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.
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent 8,491,526 to Cronin et al. (Cronin hereinafter).
Regarding claim 15, Cronin teaches a multi-component mixing injection device (820, Fig. 51), comprising: a mixer (2); wherein an input end of the mixer (right side of Fig. 51) is provided with two or more syringe barrels (922, 838) arranged side by side, and each of the syringe barrels is internally provided with a plunger (862, 934); wherein an end of the syringe barrel is installed in a housing (822), and a handle (824) is installed to the housing and wherein the mixer (2) comprises a dynamic mixing tube (826), and a dynamic mixing structure is configured to mix different components in the dynamic mixing tube; the dynamic mixing structure comprises a plurality of mixing blades (828, 898). Cronin further teaches that the handle is configured to drive the plungers via a motor (842).
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 6 and 8-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cronin in view of U.S. Patent 6,722,232 to Day (Day).
Regarding claim 1, Cronin teaches a multi-component mixing injection device (820, Fig. 51), comprising: a mixer (2); wherein an input end of the mixer (right side of Fig. 51) is provided with two or more syringe barrels (922, 838) arranged side by side, and each of the syringe barrels is internally provided with a plunger (862, 934); wherein an end of the syringe barrel is installed in a housing (822), and a handle (824) is installed to the housing and wherein the mixer (2) comprises a dynamic mixing tube (826), and a dynamic mixing structure is configured to mix different components in the dynamic mixing tube; the dynamic mixing structure comprises a plurality of mixing blades (828, 898), the plurality of mixing blades (25) are installed in the dynamic mixing tube, the plurality of mixing blades are installed on a power output end (830) of a transmission shaft (840), and a power input end of the transmission shaft is connected to a direction conversion structure (876); the direction conversion structure is connected to a power input structure (842). Cronin does not teach a handle configured to swing back and forth or the associated drive structure, using instead a motor (842) and switch (906). Day teaches another medical fluid device generally, and particularly teaches a handle (10) that is configured to swing back and forth, a top of the handle (11) is hinged with a pressing plate (8) through a first rotating shaft (12), and the handle (10) is configured to drive a drive shaft (124); and the power input structure (18) comprises an arc-shaped rack portion (top of 8 which interfaces with transmission 30), and the arc-shaped rack portion is arranged on the handle. Day teaches that this assembly is simple and compact, as well as being usable in the absence of electricity (col. 2, ln. 26-40). One of ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious before the effective filing date of the application to use a manually powered prime mover in place of the motor of Cronin in order to allow for operation in places where batteries or electrical power are not available, as well as to take advantage of the simplicity and compact nature of the actuator.
Regarding claim 2, Cronin teaches a first transmission shaft (on the left of 842) and a second transmission shaft (on the right of 842) coaxially arranged, the second powering the plurality of mixing blades and having a sealing ring (868).
Regarding claim 3, depending on the orientation, the second transmission shaft may be placed above the syringe barrels and parallel thereto, and a power input end of the second shaft is connected to the power output end of the first transmission shaft, and further including a conversion structure (860).
Regarding claim 6, the examiner takes Official Notice that two-part housings with covers and which are screwed together are well known. This is based on the commercial availability of such housings in a variety of shapes for many decades. One of ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious before the effective filing date of the application to use a housing as claimed with the apparatus of Cronin in order to prevent damage to the working components thereof as generally understood in the art.
Regarding claim 8, Cronin teaches a serration (holding an O-ring as illustrated in Fig. 54) in the outer surface of the plunger, and a matching inner surface of the cylinder which corresponds to the serration and which is provided to the pressing plate.
Regarding claim 9, Cronin teaches that the syringes and their output ends are eccentric to the main structure (e.g. with respect to shaft 880).
Regarding claim 10, Cronin teaches a needle (col. 12, ln. 25) which is provided to the mixer, including the output end.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 7 and 11-14 are allowable in view of the prior art of record.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the limitations of a multi-component mixing device including a handle providing mixing and fluid drive via a pressing plate and pulleys as in claims 5 and 11 or having the second rotating shaft and pre-tightening springs of claim 7 are not shown in or fairly suggested by the prior art of record.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US Pre-Grant Publication 2002/0161335 teaches another mixing injector, as does US Pre-Grant Publication 2017/0156820.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PHILIP E STIMPERT whose telephone number is (571)270-1890. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8a-4p.
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/PHILIP E STIMPERT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3783 22 July 2026
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