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 of group I and species c in the reply filed on 03/17/2026 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
Status of Claims
Claim 1-20 are pending, claims 2-6 and 16-20 have been withdrawn from consideration, and claims 1 and 7-15 are currently under consideration for patentability under 37 CFR 1.104
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/27/2024 has been considered by the examiner.
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 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hosogoe (U.S. 2019/0231173).
With respect to claim 1, Hosogoe teaches an elevator for a medical device, comprising:
a proximal end portion (proximal end of 831, FIG. 12);
a distal end portion (distal end of 831, FIG. 12); and
a guide surface (84) for contacting an accessory device, wherein the guide surface extends between the proximal end portion and the distal end portion (FIG. 12);
wherein the distal end portion includes a curved distal surface, configured such that a protruding portion of the accessory device deflects off of the distal surface as the protruding portion is moved proximally (FIG. 11-13).
With respect to claim 7, Hosogoe teaches the distal surface extends a uniform amount in a distal direction across a width of the distal end portion (FIG. 12).
With respect to claim 8, Hosogoe teaches the distal surface is distal to an entirety of the guide surface (FIG. 12).
With respect to claim 9, Hosogoe teaches a central portion of the guide surface extends further in a distal direction than side portions of the guide surface (FIG. 12).
With respect to claim 10, Hosogoe teaches the distal end portion further includes a ramped surface, wherein the distal surface is a distal end of the ramped surface (see annotated FIGS. 11 and 13 below).
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With respect to claim 11, Hosogoe teaches a back surface opposite the guide surface, wherein the ramped surface tapers toward the back surface moving in a distal direction (see annotated FIGS above).
With respect to claim 12, Hosogoe teaches the ramped surface extends distally from a distal end of the guide surface (FIG. 11, 12).
With respect to claim 13, Hosogoe teaches a straight line extends along an entire width of the distal surface (FIG. 12).
With respect to claim 14, Hosogoe teaches the distal surface is configured to inhibit the protruding portion of the accessory device from snagging on the elevator (intended use).
With respect to claim 15, Hosogoe teaches the distal surface is configured to deflect off of the distal surface toward the guide surface as the protruding portion of the accessory device is moved proximally (intended use).oHos
Conclusion
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/ALEXANDRA L NEWTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3799
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