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 .
FINAL ACTION
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed on 1/21/2026 has been received and claims 1, 3-10, and 14-18 are pending.
Claim Objections
Claim 6 is objected to because of the following informalities:
in line 2,
delete “to change” and insert --changes--,
insert --and-- after “electrodes”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 and 3-9 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.
In Claim 1, it is not clear whether the limitation “the SMA being configured to change shape when heated to said sufficient temperature” in lines 8-9 is attempting to set forth a different feature/process step than the limitation already set forth in lines 7-8, where the step of heating to change a shape implies that SMA changes shape with heating.
In Claim 3, it is not clear whether the limitation “an is deformed to the blocked state upon removal of the medical connector from a mating connector” is further limiting of the parent claim (i.e. limitation in lines 5-6 of claim 1). In addition, it is not clear whether the limitation “a mating connector” in line 3 is attempting to refer to the mating connector as set forth in the parent claim or to another mating connector.
In Claim 4, it is not clear whether the limitation of the claim is further limiting the parent claim, namely from the limitation set forth in lines 7-10 of the parent claim 1.
In Claim 5, it is not clear whether the limitation “a mating connector” in lines 3-4 is attempting to refer to the mating connector as set forth in the parent claim or to another mating connector.
Claims 6-9 are rejected due to their dependence on a rejected claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 1 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the primary reason for allowance of the claims is due to inclusion of limitation “the SMA is deformed to the blocked state upon removal of the medical connector from the mating connector”. While prior art of record Konomura (4449518) discloses a medical connector comprised of SMA components (218, 219) having a blocked state where the SMA (218, 219) is deformed to the blocked state upon insertion of the medical connector to a mating connector (see Figure 28) and an unblocked state upon heating (see Figure 27) (see also paragraph 6 on p. 3 of Office Action mailed 10/21/2025), Konomura (‘518) does not specifically teach that “the SMA is deformed to the blocked state upon removal of the medical connector from the mating connector”. It would not have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a method of ensuring a medical connector for a device is disinfected, or sterilized comprised of steps in the configuration as set forth in the claims, particularly that “the SMA is deformed to the blocked state upon removal of the medical connector from the mating connector”.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 and 3-9 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.
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 REGINA M YOO whose telephone number is (571)272-6690. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm EST.
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/REGINA M YOO/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1758
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