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 .
Abstract
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because on the last line, “Figure 1” should be omitted. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text (MPEP § 608.01(b)).
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because of the term “Figur” on all drawing sheets except for the Replacement Sheet 3/5 of September 28, 2023. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the instant 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, 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.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: Headings should be added to identify various sections of the specification. On page 6, last sentence, “or curved” lacks proper grammatical syntax. On page 11, line 16, “anchors 23” should apparently read --anchors 22, 23--. On page 13, third to last line, “of the limb or of the limb” is not understood. On page 17, line 22, “representation.a” lacks proper syntax. On page 18, line 13, the sentence should end with a period (.); on line 17, “mounted movable mounted” is not understood. On page 19, fifth to last line, “anchors 22” should evidently be replaced by --anchors 22, 23--. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claim 18 is objected to because of the following informalities: In claim 18, line 4, “comprising with” lacks proper grammatical syntax. Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being clearly anticipated by Will et al., US 2019/0183663 A1, which discloses a main prosthetic socket body including opposite socket wall edges and regions respectively defined at medial support element 5 and lateral support element 6 and having anchors in the form of eyelets, channels, or rollers for receiving tensioning devices 11-13 of mechatronic functional elements additionally comprising motors 41-43, sensors, switches, and control unit 40 (abstract; drawings; paragraphs 0001, 0011-0013, 0021, 0028-0029, 0031-0032, 0039, 0057+, 0084-0085).
Regarding claims 3-4, each mechatronic functional element is capable of being released or disassembled from the anchors (MPEP § 2114) and is bidirectional or reversible in operation (paragraphs 0012-0013, 0082). Regarding claims 5-6 and 21-22, the eyelets, channels, or rollers are form-fit and force-fit in order to support forces and to stably engage tensioning devices 11-13 [Figures 7-9 (locking); paragraphs 0019-0022, 0043, 0066, 0070, 0084-0085]. Regarding claims 7-8 and 11, the patentability of a product does not depend on its method of production (MPEP § 2113). Regarding claims 9-10, the opposite socket wall edges may be spaced apart from one another and generally aligned along a proximal-distal direction (Figures 1, 3, 5, 7). Regarding claims 11 and 19, the main body may be additively manufactured (paragraphs 0035-0036). Regarding claim 12, the main body has a conical basic shape with an open cross-section (Figures 1-5; paragraphs 0013, 0026, 0076). Regarding claims 13-14, end cap 2 is fastened on the main body, and fastening devices for the mechatronic elements are arranged on the end cap in order to at least secure contact sensor 30 and control unit 40 (Figures 1-5; paragraphs 0057-0058, 0069, 0072). Regarding claim 15, the opposite socket wall edges are elastically displaceable toward each other (paragraphs 0016, 0024, 0069). Regarding claim 16, tensioning devices 11-13 are viewed as fastening devices for the anchors (i.e., eyelets, channels, and/or rollers). Regarding claim 20, the main body is initially formed with a closed cross-section at end cap 2 from which segments 5 and 6 are separated to form the socket wall edges (Figures 1-5). The further limitations of other claims are readily apparent (MPEP § 707) from the above discussion in light of the referenced drawings and passages.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to Applicant’s disclosure:
US 2019/0091043 A1: Figures 1-5.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to David H. Willse, whose telephone number is 571-272-4762. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday through Thursday. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor Thomas Barrett can be reached at telephone number 571-272-4746. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DAVID H WILLSE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3774