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) 1-4, 6, and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2002/0195556 (Yoshinari et al.).
Regarding claim 1, Yoshinari et al. discloses an ion detector comprising:
a conversion dynode having a conversion region where electrons are emitted by incident ions (element 6);
an electron multiplier including a first-stage dynode on which the electrons are incident (“The secondary electrons may be detected by an electron detecting unit other than the electron detecting unit 7, such as a multiplier.”);
a box electrode housing the conversion dynode, and including a first opening through which the ions traveling to the conversion region pass and a second opening through which the electrons traveling to the first-stage dynode from the conversion region pass (element 6, outer portion, including entrance opening 61 and exit opening 63);
a conductive shielding portion disposed in the first opening and including a gap through which the ions traveling to the conversion region pass (element 66); and
a potential application unit which applies a first potential to the conversion dynode, applies a second potential to the first-stage dynode, applies a third potential to the box electrode, and applies a fourth potential to the shielding portion (element 11), wherein
the first potential and the third potential have polarities opposite to a polarity of the ions (intended use, also “The respective polarities of voltages applied to … the conversion dynode 6 for positive ions are inverse to those of voltages applied to the same for negative ions, respectively.” P 43,
the second potential is higher than the first potential (intended use, see also voltages in figures 3, 7, 9, and 11), and
the third potential and the fourth potential are substantially the same potential (intended use, also “The conversion dynode 6c is provided with a mesh electrode 66 of the same potential as the conversion dynode 6 fitted in an ion beam entrance 61.” P 40).
Regarding claim 2, Yoshinari et al. discloses the ion detector according to claim 1, wherein the shielding portion includes, as the gap, a plurality of gaps two-dimensionally disposed along the first opening (“mesh electrode”).
Regarding claim 3, Yoshinari et al. discloses the ion detector according to claim 1, wherein the first opening is disposed on one side with respect to a first center line passing through a center of the conversion region as viewed from a direction perpendicular to the first center line, the second opening is disposed on the other side with respect to the first center line as viewed form the direction perpendicular to the first center line, and the first-stage dynode faces the second opening (all figures).
Regarding claim 4, Yoshinari et al. discloses the ion detector according to claim 1, wherein the first potential and the third potential are substantially the same potential (intended use, also “The conversion dynode 6c is provided with a mesh electrode 66 of the same potential as the conversion dynode 6 fitted in an ion beam entrance 61.” P 40).
Regarding claim 6, Yoshinari et al. discloses the ion detector according to claim 1, further comprising a partition including an aperture through which the ions traveling to the first opening pass (element 5, including aperture 52, also element 4, with unlabeled aperture above element 41).
Regarding claim 9, Yoshinari et al. discloses a mass spectrometer comprising:
an ionization unit (element 2);
a mass separation unit (element 3); and
an ion detector (elements 4-7), wherein
the ion detector includes
a conversion dynode having a conversion region where electrons are emitted by incident ions (element 6);
an electron multiplier including a first-stage dynode on which the electrons are incident (“The secondary electrons may be detected by an electron detecting unit other than the electron detecting unit 7, such as a multiplier.”);
a box electrode housing the conversion dynode, and including a first opening through which the ions traveling to the conversion region pass and a second opening through which the electrons traveling to the first-stage dynode from the conversion region pass (element 6, outer portion, including entrance opening 61 and exit opening 63);
a conductive shielding portion disposed in the first opening and including a gap through which the ions traveling to the conversion region pass (element 66); and
a potential application unit which applies a first potential to the conversion dynode, applies a second potential to the first-stage dynode, applies a third potential to the box electrode, and applies a fourth potential to the shielding portion (element 11), wherein
the first potential and the third potential have polarities opposite to a polarity of the ions (intended use, also “The respective polarities of voltages applied to … the conversion dynode 6 for positive ions are inverse to those of voltages applied to the same for negative ions, respectively.” P 43,
the second potential is higher than the first potential (intended use, see also voltages in figures 3, 7, 9, and 11), and
the third potential and the fourth potential are substantially the same potential (intended use, also “The conversion dynode 6c is provided with a mesh electrode 66 of the same potential as the conversion dynode 6 fitted in an ion beam entrance 61.” P 40).
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.
Claim(s) 5 & 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2002/0195556 (Yoshinari et al.).
Regarding claim 5, Yoshinari et al. discloses the claimed invention except it is silent as to whether an area of the gap is 50% or more of an area of the first opening. Mesh electrodes with greater than 50% of the area comprising gaps are well-known in the art, and it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to use such a mesh electrode so that most of the ions are able to enter the box electrode and reach the conversion dynode.
Regarding claim 10, Yoshinari et al. discloses the claimed invention except for a quadrupole mass separation unit. Quadrupole mass separation units are well known in the art and it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to substitute a quadrupole mass separation unit for the ion trap mass separation unit of Yoshinari because they are functional equivalents, as each separates ions by mass using electromagnetic fields.
Claim(s) 1-2 and 4-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 7,465,919 (Hosea et al.) in view of US 2002/0195556 (Yoshinari et al.).
Regarding claim 1, Hosea et al. discloses an ion detector comprising:
a conversion dynode having a conversion region where electrons are emitted by incident ions (element 3.4);
an electron multiplier including a first-stage dynode on which the electrons are incident (element 3.8);
a box electrode housing the conversion dynode, and including a first opening through which the ions traveling to the conversion region pass and a second opening through which the electrons traveling to the first-stage dynode from the conversion region pass (element 4.6 with first opening 4.1 and second opening 4.2); and
a potential application unit which applies a first potential to the conversion dynode, applies a second potential to the first-stage dynode (inherent, dynodes require voltage to function), and applies a third potential to the box electrode (“conversion dynode shield 4.6, generally constructed of a conductor and being earth grounded, encloses the conversion dynode. In alternate embodiments, shield 4.6 is electrically biased.”), wherein
the first potential and the third potential have polarities opposite the polarity of the ions (intended use, also first potential must have opposite polarity of the ions for normal functioning, because this is required for the ions to be attracted to the conversion electrode);
the second potential is higher than the first potential (intended use, also required for normal functioning, the second potential must be higher than the first or the electrons created would be repelled rather than attracted to the first-stage dynode).
Hosea et al. does not disclose a conductive shielding portion disposed in the first opening and including a gap through which the ions traveling to the conversion region pass and configuring the potential application unit to apply a fourth potential to the shielding portion. Yoshinari et al. discloses an ion detector including such a shielding portion (element 66) wherein the potential application unit applies a potential to the shielding portion (“The conversion dynode 6c is provided with a mesh electrode 66 of the same potential as the conversion dynode 6 fitted in an ion beam entrance 61.” P 40). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to modify the ion detector of Hosea et al. to include the shieling portion and associated potential application of Yoshinari et al. to reduce leakage of secondary electrons, as disclosed in Yoshinari et al. (”Although an ion beam travels through the mesh electrode 66 at the ion beam entrance 61, the leakage of secondary electrons through the ion beam entrance 61 can be reduced because any penetrated electric field is not created in a region of the interior of the conversion dynode 6c in the vicinity of the ion bean entrance 61.” P 40).
Regarding claim 2, Hosea et al. in view of Yoshinari et al. disclose the ion detector according to claim 1, wherein the shielding portion includes, as the gap, a plurality of gaps two-dimensionally disposed along the first opening (Yoshinari et al., “mesh electrode”).
Regarding claim 4, Hosea et al. in view of Yoshinari et al. disclose the ion detector according to claim 1, wherein the first potential and the third potential are substantially the same potential (intended use).
Regarding claim 5, Hosea et al. in view of Yoshinari et al. disclose the claimed invention except Yoshinari is silent as to whether an area of the gap is 50% or more of an area of the first opening. Mesh electrodes with greater than 50% of the area comprising gaps are well-known in the art, and it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to use such a mesh electrode so that most of the ions are able to enter the box electrode and reach the conversion dynode.
Regarding claim 6, Hosea et al. in view of Yoshinari et al. disclose the ion detector according to claim 1, further comprising a partition including an aperture through which the ions traveling to the first opening pass (element 3.9).
Regarding claim 7, Hosea et al. in view of Yoshinari et al. disclose the ion detector according to claim 6, further comprising:
a deflection electrode, wherein the box electrode and the deflection electrode are placed to the side with respect to a second center line of the aperture as viewed from a direction perpendicular to the second center line (element 3.3); and
the potential application unit applies a ground potential or a potential having the same polarity as the polarity of the ions to the deflection electrode (“The conducting bending rod 3.3 is negatively or positively biased, depending upon the polarity of the charged ions being measured.”, note that the specific potentials are intended use).
Hosea et al. places the deflection electrode and the box electrode on the same side, rather than opposite sides. However, a person having ordinary skill in the art would readily recognize that the deflection electrode could be placed on the opposite side and the polarity reversed to deflect the beam in the same direction through repulsion rather than attraction.
Regarding claim 8, Hosea et al. in view of Yoshinari et al. disclose the ion detector according to claim 6, wherein the first opening is inclined to be separated from the aperture as the first opening becomes close to a second center line of the aperture as viewed from the direction perpendicular to the second center line (“The cylindrical shield 4.6 is rotatable about its vertical axis such that the axis 4.5 of the shield ion entrance aperture 4.1 could be rotated to increase or decrease the angle between the axis 4.5 and longitudinal axis 3.2 of the ion beam.”).
Regarding claim 9, Hosea et al. discloses a mass spectrometer comprising:
an ionization unit (1.1);
a mass separation unit (3.6); and
an ion detector (elements 3.4 and 3.8), wherein
the ion detector includes
a conversion dynode having a conversion region where electrons are emitted by incident ions (element 3.4);
an electron multiplier including a first-stage dynode on which the electrons are incident (element 3.8);
a box electrode housing the conversion dynode, and including a first opening through which the ions traveling to the conversion region pass and a second opening through which the electrons traveling to the first-stage dynode from the conversion region pass (element 4.6 with first opening 4.1 and second opening 4.2); and
a potential application unit which applies a first potential to the conversion dynode, applies a second potential to the first-stage dynode (inherent, dynodes require voltage to function), and applies a third potential to the box electrode (“conversion dynode shield 4.6, generally constructed of a conductor and being earth grounded, encloses the conversion dynode. In alternate embodiments, shield 4.6 is electrically biased.”), wherein
the first potential and the third potential have polarities opposite the polarity of the ions (intended use, also first potential must have opposite polarity of the ions for normal functioning, because this is required for the ions to be attracted to the conversion electrode);
the second potential is higher than the first potential (intended use, also required for normal functioning, the second potential must be higher than the first or the electrons created would be repelled rather than attracted to the first-stage dynode).
Hosea et al. does not disclose a conductive shielding portion disposed in the first opening and including a gap through which the ions traveling to the conversion region pass and configuring the potential application unit to apply a fourth potential to the shielding portion. Yoshinari et al. discloses an ion detector including such a shielding portion (element 66) wherein the potential application unit applies a potential to the shielding portion (“The conversion dynode 6c is provided with a mesh electrode 66 of the same potential as the conversion dynode 6 fitted in an ion beam entrance 61.” P 40). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to modify the ion detector of Hosea et al. to include the shieling portion and associated potential application of Yoshinari et al. to reduce leakage of secondary electrons, as disclosed in Yoshinari et al. (”Although an ion beam travels through the mesh electrode 66 at the ion beam entrance 61, the leakage of secondary electrons through the ion beam entrance 61 can be reduced because any penetrated electric field is not created in a region of the interior of the conversion dynode 6c in the vicinity of the ion bean entrance 61.” P 40).
Regarding claim 10, Hosea et al. in view of Yoshinari et al. disclose the mass spectrometer according to claim 9, wherein the mass separation unit is a quadrupole mass separation unit (“quadrupole mass analyzer 3.6”).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ELIZA W OSENBAUGH-STEWART whose telephone number is (571)270-5782. The examiner can normally be reached 10am - 6pm Pacific Time M-F.
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/ELIZA W OSENBAUGH-STEWART/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2881
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