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 § 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) 1—3, 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matone (JP-2005058770-A) in view of Raiser (DE-10128836-A1).
Regarding claim 1
Matone discloses
A gradient coil unit (¶ 3 under TECH-PROBLEM), comprising:
a primary coil (¶ 3 under TECH-PROBLEM, there are several coils, one of which is the primary) comprising a spiral conductor (¶ 1 under TECH-SOLUTION) structure formed by an electrical conductor configured as a hollow conductor with a hollow region (¶ 5 under TECH-SOLUTION),
Matone does not disclose
“wherein the electrical conductor comprises two or more portions serially connected to one another, and
wherein the electrical conductor is arranged spirally in turns such that two adjacent turns of the electrical conductor are associated with two of the two or more portions that differ from one another;
a first cooling circuit having a first cooling duct comprising the hollow region of a first portion of the two or more portions,
wherein the first cooling duct has a first incoupling point into the hollow region of the first portion and a first outcoupling point out of the hollow region of the first portion that is configured to pass a first cooling medium through the first cooling duct in a first direction from the first incoupling point to the first outcoupling point; and
a second cooling circuit having a second cooling duct comprising the hollow region of a second portion of the two or more portions,
wherein the second cooling duct has a second incoupling point into the hollow region of the second portion and a second outcoupling point out of the hollow region of the second portion that is configured to pass a second cooling medium through the second cooling duct in a second direction from the second incoupling point to the second outcoupling point,
wherein the first direction and the second direction are oriented opposingly, and wherein the first cooling circuit and the second cooling circuit are interconnected separately from one another or parallel to one another”.
Raiser, however, teaches
wherein the electrical conductor comprises two or more portions serially connected to one another (¶ 5 under Description), and
wherein the electrical conductor is arranged spirally in turns such that two adjacent turns of the electrical conductor are associated with two of the two or more portions that differ from one another (¶ 2 under Description);
a first cooling circuit having a first cooling duct comprising the hollow region of a first portion of the two or more portions (¶ 12 – 14 under Description),
wherein the first cooling duct has a first incoupling point into the hollow region of the first portion and a first outcoupling point out of the hollow region of the first portion that is configured to pass a first cooling medium through the first cooling duct in a first direction from the first incoupling point to the first outcoupling point (¶ or line 51 under Description); and
a second cooling circuit having a second cooling duct comprising the hollow region of a second portion of the two or more portions (¶ or line 51 under Description, there are multiple cooling ducts),
wherein the second cooling duct has a second incoupling point into the hollow region of the second portion and a second outcoupling point out of the hollow region of the second portion that is configured to pass a second cooling
medium through the second cooling duct in a second direction from the second incoupling point to the second outcoupling point (¶ or line 51 under Description, there are multiple incoupling/outcoupling ports),
wherein the first direction and the second direction are oriented opposingly, and wherein the first cooling circuit and the second cooling circuit are interconnected separately from one another or parallel to one another (¶ 1—2 under Description).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the “dual cooling circuits in series/parallel with out/in coupling facility” as taught by Raiser in the unit of Mattone.
The justification for this modification would be to create a way to cool the gradient coils that saves space.
Regarding claim 2
Matone in view of Raisser teach the gradient coil unit as claimed in claim 1,
Raisser, applied to claim 2, further teaches
wherein for a separate configuration of the first cooling circuit and the second cooling circuit (¶ 12 under Description):
the first cooling circuit comprises a first cooling unit and a first pump;
the first cooling duct comprises a first feed line means that connects the first cooling unit to the first pump such that the first cooling medium flows through the first cooling duct (¶ 12 under Description);
the second cooling circuit comprises a second cooling unit and a second pump (¶ 12 under Description); and
the second cooling duct comprises a second feed line means that connects the second cooling unit to the second pump such that the second cooling medium flows through the second cooling duct (¶ 12 under Description).\
Regarding claim 3
Matone in view of Raisser teach the gradient coil unit as claimed in claim 1,
Raisser, applied to claim 3, further teaches
wherein for a parallel interconnection of the first cooling circuit and the second cooling circuit (¶ 5, under Description):
the gradient coil unit comprises a main cooling unit (¶ 12 under Description);
the first cooling medium comprises the second cooling medium (¶ 12 under Description);
the first cooling circuit comprises a first connecting means that connects the main cooling unit to the first cooling duct (¶ 12 under Description); and
the second cooling circuit comprises a second connecting means that connects the main cooling unit to the second cooling duct (¶ 12 under Description).
Regarding claim 11
Matone discloses
A magnetic resonance device (¶ 1 above BACKGROUND-ART) comprising:
a main magnet (¶ 1 below BACKGROUND-ART);
a gradient coil unit (¶ 1 under TECH-PROBLEM), comprising:
a primary coil (¶ 3 under TECH-PROBLEM, there are several coils, one of which is the primary) comprising a spiral conductor (¶ 1 under TECH-SOLUTION) structure formed by an electrical conductor configured as a hollow conductor with a hollow region (¶ 5 under TECH-SOLUTION),
Matone does not disclose
“wherein the electrical conductor comprises two or more portions serially connected to one another, and
wherein the electrical conductor is arranged spirally in turns such that two adjacent turns of the electrical conductor are associated with two of the two or more portions that differ from one another;
a first cooling circuit having a first cooling duct comprising the hollow region of a first portion of the two or more portions,
wherein the first cooling duct has a first incoupling point into the hollow region of the first portion and a first outcoupling point out of the hollow region of
the first portion that is configured to pass a first cooling medium through the first cooling duct in a first direction from the first incoupling point to the first outcoupling point; and
a second cooling circuit having a second cooling duct comprising the hollow region of a second portion of the two or more portions,
wherein the second cooling duct has a second incoupling point into the hollow region of the second portion and a second outcoupling point out of the hollow region of the second portion that is configured to pass a second cooling medium through the second cooling duct in a second direction from the second incoupling point to the second outcoupling point,
wherein the first direction and the second direction are oriented opposingly, and wherein the first cooling circuit and the second cooling circuit are interconnected separately from one another or parallel to one another; and a gradient control unit connected to the gradient coil unit, the gradient control unit configured to drive the gradient coil unit to generate a magnetic field gradient”.
Raisser, however, teaches
wherein the electrical conductor comprises two or more portions serially connected to one another (¶ 5 under Description), and
wherein the electrical conductor is arranged spirally in turns such that two adjacent turns of the electrical conductor are associated with two of the two or more portions that differ from one another (¶ 2 under Description);
a first cooling circuit having a first cooling duct comprising the hollow region of a first portion of the two or more portions (¶ 12 – 14 under Description),
wherein the first cooling duct has a first incoupling point into the hollow region of the first portion and a first outcoupling point out of the hollow region of
the first portion (¶ 12 – 14 under Description) that is configured to pass a first cooling medium through the first cooling duct in a first direction from the first incoupling point to the first outcoupling point (¶ or line 51 under Description); and
a second cooling circuit having a second cooling duct comprising the hollow region of a second portion of the two or more portions (¶ or line 51 under Description, there are multiple cooling ducts),
wherein the second cooling duct has a second incoupling point into the hollow region of the second portion and a second outcoupling point out of the hollow region of the second portion that is configured to pass a second cooling medium through the second cooling duct in a second direction from the second incoupling point to the second outcoupling point (¶ or line 51 under Description),
wherein the first direction and the second direction are oriented opposingly, and wherein the first cooling circuit and the second cooling circuit are interconnected separately from one another or parallel to one another; and a gradient control unit connected to the gradient coil unit, the gradient control unit configured to drive the gradient coil unit to generate a magnetic field gradient (¶ 1—2 under Description).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the “dual cooling circuits in series/parallel with out/in coupling facility” as taught by Raiser in the unit of Mattone.
The justification for this modification would be to create a way to cool the gradient coils that saves space.
Claim(s) 7, 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matone (JP-2005058770-A) in view of Raiser (DE-10128836-A1) in view of Dietz (US-20190331748-A1)
Regarding claim 7
Matone in view of Raisser teach the gradient coil unit as claimed in claim 1,
Matone in view of Raisser do not teach
“wherein: the gradient coil unit comprises four quadrants, the primary coil comprises four spiral conductor structures,
each one of the four spiral conductor structures is arranged in each respective quadrant of the four quadrants, and
the primary coil is configured to generate a magnetic field gradient in a spatial direction”.
Dietz, however, teaches
wherein: the gradient coil unit comprises four quadrants, the primary coil comprises four spiral conductor structures ([0026]),
each one of the four spiral conductor structures is arranged in each respective quadrant of the four quadrants ([0026]), and
the primary coil is configured to generate a magnetic field gradient in a spatial direction ([0003]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the “spiral conductor structures in four quadrants” as taught by Dietz in the unit of Matone in view of Raisser.
The justification for this modification would be to minimize vibrations in the gradient coil unit(s) ([0025], Dietz).
Regarding claim 8
Matone in view of Raisser in view of Dietz teach the gradient coil unit as claimed in claim 7,
Raisser, applied to claim 8, further teaches
wherein the gradient coil unit comprises six further cooling circuits, and wherein each pair of two further cooling circuits of the six further cooling circuits are configured to cool a conductor structure (¶ 12 & 13 under Description).
And Dietz, applied to claim 8, further teaches
A respective spiral conductor ([0038]).
Claim(s) 9, 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matone (JP-2005058770-A) in view of Raiser (DE-10128836-A1) in view of Dietz (US-20190331748-A1) in view of Lin (CN-111208460-B).
Regarding claim 9
Matone in view of Raisser in view of Dietz teach the gradient coil unit as claimed in claim 7,
Matone in view of Raisser in view of Dietz do not teach
“wherein the gradient coil unit comprises a gradient amplifier unit that is connected in series to the four spiral conductor structures and is configured to drive the primary coil”.
Lin, however, teaches
wherein the gradient coil unit comprises a gradient amplifier unit that is connected in series to the four spiral conductor structures and is configured to drive the primary coil (¶ 12 under Contents Of The Invention).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the “gradient amplifier in series” as taught by Lin in the unit of Matone in view of Raisser in view of Dietz.
The justification for this modification would be to power unit to power the gradient coils.
Regarding claim 10
Matone in view of Raisser in view of Dietz teach the gradient coil unit as claimed in claim 7,
Matone in view of Raisser in view of Dietz do not teach
“wherein the gradient coil unit comprises at least two gradient amplifier units, wherein each of the at least two gradient amplifier units is electrically connected in series to two spiral conductor structures of the four spiral conductor structures, and
the two gradient amplifier units are jointly configured to drive the primary coil”.
Lin, however, discloses
wherein the gradient coil unit comprises at least two gradient amplifier units, wherein each of the at least two gradient amplifier units is electrically connected in series to two spiral conductor structures of the four spiral conductor structures, and
the two gradient amplifier units are jointly configured to drive the primary coil (¶ 2 under Contents Of The Invention).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the “two gradient amplifier untis” as taught by Lin in the unit of Matone in view of Raisser in view of Dietz.
The justification for this modification would be to more than one amplifier to drive the multiple gradient coils.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4 – 6 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.
Regarding claim 4
Nothing in the prior art of record teaches or discloses
“wherein a distance of the first incoupling point from the second outcoupling point is less than a distance of the first incoupling point from the second incoupling point”.
In conjunction with the rest of the claim language.
Regarding claim 5
Claim 5 is allowable due to its dependency on objected-to claim 4.
Regarding claim 6
Nothing in the prior art of record teaches or discloses
“wherein a distance of the second incoupling point from the first outcoupling point is less than a distance of the first outcoupling point from the second outcoupling point”.
In conjunction with the rest of the claim language.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FREDERICK WENDEROTH whose telephone number is (571)270-1945. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7 a.m. - 4 p.m.
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/WALTER L LINDSAY JR/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2852
/Frederick Wenderoth/
Examiner, Art Unit 2852