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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, Species C, readable on claims 1-11 in
the reply filed on 12/22/2025 is acknowledged.
Status of Claims
Claims 1-21 are pending, claims 12-21 are withdrawn and claims 1-11 are currently under consideration for patentability under 37 CFR 1.104.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 07/19/2023, 08/28/2023 have been considered by the examiner.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 10-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO2020012538A1 to Tanaka and further in view of U.S. Publication No. 2009/0324185 to Shimotsu.
Regarding clam 1, Tanaka discloses an endoscope comprising: a grip unit (4, Fig. 1, page 2); an insert unit (3, Fig. 1, page 2); a light source (1, Fig. 1, page 2); a light exit part provided in the insert unit (80, Fig. 1, page 2).
Tanaka fails to expressly teach a first light guide; a second light guide; and an optical connector disposed in the grip unit, wherein the first light guide has a first entrance end located on the side of the light source and a first exit end located on the side of the optical connector, the second light guide has a second entrance end located on the side of the optical connector and a second exit end located on the side of the light exit part, and the light that goes out from the first exit end enters the second entrance end through the optical connector.
However, Shimotsu teaches of an endoscope (10, Fig. 1, [0042]) including a first light guide (11, Fig.1, [0045]); a second light guide (11, Fig.1, [0045]); and an optical connector disposed in the grip unit (13, Fig. 1, [0045]), wherein the first light guide has a first entrance end (11, Fig.1, [0045]) located on the side of the light source (6, Fig. 1, [0047]) and a first exit end located on the side of the optical connector (13, Fig. 1, [0045]), the second light guide has a second entrance end located on the side of the optical connector (11, Fig.1, [0045]) and a second exit end located on the side of the light exit part (11, Fig. 1, [0045]), and the light that goes out from the first exit end enters the second entrance end through the optical connector (Fig. 1).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the device of Tanaka to utilize a first and second light guide in the manner taught by Shimotsu. It would have been advantageous to make the combination for the purpose of providing light ([0042] of Shimotsu).
Regarding claim 2, Tanaka, in view of Shimotsu, teaches an endoscope according to claim 1, and Tanaka further discloses wherein the light source is provided in the grip unit (Tanaka: 1, Fig. 1, page 2).
Regarding claim 6, Tanaka, in view of Shimotsu, teaches an endoscope according to claim 1.
Tanaka, in view of Shimotsu, fails to expressly teach further comprising a fixing member to fix the optical connector, wherein the optical connector is attached to and detached from the fixing member.
However, Shimotsu further teaches further comprising a fixing member to fix the optical connector (Shimotsu: 16, Fig. 1, [0043]), wherein the optical connector is attached to and detached from the fixing member (Shimotsu: 13, Fig. 1, [0045] – the optical connector can be attached/detached during assembly).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the device of Tanaka, in view of Shimotsu, to utilize a fixing member as taught by Shimotsu It would have been advantageous to make the combination for the purpose of providing light ([0042] of Shimotsu).
Regarding claim 7, Tanaka, in view of Shimotsu, teaches an endoscope according to claim 1.
Tanaka, in view of Shimotsu, fails to expressly teach further comprising a fixing structure to fix the optical connector.
However, Shimotsu further teaches further comprising a fixing structure to fix the optical connector (Shimotsu:16, Fig. 1, [0043]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the device of Tanaka, in view of Shimotsu, to utilize a fixing structure as taught by Shimotsu It would have been advantageous to make the combination for the purpose of providing light ([0042] of Shimotsu).
Regarding claim 8, Tanaka, in view of Shimotsu, teaches an endoscope according to claim 1.
Tanaka, in view of Shimotsu, fails to expressly teach wherein a specific direction is defined as a direction perpendicular to the center axis of the first light guide when it is placed in a straight position, and the largest cross sectional area of the optical connector or a component of the optical connector in the specific direction is smaller than the cross sectional area of the interior of the insert unit in the specific direction.
However, Shimotsu further teaches wherein a specific direction is defined as a direction perpendicular to the center axis of the first light guide when it is placed in a straight position, and the largest cross sectional area of the optical connector or a component of the optical connector in the specific direction is smaller than the cross sectional area of the interior of the insert unit in the specific direction (Shimotsu:13, Fig. 1, [0045]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the device of Tanaka, in view of Shimotsu, to utilize a specific direction as taught by Shimotsu It would have been advantageous to make the combination for the purpose of providing light ([0042] of Shimotsu).
Regarding claim 10, Tanaka, in view of Shimotsu teaches an endoscope system comprising an endoscope (Tanaka: 9, Fig. 1, page 2) according to claim 1 and a processor (Tanaka: 5A, Fig. 1, page 2).
Regarding claim 11, Tanaka, in view of Shimotsu teaches an endoscope according to claim 1, and Tanaka further discloses wherein the optical connector allows connection and separation (Tankaka: 13, Fig. 1, [0045] -the examiner notes that the optical connector can be connected/separated during assembly).
Claim(s) 3, 4, 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO2020012538A1 to Tanaka and further in view of U.S. Publication No. 2009/0324185 to Shimotsu and further in view of U.S. Publication No. 2020/0029790 to Amano et al. (hereinafter “Amano”).
Regarding claim 3, Tanaka, in view of Shimotsu, teaches an endoscope according to claim 1,
Tanaka, in view of Shimotsu, fails to expressly teach wherein the optical connector comprises:a first ferrule to hold the first exit end; a second ferrule to hold the second entrance end; and a sleeve in which the first and second ferrules are inserted.
However, Amano teaches of an endoscope (Amano: 1, Fig. 1, [0039]) wherein the optical connector comprises: a first ferrule to hold the first exit end (Amano: 661, Fig. 1, [0058]); a second ferrule to hold the second entrance end (Amano: 662, Fig. 1, [0058]); and a sleeve in which the first and second ferrules are inserted (Amano: 663, Fig. 1, [0058]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the device of Tanaka, in view of Shimotsu, to utilize an optical connector in the manner taught by Amano. It would have been advantageous to make the combination for the purpose of optically connecting the components ([0058] of Amano).
Regarding claim 4, Tanaka, in view of Shimotsu and Amano, teaches an endoscope according to claim 3.
Tanaka, in view of Shimotsu and Amano, fails to expressly teach further comprising a holder to hold the sleeve
However, Amano further teaches further comprising a holder to hold the sleeve (Amano: 634, Fig. 4, ([0074]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the device of Tanaka, in view of Shimotsu and Amano, to utilize a holder in the manner taught by Amano. It would have been advantageous to make the combination for the purpose of holding the optical connectors ([0074] of Amano).
Regarding claim 5, Tanaka, in view of Shimotsu and Amano, teaches an endoscope according to claim 4.
Tanaka, in view of Shimotsu and Amano, fails to expressly teach further comprising an optical connection module to guide the light emitted from the light source to the first end, wherein a specific direction is defined as a direction perpendicular to the center axis of the first light guide when it is placed in a straight position, and the largest cross sectional area of the holder in the specific direction is smaller than the smallest cross sectional area of the optical connection module in the specific direction.
However, Amano further teaches further comprising an optical connection module to guide the light emitted from the light source to the first end (Amano: Fig. 4, Fig. 5), wherein a specific direction is defined as a direction perpendicular to the center axis of the first light guide when it is placed in a straight position (Amano: Fig. 4, Fig. 5), and the largest cross sectional area of the holder in the specific direction is smaller than the smallest cross sectional area of the optical connection module in the specific direction (Amano: Fig. 4, Fig. 5).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the device of Tanaka, in view of Shimotsu and Amano, to utilize an optical connection module in the manner taught by Amano. It would have been advantageous to make the combination for the purpose of holding the optical connectors ([0074] of Amano).
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO2020012538A1 to Tanaka and further in view of U.S. Publication No. 2009/0324185 to Shimotsu and further in view of U.S. Publication No. 2018/0100627 to Tamura et al. (hereinafter “Tamura”).
Regarding claim 9, Tanaka, in view of Shimotsu, teaches an endoscope according to claim 1.
Tanaka, in view of Shimotsu, fails to expressly teach further comprising a wavelength converter disposed between the second exit end and the light exit part that absorbs a portion of the light emitted from the light source and emits a light of a first converted wavelength.
However, Tamura teaches of an endoscope (Tamura: 1, Fig. 1, [0027]) further comprising a wavelength converter disposed between the second exit end and the light exit part that absorbs a portion of the light emitted from the light source and emits a light of a first converted wavelength (Tamura: 100, Fig. 1, [0029]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the device of Tanaka, in view of Shimotsu, to utilize a wavelength converter in the manner as taught by Tamura. It would have been advantageous to make the combination for the purpose of converting light into a different wavelength ([0029] of Tamura).
Conclusion
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/C.A.S./Examiner, Art Unit 3795
/MICHAEL J CAREY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3795