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
Claims 1-9 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 (and all the dependent claims with similar recitations) that recite “resilient assembly” should read “resiliently compressible assembly”. This suggestion is to help keep the language/recitations in the rest of the claims similar to the original recitation.
Claim 1 line 12 should read “the fluid passageway of the opposite second end piece of the end pieces, and such that a continued further”
Claims 2-9 recite “A fluid connector” in the preamble in line 1. This should read “the fluid connector” as this refers to the same fluid connector introduced in claim 1.
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 5-9 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.
Claim 5 recites “wherein a portion of the fluid passageway of the second end piece extends within”. It is unclear what the fluid passageway “extends within” , the current language reads as through the presence of the fluid passageway within the second end piece is all the claim requires, therefore this the interpretation the examiner is taking for purposes of examination.
Claims 6-9 are rejected due to their dependency on claim 5.
Claim 6 recites “the passageway portion” in line 2. This limitation lacks antecedent basis.
Claim 8 recites “the first predetermined pressure” and “the second predetermined pressure” in lines 1-3. These limitations lack antecedent basis.
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.
Claim(s) 1-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Edwards et al. (US 5555908 hereinafter “Edwards”).
Regarding Claim 1, Edwards teaches (Fig 2) A fluid connector (10) for medical use as an interconnector in a fluid pathway, the fluid connector, when assembled, comprising:
two coaxial, interconnected end pieces (22, 24) which comprise the opposite ends of the connector (10), and through each of which extends a fluid passageway (16) within each end piece, said passageways together providing fluid communication between said opposite ends (22, 24); and
a multi-stage fluid control valve (32) provided within the interconnected end pieces, the fluid control valve (32), when inactive, closes fluid flow through the fluid passageways of both end pieces (Fig 2) and hence through the connector, said control valve comprising a resiliently compressible assembly (34, 40, 42, 38) which can be activated such that a first predetermined compression of the resilient assembly puts the control valve into a partial flow condition in which fluid flow is established into the fluid passageway of one a first of the end pieces, but holds fluid flow from egress through the fluid passageway of the opposite second end piece (it is interpreted that any position between Fig 2 and Fig 4 would be considered a partial flow condition where flow is established within the first end piece (the left side of Fig 2, 22) but not fully through the second side device to the second end piece 24; in other words, fluid flow is not fully formed through the channel in Fig 4 where the arrows are pointing through channel area where 58 and 122 points to; the flow is “held” until the valve is fully open as shown in Fig 4), and such that a continued further second predetermined compression of the resilient assembly puts the control valve into a fully open condition (Fig 4) allowing fluid flow through the fluid passageways of both the first and second end pieces and hence through the connector (See Fig 4; fully open condition; Col 5 lines 28-53);
wherein disconnection of the connector from said fluid pathway is affected by causing a multi-stage relaxation of the resilient assembly to a fully relaxed condition to close fluid flow through the connector (See Col 5 lines 54-66 teaching how the adapter returns back to position shown in Fig 2 when disconnected).
Regarding Claim 2, Edwards teaches a fluid connector according to claim 1, wherein the first end piece (22) is received at least partially within the second end piece (24), and wherein the first end piece (22) accommodates the resiliently compressible assembly (34; see Fig 2; also see Col 4 lines 42-55 teaching how the assembly is connected through a shoulder 46 and 48, this is considered the shoulder area between first end piece 22 and second end piece 24).
Regarding Claim 3, Edwards teaches a fluid connector according to claim 2, wherein the resiliently compressible assembly includes a first component (pusher 38) which controls fluid flow primarily within the fluid passageway of the first end piece and a second component (34) which primarily controls fluid flow through the second end piece (See Figs 2 and 4 how movement of 38 and 34 controls fluid flow).
Regarding Claim 4, Edwards teaches a fluid connector according claim 3, wherein the first component (pusher 38) is resiliently movable within the first end piece to open and close fluid flow (See Figs 2 and 4 how the movement of 38 causes 34 to move open and close the fluid flow) therethrough and wherein the second component (34) is resiliently movable also within the first end piece to open and close fluid flow through the second end piece (See Figs 2 and 4 how valve moves to open and close fluid flow).
Regarding Claim 5, Edwards teaches a fluid connector according to claim 4, wherein a portion of the fluid passageway of the second end piece extends within, and thereby provides a portion of, the fluid passageway of the first end piece (See the 112b rejection above; also see Fig 4,the arrows show all 'portions' of the fluid passageway in the entire device, therefore the fluid passageway extends through the first and second end pieces).
Regarding Claim 6, Edwards teaches a fluid connector according to claim 5, wherein the second component (34) opens and closes fluid communication through the passageway portion extending within the first end piece which thereby controls fluid flow through both first and second end pieces (See Figs 2 and 4, when 34 compresses, the fluid flow is open allowing the passageway portion to extend through both first and second end pieces).
Regarding Claim 7, Edwards teaches a fluid connector according to claim 6, wherein a coaxial conduit element (66) is housed within the first end piece (22) and disposed between the first (38) and second components (34) of the resilient assembly, and wherein fluid flow through one end of the conduit element is controlled by the first component (38) and fluid flow through the opposite end of the conduit element is controlled by the second component (34; the movement of pusher 38 causes the compression of 34 which results in the complete fluid flow for the opposite end of the connector to receive the fluid flow as seen in Fig 4).
Regarding Claim 8, Edwards teaches a fluid connector according to claim 7, wherein the arrangement is such that the first predetermined pressure causes compression of the first component (38) to open fluid communication of the first end piece through the conduit element (66) and wherein the second predetermined pressure causes axial movement of the conduit element (66) and compression of the second component (34) to establish fluid flow through both end pieces and hence the connector (See Movement from Fig 2 to Fig 4; first predetermined pressure is a position between Figure 2 and Figure 4 and second predetermined pressure is what results in Figure 4; also see Col 5 lines 28-53).
Regarding Claim 9, Edwards teaches a fluid connector according to claim 8, wherein the second predetermined pressure causes fluid communication between the opposite end of the conduit element and fluid passageway of the second end piece of the connector (See Fig 4; Col 5 lines 28-53).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Cote (US 6039302) teaches a connector with compressible elements
Whitley (US 20060142735) teaches a self sealing connector with compressible elements.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NEERAJA GOLLAMUDI whose telephone number is (571)272-6449. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8-5.
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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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/NEERAJA GOLLAMUDI/Examiner, Art Unit 3783
/WESLEY G HARRIS/Examiner, Art Unit 3783
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