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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 12 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 12, it appears the claim merely duplicates claim 1 and does not set forth any further structure with regard to a device.
Regarding claim 15, line 2, “the adjacent further sections” appears to lack antecedent basis. Claim 5 from which claim 15 depends sets “forth further sections” and claim 1 from which claim 5 depends sets forth “adjacent sections”.
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.
Claim(s) 1- 8, and 11-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by SEKINO et al.( US 20180280711) hereinafter SEIKINO et al.
SEIKINO et al. teaches a coil, and a magnetic stimulation device that uses this coil.
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Regarding claims 1 and 12, SEIKINO et al. teaches a first coil having a first plurality of windings, the first plurality of windings comprising at least an inner winding and an outer winding ; and a second coil having a second plurality of windings, the second plurality of windings comprising at least an inner winding and an outer winding, wherein the first and second coils are arranged adjacent to each other along a first predetermined surface , wherein the outer winding surrounds at least partially the inner winding of the respective first and second coils along the first predetermined surface, wherein adjacent sections of the outer windings of the first and second coils are at least partially arranged parallel to each other. Note annotated figure 7 above. Also note figures 4-11 and paragraphs [0110] – [0136].
Regarding claim 2, SEIKINO et al. teaches wherein a section of the inner winding adjacent to the parallel section of the outer winding of one or more of the respective first and second coil are at least partially arranged parallel to the parallel section of the outer winding. Note annotated figure 7 above. Also note figures 4-11 and paragraphs [0110] – [0136].
Regarding claim 3, SEIKINO et al. teaches wherein one or more of the first and second plurality of windings comprise at least one intermediate winding arranged between the inner winding and the outer winding of the respective coil, and wherein a section of the intermediate winding adjacent to the parallel section of the outer winding of one or more of the respective first and second coils are at least partially arranged parallel to the parallel section of the outer winding. Note annotated figure 7 above. Also note figures 4-11 and paragraphs [0110] – [0136].
Regarding claim 4, SEIKINO et al. teaches wherein one or more of the parallel sections of the first coil have a first predetermined spacing between each other along a spacing direction extending perpendicular to the parallel sections, the parallel sections of the second coil have a second predetermined spacing between each other along the spacing direction, and the parallel sections of the outer windings of the first and second coils have a third predetermined spacing between each other along the spacing direction. Note annotated figure 7 above. Also note figures 4-11 and paragraphs [0110] – [0136]. Note annotated figure 7 above. Also note figures 4-11 and paragraphs [0110] – [0136].
Regarding claim 5, SEIKINO et al. teaches wherein further sections of the windings of one or more of the first and second plurality of windings connected to the parallel sections have different spacings between each other. Note annotated figure 7 above. Also note figures 4-11 and paragraphs [0110] – [0136].
Regarding claim 6, SEIKINO et al. teaches wherein one or more of the first and second coils are at least partially one or more of arch-shaped, triangular-shaped, D-shaped, square- shaped, figure-of-eight-shaped, helically-shaped and rectangular-shaped. Note annotated figure 7 above includes a D-shaped coil. Also note figures 4-11 and paragraphs [0110] – [0136].
Regarding claim 7, SEIKINO et al. teaches wherein the first predetermined surface is planar shaped or at least partially one or more of arch-shaped, ellipsoidal-shaped and cylindrically shaped. Note annotated figure 7 above. Also note figures 4-11 and paragraphs [0110] – [0136].
Regarding claim 8, SEIKINO et al. teaches wherein the first and second coils are formed by a single wire or two respective wires. Note annotated figure 7 above. Also note figures 4-11 and paragraphs [0110] – [0136].
Regarding claim 11, SEIKINO et al. teaches wherein an inner area formed by an inner circumference of the inner winding of one or more of the first and second coil is at least partially one or more of arch-shaped, triangular-shaped, D-shaped, square- shaped, helically-shaped and rectangular-shaped. Note annotated figure 7 above. Also note figures 4-11 and paragraphs [0110] – [0136].
Regarding claim 13, SEIKINO et al. teaches wherein one or more of the first and second plurality of windings comprise at least one intermediate winding arranged between the inner winding and the outer winding of the respective coil, and
wherein a section of the intermediate winding adjacent to the parallel section of the outer winding of one or more of the respective first and second coils is at least partially arranged parallel to the parallel section of the outer winding. Note annotated figure 7 above. Also note figures 4-11 and paragraphs [0110] – [0136].
Regarding claim 14, SEIKINO et al. teaches wherein the section of the inner winding adjacent to the parallel section of the intermediate winding of one or more of the respective first and second coils is at least partially arranged parallel to the parallel section of the intermediate winding. Note annotated figure 7 above. Also note figures 4-11 and paragraphs [0110] – [0136].
Regarding claim 15, SEIKINO et al. teaches wherein the different spacings of the adjacent further sections one or more of increase and decrease from the inner winding to the outer winding of one or more of the first and second coils. Note annotated figure 7 above. Also note figures 4-11 and paragraphs [0110] – [0136].
Regarding claim 16, SEIKINO et al. teaches wherein the further sections have respective end sections connected to the parallel sections, wherein the end sections have a predetermined curvature radius, and wherein the curvature radius of the windings of one or more of the first and second coils is at least partially one or more of identical and different from each other. Note annotated figure 7 above. Also note figures 4-11 and paragraphs [0110] – [0136].
Regarding claims 17 and 18, SEIKINO et al. teaches wherein the further sections are wound such that the spacings between adjacent windings decreases from the outer winding to the inner winding of the respective coils. Note annotated figure 7 above. Also note figures 4-11 and paragraphs [0110] – [0136].
Claim(s) 1, 8, 9, 10, 19, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by GUO et al.( CN 21409937) hereinafter GUO et al.
GUO et al. teaches a stimulation coil for magnetic stimulation, comprising a coil main body; the middle part of the coil main body is provided with a ring hole; the coil main body comprises an upper coil and a lower coil; the upper coil and the lower coil are formed by tightly winding the same line tube; the upper coil and the lower coil are connected through a transition tube at the outer edge of the ring hole; the coil of the outer ring of the upper coil extends a section through bending to form a current input pipeline; the coil of the outer ring of the lower coil extends a section through bending to form a current output pipeline; the bending part of the current output pipeline is close to the bending part of the current input pipeline.
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Regarding claim 1, GUO et al. teaches a first coil having a first plurality of windings, the first plurality of windings comprising at least an inner winding and an outer winding ; and a second coil having a second plurality of windings, the second plurality of windings comprising at least an inner winding and an outer winding, wherein the first and second coils are arranged adjacent to each other along a first predetermined surface , wherein the outer winding surrounds at least partially the inner winding of the respective first and second coils along the first predetermined surface, wherein adjacent sections of the outer windings of the first and second coils are at least partially arranged parallel to each other. Note annotated figures 4 and 5 above.
Regarding claims 8 and 9, GUO et al. teaches wherein the first and second coils are formed by the single wire, and wherein one or more of sections and end sections of the inner windings of the respective first and second coils are connected by a bridging section of the single wire. Note annotated figures 4 and 5 above.
Regarding claims 10, 19 and 20, GUO et al. teaches wherein the first and second coils are formed by the single wire, wherein the first and second plurality of windings each comprise an outermost winding, and the two outermost windings being connected by a connecting section extending at least partially between and parallel to the adjacent sections of the outer windings. Note annotated figures 4 and 5 above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
JP 2005503224 teaches Parallel coil winding shapes connected to the coil winding shapes of adjacent coils (1, 2, 3, 4) so as to form conductive paths (10a, 11a, 12a, 13a) that are insulated from each other and straddle a plurality of coils A gradient coil system comprising a plurality of series-connected coils (1, 2, 3, 4) comprising (10, 11, 12, 13).
BIGINTON et al. (WO 2016005719) teaches a magnetic stimulation (MS) and preferably transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) coil arrangement designed for use as a placebo treatment. Accordingly, the purpose of the invention is to reduce or remove the effect of the magnetic field generated in use by a magnetic stimulation coil arrangement whilst the appearance presented remains as expected from a MS coil arrangement. The invention comprises a radially wound conductive element having a plurality of turns forming at least one winding. There is further provided at least one conductive magnetic field disrupting element at least partially positioned adjacent to the at least one winding for disrupting a magnetic field generated in operation by the at least one winding. The conductive magnetic field disruptive element accordingly attenuates the generated magnetic field beneath the coil arrangement.
MISHELEVICH et al.( WO 2009143503) teaches devices, systems and methods to enhance the magnetic perturbation of a neuronal (e.g., brain) target during Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), thereby enhancing the induced current in the target.
WENDICKE et al.( DE 102007013531) teaches a magnetic coil arrangement (MA1), which has two side by side mirror-symmetric coil areas (SB1,SB2) arranged next to each other in large parts out spiral to turn wound electrical conductors. The two coil areas are decentralized wounded over provided angle segments. The current flows through an electrical conductor, which has the former angle segments in radial direction of upper integral current density as latter angle segments.
CHEN et al.( CN 213285361) teaches a coil array for improving focus of transcranial magnetic stimulation and a magnetic stimulation device. The coil array comprises a plurality of non-intersecting polygonal coils located in the same plane or the same curved surface; at least one side of each polygonal coil is adjacent and parallel to the side of the other polygonal coil.
ZANGEN et al.( US 20160206896) teaches transcranial magnetic stimulation coil which is location-specific for medial brain regions or lateral brain regions is designed with multiple spaced apart stimulating elements having current flow in a first direction, and multiple return elements having current flow in a second direction which is opposite the first direction. The multiple stimulating elements are distributed around a central axis of the coil.
Hathaway(US 11541247) teaches magnetic stimulation probe is provided to produce a probe electromagnetic field within a patient. The magnetic stimulation probe has a first generally planar magnetic field generating coil having a first coil trace having a decreasing radial spiral which passes about a first central portion, the first coil trace having a first electric current traveling in a first direction and having a first plurality of separated portions each having a first respective set of different radii from the first central portion along a bisecting line. The first planar coil has a second coil trace having a second electric current traveling in a second direction which is parallel to the first direction, and having a second plurality of separated portions each having a second respective set of different radii from the first central portion along the bisecting line along the bisecting line. Two such coils can be arranged to produce a high intensity focused magnetic field at a distance from the probe.
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/BRIAN L CASLER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3791
