DETAILED ACTION
Notice to Applicant
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
2. Claims 1-20 are pending.
Priority
3. Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
4. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
5. Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Per claim 16, the limitation “the adjacent space” lacks sufficient antecedent basis. Appropriate correction is required. For the purpose of examination, said limitation is interpreted as implying “an adjacent space.”
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
6. 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.
7. Claims 1, 3, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by McDougall et al. (US 2007/0249926 – hereinafter “McDougall”).
Per claim 1, McDougall teaches a gradient coil assembly comprises a Z-axis gradient coil (¶32), the Z-axis gradient coil comprising a first coil (Fig. 1a; combination of coils 2 and 4; ¶70) and a second coil (Fig. 1a; combination of coils 1 and 3; ¶70), the first coil and the second coil being arranged along an axial direction of the Z-axis gradient coil (Fig. 1a), wherein:
the first coil comprises a first subcoil (Fig. 1a; coil 2; ¶70) and a second subcoil (Fig. 1a; coil 4; ¶70), the first subcoil and the second subcoil extend alongside each other (Fig. 1a);
the second coil comprises a third subcoil (Fig. 1a; coil 1; ¶70) and a fourth subcoil (Fig. 1a; coil 3; ¶70), the third subcoil and the fourth subcoil extend alongside each other (Fig. 1a);
the third subcoil is connected in series with the first subcoil to be supplied with a first current (Coils 1 and 2 are connected in series and supplied with current from a current supply 101 (Fig. 1b; ¶72)), the fourth subcoil is connected in series with the second subcoil to be supplied with a second current (Coils 3 and 4 are connected in series and supplied with current from a current supply 102 (Fig. 1b; ¶72)).
Per claim 3, McDougall teaches the gradient coil assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first subcoil is connected to the third subcoil near a center of the Z-axis gradient coil; the second subcoil is connected to the fourth subcoil near the center of the Z-axis gradient coil (Coils 2 and 1 are connected to each other near a center of the Z-axis gradient coil and coils 4 and 3 are connected to each other near the center of the Z-axis gradient coil (Figs. 1a and 1b; ¶70)).
Per claim 19, McDougall teaches a magnetic resonance imaging system comprises a gradient coil assembly, the gradient coil assembly comprising a Z-axis gradient coil (¶32), the Z-axis gradient coil comprising a first coil (Fig. 1a; combination of coils 2 and 4; ¶70) and a second coil (Fig. 1a; combination of coils 1 and 3; ¶70), the first coil and the second coil being arranged along an axial direction of the Z-axis gradient coil (Fig. 1a), wherein:
the first coil comprises a first subcoil (Fig. 1a; coil 2; ¶70) and a second subcoil (Fig. 1a; coil 4; ¶70), the first subcoil and the second subcoil extend alongside each other (Fig. 1a);
the second coil comprises a third subcoil (Fig. 1a; coil 1; ¶70) and a fourth subcoil (Fig. 1a; coil 3; ¶70), the third subcoil and the fourth subcoil extend alongside each other (Fig. 1a);
the third subcoil is connected in series with the first subcoil to be supplied with a first current (Coils 1 and 2 are connected in series and supplied with current from a current supply 101 (Fig. 1b; ¶72)), the fourth subcoil is connected in series with the second subcoil to be supplied with a second current (Coils 3 and 4 are connected in series and supplied with current from a current supply 102 (Fig. 1b; ¶72)).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
8. 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.
9. Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over McDougall in view of Lampman et al. (US 5,497,089 – hereinafter “Lampman”).
Per claim 5, McDougall does not explicitly teach the gradient coil assembly according to claim 1, wherein along the axial direction of the Z-axis gradient coil, the first coil has different densities of continuous helical wrapping and the second coil has different densities of continuous helical wrapping.
In contrast, Lampman teaches a z-axis gradient coil for a head coil comprising a current distribution pattern having a high density region followed by a low density region on a negative side of a Z-axis origin and a low density region followed by a high density region on a positive side of the Z-axis origin (Fig. 3; Abstract; col. 4, line 63 – col. 5, line 32).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the assembly of McDougall such that, along the axial direction of the Z-axis gradient coil, the first coil has different densities of continuous helical wrapping and the second coil has different densities of continuous helical wrapping. One of ordinary skill would make such a modification for the purpose of providing a z-gradient winding having discrete magnetic field-generating regions (Lampman; col. 4, line 63 – col. 5, line 32).
10. Claims 10, 18, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over McDougall in view of Sakakura et al. (US 2015/0276896 – hereinafter “Sakakura”).
Per claim 10, McDougall does not explicitly teach the gradient coil assembly according to claim 1, wherein the gradient coil assembly comprises a main coil and a shielding coil, the shielding coil being arranged around the outside, in a radial direction, of the main coil; the Z-axis gradient coil being the main coil.
In contrast, Sakakura teaches a gradient magnetic-field coil 103 comprising a main coil 103A and a shield coil 103B. The main coil 103A includes a z axis coil and the shield coil 103B is arranged on an outer periphery of the main coil 103A to cancel a leakage magnetic field of the main coil 103A (Fig. 1; ¶27 and 31).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the assembly of McDougall such that the gradient coil assembly comprises a main coil and a shielding coil, the shielding coil being arranged around the outside, in a radial direction, of the main coil; the Z-axis gradient coil being the main coil. One of ordinary skill would make such a modification for the purpose of canceling a leakage magnetic field (Sakakura; ¶27).
Per claim 18, McDougall in view of Sakakura teaches the gradient coil assembly according to claim 10, wherein the main coil comprises X-axis coils and Y-axis coils; the X-axis coils and the Y-axis coils being provided in multiple layers, the X-axis coils of different layers being connected in series, and the Y-axis coils of different layers being connected in series
(Sakakura discloses that the main coil 103A includes x coils 2A1-2A8 and y coils 2B1-2B8. The x coils 2A1-2A4 are connected in series to x coils 2A5-2A8, which are provided in a different layer. The y coils 2B1-2B4 are connected in series to y coils 2B5-2B8, which are provided in a different layer (Figs. 2A-2B and 3A-3B; ¶29-30).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the assembly of McDougall in view of Sakakura such that the main coil comprises X-axis coils and Y-axis coils; the X-axis coils and the Y-axis coils being provided in multiple layers, the X-axis coils of different layers being connected in series, and the Y-axis coils of different layers being connected in series. One of ordinary skill would make such a modification for the purpose of providing a gradient magnetic-field coil capable of generating a gradient magnetic field having an intensity that varies along x and y axes (Sakakura; ¶27)).
Per claim 20, McDougall does not explicitly teach the magnetic resonance imaging system according to claim 19, wherein the gradient coil assembly comprises a main coil and a shielding coil, the shielding coil being arranged around the outside, in a radial direction, of the main coil; the Z-axis gradient coil being the main coil.
In contrast, Sakakura teaches a gradient magnetic-field coil 103 comprising a main coil 103A and a shield coil 103B. The main coil 103A includes a z axis coil and the shield coil 103B is arranged on an outer periphery of the main coil 103A to cancel a leakage magnetic field of the main coil 103A (Fig. 1; ¶27 and 31).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of McDougall such that the gradient coil assembly comprises a main coil and a shielding coil, the shielding coil being arranged around the outside, in a radial direction, of the main coil; the Z-axis gradient coil being the main coil. One of ordinary skill would make such a modification for the purpose of canceling a leakage magnetic field (Sakakura; ¶27).
11. Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over McDougall in view of Sakakura, in further view of Hollis et al. (US 2011/0140695 – hereinafter “Hollis”).
Per claim 11, McDougall in view of Sakakura does not explicitly teach the gradient coil assembly according to claim 10, wherein the main coil surrounds to form a space accommodating at least a portion of a human body, an end of the main coil being recessed to form a refuge area in the axial direction of the main coil, and the refuge area being capable of accommodating at least a portion of a shoulder of the human body.
In contrast, Hollis teaches an MRI system comprising an insert gradient coil 61 having shoulder cutouts 74 and 76 for accommodating a patient’s shoulder (Fig. 5; ¶31).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the assembly of McDougall such that the main coil surrounds to form a space accommodating at least a portion of a human body, an end of the main coil being recessed to form a refuge area in the axial direction of the main coil, and the refuge area being capable of accommodating at least a portion of a shoulder of the human body. One of ordinary skill would make such a modification for the purpose of receiving a patient whose head is to be imaged (Hollis; ¶31).
Claim Objections
12. Claims 2, 4, 6-9, 12-15, and 17 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.
Per claim 2, the prior art of record is silent on the gradient coil assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first subcoil is connected to the second subcoil at an end of the Z-axis gradient coil; and the third subcoil is connected to the fourth subcoil at another end of the Z-axis gradient coil.
Per claim 4, the prior art of record is silent on the gradient coil assembly according to claim 1, wherein winding trajectories of the first subcoil and the fourth subcoil are centrally symmetric about a center of the Z-axis gradient coil; and winding trajectories of the second subcoil and the third subcoil are centrally symmetric about the center of the Z-axis gradient coil.
Per claim 6, the prior art of record is silent on the gradient coil assembly according to claim 1, wherein along the axial direction of the Z-axis gradient coil, the closer to a center of the Z-axis gradient coil, the greater a density of continuous helical wrapping of the first coil or the second coil of the Z-axis gradient coil. Claims 7-9 are consequently objected to due to their dependence on claim 6.
Per claim 12, the prior art of record is silent on the gradient coil assembly according to claim 11, wherein the main coil comprises an X-axis coil and a Y-axis coil; the Y-axis coil comprises a first body segment and a first extension segment, the first extension segment being disposed at an end portion of the first body segment; and/or the X-axis coil comprises a second
body segment and two second extension segments, and both the two second extension segments being disposed at an end portion of the second body segment. Claims 13-15 and 17 are consequently objected to due to their dependence on claim 12.
Conclusion
13. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAS A. SANGHERA whose telephone number is (571)272-4787. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th, alt. Fri, 8-5 EST.
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/JAS A SANGHERA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
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