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) 1-7 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Thornton, III et al. (US 20210022696).
Regarding claim 1, Thornton teaches a medical imaging system comprising:
a support 100 having a frame (left 120 right 120 in figure 1); at least two wheels 115 assembled directly or indirectly to the frame so as to allow said support to be moved; a medical imaging device 150 140; a control device 110 configured to control the medical imaging device; and an electric power supply device (para 16) configured to supply electrical energy to the medical imaging device and/or the control device, the medical imaging device, the control device and the electric power supply device each being configured to be removably assembled to the support, the medical imaging system wherein the support further comprises two longitudinal members (articulated arms, 135) assembled to the frame and configured to pivot relative to the frame between an operational position and a stowage position (retracted extended), the medical imaging system further comprising an X-ray source, an X-ray detector and a case 130, the case being dimensioned to house the X-ray source and/or the X-ray detector 150, the case having a width substantially equal to the distance between the longitudinal members (when the articulated arms opens to the distance substantially equal to width of the case, figure 1).
Regarding claim 2, Thornton teaches a housing 204 configured to be removably assembled to the support.
Regarding claim 3, Thornton teaches the wheels are removably assembled to the frame (figure 1).
Regarding claim 4, Thornton teaches the wheels are assembled to a base, said base being removably assembled to the frame (figure 1).
Regarding claim 5, Thornton teaches the frame comprises two uprights and a gripping portion 125 connecting the uprights (figure 1).
Regarding claim 6, Thornton teaches the longitudinal members, in the operational position, extend substantially horizontally, the longitudinal members, in the stowage position, being parallel to the uprights of the frame and extending between said uprights (figure 1).
Regarding claim 7, Thornton teaches each longitudinal member comprises a wheel at a free end (articulation, figure 1).
Regarding claim 11, Thornton teaches the support comprises a seat configured to receive the X-ray detector (figure 2a).
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, 10 and 12-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Morris (US 5388142) in view of Kumar et al. (US 20240188913).
Regarding claim 1, Morris teaches a medical imaging system comprising:
a support 10 having a frame (62, figure 1); at least two wheels 55 assembled directly or indirectly to the frame so as to allow said support to be moved; a medical imaging device 24; a control device 151 configured to control the medical imaging device; and an electric power supply device 150 configured to supply electrical energy to the medical imaging device and/or the control device, the medical imaging device, the control device and the electric power supply device each being configured to be removably assembled to the support, the medical imaging system wherein the support further comprises two longitudinal members (38 39) assembled to the frame and configured to pivot relative to the frame between an operational position and a stowage position (retracted extended), the medical imaging system further comprising an X-ray source 24.
However Morris fails to teach an X-ray detector and a case, the case being dimensioned to house the X-ray source and/or the X-ray detector, the case having a width substantially equal to the distance between the longitudinal members.
Kumar teaches an X-ray detector and a case 28, the case being dimensioned to house the X-ray source and/or the X-ray detector, the case having a width substantially equal to the distance between the longitudinal members (the width of the device).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adapt the mobile device of Morris with the case and detector as taught by Kumar, since it would provide better mobility.
Regarding claim 10, Morris fails to tach the X-ray source has an upper tube load limit of greater than or equal to 40 mAs.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to adapt the x-ray source, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art.
Regarding claim 12, Morris teaches the support comprises an arm 20 441 assembled to the frame and having a free end configured to receive the X-ray source (figure 1).
Regarding claim 13, Morris teaches the arm comprises a front section and a rear section articulated with respect to each other, the arm being movable between a service position and a retracted position, the front section and the rear section together forming a non-zero angle, preferably greater than 30°, when the arm is in the service position, the front section and the rear section being folded onto each other when the arm is in the retracted position (figures 3, 14).
Regarding claim 14, Morris teaches an actuator 321 assembled to the arm and configured to move the arm between the service position and the retracted position, the actuator preferably being an electric actuator.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-9 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:
Regarding claims 8-9, the prior art fails to teach the support further comprises a receiving plate configured to receive the electric power supply device, the receiving plate being assembled to the frame and configured to pivot relative to the frame between an operational position and a stowage position, the receiving plate, in the operational position, extending substantially horizontally, the receiving plate, in the stowage position, being orthogonal to the uprights of the frame and extending substantially vertically as claimed in claim 8.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HOON K SONG whose telephone number is (571)272-2494. The examiner can normally be reached M to Th 10am to 7pm.
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/HOON K SONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2884
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