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 .
This office action is in response to applicant’s communication of 4/23/2024. Currently claims 1-13 are pending and rejected below.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/2/2024 is 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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Hart et al. (US 6,162,196).
Hart discloses an access assembly (as in figures 1-29) for a surgical instrument, comprising: a housing member (23), arranged at a proximal end of the access assembly, the housing member comprising a longitudinal channel for accessing the surgical instrument a tube member ( 12a as in figures 11-12), arranged at a distal end of the access assembly, structured to extend along a longitudinal axis of the access assembly, and configured to receive the surgical instrument; a proximal sealing device (174), arranged inside the housing member and configured to connect a proximal end of the housing member and the received surgical instrument in a sealed manner; a distal sealing device (104), connected with a distal end of the tube member in a sealed manner; and a fluid supply channel (127), comprising a mixing component and a first fluid supply channel configured to input a first fluid, wherein the first fluid supply channel is arranged at the proximal end of the housing member (see figure 10) and extends in a direction from the proximal end of the housing member to a distal end of the housing member, and the mixing component (23a) is arranged at the distal end of the housing member and is in fluid communication with the first fluid supply channel; wherein the mixing component comprises: a first passage (125), configured to introduce a second fluid, and a second passage (123), configured to extend from the distal end of the housing member to a proximal end of the tube member, and configured for mixing and delivering the first fluid and the second fluid (se figures 11-12).
Concerning claim 2 and the mixing component further comprises a third passage (45a), and the third passage is communicated with the first fluid supply channel.
Concerning claim 3 and the housing member further comprises a shell component (174/130) surrounding an outer side of the longitudinal channel, the shell component at least comprises a conical (174) portion and a cylindrical portion (130) connected with each other, the mixing component is arranged in the conical portion, and the first fluid supply channel is arranged in the cylindrical portion.
Concerning claim 4 and an extension direction of the second passage is a direction from the proximal end of the housing member to the distal end of the housing member along a conical surface of the conical portion (see figure 12).
Concerning claim 5 and the third passage is arranged at an angle α relative to the first passage, and a value of the angle α is less than or equal to 90 degrees (see 45a at a 90 degree angle).
Concerning claim 6 and a check valve is arranged in the first passage (see 46a), and the check valve is configured to prevent the first fluid from the first fluid supply channel from flowing into the first passage.
Concerning claim 7 and the check valve is one selected from the group consisted of a duckbill valve, a membrane check valve and a spring-loaded ball check valve (see shape of valve 46a).
Concerning claim 8 and the first fluid supply channel comprises a second channel section, a first channel section and a third channel section which are sequentially communicated from a distal end to a proximal end of the first fluid supply channel, and a cross-sectional area of the proximal end of the first fluid supply channel is larger than that of the distal end of the first fluid supply channel (see figures 12 and reduction of diameter from proximal to distal end).
Concerning claim 9 and a cross-sectional area of the first channel section decreases in a stepwise manner from the proximal end to the distal end of the access assembly; or, the cross-sectional area of the first channel section continuously decreases in a direction from the proximal end to the distal end of the access assembly (note continuous cross sectional decrease in the proximal to distal direction).
Concerning claim 10 and a cross-sectional area of the second channel section is constant (see area near 194 and constant cross section).
Concerning claim 11 and a cross-sectional area of the first passage is greater than a cross-sectional area of the second channel section. (compare first 196 to smaller 194 as in figure 11/12)/
Concerning claim 12 and the first passage is further configured to introduce a third fluid, and the first passage is further provided with a switching device configured to switch between the second fluid and the third fluid (see outlet of 45a an switching to introduce the third fluid).
Concerning claim 13 and the first fluid is liquid and the second fluid is gas (note description that the device may be used for “pressurized fluids” or “insufflation gas”.
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Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PHILLIP A GRAY whose telephone number is (571)272-7180. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5 EST (FLEX).
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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PHILLIP A. GRAY
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3783
/PHILLIP A GRAY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3783
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