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
Claims 9-13 and 6-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Group II, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 5/12/26. Claims 21-24 are being examined below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 1-6 and 21-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Gumbrecht et al. (US 2016/0047832).
Regarding claim 1, Gumbrecht discloses a female connector configured to be coupled, in use, to a male needle connector of a microfluidic system (this limitation does not further structurally limit the instant claim), comprising:
a containment body (717/719; containment body surrounds the connector chamber);
a connector chamber (705/709/101) in the containment body, the connector chamber being delimited by a first face and a second face (see annotated fig. 8 and 9 below), not facing each other (the first face and the second face away from each other since they are on the outer side of the connector chamber);
a duct (707) extending in the containment body to a duct opening on the first face of the connector chamber (see fig. 9 annotated);
a needle entry hole (needle 713 extends through the gasket) extending from a lateral face of the containment body as far as the second face of the connector chamber (the needle entry hold extends to the second face of the connector chamber as seen in the annotated fig. 8); and
a gasket (711) arranged in the connector chamber, the gasket having a side wall internally delimiting a cavity (the gasket is adjacent a cavity 727 or at 721),
wherein the side wall of the gasket extends in part adjacent to the second face of the connector chamber (711 gasket extends in part adjacent to the second face as seen in fig. 8 once broken by the needle), and the cavity of the gasket faces the first face of the connector chamber (cavity 727 faces the first face of the connector chamber).
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Regarding claim 2, the female connector according to claim 1, wherein the connector chamber has a parallelepipedal shape (see fig. 8 above), and the first and second faces and are adjacent to each other (see fig. 8 above).
Regarding claim 3, the female connector according to claim 1, wherein the gasket is cup shaped (see fig. 8 when gasket is breached by needle), with a bottom wall extending transversely to the side wall and arranged contiguous to a third face (sidewall of 101, when gasket is open) of the connector chamber, opposite to the first face.
Regarding claim 4, the female connector according to claim 1, wherein the gasket is of a material chosen among rubber, fluorosilicone (para 113), and neoprene.
Regarding claim 5, the female microfluidic connector according to claim 3, wherein the gasket has a hardness of 15 to 90 Shore A (silicone is the same material disclosed in the instant claim and therefore would have the same hardness properties).
Regarding claim 6, the female connector according to claim 1, wherein a surface of the side wall of the gasket facing the first face of the connector chamber has a projecting profile surrounding the cavity (wall of 705 closest to the gasket projects in the connector chamber).
Regarding claim 21, Gumbrecht discloses a female connector configured to be coupled, in use, to a male needle connector of a microfluidic system, comprising:
a containment body (717/719; containment body surrounds the connector chamber);
a connector chamber (705/709/101) in the containment body, the connector chamber being delimited by a first face and a second face (see annotated fig. 8 and 9 below), not facing each other (the first face and the second face away from each other since they are on the outer side of the connector chamber);
a duct (707) extending in the containment body to a duct opening on the first face of the connector chamber (see fig. 9 annotated);
a needle entry hole (needle 713 extends through the gasket) extending from a lateral face of the containment body as far as the second face of the connector chamber (the needle entry hold extends to the second face of the connector chamber as seen in the annotated fig. 8); and
a gasket (711) arranged in the connector chamber, the gasket having a side wall internally delimiting a cavity (the gasket is adjacent a cavity 727 or at 721),
wherein the side wall of the gasket extends in part adjacent to the second face of the connector chamber (711 gasket extends in part adjacent to the second face as seen in fig. 8 once broken by the needle), and the cavity of the gasket faces the first face of the connector chamber (cavity 727 faces the first face of the connector chamber), and a surface of the side wall of the gasket facing the first face of the connector chamber has a projecting profile surrounding the cavity, and the surface of the side wall of the gasket further has a peripheral lowered portion surrounding the projecting profile (see fig. 8, gasket has a projecting profile surround the cavity, and the surface of the sidewall ha a peripheral lowered portion surrounding the projection profile).
Regarding claim 22, the female connector according to claim 21, wherein the projecting profile bears upon the first face of the connector chamber see fig. 8).
Regarding claim 23, Gumbrecht discloses a female connector configured to be coupled, in use, to a male needle connector of a microfluidic system, comprising: a containment body (717/719; containment body surrounds the connector chamber);
a connector chamber (705/709/101) in the containment body, the connector chamber being delimited by a first face and a second face (see annotated fig. 8 and 9 below), not facing each other (the first face and the second face away from each other since they are on the outer side of the connector chamber);
a duct (707) extending in the containment body to a duct opening on the first face of the connector chamber (see fig. 9 annotated);
a needle entry hole (needle 713 extends through the gasket) extending from a lateral face of the containment body as far as the second face of the connector chamber (the needle entry hold extends to the second face of the connector chamber as seen in the annotated fig. 8); and
a gasket (711) of silicone rubber (para 113) arranged in the connector chamber a gasket,
wherein the side wall of the gasket extends in part adjacent to the second face of the connector chamber (711 gasket extends in part adjacent to the second face as seen in fig. 8 once broken by the needle), and the cavity of the gasket faces the first face of the connector chamber (cavity 727 faces the first face of the connector chamber).
Regarding claim 24, the female connector according to claim 23, wherein the gasket has a hardness of 15 to 45 Shore A (Gumbrecht discloses the same material and therefore would have the same properties of the instant claim).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAMUEL P SIEFKE whose telephone number is (571)272-1262. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8-5.
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/SAMUEL P SIEFKE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1758
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