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 .
Priority
This application discloses and claims only subject matter disclosed in prior Application No. 15/356,550, filed 11/19/2016, and names the inventor or at least one joint inventor named in the prior application. Accordingly, this application may constitute a continuation or divisional. Should applicant desire to claim the benefit of the filing date of the prior application, attention is directed to 35 U.S.C. 120, 37 CFR 1.78, and MPEP § 211 et seq. The presentation of a benefit claim may result in an additional fee under 37 CFR 1.17(w)(1) or (2) being required, if the earliest filing date for which benefit is claimed under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c) and 1.78(d) in the application is more than six years before the actual filing date of the application.
Claim Objections
Claims 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1, line 9 reads “extruding an permanently”; it appears this should read “extruding and permanently”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim(s) 1-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites “the first end partially adapted to the hand grip”; it is unclear what is meant by “adapted to the hand grip”. A review of the Specification appears to indicate that the stop snap 109 fits on a drill handpiece having two ends, a hand grip end 101 and drill assembly attachment end 103 ([0037]). Therefore, for the purpose of Examination this limitation is interpreted as the a single-piece snap-on drill stop adapted/configured to engage with a hand grip drill handle, as shown in Figure 1.
In claim 1, line 4, there is a lack of antecedent basis for “the hand grip”; it is unclear if this is meant to refer back to the hand grip drill handle previously recited in the claim.
Claim 1 refers to “the drill stop device”. However, the preamble recites “dental surgical drill stop device”, but the body of the claim only refers to a “drill stop”. It is unclear if these are the same element or not.
Claim 1, line 10, recites “the distal second end”; there is a lack of antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 1 recites “drill bit parallel neck”; it is unclear what the term “parallel” is referring to since it is not claimed as being parallel to anything.
Claim 1 recites “the drill bit distal end” and “the drill bit”; it is unclear to which drill bits are these parts referring to, since multiple drill bits have been previously claimed.
Claim 1, line 16, recites “the drill depth”; there is a lack of antecedent basis for this limitation.
The term “quickly” in claim 1, line 16, is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “quickly” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention.
Claim 2 recites “adding color coded snap-on drill stop”; it is unclear if this is requiring the previously claimed snap-on drill stop to be color coded or if this is requiring an additional snap-on drill stop to be added that is color coded.
Claim 3 recites “the step of letter marking displaying snap-on drill stop dimensions”; it is unclear if this is requiring the previously claimed snap-on drill stop to be marked or if this is requiring an additional snap-on drill stop to be added that is marked.
Claim 4 recites “the step of adding color coded snap-on drill stops for drill bit coordination”; it is unclear if this is requiring the previously claimed snap-on drill stop to be color coded or if this is requiring an additional snap-on drill stop to be color coded.
Claim 5 recites “wherein an arcuate radius stop collar and stop distal end accommodate an interchangeable diameter drill bit”; it is unclear if these limitations are further limiting a previously claimed drill stop or adding something new.
Claim 6 recites “wherein a drill stop snap-on conforming surface is affixed to the drill handle”; it is unclear if these limitations are further limiting a previously claimed drill stop or adding something new.
Claim 7 recites “the stop distal end”; it is unclear if this is referring to the distal end of the open drill stop cuff-like collar element or a distal end of the drill stop device.
Claim 8 recites “the drill stop distal end”; there is a lack of antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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) 1-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ebrahimi (US 20180140378 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Ebrahimi discloses a method for a single-piece snap-on interchangeable dental surgical drill stop device comprising the steps of: providing a single-piece snap-on drill stop having two ends (claim 10), a first end adapted to taper fit to a hand grip drill handle (since the snap-on conforming surface element 207 may extend along the dental implant handpiece taper 201 portion and or handle 205 to accommodate any handle size dental tool; see Figure 2 and [0036]).
The first end partially adapted to the hand grip for rigidly snap-coupling the drill stop device with the hand grip drill handle (since the first end conforming with to a hand piece drill handle with snap-on drill stop end surface contact from the snap-on drill stop to the drill side of the hand piece and partially extending around the hand piece for rigidly snap-coupling the drill stop with the hand piece; see claim 10).
Forming the snap-on drill stop first end having a midsection elbow bending into and permanently continuous to an open drill stop cuff-like collar element with center disposed co-axial to a drill bit and conformably fitting to a drill assembly drill bit (claim 10), the collar element extruding and permanently coupled to and protruding into the open drill stop cuff-like collar element at the distal second end ([0035]).
And forming the snap-on drill stop second end having a drill bit parallel neck permanently continuous with the elbow midsection and collar element to a length short of the drill bit distal end with the open drill stop cuff-like collar element providing an impediment to any drill bit progress into a drill bit normal surface whereby the snap-on drill stop device can be inserted and/or removed manually without removing the drill bit and where the drill depth is quickly ascertainable by inspection of the protruding distance below the open drill stop cuff-like collar element (claim 10).
Regarding claim 2, Ebrahimi discloses further comprising the step of adding color coded snap-on drill stop (claim 11).
Regarding claim 3, Ebrahimi discloses further comprising the step of letter marking displaying snap-on drill stop dimensions (claim 12).
Regarding claim 4, Ebrahimi discloses further comprising the step of adding color coded snap-on drill stops for drill bit coordination.
Regarding claim 5, Ebrahimi discloses wherein an arcuate radius stop collar and stop distal end accommodate an interchangeable diameter drill bit (claim 15).
Regarding claim 6, Ebrahimi discloses wherein a drill stop snap-on conforming surface is affixed to the drill handle (claim 10).
Regarding claim 7, Ebrahimi discloses further comprising the step of forming a distal end of the open drill stop cuff-like collar element coupled to a stop neck having a stop and guide lip at the stop distal end for viewing a protruding drill bit to a metered depth bore ([0045]).
Regarding claim 8, Ebrahimi discloses further comprising the steps of coupling snap clip-on components on attaching- detaching irrigation ducts and providing light optical fiber or camera optical fiber from a drill stop snap end to the drill stop distal end ([0046]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LUIS MIGUEL RUIZ MARTIN whose telephone number is (571)270-0839. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8 Am - 5 PM (EST).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Eric Rosen can be reached on (571) 270-7855. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LUIS RUIZ MARTIN/
Examiner, Art Unit 3772
/ERIC J ROSEN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3772