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 Objections
Claim 9 is objected to because of the following informalities: “wherein further comprises” doesn’t make sense. The examiner suggests changing to “further comprising”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 13 is objected to because of the following informalities: “an host module” is grammatically incorrect. The examiner suggests “a host module”. Appropriate correction is required.
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 8, 9 and 11 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 8, “said sealing ring” lacks antecedent basis.
In claim 9, “said small opening end” lacks antecedent basis. Claim 11 has the same issue (but depends on claim 9, so if fixed in claim 9 it should fix 11 as well).
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) 1-3, 9, 10 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by De Becdelievre et al (US 2023/0111110; hereafter De).
Regarding claim 1, De discloses a connector, comprising a connecting barrel 31 with a front opening (seen in fig 3) and a rear opening (side opening seen in tapered portion in center of 53 in fig 5) opposite to each other, a periphery of said rear opening extends outward to form a rear chamber (chamber which receives diaphragm 61, which includes both 22 and 53), said connecting barrel is in communication with said rear chamber (fig 5, via the rear opening); a bottom surface of said connecting barrel is provided with a first through-hole 52 (fig 5), and said rear chamber is provided with a second through-hole 15 (of 22).
Regarding claim 2, wherein said rear chamber comprises a corrugated plate 53 connecting said rear opening, a side wall (wall of 22) perpendicularly extends from a periphery of said corrugated plate such that said rear chamber is in a groove shape (when 22 is attached to 53); and said second through-hole is formed in a top portion of said side wall (fig 10).
Regarding claim 3, a front shell 21 and a rear shell 20 connected in a matching manner (fig 6), a front surface of said front shell is provided with a trumpet-shaped cavity, and said front opening faces said trumpet-shaped cavity (fig 3).
Regarding claim 9, wherein said front shell has a front-shell left portion (bottom half in fig 3), a front-shell right portion (top half in fig 3), and a front-shell middle portion 32 connecting said front-shell left portion and said front-shell right portion (fig 3); said trumpet-shaped cavity is provided in said front-shell middle portion (fig 3), and said small opening end of said trumpet-shaped cavity and said front opening of said connecting barrel is integrally formed (fig 6).
Regarding claim 10, wherein further comprises a rear shell matching said front shell, said rear shell is provided with a fitting groove at a position directly facing said rear chamber, and said rear chamber is partially accommodated in said fitting groove (fig 6).
Regarding claim 12, further comprising a host module 11, detachably connected to said front shell and said rear shell (via catheter), said host module comprises a central drive assembly 154 and a symmetrical power supply assembly 155, said symmetrical power supply assembly is electrically connected to said drive assembly (¶178), and a suction port 14 of said drive assembly is in communication with a negative pressure chamber arranged in said rear chamber (fig 1B).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-8, 11 and 13 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 8 and 11 have 112 issues as addressed above).
Each of claims 4, 11 and 13 each require an arrangement of the various elements of the device that is not an obvious modification of closest art De (see above). Both rearrangement of parts and secondary references were considered but the modifications would be based on 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.
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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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