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 .
Status of Claims and Application
Tis non-final action on the merits is in response to the election of invention received by the office 18 March 2026. Claims 3-16 are pending. Claims 11-16 are withdrawn as non-elected.
Election/Restrictions
Claims 11-16 withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 18 March 2026.
Examiner notes applicant’s request for rejoinder of withdrawn claims 11-16. Rejoinder at this moment is not appropriate. Rejoinder will be considered when allowable subject matter is identified.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) 3-5, 7, & 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CN 112932564 to Zhang et al. (‘564 hereafter), mode of record by applicant disclosure.
Regarding claim 3. ‘564 teaches a device for preparing a closure end of an occluder comprising: a first mold (Fig 14 item 204); a second mold (Fig 14 item 208); a fixing member, configured to fix a front end of a strip (Fig 14 item 212); a first driving device, configured to drive the first mold and the second mold to move, so that the first mold, the second mold and the fixing member fit with one another to perform pressing on the front end of the strip, and so that the first mold abuts against the second mold, and the first mold and the second mold fit with each other, so as to form a first pressing through hole, wherein the front end of the strip passes through the first pressing through hole (Fig. 16 item 221); and heaters, configured to heat the first mold and the second mold (Fig 10 item 251).
Regarding claim 4, ‘564 teaches the device for preparing the closure end of the occluder wherein: the front end of the strip comprises a first part and a second part, the first part is wound on the fixing member, and the second part is placed above the fixing member (Fig 14 item 212); the first mold and the second mold are configured to fit with each other to press the second part during the first pressing, and the first mold, the second mold and the fixing member are configured to fit with one another to press the first part, wherein the second part is located in front of the first part during the second pressing (Fig 14 items 204 and 208).
Regarding claim 5, ‘564 teaches the device for preparing the closure end of the occluder wherein the first mold, the second mold and the fixing member are configured to fit with one another to laterally press the first part, and the first mold and the second mold move downwards relative to the fixing member, to drive the second part to press downwards against a top end of the fixing member during the second pressing (Fig 14 items 204 and 208, Fit 16 item 221).
Regarding claim 7, ‘564 teaches the device for preparing the closure end of the occluder wherein each of the first mold and the second mold is provided with a spiral groove, so that the first mold and the second mold are configured to move downwards along an outer edge of the front end of the strip and relative to the front end of the strip (Fig 16, unlabeled bolt holes).
Regarding claim 8, ‘564 teaches the device for preparing the closure end of the occluder wherein the fixing member is in a cylindrical structure, and the fixing member is provided with a spiral groove for mounting and fixing the front end of the strip (Fig 5 item 301).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ‘546 as applied to claim 4 above, and further in view of CN 205069231 U to Zhou et al. (‘231 hereafter).
Regarding claim 6, ‘564 does not teach a rotary force applicator. In the related art of twisted wire formation, ‘231 teaches that it is known to use a turntable to impart rotary motion to an element holding a wire in order to twist the wire (Fig. 2 items 13 and 14) for the benefit of imparting a twist to a wire. It would have been obvious to one possessed of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to combine the teachings of ‘546 with those of ‘231 for the benefit of imparting a twist to an occlude formed of braided wires.
Claim(s) 9 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ‘564 as applied to claim 4 above, and further in view of CN 112914660 to Zhang et al. (‘660 hereafter).
Regarding claim 9, ‘564 does not teach a vent wire. In the same field of endeavor, ‘660 teaches the device for preparing the closure end of the occluder further comprising a vent wire arranged above the fixing member, and the second part is wound on the vent wire, and a cross-sectional area of the vent wire is less than that of the fixing member (Fig 12 item 202) for the benefit of supporting the nascent occlude as it is formed. It would have been obvious to combine the teachings of ‘564 with those of ‘660 for the benefit of supporting an occluder as it is formed.
Regarding claim 10, ‘564 teaches a grooved member (Fig 5 item 301). ‘564 does not teach the placement or aspect ratio of that member. In the same field of endeavor, ‘660 teaches a vent wire (Fig 12 item 202). It would have been obvious to combine the groove of ‘564 with the vent wire of ‘660 for the benefit of supporting an occluder as it is formed.
Conclusion
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/JPR/Examiner, Art Unit 1743
/GALEN H HAUTH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1743
