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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Yoshida et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication 20230210483).
U.S. Patent Application Publication 20230210483
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[0022] FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating the X-moving element of a table horizontal movement mechanism.
(5) examination table
(6) table
(43) linear guide rails
(49) lead screw / threaded shaft
(51) moving block or carriage
(47) motor or drive unit
(45) central support portion
(39(33)) housing / support frame
(54) sensor or detection element
The movable member (45) of Fig. 2 is a movable part of the medical support device. The movable member operates in accordance with an internal operation of the device, including engagement and release of the X-brake (53), which locks and unlocks the movable member along guide rail (43) (see para. [0047]).
As per claim 1, Yoshida et al. disclose a medical support device (5) configured to support a subject, the device comprising:
a movable part (45) configured to operate in accordance with an operation inside the medical support device (Fig.2 shown above; see also para. [0047]).
As per claim 17, Yoshida et al. disclose an X-ray diagnostic apparatus (not shown above, see Fig. 1, Abstract) comprising:
an X-ray generator (7) configured to generate X-rays;
an X-ray detector (11) configured to detect X-rays generated by the X-ray generator and passing through a subject (M); and
a medical support device (5) configured to support the subject positioned between the X-ray generator and the X-ray detector,
wherein the medical support device comprises a movable part (45) configured to operate in accordance with an operation inside the medical support device (Fig.2 shown above; see also para. [0047]).
Claim(s) 15 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Jackson et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication 20160000629).
U.S. Patent Application Publication 20160000629
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[0109] In one implementation, the base 102 includes: moveable base ends 144 with castors 142; offset uprights including secondary elevator mount assemblies 132 and 134 and linear actuators 128 and 130 configured to provide vertical translation or height adjustment of the patient support 106; and roll assemblies 136 and 138 configured to provide three degrees of freedom with respect to movement of the patient support 106 relative to a roll axis, a pitch axis, and a yaw axis. Further, in one implementation, both the head end 108 and the foot end 110 provide translation compensation via slides mounted to the roll assemblies 136, 138, and the head end 108 includes an actuator providing active translation compensation.
As per claim 15, Jackson et al. disclose a medical couch apparatus comprising:
a top plate (106);
a medical support device (112, 114) configured to support a subject (102) on the top plate (106), wherein the medical support device comprises a movable part (support sections) configured to operate in accordance with an operation (via actuators 128, 130) inside the medical support device (Fig. 2A; para. [0109], above).
As per claim 16, , Jackson et al. disclose an apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the medical support device is fixed to the top plate. [Examiner note: medical support device sections (112, 114) are structurally mounted on patient support top plate (106)].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-14, 18-20 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.
As per claim 2 and dependent claims 3-7, 12 and 13, the Examiner found no reference in the prior art that disclosed or rendered obvious a medical support device further comprising: at least one sensor configured to output a detection signal according to presence of a hand; and processing circuitry configured to detect the presence of the hand based on the detection signal output by the sensor, and control an operation of the movable part to support the subject according to a detection result of the presence of the hand.
As per claim 8 and dependent claims 9-11 and 14, the Examiner found no reference in the prior art that disclosed or rendered obvious a medical support device further comprising: a support tool having a shape into which a hand is able to be inserted.
As per claim 18 and dependent claim 19, the Examiner found no reference in the prior art that disclosed or rendered obvious an X-ray diagnostic apparatus further comprising: a medical couch apparatus comprising a top plate, wherein the X-ray generator and the medical support device are supported by a ceiling, and the medical support device is configured to support the subject positioned on the top plate.
As per claim 20, the Examiner found no reference in the prior art that disclosed or rendered obvious an X-ray diagnostic apparatus wherein the X-ray detector and the medical support device are supported by a stand installed on a floor surface, and the medical support device is configured to support the subject positioned in front of the stand.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to COURTNEY D THOMAS whose telephone number is (571)272-2496. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9 AM - 5 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, David Makiya can be reached at 571-272-2273. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/COURTNEY D THOMAS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2884