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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of Group I and Species D in the reply filed on 07/22/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that Species A of fig.1 and fig 1A being generic to fig.2-12 . That argument is persuasive and the examiner acknowledges fig.1 and 1A being generic to fig.2-12.
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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.
Claims 1,2, 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by Moss et al. (US 2020/0323588).
Regarding claim 1, an energy-delivering assembly comprising: an energy-delivering member (fig.1; energy delivery probe 1) formed of an electrically-conductive material (fig.1; electrode 21, 41, 51); an electrode-defining insulation member (fig.1; insulating region 2, 20) positioned over a portion of said energy-delivering member to define a first electrode spaced apart from a second electrode by said electrode-defining insulation member (fig.3, see also [0068]); and at least one arc-reducing interface between said electrode-defining insulation member and an adjacent one of said first and second electrodes (fig.3, see also [0068]).
Regarding claim 2, the energy-delivering assembly of claim 1, wherein said arc-reducing interface comprises a region comprises a modified shape of at least one of said electrode-defining insulation member or said adjacent one of said first and second electrodes (fig.4B-D, see [0073]).
Regarding claim 12, the energy-delivering assembly of claim 1, wherein said first electrode and said second electrode are colinear to define said energy-delivering assembly as a bipolar linear probe (fig.2, see also [0063]).
Regarding claim 13, Moss discloses an energy-delivering treatment system comprising: an energy-delivering assembly comprising: an energy-delivering member (fig.1; electrode 21, 41, 51) formed of an electrically-conductive material [0076]; an electrode-defining insulation member (fig.3; insulating regions 2, 20) positioned over a portion of said energy- delivering member to define a first electrode spaced apart from a second electrode by said electrode-defining insulation member (fig.3,see also [0068]); and at least one arc-reducing interface between said electrode-defining insulation member (fig.3;see also [0068]) and an adjacent one of said first and second electrodes (fig.3;see also [0068]); and a power connector configured to deliver energy to said energy-delivering assembly to deliver energy to said energy-delivering member to deliver energy along said electrodes thereof (fig.1; energy source 29, see also [0073]).
Claims 1-2, 4, 12-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Koop et al. (US 2022/0378502).
Regarding claim 1, Koop discloses an energy-delivering assembly comprising: an energy-delivering member (fig.2B; ablation catheter 200) formed of an electrically-conductive material (fig.1; electrode assembly 202); an electrode-defining insulation member (fig.2B; insulating region 2, 20) positioned over a portion of said energy-delivering member to define a first electrode spaced apart from a second electrode by said electrode-defining insulation member [0085]; and at least one arc-reducing interface (fig.2B; rounded shape at the corners 226, 228, see also [0061]) between said electrode-defining insulation member and an adjacent one of said first and second electrodes (fig.2B, see also , [0061] and [0076]).
Regarding claim 2, Koop discloses the energy-delivering assembly of claim 1, wherein said arc-reducing interface comprises a region comprises a modified shape of at least one of said electrode-defining insulation member or said adjacent one of said first and second electrodes [fig.2B; see also [0076]).
Regarding claim 4, Koop discloses the energy-delivering assembly of claim 2, wherein said arc-reducing interface comprises a rolled wall of said first electrode adjacent said electrode-defining insulation member (fig.2B, see also [0061]).
Regarding claim 12, Koop discloses the energy-delivering assembly of claim 1, wherein said first electrode and said second electrode are colinear to define said energy-delivering assembly as a bipolar linear probe (fig.2B, see also [0063]).
Regarding claim 13, Koop discloses an energy-delivering treatment system comprising: an energy-delivering assembly comprising: an energy-delivering member (fig.1; electrode assembly 202) formed of an electrically-conductive material [0074]; an electrode-defining insulation member [0085] positioned over a portion of said energy- delivering member to define a first electrode spaced apart from a second electrode by said electrode-defining insulation member (fig.2B,see also [0085]); and at least one arc-reducing interface between said electrode-defining insulation member (fig.2B;see also [0085]) and an adjacent one of said first and second electrodes (fig.2B;see also [0085]); and a power connector configured to deliver energy to said energy-delivering assembly to deliver energy to said energy-delivering member to deliver energy along said electrodes thereof (fig.1; electroporation generator 130, see also [0084]).
Regarding claim 14, Koop discloses the energy-delivering treatment system of claim 13, wherein said arc-reducing interface comprises a region comprises a modified shape of at least one of said electrode-defining insulation member or said adjacent one of said first and second electrodes (fig.2B, see also [0061]). The edges of the electrodes comprise modified shape as well (see fig.2B and [0076])
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Mikus (US 2009/0281477 ) teaches an energy-delivering treatment system comprising: an energy-delivering assembly comprising: an energy-delivering member (fig.1; device 100) formed of an electrically-conductive material [0026]; an electrode-defining insulation member (insulating region 13, see also [0026]) positioned over a portion of said energy- delivering member to define a first electrode spaced apart from a second electrode by said electrode-defining insulation member (fig.4,see also [0036]); and at least one arc-reducing interface between said electrode-defining insulation member [0026] and an adjacent one of said first and second electrodes [0026]; and a power connector configured to deliver energy to said energy-delivering assembly to deliver energy to said energy-delivering member to deliver energy along said electrodes thereof [0029].
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TIGIST S DEMIE whose telephone number is (571)270-5345. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-5Pm.
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/TIGIST S DEMIE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3794
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