8, [0079]), a primary winding (primary winding 10, [0079]), and a secondary winding that is wound around the toroidal corer, (secondary winding portions 13,15 are wound around toroidal core 8, [0080], Fig. 2).
Schaffer teaches the primary winding (interpreted primary winding includes 104, 120, 106, 118, 116, and 122, see Fig. 1F, [0158]) is composed of at least one metal conductor (copper, conductive material [0020], [0145]), at least one center portion that extends into a center of the toroidal core (inner top winding vias 122 and inner winding vias 116, [0150], all of Figs. 1, particularly Fig. 1F, [0157]), and a plurality of peripheral portions disposed around the toroidal core (outer top winding vias 120 and outer winding vias 106, [0150], all of Figs. 1, particularly Fig. 1F), and the at least one metal conductor of the primary winding is a flat conductor provided on one surface of a flat base plate (winding portions 104 on top header 102 are flat, see all of Figs. 1, particularly 1F, [0148], [0158]), and the at least one metal conductor provided on the one surface of the flat base plate (104 on surface of 102) is configured such that currents flow from the at least one center portion (122, 116) through the at least one metal conductor to the plurality of peripheral portions (120, 106, Fig. 1F) in radial directions ([0037] “electrical pathways around the core”, [00156] teaches that 122/116 to 104 to 120/106 to 118 forms an electrical pathway in radial direction, see Fig.1 , esp Fig. 1F and Fig. 1E).
Worthington modifies the combination by suggesting a transformer including a toroidal core, a primary winding, and a secondary winding wound around the toroidal core. Schaffer modifies the combination by suggesting the primary winding is composed of at least one metal conductor, and has a center portion extending into a center of the toroidal core and a plurality of peripheral portions disposed around the toroidal core, and the at least one metal conductor is a flat conductor provided on a surface of a flat base plate, and the metal conductor provided on the one surface of the flat base plate is configured such that currents flow from the at least one center portion through the at least one metal conductor to the plurality of peripheral portions in radial directions.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Worthington because the transformer can apply voltage to electrodes of an ion optical device in order to balance or adjust another AC voltage applied to the electrode, for example to counteract imperfect electric fields, (Worthington, [0005]-[0007], [0055], [0065]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Schaffer because the configuration provides a low-cost and high-precision inductive device, (Schaffer, Abstract and [0137]-[0141]).
Regarding claim 13, Sasai does not teach wherein the center portion is a first pin member and the peripheral portions are second pin members.
Schaffer teaches wherein the center portion is a first pin member and the peripheral portions are second pin members (116 and 122 are interpreted to be a first pin member, and 106 and 120 areinterpreted to be second pin members because the winding vias have extended ends that electrically connect the windings and act as conductive pins, [0007], Abstract).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Schaffer because the configuration provides a low-cost and high-precision inductive device, (Schaffer, Abstract and [0137]-[0141]).
Regarding claim 14, Sasai does not teach wherein the secondary winding passes between the primary winding and the toroidal core and is wound around the surface of the toroidal core.
Worthington teaches wherein the secondary winding passes between the primary winding and the toroidal core and is wound around the surface of the toroidal core (Figs. 1, 1A, 1B, 2).
Worthington modifies the combination by suggesting the secondary winding passes between the primary winding and the toroidal core and is wound around the surface of the toroidal core.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Worthington because the configuration of the windings of the transformer can apply voltage to electrodes of an ion optical device in order to balance or adjust another AC voltage applied to the electrode, for example to counteract imperfect electric fields, (Worthington, [0005]-[0007], [0055], [0065]).
Regarding claim 15, Sasai does not teach wherein the plurality of peripheral portions is disposed at four locations around a periphery of the toroidal core.
Schaffer teaches wherein the plurality of peripheral portions is disposed at four locations around a periphery of the toroidal core (106 and 120 in Fig. 1, 1A, 1B, 1C, 1F).
Schaffer modifies the combination by suggesting the peripheral portions are disposed at four locations around the periphery of the toroidal core.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Schaffer because the configuration provides a low-cost and high-precision inductive device and because the configuration of winding vias can be used to produce the electrical/magnetic characteristics desired, (Schaffer, Abstract and [0137]-[0141], [0150], [0153]).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 mailing date of this final action.
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LAURA E TANDY
Examiner
Art Unit 2881
/DAVID E SMITH/Examiner, Art Unit 2881
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