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 I, encompassing claims 1-8, 14, 18, and 19, in the reply filed on 7/32/26 is acknowledged. Claims 9-13, 15-17, and 20 are withdrawn from consideration.
Claim Objections
Claims 9-13, 15-17, and 20 are objected to because of the following informalities: withdrawn claims should utilize the appropriate status identifier. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1-8, 14, 18, and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Haarala et al. (US 20080214991).
Regarding claim 1, Haarala et al. discloses a connection system for a subcutaneous port including a port stem (embodiment of fig. 5-7, utilizing additional features from embodiments in fig. 8-34), the connection system comprising: an adapter 38 (mis-labeled 42 in fig. 7; see fig. 4 for example) having a body (body of 38) and configured for connection to the port stem 22, and an adapter stem 42 (the reference numeral 42 to the left in fig. 7) extending from the body and configured for insertion into a lumen of a catheter 14 to connect the adapter to the catheter (see fig. 5 and 6); and a cathlock 50 including a lumen (see fig. 6) and configured for sliding over an outer surface of the catheter (see fig. 5-7), the cathlock having threading for engagement with the port stem (54 in fig. 5-7; alternatively, 68 in fig. 9), wherein engaging the cathlock to the port stem compresses the catheter radially inward onto the adapter (par. 0061).
Regarding claim 2, Haarala et al. discloses the adapter stem is configured to radially expand the catheter lumen to secure the adapter to the catheter in an interference fit (par. 0068).
Regarding claim 3, Haarala et al. discloses the adapter is formed of a resilient material (at least as described in par. 0062, comprising the elastomeric grommet).
Regarding claim 4, Haarala et al. discloses the adapter body engages the port stem in one of an interference fit, press fit, snap-fit, or luer-slip fit engagement (at least via the more proximally positioned of the two elements 58 in fig. 6).
Regarding claim 5, Haarala et al. discloses the adapter includes a skirt 90 (see fig. 12, 12A, and 13) extending longitudinally from the body and disposed annularly about the adapter stem (as positioned in fig. 12A), the skirt configured to elastically deform radially inward to engage the outer surface of the catheter (par. 0064, see fig. 12A).
Regarding claim 6, Haarala et al. discloses the skirt is formed of a plurality of fingers 91 extending longitudinally from the body of the adapter and disposed annularly about the adapter stem (as positioned in fig. 12A), the plurality of fingers configured to elastically deform radially inward to engage the outer surface of the catheter (par. 0064, see fig. 12A).
Regarding claim 7, Haarala et al. discloses a tip of a finger of the plurality of fingers includes a protrusion extending radially inward and configured to engage a portion of the catheter (each of 91 is a protrusion radially inward from the rear portion 94/92, see fig. 13).
Regarding claim 8, Haarala et al. discloses an outer surface of the skirt includes a threaded portion 94 configured to threadably engage the cathlock (see fig. 12A).
Regarding claim 14, Haarala et al. discloses the port includes a gasket 203 disposed between the port and the adapter and encircling the port stem (see fig. 29A; par. 0072).
Regarding claim 18, Haarala et al. discloses a proximal end of the catheter is trimmable (see figures, catheter 14 is full capable of being trimmed at the proximal end).
Regarding claim 19, Haarala et al. discloses the adapter includes a pawl (the more distally positioned of the two elements 58, see fig. 6) configured to engage a recess disposed in the cathlock in a snap-fit engagement (see fig. 6) to provide an audible or tactile signal that the lumen of the catheter is fully engaged with the adapter (58 as arranged in fig. 6 is fully capable of performing this function).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHAN R PRICE whose telephone number is (571)270-5421. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:00am-4:00pm Eastern time.
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/NATHAN R PRICE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3783
