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 .
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed on 11 March 2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-7, 11-15, 18-19, 21-24 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 1-7, 11-15, 18-19, 21-24 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bachmor et al. (US 5,418,425) in view of Son (KR 0139339 Y1) and Agule (US 2,810,849).
Note: References to page/paragraph/line numbers in Son refer to the English translation.
With respect to claim 1: Bachmor teaches a depressed collector (4), comprising: an insulator body (12+13+14+15+16); a plurality of serial electrodes (8+9+10) disposed serially in a direction of an electron beam (2; see Fig. 1), each serial electrode having a serial electrode receptor portion inside the insulator body (see Fig. 1) and having a serial electrode thermal fin portion (25, 26; see Figs. 1, 2) passing through and extending outside the insulator body in a common orientation (see Fig. 1, column 2 lines 21-26), each serial electrode of the plurality of serial electrodes configured to be maintained at a non-zero voltage (column 2 lines 58-63), at least one serial electrode of the plurality of serial electrodes including a thermal fin portion extending outside the insulator body (see Fig. 1) and disposed serially in the direction of the electron beam (see Fig. 1); and a terminal electrode (11) having a terminal electrode receptor portion inside the insulator body (see Fig. 1) and having a terminal electrode thermal fin portion passing through and extending outside the insulator body in a common orientation (see Fig. 1, column 2 lines 21-26), portions of at least the insulator body, the plurality of serial electrodes and the terminal electrode forming a vacuum enclosure (17), each serial electrode thermal fin portion and the terminal electrode thermal fin being configured to be cooled from outside the vacuum enclosure (column 2 line 65-column 3 line 2), each serial electrode receptor portion and the terminal electrode receptor portion being configured to capture spent electrons (column 2 lines 63-65) from an interaction structure (1).
Bachmor does not specifically teach “a heat sink having a heat sink surface mounted flush to a rear wall of the terminal electrode and having one or more heat sink thermal fins extending outwardly in the common orientation, each of the one or more heat sink thermal fins being configured to be cooled from outside the vacuum enclosure”.
However, Son teaches “a heat sink (47) having a heat sink surface (surface mounted to 45) mounted flush to a rear wall of the terminal electrode (45) and having one or more heat sink thermal fins extending outwardly in the common orientation (see Fig. 1), each of the one or more heat sink thermal fins being configured to be cooled from outside (see Fig. 1) the vacuum enclosure (12)”.
It would have been obvious at the time the application was effectively filed for one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the depressed collector of Bachmor by attaching a heat sink to the terminal electrode as taught by Son in order to transfer heat generated in the terminal electrode to the outside (Son page 3 “The collector 43 for collecting the electron beam passing through the drift passage 12 includes a collector plate 45 for collecting the electron beam passing through the drift passage 12 and heat of the collector plate 45 to the outside. It consists of a heat dissipation plate 47”).
Bachmor does not specifically teach “at least one serial electrode of the plurality of serial electrodes including a plurality of serial thermal fin portions extending outside the insulator body and disposed serially in the direction of the electron beam”.
However, Agule teaches an electron tube (Fig. 1) which has an electrode (10) which has a plurality of serial thermal fin portions (27) extending outside the insulator body (28) and disposed serially in the direction of the electron beam (see Fig. 1)”.
It would have been obvious at the time the application was effectively filed for one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the depressed collector of Bachmor by using a plurality of serial thermal fin portions disposed in the direction of the electron beam as taught by Agule in order to increase the surface area of the fins and thereby improving the heat dissipating effect provided thereby (Agule column 3 lines 39-55).
With respect to claim 2: Bachmor in view of Son and Agule teaches “the depressed collector of claim 1 (see above)”.
Bachmor teaches “wherein the insulator body is made of ceramic material (column 2 lines 52-53)”.
With respect to claim 3: Bachmor in view of Son and Agule teaches “the depressed collector of claim 1 (see above)”.
Bachmor teaches “wherein the serial electrode thermal fin portion of each serial electrode of the plurality of serial electrodes has substantially identical dimensions (see Figs. 1, 2)”.
With respect to claim 4: Bachmor in view of Son and Agule teaches “the depressed collector of claim 3 (see above)”.
Bachmore teaches “wherein the terminal electrode thermal fin portion has substantially identical dimensions to the serial electrode thermal fin portion of each serial electrode (see Fig. 1)”.
With respect to claim 5: Bachmor in view of Son and Agule teaches “the depressed collector of claim 1 (see above)”.
Bachmor teaches “wherein the serial electrode thermal fin portions of the plurality of serial electrodes have substantially identical spacing therebetween (see Fig. 1)”.
With respect to claim 6: Bachmor in view of Son and Agule teaches “the depressed collector of claim 5 (see above)”.
Bachmor teaches “wherein the terminal electrode thermal fin portion has the substantially identical spacing from one of the serial electrode thermal fin portions of the plurality of serial electrodes (see Fig. 1)”.
With respect to claim 7: Bachmor in view of Son and Agule teaches “the depressed collector of claim 1 (see above)”.
Bachmor teaches “wherein the terminal electrode receptor portion is a terminal electrode rear receptor portion (flat part of 11) and the terminal electrode further includes a terminal electrode forward receptor portion (part of 11 extending into 17; see Fig. 1)”.
With respect to claim 10: Bachmor in view of Son and Agule teaches “the depressed collector of claim 9 (see above)”.
Bachmor does not specifically teach “wherein the one or more heat sink thermal fins includes two or more thermal fins”.
However, Son teaches “wherein the one or more heat sink thermal fins includes two or more thermal fins (see Fig. 1)”.
It would have been obvious at the time the application was effectively filed for one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the depressed collector of Bachmor by attaching a heat sink to the terminal electrode as taught by Son in order to transfer heat generated in the terminal electrode to the outside (Son page 3 “The collector 43 for collecting the electron beam passing through the drift passage 12 includes a collector plate 45 for collecting the electron beam passing through the drift passage 12 and heat of the collector plate 45 to the outside. It consists of a heat dissipation plate 47”).
With respect to claim 11: Bachmor in view of Son and Agule teaches “the depressed collector of claim 10 (see above)”.
Bachmor does not specifically teach “wherein the one or more heat sink thermal fins have substantially identical geometry as each serial electrode thermal fin portion and the terminal electrode thermal fin portion”.
However, Bachmor in view of Son teaches “wherein the one or more heat sink thermal fins (see Son Fig. 1) have substantially identical geometry (compare Bachmor Fig. 1 and Son Fig. 1) as each serial electrode thermal fin portion and the terminal electrode thermal fin portion (Bachmor Fig. 1 and Son Fig. 1)”.
It would have been obvious at the time the application was effectively filed for one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the depressed collector of Bachmor by attaching a heat sink to the terminal electrode as taught by Son in order to transfer heat generated in the terminal electrode to the outside (Son page 3 “The collector 43 for collecting the electron beam passing through the drift passage 12 includes a collector plate 45 for collecting the electron beam passing through the drift passage 12 and heat of the collector plate 45 to the outside. It consists of a heat dissipation plate 47”).
With respect to claim 12: Bachmor in view of Son and Agule teaches “the depressed collector of claim 10 (see above)”.
Bachmor does not specifically teach “wherein the one or more heat sink thermal fins include two or more heat sink thermal fins having have substantially identical spacing as between each serial electrode thermal fin portion”.
However, Son teaches “wherein the one or more heat sink thermal fins include two or more heat sink thermal fins”.
The combination of Bachmor and Son suggests the one or more heat sink thermal fins include two or more heat sink thermal fins having have substantially identical spacing as between each serial electrode thermal fin portion because the spacing between each fin is in each case selected to provide a heat dissipation function and a spacing suitable for that function would be suitable throughout the device.
It would have been obvious at the time the application was effectively filed for one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the depressed collector of Bachmor by attaching a heat sink to the terminal electrode as taught by Son in order to transfer heat generated in the terminal electrode to the outside (Son page 3 “The collector 43 for collecting the electron beam passing through the drift passage 12 includes a collector plate 45 for collecting the electron beam passing through the drift passage 12 and heat of the collector plate 45 to the outside. It consists of a heat dissipation plate 47”).
With respect to claim 13: Bachmor in view of Son and Agule teaches “the depressed collector of claim 1 (see above)”.
Bachmor further teaches “further comprising a gateway (7) coupled to the insulator body and having a gateway opening to allow an electron beam (2) from the interaction structure to enter the depressed collector (see Fig. 1)”.
With respect to claim 14: Bachmor in view of Son and Agule teaches “the depressed collector of claim 13 (see above)”.
Bachmor further teaches “wherein the gateway is maintained at ground potential (column 2 lines 59-63), and each of the plurality of serial electrodes and the terminal electrode is maintained at a high voltage potential (column 2 lines 59-63)”.
With respect to claim 15: Bachmor in view of Son and Agule teaches “The depressed collector of claim 14 (see above)”.
Bachmor further teaches “wherein the plurality of serial electrodes and the terminal electrode are maintained at respectively increasing voltage potentials (column 2 lines 59-63)”.
With respect to claim 18: Bachmor in view of Son and Agule teaches “the depressed collector of claim 1 (see above)”.
Bachmor further teaches “wherein the plurality of serial electrodes and the terminal electrode comprise metal (column 3 lines 5-6)”.
With respect to claim 19: Bachmor in view of Son and Agule teaches “the depressed collector of claim 1 (see above)”.
Bachmor further teaches “wherein each of the plurality of serial electrodes and the terminal electrode is maintained at a high voltage potential (column 2 lines 59-63), and wherein the plurality of serial electrodes and the terminal electrode are maintained at a distance (distance between 8, 9, 10, 11 and 7) from a ground plane (7) to avoid ionization (column 1 lines 54-56)”.
With respect to claim 21: Bachmor teaches “a method (method of using 4) comprising: providing a depressed collector (4) including an insulator body (12+13+14+15+16); a plurality of serial electrodes (8+9+10) disposed serially in a direction of an electron beam (2; see Fig. 1), each serial electrode having a serial electrode receptor portion inside the insulator body (see Fig. 1) and having a serial electrode thermal fin portion (25, 26) passing through and extending outside the insulator body in a common orientation (see Figs. 1, 2), each serial electrode of the plurality of serial electrodes configured to be maintained at a non-zero voltage (column 2 lines 59-63) at least one serial electrode of the plurality of serial electrodes including a thermal fin portions extending outside the insulator body (see Fig. 1) and disposed serially in the direction of the electron beam (see Fig. 1); and a terminal electrode (11) having a terminal electrode receptor portion inside the insulator body (see Fig. 1) and having a terminal electrode thermal fin portion passing through and extending outside the insulator body in a common orientation (see Fig. 1), portions of at least the insulator body, the plurality of serial electrodes and the terminal electrode forming a vacuum enclosure (17), each serial electrode thermal fin portion and the terminal electrode thermal fin being configured to be cooled from outside the vacuum enclosure (column 2 line 65-column 3 line 2), each serial electrode receptor portion and the terminal electrode receptor portion being configured to capture spent electrons (column 2 lines 63-65) from an interaction structure (1); and passing a gas (28) over the serial electrode thermal fin portions of the plurality of serial electrodes, the terminal electrode thermal fin portion (see Fig. 1)”.
Bachmor does not specifically teach “a heat sink having a heat sink surface mounted flush to a rear wall of the terminal electrode and having one or more heat sink thermal fins extending outwardly in the common orientation, each of the one or more heat sink thermal fins being configured to be cooled from outside the vacuum enclosure”.
However, Son teaches “a heat sink (47) having a heat sink surface (surface mounted to 45) mounted flush to a rear wall of the terminal electrode (45) and having one or more heat sink thermal fins extending outwardly in the common orientation (see Fig. 1), each of the one or more heat sink thermal fins being configured to be cooled from outside (see Fig. 1) the vacuum enclosure (12)”.
It would have been obvious at the time the application was effectively filed for one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the depressed collector of Bachmor by attaching a heat sink to the terminal electrode as taught by Son in order to transfer heat generated in the terminal electrode to the outside (Son page 3 “The collector 43 for collecting the electron beam passing through the drift passage 12 includes a collector plate 45 for collecting the electron beam passing through the drift passage 12 and heat of the collector plate 45 to the outside. It consists of a heat dissipation plate 47”).
Bachmor does not specifically teach “at least one serial electrode of the plurality of serial electrodes including a plurality of serial thermal fin portions extending outside the insulator body and disposed serially in the direction of the electron beam”.
However, Agule teaches an electron tube (Fig. 1) which has an electrode (10) which has a plurality of serial thermal fin portions (27) extending outside the insulator body (28) and disposed serially in the direction of the electron beam (see Fig. 1)”.
It would have been obvious at the time the application was effectively filed for one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the method of making the depressed collector of Bachmor by using a plurality of serial thermal fin portions disposed in the direction of the electron beam as taught by Agule in order to increase the surface area of the fins and thereby improving the heat dissipating effect provided thereby (Agule column 3 lines 39-55).
With respect to claim 22: Bachmor in view of Son and Agule teaches “the method of claim 21 (see above)”.
Bachmor does not specifically teach “wherein the one or more heat sink thermal fins includes two or more thermal fins”.
However, Son teaches “wherein the one or more heat sink thermal fins includes two or more thermal fins (see Fig. 1)”.
It would have been obvious at the time the application was effectively filed for one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the depressed collector of Bachmor by attaching a heat sink to the terminal electrode as taught by Son in order to transfer heat generated in the terminal electrode to the outside (Son page 3 “The collector 43 for collecting the electron beam passing through the drift passage 12 includes a collector plate 45 for collecting the electron beam passing through the drift passage 12 and heat of the collector plate 45 to the outside. It consists of a heat dissipation plate 47”).
With respect to claim 23: Bachmor in view of Son and Agule teaches “the method of claim 21 (see above)”.
Bachmor teaches “wherein the gas is air (column 2 lines 65-67)”.
With respect to claim 24: Bachmor in view of Son and Agule teaches “the method of claim 21 (see above)”.
Bachmor teaches “wherein each of the plurality of serial electrodes and the terminal electrode is maintained at a high voltage potential (column 2 lines 59-63), and wherein the plurality of serial electrodes and the terminal electrode are maintained at a distance (distances of 8, 9, 10, 11 from 7) from a ground plane (7) to avoid ionization (column 1 lines 54-56)”.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Hechtel et al. (US 4794303), which teaches an electron collecting structure.
Yosuke et al. (US 2958797), which teaches a cooling structure for an electron tube.
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.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHANIEL J. LEE whose telephone number is (571)270-5721. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5 EST M-F.
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/NATHANIEL J LEE/ Examiner, Art Unit 2875
/ABDULMAJEED AZIZ/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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