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 Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/11/25 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The Applicant argues Sakamoto in view of Ben Shoshan fails to teach together with the proximal end portion of the first conductor and the proximal end portion of the second conductor, a proximal end portion of a third conductor that is connected to a third electrode provided in the catheter and configured to measure a potential in a body and is extends toward the proximal end, and wherein the second end face surrounds a third end face where the proximal end portion of the third conductor is provided as seen along the normal direction; wherein the second end face is protruded or recessed from both of the first end face and the third end face. The Examiner respectfully disagrees. Sakamoto in view of Ben Shoshan teach each and every limitation. See the Annotated Figure 3A below, from the Ben Shoshan reference.
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Sakamoto discloses a single connector for multiple conductors (e.g. ¶37), 3 separate electrode areas on the catheter (e.g. ¶28) and further the use of the conductor lengths along with locations to make the creepage distance longer than the spatial distance between conductors (e.g. ¶43), but fails to explicitly state the exact orientation of the conductors. However, Ben Shoshan discloses a connector with rings of conductors at various elevations for each channel of electrodes so that a 2nd end face is protruded or recessed from the 1st and 3rd end faces as taught in Figures 1-4 and paragraphs 14-15 to allow for high power transfer of energy by maintaining the electrical contacts and corresponding channels at safe distances or pitches apart from each other, potential short circuiting from physical contact and/or creepage is avoided. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the connector as taught by Sakamoto, with connector with rings of conductors at various elevations as taught by Ben Shoshan, since such a modification would provide the predictable results of allowing for high power transfer of energy by maintaining the electrical contacts and corresponding channels at safe distances or pitches apart from each other, potential short circuiting from physical contact and/or creepage is avoided.
Therefore the rejections stand.
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 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.
Claim(s) 1, 5-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sakamoto et al. (U.S. Pub. 2021/0113845 hereinafter “Sakamoto”) in view of Ben Shoshan et al. (U.S. Pub. 2023/0369815 hereinafter “Ben Shoshan”).
Regarding claim 1, Sakamoto discloses a catheter (e.g. 1) comprising: a first electrode (e.g. Electrode A); a second electrode (e.g. Electrode B); a first conductor (e.g. A) connected to the first electrode and extending toward a proximal end of the catheter (e.g. ¶37); a second conductor (e.g. B) connected to the second electrode and extending toward the proximal end (e.g. ¶37), and a connector (e.g. 21) connected to a voltage applying device (e.g. 8), the voltage applying device configured to apply different voltages to a proximal end portion of the first conductor and a proximal end portion of the second conductor (e.g. ¶37), the connector configured to integrally accommodate the proximal end portion of the first conductor and the proximal end portion of the second conductor and provided with a creepage distance between the proximal end portion of the first conductor and the proximal end portion of the second conductor (e.g. ¶37), the creepage distance longer than a spatial distance between the proximal end portion of the first conductor and the proximal end portion of the second conductor (e.g. ¶43), wherein the creepage distance is provided on an intersection plane intersecting a first end surface where the proximal end portion of the first conductor is provided (e.g. ¶43). Sakamoto discloses a single connector for multiple conductors (e.g. ¶37), 3 separate electrode areas on the catheter (e.g. ¶28) and further the use of the conductor lengths along with locations to make the creepage distance longer than the spatial distance between conductors (e.g. ¶43), but fails to explicitly state the exact orientation of the conductors. However, Ben Shoshan discloses a connector with rings of conductors at various elevations for each channel of electrodes so that a second end face is protruded or recessed from the first and third end faces as taught in Figures 1-4 and paragraphs 14-15 to allow for high power transfer of energy by maintaining the electrical contacts and corresponding channels at safe distances or pitches apart from each other, potential short circuiting from physical contact and/or creepage is avoided. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the connector as taught by Sakamoto, with connector with rings of conductors at various elevations as taught by Ben Shoshan, since such a modification would provide the predictable results of allowing for high power transfer of energy by maintaining the electrical contacts and corresponding channels at safe distances or pitches apart from each other, potential short circuiting from physical contact and/or creepage is avoided.
Regarding claim 5, meeting the limitations of claim 1 above, Sakamoto further discloses wherein in the connector, between a first end face where the proximal end portion of the first conductor is provided and a second end face where the proximal end portion of the second conductor is provided, the creepage distance is provided in a direction intersecting a normal direction of at least one of the first end face or the second end face (e.g. see Figs 3; ¶43).
Regarding claim 6, meeting the limitations of claim 1 above, Sakamoto further discloses wherein the first conductor (e.g. A) includes a first conducting wire connected to the first electrode and extending to the proximal end portion of the first conductor (e.g. ¶37), and a first terminal connected to the first conducting wire at the proximal end portion of the first conductor (e.g. ¶37), wherein the second conductor (e.g. B) includes a second conducting wire connected to the second electrode and extending to the proximal end portion of the second conductor (e.g. ¶37), and a second terminal connected to the second conducting wire at the proximal end portion of the second conductor (e.g. ¶37), wherein the connector integrally accommodates the first terminal and the second terminal, and wherein the creepage distance is provided between the first terminal and the second terminal (e.g. ¶37; “wherein the first and second terminals can be combined into a single connector”).
Regarding claim 7, meeting the limitations of claim 1 above, Sakamoto further discloses wherein the creepage distance is provided between the proximal end portion of the first terminal and the proximal end portion of the second terminal (e.g. ¶37).
Regarding claim 8, meeting the limitations of claim 1 above, Sakamoto further discloses wherein the creepage distance is provided between a distal end portion of the first terminal and a distal end portion of the second terminal (e.g. ¶37).
Regarding claims 9-12, meeting the limitations of claim 1 above, Sakamoto further discloses further comprising an insulator (e.g. 15) configured to cover a proximal end portion of the first conducting wire and a proximal end portion of the second conducting wire to insulate the proximal end portion of the first conducting wire and the proximal end portion of the second conducting wire from each other (e.g. Fig. 2; “15”).
Regarding claim 10, meeting the limitations of claim 1 above, Sakamoto further discloses wherein the insulator includes a second insulator (e.g. 12) configured to cover the distal end portion of the second terminal connected to the proximal end portion of the second conducting wire (e.g. ¶37; “wherein the two terminal are in a single connector”), and a first insulator (e.g. 12) configured to cover, together with the second insulator, the distal end portion of the first terminal connected to the proximal end portion of the first conducting wire (e.g. ¶37; “wherein the two terminal are in a single connector”).
Regarding claim 13, meeting the limitations of claim 1 above, Sakamoto further discloses wherein the catheter is a defibrillation catheter configured to apply, to an arrhythmia site, electrical stimulation based on a voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode (e.g. Abstract, ¶1).
Regarding claim 14, Sakamoto discloses a cable comprising: a proximal end (e.g. see Fig. 1) connected to a voltage applying device (e.g. 8), the voltage applying device configured to apply different voltages (e.g. ¶28) between a first electrode (e.g. electrode A) and a second electrode (e.g. electrode B), the first electrode and the second electrode each provided in a catheter (e.g. see Fig. 1); and a distal end connected to a connector (e.g. 21), the connector configured to integrally accommodate a proximal end portion of a first conductor (e.g. 11a) and a proximal end portion of a second conductor(e.g. 11b) (e.g. see Figs. 2-3; ¶37; “wherein the two terminal are in a single connector”), the first conductor (e.g. a) connected to the first electrode and extending toward a proximal end of the catheter (e.g. ¶37), the second conductor (e.g. b) connected to the second electrode and extending toward the proximal end (e.g. see Fig. 1), wherein the connector is provided with a creepage distance between the proximal end portion of the first conductor and the proximal end portion of the second conductor (e.g. ¶43), the creepage distance longer than a spatial distance between the proximal end portion of the first conductor and the proximal end portion of the second conductor (e.g. ¶43), wherein the creepage distance is provided on an intersection plane intersecting a first end surface where the proximal end portion of the first conductor is provided (e.g. ¶43). Sakamoto discloses a single connector for multiple conductors (e.g. ¶37), 3 separate electrode areas on the catheter (e.g. ¶28) and further the use of the conductor lengths along with locations to make the creepage distance longer than the spatial distance between conductors (e.g. ¶43), but fails to explicitly state the exact orientation of the conductors. However, Ben Shoshan discloses a connector with rings of conductors at various elevations for each channel of electrodes so that a second end face is protruded or recessed from the first and third end faces as taught in Figures 1-4 and paragraphs 14-15 to allow for high power transfer of energy by maintaining the electrical contacts and corresponding channels at safe distances or pitches apart from each other, potential short circuiting from physical contact and/or creepage is avoided. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the connector as taught by Sakamoto, with connector with rings of conductors at various elevations as taught by Ben Shoshan, since such a modification would provide the predictable results of allowing for high power transfer of energy by maintaining the electrical contacts and corresponding channels at safe distances or pitches apart from each other, potential short circuiting from physical contact and/or creepage is avoided.
Regarding claim 15, Sakamoto discloses a method for manufacturing a catheter (e.g. 1) including a first electrode (e.g. electrode A), a second electrode (e.g. electrode B), a first conducting wire (e.g. A) connected to the first electrode (e.g. electrode A) and extending toward a proximal end of the catheter (e.g. see Fig. 1), a first terminal (e.g. 11A) connected to a proximal end portion of the first conducting wire (e.g. A), a second conducting wire (e.g. B) connected to the second electrode (e.g. electrode B) and extending toward the proximal end (e.g. see Fig. 1), a second terminal (e.g. 11B) connected to a proximal end portion of the second conducting wire (e.g. B), and a connector configured to integrally accommodate the first terminal and the second terminal (e.g. 21; ¶37; “wherein the two terminal are in a single connector”), the catheter provided with a creepage distance between a distal end portion of the first terminal and a distal end portion of the second terminal (e.g. ¶43), the creepage distance longer than a spatial distance between the distal end portion of the first terminal and the distal end portion of the second terminal (e.g. ¶43), the method comprising: covering, with a second insulator (e.g. 12; for 11B), the distal end portion of the second terminal connected to the proximal end portion of the second conducting wire (e.g. ¶37); and covering, with a first insulator (e.g. 12; for 11A), the distal end portion of the first terminal connected to the proximal end portion of the first conducting wire (e.g. see Fig. 2), together with the second insulator (e.g. ¶37), wherein the creepage distance is provided on an intersection plane intersecting a first end surface where the proximal end portion of the first conductor is provided (e.g. ¶43). Sakamoto discloses a single connector for multiple conductors (e.g. ¶37), 3 separate electrode areas on the catheter (e.g. ¶28) and further the use of the conductor lengths along with locations to make the creepage distance longer than the spatial distance between conductors (e.g. ¶43), but fails to explicitly state the exact orientation of the conductors. However, Ben Shoshan discloses a connector with rings of conductors at various elevations for each channel of electrodes so that a second end face is protruded or recessed from the first and third end faces as taught in Figures 1-4 and paragraphs 14-15 to allow for high power transfer of energy by maintaining the electrical contacts and corresponding channels at safe distances or pitches apart from each other, potential short circuiting from physical contact and/or creepage is avoided. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the connector as taught by Sakamoto, with connector with rings of conductors at various elevations as taught by Ben Shoshan, since such a modification would provide the predictable results of allowing for high power transfer of energy by maintaining the electrical contacts and corresponding channels at safe distances or pitches apart from each other, potential short circuiting from physical contact and/or creepage is avoided.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 REX R HOLMES whose telephone number is (571)272-8827. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 7:00AM-5:30PM.
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/REX R HOLMES/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3796