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 .
Restriction Requirement
1. Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I (claims 1-21) in the reply filed on September 17, 2025 is acknowledged.
Rejections 35 U.S.C. § 112
2. 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 1-21 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.
Independent claim 1 claims an optical connector cleaning device that is configured to couple with optical connector of a medical device in line 4; however, the penultimate line requires that the cleaning element is disposed between the tip and the fiber optic face of the optical connector. Therefore, it not clear whether the claim embodies a optical connector cleaning device intended to clean an optical connector of a medical device or a system for cleaning a medical device that includes a cleaning device and an optical connector of a medical device.
Claims 2-21 are rejected for their dependency on claim 1.
Rejections 35 U.S.C. § 102(a)(1)
3. 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, 7, 8, and 20 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by United States Publication (2004/010349) to Fujiwara et al.
Regarding independent claim 1, Fujiwara et al. discloses a device body (10) including holding section (10) and a cleaning section (3) extending away from the holding section (10),
the cleaning section (3) configured to couple with an optical connector (7) of a medical device (capable of connecting to the medical device) (See Paragraph [0050]-[0054]);
and an optical cleaning system (1) configured for cleaning a fiber optic face of the optical connector (7) (See Abstract), the optical cleaning system including a cleaning element (4) disposed over a tip (20) of the cleaning section (3), such that, when the cleaning section (3) is coupled with the optical connector (7) (configured to clean the optical connector), the cleaning element (2) is disposed between the tip and the fiber optic face (See paragraphs [0060]-[0065 and FIGS. 3A-3B).
Regarding claim 7, Fujiwara et al. discloses that the device (1) is configured for use across a sterile barrier such that, during use that the cleaning section (3) is disposed within a sterile environment (5), and the holding section (10) is disposed outside the sterile environment (5).
Regarding claim 8, Fujiwara et al. discloses the cleaning section (3) includes a latching member (34) configured to secure the device to the optical connector to maintain a clean state of the optical connector during non-use of the optical connector.
Regarding claim 20, Fujiwara et al. discloses a cap (See paragraph [0087]) configured for placement on the tip during non-use of the device, wherein the cap ((See paragraph [0087]) is configured to cover the tip (20).
Regarding claim 21, Fujiwara et al. discloses an adapter cap (See paragraph [0087]) configured for attachment to the cleaning section (3), the adapter (See paragraph [0087]) configured to enable coupling of the optical connector cleaning device (1) to the optical connector (7).
Claims 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by WIPO Publication (2020/170539) to Nitt Advanced Tech Corp. (cited by Applicant).
Regarding independent claim 1, Nitt Advanced Tech Corp. discloses a device body (1) including holding section (3) and a cleaning section (4) extending away from the holding section (3),
the cleaning section (4) configured to couple with an optical connector (11) of a medical device (capable of connecting to the medical device) (See Abstract);
and an optical cleaning system (5, 6) configured for cleaning a fiber optic face of the optical connector (See Abstract), the optical cleaning system including a cleaning element (6) disposed over a tip (12) of the cleaning section (4), such that, when the cleaning section (4) is coupled with the optical connector (11) (configured to clean the optical connector), the cleaning element (6) is disposed between the tip and the fiber optic face (See Abstract).
Regarding claim 2, Nitt Advanced Tech Corp. discloses that the cleaning element (6) includes a ribbon (14), and cleaning a fiber optic face includes slidably displacing the cleaning element (6) across the fiber optic face.
Regarding claim 3, Nitt Advanced Tech Corp. discloses the cleaning element (6) extends along the cleaning section (4) between the holding section (3) and the tip (12).
Regarding claim 4, Nitt Advanced Tech Corp. discloses an unused portion of cleaning element (6) is displaced along the cleaning section (4) from the holding section (3) to toward the tip (12) (See FIG. 2A), and a used portion of cleaning element (6) is displaced along the cleaning section (4) from the tip (12) to the holding section (3).
Regarding claim 5, Nitt Advanced Tech Corp. discloses that the optical cleaning system (1) includes a dispensing mechanism (2) coupled with a dispensing actuator (13), and manipulating the dispensing actuator (13) causes the cleaning element (6) to slidably displace across the fiber optic face (See Abstract).
Conclusion
3. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL D. JENNINGS whose telephone number is (571)270-1536. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-4:30pm. EST.
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MICHAEL DEANGILO. JENNINGS
Examiner
Art Unit 3723
/MICHAEL D JENNINGS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723