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.
Claims 1, 2, 4, 7, 14, 15, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bazizi et al. (6093886).
Bazizi et al. discloses a structure (Fig. 6) comprising: a plurality of cables (65) between a lower interconnect assembly (connected to flange 62) and a fanout assembly (connected to flange 61), wherein the fanout assembly is structured such that one or more cables of the plurality of cables fans out radially from an inlet to an edge (at flange 61) of a vacuum tight casing (64) (re-claims 1 and 7). Bazizi et al. also discloses that cables of the plurality of cables comprise substantially similar lengths (re-claim 2); a thermalization assembly which thermally anchors the cables to a cryogenic temperature flange (61 or 62) at one or more temperature stages of a cryogenic refrigerator (re-claims 4 and 7). Bazizi et al. discloses a structure comprising a plurality of cables (65, Fig. 9) between a lower interconnect assembly (connected to flange 62) and a vacuum-tight fanout assembly (connected to flange 61), wherein the vacuum-tight fanout assembly comprises a plurality of feedthrough circuit assemblies (end portions of cable extending out from flange 61, col. 1 lines 55-57, the cable feedthrough device comprises a plurality of stripline cables) (re-claim 14). Bazizi et al. also discloses that a feedthrough circuit assembly comprises an interior portion located within a vacuum space (64) and an exterior portion located outside the vacuum space (portion extending from flange 61) (re-claim 15); the vacuum-tight fanout assembly is structured such that one or more of the cables fans out radially from an inlet (at flange 62) to an edge (at flange 61) of a vacuum-tight casing (64) (re-claim 19).
Claims 1, 2, 4, and 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Dixon et al. (6034324).
Dixon et al. discloses a structure comprising: a plurality of cables (18) between a lower interconnect assembly (48) and a fanout assembly (see Fig. 9), wherein the fanout assembly is structured such that one or more cables of the plurality of cables fans out radially from an inlet to an edge (Fig. 1) of a vacuum tight casing (72, col. 6 lines 24-32, shroud 72 will apply a radial contact pressure between lead 20 and elements 18 thereby locking elements 18 in place within groove 68) (re-claims 1 and 7). Dixon et al. also discloses that cables of the plurality of cables comprise substantially similar lengths (re-claim 2); a thermalization assembly thermally anchors the cables (18) to a cryogenic temperature flange (20, Fig. 9) at one or more temperature stages of a cryogenic refrigerator (re-claims 4 and 7); the thermalization assembly comprises a U-channel bracket (74) and a plurality of thermalization bars (76) within the U-channel bracket, wherein the thermalization bars are interleaved with the cables (re-claim 8); the cables comprise a stripline or a microstrip (re-claim 9).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
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 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bazizi et al.
Claims 3 and 20 additionally recites the cables comprising a plurality of spliced cable segments. Although not disclosed in Bazizi et al., it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the cables of Bazizi et al. to comprise a plurality of spliced cable segments such that any of the damage cable segments can be readily replaced. It has been held that constructing a former integral structure into various elements involves only routine skill in the art. In re Dullberg 289 F.2d 522, 523, 129 USPQ 348, 349.
Claims 3 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dixon et al.
Claims 3 and 10 additionally recites the cables comprising a plurality of spliced cable segments. Although not disclosed in Dixon et al., it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the cables of Dixon et al. to comprise a plurality of spliced cable segments such that any of the damage cable segments can be readily replaced. It has been held that constructing a former integral structure into various elements involves only routine skill in the art. In re Dullberg 289 F.2d 522, 523, 129 USPQ 348, 349.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 6, 11-13, and 16-18 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.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHAU N NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-1980. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th, 7am to 5:30pm.
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/CHAU N NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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