Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/143,577

INFUSION SYSTEM AND CATHETER FOR SUCH AN INFUSION SYSTEM

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
May 04, 2023
Priority
May 05, 2022 — DE 10 2022 204 439.8
Examiner
MARRISON, SAMUEL JOSEPH
Art Unit
3783
Tech Center
3700 — Mechanical Engineering & Manufacturing
Assignee
B. Braun Melsungen AG
OA Round
3 (Non-Final)
71%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
8m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 71% — above average
71%
Career Allowance Rate
30 granted / 42 resolved
+1.4% vs TC avg
Strong +45% interview lift
Without
With
+45.0%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 10m
Avg Prosecution
34 currently pending
Career history
94
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.3%
-39.7% vs TC avg
§103
81.1%
+41.1% vs TC avg
§102
7.7%
-32.3% vs TC avg
§112
6.2%
-33.8% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 42 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
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 . Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114 A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 04/27/2026 has been entered. Response to Amendment Applicant has amended claims 1 and 12-16. Claims 1-10 and 12-16 remain pending. Claim Objections Claim 13 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 13 is objected to for a typographical error wherein there is improper antecedent basis for the claim term “each micropump device comprising an outlet” which should instead recite “each microvalve comprising an outlet”. 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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. Claim(s) 1, 4-6, 9-10, and 12-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Cottin et al. (US 20210146037, henceforth Cottin). Regarding claim 1, Cottin discloses an infusion system (system of fig. 1) for providing different medical fluids (multiple medical solutions of [0052]) to a patient (patient P, fig. 1), the infusion system comprising: a catheter (system of fig. 1 except for control device 2) comprising a catheter tube (single infusion line 102, fig. 2) and at least one lumen (single lumen as in [0056]) that extends longitudinally through the catheter tube (see [0056], it is understood that the single lumen extends longitudinally through single infusion line 102 as this is the only way for the fluid to travel through connection device 101 and out of a distal opening into the patient P for infusing the medical fluid) between a proximal tube end (connection device 101 is the proximal end of single infusion line 102, see fig. 2) and a distal tube end (the point at which infusion line 102 connects to a patient is a distal tube end as claimed); a plurality of micropump devices (infusion devices 10 with their respective delivery lines 100 and switchable valves, see figs. 1 and 2, and see [0053] and [0056], the infusion devices comprise peristaltic pumps, which are considered to be micropumps as the fingers of the peristaltic pumps are considered to be very small relative to rack 11 and Merriam Webster defines “micro” to mean “very small”; Examiner notes that infusion device 10E is a syringe infusion pump in the chosen embodiment, [0053]), each micropump device comprising an outlet (see fig. 2, distal ends of delivery lines 100 of the respective peristaltic pumps 10 and their distalmost sides of the valves which they terminate in are considered to be the outlets as claimed), whereby each of the outlets is adjacent to and integrally formed with the proximal tube end of the catheter (see figs. 1 and 2, distal ends of delivery lines 100 of the respective peristaltic pumps 10 and their distalmost sides of the valves which they terminate in are adjacent to and integrally formed with connection device 101 where the ends of the delivery lines connect to connection device 101 to deliver fluid to it; this is considered to be an integral formation as the lines 100 connecting directly with connection device 101 together form a single unit of the system, and integral is defined as “formed as a unit with another part” by Merriam Webster) in direct fluid communication such that each outlet discharges fluid directly into the at least one lumen (see [0056], delivery lines 100 have valves at their distal ends in connection device 101; when a valve of a micropump device is opened and the device is configured for debouching, the delivery line 100 feeds directly into single infusion line 102; Examiner additionally notes that this is interpreted as being a functional limitation where the outlet of the micropump device is configured to discharge directly into the at least one lumen and not a positively recited method step of debouching, as a positive requirement of a step of discharging would be render the claim indefinite as claims cannot be drawn to both apparatuses and method steps) and the at least one lumen conveys fluid to the distal tube end (see [0052] and [0053]); and a control device (control device 2, fig. 1) connected to the plurality of micropump devices (see fig. 1, control device 2 is connected to system 1 via communication connection 20 as shown, see also [0055]), the control device being adapted to control the plurality of micropump devices (see [0057]-[0058]) so that the different medical fluids are deliverable through the at least one lumen by the plurality of micropump devices (see [0056]-[0058]) in a time division multiplex manner (see [0058]-[0059], the administration of medical solutions is multiplexed by multiplex module 22 across time). {The applicant is advised that patentability of a product does not depend on its method of production. If the product in the product-by-process claim is the same as or obvious from a product of the prior art, the claim is unpatentable even though the prior product was made by a different process MPEP 2113. In this instance, the method of formation of the outlet with the proximal tube end of the catheter does not have to be made by an exact process so long as the resultant product is the same; in this instance, the resultant product is the delivery outlet lines and valves terminating the respective lines are directly and continuously formed with the connection device to prevent leaks during use.} Regarding claim 4, Cottin discloses the infusion system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of micropump devices are each adapted for intermittent delivery (see [0031], [0064], [0068], and [0071], fluids are delivered in packets which have pauses between them, and infusion devices 10 operate during delivery of the packets, meaning the infusion devices and micropumps within them are configured for intermittent delivery where the packets can be delivered and paused) with a cycle time of between 1 s and 100 s (see [0025] and [0026], durations can last for seconds, minutes, or hours, meaning that the cycles can be shorter than a minute, or less than 60 seconds, meaning that the cycles can be between 1 and 60 seconds which is within the claimed range), and wherein the control device is adapted to control the cycle time (see at least [0022] and [0024], the multiplex module 22 is what determines and controls the periods, or cycle times as claimed). Regarding claim 5, Cottin discloses the infusion system of claim 4 wherein the control device is adapted to control the cycle time as a function of a predetermined overall delivery rate (see at least [0022]-[0024], the periods are determined in part based on the amount of time which each particular medical fluid can go without being delivered to maintain the desired total volume of each particular drug being delivered, where the overall volume of drug to be administered divided by the overall treatment time is a predetermined overall delivery rate as claimed). Regarding claim 6, Cottin discloses the infusion system of claim 1 wherein the different medical fluids comprise a first medical fluid (drug A, fig. 7), a second medical fluid (drug C, fig. 7) and a third medical fluid (separator fluid, fig. 7), and wherein the plurality of micropump devices comprise a first micropump (peristaltic pump of infusion device 10A, fig. 1) for delivering the first medical fluid (it is understood that infusion device 10A is for delivering drug A as they have corresponding letters in their names), a second micropump (peristaltic pump of infusion device 10C, fig. 1) for delivering the second medical fluid (it is understood that infusion device 10C is for delivering drug C as they have corresponding letters in their names) and a third micropump (peristaltic pump of infusion device 10N, fig. 2) for delivering the third medical fluid (see [0069], separator fluid is delivered from dedicated infusion device 10N), the control device being adapted to control the first micropump, the second micropump and the third micropump ([0057]) so that first doses of the first medical fluid and second doses of the second medical fluid are deliverable through the at least one lumen in time division multiplex while being physically separated by the third medical fluid (see [0063], [0069], and fig. 7). Regarding claim 9, Cottin discloses the infusion system of claim 1 wherein the catheter has a syringe adapter (since infusion device 10E is a syringe infusion pump in the chosen embodiment, it has a place for a syringe for the infusion, and thus it has a syringe adaptor which is the place for mounting the syringe for the syringe infusion pump). Regarding claim 10, Cottin discloses the infusion system of claim 1 wherein the catheter is adapted as a disposable product for single use (this is a functional limitation requiring that the claimed catheter is capable of being used a single time and then disposed of; the called out catheter of claim 1 is physically capable of being used a single time and then disposed of as claimed, and thus this limitation is met), and the control device is adapted for multiple uses (see [0055] and [0057], the control device is a reusable device which can connect to the infusion devices for controlling them, and thus since it is taught to be a computing device such as a smart phone, it is understood to be capable of reuse as claimed by connecting to multiple instances of the system 1 as needed). Regarding claim 12, Cottin discloses the infusion system of claim 1 wherein one or more of the micropump devices are arranged in a radial direction with respect to a tube wall of the catheter tube (see annotated fig. 2, the infusion devices 10 are arranged radially to the sides of the single infusion line 102 as shown). PNG media_image1.png 342 463 media_image1.png Greyscale Annotated fig. 2 showing radial directions from infusion line 102 Regarding claim 13, Cottin discloses an infusion system (system of fig. 1) for providing different medical fluids (multiple medical solutions of [0052]) to a patient (patient P, fig. 1), the infusion system comprising: a catheter (system of fig. 1 except for control device 2) comprising a catheter tube (single infusion line 102, fig. 2) and at least one lumen (single lumen as in [0056]) that extends longitudinally through the catheter tube (see [0056], it is understood that the single lumen extends longitudinally through single infusion line 102 as this is the only way for the fluid to travel through connection device 101 and out of a distal opening into the patient P for infusing the medical fluid) between a proximal tube end (connection device 101 is the proximal end of single infusion line 102, see fig. 2) and a distal tube end (the point at which infusion line 102 connects to a patient is a distal tube end as claimed); a plurality of microvalves (switchable valves of [0056]), each valve comprising an outlet (see fig. 2, the distal openings of the valves of connection device 101 are considered to be the outlets as claimed), whereby each of the outlets is adjacent to and integrally formed with the proximal tube end of the catheter (see figs. 1 and 2, the distalmost sides of the valves are adjacent to and integrally formed with connection device 101 where the openings of the valves make up a part of connection device 101; this is considered to be an integral formation as the lines 100 connecting directly with connection device 101 together form a single unit of the system, and integral is defined as “formed as a unit with another part” by Merriam Webster) in direct fluid communication such that the outlet of each microvalve discharges fluid directly into the at least one lumen (see [0056], delivery lines 100 have valves at their distal ends in connection device 101; when a valve of a micropump device is opened and the device is configured for discharging, the delivery line 100 feeds directly into single infusion line 102) and the at least one lumen conveys fluid to the distal tube end (see [0052] and [0053]); and a control device (control device 2, fig. 1) connected to the plurality of microvalves (see fig. 1, control device 2 is connected to system 1 via communication connection 20 as shown, see also [0055]), the control device being adapted to control the plurality of microvalves (see [0057]-[0058]) so that the different medical fluids are deliverable through the at least one lumen by the plurality of microvalves (see [0056]-[0058]) in a time division multiplex manner (see [0058]-[0059], the administration of medical solutions is multiplexed by multiplex module 22 across time). {The applicant is advised that patentability of a product does not depend on its method of production. If the product in the product-by-process claim is the same as or obvious from a product of the prior art, the claim is unpatentable even though the prior product was made by a different process MPEP 2113. In this instance, the method of formation of the outlet with the proximal tube end of the catheter does not have to be made by an exact process so long as the resultant product is the same; in this instance, the resultant product is the delivery outlet lines and valves terminating the respective lines are directly and continuously formed with the connection device to prevent leaks during use.} Regarding claim 14, Cottin discloses the infusion system of claim 13 wherein one or more of the plurality of microvalves are arranged in a radial direction with respect to a tube wall of the catheter tube (see annotated fig. 2, valves of connection device 101 are within the space of connection device 101 and are thus arranged radially to the sides of the single infusion line 102 as shown since connection device 101 extends radially from infusion line 102). Regarding claim 15, Cottin discloses a catheter (system of fig. 1 except for control device 2) comprising: a catheter tube (single infusion line 102, fig. 2) having at least one lumen (single lumen as in [0056]) that extends longitudinally through the catheter tube (see [0056], it is understood that the single lumen extends longitudinally through single infusion line 102 as this is the only way for the fluid to travel through connection device 101 and out of a distal opening into the patient P for infusing the medical fluid) between a proximal tube end (connection device 101 is the proximal end of single infusion line 102, see fig. 2) and a distal tube end (the point at which infusion line 102 connects to a patient is a distal tube end as claimed); and a plurality of micropump devices or microvalves (infusion devices 10 with their respective delivery lines 100 and switchable valves, see figs. 1 and 2, and see [0053] and [0056], the infusion devices comprise peristaltic pumps, which are considered to be micropumps as the fingers of the peristaltic pumps are considered to be very small relative to rack 11 and Merriam Webster defines “micro” to mean “very small”; Examiner notes that infusion device 10E is a syringe infusion pump in the chosen embodiment, [0053]), each micropump device or microvalve comprising an outlet (see fig. 2, the distal ends of delivery lines 100 of the respective peristaltic pumps 10 and their distalmost sides of the valves which they terminate in are considered to be the outlets as claimed), whereby each of the outlets is adjacent to and integrally formed with the proximal tube end of the catheter (see figs. 1 and 2, distal ends of delivery lines 100 of the respective peristaltic pumps 10 and their distalmost sides of the valves which they terminate in are adjacent to and integrally formed with connection device 101 where the ends of the delivery lines connect to connection device 101 to deliver fluid to it; this is considered to be an integral formation as the lines 100 connecting directly with connection device 101 together form a single unit of the system, and integral is defined as “formed as a unit with another part” by Merriam Webster) in direct fluid communication such that the outlet of each micropump device or microvalve (see fig. 2, each infusion device 10 has an outlet which is a delivery line 100 which is part of each micropump device) discharges fluid directly into the at least one lumen (see [0056], delivery lines 100 have valves at their distal ends in connection device 101; when a valve of a micropump device is opened and the device is configured for discharging, the delivery line 100 feeds directly into single infusion line 102) and the at least one lumen conveys fluid to the distal tube end (see [0052] and [0053]). {The applicant is advised that patentability of a product does not depend on its method of production. If the product in the product-by-process claim is the same as or obvious from a product of the prior art, the claim is unpatentable even though the prior product was made by a different process MPEP 2113. In this instance, the method of formation of the outlet with the proximal tube end of the catheter does not have to be made by an exact process so long as the resultant product is the same; in this instance, the resultant product is the delivery outlet lines and valves terminating the respective lines are directly and continuously formed with the connection device to prevent leaks during use.} Regarding claim 16, Cottin discloses the catheter of claim 15 wherein one or more of the plurality of micropump devices or microvalves are arranged in a radial direction with respect to a tube wall of the catheter (see annotated fig. 2, the infusion devices 10 are arranged radially to the sides of the single infusion line 102 as shown). Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action: A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action: A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made. The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows: 1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art. 2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue. 3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art. 4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness. Claim(s) 2-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cottin et al. (US 20210146037, henceforth Cottin) as applied to claim 1 above. Regarding claim 2, Cottin discloses the infusion system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of micropump devices are each adapted to deliver with a variable determined delivery rate (see [0031], [0032], [0079], delivery rates are determined by the controller depending on the listed factors), and wherein the control device is adapted to control the delivery rate (see [0079]-[0081]). Cottin also teaches that different medical fluids are known to be infused with different delivery rates depending on what the drug is and what the total desired volume of drug to be administered is ([001], [0079], [0081]), and that one of ordinary skill in the art is capable of determining the desired delivery flow rate ([0031]). Cottin does not explicitly disclose that the delivery rate is between 0.05 ml/min to 500 ml/min as claimed. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have adapted the plurality of micropumps to deliver the various medical fluids with delivery rates in the claimed range depending on the drug, the total volume of drug and fluid to be infused, the maximum allowed infusion delivery rate for that particular drug, and the total infusion duration which render the delivery rate from each particular infusion device to be a result effective variable which is determined based on the listed factors and optimization of a result effective variable is known to be within the level of one of ordinary skill in the art, and further that the optimization of the flow rate into the claimed range would have been obvious since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233. Regarding claim 3, Cottin discloses the infusion system of claim 2 wherein the control device is adapted to control the delivery rate as a function of a predetermined overall delivery rate (see [0031], [0079], [0081], the overall delivery rate is the total fluid volume to be administered and total fluid duration rate and the delivery rate for each infusion pump is determined partially in relation to this as claimed). Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cottin et al. (US 20210146037, henceforth Cottin) as applied to claim 6 above, and further in view of Schermeier et al. (US 20190336674, henceforth Schermeier, previously made of reference). Regarding claim 7, Cottin discloses the infusion system of claim 6. Cottin additionally teaches that the micropumps, especially the first micropump, is a peristaltic pump ([0053]). Cottin does not disclose the infusion system wherein at least the first micropump is adapted to reverse a delivery direction, and the control device is adapted to control the first micropump so that a first dose of the first medical fluid, provided into the at least one lumen, is partially aspirated from the at least one lumen by a reversal of the delivery direction. Schermeier teaches an infusion system (system of fig. 1) comprising micropumps equivalent to those of Cottin (peristaltic pumps as in [0025], which are deaeration device 3 in fig. 1) which are adapted to reverse a delivery direction (see [0025], peristaltic pumps are physically and functionally capable of reversing direction from a delivery direction to an aspiration direction), and a control device (control device 8, fig. 1) which is adapted to control the micropumps ([0118]) to partially aspirate doses of medical fluids (see [0025], air which is a first dose of a medical fluid as claimed is aspirated by the peristaltic pump prior to initiation of delivery from a reservoir where the aspiration involves priming a fluid channel by filling it with rinsing fluid) from a lumen (fluid channel of [0025]) by a reversal of the delivery direction (reversal as in [0025] where a first direction moves the air which is the claimed first dose towards the patient and reversal moves the air away from the patient). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have configured the first micropump and the control device to reverse the delivery direction such as to partially aspirate air from the lumen of the catheter infusion tube prior to use as in Schermeier for priming the system and for preventing air from being infused intravascularly into a patient (see Schermeier [0002], [0023]-[0025], and [0126]). Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cottin et al. (US 20210146037, henceforth Cottin) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of O’Connor et al. (US Pat. No. 5545151, henceforth O’Connor), Unger (US 20030088176), and Okamura (US 20120323182). Regarding claim 8, Cottin discloses the infusion system of claim 1 having a single lumen ([0056]). Cottin does not disclose the infusion system wherein the at least one lumen comprises a first lumen having hydrophobic surface properties. O’Connor teaches a catheter (catheter 10, fig. 1) having an innermost lumen (inner layer 28, fig. 1) which has hydrophobic properties (see Col. 2 lines 58-61). O’Connor additionally teaches that hydrophobic materials will not absorb moisture or swell (see Col. 1 lines 36-40 and Col. 2 lines 58-61). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have made the single tube of the catheter of Cottin out of materials with hydrophobic properties to prevent absorption of moisture and swelling as this maintains torqueability and prevents catheter kinking (see O’Connor Col. 1 lines 36-40). Cottin as modified by O’Connor does not disclose the catheter comprising a second lumen having lipophobic surface properties. Unger teaches that a lipophobic material is a hydrophilic material ([0084]). Okamura teaches a catheter (introducer sheath of [0011]) having a lumen (the interior of the sheath of [0011] is a lumen) with a hydrophilic outer surface ([0007] and [0011]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have added the second lumen of Okamura to the outside of the first lumen of Cottin as modified as Okamura teaches that outer lumens with exterior surfaces which are hydrophilic provide beneficial sliding properties to lubricate the exterior of the catheter tube such as to remove the catheter tube smoothly (see Okamura [0007], [0011], [0015]). Such a modified device would then have a second lumen as claimed which extends radially around the exterior of the first lumen as claimed and would yield the benefit of slidability from the lipophobic (or hydrophilic, as taught by Unger) outer lumen and the benefit of the non-swelling, torqueable, kink resistant inner lumen. Response to Arguments Examiner notes that the previous objection to the Drawings has been withdrawn as a result of the Specification amendment made 04/27/2026, which has been considered and entered. Applicant's arguments filed 04/27/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant has argued that infusion line 102 corresponds to the claimed catheter as opposed to the catheter tube as relied upon above, and that infusion line 102 does not have micropumps or microvalves integrated therewith as claimed. Examiner respectfully disagrees. The distal ends of delivery lines 100 of the respective peristaltic pumps 10 and their distalmost sides of the valves which they terminate in (which are the claimed outlets) are adjacent to and integrally formed with connection device 101 where they connect to connection device 101 to deliver fluid to it; this is considered to be an integral formation as the lines 100 connecting directly with connection device 101 together form a single unit of the system, and integral is defined as “formed as a unit with another part” by Merriam Webster. An alternative definition of “integral” as per Merriam Webster is “composed of constituent parts” which would similarly be met by Cottin since the called-out outlets of Cottin and the connection device are constituent parts which compose the claimed system; thus, they are integrally formed as part of the system as claimed. Applicant additionally argues that the rejection above relies on an unreasonably broad interpretation of the claim term “catheter”. Examiner respectfully disagrees. The rejection relied upon above cites the infusion system of fig. 1 except for the controlling device 2 of Cottin as the catheter; this is a catheter as one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that catheters can be composed of multiple structures – in this case, pumps and connection devices feeding to a main infusion line – so long as the relied upon system meets the definition of catheter, which is “a tubular medical device for insertion into canals, vessels, passageways, or body cavities usually to permit injection or withdrawal of fluids or to keep a passage open” per Merriam Webster, and this definition is met in the catheter of Cottin, see at least Abstract and [0005]. The other independent claims are rejected for the same reasons indicated above. Thus, Examiner respectfully finds Applicant’s arguments unpersuasive and rejects the claims as indicated above. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAMUEL J MARRISON whose telephone number is (703)756-1927. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:00a-3:30p ET. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kevin Sirmons can be reached at (571) 272-4965. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /SAMUEL J MARRISON/Examiner, Art Unit 3783 /EMILY L SCHMIDT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3783
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Prosecution Timeline

Show 2 earlier events
Dec 17, 2025
Response Filed
Jan 16, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103
Mar 29, 2026
Interview Requested
Apr 13, 2026
Examiner Interview Summary
Apr 13, 2026
Applicant Interview (Telephonic)
Apr 27, 2026
Request for Continued Examination
Apr 30, 2026
Response after Non-Final Action
Jun 29, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
71%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+45.0%)
3y 10m (~8m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
High
PTA Risk
Based on 42 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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