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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 11 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
In claim 11, it is unclear how “a predetermined threshold” on line 2 is related to that in the last line of claim 2.
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, 2, 4 and 13-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kakinoki (US 2020/0179672).
Regarding claim 1, Kakinoki discloses a connector assembly, comprising: a body portion 6 having an inner surface defining a cavity (fig 2) terminating in an open end of the body portion (top of 6 in fig 2), and a luer portion ( 2 and/or 18) extending in the cavity and through the open end (fig 2); a proximal connector 10 disposed at least partially in the cavity of the body portion, and defining an inlet port 12 and having an inner surface defining a cavity of the proximal connector (fig 2); a distal connector 4 slidably coupled to the body portion and comprising: first and second arms 19 pivotably (elastic - ¶35) coupled to the body portion and defining (i) an outer surface of the distal connector (fig 4), and (ii) an inner surface of the distal connector which defines a cavity terminating in an open end of the distal connector (figs 2 and 3); and a compressible valve member 3 mounted in the cavity of the proximal connector and comprising an internal chamber and a slit 17 extending from a distal end portion of the compressible valve member into the internal chamber (fig 2), wherein when the distal connector is coupled to a mating connector (figs 2-4), the compressible valve member is compressed and the slit is opened such that a fluid path extending from the inlet port through the internal chamber to an outlet port of the luer portion is opened to fluidly communicate the proximal connector with the mating connector (figs 2 vs 8).
Regarding claim 2 wherein: the inner surface of the body portion includes a plurality of notches 24 recessed therein, and each of the first and second arms include at least one detent 20 extending radially outward from the outer surface of the distal connector; and when the distal connector is coupled to a mating connector, the detent of the first and second arms engage the plurality of notches to prevent decoupling of the mating connector from the distal connector when a force applied to the proximal connector is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold (figs 7 vs 8).
Regarding claim 4, further comprising a post 2 disposed in the luer portion (fig 2) and extending longitudinally in the fluid path from the distal end portion of the compressible valve member toward the outlet port of the luer portion, wherein when the distal connector is coupled to the mating connector a closed end of the post is displaced away from the outlet port of the luer portion to permit flow through the fluid path and into the mating connector via the outlet port (fig 8).
Regarding claim 13, Kakinoki discloses a connector assembly, comprising: a body portion 6 having an inner surface defining a cavity (fig 2) terminating in an open end (top of 6 in fig 2) of the body portion, and a luer portion (2 and/or 18) extending in the cavity and through the open end (fig 2); a proximal connector 10 disposed at least partially in the cavity of the body portion, and defining an inlet port 12 and having an inner surface defining a cavity of the proximal connector (fig 2), wherein a fluid path extends from the inlet port through the luer portion to an outlet port (2d and/or opening to 18) of the luer portion; a distal connector 4 slidably coupled to the body portion and configured to couple to a mating connector (fig 7); and a compressible valve member 3 mounted in the cavity of the proximal connector and comprising an internal chamber and a slit 17 extending from a distal end of the compressible valve member into the internal chamber (fig 2); and a post 2 coupled to and extending longitudinally in the fluid path from the compressible valve member toward the outlet port of the luer portion (fig 2), wherein when the distal connector is coupled to the mating connector the post is displaced away from the outlet port of the luer portion to compress the compressible valve member, open the slit, and permit flow through the fluid path and into the mating connector via the outlet port (fig 8), and wherein when a force applied to the proximal connector exceeds a predetermined threshold, a spring member 5 expands and exerts a force on the post to displace the post towards the outlet port of the luer portion to seal the outlet port (figs 8-10).
Regarding claim 14, wherein the distal connector comprises first and second arms 19 pivotably (elastic - ¶35) coupled to the body portion and defining (i) an outer surface of the distal connector (fig 4), and (ii) an inner surface of the distal connector which defines a cavity terminating in an open end of the distal connector (figs 2 and 3).
Regarding claim 15, wherein: the inner surface of the body portion includes a plurality of notches 24 recessed therein, and each of the first and second arms include at least one detent 20 extending radially outward from the outer surface of the distal connector (fig 4); and when the distal connector is coupled to the mating connector, the detent of the first and second arms engage the plurality of notches to prevent decoupling of the mating connector from the distal connector when a force applied to the proximal connector is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold (figs 7 vs 8).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 5-10 and 16-20 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.
Claims 11 and 12 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
With respect to claims 3 and 16, the examiner did not find a teaching or suggestion for modifying closest art Kakinoki such that the first and second arms disengage from the plurality of notches, as it would change the principle operation of Kakinoki (which uses the notches as a spiral track).
With respect to claims 5-7 and 20, the examiner did not find a teaching or suggestion for modifying closest art Kakinoki such that the post comprises a plurality of arms extending along the post and along an exterior of the luer portion toward the outlet port, wherein when the mating connector is coupled to the distal connector, the mating connector exerts a force to urge the plurality of arms proximally, compress the compressible valve member, and displace the closed end of the post away from the outlet port of the luer portion, absent impermissible hindsight.
With respect to claims 8-12 and 17-19, the examiner did not find a teaching or suggestion for modifying closest art Kakinoki such that the outer surface of each of the first and second arms of the distal connector comprises a slot recessed at least partially therein, the slot comprising a liner surface extending proximally form a distal end of the slot, and a ramp surface extending from the linear surface to a proximal end of the slot, absent impermissible hindsight.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRADLEY JAMES OSINSKI whose telephone number is (571)270-3640. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Thursday 9AM to 5PM.
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, Michael Tsai can be reached at (571)270-5246. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BRADLEY J OSINSKI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3783
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