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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 18 February 2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed 16 January 2026 has been entered. Claim(s) 1. Applicant’s amendments to the claims have overcome each and every rejection of the claims under 35 U.S.C. 102/103 applied in the office action dated 20 November 2025.
An objection to claim 19 and a rejection under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) were previously missed and are applied below.
Claim Objections
Claim 19 is objected to because of the following informalities: "being less" in line 2 should be --. 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 1, 3-20, and 55-60 are 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.
Claims 1 and 60 recite the limitation “wherein the proximal inside surface at the junction comprises a first diameter and the middle section inside surface at the junction comprises a second diameter” in lines 21-22 and 20-21, respectively.
It is not clear how the proximal inside surface and middle section inside surface can have specific diameters “at the junction” when the junction relates to the coupling of the two elements and may thus have its own separate diameter or may encompass more than one diameter of each element such as if the junction comprises a sleeve which couples the two elements together. The limitation is interpreted as referring to the proximal inside surface at the second annular face having a first diameter and the middle section inside surface at the first annular face having a second diameter.
Claims 3-20 and 55-59 are additionally rejected as indefinite under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as indefinite due to their dependence on claim 1.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 3-20, and 55-60 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The prior art of the record fails to teach and/or fairly suggest, in combination with all other recited limitations, “a first annular face at the proximal end of the middle section being coupled to a second annular face at the distal end of the proximal section at a junction, wherein the first annular face and the second annular face contact each other at the junction” and “wherein the proximal inside surface at the junction comprises a first diameter and the middle section inside surface at the junction comprises a second diameter, the first diameter being less than the second diameter” of claims 1 and 60 and “a coupling zone of the connection is offset from a central axis of the sensor housing section” of claim 60.
While the most pertinent prior art of the record Belleville (US 201302118032—previously cited) and Nishigishi (US 20140066789 A1—previously cited) in combination discloses a pressure guidewire comprising: a shaft tube assembly comprising: a proximal section comprising a first tubular body comprising a proximal end, a distal end, a proximal outside surface and a proximal inside surface, the proximal inside surface enclosing a proximal portion of a central lumen, the proximal outside surface comprising an outer surface of the pressure guidewire; a middle section comprising a second tubular body separate from the first tubular body and comprising a proximal end, a middle section outside surface, a middle section inside surface, the middle section inside surface disposed about a space within the pressure guidewire, where the proximal end of the middle section is coupled to the distal end of the proximal section at a junction and wherein the proximal inside surface comprises a first diameter and the middle section inside surface comprises a second diameter, the first diameter being less than the second diameter; a sensor housing section extending distally relative to the middle section; a hypotube comprising a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, the hypotube extending through the space about which the middle section inside surface is disposed, the proximal end portion of the hypotube coupled with the distal end of the proximal section and the distal end portion of the hypotube being coupled to the sensor housing section; and a tip pressure sensor positioned in the sensor housing section, the references fail to teach or suggest the limitations above.
As Belleville does not disclose the middle section comprising a second tubular body separate from the first tubular body where the proximal end of the middle section is coupled to the distal end of the proximal section at a junction, it cannot be relied upon to teach or suggest a first annular face and a second annular face contact each other at said junction. Belleville is similarly silent as to wherein the proximal inside surface comprises a first diameter and the middle section inside surface comprises a second diameter, the first diameter being less than the second diameter.
While Nishigishi provides for a middle section comprising a second tubular body separate from the first tubular body where the proximal end of the middle section is coupled to the distal end of the proximal section at a junction and wherein there is a first annular face at the proximal end of the middle section and a second annular face at the distal end of the proximal section, these annular faces do not contact one another at all and no motivation is present to make such a modification. Furthermore, such a modification would alter the functioning of Nishigishi as it would prevent the “nesting” fit of the two tubes.
Furthermore, neither reference discloses a coupling zone of the connection is offset from a central axis of the sensor housing section and instead each teaches only mechanisms of connection which are formed circumferentially about a central axis with no fair suggestion or reason to prompt such a modification.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANNA ROBERTS whose telephone number is (571)272-7912. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30-4:30 EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Alexander Valvis can be reached at (571) 272-4233. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ANNA ROBERTS/Examiner, Art Unit 3791
Prosecution Insights