Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/539,290

RESIN-COATED WIRE AND DRUG SOLUTION INJECTION DEVICE

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Dec 14, 2023
Examiner
STIGELL, THEODORE J
Art Unit
3783
Tech Center
3700 — Mechanical Engineering & Manufacturing
Assignee
Asahi Intecc Co., Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
78%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
3y 4m
To Grant
93%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 78% — above average
78%
Career Allow Rate
975 granted / 1245 resolved
+8.3% vs TC avg
Moderate +15% lift
Without
With
+14.6%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 4m
Avg Prosecution
45 currently pending
Career history
1290
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.8%
-39.2% vs TC avg
§103
31.3%
-8.7% vs TC avg
§102
31.7%
-8.3% vs TC avg
§112
21.1%
-18.9% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1245 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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. Priority Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 12/14/2023 and 5/9/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner. 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. Claim(s) 1-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Pereira et al. (US 2017/0291013; hereafter Pereira) . In regard to claim 1, Pereira discloses a resin-coated wire (10) to move forward inside a drug solution-containing lumen of a catheter containing a drug solution, thereby pushing out the drug solution from a distal end of the catheter (italicized limitation is functional ; wire 10 is capable of pushing a drug solution ) , the resin-coated wire comprising: a wire (20) ; and a coating ( i -34; see par. [0058]; ii- see “fluoropolymer coating” in par. [0051]; iii- see “hydrophobic coating” in par. [0065]) made of resin coating the wire, wherein the coating includes: a distal end coating formed of a first resin material and coating a first part that includes a distal end portion of the wire (see coating i discussed directly above- 34 includes the distal end portion) ; and a proximal end coating (see coatings ii and/or iiii discussed directly above) formed of a second resin material and coating a second part adjacent to a proximal end side of the first part of the wire (intermediate portion 22 and coil 30 are both proximal to distal polymer tip 34; see at least Fig. 1) , and wherein the first resin material has a higher affinity for water than the second resin material (coating i is made of hydrophilic polymer while coatings ii and iii are made of hydrophobic material; see par. [0051], [0058], and [0065]) . In regard to claim 2, Pereira discloses wherein the wire is a rope wire formed by spirally winding a plurality of fine wires (see par. [0055]; 30 can be of a multi-filar configuration; such a configuration can be considered a rope) . In regard to claim 3, Pereira discloses wherein each of the plurality of fine wires is a stranded wire formed by spirally winding a plurality of strands (see par. [0055]; 30 can be of a multi-filar configuration) . In regard to claim 4, Pereira discloses , wherein the first resin material permeates a distal end part of the second part of the wire (see par. [0058]) . In regard to claim 5, Pereira discloses wherein a most distal end portion of the resin-coated wire has an approximate hemisphere shape forming a projection toward a distal end (see rounded end of 34 in Fig. 1 which is approximately hemisphere; see also embodiment in Fig. 3) . In regard to claim 6, Pereira discloses wherein the resin-coated wire includes: a most distal end portion (34) ; an intermediate portion (22) adjacent to a proximal end side of the most distal end portion and having a taper shape with an outer diameter reduced toward the distal end (portions of 24 can be included in the interpretation of “intermediate”; portions 24 tapers distally; see par. [0047]; see Fig. 1) ; and a proximal end portion (proximal portion of 22 including 26) adjacent to a proximal end side of the intermediate portion and having an approximately constant outer diameter (various portions of this area have a constant diameter; see Fig. 1) . In regard to claim 7, Pereira discloses wherein a part (the first part can be interpreted as including a thicker portion of 22) formed of the first part of the wire has higher rigidity than that of a part formed of the second part (the second part can be interpreted as a narrowed tapered portion of 26) of the wire (the thicker first part will have a higher rigidity than a narrowed portion) . In regard to claim 8, Pereira discloses wherein a most distal end portion of the resin-coated wire has an approximate hemisphere shape forming a projection toward a distal end (see rounded end of 34 in Fig. 1 which is approximately hemisphere; see also embodiment in Fig. 3) . In regard to claim 9, see the rejection of claim 6 as substantially similar subject matter is recited. In regard to claim 10, see the rejection of claim 7 as substantially similar subject matter is recited. In regard to claim 11, see the rejection of claim 4 as substantially similar subjected matter is recited. In regard to claim 12, Pereira discloses wherein the first resin material is hydrophilic and the second resin material is hydrophobic (coating i is made of hydrophilic polymer while coatings ii and iii are made of hydrophobic material; see par. [0051], [0058], and [0065]) . In regard to claim 13, Pereira discloses wherein the first resin material is hydrophilic and the second resin material is hydrophobic (coating i is made of hydrophilic polymer while coatings ii and iii are made of hydrophobic material; see par. [0051], [0058], and [0065]) . In regard to claim 14, Pereira discloses wherein a most distal end portion (34) of the resin-coated wire has an approximate hemisphere shape forming a projection toward a distal end (see rounded end of 34 in Fig. 1 which is approximately hemisphere; see also embodiment in Fig. 3) . In regard to claim 15 , Pereira discloses wherein the resin-coated wire includes: a most distal end portion (34); an intermediate portion (22) adjacent to a proximal end side of the most distal end portion and having a taper shape with an outer diameter reduced toward the distal end (portions of 24 can be included in the interpretation of “intermediate”; portions 24 tapers distally; see par. [0047]; see Fig. 1); and a proximal end portion (proximal portion of 22 including 26) adjacent to a proximal end side of the intermediate portion and having an approximately constant outer diameter (various portions of this area have a constant diameter; see Fig. 1). In regard to claim 16 , Pereira discloses wherein a part (the first part can be interpreted as including a thicker portion of 22) formed of the first part of the wire has higher rigidity than that of a part formed of the second part (the second part can be interpreted as a narrowed tapered portion of 26) of the wire (the thicker first part will have a higher rigidity than a narrowed portion). In regard to claim 17, Pereira discloses wherein the first resin material is hydrophilic and the second resin material is hydrophobic (coating i is made of hydrophilic polymer while coatings ii and iii are made of hydrophobic material; see par. [0051], [0058], and [0065]) . In regard to claim 1 8 , Pereira discloses a drug solution injection device comprising: the resin-coated wire according to claim 1 (see rejection of claim 1) ; and the catheter (see par. [0003]) . Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See 892. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FILLIN "Examiner name" \* MERGEFORMAT THEODORE J STIGELL whose telephone number is FILLIN "Phone number" \* MERGEFORMAT (571)272-8759 . The examiner can normally be reached FILLIN "Work Schedule?" \* MERGEFORMAT M-F 9-5:30 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 Michael Tsai can be reached at FILLIN "SPE Phone?" \* MERGEFORMAT 571-270-5246 . 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. FILLIN "Examiner Stamp" \* MERGEFORMAT THEODORE J. STIGELL Primary Examiner Art Unit 3783 /THEODORE J STIGELL/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3783
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Dec 14, 2023
Application Filed
Mar 23, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §102 (current)

Precedent Cases

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
78%
Grant Probability
93%
With Interview (+14.6%)
3y 4m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1245 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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