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)(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.
Claim(s) 1-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Woodard et al. (US 2021/0298653 A1).
With regard to claim 1, Woodard discloses An apparatus (Fig. 1 and 2) for holding at least one extracorporeal device of a cardiac-support system (holding bag 154 or tubing 152, it is also noted that this is a functional limitation and the actual extracorporeal device is not positively claimed and therefore not required to be taught by the prior art as long as the apparatus is capable of holding an extracorporeal device), the apparatus comprising: a receiving unit (at 214 in Fig. 2) configured to receive at least one extracorporeal device (bag and tubing), wherein the at least one extracorporeal device is connected to an implant device (distal end of 140, shown in Fig. 1 is designed to placed inside a patient) of a cardiac support system via a supply line (152 and 140); and a fastening unit (any one of 132, or 134 shown in Fig. 1) configured to fasten the receiving unit to a furniture.
With regard to claim 2, Woodard discloses wherein the at least one extracorporeal device is a control unit of the cardiac support system or an energy storage unit of the cardiac support system (as explained above the extracorporeal device is not positively claimed and therefore not required to be taught by the art as long the recited structure of the apparatus is able to hold an extracorporeal device of a cardiac support system).
With regard to claim 3, Woodard discloses wherein the receiving unit (at 214) comprises a coupling element (any of hook 528, better shown in Fig. 5 or 216 which holds the tubing) configured to couple the at least one extracorporeal device to the receiving unit (as shown in fig. 2).
With regard to claim 4, Woodard discloses wherein the receiving unit is configured to receive at least two extracorporeal devices separately from each other (this is a functional limitation thus the receiving unit must only be capable of receiving at least two devices. Because the device of the bag and tubing can be removed, the receiving unit is considered to be capable of holding different extracorporeal devices).
With regard to claim 5, Woodard discloses wherein the receiving unit is detachably connected to the fastening unit (as shown in Fig. 1, the fastening unit can either be 132 or 134).
With regard to claim 6, Woodard discloses further comprising a cable retention device configured to guide the supply line at least in sections (216).
With regard to claim 7, Woodard discloses further comprising a power supply unit (either 114 or 112) configured to provide electrical energy to the at least one extracorporeal device.
With regard to claim 8, Woodard discloses further comprising a charging cable (114) configured to provide the electrical energy from the power supply unit ([0060], the cable would be plugged into a wall socked as is typical for a power cable, thus this would be considered the power supply) to at least one extracorporeal device.
With regard to claim 9, Woodard discloses wherein the power supply unit is configured to wirelessly transmit the electrical energy to the at least one extracorporeal device (the power supply can be in the form of rechargeable batteries [0060] and therefore provides a wireless form of power).
With regard to claim 10, Woodard discloses wherein the fastening unit (any of 132, 134) is configured to connect to the furniture in a form-fitting, non-positive, or material-fitting manner ([0061]).
With regard to claim 11, Woodard discloses further comprising a cable guide (216) configured to guide a cable (152) extending between an external power supply (112 or 114) and the receiving unit (215).
With regard to claim 12, Woodard discloses A mounting device (Fig. 1 and 2, element 110) for coupling a medical device (154) to a holding device (this is not positively recited and therefore not require to be taught by the prior art) comprising: a connecting device (214); and a receiving hook (either 528 better shown in fig. 5 or 216 considered a hook as it contains or holds the tubing) attached to the connecting device (214) and configured to couple with a medical device as shown in Fig. 2).
With regard to claim 13, Woodard discloses wherein the connecting device comprises a cable winding section configured to receive a wound cable (the limitation is functional and therefore only a section that is capable of receiving a wound cable is required to be taught by the art and the wound cable itself is not required to be taught. Because the term “section” is broad almost any portion would be capable of receiving a wound cable, for example 212 could have a cable wound around it or area 150 could hold a wound cable) and a suspension arm (either 132 or 134) configured to couple the connecting device to a furniture, wherein the suspension arm is positioned adjacent to the cable winding section (they are attached adjacent element 212).
With regard to claim 14, Woodard discloses further comprising a charging device (either 114 or 112) configured to provide an output voltage for the medical device.
With regard to claim 15, Woodard discloses wherein the receiving hook comprises an electrical interface (216 is an RFID reading considered an electrical interface) configured to be in contact with a corresponding electrical interface (156) of the medical device when the medical device is coupled with the receiving hook ([0071], [0072], [0084]).
With regard to claim 16, Woodard discloses further comprising a charging device (112 or 114), wherein the contact with the electrical interface of the receiving hook and the corresponding electrical interface of the medical device is configured to allow the charging device to provide charge for the medical device (when the 156 is located in 216 as shown in Fig. 2, the battery 112 or power cable 114 would be capable of charging the RFID devices 156/216).
With regard to claim 17, Woodard discloses further comprising an adapter member (216 can be considered an adapter member without further specific structure) configured to couple to the connecting device (214) and the medical device (152/156) so that the adapter member is positioned between the connecting device and the medical device (shown in Fig. 2), wherein the adapter member is configured to establish electrical communication between the connecting device and the medical device ([0071], [0072], [0084]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LAUREN P FARRAR whose telephone number is (571)270-1496. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm.
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/Lauren P Farrar/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3783