DETAILED ACTION
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 figs. 3, 4, and 11 are cross-sectional views but lack proper cross-hatching. See 37 CFR 1.84 (h)(3).
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 abstract of the disclosure is objected to because it begins with the implied phrase “Disclosed are”. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
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.
Claims 2-5 and 12 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 2 recites that the first side of the second surface includes the first hook and a second side includes the second hook. However, claim 1 only required the surface to have one of a first hook or a second hook, so this makes it unclear how many hooks are being required by the claim. Further, claim 1 uses “first hook” and “second hook” to refer to elements of both the connection member and the “another sterile connection member” so this further adds to the confusion and renders the claim indefinite.
Claim 5 recites “the second hook” and “the first hook”. It is unclear if these are referring to the hooks of the sterile connection member or the another sterile connection member.
Claim 12 recites “the second hook” and “the first hook”. It is unclear if these are referring to the hooks of the sterile connection member or the another sterile connection member.
The remaining claims are rejected based on their dependency.
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.
Claims 1-5, 7, 8, 11, 13-18, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jia et al. (CN 216843590U hereinafter “Jia”) in view of Huang et al. (CN 109404384A hereinafter “Huang”).
In regards to claims 1 and 5, Jia discloses a sterile connection member, comprising:
a main body (1), a first surface (bottom in fig. 4) of the main body is connected to an external pipeline, a fluid channel (central bore) is arranged inside the main body, the fluid channel penetrates from the first surface to a second surface (11) of the main body, the second surface comprises at least one first hook (14/15), the first hook is matched with a second hook of a main body of another sterile connection member to form a buckle connection (see fig. 2).
Jia does not disclose an unlocking hole formed in the main body and communicating with the buckle connection for guiding an unlocking member to press the second hook and/or the first hook at the buckle connection to release the buckle connection, the unlocking member laterally squeezes the second hook and/or the first hook at the buckle connection to cause it to undergo a restorable deformation in order to release the buckle connection.
However, Huang teaches an unlocking hole (see hole that receives “60”) formed in a main body and communicating with the buckle connection for guiding an unlocking member (60) to press a second hook (90) and/or the first hook at the buckle connection to release the buckle connection, the unlocking member laterally squeezes the second hook and/or the first hook at the buckle connection to cause it to undergo a restorable deformation in order to release the buckle connection (shown in fig. 1).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the connection member of Jia with an unlocking hole, in order to create a way for the user to easily disconnect the two members.
In regards to claims 2 and 15, as best understood by the examiner, Jia further discloses a first side of the second surface includes the first hook (14), and a second side includes the second hook (15), the first hook cooperates with the second hook of another sterile connection member's main body to achieve the buckle connection, and the second hook cooperates with the first hook of another sterile connection member's main body to achieve the buckle connection (shown in fig. 2).
In regards to claims 3 and 16, as best understood by the examiner, Jia further discloses the first hook is an inner enclosure plate (shown in fig. 9), and the second hook is a snap plate (shown in fig. 8), the inner enclosure plate is provided with an inwardly extending snap strip (222) at its end, the snap plate is provided with an outwardly extending snap hook (153) at its end, the snap strip on the inner enclosure plate is connected to the snap hook on the snap plate of the another sterile connection member for a first buckle connection, and the snap hook on the snap plate is connected to the snap strip on the inner enclosure plate of the another sterile connection member for a second buckle connection (shown in fig. 2).
In regards to claims 4 and 17, as best understood by the examiner, Jia further discloses the second side of the second surface of the main body further comprises an outer enclosure plate (16), the outer enclosure plate is provided on the outer side of the snap plate to limit an outward movement of the inner enclosure plate of the another sterile connection member in the buckle connection state.
In regards to claims 7 and 20, Jia further discloses a film (3), the film is provided on the second surface of the main body to cover an opening of the fluid channel on the second surface of said body, an end of the film extends to the exterior of the main body for pulling and tearing away (shown in fig. 4).
In regards to claim 8, Jia further discloses the end of the film extending to the exterior of the main body is provided with a film puller (see end of 3) by which the film is pulled away from the second surface of the main body, the film puller is detachably connected to the main body.
In regards to claim 11, Jia further discloses a protective cover (3), the protective cover is detachably connected to the second surface of the main body.
In regards to claim 13, Jia further discloses the opening of the fluid channel on the second surface of the main body is provided with a sealing member (4), the end surface of the sealing member is higher than the end surface of the second surface of the main body.
In regards to claims 14 and 18, Jia discloses a sterile connection apparatus, comprising:
a sterile connection member, comprising:
a main body (1), a first surface (bottom in fig. 1) of the main body is connected to an external pipeline, a fluid channel (central bore) is arranged inside the main body, the fluid channel penetrates from the first surface to a second surface (11) of the main body, the second surface comprises at least one first hook (14) and/or at least one second hook (!5), the first hook is matched with a second hook of a main body of another sterile connection member to form a buckle connection, and/or the second hook is matched with a first hook of a main body of another sterile connection member to form a buckle connection (shown in fig. 2); and
wherein the first hook of the main body of the sterile connection member cooperates with the second hook of the main body of another sterile connection member to achieve a buckle connection, and/or the second hook of the sterile connection member cooperates with the first hook of the main body of another sterile connection member to achieve a buckle connection (shown in fig. 2),
Jia does not disclose an unlocking hole formed in the main body and communicating with the buckle connection for guiding an unlocking member to press the second hook and/or the first hook at the buckle connection to release the buckle connection, the unlocking hole of the sterile connection member is provided in the main body and connected to the buckle connection, for guiding the unlocking member to squeeze the second hook and/or the first hook at the buckle connection to release the buckle connection, and the unlocking member laterally squeezes the second hook and/or the first hook at the buckle connection to cause it to undergo a restorable deformation in order to release the buckle connection.
However, Huang teaches an unlocking hole (see hole that receives “60”) formed in a main body and communicating with the buckle connection for guiding an unlocking member (60) to press a second hook (90) and/or the first hook at the buckle connection to release the buckle connection, the unlocking hole of the sterile connection member is provided in the main body and connected to the buckle connection, for guiding the unlocking member to squeeze the second hook and/or the first hook at the buckle connection to release the buckle connection (shown in fig. 1), and the unlocking member laterally squeezes the second hook and/or the first hook at the buckle connection to cause it to undergo a restorable deformation in order to release the buckle connection (shown in fig. 1).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the connection member of Jia with an unlocking hole, in order to create a way for the user to easily disconnect the two members.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6, 9, 10, and 19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 12 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
As allowable subject matter has been indicated, applicant's reply must either comply with all formal requirements or specifically traverse each requirement not complied with. See 37 CFR 1.111(b) and MPEP § 707.07(a).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Each of the remaining cited prior art shows a similar sterile connection apparatus.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZACHARY T DRAGICEVICH whose telephone number is (571)270-0505. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00 - 4:30 EST.
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, Matthew D. Troutman can be reached at (571) 270-3654. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ZACHARY T DRAGICEVICH/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3679
09/23/2026
Prosecution Insights