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 RCE filed 6/11/2026 has been entered. Claims 1, 3, 6, 7 are pending in the application with claims 1 and 6 amended, claims 2, 4, 5 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, 6 and 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;
a locking part (15) rotatably disposed at the another end of the insertion unit and configured to screw-couple the insertion unit and the operation unit to each other (Par. 44);
a detachment unit (100, 200) configured to detachably couple the operation unit and the insertion unit to each other simultaneously (Fig. 3),
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 from 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),
wherein the insertion end connection part (110,115) includes an insertion end connection body (111) extending in a first longitudinal direction and configured to be inserted into the insertion end hollow (Fig. 3),
wherein the intermediate connection part includes:
an intermediate connection body (215) disposed rotatably around a second longitudinal direction (Par. 76, Figs. 8a-8c);
an insertion groove defined concavely inward in the second 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 second 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 first longitudinal direction from one end of the insertion end connection body (Figs. 8a-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),
wherein when the locking part is rotated to screw-couple the insertion unit and the operation unit to each other, the one end of the insertion end connection body (111) is configured to press the one end of the intermediate connection body (215) in the second longitudinal direction to simultaneously lock and couple the operation unit and the insertion unit to each other (rotation of the locking part (15), Par. 44, causes the insertion end connection body (111) and intermediate connection body (215) to move towards each other and contact as shown in Fig. 7B while locking the insertion unit and operation unit together. As depicted in Fig. 7B, the engaging member (115) is held in a standby state in which is does contact the hollow interior of the intermediate connection body (215), however Fig. 7B depicted the insertion end connection body (111) contacting the intermediate connection body (215)).
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 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 6/11/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues:
“First, Applicant respectfully submits that the cited reference is completely silent with regards to the claimed feature, "a locking part rotatably disposed at the another end of the insertion unit and configured to screw-couple the insertion unit and the operation unit to each other; and a detachment unit configured to lock and detachably couple the operation unit and the insertion unit to each other simultaneously... wherein when the locking part is rotated to screw-couple the insertion unit and the operation unit to each other, the one end of the insertion end connection body is configured to press the one end of the intermediate connection body in the second longitudinal direction to simultaneously lock and couple the operation unit and the insertion unit to each other," as recited in amended claim 1.
See FIG. 7C of the instant application, reproduced below as a non-limiting example, which may show that the one end of the insertion end connection body 341, 342, 343, 344 is configured to press the one end of the intermediate connection body E1, E2, E3, E4 in the second longitudinal direction (see the movement arrow in the Y direction) to simultaneously lock and couple the operation unit and the insertion unit to each other when the locking part is rotated to screw-couple the insertion unit and the operation unit to each other. See also paragraphs [0101]-[0102] as non- limiting examples.
In contrast, Shin operates on a fundamentally different system. Shin teaches that when the insertion unit and the operation unit are coupled by the ring-shaped coupling element 15, the hooking pieces are disposed "without any interferences within the internal spaces defined by the inner hollow parts" to sit in a passive "standby state." See paragraph [0075] of Shin, reproduced below for the Examiner's convenience:
In other words, in the state where the outer housingrs are mechanically connected to the external surfaces by a rink-shaped coupling element interposed between the front end of the operation unit and the rear end of the insertion unit, the hooking pieces of the first, second, third and fourth coupling members disposed at one ends of the first, second, third and fourth rack gears are positioned without any interferences in the internal spaces defined by the inner hollow parts of the first, second, third and fourth coupled members disposed at one ends of the first, second, third and fourth connecting shafts, so that the hooking pieces are in a standby state for the purpose of hooking connection. (emphasis added).
See also FIG. 8B of Shin, reproduced below for the Examiner's convenience, which fails to show any movement or pressing by the contact between the operation unit and the insertion unit.
To transition from this standby state to a locked state, Shin does not utilize a pressing contact between the connection bodies. Instead, a user must manually rotate an operation knob 28, 29. This extra manual manipulation applies an external force that pulls the connecting shaft toward the operation unit side. See paragraph [0076] of Shin. It is solely this pulling motion by the user that causes the guide pin to ride along the curved slit, rotating the operating bar to engage the hook.”
The examiner disagrees since Shin teaches the coupling element (15) being a locking part and first and second detachment modules (100, 200) form the detachment unit. Par. 74-75 teach that when the outer housings are mechanically connected to each other via the ring-shaped coupling element (15), the intermediate connection body (215) and insertion end connection body (111) are placed in the configuration as shown in Fig. 8b in which the operation unit and insertion end are locked together and the intermediate connection body and insertion end connection body are coupled together.
Applicant argues:
“Second, Applicant respectfully submits that the cited reference is completely silent with regards to the claimed feature, "a protruding distance of the engaging member is shorter than a depth of the insertion groove, 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, 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, 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," as recited in amended claim 1.
Because Shin completely fails to disclose "the one end of the insertion end connection body configured to press the one end of the intermediate connection body in the second longitudinal direction to simultaneously lock and couple the operation unit and the insertion unit to each other," Shin has no reason to have "a protruding distance of the engaging member ... shorter than a depth of the insertion groove" and "the contact between the one end of the insertion end connection body and the one end of the intermediate connection body," which may safely transfer a longitudinal pressing force to simultaneously lock and couple the operation unit and the insertion unit to each other. See also Annotated FIG. 8B of Shin, reproduced below, which shows no contact between alleged insertion end connection body and the alleged intermediate connection body when the outer housings are mechanically connected to the external surfaces by a ring-shaped coupling element.”
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.
Conclusion
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 June 27, 2026
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