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 .
Status of Claims
This office action is responsive to the application filed 17 July 2025.
Claims 1-20 are presently pending in this application.
Claim Objections
Claim 2 is objected to because of the following informalities:
“form the first cavity floor” – typo in line 3 of the claim.
“of the of the” – repeat phrase in line 3 of the claim.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-6, 8, 9, 11-16, 18, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Doornbos et al (US Patent Publication No. 20190105484 A1), hereinafter Doornbos.
Regarding claim 1, Doornbos teaches a flow restriction adapter (Doornbos: Fig. 7, comprising coupler 10 and the body of enteral fluid delivery connector VC) for restricting hemolysis, the flow restriction adapter (10 and VC) comprising: a first connector portion (Fig. 7, body of connector VC) forming a female luer (connector VC comprises external grooves G, creating a female luer; para. 0047) having a first cavity (Fig. 5-7, defined by pair of vents V and distal end of cylindrical body 40); a second connector portion (Fig. 7, first end 12) forming a male luer (Fig. 7, hub 20; para. 0037) having a second cavity (Fig. 7, lumen 16); a post (Fig. 7, connector VC) comprising a proximal end (Fig. 5-6, hub H) positioned between the male luer (para. 0037) and the female luer (Fig. 5-6, while inside of body 40, hub H lies between the first end 12 and the distal end of connector VC), a middle portion (Fig. 7, area of connector VC inside of vents V) extending through the first cavity (VC extends through vents V), a distal end (Fig. 7, distal-most point of connector VC) positioned distally to the female luer (Fig. 7, connector VC extends beyond vents V), and an inner lumen (Fig. 7, comprising conduit 16 and lumen L) extending from the second cavity (16) through the distal end of the post (Fig. 7, conduit 16 and lumen L extend through entirety of hub 20 and connector VC).
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Regarding claim 2, Doornbos teaches the adapter above, wherein the first connector portion (body of VC) comprises a first cavity floor (Fig. 5-7, distal end of body 40) forming a portion of the cavity (Fig. 5-7 body 40 composes the floor of vents V), an end of the female luer (Fig. 7, distalmost portion of collar W) is positioned a first distance (Fig. 5 above, distance D1) from the first cavity floor (distance D1 is defined by distal end of body 40 to the distal end of collar W), and the distal end (distal-most point of connector VC) of the post (VC) is positioned a second distance (Fig. 5 above, distance D2) from the first cavity floor (distal end of 40), and wherein the first distance (D1) is less than the second distance (D2 is shown to be more than twice the size of D1).
Regarding claim 3, Doornbos teaches the adapter above, wherein the first distance (D1) is approximately 50 percent or less than the second distance (D2 is shown to be more than twice the size of D1).
Regarding claim 4, Doornbos teaches the adapter above, wherein: an outer surface of the post (Fig. 5-7, outer surface of VC) defines a cross-sectional profile (Fig. 7 shows a cross section of VC) that is transverse relative to a longitudinal axis of the post (Fig. 7, cross sectional view is shown transverse to VC axis) extending between the proximal (H) and distal ends (distalmost point of VC) of the post (VC), and the cross-sectional profile (Fig. 7) of the post (VC) defines a post width (Fig. 5 above, width W2); and the first cavity (defined by V and 40) defines a first connector cavity width (Fig. 5 above, width W1), wherein the post width (W2) is less than the first connector cavity width (W2 is shown to be smaller than W1).
Regarding claim 5, Doornbos teaches the adapter above, wherein the post width (W2) decreases in a direction toward the distal end (distalmost point of VC) of the post (Fig. 5, connector VC is shown tapering towards the distal end, thus, its width decreases).
Regarding claim 6, Doornbos teaches the adapter above, wherein an outer surface of the post (outer surface of VC) is spaced apart from an inner surface (inner lumen of collar W) of the female luer (Fig. 5-7, surface of VC is shown spaced from lumen of collar W).
Regarding claim 8, Doornbos teaches the adapter above, further comprising a collar (Fig. 7, collar 23) extending along the male luer (20; para. 0037), wherein the collar (23) comprises an inner surface (Fig. 7, threads 26) spaced apart from the outer surface of the male luer (Fig. 7, threads 26 are shown spaced from surface of hub 20).
Regarding claim 9, Doornbos teaches the adapter above, wherein the inner lumen (16 and L) defines an inner lumen width (Fig. 5 shown above, inner lumen width W3), and the second cavity (16) defines a second cavity width (Fig. 5 shown above, second cavity width W4), and wherein the inner lumen width (W4) is less than the second cavity width (Fig. 5 shown above, W3 is shown to be less than W4).
Regarding claim 11, Doornbos teaches a flow restriction adapter (10 and VC) for restricting hemolysis, the flow restriction adapter (10 and VC) comprising: a first connector portion (Fig. 7, body of connector VC) comprising a first connector end (Fig. 7, distalmost portion of collar W), an inner surface (Fig. 7, inner lumen of collar W), and a first cavity floor (Fig. 5-7, distal end of cylindrical body 40), wherein the inner surface (inner surface of W) and the first cavity floor (distal end of 40) form a first cavity (Fig. 5-7, defined by pair of vents V and distal end of cylindrical body 40); a second connector portion (Fig. 7, first end 12) comprising a second connector end (Fig. 7, distal end of collar 23) and an inner surface (Fig. 7, hub 20; para. 0037) forming a second cavity (Fig. 7, lumen 16); and a post (Fig. 7, connector VC) comprising a proximal end (Fig. 5-6, hub H) at the first cavity floor (Fig. 5-6, hub H exists at the distal end of body 40), a middle portion (Fig. 7, area of connector VC inside of vents V) extending through the first cavity (VC extends through vents V), a distal end (Fig. 7, distal-most point of connector VC) positioned distally to the first connector end (Fig. 7, connector VC extends beyond distalmost portion of collar W), and an inner lumen (Fig. 7, comprising conduit 16 and lumen L) extending from the second cavity (16) through the distal end of the post (Fig. 7, conduit 16 and lumen L extend through entirety of hub 20 and connector VC).
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Regarding claim 12, Doornbos teaches the adapter above, wherein the first connector end (distalmost of W) is positioned a first distance (Fig. 5, first distance D1) from the first cavity floor (distal end of 40), and the distal end of the post (distal-most point of connector VC) is a second distance (Fig. 5 above, distance D2) from the first cavity floor (distal end of 40), and wherein the first distance (D1) is less than the second distance (D2 is shown to be more than twice the size of D1).
Regarding claim 13, Doornbos teaches the adapter above, wherein the first distance (D1) is approximately 50 percent or less than the second distance (D2 is shown to be more than twice the size of D1).
Regarding claim 14, Doornbos teaches the adapter above, wherein: an outer surface of the post (Fig. 5-7, outer surface of VC) defines a cross-sectional profile (Fig. 7 shows a cross section of VC) that is transverse relative to a longitudinal axis of the post (Fig. 7, cross sectional view is shown transverse to VC axis) extending between the proximal (H) and distal ends (distalmost point of VC) of the post (VC), and the cross-sectional profile (Fig. 7) of the post (VC) defines a post width (Fig. 5 above, width W2); and the inner surface of the first connector portion (defined by V and 40) defines a first connector cavity width (Fig. 5 above, width W1), wherein the post width (W2) is less than the first connector cavity width (W2 is shown to be smaller than W1).
Regarding claim 15, wherein the post width (W2) decreases in a direction toward the distal end (distalmost point of VC) of the post (Fig. 5, connector VC is shown tapering towards the distal end, thus, its width decreases).
Regarding claim 16, Doornbos teaches the adapter above, wherein an outer surface of the post (outer surface of VC) is spaced apart from an inner surface (inner lumen of collar W) of the first connector portion (Fig. 5-7, surface of VC is shown spaced from lumen of collar W).
Regarding claim 18, Doornbos teaches the adapter above, further comprising a collar (Fig. 7, collar 23) extending along the second connector portion (12), wherein the collar (23) comprises an inner surface (Fig. 7, threads 26) spaced apart from the outer surface of the second connector portion (Fig. 7, threads 26 are shown spaced from surface of hub 20).
Regarding claim 19, Doornbos teaches the adapter above, wherein the inner lumen (16 and L) defines an inner lumen width (Fig. 5 shown above, inner lumen width W3), and the second cavity (16) defines a second cavity width (Fig. 5 shown above, second cavity width W4), and wherein the inner lumen width (W4) is less than the second cavity width (Fig. 5 shown above, W3 is shown to be less than W4).
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.
Claims 7, 10, 17, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Colman (US Patent Publication No. 20130345587 A1).
Regarding claim 7, Doornbos teaches the adapter above, wherein an inner surface of the female luer (Fig. 7, inner lumen of collar W) defines a first connector cavity width (W1).
Doornbos does not expressly disclose that the first connector cavity width decreases in a direction away from an end of the female luer.
Colman teaches a first connector cavity width (Coleman: Fig. 3A, diameter D) that decreases in a direction away from an end of a female luer (Fig. 3A, diameter D is shown to decrease away from female luer end towards deepest point 312).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the first connector cavity of Doornbos such that the first connector cavity width decreases in a direction away from an end of the female luer as taught by Colman in order to allow for a tapered conical fitting to accept male luer connections (Colman: para. 0093).
Regarding claim 10, Doornbos teaches the adapter above.
Doornbos does not expressly disclose the second cavity defines a second cavity width that decreases in a direction from an end of the male luer toward the female luer.
Colman teaches a second cavity (Fig. 3A, female section 306) defines a second cavity width (Fig. 3A, internal diameter d2) that decreases in a direction away from an end of a male luer (Fig. 3A, diameter d2 is a tapered cone (para. 0095).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the second cavity of Doornbos such that the second cavity defines a second cavity width that decreases in a direction from an end of the male luer toward the female luer as taught by Colman in order to accept a cone shaped male section from a female luer (para. 0095).
Regarding claim 17, Doornbos teaches the adapter above, wherein an inner surface of the first connector portion (Fig. 7, inner lumen of collar W) defines a first connector cavity width (W1).
Doornbos does not expressly disclose that the first connector cavity width decreases in a direction away from an end of the female luer.
Colman teaches a first connector cavity width (Coleman: Fig. 3A, diameter D) that decreases in a direction away from an end of a first connector portion (Fig. 3A, diameter D is shown to decrease away from female luer end towards deepest point 312).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the first connector cavity of Doornbos such that the first connector cavity width decreases in a direction away from an end of the female luer as taught by Colman in order to allow for a tapered conical fitting to accept male luer connections (Colman: para. 0093).
Regarding claim 20, Doornbos teaches the adapter above.
Doornbos does not expressly disclose the second cavity defines a second cavity width that decreases in a direction from an end of the second connector portion toward the first connector portion.
Colman teaches a second cavity (Fig. 3A, female section 306) defines a second cavity width (Fig. 3A, internal diameter d2) that decreases in a direction away from an end of a second connector portion (Fig. 3A, diameter d2 is a tapered cone (para. 0095).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the second cavity of Doornbos such that the second cavity defines a second cavity width that decreases in a direction from an end of the second connector portion toward the first connector portion as taught by Colman in order to accept a cone shaped male section from a female luer (para. 0095).
Conclusion
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/LEI GONZALEZ/Examiner, Art Unit 3783
/SCOTT J MEDWAY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3783
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