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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I and Species A in the reply filed on 2/27/2026 is acknowledged. Accordingly, claims 15-20 have been withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
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 5 is 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 5 recites that “the inner portion has a first area defined by the first surface [which has a plurality of first surface openings, as set forth in claim 2], and the inner portion has a second area defined by the second surface [which has a second surface opening, as set forth in claim 2], and wherein the first area is greater than the second area”. Although this limitation is recited in Para 51 of the Specification, it is unclear how the “second surface” can belong to the “inner portion” as claimed based on the Drawings and the rest of the Specification.
Specifically, the Specification defines the “inner portion” with reference character 122, the “outer portion” with reference character 124, the “second surface” with reference number 144, and the “second surface opening” with reference number 148 (all reference characters seen in Fig 8). As seen in Fig 8, the second surface 144 does not appear to belong to the inner portion 122, but rather to the outer portion 124; this is also supported by Para 46 of the specification that states that sets forth that inner portion 122 is suspended from the outer portion 124 by means of ledges 136,138,140,142. Because of this, it is unclear how “the inner portion [122] has a second area defined by the second surface [144]” as claimed.
It is noted that surface 150 belongs to the inner portion 122 (Fig 8, Para 50), but surface 150 cannot read on the “second surface” because surface 150 does not comprise “a second surface opening” as required by claim 2 and does not have an area that is less than the area of the inner portion 122 defined by the first surface 126 as required by claim 5.
For the sake of examination, claim 5 is interpreted as reciting that “the first surface defines a first area the second surface defines a second area
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.
Claims 1-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Carmody et al. (PG PUB 2015/0352349).
Re claim 1, Carmody discloses a fluid connector assembly 12 (Fig 6; it is noted that all reference characters cited below refer to Fig 6 unless otherwise noted) for a medical fluid (Para 2) comprising: a housing 60+62 comprising an internal chamber (extending between surface 112 of upper housing part 60 and opening 94 of lower housing part 62, as seen in Fig 6) that forms a fluid path for the medical fluid (Para 2); and a valve component 80+106 disposed in the internal chamber (as seen in Fig 6), the valve component comprising: an inner portion 80, an outer portion 106, and a valve chamber (the space between the upper surface of component 80 and the lower surface of component 106, as seen in Fig 6 and labeled in annotated Fig A below) between the outer portion and the inner portion (as seen in Fig 6 and Fig a below), wherein the inner portion is movable between i) a first position (not shown but comparable to the position seen in Fig 4, wherein the lower surface of component 80 contacts the upper surface of ribs 92), wherein the inner portion is separated from the outer portion (as seen in Fig 4), and ii) a second position (seen in Fig 6), wherein the inner portion contacts the outer portion (as seen in Fig 6) to seal the valve chamber and close the fluid path (Para 51).
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Re claim 2, Carmody discloses that the valve component comprises: a first surface (the lower surface of component 80 in Fig 6) comprising a plurality of first surface openings 84 (as seen in Fig 2); and a second surface 110 opposite the first surface, the second surface comprising a second surface opening 108 fluidly connected to the plurality of first surface openings when the inner portion is in the first position (Para 37).
Re claim 3, Carmody discloses that an external force provided by the medical fluid to the first surface causes the inner portion to move relative to the outer portion (wherein the “external force” is a force is applied in the upward direction in Fig 6 that is larger than a force applied in the downward direction in Fig 6).
Re claim 4, Carmody discloses that the inner portion is separated from the outer portion by the valve chamber (as seen in Fig 4 in the first position and seen in Fig 6 in the second position), and responsive to the external force exceeding a threshold force, the inner portion is in the second position (wherein the “threshold force” is a force is applied in the upward direction in Fig 6 that is larger than a force applied in the downward direction in Fig 6).
Re claim 5, Carmody discloses that the first surface defines a first area, and the second surface defines a second area, and wherein the first area is greater than the second area (as seen in Fig 6, the area of the lower surface of component 80 is greater than the area of surface 110).
Re claim 6, Carmody discloses that the valve component comprises a cylindrical valve component (as seen in Fig 6).
Re claim 7, Carmody discloses a ledge (labeled in Fig A above) that connects the inner portion with the outer portion (as seen in Fig 6 and Fig A above).
Re claim 8, Carmody discloses a fluid connector assembly 12 (Fig 6; it is noted that all reference characters cited below refer to Fig 6 unless otherwise noted) for a medical fluid (Para 2), comprising: a housing 60+62 comprising a housing chamber (extending between surface 112 of upper housing part 60 and opening 94 of lower housing part 62, as seen in Fig 6); and a valve component 80+106 disposed in the housing chamber (as seen in Fig 6), the valve component comprising: a first portion 80, a second portion 106, and a valve chamber (the space between the upper surface of component 80 and the lower surface of component 106, as seen in Fig 6 and labeled in annotated Fig A above) disposed between the first portion and the second portion (as seen in Fig 6 and Fig A above), wherein responsive to receiving the medical fluid (in an upward direction in Fig 6), the first portion moves relative to the second portion (from the open position seen in Fig 4 where the lower surface of component 80 contacts the upper surface of ribs 92 to the closed position seen in Fig 6) and closes the valve chamber (Para 51).
Re claim 9, Carmody discloses that the second portion surrounds the first portion (as seen in Fig 6).
Re claim 10, Carmody discloses that, prior to an external force provided by the medical fluid, the first portion is separated from the second portion by a threshold force (as seen in Fig 4), and when the external force is at least at the threshold force, the first portion contacts the second portion (wherein the “threshold force” is a force applied in the downward direction in Fig 6 and “external force” is a force is applied in the upward direction in Fig 6 that is larger than a force applied in the downward direction in Fig 6).
Re claim 11, Carmody discloses that the valve component comprises: a first surface (the lower surface of component 80 in Fig 6) comprising a plurality of first surface openings 84 (as seen in Fig 2); and a second surface 110 opposite the first surface (as seen in Fig 6), the second surface comprising a second surface opening 108 fluidly connected to the plurality of first surface openings by the valve chamber prior to the external force being at least at the threshold force (Para 37).
Re claim 12, Carmody discloses that the first portion moves relative to the second portion based on the first surface receiving the medical fluid (wherein the medical fluid is applied in the upward direction in Fig 6)..
Re claim 13, Carmody discloses a plurality of ledges (86 and the “ledge” labeled in Fig A above), wherein the first portion is suspended from the second portion by the plurality of ledges (as seen in Fig 6).
Re claim 14, Carmody discloses that the second portion remains stationary when the first portion moves (Para 56).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. PG PUB 2010/0274229 to Duocastella Codina et al., PG PUB 2012/0024987 to Nagele Nacken, PG PUB 2013/0081726 to Oh, PG PUB 2014/0194851 to Burke et al. each disclose fluid connector assemblies comprising valves composed of two parts hat move relative to each other to control flow through the connector.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KAMI A BOSWORTH whose telephone number is (571)270-5414. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 8 am - 4 pm.
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/KAMI A BOSWORTH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3783
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