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 .
Claims 1, 6, 9, 15, and 18-19 have been amended. Claims 7-8 have been cancelled. Claims 21-22 have been added. Claims 1-6 and 9-22 are pending for examination.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 03/13/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Fig. 2 Kanzaki shows an imaging device on a distal end of the cable. Fig. 2 also shows a first and a second threaded portion that define an accommodating chamber. Kanzaki also teaches the ejector pin pressing against the electrical connection (the contact portion 22c is pressed against the contact surface arrangement portion 41a by a predetermined pressing force. [Col 20: lines 25-30]).
PNG
media_image1.png
436
762
media_image1.png
Greyscale
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.
Claims 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kanzaki (US 8314835 B2).
Regarding claim 1, Kanzaki teaches a pipeline endoscopic probe, comprising:
an image acquisition device, wherein the image acquisition device comprises a lens (Lens [col 5 lines 32-35]) and a first control panel (Fig. 1: Control portion 4);
the lens is configured to acquire an image (lens and image pick up device [col 19: lines 55-65]);
the first control panel receives the image acquired by the lens and converts the image into an electrical signal (Fig. 1: control box 4a wired to imaging device);
an electrical connection device, wherein the image acquisition device is electrically connected to the electrical connection device (The insertion portion 3 is configured such that the proximal end portion thereof is electrically and mechanically connected to the endoscope main body portion 2 via a connecting portion [Col 4: lines 16-20]);
the electrical connection device comprises an accommodating shell, a spring, a sliding base, and an ejector pin (Fig. 9);
the spring is arranged inside the accommodating shell (Fig. 9: insulating portion 25 and coil spring 24 [Col 6: lines 20-33]);
the sliding base resists against the spring (case bodies 23);
the ejector pin is fixedly connected to the sliding base (Fig. 9: Spring coil); and
the sliding base is slidably arranged in the accommodating shell (Fig. 9);
wherein the pipeline endoscopic probe further comprises a cable, and the image acquisition device and the electrical connection device are located at two distal ends of the cable (Fig. 1: imaging device 10 on distal end of a cable);
wherein the pipeline endoscopic probe further comprises a mounting shell, wherein the mounting shell comprises a first mounting shell and a second mounting shell (Fig. 2: 10);
the first mounting shell is provided with a first threaded portion, the second mounting shell is provided with a second threaded portion (Fig. 2: The adapter attaching portion includes a first male screw portion 33a which is projectingly provided, and includes at a proximal end side thereof a second male screw portion 33b which is projectingly provided. The first male screw portion 33a is formed narrower than the second male screw portion 33b. A sliding portion 33c is formed between the first male screw portion 33a and the second male screw portion 33b. [Col 4: lines 42-54]); and
the first mounting shell and the second mounting shell are in threaded connection through the first threaded portion and the second threaded portion (On the proximal end side inner peripheral surface of the detachable ring 12, as shown in FIG. 2, there is provided a female screw portion 12a into which the male screw portions 33a and 33b are screwed. [Col 5: lines 50-57]);
the first mounting shell and the second mounting shell jointly define an accommodating chamber, the accommodating chamber is configured to accommodate the electrical connection device (Fig. 4-5 And FIG. 7 is a perspective view explaining an adapter side electrical connection portion); and
wherein the first mounting shell is connected to one of the distal ends of the cable, and the electrical connection device is connected to the first mounting shell, the image acquisition device is located at the other one of the distal ends of the cable, the ejector pin extends in a direction opposite to the image acquisition device and towards the accommodating chamber, so that the ejector pin of the electrical connection device tightly presses against an electrical connection position to achieve an electrical connection for the image acquisition device ( the electrical connection state can be obtained in such a way that the contact portion 22c of the second pin member 22 provided in the adapter side connection portion 20 is brought into contact with the contact surface arrangement portion 41a of the terminal member 41 in the urged state, that is, the contact portion 22c is pressed against the contact surface arrangement portion 41a by a predetermined pressing force. [Col 20: lines 16-29]).
Regarding claim 2, Kanzaki teaches the pipeline endoscope probe according to claim 1, wherein the accommodating shell comprises a mounting end, a resisting end, and a connection through hole (Fig. 9: resisting end and opening to accommodate 21);
the connection through hole is communicated to the mounting end and the resisting end (the electrical connection member 26 configured by the first pin member 21, the second pin member 22, the case body 23, and the coil spring 24 is described. [Col 6: lines 45-47]);
the mounting end is opposite to the resisting end (Fig. 9 ends of the electrical connection member 26); and
the spring is arranged in the connection through hole (Fig. 9: the coil spring 24 in the case body 23).
Regarding claim 3, Kanzaki teaches the pipeline endoscope probe according to claim 2, wherein the mounting end is provided with a mounting opening (The adapter side connection portion 20 is fixed in the first connection portion hole 11e shown in FIG. 10.);
the resisting end is provided with a resisting opening (As shown in FIG. 13, FIG. 14, and FIG. 17, an endoscope side connection portion arrangement hole (hereinafter described as second connection portion hole) 32d [Col 4 lines 4-6]);
the mounting opening corresponds to an external dimension of the sliding base (Fig. 9);
the resisting opening corresponds to an external dimension of the ejector pin (Fig. 9); and
the external dimension of the sliding base is larger than the external dimension of the ejector pin (Fig. 9: the outer diameter of the contact surface portion 41a is configured to be larger than the outer diameter of the rod portion 41b [Col 14: lines 28-30]).
Regarding claim 4, Kanzaki teaches the pipeline endoscope probe according to claim 3, wherein the sliding base comprises a first resisting portion (Fig. 9: pin members 21 and 22);
the resisting end is provided with a second resisting portion ( the distal end surface of a flange portion 22a of the second pin member 22 is arranged in contact with the proximal end side of the coil spring 24. [Col 6: lines 61-63]);
a tail end of the second resisting portion forms the resisting opening (The endoscope side connection portion 40 is fixed in the second connection portion hole 32d.); and
the first resisting portion resists against the second resisting portion (Fig. 9).
Regarding claim 5, Kanzaki teaches the pipeline endoscope probe according to claim 3, wherein the sliding base further comprises a third resisting portion, and the third resisting portion resists against the spring (Fig. 9: four resisting portions).
Regarding claim 6, Kanzaki teaches the pipeline endoscope probe according to claim 3, further comprising a mounting base, wherein the mounting base comprises a first mounting portion (the first connection portion hole 11e.);
the mounting end is provided with a second mounting portion (he second connection portion hole 32d); and
the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion are fixedly connected to each other (each of which is configured by arranging the first pin member 21, the second pin member 22, and the coil spring 24 in the case body 23, are provided in the adapter side insulating portion 25, so as to be in parallel with each other at a predetermined interval. [Col 7 lines 62-68]).
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.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kanzaki in view of Olsson (US 20140168406 A1).
Regarding claim 9, Kanzaki teaches the pipeline endoscope probe according to claim 8. Kanzaki does not explicitly teach the following limitations, however, in an analogous art, Olsson teaches a sealing ring, wherein the sealing ring is arranged between the first mounting shell and the second mounting shell (O-rings 100 and 102 (FIG. 2C) provide water tight seals that prevent liquid in the pipe being inspected from entering the outer housing 12 past the micro connector plate assembly 70. [0043]).
It would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to take the teachings of Olsson and apply them to Kanzaki. One would be motivated as such as to prevent liquid in the pipe being inspected from entering the outer housing.
Claims 10-13 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kanzaki in view of Wieters (US 20200355907 A1).
Regarding claim 10, Kanzaki teaches the pipeline endoscope probe according to claim 1. Kanzaki does not explicitly teach the following limitations, however, in an analogous art, Wieters teaches a receiving shell and an eccentric member, wherein the receiving shell is provided with a receiving chamber and a receiving through hole communicated to the receiving chamber (Given the BRI of “eccentric member”, Wieters’ inner tube 35 (col. 2 lines 40-45) can be characterized as such);
the eccentric member is rotatably arranged in the receiving chamber(Said inner tube 35 is rotatably arranged in the space bounded by outer tube 20 or any other tube (e.g. 10, 11 - fig. 2) whose diameter exceeds inner tube 35);
the image acquisition device is arranged in the accommodating chamber and faces the receiving through hole [Refer to fig. 3];
the image acquisition device is fixedly connected to the eccentric member (Fig. 2 shows image sensor 30 arranged in frame 28 which is connected to inner tube 35 (fig 2 and [0041])); and
the image acquisition device is coaxial with the eccentric member and rotates around an axis of the image acquisition device under the action of the eccentric member ([0041] and abstract show inner tube 35 co-axially engages with a coupling portion of frame 28 which holds image sensor 30).
It would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to take the teachings of Wieters and apply them to Kanzaki. One would be motivated as such so that the axial displaceability of the connection is ensured.
Regarding claim 11, Kanzaki in view of Wieters teaches the pipeline endoscope probe according to claim 10. Wieters teaches wherein the eccentric member is provided with a mounting slot and a connection block;
at least a portion of the image acquisition device is inserted into the mounting slot to cause the image acquisition device to be coaxial with the eccentric member (The foregoing arrangement allows inner tube 35 to co-axially engage with frame 28/image sensor 30]); and
the connection block is configured to connect a connector that passes through the image acquisition device (Refer to Fig. 2. Coupling portion 36 in a coupling portion 37 of frame 28/image sensor 30).
The same motivation used to combine Kanzaki in view of Wieters in claim 10 is applicable.
Regarding claim 12, Kanzaki in view of Wieters teaches the pipeline endoscope probe according to claim 11. Wieters teaches an eccentric member shell and a bearing, wherein the eccentric member shell is arranged in the accommodating chamber; the bearing is inserted into the eccentric member shell (See fig. 3 regarding for e.g. bearings 45 and 46); and
the eccentric member is rotatably inserted into a bearing hole of the bearing ((Although the terms used in Wieters are not explicit as claimed, Wieters shows structural support/fixing member (within outer tube 11) for said bearings. See enclosed area in fig. 2).).
The same motivation used to combine Kanzaki in view of Wieters in claim 10 is applicable.
Regarding claim 13, Kanzaki in view of Wieters teaches the pipeline endoscope probe according to claim 12. Wieters teaches a first fixing member, wherein the first fixing member is connected to one end of the eccentric member shell close to the bearing; and the first fixing member is configured to fix the bearing in the eccentric member shell (Although the terms used in Wieters are not explicit as claimed, Wieters shows structural support/fixing member (within outer tube 11) for said bearings. See enclosed area in fig. 2).
The same motivation used to combine Kanzaki in view of Wieters in claim 10 is applicable.
Regarding claim 15, Kanzaki in view of Wieters teaches the pipeline endoscope probe according to claim 10. Kanzaki teaches an illumination device, wherein the illumination device is arranged at a position of the receiving shell close to the receiving through hole (A plurality of light emitting devices, such as for example, LED chips (hereinafter abbreviated as LEDs) 14 faces the illumination hole 15. [Col 5 lines 35-40]); and
an illumination direction of the illumination device is matched with an orientation of the image acquisition device (The illumination hole 61 has a substantially cylindrical shape, and the plurality of LEDs 14 are faced from the distal end surface of the illumination hole 61 [Col 20 lines 45-50]).
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kanzaki in view of Wieters further in view of Olsson.
Regarding claim 14, Kanzaki in view of Wieters teaches the pipeline endoscope probe according to claim 13. Kanzaki in view of Wieters does not explicitly teach the following limitations, however, in an analogous art, Olsson teaches wherein a limiting boss is arranged on an inner wall of the eccentric member shell; and the limiting boss resists against the bearing to fix the bearing between the limiting boss and the first fixing member (Fig. 6: The projecting portion 28 conformably fits within the opening 30 in the leveling weight assembly 26. [0044]).
It would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to take the teachings of Olsson and apply them to Kanzaki in view of Wieters. One would be motivated as such as to prevent liquid in the pipe being inspected from entering the outer housing.
Claims 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kanzaki in view of Wieters further in view of LIU (US 20230218153 A1).
Regarding claim 16, Kanzaki in view of Wieters teaches the pipeline endoscope probe according to claim 15. Kanzaki in view of Wieters does not explicitly teach the following limitations, however, in an analogous art, Liu teaches wherein the illumination device comprises a plurality of light beads ([See ¶0048 (fig. 2) regarding LED beads 132);
a light bead slot is provided in a position of the receiving shell surrounding the receiving through hole (See ¶0011-¶0013 with respect to the groove on the outer surface of said objective lens which attaches to outer endoscopic tube, i.e. housing); and
the light beads are arranged in the light bead slot (Same citations above, where the lighting source is mounted in the groove. Also see ¶0018-¶0020]).
It would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to take the teachings of Liu and apply them to Kanzaki in view of Wieters. One would be motivated as such as to improve the stability of stapler during suturing of wound and to improve the quality of surgical suturing.
Regarding claim 17, Kanzaki in view of Wieters and Liu teaches the pipeline endoscope probe according to claim 15. Liu teaches wherein the illumination device further comprises a lampshade; and the lampshade is connected to the accommodating shell and covers the light bead slot and the receiving through hole (Regarding the lampshade and based on ¶0059 of the filed specification, Liu’s protective sheet 260 (e.g. ¶0086) provides a seal for the lighting source 240; hence, said lighting source can be protected. Refer to protective sheet 260 in Fig. 8. Since a camera (not shown) would be downstream of objective lens 220, it too would be protected).
The same motivation used to combine Kanzaki in view of Wieters and Liu in claim 16 is applicable.
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kanzaki in view of Wieters and Olsson further in view of Liu.
Regarding claim 18, Kanzaki in view of Wieters and Olsson teaches the pipeline endoscope probe according to claim 14. Liu teaches a second control panel and a first electrical connection wire, wherein the second control panel is arranged in the accommodating chamber (See circuit board 131 [0048]); and
the second control panel is electrically connected to the illumination device through the first electrical connection wire (Said circuit board is contained in the endoscope tube 110. Note figs. 1-2).
It would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to take the teachings of Liu and apply them to Kanzaki in view of Wieters and Olsson. One would be motivated as such as to improve the stability of stapler during suturing of wound and to improve the quality of surgical suturing.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 19-20 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.
Claims 21-22 are allowed.
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 HESHAM K ABOUZAHRA whose telephone number is (571)270-0425. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5.
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, Jamie Atala can be reached at 57127227384. 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.
/HESHAM K ABOUZAHRA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2486
Prosecution Insights