DETAILED ACTION
Status of Claims
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claims 1-20 are pending.
Response to Arguments
Applicant argues the prior art of record does not teach “wherein the support surface is positioned between and separates the one or more hub adapters from the corresponding hubs,” as recited in amended claim 1. See Remarks at 5.
Applicant’s argument has been fully considered but it is not persuasive.
The term “between” is defined as in or into the space that separates two places, people, or objects.1 As shown below, Reis et al. (US 20100175701 A1, 2010-07-15) (hereinafter “Reis”) teaches “wherein the support surface (180) is positioned between and separates the one or more hub adapters (114) from the corresponding hubs (182),” as recited in amended claim 1. This space is indicated by line A-A, as shown below.2 Line A-A also shows how the support surface (180) separates spatially (a portion of) the hub adapter (114) from (a portion of) the corresponding hub (182).
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Note further that the term “between,” indicating a three-place relation (i.e., X is between Y and Z), does not say anything more about the relata (e.g., whether Y is connected to or separated from Z).
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 1-20, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Reis et al. (US 20100175701 A1, 2010-07-15) (hereinafter “Reis”).
Regarding claims 1-20, as discussed above (Response to Arguments incorporated by reference herein), Reis teaches a robotic drive system, comprising: a drive table (comprising, e.g., 180) comprising a support surface oriented at an angle relative to a horizontal plane (e.g., [0011] (disclosing use with robotic system which allows for variable orientation of the drive table)); and one or more hub adapters (comprising, e.g., 114) coupled with the drive table, each of the one or more hub adapters being coupleable with a corresponding hub (comprising, e.g., 182) of one or more hubs, each hub being couplable with an interventional device of one or more interventional devices; wherein the support surface (e.g.,180) is positioned between and separates the one or more hub adapters from the corresponding hubs (e.g., Figs. 9A, 9B, 10A and associated text, esp. [0072]-[0078]) (as recited in claim 1); wherein the support surface is oriented between 20 and 70 degrees from the horizontal plane (as recited in claim 2); wherein the support surface is oriented between 50 and 60 degrees from the horizontal plane (as recited in claim 3);wherein the support surface is oriented 55 degrees from the horizontal plane (as recited in claim 4); wherein the support surface is oriented between 20 and 70 degrees from a vertical plane (as recited in claim 5); wherein the support surface is oriented between 40 and 50 degrees from the vertical plane (as recited in claim 6); wherein the support surface is oriented 35 degrees from the vertical plane (as recited in claim 7); wherein each of the one or more hub adapters is magnetically couplable (e.g., construed as magnets in linear drive; [0076]) with the corresponding hub (as recited in claim 8); wherein the drive table comprises a main body (comprising, e.g., 137) and one or more extendable members (e.g., 139) (as recited in claim 9); wherein the one or more extendable members are configured to transition between a collapsed state and a deployed state (as recited in claim 10); wherein the one or more hubs are configured to move axially along the one or more extendable members (as recited in claim 11); wherein the one or more extendable members comprises a distal extendable member (construed as distal portion of 139) configured to extend distally from the main body (as recited in claim 12); wherein the one or more extendable members comprises a proximal extendable member (construed as proximal portion of 139) configured to extend proximally from the main body (as recited in claim 13); wherein at least a portion of at least one of the one or more hubs is configured to extend laterally and inferiorly relative to an inferior edge of the support surface when the hub is positioned on the support surface (e.g., Figs. 10A-10E) (as recited in claim 14); wherein each of the one or more hub adapters is configured to move axially along the drive table to drive axial movement of the corresponding hub (as recited in claim 15); wherein at least one of the one or more interventional devices is configured to be positioned laterally and inferiorly relative to an inferior edge of the support surface when the hub to which the interventional device is coupled is positioned on the support surface (as recited in claim 16); further comprising a shuttle (e.g., 186) configure to translate axially within the drive table, wherein the one or more hub adapters are coupled to the shuttle (as recited in claim 17); wherein the one or more hub adapters are configured to move axially (170, Fig. 9B) along the shuttle (as recited in claim 18); wherein the one or more hub adapters are positioned within an interior of the drive table (comprising, e.g., 127) (as recited in claim 19); wherein the support surface is a sterile field barrier (192, Fig. 11B; [0079] (as recited in claim 20).
Prior Art of Record
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered to be pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Bajo et al. (US 20220096120 A1, 2022-03-31 teaches a drive table actuated by a robotic arm. See, e.g., Fig. 2 and associated text.
Simi et al. (US 20210106393 A1, 2021-04-15) teaches one or more hub adapters (comprising, e.g., proximal motorized slide 54, Fig. 10) coupled with the drive table (38, Fig. 9D), each of the one or more hub adapters configured to couple to a corresponding hub (comprising, e.g., distal motorized slide 53, Fig. 10) so that axial movement of the each of the one or more hub adapters drives axial movement of the corresponding hub. See also Figs. 9A, 9B, 9D and associated text.
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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SCOTT T LUAN whose telephone number is (571)270-1860. The examiner can normally be reached on 9am-5pm, M-F (generally).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Gary Jackson, can be reached on 571-272-4697. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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Scott Luan, Ph.D.
/SCOTT LUAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3792
1 https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/between
2 Rail guides 182 slide along and sit on top of rails 180. See [0074].
Prosecution Insights