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 .
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.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4-7, 9-10, 12-18, 20-21, 23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Egilsson (20090036999).
With regards to claim 1 , Egilsson discloses a prosthetic liner (63) for a prosthetic limb (FIG 12) having an interior surface (70) forming an interior cavity (FIG 12), the prosthetic liner comprising: a liner body, the liner body formed in a shape resembling a shape of at least a portion of the interior surface of the prosthetic limb ([0002]), the liner body having: a first end for receiving an insertion of a body part of a user (see annotated figure below), wherein at least a portion of the first end of the liner body includes a liquid-retentive portion (62).
With regards to claim 2, Egilsson discloses the prosthetic liner according to claim 1, wherein the liquid retentive portion is formed using liquid absorbent or liquid retentive materials ([0105]).
With regards to claim 4, Egilsson discloses the prosthetic liner according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of microchannels ([00105], “network of pores”) formed along an inner surface (64) of the liner body, the plurality of microchannels ([00105], “network of pores”) connected at one end to the liquid-retentive portion of the first end of the liner body (FIG 12), wherein at least one of the plurality of microchannels is configured to receive liquid droplets and direct the received liquid droplets to the liquid-retentive portion of the first end of the liner body (FIG 12; [00105]).
With regards to claim 5, Egilsson discloses a prosthetic liner for a prosthetic limb, the prosthetic limb having an interior surface forming an interior cavity (FIG 12), the prosthetic liner comprising: a liner body, the liner body formed in a shape resembling a shape of at least a portion of the interior surface of the prosthetic limb (FIG 12), the liner body configured to be housed in the interior cavity of the prosthetic limb ([0004]), the liner body having: a first end for receiving an insertion of a body part of a user (see annotated figure below), wherein at least a portion of the first end of the liner body includes a liquid-retentive portion (62); a second end opposite to the first end (see annotated figure below); an inner surface (66) formed between the first and second ends, the inner surface of the liner body for contacting with at least a portion of the body part of the user ([00105]), the inner surface of the liner body including: a plurality of microchannels ([00105], “network of pores”), the plurality of microchannels formed along the inner surface (66) of the liner body (FIG 12), the plurality of microchannels connected at one end to the liquid-retentive portion of the first end of the liner body ([00105]), wherein at least one of the plurality of microchannels is configured to receive liquid droplets and direct the received liquid droplets to the liquid-retentive portion of the first end of the liner body ([00105]); and an outer surface (64) opposite to the inner surface of the liner body (FIG 12), the outer surface of the liner body facing the interior surface of the prosthetic limb and provided in the interior cavity of the prosthetic limb ([0004]).
With regards to claim 6, Egilsson discloses the prosthetic liner according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the following apply: each of the plurality of microchannels is formed using soft hydrophilic material ([00119], “hydrophilic particles anchored to the pore walls of the porous material”, note that the prior art does not need to disclose the limitations “each of the plurality of microchannels has a width of not more than 0.2 mm” to meet the claimed invention since the claim recites the limitations in the alternative only using the term “at least one of”)
With regards to claim 7, Egilsson discloses the prosthetic liner according to claim 5, wherein the liquid-retentive portion is formed using liquid absorbent or liquid retentive materials ([0028]).
With regards to claim 9, Egilsson discloses the prosthetic liner according to claim 5, wherein at least a portion of the second end of the liner body includes a second liquid-retentive portion (FIG 12, see annotated figure below).
With regards to claim 10, Egilsson discloses the prosthetic liner according to claim 9, wherein the second liquid-retentive portion is formed using liquid absorbent or retentive materials ([0028]).
With regards to claim 12, Egilsson discloses the prosthetic liner according to claim 9, wherein: at least one of the plurality of microchannels ([00105], “network of pores”) is connected at another end to the second liquid-retentive portion (FIG 12); and the at least one of the plurality of microchannels (([00105], “network of pores”)) is configured to receive liquid droplets and direct the received liquid droplets to the second liquid-retentive portion (FIG 12, see annotated figure below).
With regards to claim 13, Egilsson discloses the prosthetic liner according to claim 5, wherein the outer surface (64) of the liner body includes: a plurality of second microchannels ([00105], “pass into one surface of the porous foam layer, such as the inner layer 66, and pass through the porous foam layer to the opposite surface, such as the outer surface 64”), the plurality of second microchannels formed along the outer surface (64) of the liner body ([00105]), the plurality of second microchannels connected at one end to the liquid-retentive portion of the first end of the liner body (62), wherein at least one of the plurality of second microchannels is configured to receive liquid droplets and direct the received liquid droplets to the liquid-retentive portion of the first end of the liner body ([00105], “fluid may also move radially through pores”).
With regards to claim 14, wherein at least one of the following apply: each of the plurality of microchannels is formed using soft hydrophilic material ([00119], “hydrophilic particles anchored to the pore walls of the porous material”, note that the prior art does not need to disclose the limitations “each of the plurality of microchannels has a width of not more than 0.2 mm” to meet the claimed invention since the claim recites the limitations in the alternative only using the term “at least one of”).
With regards to claim 15, Egilsson discloses a prosthetic liner for a prosthetic limb (FIG 12), the prosthetic limb having an interior surface forming an interior cavity (FIG 12), the prosthetic liner comprising: a liner body, the liner body formed in a shape resembling a shape of at least a portion of the interior surface of the prosthetic limb (FIG 12), the liner body configured to be housed in the interior cavity of the prosthetic limb ([0004]), the liner body having: a first end for receiving an insertion of a body part of a user (see annotated figure below); a second end opposite to the first end (see annotated figure below); an inner surface formed (66) between the first and second ends, the inner surface of the liner body for contacting with at least a portion of the body part of the user (FIG 12), the inner surface of the liner body including: a plurality of microchannels ([00105], “network of pores”), the plurality of microchannels ([00105], “network of pores”) formed along the inner surface (66) of the liner body (FIG 12), wherein at least one of the plurality of microchannels is configured to receive and collect liquid droplets ([00105]); and an outer surface (64) opposite to the inner surface (66) of the liner body, the outer surface of the liner body facing the interior surface of the prosthetic limb and provided in the interior cavity of the prosthetic limb ([0004]), the outer surface of the liner body including: a plurality of second microchannels ([00105], “pass into one surface of the porous foam layer, such as the inner layer 66, and pass through the porous foam layer to the opposite surface, such as the outer surface 64”), the plurality of second microchannels formed along the outer surface (64) of the liner body (FIG 12), wherein at least one of the plurality of second microchannels is configured to receive and collect liquid droplets ([00105]).
With regards to claim 16, Egilsson discloses the prosthetic liner according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the following apply: each of the plurality of microchannels is formed using soft hydrophilic material ([00119], “hydrophilic particles anchored to the pore walls of the porous material”), each of the plurality of second microchannels is formed using soft hydrophilic material ([00119], “hydrophilic particles anchored to the pore walls of the porous material”, note that the prior art does not need to disclose the limitations “each of the plurality of microchannels has a width of not more than 0.2 mm, each of the plurality of second microchannels has a width of not more than 0.2 mm” to meet the claimed invention since the claim recites the limitations in the alternative only using the term “at least one of”)
With regards to claim 17, Egilsson discloses the prosthetic liner according to claim 15, wherein at least a portion of the first end of the liner body includes a liquid-retentive portion (62), the liquid retentive portion formed using liquid absorbent or liquid retentive materials ([0028]).
With regards to claim 18, Egilsson discloses the prosthetic liner according to claim 17, wherein: at least one of the plurality of microchannels (62) is connected at one end to the liquid-retentive portion (FIG 12); and the at least one of the plurality of microchannels ([00105], “network of pores”) is configured to receive liquid droplets and direct the received liquid droplets to the liquid-retentive portion ([00105]).
With regards to claim 20, Egilsson discloses the prosthetic liner according to claim 15, wherein at least a portion of the second end of the liner body includes a second liquid-retentive portion (FIG 12, see annotated figure below).
With regards to claim 21, Egilsson discloses the prosthetic liner according to claim 20, wherein the second liquid-retentive portion is formed using liquid absorbent or retentive materials ([0028]).
With regards to claim 23, Egilsson discloses the prosthetic liner according to claim 20, wherein: at least one of the plurality of microchannels (62) is connected at another end to the second liquid- retentive portion (FIG 12); and the at least one of the plurality of microchannels is configured to receive liquid droplets and direct the received liquid droplets to the second liquid-retentive portion ([00105]).
PNG
media_image1.png
454
441
media_image1.png
Greyscale
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 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 3, 8, 11, 19, 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Egilsson (20090036999) as applied to claims 2, 7, 10, 17, and 21 above, and further in view of Aviles (20190000691).
With regards to claim 3, Egilsson discloses the prosthetic liner according to claim 2, but fails to disclose wherein the liquid-retentive portion includes super absorbent polymers.
Aviles also discloses an absorbent article (10) comprising a liquid retentive portion (30). Aviles teaches the liquid-retentive portion (30) includes super absorbent polymers ([0110]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Egilsson’s liquid-retentive portion to include super absorbent polymers, as taught by Aviles, in order to provide a liquid retentive portion that is compressible, conformable, non-irritating to the wearer's skin, and capable of absorbing and retaining liquids ([0110]).
With regards to claim 8, Egilsson discloses the prosthetic liner according to claim 7, but fails to disclose wherein the liquid-retentive portion includes super absorbent polymers.
Aviles also discloses an absorbent article (10) comprising a liquid retentive portion (30). Aviles teaches the liquid-retentive portion (30) includes super absorbent polymers ([0110]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Egilsson’s liquid-retentive portion to include super absorbent polymers, as taught by Aviles, in order to provide a liquid retentive portion that is compressible, conformable, non-irritating to the wearer's skin, and capable of absorbing and retaining liquids ([0110]).
With regards to claim 11, Egilsson discloses the prosthetic liner according to claim 10, but fails to disclose wherein the second liquid-retentive portion includes super absorbent polymers.
Aviles also discloses an absorbent article (10) comprising a second liquid retentive portion. Aviles teaches the second liquid-retentive portion includes super absorbent polymers ([0110]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Egilsson’s second liquid-retentive portion to include super absorbent polymers, as taught by Aviles, in order to provide a second liquid retentive portion that is compressible, conformable, non-irritating to the wearer's skin, and capable of absorbing and retaining liquids ([0110]).
With regards to claim 19, Egilsson discloses the prosthetic liner according to claim 17, but fails to disclose wherein the liquid-retentive portion includes super absorbent polymers.
Aviles also discloses an absorbent article (10) comprising a liquid retentive portion (30). Aviles teaches the liquid-retentive portion (30) includes super absorbent polymers ([0110]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Egilsson’s liquid-retentive portion to include super absorbent polymers, as taught by Aviles, in order to provide a liquid retentive portion that is compressible, conformable, non-irritating to the wearer's skin, and capable of absorbing and retaining liquids ([0110]).
With regards to claim 22, Egilsson discloses the prosthetic liner according to claim 21, but fails to disclose wherein the second liquid-retentive portion includes super absorbent polymers.
Aviles also discloses an absorbent article (10) comprising a second liquid retentive portion. Aviles teaches the second liquid-retentive portion includes super absorbent polymers ([0110]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Egilsson’s second liquid-retentive portion to include super absorbent polymers, as taught by Aviles, in order to provide a second liquid retentive portion that is compressible, conformable, non-irritating to the wearer's skin, and capable of absorbing and retaining liquids ([0110]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RENEE FLORENCIA NERENBERG whose telephone number is (571)272-9599. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-5.
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, Melanie Tyson can be reached at (571) 272-9062. 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.
/R.F.N./Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3774
/MELANIE R TYSON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3774