DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions.
Notice of Amendment
The Amendment filed 2/16/2026 has been entered. Claims 23-42 are pending in the application with no claims amended, claims 33-42 withdrawn, claims 1-20 cancelled.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed 2/16/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim 23 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Okada et al. (US Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0090709, hereinafter Okada).
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 pre-AIA 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 –
(b) the invention was patented or described in a printed publication in this or a foreign country or in public use or on sale in this country, more than one year prior to the date of application for patent in the United States.
Claim 23 and 25-31 are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(b) as being anticipated by Okada et al. (US Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0090709, hereinafter Okada).
In regard to claim 23, Okada discloses a medical manipulation assembly (1, Fig. 5) comprising:
a catheter (3) including an elongated distal steerable portion (14, 15) with a distal working channel (48a) extending through the distal steerable portion (Fig. 6) and an elongated proximal steerable portion (17) proximal of the distal steerable portion with a proximal working channel (47) extending through the proximal steerable portion (Fig. 6), the distal steerable portion and the proximal steerable portion extending along a longitudinal axis of the catheter (Fig. 6), and wherein the distal and proximal working channels are in fluid communication with each other (Fig. 6) and are configured to receive an instrument (51, Fig. 6);
a distal steering mechanism (35LR, 36) operable to bend the distal steerable portion in a first plane relative to the proximal steerable portion in response to movement of a first portion (35LR) of the distal steering mechanism about a first axis of rotation and to bend the distal steerable portion in a second plane relative to the proximal steerable portion in response to movement of a second portion (36) of the distal steering mechanism about a second axis of rotation different than the first axis of rotation (Par. 73, wherein knob (35LR) bends section (14) in the left/right directions and knob (36) bends section (14, 15) in the up/down directions).
a proximal steering mechanism (37) operable to bend the proximal steerable portion by rotational movement of the proximal steering mechanism without movement of the first axis of rotation or the second axis of rotation of the distal steering mechanism (Par. 73, knob (37) operates independently of the distal steering mechanism (35LR, 36));
one or more distal pullwires extending between the distal steerable portion and the distal steering mechanism (Par. 73, via wires connecting the control knobs to the distal steerable portion (14, 15)), wherein the distal steering mechanism is mechanically coupled to the one or more distal pullwires (via the control knobs mechanically connected to a pulley, Par. 73), and
one or more proximal pullwires extending between the proximal steerable portion and the proximal steering mechanism (Par. 73, via wires connecting the control knob (37) to the proximal steerable portion (17)).
In regard to claim 25, Okada teaches further comprising the instrument (51), wherein the instrument is extendable distally beyond the proximal and distal steerable portions (Fig. 6 illustrates an instrument (51) extending through an alternate working channel (50a) and extending beyond the distal end)).
In regard to claim 26, Okada does not expressly teach instrument comprises a camera (Okada teaches a camera (2) extending through a working channel (47, 48) into distal tip (13)).
In regard to claim 27, Okada does not expressly teach instrument comprises a needle (74, Fig. 15).
In regard to claim 28, Okada teaches wherein at least one of the proximal or distal steering mechanisms is operable by computer control (the steering mechanisms are capable of being operated via computer control).
In regard to claim 29, Okada teaches wherein the distal and proximal working channels are configured for passage of an irrigation fluid therethrough (fluids are capable of being delivered through the working channels).
In regard to claim 30, Okada teaches wherein the instrument comprises an ablation instrument (the instrument is capable of being an ablation instrument, further Okada teaches of a high frequency snare (52) extending through a channel of the device).
In regard to claim 31, Okada teaches further comprising a lighting source (62) extending within the distal steerable portion (Par. 104).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
(a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim 24 is rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Okada et al. (US Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0090709, hereinafter Okada) in view of Ogura et al. (US Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0062063, hereinafter Ogura).
In regard to claim 24, Okada does not expressly teach wherein the first axis of rotation is orthogonal to the second axis of rotation.
Ogura teaches an analogous endoscope comprising a plurality of spaced apart control knobs (42, 44), wherein Ogura teaches the control knobs can have a plurality of configurations in which the control knobs (42, 44) can be arranged in a parallel configuration as shown in Fig. 7 or an orthogonal configuration as shown in Fig. 8.
It would’ve been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to modify the control knob (36) of Okada to be orthogonal to the control knob (35LR) as taught by Ogura in Fig. 8 as a matter of design choice for providing improved ergonomic positioning of the control knobs depending on the procedure and/or surgeon’s preference for operating the steering mechanisms.
Claim 32 is rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Okada et al. (US Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0090709, hereinafter Okada), as applied to claim 23, and further in view of Ogura et al. (US Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0062063, hereinafter Ogura).
In regard to claim 32, Ogura does not expressly teach wherein the one or more proximal and distal pullwires include a compression coil.
Ogura teaches an analogous endoscope device (2) for delivering surgical tools (52) to a body cavity. The endoscope device includes a handle (12) and an insertion tube (11). The handle includes steering controls (42,44) for articulating bending portions (24, 25) at a distal end of the insertion tube. The insertion tube includes coil pipes (36,37) act as guides through which pull wires (34, 35) extend through the insertion tube to termination points within the bending portion and/or distal tip.
It would’ve been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to modify the insertion device of Okada with the compression coils of Ogura thereby providing guides for the pullwires extending through the insertion tube to the steerable portions. There being no unexpected results in modifying the insertion device of Okada with the compression coils of Ogura.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 RYAN N HENDERSON whose telephone number is (571)270-1430. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 6am-5pm (PST).
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/RYAN N HENDERSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3795 February 28, 2026