1. In a 5/11/2026 voicemail, the Examiner conveyed a proposal, i.e. the incorporation of claims 3 and 8 to their respective parent claims. As of 5/26/2026, a response was not received. Upon further search and consideration, the proposal is withdrawn.
2. Applicant’s election without traverse of species λ and subspecies i in the reply filed on 4/13/2026 is acknowledged. Claims 2, 5, 7, and 10 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to nonelected species/subspecies, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
3. 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.
Claims 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Moore et al. (US 2008/0243175; “Moore” herein).
Regarding claim 1, Moore discloses an apparatus (e.g. 10) coupleable to an arm of a surgical robot system, the apparatus comprising at least one member (e.g. 22B, 24B) that releasably grasps at least a portion of a medical device (e.g. such as a rod) and manipulates that portion of the medical device under control of the surgical robot system to aid in performing a procedure on a patient with the medical device, the medical device being designed to be used in the procedure without the use of the surgical robot. Note: The claims do not positively require a surgical robot or medical device.
Regarding claim 3, Moore further discloses the at least one member comprises a plurality of semi-circular elements (e.g. 28, 30).
Regarding claim 4, the medical device is for measuring the depth of a hole in or a passageway through a bone of the patient (e.g. the medical device could be a rod with indicia for measuring bone hole depth).
Regarding claim 6, Moore discloses an apparatus (e.g. 10) couplable to an end of an arm of a surgical robot system, the apparatus comprising at least one member (e.g. 22B, 24B) that releasably grasps at least a portion of a medical device and manipulates that portion of the medical device under control of the surgical robot system to perform a procedure on a patient with the medical device, the medical device being designed to be used in the procedure without the use of the surgical robot. Note: The claims do not positively require a surgical robot or medical device.
Regarding claim 8, Moore further discloses the at least one member comprises a plurality of semi-circular elements (e.g. 28, 30).
Regarding claim 9, the medical device is for measuring the depth of a hole in or a passageway through a bone of the patient (e.g. the medical device could be a rod with indicia for measuring bone hole depth).
4. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTIAN A. SEVILLA whose telephone number is (571)270-5621. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday through Thursday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, please contact the examiner’s supervisor, KEVIN T. TRUONG, at 571-272-4705. 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 the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/CHRISTIAN A SEVILLA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3775
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