DETAILED ACTION
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 10/16/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues the prior art of record does not teach or disclose a plurality of N curved electrodes formed in a plane and extending around an axis of the ion collection element. Examiner disagrees as Fig. 7 of Mavanur (US PGPub 2018/0005812, hereinafter Mavanur) discloses the claimed limitations as depicted in the annotated figure, produced below.
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As seen from the annotated figure above, the plurality of N curved electrodes (ion guide 2B) are formed in a plane along line A and extending around an axis along line B.
Applicant further argues that the prior art of record does not teach or disclose a substrate around the aperture. Examiner disagrees as Fig. 12 depicts a cross section of the electrodes that form the curved electrodes. Paragraph [0062] teaches the electrodes have a profile which shows a conductive core 110 with an insulating layer 112, made of glass (as the claimed substrate of claim 15 of the instant application is further limiting to be glass in claim 16 of the instant application). When the electrodes are formed in an ion funnel (electrodes of 2B as depicted in Fig. 7 above), the substrate (e.g. insulating layer 112, made of glass, see paragraph [0062]) would be formed around the aperture of the ion funnel.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section 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.
Claims 1-12 and 15-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mavanur et al. (US PGPub 2018/0005812, hereinafter Mavanur).
Regarding claim 1, Fig. 8 of Mavanur discloses an ion focusing device (RF ion guide 2A/2B where ions can be collisionally focused on the axis of the assembly, see paragraph [0054]) comprising:
ion collection element (RF ion guide 2A, section S2 of Fig. 7 and mass spectrometer detecting portion D of Fig. 1) comprising:
a plurality of N curved electrode formed in a plane and extending around an axis (electrodes of curved ion guide 2B formed in a plane along line A and extending around an axis along line B of annotated Fig. 7, produced above) of the ion collection element (RF ion guide 2A, section S2 of Fig. 7 and mass spectrometer detecting portion D of Fig. 1, see paragraph [0043]); and
an aperture on an axis of the ion collection element (RF ion guide 2A section S2 having an ion entrance and ion exit as apertures, see Fig. 7 and paragraph [0046]; and
a multipole ion guide (RF ion guide 2A, section S1 of Fig. 7) adjacent the ion collection element (RF ion guide 2A, section S2 of Fig. 7 and mass spectrometer detecting portion D of Fig. 1) and having a plurality of N elongate electrodes (four electrodes) extending parallel to and around an axis (axis of Fig. 7) of the multipole ion (RF ion guide 2A, section S2 of Fig. 7, see paragraph [0043]), wherein the axis of the multipole ion guide coincides with the axis of the ion collection element (see Fig. 7),
wherein each of the N curved electrodes of the ion collection element (electrodes of RF ion guide 2A, section S2 of Fig. 7) are configured to receive a radio frequency signal having a same phase as an RF signal configured to be applied to at least one elongate electrode of the plurality of N elongate electrodes of the multipole ion guide (RF ion guide 2A received RF signals, see paragraph [0043]), and further wherein at least two of the N elongate electrodes of the ion collection element are configured to receive RF signals of a different phase (two phases of an RF voltage, see paragraph [0043]).
Regarding claim 2, Fig. 7 of Mavanur discloses the plurality of N curved electrodes are separated by a constant distance along their lengths (see paragraph [0044]).
Regarding claim 3, Fig. 8 of Mavanur discloses the N curved electrodes (RF ion guide 2A) terminate adjacent to the aperture of the ion collection element (see Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 4, Fig. 7 of Mavanur discloses the N curved electrodes (RF ion guide 2A) terminate at an angular separation of 90 or 180 degrees around the aperture (see Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 5, Fig. 7 of Mavanur discloses each of the N curved electrodes (electrodes of S2) are connected to one of the plurality of N elongate electrodes (electrodes of S1) (see Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 6, Fig. 7 of Mavanur discloses the ion collection element (RF ion guide 2A, section S2 of Fig. 7 and mass spectrometer detecting portion D of Fig. 1) has four curved electrodes and the multipole ion guide (RF ion guide 2A, section S1) has four elongate electrodes (see paragraph [0043]).
Regarding claim 7, Fig. 7 of Mavanur discloses the plurality of N elongate electrodes of the multipole ion guide (RF ion guide 2A, section S1) are distributed equally around the axis of the multipole ion guide, and wherein elongate electrodes at opposite positions around the axis are configured to receive an RF signal having the same phase and elongate electrodes at adjacent positions around the axis are configured to receive an RF signal at 180 degrees out of phase to each other (RF voltages are supplied with two phases, see paragraph [0043]).
Regarding claim 8, Fig. 7 of Mavanur discloses the N curved electrodes are spirals or circular (electrodes 2B are spirals, see Fig. 7; cross section of electrodes can be circular, see Fig. 12 and paragraph [0062]).
Regarding claim 9, Fig. 7 of Mavanur discloses the N curved electrodes (ion guide 2B) are configured to receive a DC offset voltage relative to the plurality of N elongate electrodes of the multipole ion guide (see paragraph [0051]).
Regarding claim 10, Mavanur discloses electrical connections between each of the N curved electrodes of the ion collection element (ion guide 2B) and each of the plurality of N elongate electrodes of the multipole ion guide (ion guide 2B) (see paragraph [0043]).
Regarding claim 11, Mavanur discloses the electrical connections pass through the aperture (see paragraph [0058]).
Regarding claim 12, Mavanur discloses N is an even number (four electrodes) (see paragraph [0043]).
Regarding claim 15, Fig. 12 of Mavanur discloses the ion collection element (electrode 110) further comprises a substrate (insulator 112) around the aperture (the electrodes have a profile which shows a conductive core 110 with an insulating layer 112, made of glass, see paragraph [0062]; electrodes are provided around an aperture (e.g. ion entrance or ion exit), see Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 16, Fig 12 of Mavanur discloses the substrate is glass (insulator 112 surrounding conductive core 110 is made of glass, see paragraph [0062]).
Regarding claim 17, Mavanur discloses a volume within the multipole ion guide (ion guide 2B) is filled with a buffer gas (introduction of gas flow to drive ions through the first and second sections, see paragraph [0027]).
Regarding claim 18, Mavanur discloses an internal diameter (radial diameter of the ion guide) of the multipole ion guide and/or the aperture is between 0.5 and 2 mm (see paragraph [0017]).
Regarding claim 19, Fig. 7 of Mavanur discloses the N curved electrodes (ion guide 2A) and the plurality of N elongate electrodes (ion guide 2A) of the multipole ion guide are configured to receive an RF signal at the same frequency (see paragraph [0043]).
Regarding claim 20, Fig. 8 of Mavanur discloses a mass spectrometer including the ion focusing device (RF ion guide 2B) (see paragraph [0047]).
Regarding claim 21, Fig. 12 of Mavanur discloses the N curved electrodes are formed on the substrate (the electrodes have a profile which shows a conductive core 110 with an insulating layer 112, made of glass, see paragraph [0062]).
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HANWAY CHANG whose telephone number is (571)270-5766. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Robert Kim can be reached at (571)272-2293. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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Hanway Chang
/HC/ Examiner, Art Unit 2881
/MICHAEL J LOGIE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2881