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) 1-9 and 16-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hackenschmied et al. (US 2007/0278412; hereinafter Hackenschmied).
Regarding claim 1, Hackenschmied discloses a module carrier (22) for a CT (par. 17) detector module (fig. 2), comprising: a one-piece tunnel-shaped hollow body (22), the hollow body including an elongated hollow space (24) and at least two openings (for 24), two openings of the at least two openings are opposite one another along a longitudinal direction of the hollow body (figs. 2-3), wherein the hollow body has a heat transfer section (par. 42).
Note that recitations (i.e., the hollow body configured to, be arranged on an X-ray converter element on an outer side of the hollow body, receive at least one cooling element in the hollow space via at least one of the at least two openings, and enable a fluid to flow through the hollow body along the longitudinal direction of the hollow body, wherein the hollow body has a heat transfer section configured to provide a heat-conducting contact between the at least one cooling element and the X-ray converter element, wherein the hollow body has a heat transfer section configured to provide a heat-conducting contact between the at least one cooling element and the X-ray converter element) with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed do not differentiate the claimed apparatus from prior art if the prior art teaches all the structural limitations of the claim.
Regarding claim 2, Hackenschmied wherein the hollow body has a further opening (fig. 3: further opening of 22) away from the longitudinal direction of the hollow body.
Note that recitations (i.e., the hollow body is configured to receive the at least one cooling element in the hollow space via the further opening) with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed do not differentiate the claimed apparatus from prior art if the prior art teaches all the structural limitations of the claim.
Regarding claim 3, Hackenschmied discloses wherein the module carrier has a cover element (via 18), in an operating state of the module carrier (fig. 2), the cover element is fastened to the hollow body, and the cover element at least partially seals the further opening (fig. 2).
Note that recitations (i.e., wherein the at least one cooling element is in the hollow space) with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed do not differentiate the claimed apparatus from prior art if the prior art teaches all the structural limitations of the claim.
Regarding claim 4, Hackenschmied discloses the hollow body (22).
Note that recitations (i.e., wherein the hollow body is configured to receive multiple cooling elements in the hollow space via at least one of the at least two openings, and the multiple cooling elements are arrangeable along the longitudinal direction of the hollow body in a row in the hollow space) with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed do not differentiate the claimed apparatus from prior art if the prior art teaches all the structural limitations of the claim.
Regarding claim 5, Hackenschmied discloses wherein the hollow body has a respective heat transfer section (par. 42) having a length (22).
Note that recitations (i.e., a respective heat transfer section for each of the cooling elements, the cooling elements in the row have a different length along the longitudinal direction of the hollow body, and a length of the heat transfer sections along the longitudinal direction of the hollow body corresponding to the length of the cooling elements) with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed do not differentiate the claimed apparatus from prior art if the prior art teaches all the structural limitations of the claim.
Regarding claim 6, Hackenschmied discloses wherein the heat transfer section has a respective opening (22).
Note that recitations (i.e., a respective opening for each of the cooling elements, and in an operating state of the module carrier, the at least one cooling element has a direct heat-conducting contact with the X-ray converter element when in the hollow space) with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed do not differentiate the claimed apparatus from prior art if the prior art teaches all the structural limitations of the claim.
Regarding claim 7, Hackenschmied discloses wherein the heat transfer section has a respective heat contact surface on an inner side of the hollow body and has at least one further heat contact surface on the outer side of the hollow body, the heat transfer section is configured to transfer heat between the heat contact surfaces of the inner side of the hollow body and the outer side of the hollow body (par. 42).
Note that recitations (i.e., a respective heat contact surface for each of the at least one cooling element to be received, and in an operating state of the module carrier, the at least one cooling element, when arranged in the hollow space, has a direct heat-conducting contact with the respective heat contact surface on the inner side of the hollow body, and the X-ray converter element, when arranged on the outer side of the hollow body, has a direct heat-conducting contact with the heat contact surface on the outer side of the hollow body) with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed do not differentiate the claimed apparatus from prior art if the prior art teaches all the structural limitations of the claim.
Regarding claim 8, Hackenschmied discloses wherein the hollow body has at least one first section and at least one further section along the longitudinal direction of the hollow body (22).
Note that recitations (i.e., the at least one first section is configured to receive the at least one cooling element, and the at least one further section has a flow-conducting internal structure) with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed do not differentiate the claimed apparatus from prior art if the prior art teaches all the structural limitations of the claim.
Regarding claim 9, Hackenschmied discloses wherein the hollow body has a polygon profile (22) or an oval profile transverse to the longitudinal direction of the hollow body.
Regarding claim 16, Hackenschmied discloses the hollow body (22).
Note that recitations (i.e., wherein the hollow body is configured to receive multiple cooling elements in the hollow space via at least one of the at least two openings, and the multiple cooling elements are arrangeable along the longitudinal direction of the hollow body in a row in the hollow space) with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed do not differentiate the claimed apparatus from prior art if the prior art teaches all the structural limitations of the claim.
Regarding claim 17, Hackenschmied discloses wherein the heat transfer section has a respective opening (22).
Note that recitations (i.e., a respective opening for each of the cooling elements, and in an operating state of the module carrier, the at least one cooling element has a direct heat-conducting contact with the X-ray converter element when in the hollow space) with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed do not differentiate the claimed apparatus from prior art if the prior art teaches all the structural limitations of the claim.
Regarding claim 18, Hackenschmied discloses wherein the heat transfer section has a respective heat contact surface on an inner side of the hollow body and has at least one further heat contact surface on the outer side of the hollow body, the heat transfer section is configured to transfer heat between the heat contact surfaces of the inner side of the hollow body and the outer side of the hollow body (par. 42).
Note that recitations (i.e., a respective heat contact surface for each of the at least one cooling element to be received, and in an operating state of the module carrier, the at least one cooling element, when arranged in the hollow space, has a direct heat-conducting contact with the respective heat contact surface on the inner side of the hollow body, and the X-ray converter element, when arranged on the outer side of the hollow body, has a direct heat-conducting contact with the heat contact surface on the outer side of the hollow body) with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed do not differentiate the claimed apparatus from prior art if the prior art teaches all the structural limitations of the claim.
Regarding claim 19, Hackenschmied discloses wherein the hollow body has at least one first section and at least one further section along the longitudinal direction of the hollow body (22).
Note that recitations (i.e., the at least one first section is configured to receive the at least one cooling element, and the at least one further section has a flow-conducting internal structure) with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed do not differentiate the claimed apparatus from prior art if the prior art teaches all the structural limitations of the claim.
Regarding claim 20, Hackenschmied discloses wherein the hollow body has a polygon profile (22) or an oval profile transverse to the longitudinal direction of the hollow body.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10-15 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 claim 10 and its dependent claim(s), if any, the prior art (e.g., Hackenschmied) discloses a CT (par. 31) detector module (fig. 2) comprising: at least one X-ray converter element (34); and the module carrier (22) for a CT (par. 17) detector module (fig. 2), comprising: a one-piece tunnel-shaped hollow body (22), the hollow body including an elongated hollow space (24) and at least two openings (for 24), two openings of the at least two openings are opposite one another along a longitudinal direction of the hollow body (figs. 2-3), wherein the hollow body has a heat transfer section (par. 42).
However, the prior art fails to disclose or fairly suggest a CT detector module including: the X-ray converter element has an X-ray detector layer on the upper side and has a heat contact surface on the underside, and in an operating state of the CT detector module, the at least one cooling element is in the hollow space of the hollow body, the X-ray converter element is on the outer side of the hollow body, and the at least one cooling element is in heat-conducting contact with the heat contact surface of the X-ray converter element via the heat transfer section, in combination with all of the other recitations in the claim.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Chih-Cheng Kao whose telephone number is (571)272-2492. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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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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/Chih-Cheng Kao/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2884
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