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) 1-7 and 9-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yamada et al. (US 2017/0007854 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Yamada et al. (‘854) teach a vibration transmitter comprising: a first rod including a hole and having a first diameter (see [0031]); A vibration transmitter comprising: a first rod including a hole and having a first diameter (see [0031]); a second rod including a fitting portion fitted into the hole having a second diameter, the first rod and the second rod configured to transmit vibrations of a predetermined resonance frequency along a longitudinal axis (see [0031], [0037]); a first region where the hole overlaps the fitting portion (see [0063]-[0065]); and wherein, in the first region, an outer surface of the fitting portion receives a circumferential compressed surface pressure from an inner surface of the hole (see [0063]-[0065]).
Regarding claim 2, Yamada et al. (‘854) teach the vibration transmitter according to claim 1, wherein, in the first region, at least a part of an outer surface of the fitting portion is in contact with an inner surface of the hole (see [0063]-[0065]).
Regarding claim 3, Yamada et al. (‘854) teach the vibration transmitter according to claim 1, further comprising a second region that is an internal region of the hole and is different from the first region, wherein, in the second region, a terminal end surface of the fitting portion is spaced apart from the bottom surface of the hole (see [0063]-[0065]).
Regarding claim 4, Yamada et al. (‘854) teach the vibration transmitter according to claim 1, wherein a material of the first rod is different from a material of the second rod (see [0037]).
Regarding claim 5, Yamada et al. (‘854) teach the vibration transmitter according to claim 4, wherein the first rod is made of an aluminum alloy, and the second rod is made of a titanium alloy (see [0031]).
Regarding claim 6, Yamada et al. (‘854) teach the vibration transmitter according to claim 4, wherein the first rod is located on a distal end side of the second rod (see [0063]-[0065]).
Regarding claim 7, Yamada et al. (‘854) teach the vibration transmitter according to claim 4, wherein the first rod is located on a proximal end side of the second rod (see [0063]-[0065]).
Regarding claim 9, Yamada et al. (‘854) teach the vibration transmitter according to claim 1, wherein the second diameter is smaller than the first diameter (see [0063]-[0065]).
Regarding claim 10, Yamada et al. (‘854) teach the vibration transmitter according to claim 1, wherein the second rod further includes a maximum cross-sectional area portion where the cross-sectional area perpendicular to the longitudinal axis is the largest, and at least a part of the maximum cross-sectional area portion is located within a range where the distance from an antinode of vibration closest to a proximal end of the second rod to a distal end of the second rod is equal to or less than one wavelength of the vibrations (see [0050]-[0051], [0063]-[0065]; and Fig. 13).
Regarding claim 11, Yamada et al. (‘854) teach the vibration transmitter according to claim 1, wherein a length of the fitting portion in a direction along the longitudinal axis is equal to or less than one-fourth of a wavelength of the vibrations (see [0050]-[0051], [0063]-[0065]; and Fig. 13).
Regarding claim 12, Yamada et al. (‘854) teach the vibration transmitter according to claim 1, wherein a bottom surface of the hole is located on a proximal end side of an antinode of vibrations closest to a proximal end of the second rod, and a distance between the bottom surface of the hole and the antinode of vibrations is equal to or less than one-fourth of a wavelength of the vibrations (see [0050]-[0051], [0063]-[0065]; and Fig. 13).
Regarding claim 13, Yamada et al. (‘854) teach the vibration transmitter according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of a vibration velocity of the vibrations to the compressed surface pressure is 0.176 or less, where a unit of the compressed surface pressure is MPa and a unit of the vibration velocity is m/s (see [0050]-[0051], [0063]-[0065]; and Fig. 13).
Regarding claim 14, Yamada et al. (‘854) teach the vibration transmitter according to claim 1, wherein a bonding strength between the first rod and the second rod is greater than a torque applied to the vibration transmitter (see [0050]-[0051], [0063]-[0065]; and Fig. 13).
Regarding claim 15, Yamada et al. (‘854) teach an ultrasonic treatment device comprising: a housing; a transducer configured to generate ultrasonic vibration, the transducer located into the housing (see [0031]); and a vibration transmitter connected to the transducer, the vibration transmitter configured to transmit vibrations of a predetermined resonance frequency along a longitudinal axis, the vibration transmitter including: a first rod including a hole and having a first diameter (see [0031]); a second rod including a fitting portion fitted into the hole having a second diameter (see [0037]); and a first region where the hole overlaps the fitting portion (see [0063]-[0065]); wherein, in the first region, an outer surface of the fitting portion receives a circumferential compressed surface pressure from an inner surface of the hole (see [0050]-[0051], [0063]-[0065]; and Fig. 13).
Regarding claim 16, Yamada et al. (‘854) teach the ultrasonic treatment device according to claim 15, wherein, in the first region, at least a part of an outer surface of the fitting portion is in contact with an inner surface of the hole (see [0063]-[0065]; and Fig. 13).
Regarding claim 17, Yamada et al. (‘854) teach the ultrasonic treatment device according to claim 15, further comprising a second region that is an internal region of the hole and is different from the first region, wherein, in the second region, a terminal end surface of the fitting portion is spaced apart from the bottom surface of the hole (see [0050]-[0051], [0063]-[0065]; and Fig. 13).
Regarding claim 18, Yamada et al. (‘854) teach the ultrasonic treatment device according to claim 15, wherein a material of the first rod is different from a material of the second rod (see [0037])
Regarding claim 19, Yamada et al. (‘854) teach the ultrasonic treatment device according to claim 18, wherein the first rod is made of an aluminum alloy, and the second rod is made of a titanium alloy (see [0031]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8 and 20 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARK REMALY whose telephone number is (571)270-1491. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 9:00 - 6:00.
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/MARK D REMALY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3797
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