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 .
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.
Claim 7 and its dependent claims 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. Claim 7 recites the limitation "the first, second, and third guidewires" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. 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) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by LaDuca et al. (Pub. No.: US 2006/0155366 A1; hereinafter “LaDuca”).
LaDuca discloses the following regarding claim 1: a method for deploying a stent device (e.g., 2) having a main body (e.g., 4), a proximal coupling (e.g., 6a), and a distal coupling (e.g., 6c), the method comprising: extending a first guidewire (48) in an aorta (Figs. 8A-8E); extending a second guidewire (154 in element 6a) in a brachiocephalic artery (Fig. 8D); extending a third guidewire (154 in element 6c) in an aortic branch vessel (Fig. 8D); tracking the stent device along the first, second, and third guidewires (Figs. 8A-8H; paras. 0074-0081), during the tracking step: the first guidewire extends through the main body (Fig. 8D), the second guidewire extends through the proximal coupling (Fig. 8D), and the third guidewire extends through the distal coupling (Fig. 8D); and deploying the main body within the aorta with the proximal coupling aligning with the brachiocephalic artery and the distal coupling aligning with the aortic branch vessel (Fig. 8D).
LaDuca discloses the following regarding claim 2: the method of claim 1, wherein the first, second, and third guidewires extend through a femoral access site (Fig. 8B; para. 0075-0076).
LaDuca discloses the following regarding claim 3: the method of claim 1, wherein the second guidewire is a through and through guidewire and the third guidewire is a through and through guidewire (Figs. 8B-8D).
LaDuca discloses the following regarding claim 4: the method of claim 1, further comprising loading a catheter (32) including the stent device onto the first, second, and third guidewires (Figs. 8A-8G; paras. 0074-0081).
LaDuca discloses the following regarding claim 5: the method of claim 1, wherein the aortic branch vessel is a left common carotid artery (para. 0074).
LaDuca discloses the following regarding claim 6: the method of claim 1, wherein the aortic branch vessel is a left subclavian artery (para. 0074).
LaDuca discloses the following regarding claim 7: a method for deploying a stent device (e.g., 2) having a main body (e.g., 4), a proximal coupling (e.g., 6a), and a distal coupling (e.g., 6c), the method comprising: tracking the stent device along the first (48), second (154 in element 6a), and third (154 in element 6c) guidewires (Figs. 8A-8H; paras. 0074-0081), during the tracking step: the main body tracks along the first guidewire (Fig. 8D), the proximal coupling tracks along the second guidewire (Fig. 8D), and the distal coupling tracks along the third guidewire (Fig. 8D); deploying the main body within an aorta with the proximal coupling aligning with a brachiocephalic artery and a distal coupling aligning with an aortic branch vessel (Fig. 8D).
LaDuca discloses the following regarding claim 8: the method of claim 7, wherein the first, second, and third guidewires extend through a femoral access site (Fig. 8B; paras. 0075-0076).
LaDuca discloses the following regarding claim 9: the method of claim 7, wherein the second guidewire is a through and through guidewire and the third guidewire is a through and through guidewire (Figs. 8B-8D).
LaDuca discloses the following regarding claim 10: the method of claim 7, further comprising loading a catheter (32) including the stent device onto the first, second, and third guidewires (Figs. 8A-8G; paras. 0074-0081).
LaDuca discloses the following regarding claim 11: the method of claim 7, wherein the aortic branch vessel is a left common carotid artery or a left subclavian artery (para. 0074).
LaDuca discloses the following regarding claim 12: a method for deploying a stent (e.g., 2) device having a main body (e.g., 4), a proximal coupling (e.g., 6a), and a distal coupling (e.g., 6c), the method comprising: extending a first guidewire (48) in an aorta (Figs. 8A-8E); extending a second guidewire (154 in element 6a) in a brachiocephalic artery (Fig. 8D); extending a third guidewire (154 in element 6c) in an aortic branch vessel (Fig. 8D); tracking the main body, the proximal coupling, and the distal coupling of the stent device along the first, second, and third guidewires (Figs. 8A-8H; paras. 0074-0081), respectively; and deploying the stent device, the deploying step includes retracting a constraining sheath (38) to free the second guidewire and the third guidewire from the constraining sheath (Figs. 8A-8G; paras. 0074-0081).
LaDuca discloses the following regarding claim 13: the method of claim 12, wherein the deploying step includes further retracting the constraining sheath until the proximal coupling is released from the constraining sheath (Figs. 8A-8C; paras. 0074-0081).
LaDuca discloses the following regarding claim 14: the method of claim 13, wherein the second guidewire extends through the proximal coupling during the further retracting step (Figs. 8A-8C; paras. 0074-0081).
LaDuca discloses the following regarding claim 15: the method of claim 13, wherein the deploying step includes yet further retracting the constraining sheath until the distal coupling is released from the constraining sheath (Figs. 8A-8G; paras. 0074-0081).
LaDuca discloses the following regarding claim 16: the method of claim 15, wherein the third guidewire extends through the distal coupling during the yet further retracting step (Figs. 8A-8E; paras. 0074-0081).
LaDuca discloses the following regarding claim 17: the method of claim 12, wherein a first portion of the second guidewire extends between the constraining sheath and an outer surface of the stent device during the tracking step (Fig. 8C, where a portion of the guidewire going through element 6a is in the area between element 38 and the upper and/or lower outer surfaces of element 4).
LaDuca discloses the following regarding claim 18: the method of claim 17, wherein the retracting step includes freeing the first portion of the second guidewire (Figs. 8A-8E; paras. 0074-0081).
LaDuca discloses the following regarding claim 19: the method of claim 12, wherein a second portion of the third guidewire extends between the constraining sheath and an outer surface of the stent device during the tracking step (Fig. 8D, where a portion of the guidewire going through element 6c is in the area between element 38 and the upper and/or lower outer surfaces of element 4).
LaDuca discloses the following regarding claim 20: the method of claim 19, wherein the retracting step includes freeing the second portion of the third guidewire (Figs. 8A-8G; paras. 0074-0081).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Ann Hu whose telephone number is (571) 272-6652. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday (9:00 am-5:30 pm EST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, please contact the examiner’s supervisor, Jerrah Edwards, at (408) 918-7557. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571) 273-8300.
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/ANN HU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3774
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