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 § 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.
(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.
Claims 11-16 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Dai et al. (CN 111870398) “Dai”. English translation attached.
Regarding claim 11, Dai discloses a component of an integrally detachable valve clamp (abstract) and delivery system thereof (Figs. 6a-6e), comprising: a control handle (part of the push rod 700 operated by the surgeon; Figs. 4b-4c); a delivery catheter (combination of control rod 700, sheath 600 and end block 432; Figs. 6a-6e) connected to the control handle (the delivery catheter components are connected to the portion of control rod 700 grasped by the surgeon); and a valve clamp connected to the delivery catheter (abstract and Fig. 6a disclose a valve clamp with arms 110); wherein the valve clamp is equipped with an inner catheter 433 and an outer catheter 200, both of which are equipped with detachable connection mechanisms (waveform curved walls 211 and 434; Figs. 4b and 6b and discussed under embodiment III, page 12); the delivery catheter comprises a first delivery catheter 432, a central control unit 700, and a second delivery catheter 600; the distal parts of both the first delivery catheter and the second delivery catheter are equipped with releasable connection mechanisms that match the detachable connection mechanisms (waveform curved walls 212 and 435; Figs. 4c and 6b);
when pre-installed, the detachable connection mechanism on the inner catheter 433 is connected to the releasable connection mechanism on the first delivery catheter 432 through the central control unit 700, forming a first disassembly part (coupling mechanism 200, page 12, embodiment III), while the detachable connection mechanism on the outer catheter 200 is connected to the releasable connection mechanism on the second delivery catheter 600 through the central control unit 700, forming a second disassembly part (locking mechanism 400, page 12, embodiment III); when the central control unit 700 is moved away from the first disassembly part and the second disassembly part, the first delivery catheter separates from the inner catheter, and the second delivery catheter separates from the outer catheter (page 12, embodiment III discloses the push rod movement allows for the disassembling of both mechanisms 400 and 200).
Regarding claim 12, Dai discloses wherein the relative position of the central control unit 700 and the inner catheter 433 remains unchanged when the first disassembly part and the second disassembly part undergo relative displacement (as shown in Fig. 6b, the rod 700 and inner catheter 433 have axial alignment).
Regarding claim 13, Dai discloses wherein on the axial section of the delivery catheter, the first disassembly part and the second disassembly part are in the same or different positions (axially spaced apart mechanisms 400 and 200; page 12, embodiment III), and when the central control unit 700 is moved away from the first and second disassembly parts respectively/simultaneously, the first delivery catheter and the inner catheter, the second delivery catheter and the outer catheter are correspondingly released and separated in sequence/simultaneously (page 12 discloses the push rod 700 allows movement allows for the mechanisms 400 and 200 to operate sequentially).
Regarding claim 14, Dai discloses wherein the valve clamp (Fig. 6a) further comprises a connector 300, a first clamping arm (left arm 500), a second clamping arm (right arm 500), a first linkage rod (left rod 120 extending from the catheter to the circular linkage where 500 meets 120), and a second linkage rod (right rod 120 opposite left rod); the first clamping arm and the second clamping arm are hinged with the connector 300 (hinge connection shown in Figs. 6a) and are arranged on the left and right sides of the outer catheter 200 (Figs. 6a and 6d); the connector 300 is connected to the inner catheter 433 (Fig. 6e); one end of the first linkage rod is connected to the first clamping arm, while the other end of the first linkage rod is connected to the outer catheter; and one end of the second linkage rod is connected to the second clamping arm, while the other end of the second linkage rod is connected to the outer catheter (one end of the linkage rods 120 is connected to the outer catheter 200 where spring 431 is located and the other end at the circular linkage is connected to 500; Fig. 6a).
Regarding claim 15, Dai discloses wherein the central control unit 700 restricts the relative radial displacement between the detachable connection mechanisms and the releasable connection mechanisms to prevent the detachable connection mechanisms from detaching from the releasable connection mechanisms (push rod 700 moves axially up and down and prevents any radial movement of the mechanisms 400 and 200; Fig. 6e and embodiment III).
Regarding claim 16, Dai discloses wherein each of the detachable connection mechanisms comprises a first connection section, a second connection section, and an inclined section, and the inclined section is set between the first connection section and the second connection section (the curved waveform walls 212 and 435 have an inclined curve in between first and second wall sections; Figs. 4c and 6b).
Regarding claim 18, Dai discloses wherein when the releasable connection mechanisms are connected to the detachable connection mechanisms through the central control unit 700, the first delivery catheter and the second delivery catheter can respectively transmit torque and push force to the inner catheter and the outer catheter (the structure of the valve clamp having the coupling and locking mechanisms 200 and 44 is fully capable of performing this intended use; embodiment III).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 17 and 19-20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the subject matter is allowable due to the limitations of “wherein the central control unit is a tube, the wall thickness of which is greater than or equal to half of the radial distance between the first connection section and the second connection section on the detachable connection mechanism of the inner catheter” as set forth in claim 17 and “the inner catheter comprises a self-locking rod and a locking head connected to the connector; the first clamping arm and the second clamping arm respectively comprises a long arm and a short arm, and one end of the short arm is provided with a locking part; when the inner catheter is axially moved to enlarge the angle between the long arm of the first clamping arm and the long arm of the second clamping arm to an open state, the locking part on the first clamping arm and the locking part on the second clamping arm are in a staggered fit state; when the inner catheter is moved axially to reduce the angle between the long arm of the first clamping arm and the long arm of the second clamping arm to a closed state, the self-locking rod is moved to achieve matching and locking between the locking head and the locking part” in claim 19 , which has not been found anticipated by or obvious over prior art. Dai et al. fails to disclose a tube control unit with the required wall thickness and the structure of claim 19 including the inner catheter comprises a self-locking rod and a locking head connected to the connector; the first clamping arm and the second clamping arm respectively comprises a long arm and a short arm, and one end of the short arm is provided with a locking part; when the inner catheter is axially moved to enlarge the angle between the long arm of the first clamping arm and the long arm of the second clamping arm to an open state, the locking part on the first clamping arm and the locking part on the second clamping arm are in a staggered fit state; when the inner catheter is moved axially to reduce the angle between the long arm of the first clamping arm and the long arm of the second clamping arm to a closed state, the self-locking rod is moved to achieve matching and locking between the locking head and the locking part.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YASHITA SHARMA whose telephone number is (571)270-5417. The examiner can normally be reached on 8am-5pm M-Th; 8am-4pm Fri (MT).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner' s supervisor, Jerrah Edwards, can be reached at 408-918-7557. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from Patent Center. Status information for published applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Patent Center to authorized users only. Should you have questions about access to the USPTO patent electronic filing system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free).
/YASHITA SHARMA/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3774