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 .
Notice of Amendment
The Amendment filed 2/10/2026 has been entered. Claims 1, 3, 5-7 are pending in the application with claim 1 amended, claims 2, 4 cancelled.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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 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.
Claims 1, 3 and 5-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shin et al. (KR 102161974 B1, hereinafter Shin) using US 2021/0068626 as an English equivalent.
In regard to claim 1, Shin discloses a detachable endoscope (1, Fig. 1) comprising:
an insertion unit (10) having one end that is configured to be inserted into a body (Fig. 1);
an operation unit (20) coupled to another end of the insertion unit and having an operation module having a sprocket (Par. 48), the operation unit being configured to operate the one end of the insertion unit to perform a bending motion using the operation module (28,29), Fig. 1; and
a detachment unit (1a) configured to detachably couple the operation unit and the insertion unit (Fig. 1), and lock the insertion unit in a coupled state simultaneously when the insertion unit is coupled with the operation unit (via coupling element (15)), Par. 44, Fig. 1),
wherein the detachment unit includes:
a first detachment module (200) disposed at one end of the operation unit and having an intermediate connection part (210,215, Fig. 3) to which a connection wire (21) configured to receive a force from the operation module is connected (Fig. 3, Par. 58); and
a second detachment module (100) disposed at the another end of the insertion unit, configured to be detachably coupled to the first detachment module (Fig. 3, Par. 49), and having a module body (180) and an insertion end connection part (110,115, Fig. 3) connected to an operation wire (11), the operation wire being configured to transfer a force applied by the operation module to the one end of the insertion unit (Fig. 3, Par. 49),
wherein the module body (180) of the second detachment module includes:
an insertion end hollow that penetrates both ends of the module body (via interior hollow of the module body (180), Fig. 3); and
a guide slit (185) extending in a first longitudinal direction on a surface of the module body (Fig. 3),
wherein the insertion end connection part (110,115) includes an insertion end connection body (111) extending in a second longitudinal direction and configured to be inserted into the insertion end hollow (Fig. 3),
wherein the insertion end connection body has a guide protruding member (113) extending from the insertion end connection body into the guide slit (185), the guide protruding member being configured to move along the guide slit to guide a rectilinear motion of the insertion end connection body (Fig. 3),
wherein the intermediate connection part includes:
an intermediate connection body (215) disposed rotatably around a third longitudinal direction (Par. 76, Figs. 8a-8c);
an insertion groove defined concavely inward in the third longitudinal direction at one end of the intermediate connection body (via opening at the end of the connection body (215) best shown in Fig. 7), the insertion groove having a penetration part having a hole defined in a direction perpendicular to the third longitudinal direction (via slot shaped hooking holes within the connection body (215), Figs. 8a-8c),
wherein the insertion end connection part further includes an engaging member (115) protruding outward in the second longitudinal direction from one end of the insertion end connection body (Figs. 8a-8c), the engaging member being configured to be locked in the insertion groove to couple the intermediate connection body and the insertion end connection body (via locking arrangement shown in Fig. 8c),
wherein when the insertion unit and the operation unit are coupled together, the engaging member is configured to be inserted into the insertion groove, and the one end of the insertion end connection body is configured to contact the one end of the intermediate connection body (Fig. 8b illustrates contact between the insertion end connection body and the intermediate connection body),
wherein a protruding distance of the engaging member is shorter than a depth of the insertion groove, a distal end of the engaging member and a base surface of the insertion groove are configured to be in a non-contact state at the maximum insertion depth of the engaging member (Fig. 8b illustrates the engaging member (i.e. hooking piece (115) is disposed within a groove of the coupling member and Par. 75 teaches the hooking pieces are disposed without any interferences within the internal spaces defined by the inner hollow parts, i.e. the hooking piece does not contact an interior surface of the coupling member).
Shin does not expressly teach the one end of the insertion end connection body and the one end of the intermediate connection body are configured to be in contact to define a maximum insertion depth of the engaging member, such that a predetermined gap is defined between the distal end of the engaging member and the base surface of the insertion groove by the contact between the one end of the insertion end connection body and the one end of the intermediate connection body.
Although Shin does not teach the insertion end connection body (111) contacting the intermediate connection body (215) to define a maximum insertion depth of the engaging member (115), Shin does teach the insertion end connection body (111) having a larger cross-sectional size than the opening of the intermediate connection body (215) as shown in Figs. 5, 8b such that the insertion end connection body (111) would contact the intermediate connection body and prevent further insertion therein. Additionally, Shin illustrates in Fig. 8b the insertion end connection body (111) is directly adjacent to the intermediate connection body (215) when the engaging member (115) has been inserted to the maximum insertion depth (i.e. standby state), but does not directly state the insertion end connection body and intermediate connection body contact. It would’ve been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to modify the insertion end connection body contacting the intermediate connection body to define the maximum insertion depth of the engaging member as a matter of design choice thereby providing a hard stop limiting the insertion depth of the engaging member within the intermediate connection member and ensuring the engaging member is properly positioned within the intermediate connection member to transition between the standby state and the hooked state. There being no unexpected results in modifying the insertion connecting member to contact the intermediate connection member to define the maximum insertion depth of the engaging member.
In regard to claim 3, Shin teaches wherein the intermediate connection part further includes:
a guide projection (213) configured to guide a rotational motion of the intermediate connection body (110), Figs. 8a-8c.
In regard to claim 5, Shin teaches wherein when the insertion unit and the operation unit are coupled, the insertion end connection part is configured to press the intermediate connection part in a fourth longitudinal direction in a state in which the one end of an insertion end connection body is in contact with the one end of the intermediate connection body (Figs. 8a-8c).
In regard to claim 6, Shin teaches wherein as the intermediate connection body rotates with the guide projection when the intermediate connection part is pressed by the insertion end connection part, the engaging member is configured to be inserted into the hole of the penetration part to be in an engaged state (Figs. 8a-8c).
In regard to claim 7, Shin teaches wherein the intermediate connection part and the insertion end connection part are configured to be coupled to each other while being arranged on a same line along a fourth longitudinal direction to face each other and operate integrally based on manipulation of the operation module (Fig. 3).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 2/10/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues:
“First, Shin clearly fails to "expressly" disclose the claimed feature, "a protruding distance of the engaging member is shorter than a depth of the insertion groove" anywhere in the description of Shin including paragraph [0075]. The phrase, "without any interference," as described in paragraph [0075] of Shin, obviously does not "expressly" disclose "a protruding distance of the engaging member is shorter than a depth of the insertion groove." Also, FIG. 8b of Shin is shown in such perspective that fails to "expressly" show whether or not a distal end of the alleged engaging member 115, 125, 135, 145 touches on the base surface of the alleged insertion groove of the coupled members 215, 225, 235, 245. FIG. 8b of Shin, reproduced supra, does not even show the base surface of the alleged insertion groove of the coupled members 215, 225, 235, 245. “
The examiner disagrees since Fig. 8b illustrates the engaging member (i.e. hooking piece) disposed with a groove of the coupling member and Par. 75 teaches the hooking pieces are disposed without any interferences within the internal spaces defined by the inner hollow parts, i.e. the hooking piece does not contact an interior surface of the coupling member.
The rest of Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 1 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RYAN N HENDERSON whose telephone number is (571)270-1430. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 6am-5pm (PST).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Anhtuan Nguyen can be reached at 571-272-4963. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/RYAN N HENDERSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3795 March 21, 2026