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 with traverse of Species C in the reply filed on 3/13/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that the different species identified in the restriction requirement do not require different fields of search and would not require different search queries. This is not found persuasive because the species are not argued in the traversal to be obvious variants and having the differing structures as seen between the figures listed requires different search queries to find each different driving element securing member since their differences are not obvious variants. In addition, the alternate ‘and/or the prior art applicable to one species would not likely be applicable to another species’ is valid since it is unlikely that one prior art reading on one of the species will also include each of the 3 other different driving element securing members of Species A-D since they are not obvious variants.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
After closer review, examiner has determined that all of the claims are generic to the species identified. The election requirement is still deemed proper and FINAL in the event that future dependent claims or claim amendments are made to distinguish the driving element securing member between species.
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.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chaplin et al. (US Pub. No. 2017/0165009 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Chaplin et al. disclose a robotic surgical instrument (abstract; Figs. 1-4) comprising: an articulation for articulating an end effector (paragraphs [0002]-[0006]), the articulation driveable by at least one driving element; and an instrument interface (Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]) comprising an instrument interface element for driving the at least one driving element, the instrument interface element movable over a range, the at least one driving element coupled to the instrument interface element such that movement of the instrument interface element is transferred to the at least one driving element (Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]); wherein the instrument interface element comprises: a driving element securing member comprising at least one tapered side wall and configured to be coupled to the at least one driving element (Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]); a fixing member (Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]); and a holding member that includes an opening configured to receive the fixing member and at least one wall defining a recess having a shape that is complementary to the shape of the at least one tapered side wall of the driving element securing member (Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]); wherein the fixing member is configured to be received in the opening and apply force to secure the driving element securing member within the recess of the holding member so that the at least one wall of the holding member is in frictional contact with the tapered side wall of the driving element securing member (Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]).
Regarding claim 2, Chaplin et al. further disclose wherein the driving element securing member further comprises an opening configured to receive the fixing member (Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]); and wherein the fixing member is configured to be received in the opening of the driving element securing member and the opening of the holding member (Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]).
Regarding claim 3, Chaplin et al. further disclose wherein the recess includes at least two tapered side walls (to receive screw; Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]); and the at least two tapered side walls oppose each other (to receive screw; Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]).
Regarding claim 4, Chaplin et al. further disclose wherein the driving element securing member is a cable end block (Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]), and wherein a first one of the at least two driving elements is configured to terminate in the cable end block and a second one of the at least two of driving elements is configured to terminate in the cable end block (Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]).
Regarding claim 5, Chaplin et al. further disclose wherein the robotic surgical instrument comprises a tensioning mechanism (Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]) for tensioning the at least one driving element; and wherein the tensioning mechanism comprises a screw adjustment mechanism which couples a pair of drive element securing members together for linearly displacing the pair of drive element securing members with respect to each other (Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]).
Regarding claim 6, Chaplin et al. further disclose wherein the robotic surgical instrument further comprises an alignment mechanism (Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]) for setting the displacement position of the instrument interface element to a predetermined alignment position when the end effector has a predetermined configuration; and wherein the screw adjustment mechanism comprises a screw captive in the first drive element securing member and constrained by the first drive element securing member so as to prevent the screw from displacing linearly with respect to the first drive element securing member, the screw being threaded through the second drive element securing member (Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]), thereby causing the drive element securing members to displace linearly towards each other on the screw being tightened and to displace linearly away from each other on the screw being loosened (Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]).
Regarding claim 7, Chaplin et al. further disclose wherein the instrument interface element is linearly displaceable along a displacement axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of a shaft of the instrument (Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]).
Regarding claim 8, Chaplin et al. further disclose wherein the displacement axis is offset from the longitudinal axis of the shaft (Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117
Regarding claim 9, Chaplin et al. further disclose wherein the holding member (Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]) is displaceable linearly between a minimum displacement position and a maximum displacement position, wherein a pair of driving elements are coupled to with the driving element securing member, the driving element securing member being linearly displaceable within the holding member, and wherein the driving element securing member is linearly displaceable along a driving element securing member axis which is parallel to the axis along which the holding member is linearly displaceable (Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]).
Regarding claim 10, Chaplin et al. further disclose wherein an alignment mechanism comprises a screw adjustment mechanism (Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]) coupled to the holding member and driving element securing member for adjusting the displacement position of the holding member without displacing the driving element securing member (Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]).
Regarding claim 11, Chaplin et al. further disclose wherein the screw adjustment mechanism comprises a screw (Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]) threaded into the driving element securing member through a slot in the holding member, the slot being aligned with the driving element securing member axis, the screw being constrained to slide along the slot, thereby permitting the holding member to be displaced relative to the driving element securing member when the screw is loose, and causing the holding member to be held fast with the driving element securing member when the screw is tight (Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]).
Regarding claim 12, Chaplin et al. further disclose wherein the holding member is a first capstan block that is configured to be rotatable (Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]); the driving element securing member is a second capstan block that is configured to be rotatable; and wherein the recess is a through hole in the first capstan block (Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]).
Regarding claim 13, Chaplin et al. further disclose wherein the first capstan block (Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]) comprises: a first half capstan block; and a second half capstan block; wherein the first and second half capstan blocks are configured to surround the driving element securing member (Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]).
Regarding claim 14, Chaplin et al. further disclose wherein the through hole is formed of a first through hole portion formed in the first half capstan block and a second through hole portion formed in the second half capstan block (Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]).
Regarding claim 15, Chaplin et al. further disclose wherein the first capstan block is configured to rotate relative to the second capstan block to tension the at least one driving element (Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]).
Regarding claim 16, Chaplin et al. further disclose wherein the first capstan block and the second capstan block are configured to rotate in unison to change the offset of the end effector (Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]); and wherein there are at least two driving elements, a first driving element configured to wrap around the first capstan block and a second driving element configured to wrap around the second capstan blocks (Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]).
Regarding claim 17, Chaplin et al. further disclose wherein the through hole in the first capstan block includes at least one tapered side wall (Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]).
Regarding claim 18, Chaplin et al. further disclose wherein each of the first half capstan block and the second half capstan block include a tapered side wall (Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]).
Regarding claim 19, Chaplin et al. further disclose wherein the second capstan block includes at least one tapered side wall configured to contact the at least one tapered side wall of the first capstan block (Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]).
Regarding claim 20, Chaplin et al. further disclose wherein the at least one tapered side wall of the driving element securing member (Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]) is tapered from the direction perpendicular to the direction in which the drive element securing member is received in the holding member by a taper angle of between 60 degrees and 90 degrees (Figs. 19A-19C; paragraphs [0106]-[0117]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ASHLEY LAUREN FISHBACK whose telephone number is (571)270-7899. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30a-3:30p.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Darwin Erezo can be reached at (571) 272-4695. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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ASHLEY LAUREN FISHBACK
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3771
/ASHLEY L FISHBACK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3771 May 30, 2026
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