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 .
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.
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 1 and 2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Osawa (WO 2016/124281, of which an English translation is attached).
In regard to claim 1, Osawa discloses a narrow beam generation device 11 (denoted “illumination optical system”, see e.g. page 16, fourth full paragraph) comprising (see e.g. Figure 17a,b):
a beam shaper configured (i.e. comprising at least condenser 65a, see e.g. Figures 17a,b) to shape a beam emitted from a line light source (see e.g. page 16, fourth full paragraph and annotated Figure 17 b and note the line light source is generated by elements including light from optical fiber 13, collimator lens 14, and axicon lens 69),
the beam shaper comprising a condenser 65a (see e.g. Figures 17a,b and page 16, fourth full paragraph),
the line light source (i.e. generated by elements including light from fiber l3 and elements 14, 69) being arranged on an optical axis AX1 (see e.g. Figure 17a-b) of the condenser 65a (see e.g. Figure 17a-b).
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Osawa fails to disclose
the line light source having a center position on the optical axis arranged at a position farther from the condenser than a focal position of the condenser.
However, one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would recognize using the line light source having a center position on the optical axis arranged at a position farther from the condenser than a focal position of the condenser, since it has been held that where the general condition of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or working ranges involves only routine skill in the art (see e.g. MPEP 2144.05).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Osawa with the line light source having a center position on the optical axis arranged at a position farther from the condenser than a focal position of the condenser.
Selecting the position of the line light source outside of the focal point of the condenser would prevent unwanted divergence of the light generated by the line light source.
In regard to claim 2, Osawa discloses the limitations as applied to claim 1 above, and
a line light source generator (see e.g. annotated Figure 17b and page 16, fourth full paragraph where the line light source includes light from optical fiber 13, collimator lens 14, and axicon lens 69) comprising a light source (i.e. light from optical fiber 13, see e.g. annotated Figure 17b and page 16, fourth full paragraph), a collimator optical system 14 (denoted “collimator lens”, see e.g. annotated Figure 17b and page 16, fourth full paragraph), and an optical axicon 69 (denoted “axicon lens”, see e.g. annotated Figure 17b and page 16, fourth full paragraph).
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Osawa (WO 2016/124281) in view of Gross et al. (“Handbook of Optical Systems, pages 377-278, 2007).
In regard to claim 3, Osawa discloses the limitations as applied to claim 1 above, and wherein the narrow beam generation device 11 comprises:
a line light source generator (see e.g. annotated Figure 17b and page 16, fourth full paragraph where the line light source includes light from optical fiber 13, collimator lens 14, and axicon lens 69) comprising a light source (i.e. light from optical fiber 13, see e.g. annotated Figure 17b and page 16, fourth full paragraph), a collimator optical system 14 (denoted “collimator lens”, see e.g. annotated Figure 17b and page 16, fourth full paragraph), and a lens having an axicon surface 69 (denoted “axicon lens”, see e.g. annotated Figure 17b and page 16, fourth full paragraph).
Osawa fails to disclose
wherein the condenser is a lens having an aspheric surface, and wherein the lens having the axicon surface and the lens having the aspherical surface are integrated.
However, Gross et al. discloses making lens surfaces aspheric in order to optimize an optical system (see e.g. page 377, items 9 and 10).
Further, one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would recognize it would have been obvious to use a configuration in which the lens having the axicon surface and the lens having the aspherical surface are integrated, since it has been held that making in one piece an article which has formerly been formed in multiple pieces involves only routine skill in the art (see e.g. MPEP 2144.04, In re Larson 144 USPQ 347, 349, (CCPA 1965))
Given the teachings of Gross et al., it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Osawa with wherein the condenser is a lens having an aspheric surface, and wherein the lens having the axicon surface and the lens having the aspherical surface are integrated.
Providing an aspheric surface to the lens prevents unwanted aberration and other detrimental phenomena. Further, integrating the lens into one structure would prevent the lens from becoming displaced laterally which could cause a deterioration of the optical system.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Osawa (WO 2016/124281) in view of Kumkar et al. (US 2017/0276951 A1).
In regard to claim 4, Osawa discloses the limitations as applied to claim 1 above, and
wherein the narrow beam generation device 11 comprises:
a line light source generator (see e.g. annotated Figure 17b and page 16, fourth full paragraph where the line light source includes light from optical fiber 13, collimator lens 14, and axicon lens 69) comprising a light source (i.e. light from optical fiber 13, see e.g. annotated Figure 17b and page 16, fourth full paragraph), a collimator optical system 14 (denoted “collimator lens”, see e.g. annotated Figure 17b and page 16, fourth full paragraph).
Osawa fails to disclose
an axicon mirror,
wherein the condenser comprises a parabolic mirror.
However, Kumkar et al. discloses
an axicon mirror 131c (see e.g. paragraphs [0157]-[0158] and Figure 11b),
wherein the condenser comprises a parabolic mirror (see e.g. paragraph [0158]).
Given the teachings of Kumkar et al., it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Osawa with an axicon mirror, wherein the condenser comprises a parabolic mirror.
Providing the reflective elements would allow the beam shaping element to use reflective configuration.
Claims 5 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Osawa (WO 2016/124281) in view of Park et al. (US 2007/0081214 A1).
In regard to claim 5, Osawa discloses the limitations as applied to claim 2 above, but fails to disclose
wherein the collimator optical system emits a plurality of collimated light of different wavelengths.
However, Park et al. discloses
wherein the collimator optical system emits a plurality of collimated light of different wavelengths (see e.g. paragraph [0029] for light sources of different wavelength, 111, 115, 118 and collimation lenses 114, 116, 119, correspond to the light sources).
Given the teachings of Park et al., it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Osawa with wherein the collimator optical system emits a plurality of collimated light of different wavelengths.
Choosing the wavelength or wavelengths of the system allows the system to be customized to a particular excitation wavelength.
In regard to claim 6, Osawa discloses the limitations as applied to claim 5 above, but fails to disclose
wherein the collimator optical system comprises a plurality of collimator lenses on which light emitted from a plurality of light sources is incident, and
wherein the narrow beam generation device comprises an optical axicon on which the plurality of collimated light of different wavelengths emitted from the plurality of collimator lenses is incident.
Osawa does disclose collimated light incident on an optical axicon 69 (denoted “axicon lens”, see e.g. annotated Figure 17b and page 16, fourth full paragraph).
Further, Park et al. discloses
wherein the collimator optical system comprises a plurality of collimator lenses on which light emitted from a plurality of light sources is incident (see e.g. paragraph [0029] for light sources of different wavelength, 111, 115, 118 and collimation lenses 114, 116, 119, correspond to the light sources).
Given the teachings of Park et al., it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Osawa with wherein the collimator optical system comprises a plurality of collimator lenses on which light emitted from a plurality of light sources is incident, and wherein the narrow beam generation device comprises an optical axicon on which the plurality of collimated light of different wavelengths emitted from the plurality of collimator lenses is incident.
Incorporation of the plurality of light sources and collimating lenses into the device of Osawa would allow the device to utilize multiple wavelengths, which has the advantage of being used in more applications requiring various wavelengths.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Osawa (WO 2016/124281) in view of Mamada et al. (WO 2019/193918, of which an English translation is attached).
In regard to claim 7, Osawa discloses the limitations as applied to claim 1 above, but fails to disclose
wherein the beam shaper comprises an aperture.
However, Mamada et al. discloses (see e.g. Figure 18):
wherein the beam shaper comprises an aperture 26 (denoted “plate-shaped shield”, see e.g. page 22, second full paragraph).
Given the teachings of Mamada et al., it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Osawa with wherein the beam shaper comprises an aperture.
Providing the aperture allows unwanted stray light to be blocked outside the region of the rings of light generated by axicon lens.
Conclusion
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/JESSICA M MERLIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2871