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. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 11/13/23;10/21/24;4/16/25 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97(b). Accordingly, the IDSs are being considered by the Examiner. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d): (d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.— Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers. The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph: Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers. Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends. Claim 12 is a duplicate of claim 6, thus, not further limiting claim 2 . Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements. Claim 13 is further rejected based on dependency on claim 12. 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 appl icant regards as his invention. Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph, as being incomplete for omitting essential structural cooperative relationships of elements, such omission amounting to a gap between the necessary structural connections. See MPEP § 2172.01. The omitted structural cooperative relationships are: the limitation relies on a joining force between the shaft and the second portion and the shaft and the first portion. It is unclear from the rest of the claim how the shaft is joined to either of these elements of the reinforcing body. Claims 2-15 are further rejected based on dependency on claim 1. 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- 3 , 6-11, 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Segi et al. (US 2016/0317789) (“ Segi ”). ( Claim 1 ) : Segi discloses: A catheter comprising: a shaft 30 that includes a first lumen 36 inside the shaft; and a reinforcing body 90 that is inserted in the shaft and extended along the first lumen, wherein: the reinforcing body comprises a first portion 90 , and a second portion 91 that is positioned distal to the first portion and at a distal end portion of the shaft, and a joining force between the shaft and the second portion is larger than a joining force between the shaft and the first portion (no structure for this limitation) . Claim 2: a cylindrical member 91 (Fig. 4A) that is provided on an outer peripheral surface of the first lumen at the distal end portion of the shaft, wherein the second portion is fixed to the cylindrical member. Claim 3: the second portion includes an engagement portion 91 , and as viewed along a longitudinal direction of the reinforcing body, a cross-sectional area of the engagement portion is larger than a cross-sectional area of the first portion 90 . Claim 6: the second portion includes an engagement portion 91 , and as viewed along a longitudinal direction of the reinforcing body, a cross-sectional area of the engagement portion is larger than a cross-sectional area of the first portion 90 . Claim 7: the second portion 91 is disposed on an inner side of the cylindrical member in a radial direction of the shaft. Claim 8: the second portion is fixed to the inner side of the cylindrical member. (Fig. 4a) Claim 9: the second portion is sandwiched between the cylindrical member and the first lumen in the radial direction. (Figs. 2,4a) Claim 10: the second portion is disposed on an outer side of the cylindrical member in a radial direction of the shaft. (Fig. 4a) Claim 11: the second portion is fixed to the outer side of the cylindrical member. (Fig. 4a) Claim 14: the shaft and the second portion are directly joined to each other. (Fig. 4a) Claim 15: the shaft and the second portion are indirectly joined to each other. (Fig. 4a) Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 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 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. The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows: 1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art. 2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue. 3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art. 4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness. Claims 4-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Segi in view of Casey et al. (US 7,018,372) (“Casey”). Segi discloses the invention as substantially claimed, including the shaft 30 further includ ing a second lumen 250 inside the shaft, and at least on a distal end portion side of the shaft but does not directly disclose a cross-sectional shape of the first portion as viewed along a longitudinal direction of the reinforcing body is a flat shape, and the flat shape is elongated in a direction parallel to a direction that extends from a midpoint of the first lumen to a midpoint of the second lumen ; the flat shape is a rectangular shape. Casey, in the analogous art, teaches a catheter with a reinforcement member, the reinforcement member is a flat (rectangular) shape (Figs. 1-5). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the, what appears as rounded, reinforcing body of Segi , with the flat reinforcing body as taught by Casey minimize any resistance to the trackability (bending) of the catheter, (see Casey abstract). Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FILLIN "Examiner name" \* MERGEFORMAT DEANNA K HALL whose telephone number is FILLIN "Phone number" \* MERGEFORMAT (571)272-2819 . The examiner can normally be reached FILLIN "Work Schedule?" \* MERGEFORMAT M-F 8:30am- 4:30pm EST . Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, FILLIN "SPE Name?" \* MERGEFORMAT Kevin Sirmons can be reached at FILLIN "SPE Phone?" \* MERGEFORMAT 571-272-4965 . The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /DEANNA K HALL/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3783