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 .
Response to Amendment
This office action is responsive to the amendment filed on 12/3/25. As directed by the amendment: claims 16 and 26 have been amended, 1-15 have been cancelled, and new claims 31-35 have been added. Thus, claims 16-35 are presently pending in this application.
Claim Objections
Claim 32 is objected to because of the following informalities: “od” should be “of”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 35 is objected to because of the following informalities: the numbering of claim 35 should be provided with a decimal point at the end of the number. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 16-35 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding independent claims 16, 26, and 31, the limitation “the outer surface…forms a cross-sectional width that decreases toward distal end of the body” is indefinite because it is not clear from the claim how a surface can form a cross-sectional width; one of ordinary skill in the art would not inherently understand a surface to possess a width in the direction claimed, and would not understand in what way such a surface would define or delineate such a width without further clarifying claim language.
Further regarding independent claims 16, 26, and 31, the limitation “distal end of the body” in both amended limitation is indefinite. The phrasing is grammatically incorrect (lacking an article such as “a” or “the”) and it is unclear if this is referring to the previously recited “distal end portion” or a different, new element.
Remaining claims are rejected as they depend from the claims cited above and incorporate those deficiencies.
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) 16-35 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mermet (US 20120157928).
Regarding claim 16, as best understood, Mermet discloses a tubing junction assembly (assembly illustrated in fig. 4A-B) comprising: a body 10 having an outer surface (radially outward circumferential surface of 10), an inner surface 11, a proximal end portion (portion towards face of 10 visible in fig. 4B), a distal end portion (portion towards face of 10 visible in fig. 4A), and a transverse wall between the proximal and distal end portions (see fig. 4A-B), the transverse wall comprises a cavity 12 that extends through the transverse wall toward the proximal end portion (see fig. 4A-B), and the outer surface of the body along the distal end portion forms a cross-sectional width that decreases toward distal end of the body (at least the width of anchoring holes 12 decreases toward the distal end of the body thanks to the presence of 31, and is defined within the outer surface of the body, see fig. 4B); and a collar 20 having a first end (end visible in fig. 4B), a second end (end visible in fig. 4A), and an inner surface (surface surrounding 23) defining a passage 23 that that extends between the first and second ends (see fig. 4A-B), wherein the collar comprises a locking tab 30 that extends from the first end in a first direction away from the second end of the collar (see fig. 4B), and a cross-sectional width of the passage decreases from the first end toward the second end of the collar (due to the presence of 21, see fig. 4B); wherein, when the collar is coupled with the body, the locking tab is configured to be inserted into the cavity of the body and between an inner surface of the transverse wall and an outer surface of the distal end portion, such that the locking tab can engage against the body to resist longitudinal movement of the collar away from the body (par. 0061; see fig. 4A-B).
Regarding claim 17, Mermet discloses the body comprises a ledge 31 that extends into the cavity, and the locking tab comprises a barb 32, and wherein the barb is configured to engage against the ledge to resist movement of the collar away from the body along an axis through a bore of the body when the collar and the body are coupled together (par. 0061; see fig. 4A-B).
Regarding claim 18, Mermet discloses the ledge extends radially inward toward the axis through a bore of the body, and the barb extends radially outward away from an axis through the passage of the collar (see fig. 4A-B).
Regarding claim 19, Mermet discloses the barb comprises a distal end surface that extends in a second direction that is transverse relative to the first direction (see fig. 4A-B).
Regarding claim 20, Mermet discloses the collar comprises a plurality of locking tabs spaced around a perimeter of the first end of the collar (see fig. 4A-B).
Regarding claim 21, Mermet discloses the body comprises a proximal end surface (face of 10 visible in fig. 4B) and an aperture that extends from the cavity through the proximal end surface (proximal aperture of 12).
Regarding claim 22, Mermet discloses the cavity comprises a plurality of cavities (see fig. 4A-B).
Regaring claim 23, Mermet discloses the plurality of cavities are spaced apart around an axis through a bore of the body (see fig. 4A-B).
Regarding claim 24, Mermet discloses the plurality of cavities are between an axis through a bore of the body and the outer surface of the body (see fig. 4A-B).
Regarding claim 25, Mermet discloses the body includes a plurality of apertures extending through a proximal end of the body to the cavity, and wherein each aperture of the plurality of apertures intersects a respective one of the plurality of cavities (proximal apertures of each element 12).
Regarding claim 26, as best understood, Mermet discloses a method of providing a tubing junction assembly (fig. 4A-B; par. 0061) comprising: providing a body 10 having an outer surface (radially outward circumferential surface of 10), an inner surface 11, a proximal end portion (portion towards face of 10 visible in fig. 4B), a distal end portion (portion towards face of 10 visible in fig. 4A), and a transverse wall between the proximal and distal end portions (see fig. 4A-B), the transverse wall comprises a cavity 12 that extends through the transverse wall toward the proximal end portion (see fig. 4A-B), and the outer surface of the body along the distal end portion forms a cross-sectional width that decreases toward distal end of the body (at least the width of anchoring holes 12 decreases toward the distal end of the body thanks to the presence of 31, and is defined within the outer surface of the body, see fig. 4B); and providing a collar 20 having a first end (end visible in fig. 4B), a second end (end visible in fig. 4A), and an inner surface (surface surrounding 23) defining a passage 23 that that extends between the first and second ends (see fig. 4A-B), wherein the collar comprises a locking tab 30 that extends from the first end in a first direction away from the second end of the collar (see fig. 4B), and a cross-sectional width of the passage decreases from the first end toward the second end of the collar (due to the presence of 21, see fig. 4B); wherein the collar is couplable such that the locking tab is positioned within the cavity of the body and between an inner surface of the transverse wall and an outer surface of the distal end portion and the locking tab can engage against the body to resist longitudinal resists movement of the collar away from the body (see fig. 4A-B; par. 0061).
Regarding claim 27, Mermet discloses engagement of the locking tab against the transverse wall resists rotation of the collar relative to the body (see fig. 4A-B).
Regarding claim 28, Mermet discloses providing a barb 32 on the locking tab such that the barb is configured to engage against a ledge 31 of the body to resist movement of the collar away from the body (see fig. 4A-B; par. 0061).
Regarding claim 29, Mermet discloses providing an aperture (proximal aperture of element 12) extending through a proximal end of the body to the cavity (see fig. 4A-B).
Regarding claim 30, Mermet discloses the collar comprises a plurality of locking tabs spaced around a perimeter of the collar, and the body comprises a plurality of cavities are spaced apart around an axis through a bore of the body, and each tab of the plurality of locking tabs is configured to be positioned with a respective cavity of the plurality of cavities (see fig. 4A-B).
Regarding claim 31, as best understood, Mermet discloses a tubing junction assembly (assembly illustrated in fig. 4A-B) comprising: a body (comprising 10 and 102 in combination) having an outer surface (radially outward circumferential surface of 10 and outer surface of 102 protruding past 10, see fig. 5), an inner surface 11, a proximal end portion (portion towards face of 10 visible in fig. 4B), a distal end portion (distal portion of 102 protruding from 10, see fig. 4A-B and 5), and a transverse wall between the proximal and distal end portions (transverse wall of 10, see fig. 4A-B), the transverse wall comprises a cavity 12 that extends through the transverse wall toward the proximal end portion (see fig. 4A-B), and the outer surface of the body along the distal end portion forms a cross-sectional width that decreases toward distal end of the body (at least the width defined by 102, see fig. 5); and a collar 20 having a first end (end visible in fig. 4B), a second end (end visible in fig. 4A), and an inner surface (surface surrounding 23) defining a passage 23 that that extends between the first and second ends (see fig. 4A-B), wherein the collar comprises a locking tab 30 that extends from the first end in a first direction away from the second end of the collar (see fig. 4B), and a cross-sectional width of the passage decreases from the first end toward the second end of the collar (due to the presence of 21, see fig. 4B); and a tubing (tubular portion of 54 within 53; see fig. 5) comprising a wall having an inner surface, an outer surface, and a thickness from the inner surface to the outer surface (wall, inner surface, and outer surface of the tubular portion of 54 within 53, as shown in fig. 5); wherein, the distal end portion is configured to be inserted into a bore formed by the inner surface of the wall of the tubing (see fig. 5), and the collar is configured to be moved along the outer surface of the wall of the tubing in a direction toward the distal end of the body such that the tubing is positioned between the distal end portion of the body and the inner surface of the collar (see fig. 5), and the locking tab is inserted into the cavity of the body such that the locking tab can engage against the body to resist longitudinal movement of the collar away from the body (par. 0061; see fig. 4A-5).
Regarding claim 32, Mermet discloses when the collar is coupled with the body, a distance between the distal end portion of the body and the inner surface of the collar is less than the thickness from the inner surface to the outer surface od the wall of the tubing (see fig. 5, where the tubing wall has been progressively compressed between the claimed surfaces).
Regarding claim 33, Mermet discloses the collar comprises a plurality of locking tabs spaced around a perimeter of the first end of the collar (see fig. 4A-B).
Regarding claim 34, Mermet discloses the body comprises a proximal end surface (face of 10 visible in fig. 4B) and an aperture that extends from the cavity through the proximal end surface (proximal aperture of 12).
Regarding claim 35, Mermet discloses the cavity comprises a plurality of cavities (see fig. 4A-B).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/3/25 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. See the rejections of independent claims 16, 26, and 30 above which address the newly amended limitations.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHAN R PRICE whose telephone number is (571)270-5421. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:00am-4:00pm Eastern time.
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/NATHAN R PRICE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3783