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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because of the following problems.
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the medical device, one or more cables of a cable arrangement, and a sensor of the sensor cable must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: “F2” for the actuating force described in Paragraph [0064], line 2.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: “42” shown in Figures 1a and 1b.
Both specification and claims describe and recite, “a snap point”. However, because this snap point does not have an assigned reference number and a lead line pointing at the snap point, it is not clear where this snap point is located.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: CLAMPIND DEVICE FOR SENSOR CABLE WITH AN ACTUATING HOLDING ELEMENT.
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Paragraph [0003], line 5, the abbreviation “an ECG device, and EEG device” occurring for the first time should be written with a full terminology with the abbreviation enclosed within a parenthesis.
Paragraph [0065], line 3, it is not clear what the letter “s” is for in the phrase “(or also the actuation Path) s of”
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 2-9 and 11-19 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claims 2-9, line 1, “A clamping device” should be -- The clamping device -- because claim 1, line 1 already recites, “A clamping device”.
Claims 11-19, line 1, “A sensor cable” should be -- The sensor cable -- because claim 10, line 1 already recites, “A sensor cable”.
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 1-19 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 1, lines 7-8 recite, “the holding element is elastically deformable by actuation with an actuating force”. However, line 11 also recites, “an actuation force”. Therefore, it is not clear and indefinite whether these two forces are the same force or two different forces.
Claim 1, line 12 recites, “a snap point”. However, because the specification describes “a snap point” without an assigned reference number and the drawings are not pointing at the snap point with a lead line and the assign reference number, it is not clear and indefinite where the snap point is located.
The preamble of claim 10 identifies the claimed invention to be “a sensor cable”. However, the body of claim 10 does not recite any sensor. Therefore, it is not clear and indefinite what kind of sensor is being used; what is being sensed, and how a sensor is structurally related with all the elements recited in the body of claim 10.
The preamble of claim 10 also recites, “A sensor cable for electrically connecting an electrical contact to a medical device”. However, the body of claim 10 does not recite the medical device structurally related to any other elements in the body of claim 10. Therefore, it is not clear and indefinite how the electrical contact is electrically connected to the medical device by the sensor cable.
Claim 10, lines 9-10 and 13-14 also recite, “an actuating force”, “an actuation force”, and “a snap point”, which has the same problems as claim 1. Therefore, the same rejection stated above also applies to claim 10.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HAE MOON HYEON whose telephone number is (571) 272-2093. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9:30 am - 6:00 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abdullah A Riyami can be reached at 571-270-3119. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/hmh/
/Hae Moon Hyeon/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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