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
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) 1-5 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Nagamoto et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication Number 20210008393, from hereinafter “Nagamoto”).
In regards to claim 1, Nagamoto teaches an access limiting arrangement for providing access to a radiation area (FIGS. 1-2, radiation controlled area is component 16 in the FIGS., shielding wall 23, Thickness T of the outer wall), the access limiting arrangement comprising a plurality of radiation shielding devices defining an entrance of the radiation shielding area (FIGS. 1-2, radiation controlled area is component 16 in the FIGS., shielding walls 23 and 32, Thickness T of the outer wall, patient waiting rooms 29 are separated from patient treatment rooms 17-19 by more and separate shielding walls indicated by the lined areas), wherein the plurality of radiation shielding devices are configured and arranged in such a way that a person and/or an object is able to access the radiations shielding area while passage of the radiation is substantially blocked by at least one of the plurality of radiation shielding devices (FIGS. 1-2, the patient waiting rooms 29 and, in fact, the patient treatment rooms 17-19 will block substantially all stray radiation from the accelerator) such that no or only limited radiation less than a threshold level can enter or leave the radiation shielding area (see above) wherein the radiation shielding area comprises at least a scanner area where a medical imaging device is located (FIGS. 1-2, rotating gantries 5).
In regards to claim 2, Nagamoto teaches that the plurality of radiation shielding devices includes at least two radiation shielding doors arranged to open and close the entrance to the radiation shielding area (paragraphs 0064, 0072-0074) wherein the at least two radiation shielding doors are configured to open and close sequentially such that the passage of radiation is substantially blocked by at least one of the radiation shielding doors such that no or only limited radiation less than a threshold level can enter or leave the radiation shielding area (paragraphs 0064, 0072-0074).
In regards to claim 3, Nagamoto teaches that the plurality of radiation shielding devices comprise two radiation shielding walls that define a path there between to the radiation shielding area (FIGS. 1-2, radiation controlled area is component 16 in the FIGS., shielding walls 23 and 32, Thickness T of the outer wall, patient waiting rooms 29 are separated from patient treatment rooms 17-19 by more and separate shielding walls indicated by the lined areas).
In regards to claim 4, Nagamoto teaches that the path is a curved path such that the passage of radiation is substantially blocked by at least two radiation shielding walls such that no or only limited radiation less than a threshold level can enter or leave the radiation shielding area (FIGS. 1-2, radiation controlled area is component 16 in the FIGS., shielding walls 23 and 32, Thickness T of the outer wall, patient waiting rooms 29 are separated from patient treatment rooms 17-19 by more and separate shielding walls indicated by the lined areas).
In regards to claim 5, Nagamoto teaches that the curved path comprises a zig-zag path (FIGS. 1-2, the walkway appear zig-zag from the above-view).
In regards to claim 9, Nagamoto teaches that the radiation comprises x-rays or gamma rays (paragraph 0026).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10-14 are allowed.
Claims 6-8 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: In regards to claims 6-8, Nagamoto fails to teach that the radiation shielding walls are foldable. In regards to claim 10, Nagamoto likewise fails to teach any control mechanism for controlling the radiation shielding device(s).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NICOLE M IPPOLITO whose telephone number is (571)270-7449. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 6:00am-4:00pm Mountain Time.
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/NICOLE M IPPOLITO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2881
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