CTNF 18/530,315 CTNF 100820 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia 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 Election/Restrictions 08-05 AIA Claim s 13-16 withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected Group II and Group III , there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 02/17/2026. Applicant argues that dependent Claims 17-20 depend on Claim 1, and should therefore, be a part of Restriction Group I. The examiner agrees with the applicant and maintains the restriction requirement while considering Claims 17-20 as elected claims as a part of the elected Group I . 08-25-01 AIA Applicant’s election without traverse of Species D, Claims 1-2 , in the reply filed on 02/17/2026 is acknowledged. Pursuant to applicant’s elections of Restriction Group I and Species D, claims 3-5, 7, 13-16, and 19-20 have been withdrawn from consideration. The examiner concluded, upon inspection of the disclosure, that the respective subject matters of claims 4, 5 and 7 are each directed to non-elected teachings. Drawings 06-36 AIA The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the "second region" in Claim 1 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance. Examiner’s Comments The present rejection(s) reference specific passages from cited prior art. However, Applicant is advised that the rejections are based on the entirety of each cited prior art. That is, each cited prior art reference “must be considered in its entirety”. (See MPEP 2141.02(VI)) Therefore, Applicant is advised to review all portions of the cited prior art if traversing a rejection based on the cited prior art. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-12-aia AIA (a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 1-2, 6, 8-12, and 17-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Okamoto (US 20140180008 A1) . Regarding Claim 1, Okamoto discloses An endoscope (1, FIG. 1, 12), comprising: an insertion portion (2, FIG. 1); an operation portion (3, FIG. 1) located proximally relative to the insertion portion (depicted in FIG. 1); and a universal cord (4, FIG. 1) including a first end connected to the operation portion (Modified FIG. 1 depicts first end of universal cord connected to operation portion circled in yellow), a second end including a connector (tip of connection connector 5, FIG. 1; Modified FIG. 1 depicts second end of universal cord connected to connector circled in blue), and a first bending region located between the first end and the second end (depicted in Modified FIG. 1 below), wherein a minimum radius of curvature of the first bending region is a first value (Modified FIG. 1 depicts a first bending region which has a smallest radius of curvature within the curve outlined in green, i.e. the first value is the smallest radius of the region depicted below and is the point of maximum curvature), wherein the universal cord has a second region adjacent to the first bending region and a minimum radius of curvature of the second region is a second value (Modified FIG. 1 depicts a second region which has a smallest radius of curvature within the curve outlined in red, i.e. the second value is the smallest radius of the region depicted below and is the point of maximum curvature), and wherein the first value is smaller than the second value (Modified FIG. 1 below depicts a green dashed line which represents a curve within the first bending region with the smallest/ minimum radius of curvature the region has within an assumed shape, i.e. the first value is within the green dashed line and is the point of maximum curvature, which is a tighter turn and is more curved, as compared to, the red dashed line which represents a curve within the second region with the smallest/ minimum radius of curvature the region has within an assumed shape, i.e. the second value is within the red dashed line and is the point of maximum curvature, which is a gentler curve, i.e. the first value is smaller than the second value since radius of curvature is known in the art to be inversely related to actual curvature and minimum radius of curvature is commonly known to have the relationship of decreasing radius of curvature corresponding to increase in curvature (sharper bend), therefore, the point of maximum curvature of the first bending region, i.e. the first value, is smaller than the point of maximum curvature of the second region, i.e. the second value, since the first bending region has a sharper bend). PNG media_image1.png 377 501 media_image1.png Greyscale Modified FIG. 1 (US 20140180008 A1) Regarding Claim 2, Okamoto discloses The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the first bending region is located at a position at which an overall length of the universal cord is divided approximately into two equal-length parts (Modified FIG. 1-2 below depicts first bending region located at a position between two equal-length parts painted in blue and yellow). PNG media_image2.png 370 453 media_image2.png Greyscale Modified FIG. 1-2 (US 20140180008 A1) Regarding Claim 6, Okamoto discloses The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the insertion portion has a distal end portion (distal end rigid portion 2s, FIG. 13), a bending portion (bending portion 2w, FIG. 1), and a flexible tube (insertion portion main body 2h, FIG. 13), wherein a structure of the first bending region is the same as a structure of the bending portion (depicted in Modified FIG. 1 above), and wherein the structure of the first bending region is different from a structure of the flexible tube (depicted in Modified FIG. 1 above & FIG. 13). Regarding Claim 8, Okamoto discloses The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein an end of the first bending region is connected to the operation portion (depicted in Modified FIG. 1). Regarding Claim 9, Okamoto discloses The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the insertion portion has a distal end portion (distal end rigid portion 2s, FIG. 13), a bending portion (bending portion 2w, FIG. 1), and a flexible tube (insertion portion main body 2h, FIG. 13), wherein the flexible tube has a second bending region (depicted in Modified FIG. 1-3 below), wherein a minimum radius of curvature of the second bending region is a third value (Modified FIG. 1-3 depicts a second bending region which has a smallest radius of curvature within the curve outlined in blue, i.e. the third value is the smallest radius of the region depicted below and is the point of maximum curvature), and wherein the third value is smaller than the second value (Modified FIG. 1-3 below depicts a blue dashed line which represents a curve within the second bending region with the smallest/ minimum radius of curvature the region has within an assumed shape, i.e. the third value is within the blue dashed line and is the point of maximum curvature, which is a tighter turn and is more curved, as compared to, the red dashed line which represents a curve within the second region with the smallest/ minimum radius of curvature the region has within an assumed shape, i.e. the second value is within the red dashed line and is the point of maximum curvature, which is a gentler curve, i.e. the third value is smaller than the second value since radius of curvature is known in the art to be inversely related to actual curvature and minimum radius of curvature is commonly known to have the relationship of decreasing radius of curvature corresponding to increase in curvature (sharper bend), therefore, the point of maximum curvature of the second bending region, i.e. the third value, is smaller than the point of maximum curvature of the second region, i.e. the second value, since the third bending region has a sharper bend). PNG media_image3.png 377 501 media_image3.png Greyscale Modified FIG. 1-3 (US 20140180008 A1) Regarding Claim 10, Okamoto discloses The endoscope according to claim 1, further comprising a first tube (drive cable 20, FIG. 1) attachable to and detachable from the first bending region (FIG. 1, par. 38 discloses drive cable is attachable and detachable from first bending region side of universal cable), wherein a portion of the first bending region is covered with the first tube (par. 38 discloses drive cable has water tight connection with a connection portion (5s) of the connection connector which resides between the first end, circled in yellow in Modified FIG. 1 below, and the second end, circled in blue in Modified FIG. 1 below, i.e. a portion of the first bending region), wherein a minimum radius of curvature of the portion of the first bending region covered with the first tube is a fourth value (FIG. 1 depicts curvature of drive cable, i.e. the fourth value is the smallest radius and is the point of maximum curvature of the drive cable), and wherein the fourth value is substantially equal to the second value (FIG. 1 depicts a substantially equal curvature of the drive cable and of the second region within the respective assumed shapes as depicted in Modified FIG. 1 below, therefore, the similarities in curvature would result in substantially equal values for minimum radius of curvature since minimum radius of curvature is commonly known to have the relationship of decreasing radius of curvature corresponding to increase in curvature, i.e. substantially similar curvature corresponds to substantially similar minimum radius of curvature, therefore, the fourth value would be substantially equal to the second value). PNG media_image1.png 377 501 media_image1.png Greyscale Modified FIG. 1 (US 20140180008 A1) Regarding Claim 11, Okamoto discloses The endoscope according to claim 9, further comprising a second tube (rotation body 70, FIG. 12) attachable to and detachable from the second bending region (FIG. 12, par. 133 discloses part of the insertion portion is capable of being covered with a rotation body, i.e. attachable and detachable since it is an optional feature that can be added or removed), wherein a portion of the second bending region is covered with the second tube (depicted in FIG. 12), wherein a minimum radius of curvature of the portion of the second bending region covered with the second tube is a fifth value (Modified FIG. 1-4 below depicts a second bending region, covered with the second tube, which has a smallest radius of curvature within the curve outlined in blue, i.e. the fifth value is the smallest radius of the region depicted below and is the point of maximum curvature), and wherein the fifth value is substantially equal to the second value (Modified FIG. 1-4 below depicts a substantially equal curvature of the second bending region (i.e., region of fifth value) and of the second region within the respective assumed shapes of the regions, therefore, the similarities in curvature would result in substantially equal values for minimum radius of curvature since minimum radius of curvature is commonly known to have the relationship of decreasing radius of curvature corresponding to increase in curvature, i.e. substantially similar curvature corresponds to substantially similar minimum radius of curvature, therefore, the fourth value would be substantially equal to the second value). PNG media_image4.png 372 448 media_image4.png Greyscale Modified FIG. 1-4 (US 20140180008 A1) Regarding Claim 12, Okamoto discloses The endoscope according to claim 11, wherein the second bending region covered with the second tube has a flexibility that is substantially the same as a flexibility of the flexible tube (par. 133 discloses rotation body covers a corrugated tube portion of the insertion portion before the bending portion and distal end, i.e. part of the main body and sharing its flexibility). Regarding Claim 17, Okamoto discloses The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the minimum radius of curvature of the first bending region is a minimum value of a radius of curvature of the first bending region in a bent state at which the first bending region is not plastically deformed (FIGS. 1 and 2 depict the universal cord in different states, i.e. the cable is flexible and not plastically deformed; par. 49 discloses a flexible shaft inside of the universal cable which is in a loosely fitted state so as to be rotatable inside the universal cable, i.e. actively bendable and not plastically deformed). Regarding Claim 18, Okamoto discloses The endoscope according to claim 17, wherein the minimum radius of curvature of the second region is a minimum value of a radius of curvature of the second region in a bent state at which the second region is not plastically deformed (FIGS. 1 and 2 depict the universal cord in different states, i.e. the cable is flexible and not plastically deformed; par. 49 discloses a flexible shaft inside of the universal cable which is in a loosely fitted state so as to be rotatable inside the universal cable, i.e. actively bendable and not plastically deformed). Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ABDUL HADI ABBASI whose telephone number is (571)272-4076. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30 am - 5:00 pm. 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, Anhtuan Nguyen can be reached at (571) 272-4963. 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. /ABDUL HADI ABBASI/Examiner, Art Unit 3795 /RYAN N HENDERSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3795 Application/Control Number: 18/530,315 Page 2 Art Unit: 3795 Application/Control Number: 18/530,315 Page 3 Art Unit: 3795 Application/Control Number: 18/530,315 Page 4 Art Unit: 3795 Application/Control Number: 18/530,315 Page 5 Art Unit: 3795 Application/Control Number: 18/530,315 Page 6 Art Unit: 3795 Application/Control Number: 18/530,315 Page 7 Art Unit: 3795 Application/Control Number: 18/530,315 Page 8 Art Unit: 3795 Application/Control Number: 18/530,315 Page 9 Art Unit: 3795 Application/Control Number: 18/530,315 Page 10 Art Unit: 3795 Application/Control Number: 18/530,315 Page 11 Art Unit: 3795