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 1/12/2026. As directed by the amendment: claims 11 and 13 have been amended; claims 14 and 22-23 have been cancelled; and no claims have been added. Thus, claims 11-13, 15-17, and 21 are presently pending in this application.
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 11-13, 15-17, and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Inglefield, Jr. (US 4351334 A).
Regarding claim 11, Inglefield, Jr. discloses a detachable plunger loop (Figs. 1 and 12-13) comprising:
a loop portion (20) having an interior (Interior of 20) and an exterior (Exterior of 20), the interior extending along a length of the loop portion (Fig. 12) in a lengthwise direction (Image 1),
wherein the loop portion interior comprises a tapered diameter (Fig. 12) such that a first opening of the interior of the loop portion has a perimeter that is greater than a perimeter of a second opening of the loop portion (Image 1, Col 8, lines 60-65),
the first and second openings being on opposite lengthwise ends of the loop portion (Fig. 12);
wherein an interior of the loop portion is curved in the lengthwise direction on a proximal portion and a distal portion (Image 2, Col 8, lines 60-65), and wherein an exterior of the loop portion is curved in the lengthwise direction on the proximal portion and the distal portion (Image 2, Col 8, lines 60-65);
a prong portion (Image 1), wherein the loop portion is connected to the prong portion (Fig. 12), and the prong portion defines an aperture (51) for engaging with a plunger (53) of a syringe (12, Col 8, 34-59); and
wherein the length of the loop portion between the first opening and the second opening is greater than a length of the prong portion (Fig. 13).
Image 1:
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Image 2:
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Regarding claim 12, Inglefield, Jr. discloses the detachable plunger loop of claim 11 wherein the loop portion comprises a flexible material (Col 5, lines 41-48).
Regarding claim 13, Inglefield, Jr. discloses the detachable plunger loop of claim 11 wherein the loop comprises a circumference, and the circumference consists of a curved surface (Fig. 12).
Regarding claim 15, Inglefield, Jr. discloses the detachable plunger loop of claim 11 wherein the prong portion comprises a flexible material (Col 8, lines 48-55).
Regarding claim 16, Inglefield, Jr. discloses the detachable plunger loop of claim 11 wherein the loop portion and the prong portion are integrally connected at a base of the prong portion (Fig. 12).
Regarding claim 17, Inglefield, Jr. discloses the detachable plunger loop of claim 11 wherein a proximal portion of the loop portion has a greater length than a distal portion of the loop portion (Image 2).
Regarding claim 21, Inglefield, Jr. discloses the detachable plunger loop of claim 11, wherein the prong portion is attached to a plunger (53) of a syringe (12, Col 8, lines 34-59).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s amendments to the claims appear to overcome Sciore et al. (US 20230062767 A1), however, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Inglefield, Jr. (US 4351334 A). It appears the applicant attempted to claim the curved shape of the loop portion in the present application, however the claims are broad enough to read on the Inglefield, Jr. reference. The examiner suggests amending the independent claim to clarify the direction of the curves of the interior and exterior of the proximal and distal portions.
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 HONG-VAN N TRINH whose telephone number is (571)272-8039. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:15-5:45 ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Chelsea Stinson can be reached at (571) 270-1744. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HONG-VAN N TRINH/Examiner, Art Unit 3783 /James D Ponton/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3783