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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on February 29, 2024 is noted. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement 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) 1-2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Chen (2019/0110870).
With respect to claim 1, Chen discloses a screw for a dental implant, the screw comprising a body (see annotated figure, the body is the portion within the box identified as body) in which a through hole 11 is formed in a vertical direction, and a cover part formed on an edge of a top of the body (see annaoted figure, such that the cover part is the portion within the box identified as cover part), wherein the cover part comprises a protective body formed by comprising a horizontal plate formed to have a predetermined area in a horizontal direction (see annotated figure, fig. 3, such that the area is determined before manufacturing and therefore it is predetermined) and an inclined plate formed downward on an end of the horizontal plate (see annotated figure, fig. 3), and a connecting bolt (see fig. 3, such that a bolt connected the body portion to the implant) that fixes the protective body to a fixture 51 by passing through the through hole to be fastened to the fixture configured to be implanted in the an alveolar bone of a subject (see fig. 3), and when the protective body is fixed to the fixture by the connecting bolt in a process of implant placement surgery (see fig. 3 such that an implant is installed, therefore, it can be fixed during implant placement surgery), the cover part is configured to cover and protect a bone graft material 54 implanted around the fixture (see fig. 3).
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Chen further discloses with respect to claim 2, wherein the horizontal plate is formed in a fan shape (see fig. 1, annotated figure, such that it is shaped to taper out such as a shape of a fan).
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Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 1 and 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KR (101140620) in view of Mizuguchi (JP 2010284248).
KR teaches with respect to claim 1, a screw for a dental implant, the screw comprising: a body (see figures 4, 7c-d, such that the body is the portion of element 11 that does not extend beyond the diameter of the implant) in which a through hole 17 is formed in a vertical direction, and a cover part (see figures 4, 7c-d, such that the cover portion is the portion extending out from the body beyond the diameter of the implant) formed on an edge of a top of the body, wherein the cover part comprises a protective body formed by comprising a horizontal plate formed to have a predetermined area (such that it is determined before manufacture, therefore it is predetermined) in a horizontal direction and a connecting bolt 13 that fixes the protective body to a fixture by passing through the through hole to be fastened to the fixture configured to be implanted in an alveolar bone of a subject (see fig. 7c-d, pars. 1, 38 of translation) and when the protective body is fixed to the fixture by the connecting bolt is a process of implant placement surgery, the cover part is configured to cover and protect a bone graft material implanted around the fixture (see fig. 2, par. 9). KR teaches the invention as substantially claimed and discussed above, however, does not specifically teach the protective body comprises a horizontal plate and an included plate formed downward on an end of the horizontal plate.
Mizuguchi teaches a screw for a dental implant, the screw comprising: a body (see figures 3-6, such that the body is the portion of element 11a/13a that has the through bore and has the same diameter as the implant) in which a through hole 27 is formed in a vertical direction, and a cover part (see figs. 3-6, such that the cover portion is the portion extending out from the body beyond the diameter of the implant including portion 26, see annotated figure) formed on an edge of a top of the body, wherein the cover part comprises a protective body formed by comprising a horizontal plate formed to have a predetermined area in a horizontal direction (such that it is determined before manufacture, therefore it is predetermined) and an inclined plate formed downward on an end of the horizontal plate (see figs. 3-6, annotated figure) and a connecting bolt 12a that fixes the protective body to a fixture 5 by passing through the through hole to be fastened to the fixture configured to be implanted in an alveolar bone of a subject (see fig. 3-6) and when the protective body is fixed to the fixture by the connecting bolt is a process of implant placement surgery, the cover part is configured to cover and protect a bone graft material 7 implanted around the fixture (see figs. 3-6, par. 40 of translation). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify KR with the shape of the plate taught by Mizuguchi in order to match the shape of the tooth extraction hole where guided bone regeneration is required (see par. 42 of translation). It is noted that Mizuguchi teaches a shape similar to that of KR as illustrated in fig. 1.
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With respect to claim 3, KR/Mizuguchi teaches the invention as substantially claimed and discussed above, KR further teaches wherein the body has a fixture connection part formed on a lower part thereof, with the fixture connection part having a thickness decreasing gradually downward, and the fixture connection part (126) is configured to be inserted into and fixed to the fixture (see annaoted figure below).
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Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KR (101140620) in view of Mizuguchi (JP 2010284248) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Chen (2019/0110870).
KR/Mizuguchi teaches the invention as substantially claimed and discussed above, however, does not specifically teach the horizontal plate is formed in a fan shape.
Chen teaches a screw for a dental implant, the screw comprising a body (see annotated figure, the body is the portion within the box identified as body) in which a through hole 11 is formed in a vertical direction, and a cover part formed on an edge of a top of the body (see annaoted figure above with respect to 102 rejection with Chen, such that the cover part is the portion within the box identified as cover part), wherein the cover part comprises a protective body formed by comprising a horizontal plate formed to have a predetermined area in a horizontal direction see annaoted figure above with respect to 102 rejection with Chen, fig. 3, such that the area is determined before manufacturing and therefore it is predetermined) and an inclined plate formed downward on an end of the horizontal plate (see annaoted figure above with respect to 102 rejection with Chen, fig. 3), and a connecting bolt (see fig. 3, such that a bolt connected the body portion to the implant) that fixes the protective body to a fixture 51 by passing through the through hole to be fastened to the fixture configured to be implanted in the an alveolar bone of a subject (see fig. 3), and when the protective body is fixed to the fixture by the connecting bolt in a process of implant placement surgery (see fig. 3 such that an implant is installed, therefore, it can be fixed during implant placement surgery), the cover part is configured to cover and protect a bone graft material 54 implanted around the fixture (see fig. 3). Chen further teaches with respect to claim 2, wherein the horizontal plate is formed in a fan shape (see fig. 1, annotated figure above with respect to 102 rejection of Chen, such that it is shaped to taper out such as a shape of a fan).It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to modify the shape of the horizontal plate taught by KR/Mizuguchi to be a fan shape taught by Chen in order to enlarge the area of coverage for bone regeneration such that a wider area than the diameter of the implant can be covered by the tapered shape.. As discussed above the prior art of Mizuguchi teaches the shape can vary based on the user’s needs.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KR (101140620) in view of Mizuguchi (JP 2010284248) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Haas (CN 1181228).
KR/Mizuguchi teaches the invention as substantially claimed and discussed above, however, does not specifically teach the connecting bolt has a sealing head formed on a top thereof, and the sealing head is configured to seal a gum that is pierced during implant placement surgery at a time of tooth extraction from the subject.
Hass teaches a screw for a dental implant, the screw 5 comprising a body (portion of element 5 on the implant) having a through hole (par. 14 of translation) a cover part (portion of element 5 extending from the implant formed on an edge of a top of the body (see fig. 1, explanation above) comprising a plate and a connecting bole 4 that fixed the protective body 5 to a fixture 2, the fixture configured to be implanted in an alveolar bone of a subject (see fig. 1) in a process of implant placement surgery, the cover part is configured to cover and protect a bone graft material 7 implanted around the fixture and further with respect to claim 4, wherein the connecting bolt has a sealing head formed on a top thereof, and the sealing head is configured to seal a gum that is pierced during implant placement surgery at a time of tooth extraction from the subject (par. 13, such that the cap element 4 is used to block communication between the tissue and bone, therefore it provides a seal since it blocks communication). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to modify the screw taught by KR/Mizuguchi to include the sealing head taught by Hass in order to prevent the growth of tissue on the bond body as taught by Hass (see par. 13 of Hass).
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (2019/0110870) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Haas (CN 1181228).
Chen teaches the invention as substantially claimed and discussed above, however, does not specifically teach the connecting bolt has a sealing head formed on a top thereof, and the sealing head is configured to seal a gum that is pierced during implant placement surgery at a time of tooth extraction from the subject.
Hass teaches a screw for a dental implant, the screw 5 comprising a body (portion of element 5 on the implant) having a through hole (par. 14 of translation) a cover part (portion of element 5 extending from the implant formed on an edge of a top of the body (see fig. 1, explanation above) comprising a plate and a connecting bole 4 that fixed the protective body 5 to a fixture 2, the fixture configured to be implanted in an alveolar bone of a subject (see fig. 1) in a process of implant placement surgery, the cover part is configured to cover and protect a bone graft material 7 implanted around the fixture and further with respect to claim 4, wherein the connecting bolt has a sealing head formed on a top thereof, and the sealing head is configured to seal a gum that is pierced during implant placement surgery at a time of tooth extraction from the subject (par. 13, such that the cap element 4 is used to block communication between the tissue and bone, therefore it provides a seal since it blocks communication). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to modify the screw taught by Chen to include the sealing head taught by Hass in order to prevent the growth of tissue on the bond body as taught by Hass (see par. 13 of Hass).
Conclusion
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/HEIDI M EIDE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3772 9/29/2024