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 .
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: Applicant is required to insert all Patent numbers of all related applications into the specification.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
3. 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.
4. Claims 1-20 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.
5. Claim 1 recites the limitation "the rotation" in line 8. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 2-20 are rejection for the same reasons as for claim 1 for their dependency.
Double Patenting
6. A rejection based on double patenting of the “same invention” type finds its support in the language of 35 U.S.C. 101 which states that “whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process... may obtain a patent therefor...” (Emphasis added). Thus, the term “same invention,” in this context, means an invention drawn to identical subject matter. See Miller v. Eagle Mfg. Co., 151 U.S. 186 (1894); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Ockert, 245 F.2d 467, 114 USPQ 330 (CCPA 1957).
A statutory type (35 U.S.C. 101) double patenting rejection can be overcome by canceling or amending the claims that are directed to the same invention so they are no longer coextensive in scope. The filing of a terminal disclaimer cannot overcome a double patenting rejection based upon 35 U.S.C. 101.
7. Claims 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 as claiming the same invention as that of claims 1-20 of prior U.S. Patent No. 12,131,826. This is a statutory double patenting rejection.
The corresponding claims that contain the same subject matter are mapped below:
Patent No. 12,131,826
Application No. 18/921,615
1. A syringe pump, comprising:
a housing;
a syringe seat coupled to the housing, the syringe seat configured to retain a syringe and a barrel and a plunger disposed within the barrel;
a motor operatively coupled to a lead screw, the motor being configured to rotate the lead screw; a sliding block assembly configured to engage the lead screw to move along the lead screw in accordance with a rotation of the lead screw;
a plunger head assembly coupled to the sliding block assembly, the plunger head assembly operative to drive the plunger into the barrel; and
at least one processor configured to control rotation of the motor at a speed such to effect no slack in the syringe pump.
1. A syringe pump, comprising:
a housing;
a syringe seat coupled to the housing, the syringe seat configured to retain a syringe and a barrel and a plunger disposed within the barrel;
a motor operatively coupled to a lead screw, the motor being configured to rotate the lead screw;
a sliding block assembly configured to engage the lead screw to move along the lead screw in accordance with the rotation of the lead screw;
a plunger head assembly coupled to the sliding block assembly, the plunger head assembly operative to drive the plunger into the barrel; and
at least one processor configured to control rotation of the motor at a speed such to effect no slack in the syringe pump.
2. The syringe pump according to claim 1, further comprising:
a rotary position sensor operatively coupled to at least one of the motor and the lead screw to provide a rotation signal.
2. The syringe pump according to claim 1, further comprising:
a rotary position sensor operatively coupled to at least one of the motor and the lead screw to provide a rotation signal.
3. The syringe pump according to claim 2, further comprising:
a linear position sensor operatively coupled to the sliding block assembly and configured to provide a linear position signal.
3. The syringe pump according to claim 2, further comprising:
a linear position sensor operatively coupled to the sliding block assembly and
configured to provide a linear position signal.
4. The syringe pump according to claim 3, wherein:
the at least one processor operatively receives the motor rotation signal from the integral motor rotation sensor of the motor, the rotation signal from the rotary position sensor, and the linear position signal from the linear position sensor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine a discrepancy exists among the motor rotation signal, the rotation signal, and the linear position signal.
4. The syringe pump according to claim 3, wherein:
the at least one processor operatively receives the motor rotation signal from the integral motor rotation sensor of the motor, the rotation signal from the rotary position sensor, and the linear position signal from the linear position sensor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine a discrepancy exists among the motor rotation signal, the rotation signal, and the linear position signal.
5. The syringe pump according to claim 4, wherein:
the at least one processor is further configured to continue an infusion treatment by ignoring an inoperative one of the integral motor rotation sensor, the rotary position sensor, and the linear position sensor.
11. The syringe pump according to claim 4, wherein:
the at least one processor is further configured to continue an infusion treatment by ignoring an inoperative one of the integral motor rotation sensor, the rotary position sensor, and the linear position sensor.
6. The syringe pump according to claim 3, wherein:
the motor has an integral motor rotation sensor configured to provide a motor rotation signal;
the processor is configured to control rotation of the motor;
the processor operatively receives the motor rotation signal from the integral motor rotation sensor of the motor, the rotation signal from the rotary position sensor and the linear position signal from the linear position sensor; and
the processor is configured to determine if a discrepancy exists among the motor rotation signal, the rotation signal, and the linear position signal.
5. The syringe pump according to claim 3, wherein:
the motor has an integral motor rotation sensor configured to provide a motor rotation signal;
the processor is configured to control rotation of the motor;
the processor operatively receives the motor rotation signal from the integral
motor rotation sensor of the motor, the rotation signal from the rotary position
sensor and the linear position signal from the linear position sensor; and
the processor is configured to determine if a discrepancy exists among the motor rotation signal, the rotation signal, and the linear position signal.
7. The syringe pump according to claim 6, wherein the rotary position sensor is operatively coupled to the motor.
6. The syringe pump according to claim 5, wherein the rotary position sensor is operatively coupled to the motor.
8. The syringe pump according to claim 6, wherein the rotary position sensor is operatively coupled to the lead screw.
7. The syringe pump according to claim 5, wherein the rotary position sensor is operatively coupled to the lead screw.
9. The syringe pump according to claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to continue an infusion treatment by ignoring an inoperative one of the integral motor rotation sensor, the rotary position sensor, and a linear position sensor.
8.The syringe pump according to claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured to continue an infusion treatment by ignoring an inoperative one of the integral motor rotation sensor, the rotary position sensor, and a linear position sensor.
10. The syringe pump according to claim 6, wherein the rotary position sensor is a magnetic encoder sensor.
9. The syringe pump according to claim 5, wherein the rotary position sensor is a magnetic encoder sensor.
11. The syringe pump according to claim 6, wherein the syringe pump is configured to communicate with a monitoring client.
10. The syringe pump according to claim 5, wherein the syringe pump is configured to communicate with a monitoring client.
12. The syringe pump according to claim 1, wherein the sliding block assembly comprises:
a half-nut housing having a lead screw void configured to receive the lead screw therewithin.
12. The syringe pump according to claim 1, wherein the sliding block assembly comprises:
a half-nut housing having a lead screw void configured to receive the lead screw therewithin.
13. The syringe pump according to claim 12, wherein the sliding block assembly further comprises:
a half nut disposed within the half-nut housing and having half nut threads at an end adjacent to the lead screw void, the half nut is slideable between an engagement position whereby the half nut threads engage with threads of the lead screw thereby creating slack and a disengagement position whereby the half nut threads are disengaged from the threads of the lead screw, wherein the half nut includes a cam follower surface and a half nut slot.
13. The syringe pump according to claim 12, wherein the sliding block assembly further comprises:
a half nut disposed within the half-nut housing and having half nut threads at an end adjacent to the lead screw void, the half nut is slideable between an engagement position whereby the half nut threads engage with threads of the lead screw thereby creating slack and a disengagement position whereby the half nut threads are disengaged from the threads of the lead screw, wherein the half nut includes a cam follower surface and a half nut slot.
14. The syringe pump according to claim 13, wherein the sliding block assembly further comprises:
a barrel cam disposed within the half-nut housing and configured to engage with the cam follower surface, the barrel cam includes a pin configured to fit within the half nut slot, wherein the barrel cam is configured to rotate between a first position and a second position to actuate the half-nut between the engagement position and the disengagement position.
14. The syringe pump according to claim 13, wherein the sliding block assembly further comprises:
a barrel cam disposed within the half-nut housing and configured to engage with the cam follower surface, the barrel cam includes a pin configured to fit within the half nut slot, wherein the barrel cam is configured to rotate between a first position and a second position to actuate the half-nut between the engagement position and the disengagement position.
15. The syringe pump according to claim 14, wherein rotation of the barrel cam to the second position engages with the half nut slot to pull the half nut toward the barrel cam and away from the lead screw.
17. The syringe pump according to claim 14, wherein rotation of the barrel cam to the second position engages with the half nut slot to pull the half nut toward the barrel cam and away from the lead screw.
16. The syringe pump according to claim 15, wherein the barrel cam includes a barrel cam shoulder cylindrically shaped and having a first radius.
18. The syringe pump according to claim 17, wherein the barrel cam includes a barrel cam shoulder cylindrically shaped and having a first radius.
17. The syringe pump according to claim 16, wherein the barrel cam flat is configured to be flush against the half-nut cam-follower surface when the barrel cam is in the second position, and wherein the half-nut housing includes a barrel cam void configured to be adjacent a barrel cam surface of the barrel cam so that the barrel cam freely rotates within the barrel cam void.
20. The syringe pump according to claim 18, wherein the barrel cam flat is configured to be flush against the half-nut cam-follower surface when the barrel cam is in the second position, and wherein the half-nut housing includes a barrel cam void configured to be adjacent a barrel cam surface of the barrel cam so that the barrel cam freely rotates within the barrel cam void.
18. The syringe pump according to claim 15, wherein the barrel cam has a second radius that is substantially coextensive with the first radius, wherein the barrel cam includes a barrel cam flat wherein the second radius is less than the first radius, wherein the barrel cam flat is positioned to allow the half nut to extend closer to a center axis of the barrel cam than the distance of the first radius when the half nut is pulled toward the barrel cam and the barrel cam rotates to the second position.
19. The syringe pump according to claim 17, wherein the barrel cam has a second radius that is substantially coextensive with the first radius, wherein the barrel cam includes a barrel cam flat wherein the second radius is less than the first radius, wherein the barrel cam flat is positioned to allow the half nut to extend closer to a center axis of the barrel cam than the distance of the first radius when the half nut is pulled toward the barrel cam and the barrel cam rotates to the second position.
19. The syringe pump according to claim 1, further comprising:
a retaining finger pivotally coupled to the housing, wherein the retaining finger is configured to rotate toward the syringe disposed within the syringe seat to retain the syringe.
15. The syringe pump according to claim 1, further comprising:
a retaining finger pivotally coupled to the housing, wherein the retaining finger is configured to rotate toward the syringe disposed within the syringe seat to retain the syringe.
20. The syringe pump according to claim 19, wherein: the syringe pump is configured to communicate with a monitoring client.
16. The syringe pump according to claim 15, wherein: the syringe pump is configured to communicate with a monitoring client.
Conclusion
8. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TAI T. NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-2961. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri: 9am-6pm.
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, Quan-Zhen Wang can be reached at 571-272-3114. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TAI T NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2685 January 14, 2026