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 .
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1 – 26 have been considered and have found to be persuasive. Accordingly, the Final Rejection dated May 29, 2026 is hereby withdrawn.
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 1 – 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hanssen et al. (U.S. Patent Publication No. 2001/0008187) in view of Buck et al. (U.S. Patent No. 5,750,930).
Regarding claim 1, in Figure 1, Hanssen discloses a method of manufacturing a coaxial cable comprising: providing a center conductor (1) with an exterior surface; coating the center conductor directly to the exterior surface with a dielectric coating (2) to form an insulator (a layer 2 of an electrically insulating material is provided around the central conductor 1, paragraph [0023]) on the exterior surface surrounding and concentrically aligned with the center conductor; covering the insulator with a metallization layer (3) to form a cable shield surrounding the insulator; and covering the cable shield with an outer jacket (4). Hanssen does not specifically disclose wherein the coaxial cable has a wire gauge of 54 AWG or smaller. However, Buck teaches a coaxial cable having a wire gauge of 32 to 42 AWG (col. 2, lines 15 – 19).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the coaxial cable of Hanssen to have a wire gauge of 54 AWG or smaller as taught by Buck in order to form the coaxial cable to have a fine wire gauge.
Regarding claim 2, Hanssen discloses wherein the coating includes the steps of dip coating and curing the dielectric coating in multiple layers (Figure 1).
Regarding claim 3, Hanssen discloses wherein the coating includes the step of foaming the dielectric coating such that the insulator has a microcellular structure with air pockets (Figure 1).
Regarding claim 4, Hanssen discloses wherein the coating includes the steps of gelling the dielectric coating and drying the dielectric coating such that the insulator is an aerogel structure (Figure 1).
Regarding claim 5, Hanssen discloses etching an outer surface of the insulator, the metallization layer being plated to the etched outer surface (Figure 1).
Regarding claim 6, Hanssen discloses wherein the covering the insulator with the metallization layer includes electroless plating the metallization layer onto the insulator (Figure 1).
Regarding claim 7, Hanssen discloses wherein the covering the insulator with the metallization layer includes electrolytic plating the metallization layer onto the insulator (Figure 1).
Regarding claim 8, Hanssen discloses wherein the covering the insulator with the metallization layer includes vapor depositing of the metallization layer onto the insulator (Figure 1).
Regarding claim 9, Hanssen discloses wherein the covering the cable shield with the outer jacket includes the steps of dip coating and curing a dielectric coating onto the metallization layer to form the cover (Figure 1).
Regarding claim 10, Hanssen discloses wherein the dielectric coating is applied to the center conductor by a process other than extrusion (Figure 1).
Regarding claim 11, in Figure 1, Hanssen discloses a coaxial cable comprising: a center conductor (1) having an exterior surface; a dielectric coating (2) applied directly to the exterior surface of the center conductor, the dielectric coating forming an insulator (a layer 2 of an electrically insulating material is provided around the central conductor 1, paragraph [0023]) on the exterior surface surrounding and concentrically aligned with the center conductor; a metallization layer (3) applied to the insulator, the metallization layer forming a cable shield surrounding the insulator; and an outer jacket (4) covering the cable shield. Hanssen does not specifically disclose wherein the coaxial cable has a wire gauge of 54 AWG or smaller. However, Buck teaches a coaxial cable having a wire gauge of 32 to 42 AWG (col. 2, lines 15 – 19).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the coaxial cable of Hanssen to have a wire gauge of 54 AWG or smaller as taught by Buck in order to form the coaxial cable to have a fine wire gauge.
Regarding claim 12, Hanssen discloses wherein the dielectric coating is one of a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) material or a polyethylene material (Figure 1).
Regarding claim 13, Hanssen discloses wherein the dielectric coating is one of a polyimide foam material or a polyethylene foam material (Figure 1).
Regarding claim 14, Hanssen discloses wherein the dielectric coating is a polymer-based aerogel (Figure 1).
Regarding claim 15, Hanssen discloses wherein the dielectric coating includes a microcellular structure having air pockets (Figure 1).
Regarding claim 16, Hanssen discloses wherein the outer jacket is dip coated and cured in one or more layers (Figure 1).
Regarding claim 17, Hanssen discloses wherein the dielectric coating is dip coated and cured in one or more layers (Figure 1).
Regarding claim 18, Hanssen discloses wherein the dielectric coating has an etched outer surface, the metallization layer applied to the etched outer surface (Figure 1).
Regarding claim 19, Hanssen discloses wherein the metallization layer is one of an electroless plating layer or an electrolytic plating layer (Figure 1).
Regarding claim 20, Hanssen discloses wherein the metallization layer is applied by vapor deposition (Figure 1).
Regarding claim 21, Hanssen discloses wherein the dielectric coating has an outer diameter less than 0.002 inch (2.0 mil) (0.051 mm), the metallization layer has an outer diameter less than 0.0024 inch (2.4 mil) (0.0635 mm), and the outer jacket has an outer diameter less than 0.003 inch (3.0 mil) (0.076 mm) (Figure 1).
Regarding claim 22, Hanssen discloses wherein the metallization layer has a thickness less than 20% of a total outer diameter of the coaxial cable and the outer jacket has a thickness less than 20% of the total coaxial cable (Figure 1).
Regarding claim 23, in Figure 1, Hanssen discloses a medical device comprising: an instrument performing an operation; and an ultrafine coaxial cable (Figure 1) electrically connected to the instrument to transmit data between the instrument and an electrical device, the ultrafine coaxial cable including a center conductor (1), a dielectric coating (2) applied directly to an exterior surface of the center conductor forming an insulator (a layer 2 of an electrically insulating material is provided around the central conductor 1, paragraph [0023]) on the exterior surface surrounding and concentrically aligned with the center conductor, a metallization layer (3) applied to the insulator forming a cable shield surrounding the insulator, and an outer jacket (4) covering the cable shield, wherein the coaxial cable has a wire gauge of 54 AWG or smaller (col. 2, lines 15 – 19). Hanssen does not specifically disclose a medical device comprising: an instrument performing an operation, an ultrafine coaxial cable electrically connected to the instrument to transmit data between the instrument and an electrical device, and wherein the coaxial cable has a wire gauge of 54 AWG or smaller. However, Buck teaches a medical device (col. 2, lines 14 – 20) comprising: an instrument performing an operation (col. 2, lines 14 – 20 and col. 1, lines 15 - 23), an ultrafine coaxial cable (Figure 1) electrically connected to the instrument to transmit data between the instrument and an electrical device (col. 1, lines 15 - 23), and wherein the coaxial cable has a wire gauge of 32 to 42 AWG (col. 2, lines 15 – 19).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the coaxial cable of Hanssen to have a wire gauge of 54 AWG or smaller as taught by Buck in order to form the coaxial cable to have a fine wire gauge, in which the ultrafine coaxial cable would be suitable for use in medical device applications.
Regarding claim 24, Hanssen discloses wherein the instrument is an ultrasound transducer, the ultrafine coaxial cable electrically coupled to the ultrasound transducer (Figure 1).
Regarding claim 25, Hanssen discloses wherein the instrument is a camera, the ultrafine coaxial cable electrically coupled to the camera (Figure 1).
Regarding claim 26, Hanssen discloses a catheter having a lumen, the ultrafine coaxial cable routed through the lumen of the catheter (Figure 1).
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TREMESHA W BURNS whose telephone number is (571)270-3391. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am - 4:30 pm EST.
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TREMESHA W. BURNS
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2847
/TREMESHA W BURNS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847
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