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 .
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 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 1-3, 13, 18-21, and 36 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tkaczyk et al. (USPN 9,237,872 B2).
With respect to claim 1, Tkaczyk et al. disclose an X-ray source device (X-ray tube - 100), comprising: a cathode arrangement including a cathode device (110) arranged to emit an electron beam (e-) therefrom; and an anode arrangement including an anode (105) spaced apart from the cathode device at a focal distance thereof, the anode comprising a plurality of focal spots (120) disposed thereon, wherein the anode is arranged to receive the electron beam from the cathode device at one of the plurality of focal spots, and wherein the anode is movable (via linear actuator - 135) such that each one of the plurality of focal spots is alignable to receive the electron beam (column 5, lines 5+).
With respect to claim 18, Tkaczyk et al. disclose a method of forming an X-ray source device (100), comprising: arranging an anode (105) of an anode arrangement in spaced apart relation from a cathode device (110) of a cathode arrangement and at a focal distance thereof, wherein the anode comprises a plurality of focal spots (120) disposed thereon, wherein the anode is arranged such that the anode receives an electron beam (e-) emitted from the cathode device at one of the plurality of focal spots thereon; and arranging the anode to be movable (via linear actuator - 135) such that each one of the plurality of focal spots is alignable to receive the electron beam (column 5, lines 5+).
With respect to claim 2, Tkaczyk et al. disclose wherein the anode is movable so as to maintain the focal distance of each of the focal spots of the anode from the cathode device (column 6, lines 46-48 - “Anode target 125 presents a constant focal point 120 distance from the cathode 110 by parallel movement of anode target 125 with respect to the cathode 110.”).
With respect to claim 3, Tkaczyk et al. disclose wherein the anode (105) includes an elongate member defining a longitudinal axis and having a planar surface extending parallel to the longitudinal axis, wherein the plurality of focal spots (120) are arranged on the planar surface in a linear series parallel to the longitudinal axis, and wherein the elongate member is arranged with the longitudinal axis perpendicular to the electron beam (e-) and to be movable along the longitudinal axis (via linear actuator - 135) such that each one of the plurality of focal spots is alignable to receive the electron beam (column 5, lines 5+).
With respect to claim 13, Tkaczyk et al. disclose wherein the anode arrangement comprises a stepper actuator in communication with the anode, the stepper actuator being arranged to move the anode along the longitudinal axis thereof or to rotate the anode about the longitudinal axis (column 5, lines 5-26).
With respect to claim 19, Tkaczyk et al. disclose arranging the anode to be movable comprises arranging the anode to be movable while maintaining the focal distance of the anode from the cathode device (column 6, lines 46-48 - “Anode target 125 presents a constant focal point 120 distance from the cathode 110 by parallel movement of anode target 125 with respect to the cathode 110.”).
With respect to claim 20, Tkaczyk et al. disclose wherein the anode (105) includes an elongate member defining a longitudinal axis and having a planar surface extending parallel to the longitudinal axis, and wherein the method comprises arranging the plurality of focal spots (120) on the planar surface in a linear series parallel to the longitudinal axis (column 5, lines 5+).
With respect to claim 21, Tkaczyk et al. disclose wherein arranging the anode (105) to be movable comprises arranging the elongate member with the longitudinal axis perpendicular to the electron beam (e-) and to be movable along the longitudinal axis such that each one of the plurality of focal spots is alignable to receive the electron beam (column 5, lines 5+).
With respect to claim 36, Tkaczyk et al. disclose wherein the anode arrangement comprises a stepper actuator in communication with the anode, and wherein the method comprises arranging the stepper actuator to move the anode along the longitudinal axis thereof or to rotate the anode about the longitudinal axis (column 5, lines 5-26).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-3, 13, 18-21, and 36 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection is based on the amendments made to independent claims 1 and 18, requiring the anode to comprise a plurality of focal spots disposed thereon. Tkaczyk et al. (USPN 9,237,872 B2), as seen above, disclose the anode comprises a plurality of focal spots disposed thereon. See column 5, lines 5+: “With movement parallel to cathode 110, focal spot 120 is moved across target 125 to assist with both spreading heat and reducing the chance of melting or cracking target area 125, enabling high power output. …A control system (not shown) is coupled to the linear actuator 135 to coordinate the translation anode 105 with the generation of the stream of electrons.” Thus, Tkaczyk et al. (USPN 9,237,872 B2) teach the anode comprises a plurality of focal spots disposed thereon.
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 JURIE YUN whose telephone number is (571)272-2497. The examiner can normally be reached 10:30 am - 7:30 pm.
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/JURIE YUN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2884
April 16, 2026
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