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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on April 28th, 2026, has been entered.
Response to Amendment
The claims filed on April 28th, 2026, have been entered. Claims 1-3, 6-7, 11-12, and 14-15 remain pending in the Application. Claims 4-5 have been canceled by the Applicant.
Response to Arguments
Some of Applicant's arguments filed April 28th, 2026, have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that the ring 110 of Turjman et al. (Pub. No. 2014/0155980) does not satisfy the newly added limitation “the marker is configured to indicate a position of the proximal end portion of the stent when the stent is inserted into a blood vessel” because while the ring might be visually recognizable when viewed externally, it would not be directly visible when the stent is positioned inside a blood vessel and, being made of steel, would unlikely to be radiopaque enough to be viewed. Examiner respectfully disagrees. While Examiner acknowledges that the ring 110, when made of steel, may not be radiopaque enough to be visible from outside of the body, [0262] states that radiopaque materials may be used at the proximal and distal ends of the clot capture member for the purpose of determining the relative position of the clot capture member. Therefore, Turjman et al. does disclose the newly added limitation, as 110 can be additionally coated with the radiopaque materials.
The rejection of claims 1-3, 6-7, 11-12, and 14-15 under 103 over at least Turjman et al. (Pub. No. 2014/0155980) in view of Zaidat et al. (Pub. No. 2024/0398412) and Carter (U.S. Patent No. 6,663,614) has been withdrawn in light of Applicant’s amendment made April 28th, 2026; specifically, the references do not teach the hydrophilic material comprises 2-methacryloyloxy ethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) polymer.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-3, 6-7, 11-12, and 14-15 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. It is noted that Applicant argues that the newly added claim limitations are not taught by the cited references; however, as discussed below, the newly added reference Kim et al. (Pub. No. 2011/0178594) teaches said limitation.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1-3 and 6-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Turjman et al. (Pub. No. 2014/0155980) in view of Zaidat et al. (Pub. No. 2024/0398412), Carter (U.S. Patent No. 6,663,614), and Kim et al. (Pub. No. 2011/0178594).
Regarding claim 1, Turjman et al. discloses a wire-equipped stent comprising:
a pusher wire ([0089] push wire 106; see FIG. 2) configured to be inserted in a catheter ([0089] 106 can be pushed through 102; see FIGs. 1A-1B) including an undulating inner surface (as discussed above in the Response to Arguments, the functional language “configured to” means that 106 only has to be capable of being inserted into a catheter with an undulating inner surface, and if the inner surface of 102 were altered to be undulating without changing the diameter, 106 would still be insertable, thereby satisfying the claim limitation);
a stent ([0089] clot capture member 108; see FIG. 2) connected to a distal end portion of the pusher wire ([0089] 106 and 108 are connected at the distal end of 106 by attachment ring 110; see FIG. 2); and
a smooth portion provided at a distal portion of the pusher wire, and covering an outer surface of the distal portion of the pusher wire ([0098] an exterior coating can be provided on the outer surface of the push wire, as the push wire is indicated to be the guidewire; [0006], [0039], [0043]) to form a smooth surface to reduce sliding resistance when contacting with an inner surface of a catheter ([0098] the exterior coating is used to help reduce friction with the microcatheter 102; FIG. 2);
wherein a distal side end portion of the smooth portion is connected to a proximal side end portion of the stent ([0091] the exterior coating would have its distal side end portion connected to the proximal side end portion of 108 due to the direct connection between 106 and 108 secured by 110; see FIG. 2), wherein a diameter of the distal side end portion of the smooth portion is smaller than a diameter of a proximal side end portion of the smooth portion ([0097] guidewire 106 can taper in the 200 region, and the exterior coating is on the outer surface of 106, so the exterior coating will also have a smaller diameter of its distal portion than the diameter of its proximal portion; see FIG. 2), and
a marker (110, which acts as a visual marker of the attachment between 106 and 108 outside of the body) which is connected to the proximal end portion of the stent (FIG. 2: 110 is attached to the proximal end portion of 108) and which is connected to the distal end portion of the smooth portion (FIG. 2: 110 is attached to the distal end portion of 106, which can have the coating to make the smooth portion);
wherein the smooth portion comprises a hydrophilic material covering the outer surface of the distal portion of the pusher wire ([0091] the exterior coating on the distal surface of the pusher wire can be a hydrophilic coating).
Turjman et al. does not explicitly disclose a proximal portion of the wire is exposed from the smooth portion, that the distal end portion of the smooth portion and the marker are bonded with each other with an adhesive, the marker is configured to indicate a position of the proximal end portion of the stent when the stent is inserted into a blood vessel, and the hydrophilic material comprises a 2-methacryloyloxy ethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) polymer.
A second embodiment of Turjman et al. teaches a marker (3002; FIG. 35) which is made of a radiopaque material configured to indicate a position of the proximal end portion of the stent when the stent is inserted into a blood vessel ([0261-262] 3002 can be made of steel and coated with radiopaque materials that can be used on the proximal and distal ends of the clot capture member to determine the relative position of those ends) and which is bonded by swagging ([0261]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have modified the marker 110 of the first embodiment of Turjman et al. to be made of a radiopaque material and to be bonded by swagging, as taught by the second embodiment of Turjman et al., for the purpose of being able to identify the position of the marker while the marker is within the body.
Zaidat et al. teaches in the same field of endeavor of cerebral clot removal ([0125]) and discloses attaching a radiopaque marker band to the proximal end (120) of an occlusion device (100) by swaging or adhesive bonding ([0143]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have substituted the bonding of Turjman et al. (swaging) for the bonding of Zaidat et al. (adhesives) because both bonding methods are disclosed as equivalent methods of securing the distal end portion of the smooth portion and the marker to each other, and the substitution of one for the other would have had the predictable result of bonding the distal end portion of the smooth portion to the marker.
Carter teaches a tubular body (shaft 16; FIG. 7; C7:L11-13) with a proximal portion (proximal portion of 16) and a distal portion (distal portion of 16, near 56) where the distal portion is covered by a tapered cover layer (27) and the proximal portion is exposed from the cover layer (FIG. 7) for the purpose of providing a more flexible distal portion relative to the proximal portion for guiding the body (C9:L12-27: since the distal portion of 16 near 56 has a less rigid material than the proximal portion of 16, the distal portion is relatively more flexible than the proximal portion).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have modified the smooth portion of Turjman et al. to only cover the distal portion and not the proximal portion, as taught by Carter, for the purpose of providing a more flexible distal portion relative to the proximal portion for guiding the body. Further, all the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded the predictable result of coating a tapered portion of the pusher wire.
Kim et al. discloses a hydrophilic layer of MPC can be used to coat the surface of a stent for the purpose of providing a biocompatible surface which has no substantial interaction with surface water and thereby prevents protein denaturation and adsorption as well as suppresses platelet adhesion, blood coagulation, and inflammation ([0011]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to make the hydrophilic layer in Turjman et al. out of MPC, as taught by Kim et al., for the purpose of providing a biocompatible surface which has no substantial interaction with surface water and thereby prevents protein denaturation and adsorption as well as suppresses platelet adhesion, blood coagulation, and inflammation.
Regarding claim 2, Turjman et al. further discloses where the smooth portion includes no coiled member (exterior coating is not disclosed as having a coiled member).
Regarding claim 3, Turjman et al. further discloses where the smooth portion has an outer surface with a surface roughness Ra of 0.5 nm or more and less than 2.0 nm ([0091] the guidewire 106 is coated with PTFE, which is a material recited in the application as an example of the materials which can make up the highly smooth portion and therefore is understood to have the claimed surface roughness).
Regarding claim 6, Turjman et al. further discloses wherein the stent is adapted to be delivered together with a catheter (102) to a region at or downstream of MI region in a skull and to be used together with the catheter in the skull ("adapted to be" constitutes functional language reciting an intended use of the device. Because apparatus claims are limited to structural features of the invention, the prior art device need not disclose use of the device in the claimed manner. Turjman et al. teaches in [0259] that the device can be used in a neurovascular procedure, and therefore is interpreted as being at least " adapted to be delivered together with the catheter to a region at or downstream of MI region in a skull and to be used together with the catheter in the skull " because it comprises the claimed structure and a size that is appropriate for accessing some area of the brain).
Regarding claim 7, Turjman et al. further discloses where the stent is adapted for use to retrieve a blood clot formed in a cerebral blood vessel in a region at or downstream of the MI region ("adapted for use" constitutes functional language reciting an intended use of the device. Because apparatus claims are limited to structural features of the invention, the prior art device need not disclose use of the device in the claimed manner. Turjman et al. teaches in [0259] that the device can be used in a neurovascular procedure, and therefore is interpreted as being at least "adapted for use in a cerebral blood vessel in a region at or downstream of the M1 region" because it comprises the claimed structure and a size that is appropriate for accessing a blood vessel within some area of the brain).
Claim(s) 11-12 /are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Turjman et al. in view of Zaidat et al., Kim et al., Carter, and Yoshiyuki et al. (Japanese Patent App. No. 2016/185206).
Regarding claim 11, Turjman et al. discloses a catheter-stent system (100; FIGs. 1A-2) comprising:
a wire-equipped stent (106 and 108); and
a catheter ([0089] the assembly can include microcatheter 102; see FIGs. 1A-B).
wherein the wire-equipped stent comprising:
a pusher wire ([0089] push wire 106; see FIG. 2);
a stent ([0089] clot capture member 108; see FIG. 2) connected to a distal end portion of the pusher wire ([0089] 106 and 108 are connected at the distal end of 106 by attachment ring 110; see FIG. 2); and
a smooth portion provided at a distal portion of the pusher wire, and covering an outer surface of the distal portion of the pusher wire ([0098] an exterior coating can be provided on the outer surface of the push wire, as the push wire is indicated to be the guidewire; [0006], [0039], [0043]) to form a smooth surface to reduce sliding resistance when contacting with an inner surface of a catheter ([0098] the exterior coating is used to help reduce friction with the microcatheter 102; FIG. 2);
wherein a distal side end portion of the smooth portion is connected to a proximal side end portion of the stent ([0091] the exterior coating would have its distal side end portion connected to the proximal side end portion of 108 due to the direct connection between 106 and 108 secured by 110; see FIG. 2), wherein a diameter of the distal side end portion of the smooth portion is smaller than a diameter of a proximal side end portion of the smooth portion ([0097] guidewire 106 can taper in the 200 region, and the exterior coating is on the outer surface of 106, so the exterior coating will also have a smaller diameter of its distal portion than the diameter of its proximal portion; see FIG. 2), and
a marker (110, which acts as a visual marker of the attachment between 106 and 108 outside of the body) which is connected to the proximal end portion of the stent (FIG. 2: 110 is attached to the proximal end portion of 108) and which is connected to the distal end portion of the smooth portion (FIG. 2: 110 is attached to the distal end portion of 106, which can have the coating to make the smooth portion);
wherein the smooth portion comprises a hydrophilic material covering the outer surface of the distal portion of the pusher wire ([0091] the exterior coating on the distal surface of the pusher wire can be a hydrophilic coating).
Turjman et al. does not explicitly disclose a proximal portion of the wire is exposed from the smooth portion, that the distal end portion of the smooth portion and the marker are bonded with each other with an adhesive, the marker is configured to indicate a position of the proximal end portion of the stent when the stent is inserted into a blood vessel, and the hydrophilic material comprises a 2-methacryloyloxy ethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) polymer.
A second embodiment of Turjman et al. teaches a marker (3002; FIG. 35) which is made of a radiopaque material configured to indicate a position of the proximal end portion of the stent when the stent is inserted into a blood vessel ([0261-262] 3002 can be made of steel and coated with radiopaque materials that can be used on the proximal and distal ends of the clot capture member to determine the relative position of those ends) and which is bonded by swagging ([0261]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have modified the marker of the first embodiment of Turjman et al. to be made of a radiopaque material and to be bonded by swagging, as taught by the second embodiment of Turjman et al., for the purpose of being able to identify the position of the marker while the marker is within the body.
Zaidat et al. teaches in the same field of endeavor of cerebral clot removal ([0125]) and discloses attaching a radiopaque marker band to the proximal end (120) of an occlusion device (100) by swaging or adhesive bonding ([0143]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have substituted the bonding of Turjman et al. (swaging) for the bonding of Zaidat et al. (adhesives) because both bonding methods are disclosed as equivalent methods of securing the distal end portion of the smooth portion and the marker to each other, and the substitution of one for the other would have had the predictable result of bonding the distal end portion of the smooth portion to the marker.
Carter teaches a tubular body (shaft 16; FIG. 7; C7:L11-13) with a proximal portion (proximal portion of 16) and a distal portion (distal portion of 16, near 56) where the distal portion is covered by a tapered cover layer (27) and the proximal portion is exposed from the cover layer (FIG. 7) for the purpose of providing a more flexible distal portion relative to the proximal portion for guiding the body (C9:L12-27: since the distal portion of 16 near 56 has a less rigid material than the proximal portion of 16, the distal portion is relatively more flexible than the proximal portion).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have modified the smooth portion of Turjman et al. to only cover the distal portion and not the proximal portion, as taught by Carter, for the purpose of providing a more flexible distal portion relative to the proximal portion for guiding the body. Further, all the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded the predictable result of coating a tapered portion of the pusher wire.
Kim et al. discloses a hydrophilic layer of MPC can be used to coat the surface of a stent for the purpose of providing a biocompatible surface which has no substantial interaction with surface water and thereby prevents protein denaturation and adsorption as well as suppresses platelet adhesion, blood coagulation, and inflammation ([0011]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to make the hydrophilic layer in Turjman et al. out of MPC, as taught by Kim et al., for the purpose of providing a biocompatible surface which has no substantial interaction with surface water and thereby prevents protein denaturation and adsorption as well as suppresses platelet adhesion, blood coagulation, and inflammation.
Yoshiyuki et al. teaches in the same field of endeavor of catheters, and discloses a catheter ([0007] discloses catheter 1) comprising:
a core material portion ([0026] discloses reinforcing body 6; see FIG. 3); and
a resin layer covering the core material portion ([0020] inner layer 22 may be made of synthetic resin, see Fig. 2),
wherein the core material portion includes a structure including a mesh coil ([0026] discloses a braided portion 7; see FIG. 3) and a spiral coil ([0026] discloses coil portion 8 which is spirally wound; see FIG. 3) which overlap each other (FIG. 3), and the resin layer includes an undulated surface which is provided by the core material portion ([0026] 7 and 8 are both wires which create an undulated surface, and [0034] 22 is on that surface, which would give 22 an undulated surface).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Turjman et al. to substitute a catheter with the characteristics taught by Yoshiyuki et al., in place of those disclosed by Turjman et al. since the catheter of Yoshiyuki et al. provides the advantage of increasing the flexibility of the distal end of the catheter while increasing the pushability of the proximal end and also allowing for high torque transmission (Yoshiyuki et al. [0037]). As discussed above, the resin layer is the inner layer 22 in FIG. 2 of the catheter of Yoshiyuki et al., and provides an undulated surface by the core material portion being made of the mesh coil and the spiral coil, thereby providing a catheter including an undulated inner surface.
Regarding claim 12, Turjman et al. as modified by Yoshiyuki et al. discloses the catheter comprises:
a core material portion (Yoshiyuki et al. [0026] discloses reinforcing body 6; see FIG. 3); and
a resin layer covering the core material portion (Yoshiyuki et al. [0020] inner layer 22 may be made of synthetic resin, see Fig. 2),
wherein the core material portion includes a structure including a mesh coil (Yoshiyuki et al. [0026] discloses a braided portion 7; see FIG. 3) and a spiral coil (Yoshiyuki et al. [0026] discloses coil portion 8 which is spirally wound; see FIG. 3) which overlap each other (Yoshiyuki et al. FIG. 3), and the resin layer includes an undulated surface which is provided by the core material portion (Yoshiyuki et al. [0026] 7 and 8 are both wires which create an undulated surface, and [0034] 22 is on that surface, which would give 22 an undulated surface).
Claim(s) 1 and 14-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Turjman et al. in view of Zaidat et al., Kim et al., and Alonso et al. (Pub. No. 2019/0314177).
Regarding claim 1, Turjman et al. discloses a wire-equipped stent comprising:
a pusher wire ([0089] push wire 106; see FIG. 2) configured to be inserted in a catheter ([0089] 106 can be pushed through 102; see FIGs. 1A-1B) including an undulating inner surface (as discussed above in the Response to Arguments, the functional language “configured to” means that 106 only has to be capable of being inserted into a catheter with an undulating inner surface, and if the inner surface of 102 were altered to be undulating without changing the diameter, 106 would still be insertable, thereby satisfying the claim limitation);
a stent ([0089] clot capture member 108; see FIG. 2) connected to a distal end portion of the pusher wire ([0089] 106 and 108 are connected at the distal end of 106 by attachment ring 110; see FIG. 2); and
a smooth portion provided at a distal portion of the pusher wire, and covering an outer surface of the distal portion of the pusher wire ([0098] an exterior coating can be provided on the outer surface of the push wire, as the push wire is indicated to be the guidewire; [0006], [0039], [0043]) to form a smooth surface to reduce sliding resistance when contacting with an inner surface of a catheter ([0098] the exterior coating is used to help reduce friction with the microcatheter 102; FIG. 2);
wherein a distal side end portion of the smooth portion is connected to a proximal side end portion of the stent ([0091] the exterior coating would have its distal side end portion connected to the proximal side end portion of 108 due to the direct connection between 106 and 108 secured by 110; see FIG. 2), wherein a diameter of the distal side end portion of the smooth portion is smaller than a diameter of a proximal side end portion of the smooth portion ([0097] guidewire 106 can taper in the 200 region, and the exterior coating is on the outer surface of 106, so the exterior coating will also have a smaller diameter of its distal portion than the diameter of its proximal portion; see FIG. 2), and
a marker (110, which acts as a visual marker of the attachment between 106 and 108 outside of the body) which is connected to the proximal end portion of the stent (FIG. 2: 110 is attached to the proximal end portion of 108) and which is connected to the distal end portion of the smooth portion (FIG. 2: 110 is attached to the distal end portion of 106, which can have the coating to make the smooth portion);
wherein the smooth portion comprises a hydrophilic material covering the outer surface of the distal portion of the pusher wire ([0091] the exterior coating on the distal surface of the pusher wire can be a hydrophilic coating).
Turjman et al. does not explicitly disclose a proximal portion of the wire is exposed from the smooth portion, that the distal end portion of the smooth portion and the marker are bonded with each other with an adhesive, the marker is configured to indicate a position of the proximal end portion of the stent when the stent is inserted into a blood vessel, and the hydrophilic material comprises a 2-methacryloyloxy ethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) polymer.
A second embodiment of Turjman et al. teaches a marker (3002; FIG. 35) which is made of a radiopaque material configured to indicate a position of the proximal end portion of the stent when the stent is inserted into a blood vessel ([0261-262] 3002 can be made of steel and coated with radiopaque materials that can be used on the proximal and distal ends of the clot capture member to determine the relative position of those ends) and which is bonded by swagging ([0261]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have modified the marker 110 of the first embodiment of Turjman et al. to be made of a radiopaque material and to be bonded by swagging, as taught by the second embodiment of Turjman et al., for the purpose of being able to identify the position of the marker while the marker is within the body.
Zaidat et al. teaches in the same field of endeavor of cerebral clot removal ([0125]) and discloses attaching a radiopaque marker band to the proximal end (120) of an occlusion device (100) by swaging or adhesive bonding ([0143]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have substituted the bonding of Turjman et al. (swaging) for the bonding of Zaidat et al. (adhesives) because both bonding methods are disclosed as equivalent methods of securing the distal end portion of the smooth portion and the marker to each other, and the substitution of one for the other would have had the predictable result of bonding the distal end portion of the smooth portion to the marker.
Kim et al. discloses a hydrophilic layer of MPC can be used to coat the surface of a stent for the purpose of providing a biocompatible surface which has no substantial interaction with surface water and thereby prevents protein denaturation and adsorption as well as suppresses platelet adhesion, blood coagulation, and inflammation ([0011]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to make the hydrophilic layer in Turjman et al. out of MPC, as taught by Kim et al., for the purpose of providing a biocompatible surface which has no substantial interaction with surface water and thereby prevents protein denaturation and adsorption as well as suppresses platelet adhesion, blood coagulation, and inflammation.
Alonso et al. teaches a wire (212; FIG. 2; [0339]) with a proximal portion (204) and a distal portion (206) where the distal portion is covered by a smooth portion (218; [0339] 218 is made of PTFE and is a lubricious layer) and the proximal portion is exposed from the smooth portion ([0339] and FIG. 2: 204 is exposed from 218) for the purpose of allowing fluorosafe markers to mark the proximal portion of the wire ([0339]; the markers are not pictured).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have modified the smooth portion of Turjman et al. to only cover the distal portion and not the proximal portion, as taught by Alonso et al., for the purpose of allowing fluorosafe markers to mark the proximal portion of the wire.
Regarding claim 14, Turjman et al. as modified by Alonso et al. further discloses the distal end portion of the pusher wire includes a tapered area (Turjman et al. 200; FIG. 2; [0097]), the smooth portion is provided on the tapered area (the modification by Carter is to adopt the distribution of the layer 27 for the smooth portion already existing in the exterior coating described in [0098], where in FIG. 2, 218 covers at least a portion of the tapered section; therefore, the exterior coating would cover 200), and a proximal end portion of the tapered area of the pusher wire is exposed from the smooth portion (Alonso et al. [0339] and FIG. 2: a proximal end of the tapered section 52 is not covered by 218).
Regarding claim 15, Turjman et al. as modified by Alonso et al. further discloses the smooth portion extends from the distal end portion of the tapered area of the pusher wire to the proximal end portion of the tapered area of the pusher wire (Alonso et al. FIG. 2: 218 covers a portion of the tapered area of 212, and the proximal end portion can be defined as the portion not covered by 218 while the distal end portion can be defined as the portion covered by 218, thereby meaning that the smooth portion extends from the distal end to the proximal end; furthermore, 212 is disclosed as potentially being tapered along its entire length, so the proximal portion of 212 can be tapered and uncovered while the distal end portion of 212 can be tapered and covered), and the proximal end portion of the tapered area of the pusher wire is exposed from the smooth portion (Alonso et al. FIG. 2: 218 does not cover the proximal end portion of the tapered area), while the distal end portion of the tapered area of the pusher wire is covered by the smooth portion (Alonso et al. FIG. 2: 218 covers the distal end portion of the tapered area).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES RYAN MCGINNITY whose telephone number is (571)272-0573. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 8 am-5:30 pm.
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/JAMES R MCGINNITY/Examiner, Art Unit 3771