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
Claims 5-20 withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected method and different recesses and receptacles: straight recess with bulbous receptacle, straight recess with C shaped receptacle, curved recess with C shaped receptacle, and using a leaf spring instead of a recess and receptacle, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 01/29/2026.
Claim Objections
Claim 4 line 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
“wherein each flexible arm” should read “wherein each of the flexible arms.”
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Johnson et al (US20220338891A1) herein referred to as “Johnson” in view of Clauda et al (US20160206366A1) herein referred to as “Clauda”
Regarding claim 1, Johnson discloses: A surgical tool, comprising: ([0091] the medical instrument is referred to as a surgical tool) a drive housing; ([0127] the surgical tool includes a drive housing) an elongate shaft extending distally from the drive housing; ([0091] the surgical tool comprises an elongate shaft which extends distally from the instrument base) a wrist arranged at a distal end of the shaft; ([0092] the wrist is at the distal end of the shaft) and an end effector operatively coupled to the wrist ([0092] the distal end of the shaft is connected to an end effector which is coupled to the wrist) and including: first and second blade pulleys rotatably mounted to the wrist; ([0139] first and second pulleys rotatably mounted to the wrist) first and second blade holders mounted to the first and second blade pulleys, respectively, and cooperatively defining an interior; ([0150] blade pulleys with recesses (defining an interior) and an aperture which constitute the blade holders) first and second blades mountable to the first and second blade holders, respectively, such that rotational movement of the first and second blade pulleys correspondingly moves the first and second blades between closed and open positions; ([0154] jaws which can be blades, are rotatably coupled such that movement of their respective pulleys cause them to move, [0155] between open and closed positions). However, Johnson does not explicitly disclose: a blade retention system that releasably secures the first and second blades to the first and second blade holders, respectively, and allows a user to manually remove and replace the first and second blades
Clauda discloses: a blade retention system that releasably secures the first and second blades to the first and second blade holders, respectively, and allows a user to manually remove and replace the first and second blades ([0010] the jaws can be removably and replaceably coupled; Additionally, the cutting blade can be removable and replaceable)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the blades as disclosed in Johnson to incorporate the removability as disclosed in Clauda. The motivation being that this allows for the blades to be cleaned and sterilized (Clauda [0010]). Additionally, there are only 2 ways blades can be replaced, either automatically or manually.
Regarding claim 2, Johnson discloses: The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein the blade retention system includes: a boss extending laterally outward from a side surface of each blade; ([See annotated FIG 19 below]) and upper and lower retention mechanisms provided on each blade holder and engageable with the boss of a corresponding one of the first and second blades to removably secure the corresponding one of the first and second blades within the interior ([0156] recesses within the interior which are used to engage the pins (acting as the boss) of the jaws (which can be blades), thereby
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allowing them to be secured and forming a “retention mechanism”)
Regarding claim 3, Johnson discloses: The surgical tool of claim 2, wherein a longitudinal channel is defined by the first and second blade holders within the interior and is sized to receive the boss of each blade, ([0156] the recesses which constitute the longitudinal channel, which can be sized and configured to receive the jaw pins) and wherein the upper and lower retention mechanisms comprise flexible arms provided on upper and lower walls of the longitudinal channel ([0195] there is a flex joint for the upper and lower jaws which allows it to be adjustable, thereby making it flexible)
Regarding claim 4, Johnson discloses: The surgical tool of claim 3, wherein each flexible arm defines an inner profile extending into the longitudinal channel to receive and engage the boss of each blade when the corresponding one of the first and second blades traverses the longitudinal channel, and wherein each flexible arm flexes outward upon engaging the boss ([0208] the flex joint contains hollow cavities which defines a knife track to engage the blades)
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTINA M GANAN-SINGH whose telephone number is (571)272-3194. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday 7:30am to 5:00pm.
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/C.G.S/Examiner, Art Unit 3794
/JOANNE M RODDEN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3794