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.
Claim 7 is 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.
Claim 7 recites the phrase “in a vertical direction”, but does not define with respect to what features the phrase defined, and is thus an arbitrary direction. One of ordinary skill in the art would not be apprised of claim scope.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KANEYASU (JP 2015225331 A) in view of SUZUKI et al. (JP 2017036968 A).
Regarding claim 1, KANEYASU discloses a detector comprising:
a first part including a first housing and a detection panel provided in the first housing (first housing 21 includes first casing body 23 formed of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) and includes detection panel 44; FIG. 5),
a second part connected to the first part and including a second housing (second housing 22 connected to first housing 21 and includes a second casing body 24 made of metal; FIG 4); and
a reinforcement member 25 disposed outside the detection panel and provided on the first housing (first and second cover body 25 and 26).
KANEYASU does not specify (1) a first housing made of an elastic material, or (2) the reinforcement member disposed so as to surround at least a part of the detection panel on a horizontal plane. Regarding feature 1, KANEYASU discloses selecting a first casing body from other materials that transmits x-rays ([0036]), wherein any number of suitable materials that are elastic are well-known in the art. Thus, based on the application at hand, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to select an elastic material, such as providing a more flexible detection apparatus. Regarding the feature # 2, SUZUKI discloses a radiation detection panel 107 having a reinforcement member (any one of buffer layer 104 or buffer members 200, 300, 400, 500, 601, 602, 701, 800a; FIG 1-8) disposed outside the detection panel (sensor board 107, FIG 1b) and provided on a first housing 102 so as to surround at least a part of the detection panel on a horizontal plane (FIG 1-2; [0009-0013]), with the benefit of improving apparatus durability. In light of the teachings of SUZUKI, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to combine with the teachings of KANEYASU.
Regarding claim 2, KANEYASU discloses a connection portion 29/30 coupled to one end of the second housing 22 at which the first housing 21 and the second housing 22 are connected (FIG 2).
Regarding claim 3, SUZUKI does not specify wherein the reinforcement member is disposed over the first housing and the second housing. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill at the time of the invention to dispose the known technique (disposing reinforcement member over a housing per SUZUKI) to improve similar devices (second housing of KANEYASU) in the same way (improved durability). KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415-421, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1395-97 (2007).
Regarding claim 4, KANEYASU discloses a reinforcement member wherein the reinforcement member includes a connection portion coupled to the inside of the second housing (connectors 27 and 28; FIG 3-4).
Regarding claim 5, KANEYASU discloses wherein the first housing comprises: a panel accommodation portion configured to accommodate the detection panel 44 (base protrusion 45 supports panel 44; FIG 4); and a reinforcement member accommodation portion (top of housing body 23 accommodates reinforcement member 25) formed outside the panel accommodation portion when viewed on the horizontal plane, the reinforcement member accommodation portion being configured to accommodate the reinforcement member (FIG 4).
Regarding claim 6, KANEYASU discloses wherein the reinforcement member comprises: a first reinforcement portion (first member 601) disposed in a first accommodation region of the reinforcement member accommodation portion in a first direction (FIG 6b shows the first member formed in a region of housing 101 and detachable from at least one of the inner surface 102 in a direction toward the housing 102); and a second reinforcement portion (second member 602) disposed in a second accommodation region (opening 102c) of the reinforcement member accommodation portion in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction (second member 602 attaches in the opening 102c in a direction parallel with the panel and orthogonal to the first direction), and wherein the reinforcement member is configured to move in the reinforcement member accommodation portion in the first or second direction on the horizontal plane when the first part is bent (if the housing 102 is bent, the buffers 600 would be capable of moving in first or second direction in the accommodation portion 102c/region of housing 101; FIG 6b).
Regarding claim 8, SUZUKI discloses wherein the first housing comprises: a first plate 102a disposed on one surface of the reinforcement member 200; and a second plate 102b disposed on the other surface of the reinforcement member opposite to one surface of the reinforcement member in a vertical direction (FIG 2).
Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KANEYASU (JP 2015225331 A) in view of SUZUKI et al. (JP 2017036968 A), further in view of REINA et al. (US Pub # 2022/0133250).
Regarding claim 17, KANEYASU and SUZUKI are silent regarding a fixing part passage groove is formed at a lateral end of the second housing, and a fixing part configured to fix the detector to a test target passes through the fixing part passage groove. In the same field of endeavor, REINA discloses an x-ray imaging system comprising a detector panel having a fixing part passage groove formed in a lateral end of a housing and a fixing part configured to fix the detector passes through the fixing part passage groove (FIG 1A; straps or cords loop through metal hands to attach and securing the device; [0020]). In light of the teachings of REINA, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to combine with the teachings of KANE YASU and SUZUKI.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 7 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding claim 7, the prior art fails to disclose or suggest, in combination with the other claimed elements, wherein the first reinforcement portion includes a protruding portion protruding from one end in a vertical direction or protruding from one end so as to have a predetermined angle with respect to the vertical direction, wherein the first accommodation region includes a stopper portion configured to come into contact with the protruding portion in the first direction when the first reinforcement portion moves in the first direction on the horizontal plane, and wherein a state in which the first part is maximally bent in the first direction is a state in which the protruding portion and the stopper portion are in contact with each other.
Claims 9-16, 18 and 19 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 9, the prior art fails to disclose or suggest, in combination with the other claimed elements, wherein the detector further comprises a bending restriction part configured to restrict a degree to which the first part is maximally bendable, wherein the bending restriction part is disposed in a bending restriction part guide portion formed in the reinforcement member in a first direction on the horizontal plane, and wherein the bending restriction part is configured to move in the first direction on the horizontal plane along the bending restriction part guide portion when the first part is bent. Claims 10-11 contain allowable subject matter on dependence from an objected claim.
Regarding claim 12, the prior art fails to disclose or suggest, in combination with the other claimed elements, wherein the second part includes a first ring portion formed in a first direction, and a second ring portion formed in a second direction different from the first direction, and wherein a fixing part configured to fix the detector to a test target is coupled to the first ring portion and the second ring portion. Claims 13-16 contain allowable subject matter on dependence from an objected claim.
Regarding claim 18, the prior art fails to further disclose or suggest, in combination with the other claimed elements an imaging device comprising: the detector according to claim 1; a fixing part configured to fix the detector so that the detector is tightly attached to a test target; and a radioactive ray generation part provided inside or outside the test target and configured to emit radiation to the detector. Claim 19 contains allowable subject matter on dependence from an objected claim.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CASEY BRYANT whose telephone number is (571)270-7329. The examiner can normally be reached M-F // 7-3P EST.
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CASEY BRYANT
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2884
/CASEY BRYANT/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2884