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 .
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed on 04/28/2026 has been entered. Claims 13-19 are pending. Claims 1-4, 7-12, 20, are allowed. Applicant’s amendment to the claims have overcome objections previously set forth in the Non-Final Office Action notified on 04/28/2026.
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) 13-14, 16-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 as being anticipated by Onuki (US 20130184528).
Regarding claim 13, Onuki discloses a medical scope device (FIG.1 annotated), comprising: a handle (FIG, 1) at a proximal end of the medical scope device, wherein the handle includes a first control assembly and a second control assembly (FIG. 1, annotated);
an elongate tube (bending section 31 is an elongate tube) extending from the handle to a distal end of the medical scope device; and
an accessory device (bending section 220 protruding from tube 31; FIG. 1) disposed within at least a portion of the elongate tube and extending from the handle towards the distal end of the medical scope device,
wherein the first control assembly (Dial section 51 configured to manipulate the bending section 31) is disposed at a first location on the handle (FIG. 1, annotated); and
a second control assembly (First knob 52A configured to bend the bending section 220) disposed at a second location on the handle offset from the first location (FIG. 1);
wherein the first control assembly controls a movement of the elongate tube (Dial section 51 configured to manipulate the bending section 31), and wherein the second control assembly controls a movement of a distal end of the accessory device (First knob 52A configured to bend the bending section 220).
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Regarding claim 14, Onuki discloses wherein the accessory device (Bending section 220 is moveable distally bending section 31) is moveable distally relative to the elongate tube.
Regarding claim 16, Onuki discloses wherein the first control assembly comprises a first wheel and a second wheel (FIG. 22; first control, dial section 51, assembly include 2 wheels), wherein the first wheel controls a first direction of movement of the elongate tube and the second wheel controls a second direction of movement of the elongate tube (Wheel are configured to control the two directions of the movement. Para [0107]).
Regarding claim 17, Onuki discloses wherein a first drum is coupled to the first wheel and wherein a second drum is coupled to the second wheel (A wire and drum is associated with first dial section 51 which has two wheels. Wire 239; para [0134]), wherein a first wire disposed on the first drum controls the first direction of movement of the elongate tube and a second wire disposed on the second drum controls the second direction of movement of the elongate tube, the first drum and second drum coaxial with the first control assembly (Wire and drum associated with the second wheel of the dial 51; Wire 239; para [0134]); FIGS. 1, 19, 22).
Regarding claim 18, Onuki discloses wherein the second control assembly comprises a third wheel and a fourth wheel (Note two wheels associated with the second control assembly; FIG. 22), wherein the third wheel controls a first direction of movement of the accessory device and the fourth wheel controls a second direction of movement of the accessory device (Second dial section 52 includes two wheels and are configured to manipulate the left arm section 4, bending section 220. Para [0107]).
Regarding claim 19, Onuki discloses wherein a third drum is coupled to the third wheel and wherein a fourth drum is coupled to the fourth wheel (Each of the wheel have associated drums. The claims do not claim the features of the drums.), wherein a third wire disposed on the third drum controls the first direction of movement of the accessory device and a fourth wire disposed on the fourth drum controls the second direction of movement of the accessory device (Each wheel would have drums or pully for wires to be maneuvered by the knobs. Para [0094]), the first drum and second drum being coaxial with the first control assembly (Note the coaxial wheels in each of the first control assembly and second control assembly; FIG. 22; FIG. 22).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Onuki (US 20130184528) in view of Fancher (US 20220151463).
Regarding claim 15, Onuki does not expressly disclose a first brake for selectively preventing rotation of the first control assembly and a second brake for selectively preventing rotation of the second control assembly.
Fancher is directed to a medical instrument system (abstract) and teaches a first brake for selectively preventing rotation of the first control assembly and a second brake for selectively preventing rotation of the second control assembly (Reusable hand-piece can include a brake that applies an adjustable level of rotational resistance to the articulation control (e.g., articulation control knobs; FIGS. 11, 13; Para [0270], [0280], [0283], [0407]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Onuki to include brakes with the drums so that the rotation of the control assembly (wheels) could be smoothly controlled.
Response to Arguments
Regarding claims 1 and 20, applicant’s arguments submitted on 04/28/2026 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection dated 01/28/2026 has been withdrawn.
Regarding claims 13, the applicant has not specifically pointed out what Onuki does not disclose. As discussed in the rejection above, Onuki discloses first control assembly and second control assembly (FIG. 1, annotated), elongate tube (31), an accessory device (bending section 220 protruding from tube 31; FIG. 1). Please see rejection set forth above.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1 and 20 include allowable subject matter.
Reasons for Allowance
Claim 1
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
The prior art of record fails to explicitly teach or fairly suggest, alone or in combination, a medical scope device: wherein at least a portion of the second steerable device is disposed within the accessory channel from the handle towards the distal end of the elongate tube, along with the remaining features of claim 1.
The closest art Onuki (US 20130184528) includes an accessory channel (FIG. 5). However, Onuki could not be further modified to include the second steerable device disposed within the accessory channel. Accordingly, claim 1 is allowed.
Claim 20 includes similar inventive features.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHANKAR R GHIMIRE whose telephone number is (571)272-0515. The examiner can normally be reached 8 AM - 5 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, Anhtuan Nguyen can be reached on 571-272-4963. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SHANKAR RAJ GHIMIRE/Examiner, Art Unit 3795
/ANHTUAN T NGUYEN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3795
6/16/26
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