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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 2/16/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks and Amended Claim Set, filed 2/16/2026, with respect to the rejections of claims 1-4 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) or 35 U.S.C. 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejections of claims 1-4 have been withdrawn.
In addition, newly introduced independent claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tsuzuki as detailed in infra rejection.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tsuzuki et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2015/0250449), hereinafter “Tsuzuki.”
Regarding claim 20, Tsuzuki discloses a puncture device guide (a puncture adapter configured to hold and guide a puncture needle, [0024]-[0025]), comprising:
a guide body configured to couple to an ultrasound probe (adapter body and cover is configured to be attached to the ultrasound probe body, [0024]-[0025]), the guide body comprising:
a guide tube defining a channel extending between a first end and an opposite second end of the guide tube, the channel configured to receive a puncture device (adapter body and cover is configured such that a puncture needle is guided through a tubular space formed by the adapter body and guide groove of the cover from a distal end to a proximal end of the adapter body and cover, [0024]-[0025], Figs.1, 4-7);
a first securing member at the first end configured to couple to a first portion of the ultrasound probe (distal end side engaging part of the puncture adapter engages with a distal end side engaging part of the ultrasound probe body, [0023], [0043]); and
a second securing member at the second end configured to couple to a second portion of the ultrasound probe (distal end side engaging part of the puncture adapter engages with a distal end side engaging part of the ultrasound probe body, [0023], [0043]); and
a lock assembly configured to secure the guide body to the ultrasound probe (connector is coupled to the adapter body and cover and fixes the adapter body and cover relative to ultrasound probe body, [0042]-[0044]), the lock assembly comprising:
a lever component pivotably coupled to the guide body (the connector pivots the operation part pair to displace the operation part pair, [0042]-[0044]); and
a latch component coupled to the lever component (a pair of “proximal side engaging portions” (latch component) and a pair of “operation parts” (lever component) are coupled/connected (via a “connector” located between the pair of proximal side engaging portions and the pair of operation parts, [0042]-[0044]), the latch component moveable between a first position relative to the lever component and a second position relative to the lever component (operation part pair comprises a pair of proximal end side engaging parts of the puncture adapter wherein the displacement of the corresponding proximal end side engaging parts of the ultrasound probe removably attaches the puncture adapter to the ultrasound probe body, e.g., inward displacement of the pair of operation parts toward one another causes outward displacement of the pair of proximal side engaging portions via the coupling/connection/connector between the pair of operation parts, and vice versa, outward displacement of the pair of operation parts away from one another causes inward displacement of the pair of proximal side engaging portions via the coupling/connection/connector between the pair of operation parts and the pair of proximal side engaging portions, [0042]-[0044]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-4, 7-11, and 14-15 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 1, while Tsuzuki discloses a puncture device guide (a puncture adapter configured to hold and guide a puncture needle, [0024]-[0025]), comprising;
a guide body member configured to fixedly attach to an ultrasound probe (adapter body and cover is configured to be attached to the ultrasound probe body, [0024]-[0025]); and
a lock assembly coupled to the guide body member to fix the guide body member relative to the ultrasound probe (connector is coupled to the adapter body and cover and fixes the adapter body and cover relative to ultrasound probe body, [0042]-[0044]), the lock assembly comprising:
a lever component pivotably coupled to the guide body member (the connector pivots the operation part pair to displace the operation part pair, [0042]-[0044]); and
a latch component coupled to the lever component (a pair of “proximal side engaging portions” (latch component) and a pair of “operation parts” (lever component) are coupled/connected (via a “connector” located between the pair of proximal side engaging portions and the pair of operation parts, [0042]-[0044]), the latch component moveable relative to the lever component (operation part pair comprises a pair of proximal end side engaging parts of the puncture adapter wherein the displacement of the corresponding proximal end side engaging parts of the ultrasound probe removably attaches the puncture adapter to the ultrasound probe body, e.g., inward displacement of the pair of operation parts toward one another causes outward displacement of the pair of proximal side engaging portions via the coupling/connection/connector between the pair of operation parts, and vice versa, outward displacement of the pair of operation parts away from one another causes inward displacement of the pair of proximal side engaging portions via the coupling/connection/connector between the pair of operation parts and the pair of proximal side engaging portions, [0042]-[0044]),
wherein the guide body member comprises:
a guide tube having a central aperture extending therethrough for receiving a puncture device (adapter body and cover is configured such that a puncture needle passes through a space formed by the adapter body and guide groove of the cover, [0024]-[0025]);
a forward securing member for engaging a forward portion of the ultrasound probe (distal end side engaging part of the puncture adapter engages with a distal end side engaging part of the ultrasound probe body, [0023], [0043]); and
a rearward securing member for engaging a rearward portion of the ultrasound probe (proximal end side engaging part of the puncture adapter engages with a proximal end side engaging part of the ultrasound probe body, [0023], [0043]), and
wherein the lock assembly is configured to be moveably coupled to the guide body member between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration (connector is configured to move between an attached configuration and a removed configuration between the probe adapter and the ultrasound probe, [0042]-[0045]), Tsuzuki and the prior art does not appear to disclose the latch component is moveable along an axis relative to the lever component.
Regarding claim 7, while Tsuzuki discloses the lever portion component comprises a pair of opposing arms configured to receive the guide tube therebetween (the connector pivots the operation part pair to displace the operation part pair, [0042]-[0044]; adapter body and cover is configured such that a puncture needle passes through a space formed by the adapter body and guide groove of the cover, [0024]-[0025]; adapter body and guide groove space passes between the operation part pair, Figs. 1, 3, 5-7); and wherein the pair of opposing arms is pivotably coupled to the guide tube (the connector pivots the operation part pair to displace the operation part pair, [0042]-[0044]), Tsuzuki and the prior art does not appear to disclose the lever portion component comprises an upper guide tube engagement feature for engaging an upper portion of the guide tube when in the locked configuration, wherein the pair of opposing arms is pivotally coupled to the guide tube via a pivot pin.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kubota et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2015/0250447) discloses a puncture needle guide for attachment to an endocavity ultrasound probe including a pair of curved pivoting latching locking arms and a distal and a proximal pair of curved arms with protrusions that engage with respective pockets distal and proximal along the probe surface.
McGahan (U.S. Pub. No. 2008/0171940) discloses a puncture needle guide for attachment to an endocavity ultrasound probe including a pair of curved pivoting latching locking arms and a distal pair of curved arms with protrusions that engage with respective pockets distal along the probe surface.
Lu et al. (CN112807063A) discloses a puncture needle guide for attachment to an endocavity ultrasound probe including a pair of curved pivoting latching locking arms and a distal pair of curved arms.
Dykes et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2018/0116630) discloses a puncture needle guide for attachment to an endocavity ultrasound probe including a distal and a proximal sleeve and a sliding lock sleeve.
Allaway et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2021/0338267) discloses a puncture needle guide for attachment to an endocavity ultrasound probe including a distal and a proximal pair of curved arms with pivoting locking mechanisms.
Cermak et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2017/0340308) discloses a puncture needle guide for attachment to an endocavity ultrasound probe including a pair of curved arms with a pivoting locking mechanism.
McGahan (U.S. Patent No. 6,095,981) discloses a puncture needle guide for attachment to an endocavity ultrasound probe including a distal and a proximal sleeve with locking mechanisms.
Furia (U.S. Pub. No. 2002/0123689) discloses a puncture needle guide for attachment to an endocavity ultrasound probe including a proximal pair of curved arms with a pivoting locking mechanism.
Pruter (U.S. Patent No. 6,884,219) discloses a puncture needle guide for attachment to an endocavity ultrasound probe including a pair of curved pivoting latching locking arms and a distal pair of curved arms.
Nygaard et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2010/0041996 and U.S. Pub. No. 2009/0171218) discloses a puncture needle guide for attachment to an endocavity ultrasound probe including a proximal pair of curved arms with a pivoting locking mechanism and a distal pair of curved arms.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Johnathan Maynard whose telephone number is (571)272-7977. The examiner can normally be reached 10 AM - 6 PM.
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/J.M./Examiner, Art Unit 3798
/KEITH M RAYMOND/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3798