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 .
Notice of Amendment
The Amendment filed 6/13/2025 has been entered. Claims 1-20 are pending in the application with claims 1-6 amended, claims 7-9 withdrawn, and claims 10-20 newly added.
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 1-6, 10, 13 and 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Taniguchi (US Patent Application Publication No. 2019/0125167).
In regard to claim 1, Taniguchi discloses a medical device (10, Fig. 1), comprising:
a suction valve set (14, Figs. 11,16,19) including a working channel valve (16) configured to be inserted into a working channel of valve well (8) and control flow through the working channel (61) of a valve well, a balloon channel (65) of the valve well, and an atmospheric channel (1642A), the working channel valve (16) comprising a valve body (164) with an outer surface and one or more channels (1642A) comprising the atmospheric channel extending through the valve body to an opening in a proximal end of the valve body (Fig. 11 illustrates a U-shaped channel (1642A) formed in the valve body (164) extending to a proximal end of the valve body that communicates with the suction channel (68)) ; and
a valve interface mechanism (163) operable to move the working channel valve between a first state (Fig. 11), a second state (Fig. 16), and a third state (Fig. 19), the first state comprising the working channel valve configured to place a suction channel (68) of the valve well in fluid communication with the atmospheric channel (Fig. 11), the second state comprising the working channel valve configured to place the suction channel in fluid communication with the working channel (Fig. 16), and the third state comprising the working channel valve configured to place the suction channel in fluid communication with the balloon channel (Fig. 19).
In regard to claim 2, Taniguchi teaches the valve interface mechanism, in the first state, configured to position a first portion of the one or more channels in fluid communication with the atmospheric channel and a second portion of the one or more channels in fluid communication with the suction channel (Fig. 11).
In regard to claim 3, Taniguchi teaches the valve interface mechanism, in the second state, configured to position a first portion of the one or more channels in fluid communication with the suction channel and a second portion of the one or more channels in fluid communication with the working channel (Fig. 16).
In regard to claim 4, Taniguchi teaches the valve interface mechanism, in the second state, configured to position the outer surface of the valve body to block flow through the atmospheric channel (Fig. 16, via the upper surface engaging the sealing member of the pressing member (163)).
In regard to claim 5, Taniguchi teaches the valve interface mechanism, in the third state, configured to position the outer surface of the valve body to block flow through the working channel (Fig. 19).
In regard to claim 6, Taniguchi teaches the valve interface mechanism, in the second state, configured to position the outer surface of the valve body to block flow through the atmospheric channel (Fig. 16, via the upper surface engaging the sealing member of the pressing member (163)).
In regard to claim 10, Taniguchi teaches wherein the valve interface mechanism, in the first state, is configured to position the outer surface of the valve body to block flow through the working channel (Fig. 11).
In regard to claim 13, Taniguchi teaches wherein the working channel valve comprises a first port extending through the outer surface and to a bottom of the working channel valve (via channel (6142A) which extends from the outer surface to a bottom of the valve body, Fig. 11).
In regard to claim 16, Taniguchi teaches wherein the working channel valve comprises the atmospheric channel (1642A) and an atmospheric access port (upper opening of the atmospheric channel (1642A) disposed at the outer surface) in communication with the atmospheric channel (Fig. 11).
In regard to claim 17, Taniguchi teaches wherein the atmospheric access port extends through the outer surface and is spaced from a bottom of the working channel valve (Fig. 11).
In regard to claim 18, Taniguchi discloses a valve assembly (10, Fig. 1), comprising:
a valve well (8, Fig. 6) comprising a working channel (61), a balloon channel (65), and a suction channel (68);
a suction valve set (14, Figs. 11,16,19) including a working channel valve (16) configured to be inserted into a working channel of valve well (8) and control flow through the working channel (61) of a valve well, a balloon channel (65) of the valve well, and an atmospheric channel (1642A), the working channel valve (16) comprising a valve body (164) with an outer surface and one or more channels (1642A) comprising the atmospheric channel extending through the valve body to an opening in a proximal end of the valve body (Fig. 11 illustrates a U-shaped channel (1642A) formed in the valve body (164) extending to a proximal end of the valve body that communicates with the suction channel (68)) ; and
a valve interface mechanism (163) operable to move the working channel valve between a first state (Fig. 11), a second state (Fig. 16), and a third state (Fig. 19), the first state comprising the working channel valve configured to place a suction channel (68) of the valve well in fluid communication with the atmospheric channel (Fig. 11), the second state comprising the working channel valve configured to place the suction channel in fluid communication with the working channel (Fig. 16), and the third state comprising the working channel valve configured to place the suction channel in fluid communication with the balloon channel (Fig. 19).
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 11, 12 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Taniguchi (US Patent Application Publication No. 2019/0125167) in view of Ouchi et al. (US Patent No. 4,325,362, hereinafter Ouchi).
In regard to claims 11, 12 and 19, Taniguchi fails to teach wherein the working channel valve is configured to be rotated to transition between the first state, the second state, and the third state, wherein the valve interface mechanism is configured to translate a linear input acting on the working channel valve into rotation of the working channel valve to transition the working channel valve between the first state, the second state, and the third state.
Ouchi teaches an analogous endoscope valve (20, Figs. 6-11) configured to transition between four configurations (Figs. 7-10) allowing for different flow states of the valve. Ouchi further teaches that transitioning between the four configurations of the valve is accomplished through rotation of adjusting member (280) thereby aligning outlets (27a-27c) with grooves (290a-290d), Figs. 7-10. Ouchi further teaches a piston (30) that engages with grooves (221a-221d) which are positioned to be associated with the outlets (27a-27c) and grooves (290a-290d) providing tactile feedback between each of the four configurations of the valve (Fig. 6).
It would’ve been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to modify the suction valve of Taniguchi to transition between flow states of the valve via rotation as taught by Ouchi as a matter of design choice for transitioning between different flow states of the valve while further providing the user with tactile feedback when the transition between each flow state has been achieved.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 14, 15 and 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-6, 10-13, 16-19 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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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/RYAN N HENDERSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3795 March 2, 2026