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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Horton, et al (U.S. Patent Application Publication 2014/0306130 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Horton discloses a radioactive substance container used for storing, carrying radioactive substances and putting radioactive substances into use, comprising:
At least one body (20) having at least one space in which the radioactive substance (contained in radioactive isotope generator 30) is to be positioned, and
At least one cover (18) enabling a top of the body to be covered and having at least one opening (84) for permitting access to an interior of the body.
Regarding claim 2, Horton discloses wherein said opening is an opening which permits at least one transfer member (elution tool 14) to extend into the body for the transfer of the radioactive substance present inside the container to an area of use.
Regarding claim 3, Horton discloses wherein the body has at least one storage vessel housing (30), which allows the radioactive substance to be placed into the body via at least one storage vessel.
Regarding claim 4, Horton discloses wherein the storage vessel is a storage vessel with a structure permitting a transfer member to access the radioactive substance by piercing through the structure on said storage vessel (needle assembly 32).
Regarding claim 5, Horton discloses wherein the body has at least one storage vessel housing, which allows the radioactive substance to be placed into the body via at least one vial or bottle (Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 6, Horton discloses wherein the radioactive substance container has at least one guide structure (68) which enables the transfer member to be guided towards the center of the body and thus towards the center of the storage vessel while said transfer member is passing through the opening.
Regarding claim 7, Horton discloses wherein the guide structure has a structure integrated with the opening (Figs. 4 and 5).
Regarding claim 8, Horton discloses wherein the guides structure is a guide structure which ensures that the diameter of the end of the opening farthest from the body is greater than the diameter of the end of the opening nearest to the body (Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 9, Horton discloses wherein the opening is an opening (95) the diameter of which decreases while approaching the body and increases while moving away from the body. (Fig. 7).
Regarding claims 10 and 11, Horton discloses wherein the opening has a conical structure (Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 12, Horton discloses wherein said container is manufactured from lead (paragraph 0029).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL P MASKELL whose telephone number is (571)270-3210. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10A-6P.
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/MICHAEL MASKELL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2878 30 May 2026
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