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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group II in the reply filed on 22 December 2025 is acknowledged. Thus, claims 11 – 15 are being considered on the merits.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Objections
Claim 12 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 12, line 3, "to rotation" should read --to a rotation--..
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 11 – 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Herrig (US 20130060268 A1).
Regarding claim 11, Herrig teaches a bodily implant ([0002], [0023]) comprising:
a connector (“connector 270” [0031] – [0032], [0036], [0038]) configured to connect a first tube member and a second tube member (parts of the “inflow component” [0038]) such that fluid can be transferred through the first tube member and the second tube member ([0038], Examiner interprets “inflow component” can be slid onto one inner connector end.), the connector including:
a first rotational connector (“first [… member] 278” [0032] Figure 4) including a lumen (part of the “inflow component” [0038]);
a second rotational connector (“second [… member] 280” [0032] Figure 4) including a lumen (part of the “inflow component” [0038]),
the first rotational connector (278) configured to engage with the second rotational connector (280) and to rotate with respect to the second rotational connector (280) to couple the first rotational connector (278) and the second rotational connector (280) in a locked configuration (“secured or locked engagement” [0036] Figure 4); and
an inner connector (“engagement features 290” [0039] Figure 4) configured to be disposed in the lumen (part of the “inflow component” [0038]) of the first rotational connector (278) and the lumen (part of the “inflow component” [0038]) of the second rotational connector (280).
Regarding claim 12, Herrig teaches all limitations of claim 11. Herrig teaches a diameter of the lumen of the first rotational connector (“first [… member] 278” [0032] Figure 4) and a diameter of the lumen of the second rotational connector (“second [… member] 280” [0032] Figure 4) decrease in response to rotation of the first rotational connector (278) with respect to the second rotational connector (280) to place the connector (“connector 270” [0031] – [0032], [0036], [0038]) in a compressed configuration (“closed configuration” [0031] Figure 3) (“In other embodiments, a seal can be imposed between these structures by a clamping structure, such as by closing the clam shell members discussed above. The inflow component 362 can be slid axially until one end thereof abuts with a shoulder 388. Engagement features 390 similar to those discussed above in connection with the connector 270 can be positioned on an outer surface of the connector 370 to mechanically engage with the inner surface or engagement features (not shown) positioned on an inner surface of the inflow component 362.” [0065]; Examiner interprets the clamping structure of Figures 3 and 4 causes a decrease in “a diameter of the lumen of the first rotational connector” and in “a diameter of the lumen of the second rotational connector”).
Regarding claim 13, Herrig teaches all limitations of claim 11. Herrig teaches the first rotational connector (“first [… member] 278” [0032] Figure 4) includes a protrusion (see annotated Herrig’s Figure 4 below) and a connector groove (see annotated Herrig’s Figure 4 below), and
the second rotational connector (“second [… member] 280” [0032] Figure 4) includes a protrusion (see annotated Herrig’s Figure 4 below) and a connector groove (see annotated Herrig’s Figure 4 below).
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Regarding claim 14, Herrig teaches all limitations of claim 13. Herrig teaches the protrusion of the first rotational connector (see annotated Herrig’s Figure 1 above) is configured to be inserted into the connector groove of the second rotational connector (see annotated Herrig’s Figure 1 above)
while the protrusion of the second rotational connector (see annotated Herrig’s Figure 1 above) is inserted into the connector groove of the first rotational connector (see annotated Herrig’s Figure 1 above).
Regarding claim 15, Herrig teaches all limitations of claim 14. Herrig teaches the protrusion of the first rotational connector (see annotated Herrig’s Figure 1 above) is configured to move along the connector groove of the second rotational connector (see annotated Herrig’s Figure 1 above) in response to the first rotational connector (see annotated Herrig’s Figure 1 above) being rotated with respect to the second rotational connector (see annotated Herrig’s Figure 1 above). Examiner interprets moving the first rotational connector and the second rotational connector reads on limitation/claim.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Smutney et al (US 20080214990 A1) discloses a “fluid conduit connector assembly” (abstract).
Blake et al (FR-3007813-A1) discloses a “Fluidic connection device” (abstract).
Hegland et al (WO 2005030316 A1) discloses “sutureless pump connectors” (abstract).
GAGLIARDONI et al (WO 2015024605 A1) discloses “Needlefree valve device (1) for controlling the flow of fluid in a pathway” (abstract).
Fangrow (US 20060161115 A1) discloses a “soft grip medical connector” (abstract).
Segal et al (US 6402207 B1) discloses a “medical connector adapted for placement between a catheter and a medical infusion or injection source” (abstract and annotated Figure 1 below) and a connector (“a first male medical connector portion 1 and a second female medical connector portion 3”) configured to connect a first tube member and a second tube member (“a first male medical connector portion 1 and a second female medical connector portion 3”) such that fluid can be transferred through the first tube member and the second tube member (“the fluid lumens 10, 60 are disposed in registration with one another to form an intermediate fluid pathway that connects a fluid delivering device to a fluid receiving device”), the connector including: a first rotational connector (“a first male medical connector portion 1”) including a lumen (“the fluid [lumen] 10” Figure 1); a second rotational connector (“second female medical connector portion 3”) including a lumen (“the fluid [lumen…] 60” Figure 1).
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Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JULIE T TRAN whose telephone number is (703)756-4677. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday from 8:30 am - 5:00 pm.
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/JULIE THI TRAN/Examiner, Art Unit 3791
/ALEX M VALVIS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3791