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, 2, 11 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Feng et al. (US 2021/0055362 A1), hereinafter referred to as Feng. With reference to claim 1, Feng teaches a magnetic resonance (MR) surface coil comprising: at least one radio frequency (RF) antenna for transmitting and/or receiving RF signals (Fig. 4, 334-348); at least one electronic component electrically connected to the at least one RF antenna (Fig. 4, 318-332, 350-354); an outer cover within which the at least one RF antenna and the at least one electronic component are arranged (Fig. 4, 360, 364); and at least one heat dissipation element thermally connected to the at least one electronic component, wherein the at least one heat dissipation element is configured to dissipate thermal energy from the at least one electronic component outside and/or to distribute the thermal energy over an area (Fig. 4, 358, 400, ¶0045-0046),
wherein the at least one heat dissipation element comprises at least one heat conductor arranged within the outer cover (Fig. 4, 358, 400, ¶0045-0046), and wherein the at least one heat dissipation element is configured to conduct at least part of a heat along the at least one heat conductor out of the MR surface coil (Fig. 4, 358, 400, ¶0045-0046).
With reference to claim 2, Feng further teaches the MR surface coil is flexible (¶0015). With reference to claim 11, Feng further teaches at least one heat dissipation element comprises at least one fastening element is configured to fasten the MR surface coil to a patient and/or to a patient table and absorb at least part of the thermal energy (Fig. 2, 212, 210).
With reference to claim 15, Feng teaches a system comprising: a patient table (Fig. 1, 26); and a magnetic resonance (MR) surface coil (Fig. 1, 14) having: at least one radio frequency (RF) antenna for transmitting and/or receiving RF signals (Fig. 4, 334-348); at least one electronic component electrically connected to the at least one RF antenna (Fig. 4, 318-332, 350-354); an outer cover within which the at least one RF antenna and the at least one electronic component are arranged (Fig. 4, 360, 364); and at least one heat dissipation element thermally connected to the at least one electronic component, wherein the at least one heat dissipation element is configured to dissipate thermal energy from the at least one electronic component outside and/or to distribute the thermal energy over an area (Fig. 4, 358, 400, ¶0045-0046).
With reference to claim 18, Feng teaches A magnetic resonance apparatus comprising: a magnetic resonance (MR) surface coil having:
at least one radio frequency (RF) antenna for transmitting and/or receiving RF signals (Fig. 4, 334-348); at least one electronic component electrically connected to the at least one RF antenna (Fig. 4, 318-332, 350-354); a cover within which the at least one RF antenna and the at least one electronic component are arranged (Fig. 4, 360, 364); and at least one heat dissipation element thermally connected to the at least one electronic component, wherein the at least one heat dissipation element is configured to dissipate thermal energy from the at least one electronic component outside and/or to distribute the thermal energy over an area (Fig. 4, 358, 400, ¶0045-0046), and
wherein the at least one heat dissipation element comprises at least one heat conductor arranged within the outer cover (Fig. 4, 358, 400, ¶0045-0046), and wherein the at least one heat dissipation element is configured to conduct at least part of a heat along the at least one heat conductor out of the MR surface coil (Fig. 4, 358, 400, ¶0045-0046).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Feng as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Iannotti et al. (US 8,198,895 B2), hereinafter referred to as Iannotti.
Feng teaches all that is required as explained above, however is silent with regards to the at least one heat conductor comprises a filament.
Iannotti teaches the at least one heat conductor comprises a filament (Column 4 lines 51-64).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to use the teaching of Iannotti with the MR surface coil of Feng so as to evenly distribute the heat (Iannotti, Column 4 lines 51-64).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 04/13/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that “The cited art does not teach or suggest such an MR surface coil. Specifically, there is no teaching or suggestion within Feng regarding an MR surface coil having a heat conductor within an outer cover of the surface coil, as clarified in amended claim 1. The Office has argued, with respect to the features of claim 8 now incorporated into claim 1, that Figure 4 (elements 358, 400) and paragraphs [0045] and [0046] of Feng disclose such a heat conductor. (Office Action, p. 4.) Applicants respectfully disagree. Elements 358 and 400 within Feng are described as thermal patches positioned within an internal structure of an RF coil unit 200. Specifically, the patches 358 and 400 are positioned within openings of a pressure reservoir 300 that is sandwiched in between two outer layers 360 and 364 of the RF coil unit 200. As such, assuming arguendo that the thermal patches are heat conductors, the thermal patches are not positioned within an outer layer of the RF coil unit.”
The examiner respectfully disagrees. The identified head conductors of 358 and/or 400 are within the outer cover identified as 360 and 364 of RF coil unit 200. As in applicant’s figure 3, the cover 150 has a top and bottom part, although not separately labeled. The opposing outer layers 360 and 364 make up the “outer layer” of the RF coil unit 200, thus the heat conductors 358 and/or4 00 are within the outer layer.
Applicant further argues that “Independent claim 15 recites features consistent with those discussed above for allowable independent claim 1. Therefore, Applicants submit that claim 15 is allowable over the cited art for consistent reasons.” As discussed above, claim 1 is not allowable over Feng.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 10 is allowed.
Claim 3-7, 13, 14 and 16 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: The prior art does not disclose or suggest the claimed " at least one heat dissipation element comprises at least one replaceable cooling packs wherein the at least one replaceable cooling pack is configured to be inserted and removed via the at least one opening in the outer cover" in combination with the remaining claim elements as set forth in claim 10.
The prior art does not disclose or suggest the claimed " he at least one heat dissipation element further comprises at least one distribution layer arranged between the at least one electronic component and the outer cover, wherein the at least one distribution layer is connected to the at least one heat conductor, and wherein the at least one distribution layer is configured to distribute at least part of the thermal energy on a surface of the MR surface coil via the at least one heat conductor" in combination with the remaining claim elements as set forth in claims 3 and 4.
The prior art does not disclose or suggest the claimed "at least one heat dissipation element further comprises at least one heat transfer element arranged between the at least one electronic component and the outer cover, wherein the at least one heat transfer element is connected to the at least one heat conductor, and wherein the at least one heat transfer element is configured to transfer at least part of the thermal energy to at least one counterpart arranged outside the MR surface coil via the at least one heat conductor" in combination with the remaining claim elements as set forth in claims 13 and 14.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GREGORY H CURRAN whose telephone number is (571)270-7505. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm, EST.
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/GREGORY H CURRAN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
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