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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 4/16/2023 and 2/26/2026 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Status
Claims 1-7 are pending and being examined.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 6, and 7 are objected to because of the following informalities:
claim 1 read “the plurality of syringes are inserted” should read as “the plurality of syringes is inserted” line 5; and
claim 6 read “wherein the plurality of syringes are aligned” should read as “wherein the plurality of syringes is aligned” in line 2; and
claim 7 read “wherein the plurality of syringes are aligned” should read as “wherein the plurality of syringes is aligned” in line 5. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sadeé et al (WO 2022018434 A1; hereinafter “Sadee”; already of record on IDS filed 2/26/2026).
Regarding claim 1, Sadee teaches a dispensing device (Sadee; Abstract) comprising:
a plurality of syringes being aligned in a first direction that intersects with a vertical direction while being directed downwardly (Sadee; Fig. 1; page 17, lines 9-10; a piston chamber 14 within which a piston 16 is disposed; the examiner notes that the piston chambers are directed downwardly by a user in order to aspirate or dispense samples);
a detachment frame that has a plate shape having a through hole into which the plurality of syringes is inserted and is provided to be liftable and lowerable relative to the plurality of syringes (Sadee; Fig. 1; page 19, lines 3-6; the tip ejector block 22 is designed so that its front end surface 24 will, when sliding down the shafts 8 under control of the ejector control mechanism, contact the tips on each of the shafts 8 at substantially the same time so as to eject all of the tips from the pipette); and
a tip attachment region in which a tip is attachable to a lower end portion of each of the plurality of syringes that project farther downwardly than the detachment frame through the through hole (Sadee; page 17, lines 3-4, lines 9-10; each shaft 8 is for carrying a corresponding disposable tip 10…The upper end of each shaft 8 is connected to a piston chamber 14 within which a piston 16 is disposed), wherein
the detachment frame has a first region located at a position lower than a predetermined height threshold value defined with respect to the detachment frame and a second region located at a position higher than the height threshold value in a lower surface, and the first region and the second region are arranged alternately in the first direction (Sadee; Fig. 2A, 2B, 2C; page 18, lines 30-34; the examiner notes the different heights of the tip ejector block 22 is depicted in Fig. 2C).
Regarding claim 2, Sadee teaches the dispensing device according to claim 1, further comprising an actuator that moves the detachment frame downwardly relative to the plurality of syringes (Sadee; page 18, lines 9-14; The ejection carriage 20 carries a tip ejector block (also known as an ejection control block) 22 which has a front end surface 24 for engaging with the upper ends of the tips 10 to push the tips 10 off the ends of the shaft 8 when the ejector carriage 20 is moved down over the shafts 8. In this example the ejector carriage 20 is connected by connecting arms 26 to an ejection control handle 28 and the upper end of the ejection control handle forms an ejection control button 30 which extends out the top end of the handle 4).
Regarding claim 3, Sadee teaches the dispensing device according to claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of syringes includes a plunger, and the actuator further lifts or lowers the plunger relative to a corresponding syringe (lines 10-11; The piston 16 can be driven up and down by the user moving a fluid aspiration control plunger 18 which extends down the handle 4).
Regarding claim 4, Sadee teaches the dispensing device according to claim 3, wherein the detachment frame is biased upwardly relative to the plurality of syringes (Sadee; page 14, lines 12-13; It can be useful to provide a biasing mechanism to resist displacement of the button or lever between the first control position and the second control position). Examiner notes that the detachment frame is biased upward towards the syringe and is disengaged by the button as described above.
Regarding claim 5, Sadee teaches the dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein the detachment frame has the first region and the second region a total number of which is equal to or larger than 3, the first region and the second region being arranged in the first direction in the lower surface and being located at different height positions (Sadee; Fig. 2A-C). Sadee teaches multiple regions which are positioned at different heights as depicted in Fig. 2C.
Regarding claim 6, Sadee teaches the dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of syringes is aligned in the first direction and a second direction that intersects with the vertical direction and the first direction, and the detachment frame has a plurality of the through holes arranged in the second direction (Sadee; Fig. 2A-C; page 20, lines 14-16; a number of apertures 42 which are spaced at regular intervals V to match the regular spacing between the shafts 8 of the pipette 2 for which the block is designed). The examiner interprets the second direction as the vertical direction which the shafts are positioned through.
Regarding claim 7, Sadee teaches a detachment frame that is used in a dispensing device including a plurality of syringes that are aligned in a first direction intersecting with a vertical direction while being directed downwardly (Sadee; Fig. 1; page 17, lines 9-10; a piston chamber 14 within which a piston 16 is disposed; the examiner notes that the piston chambers are directed downwardly by a user in order to aspirate or dispense samples), wherein
a detachment frame has a plate shape having a through hole into which the plurality of syringes are inserted (Sadee; page 20, lines 13-15; the tip ejector block 22 comprises a solid block of material 40 which comprises a number of apertures 42 which 15 are spaced at regular intervals V to match the regular spacing between the shafts 8), and
a tip attachment region in which a tip is attachable to a lower end portion of each of the plurality of syringes that project farther downwardly than the detachment frame through the through hole (Sadee; page 17, lines 3-4, lines 9-10; each shaft 8 is for carrying a corresponding disposable tip 10…The upper end of each shaft 8 is connected to a piston chamber 14 within which a piston 16 is disposed, and the detachment frame has a first region located at a position lower than a predetermined height threshold value defined with respect to the detachment frame and a second region located at a position higher than the height threshold value in a lower surface, and the first region and the second region are arranged alternately in the first direction (Sadee; Fig. 2A, 2B, 2C; page 18, lines 30-34; the examiner notes the different heights of the tip ejector block 22 is depicted in Fig. 2C).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Austin Q Le whose telephone number is (571)272-7556. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Duane Smith can be reached at (571)272-1116. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/A.Q.L/ Examiner, Art Unit 1796 /DUANE SMITH/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1759
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