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 .
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 1-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ueno et al. (US Pub.: 2007/0004967 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Ueno discloses a medical apparatus (e.g. Fig. 1 – endoscope device 10) comprising:
a driving source (e.g. Fig. 2 – driving motor 24a);
a base unit (e.g. Figs. 1-2 – bending device 20)
including a coupling portion (e.g. Fig. 2 – wires 21a and 21b)
connected to the driving source (e.g. Fig. 2 – driving motor 24a);
a bendable unit (e.g. Fig. 1 – insertion portion 5) removably attached to the base unit (20), the bendable unit (5) including:
a bending portion which is bendable (e.g. Fig. 1 – bendable portion 12);
and a linear member (e.g. Fig. 1 – flexible pipe 13) configured to be coupled to the coupling portion (e.g. Fig. 2 – wires 21a and 21b) and configured to bend the bending portion (12) by being driven by the driving source through the coupling portion (e.g. Fig. 2 – driving motor 24a; paragraph 0024);
an operation portion (e.g. Fig. 1 – manipulating lever 18);
and a deceleration mechanism (e.g. Fig. 2 – speed reduction mechanism 30) including an output member (e.g. Fig. 2 – sun gear 31) that is driven by a force transmitted from the operation portion (18), wherein the coupling portion includes:
a retaining portion (e.g. Fig. 2 – switching mechanism 50) configured to be transited between a retaining state in which the retaining portion retains the linear member in a state where the bendable unit is attached to the base unit and a releasing state in which retaining of the linear member is released (e.g. paragraph 0024);
and a switching portion (e.g. Fig. 1 – joystick 17) configured to be moved by the output member and configured to switch the retaining portion between the retaining state and the releasing state (e.g. paragraph 0024),
and wherein, in a case where the operation portion is moved for a first movement amount, the output member is configured to be moved for a second movement amount that is smaller than the first movement amount (e.g. paragraphs 0071, 0075).
Regarding claim 2, Ueno discloses the medical apparatus according to claim 1 as discussed above, and Ueno further teaches wherein the operation portion is configured rotatably (e.g. paragraph 0023), and wherein, in a case where the operation portion is rotated for a first rotation angle serving as the first movement amount (e.g. paragraphs 0047-0048), the output member is configured to be rotated for a second rotation angle serving as the second movement amount that is smaller than the first rotation angle (e.g. paragraphs 0047-0048).
Regarding claim 3, Ueno discloses the medical apparatus according to claim 2 as discussed above, and Ueno further teaches wherein the deceleration mechanism (30) is a planetary gear mechanism (e.g. paragraph 0040) which includes: an input portion configured to rotate in response to input of rotation of the operation portion (e.g. paragraph 0040);
the output member (e.g. Fig. 2 – movable gear 34);
a fixed member fixed to the base unit (e.g. Fig. 2 – internal teeth 33a);
and a plurality of planetary gears (e.g. Fig. 2 – planetary gears 32), and wherein the output member is configured to output a rotation, transmitted from the input portion, to the switching portion (e.g. paragraphs 0040, 0043).
Regarding claim 4, Ueno discloses the medical apparatus according to claim 3 as discussed above, and Ueno further teaches wherein the input portion is a sun gear (e.g. paragraph 0040), wherein the output member is a planetary carrier configured to rotatably and revolvably support the plurality of planetary gears that are meshed with the sun gear (e.g. paragraph 0040), and wherein the fixed member is an internal gear that is meshed with the plurality of planetary gears (e.g. paragraph 0043).
Regarding claim 5, Ueno discloses the medical apparatus according to claim 3 as discussed above, and Ueno further teaches wherein the input portion is an internal gear (e.g. paragraph 0032), wherein the output member is a planetary carrier configured to rotatably and revolvably support the plurality of planetary gears that are meshed with the internal gear (e.g. paragraph 0034), and wherein the fixed member is a sun gear that is meshed with the plurality of planetary gears (e.g. paragraph 0034).
Regarding claim 6, Ueno discloses the medical apparatus according to claim 3 as discussed above, and Ueno further teaches wherein the input portion is a sun gear (e.g. paragraph 0040), wherein the output member is an internal gear that is meshed with the plurality of planetary gears (e.g. paragraph 0040), and wherein the fixed member is a planetary carrier configured to rotatably and revolvably support the plurality of planetary gears (e.g. paragraph 0043).
Regarding claim 7, Ueno discloses the medical apparatus according to claim 2 as discussed above, and Ueno further teaches wherein the deceleration mechanism (30) includes: an input portion that is rotated in response to input of a rotation of the operation portion (e.g. paragraph 0040);
the output member (e.g. Fig. 2 – movable gear 34);
and a stepped gear that is meshed respectively with the input portion and the output member (e.g. paragraph 0040), wherein the output member is configured to output a rotation, transmitted from the input portion, to the switching portion (e.g. paragraph 0043), and wherein the stepped gear includes:
a first gear portion that has a first number of teeth and that is meshed with the input portion (e.g. paragraph 0077); and a second gear portion that has a second number of teeth smaller than the first number of teeth and that is meshed with the output member (e.g. paragraph 0077).
Regarding claim 8, Ueno discloses the medical apparatus according to claim 7 as discussed above, and Ueno further teaches wherein the input portion includes an input gear portion that has a third number of teeth and that is meshed with the first gear portion (e.g. paragraph 0040), wherein the output member includes an output gear portion that has a fourth number of teeth and that is meshed with the second gear portion (e.g. paragraph 0043), and wherein a ratio of the fourth number of teeth to the third number of teeth is greater than a ratio of the second number of teeth to the first number of teeth (e.g. paragraphs 0034, 0077).
Regarding claim 9, Ueno discloses the medical apparatus according to claim 3 as discussed above, and Ueno further teaches wherein the input portion is configured to be engaged with the operation portion and rotate concentrically and integrally with the operation portion (e.g. paragraph 0047).
Regarding claim 10, Ueno discloses the medical apparatus according to claim 3 as discussed above, and Ueno further teaches wherein the switching portion includes:
a cam portion (e.g. Fig. 2 – cam groove 52a) configured to switch the retaining portion between the retaining state and the releasing state by rotating (e.g. paragraph 0056);
and a cam gear (e.g. Fig. 2 – clutch cam 52) configured to rotate integrally with the cam portion, and wherein the output member includes an output gear that is meshed with the cam gear (e.g. paragraph 0057).
Regarding claim 11, Ueno discloses the medical apparatus according to claim 1 as discussed above, and Ueno further teaches wherein the operation portion is disposed on the bendable unit (e.g. paragraph 0024), and wherein the deceleration mechanism is disposed on the base unit and is configured to be moved by the operation portion in a state where the bendable unit is attached to the base unit (e.g. paragraph 0076).
Regarding claim 12, Ueno discloses the medical apparatus according to claim 1 as discussed above, and Ueno further teaches wherein the retaining portion is a leaf spring configured to nip and retain the linear member in the retaining state (e.g. paragraph 0075).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL TEHRANI whose telephone number is (571)270-0697. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00am-5:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Benjamin Klein can be reached at 571-270-5213. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/D.T./Examiner, Art Unit 3792
/Benjamin J Klein/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3792
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