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
Applicant's election with traverse of Species A, readable on claims 1-20, in the reply filed on 1/26/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that Species A and B both read on all of claims 1-20. This is not found persuasive because since although all of the species read on Species A and B, the species deviate in construction and scope that would require separate search and examination considerations.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
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 1-3, 5-11 and 14-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Li et al. (CN 210902905, hereinafter Li).
In regard to claim 1, Li discloses an endoscope knob brake device (3, Fig. 1), comprising:
a fixed frame (4, Fig. 3) defining an operating cavity configured for a knob mechanism to pass through, the fixed frame comprising at least two sliding grooves (via rails (402)) arranged at intervals around the operating cavity (Fig. 3), one end of each sliding groove being in communication with the operating cavity (Fig. 3), and the other end of each sliding groove being configured to communicate with an outside of the fixed frame (Fig. 3);
at least two brake members (5) being slidably installed in the at least two sliding grooves in a one-to-one correspondence, each brake member passing through the corresponding sliding groove and extends out of the fixed frame (Figs. 1,3); and
a brake knob (301) sleeved over the fixed frame, at least two pushing portions (303a) are disposed at intervals on an inner wall of the brake knob, wherein when the brake knob is rotated to a preset angle, the pushing portions push, in a one-to-one correspondence, the brake members to move toward the operating cavity, thereby holding the knob mechanism (the pushing portions (303a) slide within groove (501) thereby preventing the knob mechanism and handwheel (2) from rotating).
In regard to claim 2, Li teaches wherein each sliding groove comprises a first groove section, a second groove section, and a third groove section that are communicated in sequence, the first groove section is communicated with the operating cavity, the third groove section is configured to communicate with the outside of the fixed frame, the brake member is slidably installed in the second groove section, one end of the brake member extends into the first groove section, and the other end of the brake member passes through the third groove section and extends out of the fixed frame (see annotated Fig. 3 below).
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In regard to claim 3, Li teaches wherein each brake member comprises a main body, a holding portion, and a transmission portion, the holding portion and the transmission portion are respectively arranged at opposite ends of the main body, the holding portion is located in the first groove section, the transmission portion is located in the third groove section and partially extends out of the fixed frame, limiting walls are formed between the first groove section and the second groove section, and between the second groove section and the third groove section, respectively, the main body is slidably installed in the second groove section and is limited by the limiting wall between the first groove section and the second groove and the limiting wall between the second groove section and the third groove section (see annotated Fig. 3 above).
In regard to claim 5, Li teaches wherein the brake knob comprises a knob body (301) and an annular sleeve (302) arranged on the knob body, the annular sleeve is sleeved over the fixed frame (Fig. 4), and the pushing portions (303a) are arranged on an inner wall of the annular sleeve (Fig. 3).
In regard to claim 6, Li teaches wherein the pushing portions are formed by the inner wall of the annular sleeve protruding toward a center of the annular sleeve (Fig. 3).
In regard to claim 7, Li teaches wherein the brake knob comprises a toggle portion protruding and extending along a radial direction of the brake knob; or the brake knob comprises a toggle portion (301) protruding and extending in a direction away from the fixed frame (Fig. 5).
In regard to claim 8, Li teaches wherein the fixed frame comprises a first positioning portion (501) configured to positionally cooperate with a second positioning portion on the knob mechanism (303a) to limit the fixed frame such that the fixed frame rotates with the knob mechanism (Figs. 3, 5).
In regard to claim 9, Li teaches wherein the first positioning portion is a positioning groove or a positioning protrusion on the fixed frame (via a positioning groove (501) on the fixed frame, Fig. 3).
In regard to claim 10, Li teaches wherein a plurality of the first positioning portions (via plurality of grooves (501), Fig. 3) are configured, and the plurality of the first positioning portions are arranged at intervals around the operating cavity (via plurality of protrusions (303a), Fig. 5).
In regard to claim 11, Li teaches wherein the brake knob comprises arc-shaped grooves (501) arranged around the operating cavity, and the arc- shaped grooves are configured to cooperate with limiting columns (303a) on a housing of the knob mechanism to limit a rotation range of the brake knob (Figs. 3,5); or a first limiting block is disposed on an inner wall of the brake knob, second limiting blocks are disposed on an outer wall of the fixed frame, and the first limiting block cooperates with the second limiting blocks to limit the rotation range of the brake knob.
In regard to claim 14, Li teaches wherein an anti-skid structure (via arc-shaped surface of the brake member facing the operating cavity) is disposed at an end of each brake member facing the operating cavity (Fig. 3).
In regard to claim 15, Li teaches wherein an end of each brake member facing the operating cavity fits an outer contour of the knob mechanism (via arc-shaped surface of the brake member facing the operating cavity, Fig. 3).
In regard to claim 16, Li teaches the transmission portion, the main body, and the holding portion are integrated (see annotated Fig. 3 above).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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 12, 13, 17, 18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (CN 210902905, hereinafter Li) in view of Lang et al. (US Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0359415, hereinafter Lang).
In regard to claim 12, Li teaches endoscope handle (1, Fig. 1), wherein the endoscope handle comprises a knob mechanism (2) and an endoscope knob brake device (3), wherein the endoscope knob brake device comprises:
a fixed frame (4, Fig. 3) defining an operating cavity configured for a knob mechanism to pass through, the fixed frame comprising at least two sliding grooves (via rails (402)) arranged at intervals around the operating cavity (Fig. 3), one end of each sliding groove being in communication with the operating cavity (Fig. 3), and the other end of each sliding groove being configured to communicate with an outside of the fixed frame (Fig. 3);
at least two brake members (5) being slidably installed in the at least two sliding grooves in a one-to-one correspondence, each brake member passing through the corresponding sliding groove and extends out of the fixed frame (Figs. 1,3); and
a brake knob (301) sleeved over the fixed frame, at least two pushing portions (303a) are disposed at intervals on an inner wall of the brake knob, wherein when the brake knob is rotated to a preset angle, the pushing portions push, in a one-to-one correspondence, the brake members to move toward the operating cavity, thereby holding the knob mechanism (the pushing portions (303a) slide within groove (501) thereby preventing the knob mechanism and handwheel (2) from rotating).
Li teaches of the knob mechanism comprising a first knob in which the brake device is configured to brake the first knob, but fails to teach a second brake device and wherein the knob mechanism comprises a housing, a first cable pulley, a second cable pulley, a first knob, and a second knob, the first cable pulley extends out of the housing and is connected to the first knob, the second cable pulley passes through the first cable pulley, extends out of the housing, and is connected to the second knob, one of the endoscope knob brake devices is configured to brake the first knob or the first cable pulley, and the other one of the endoscope knob brake devices is configured to brake the second knob or the second cable pulley.
Lang teaches an analogous endoscope comprising an operating knob assembly (4030,4060) each having a braking device (4005,4014) associated therewith. The operating knob assembly comprising first and second pulleys (4040,4070) connected to first and second knobs (4030, 4060). The first and second braking devices (4005,4014) are configured to apply frictional force on the first and second knobs (4030, 4060) when actuated thereby braking the first and second knobs.
It would’ve been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to modify handle of Li with a second steering knob and braking device of Lang thereby enabling the bending section to bend in a second plane orthogonal to the bending plane of the first steering knob thereby providing the user greater maneuverability of the distal tip of the endoscope.
In regard to claim 13, Li and Lang discloses an endoscope (Fig. 1) comprising the endoscope handle according to claim 12 (see rejection of Claim 12).
In regard to claim 17, Li teaches wherein each sliding groove comprises a first groove section, a second groove section, and a third groove section that are communicated in sequence, the first groove section is communicated with the operating cavity, the third groove section is configured to communicate with the outside of the fixed frame, the brake member is slidably installed in the second groove section, one end of the brake member extends into the first groove section, and the other end of the brake member passes through the third groove section and extends out of the fixed frame (see annotated Fig. 3 below).
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In regard to claim 18, Li teaches wherein each brake member comprises a main body, a holding portion, and a transmission portion, the holding portion and the transmission portion are respectively arranged at opposite ends of the main body, the holding portion is located in the first groove section, the transmission portion is located in thethird groove section and partially extends out of the fixed frame, limiting walls are formed between the first groove section and the second groove section, and between the second groove section and the third groove section, respectively, the main body is slidably installed in the second groove section and is limited by the limiting wall between the first groove section and the second groove and the limiting wall between the second groove section and the third groove section (see annotated Fig. 3 above).
In regard to claim 20, Li teaches wherein the brake knob comprises a knob body (301) and an annular sleeve (302) arranged on the knob body, the annular sleeve is sleeved over the fixed frame (Fig. 4), and the pushing portions (303a) are arranged on an inner wall of the annular sleeve (Fig. 3).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4 and 19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RYAN N HENDERSON whose telephone number is (571)270-1430. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 6am-5pm (PST).
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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.
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/RYAN N HENDERSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3795 February 7, 2026