DETAILE 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
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:
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 1-2 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Ramirez-Cardenas (US Publication No. 2023/0099710), hereinafter, Ramirez-Cardenas.
Regarding claim 1, Ramirez-Cardenas discloses a retrograde sheath (sheath system 100 in figs. 1-3), comprising:
a hub (hub 130 in figs. 1-3) comprising a first opening extending from a proximal end to a distal end of the hub (proximal opening in hub 130 through which retrograde wire 104a extends distally to retrograde guidewire 104b in figs. 1-2), and a second opening extending from the proximal end to the distal end of the hub (proximal opening in hub 130 through which antegrade wire 204a extends distally to antegrade guidewire 204b in figs. 2-3); and
a first cannula (retrograde sheath 102 with lumen 110 in figs. 1-3) coupled to a distal end of a hub (retrograde sheath 102 is coupled to distal end of hub 130 in figs. 1-3), the first opening being operably coupled to the first cannula (interior lumen 110 runs from distal end of hub 130 to distal end of sheath 102 which makes them operably connected in figs. 1-3; para [0042-0043]).
Regarding claim 2, Ramirez-Cardenas discloses the retrograde sheath of claim 1, wherein the second opening includes a membrane or hemostasis valve (hub 130 includes first and second hemostasis valve portions; para [0043]).
Regarding claim 4, Ramirez-Cardenas discloses the retrograde sheath of claim 1, wherein the first opening is configured to be directed towards a blood vessel (proximal opening in hub 130 through which retrograde wire 104a extends distally to retrograde guidewire 104b into common femoral artery 54 through tissue 52 of a patient 50 in figs. 1-2), and the second opening is configured to be directed towards the blood vessel (proximal opening in hub 130 through which antegrade wire 204a extends distally to antegrade guidewire 204b into common femoral artery 54 through tissue 52 of a patient 50 in figs. 2-3).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZACHARIAH K WHITROCK whose telephone number is (571) 272-3534. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Tsai can be reached at (571) 270-5246. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ZACHARIAH K WHITROCK/Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3783
/MICHAEL J TSAI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3783
Prosecution Insights