ETAILED 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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 3/14/2026 has been entered.
Notice to Applicant
Claims 1-5, 7, 9-13, 16-22, 24-25 have been examined in this application. This communication is a final rejection in response to the “Amendments to the claims” and “Remarks” filed 3/14/2026.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-5, 9, and 24 are rejected under 35 USC 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US Patent Application Number 2010/0056899 by Toddes.
Regarding claim 1, Toddes discloses an animal cabin, comprising a first capsule (320), and a second capsule (310), the first capsule being configured to connect to an animal support bed (320 can be placed on an animal support bed and therefore is configured to connect to one), the second capsule being configured to accommodate and fix an animal to be scanned (paragraph 48 discloses “The second part 320 is complementary to the first part 310 and is generally in the form of a cradle in which the animal’s head is received and retained during the imagine” and 310 and 320 together form head restrainer 300), and the first capsule being detachably connected to the second capsule (via axle 313).
Regarding claim 2 (dependent on claim 1), Toddes discloses a first adjusting assembly (fastener 347), wherein the first capsule and the second capsule are connected through the first adjusting assembly (paragraph 43 discloses “An inner surface of the tabs 346 can include a guide channel 345 to assist in guiding a fastener 347 that serves to securely attach the first part 310 to the second part 320”), the animal cabin further comprising a rotating portion located between the first capsule and the second capsule (comprising ear structures 311, axle 313, and opening 391 on side rails 324), and under an adjustment of the first adjusting assembly, the second capsule is capable of rotating around the rotating portion relative to the first capsule to adjust an angle between the first capsule and the second capsule (paragraph 49 discloses “Each of the side rails 324 includes an opening 391 into which one end [end portion 315] of the shaft 313 is received, thereby pivotally attaching the first part 310 to the second part 320”, and paragraph 56 discloses “the first part 310 can be securely attached to the second part 320 using pins 347”, which means adjusting pins 347 to release part 310 from part 320 would make the parts capable of rotating relative to each other).
Regarding claim 3 (dependent on claim 2), Toddes discloses the rotating portion comprising a rotating convex portion (outer surface of ear structures 311) and a rotating concave portion (inner surface of side rails 324), the rotating concave portion is located at an end of the first capsule adjacent to the second capsule (Figure 6 shows inner surface of side rails 324 being located at an end of first capsule 320 adjacent to second capsule 310), the rotating concave portion is located at an end of the second capsule adjacent to the first capsule (Figure 6 shows the outer surface of ear structures 311 being located at an end of second capsule 310 adjacent to first capsule 320), and the rotating convex portion concave-convex fits with the rotating concave portion (see Figure 6).
Regarding claim 4 (dependent on claim 3), Toddes discloses the rotating convex portion has a first arc surface thereon (the outer surface of ear structures 311 comprise a first arc surface), and the rotating concave portion has a second arc surface therein (the inner surface of side rails 324 comprise a second arc surface), and the first arc surface and the second arc surface are attached to each other in accordance with the concave-convex fit of the rotating convex portion and the rotating concave portion (see Figure 6).
Regarding claim 5 (dependent on claim 2)¸ Toddes discloses the first adjusting assembly comprises an adjusting rod (fastener 347), the second capsule is provided with a connection hole extending through the second capsule (see opening in 310 for fastener 347 in Figures 5 and 6), the first capsule is provided with an adjustment hole (openings 397), an end of the adjusting rod extends through the first connection hole and is capable of cooperating with the adjustment hole to adjust an angle of the second capsule relative to the first capsule, wherein the adjustment rod comprises a first threaded rod (paragraph 51 discloses “The opening 397 and pin 347 can be threaded so as to allow the first and second parts 310, 320 to be securely attached to one another by simply threadingly mating the pin 347 to the side wall of the opening 397”, how much of the threads of pin 347 is inserted into the threads of opening 397 would allow the fastener 397 to adjust an angle of 310 relative to 320) with a head (see head at the top of fastener 347 in Figures 5 and 6), and the head abuts against the second capsule (fully inserting pin 347 would abut the head against 310), the adjustment hole is a threaded hole and the first threaded rod is threaded fit with the adjustment hole (paragraph 51 discloses “The opening 397 and pin 347 can be threaded”).
Regarding claim 9 (dependent on claim 1), Toddes discloses a cover (frame 210), wherein the second capsule is provided with a chamber (interior of 310), the cover is detachably connected to the second capsule, and the cover is capable of covering and being fixed on the second capsule (see Figure 1).
Regarding claim 24 (dependent on claim 1), Toddes discloses an animal imaging device, comprising the animal cabin according to claim 1 (see rejection of claim 1 above) and a scanning device, wherein the scanning device has a scanning chamber, the animal cabin is capable of extending into the scanning chamber (paragraph 33 discloses “both the mounting plates 212 and 2145 have threaded openings 222 which can receive an adjustable fastening post for centering and securing the frame 210 within a cavity or bore of a piece of equipment, such as a magnetic resonance MR spectrometer”), and the scanning device is configured to scan and form an image of an animal in the animal cabin (paragraph 88 discloses “A high resolution anatomical image is obtained of the brain”).
Regarding claim 25 (dependent on claim 1), Toddes discloses the first capsule and the second capsule are arranged and connected along a length direction of the animal cabin. The Figures shows imaging apparatus 100 being arranged along many length directions, and since first part 310 and second part 320 are 3D components that are connected, they are connected along these length directions.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claims 10 and 12 are rejected under 35 USC 103 as being obvious over by US Patent Application Number 2010/0056899 by Toddes.
Regarding claim 10 (dependent on claim 9), Toddes does not discloses a locking member, wherein the locking member is disposed on the cover and an end of the second capsule, the locking member is capable of locking the cover and the second capsule, thereby locking and fixing the cover body along an axis direction of the second capsule, and the cover body and another end of the second capsule body are engaged with each other. However, paragraph 85 discloses “the head restrainer 300 can be mated with and secured to coupling member 215 of the assembly 200 using conventional techniques”. It would be obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to use a locking member as conventional technique for securing the head restrainer 300 to the coupling member 215.
Regarding claim 12 (dependent on claim 10)¸Toddes discloses the second capsule comprising a first part (arms 340) and a second part (end 312) arranged sequentially in the axis direction of the second capsule (see Figures 5 and 6 ), and the cover covers and is detachably connected to the second part (Figure 1 shows coupling member 215 of frame 210 covering end 312, and paragraph 85 discloses “the head restrainer 300 can be mated with and secured to coupling member 215 of the assembly 200 using conventional techniques”),
Toddes does not disclose an end of the cover away from the first part is provided with a first buckle, and end of the second part away from the first part is provided with a second buckle, the first buckle and the second buckle are capable of being locked with each other, the first buckle and the second buckle are capable of separating from each other along the axis direction of the second capsule and the first buckle and the second buckle are locked with each other along a direction perpendicular to the axis direction of the second capsule. However, paragraph 85 discloses “the head restrainer 300 can be mated with and secured to coupling member 215 of the assembly 200 using conventional techniques”. It would be obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to use a known locking member such as a buckle as a conventional technique for securing the head restrainer 300 to the coupling member 215. Furthermore, since head restrainer 300 is inserted into frame 210 in the axis direction through the opening in rear-end mounting plate 214, it would be obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to make the buckles capable of separating form each other along the axis direction.
Claims 16-20 and 23 are rejected under 35 USC 103 as being obvious over by US Patent Application Number 2010/0056899 by Toddes in view of US Patent Application Number 2012/0330130 by Lanz
Regarding claim 16 (dependent on claim 1), Toddes discloses an animal fixation device mounted in the second capsule and configured to fix an animal to be scanned (head restrainer 300), wherein the animal fixation device comprises:
A support base (tray 399);
A tooth positioning portion, mounted on the support base and configured to position teeth of an animal (paragraph 98 discloses "The tooth bar 2250 is designed to engage the teeth of the mouse when it is securely held and contained within restrainer 2100”.
Toddes does not disclose a respiratory mask, configured to provide an air channel for the animal, and the respiratory mask being fixed on the tooth positioning portion. However, this limitation is taught by Lanz. Lanz discloses a rodent imaging device comprising a tooth bar 6 and anesthetic gas mask 7 and the Figures show the two mounted together. It would be obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify Toddes using the teachings from Lanz to use a respiratory mask in order to deliver anesthesia and air to the rodent.
Regarding claim 17 (dependent on claim 16), Lanz further teaches the respiratory mask comprising a mask mounting portion (tubular body of mask 7 shown in Figure 5) and an air chamber (paragraph 29 discloses “the gas mask 7 feeds an anaesthetic agent via the gas inlet 7a to the animal” and Figure 6 shows the inlet leading to an air chamber within mask 7), the mask mounting portion is provided with a mounting groove in communication with the air chamber, and the tooth positioning portion is inserted into the mounting groove (Figure 6 shows tooth bar 6 inserted into an opening in gas mask 7 that comprises a mounting groove).
Regarding claim 18 (dependent on claim 17), Lanz further teaches the mounting groove has a first inner wall and a second inner wall opposite to each other (left and right inner wall of mask 7), the tooth positioning portion is sandwiched between the first inner wall and the second inner wall (see Figures 5-9), and along a direction in which the tooth positioning portion is inserted into the mounting groove, a distance between the first inner wall and the second inner wall gradually decreases (Figures 5-9 show mask 7 having a flared portion at the end, which has a distance between the left and right sides of the inner walls gradually decreasing).
Regarding claim 19 (dependent on claim 17), Lanz further teaches the tooth positioning portion is provided with a tooth hole (Figures 5 and 7 show a tooth hole at the end of tooth bar 6), the tooth positioning portion is provided with a ventilation hole, the mask mounting portion is provided with an exhaust channel, and a position of the exhaust channel corresponds to a position of the ventilation hole (gas outlet 7b comprises an exhaust channel, and while not shown, there must be an opening between mask 7 and tooth bar 6 to allow the anesthesia to reach gas outlet 7b).
Regarding claim 20 (dependent on claim 16), Toddes as modified by Lanz further teaches the animal fixation device further comprising a frontal bone positioning portion mounted on the support base, and the front bone positioning portion is configured to press the frontal bone of the animal in a direction toward the tooth positioning portion. Toddes discloses a snout holder 305 that seats against the nose of the animal to restrict movement of the nose of the animal, and Figure 6 shows the snout holder 305 having a concave lower surface to be placed against the nose. The snout holder 305 therefore asserts a downward force on the snout, which would press the nose in a downward direction, and as shown in Figure 1 of Lanz, this would press the snout towards tooth bar 6.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7, 11, 13, 21, 22 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 3/14/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding the argument that the animal is restrained by at least the head restrainer 300 and the body restrainer 400, the claim merely requires the second capsule being configured to accommodate and fix an animal to be scanned, head restrainer restrains the head, which would fix the head of the animal to the head restrainer. The claim does not exclude the use of additional fixation devices that work together to fix the animal.
Regarding the argument that Toddes does not disclose the first capsule being configured to connect to an animal support bed, this limitation is vague, and 320 is configured to connect to an animal support bed because it can be laid on an animal support bed.
Applicant’s arguments regarding Lanz are moot because Lanz was not relied upon to disclose any of the limitations discussed in the arguments.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL H WANG whose telephone number is (571)272-6554. The examiner can normally be reached 10-6:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Josh Michener can be reached at 571-272-1467. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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MICHAEL H. WANG
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3642
/MICHAEL H WANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3642
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