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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application filed in Japan on 10/30/2020. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of the PCT/JP2020/040874 application as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Status of Claims
Claims 1-9, 11-17, and 19-24 are pending, claims 10 and 18 have been cancelled, claims 21-24 have been added, and claims 1-9, 11-17, and 19-24 are currently under consideration for patentability under 37 CFR 1.104. Previous 35 USC 112 Rejections have been withdrawn in light of Applicant’s amendments.
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 02/19/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-9, 11-17, and 19-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 1-9, 11-17, and 19-24 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.
Regarding claims 1 and 16, the limitation “the cylindrical tube of the first connector” is unclear. This feature has not been previously recited in the claim.
Regarding claims 1 and 16, the limitation “an opening disposed within the second member” is unclear. It is unclear what feature “the opening” belongs to, or if “the opening” is a feature/structure in of itself.
Regarding claims 2 and 17, the limitation “the opening is provided in a portion of the first connector that rotates with the second tube” is unclear with respect to claims 1 and 16. In claims 1 and 16, the opening is “disposed within the second member that rotates together with the second tube of the first connector”. It is unclear if the opening is provided in a different feature/structure.
Regarding claim 3, the limitation “the drive motor” is unclear because it has not been previously recited.
Regarding claim 12, the limitation “the wire” is unclear because it has not been previously recited.
Regarding claim 19, the limitation “a distal end portion” on line 2 is unclear. It is unclear what feature the distal end portion is referring to.
Regarding claim 19, the limitation “the distal end portion of the first tube” is unclear because it has not been previously recited.
Regarding claim 19, the limitation “the second connector” is unclear as it has not been previously recited.
Regarding claims 22 and 24, the limitation “an internal cylindrical tube” is unclear. It is unclear if this feature is the same feature as “the cylindrical tube of the first connector” recited in claims 1 and 16.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PAMELA F WU whose telephone number is (571)272-9851. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8-4 PM.
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PAMELA F. WU
Examiner
Art Unit 3795
March 18, 2026
/RYAN N HENDERSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3795