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 .
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.
Claims 1-5,7-9,11-16 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rodriguez et al. (US 2021/0225203 A1) in view of Carvajal et al. (US 2014/0272877 A1).
Re claims 1, 11, 18:
Rodriguez teaches 1. A patient simulator, comprising:
a simulated torso containing at least one of a pump, a compressor, or a control unit (Rodriguez, fig. 1; [0052]); and
a simulated extremity configured to be selectively coupled to the simulated torso (Rodriguez, fig. 1; [0052]), a power source assembly configured to provide power to at least one of the pump, the compressor, or the control unit (Rodriguez, fig. 1; [0053]).
11. A method (Rodriguez, fig. 1; [0052]), comprising:
coupling a simulated extremity to a simulated torso of a patient simulator, wherein the simulated torso contains at least one of a pump, a compressor, or a control unit (Rodriguez, fig. 1; [0052]) and
a power source assembly (Rodriguez, fig. 1; [0052]); and
executing a simulated medical scenario using the patient simulator, wherein executing the simulated medical scenario includes using the power source assembly to power at least one of the pump, the compressor, or the control unit (Rodriguez, fig. 1; [0053]).
18. A simulated extremity for use with a patient simulator (Rodriguez, fig. 1; [0052]), comprising:
a simulated extremity configured to be selectively coupled to a simulated torso of the patient simulator (Rodriguez, fig. 1; [0052]), a power source assembly configured to provide power to at least one of a pump, a compressor, or a control unit of the patient simulator (Rodriguez, fig. 1; [0053]),
Rodriguez does not explicitly disclose the simulated extremity containing a power source; nor disclose wherein the power source assembly is positioned within a housing sized and shaped to simulate a portion of the simulated extremity.
Carvajal et al. (US 2014/0272877 A1) teaches devices, systems, and methods appropriate for use in medical training (Carvajal, Abstract). Carvajal further teaches the simulated extremity containing a power source; wherein the power source assembly is positioned within a housing sized and shaped to simulate a portion of the simulated extremity (Carvajal, figs. 49 – 53; [0083], “FIGS. 49-53 show aspects of a foot that includes a communication and/or power port disposed therein for use in communicating with, programming, updating, and/or charging the internal components of the fetal patient simulator”). Therefore, in view of Carvajal, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the device, method or simulator described in Rodriguez, by providing the power port at the bottom of the foot of the patient simulator as taught by Carvajal, so that the power port can be hidden from the view of the user when the patient simulator is not used.
Re claims 2, 12, 19:
2. The patient simulator of claim 1, wherein the simulated extremity comprises at least one of a simulated leg portion or a simulated arm portion. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the coupling the simulated extremity to the simulated torso comprises coupling at least one of a simulated leg portion or a simulated arm portion to the simulated torso. 19. The simulated extremity of claim 18, wherein the simulated extremity comprises at least one of a simulated leg portion or a simulated arm portion (Carvajal, figs. 49 – 53).
Re claims 3, 13 - 14:
3. The patient simulator of claim 1, wherein the power source assembly is positioned within a housing sized and shaped to simulate a portion of the simulated extremity. 13. The method of claim 11, wherein the power source assembly includes one or more power sources, a controller, and a fan positioned within a housing sized and shaped to simulate a portion of the simulated extremity. 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising: charging the one or more power sources using a charging port accessible through an opening in a simulated skin layer covering the housing (Carvajal, figs. 49 – 53).
Re claims 4, 20:
4. The patient simulator of claim 3, wherein the power source assembly includes one or more power sources, a controller, and a fan. 20. The simulated extremity of claim 19, wherein: the power source assembly includes one or more power sources, a controller, and a fan; the housing is covered with a simulated skin layer; and a charging port coupled to the one or more power sources is accessible through an opening in the simulated skin layer (Carvajal, figs. 49 – 53; [0083]).
Re claim 5:
5. The patient simulator of claim 4, wherein the housing is covered with a simulated skin layer and a charging port coupled to the one or more power sources is accessible through an opening in the simulated skin layer (Carvajal, figs. 49 – 53; [0083]).
Re claims 7 – 9:
7. The patient simulator of claim 3, wherein the housing is coupled to a quick-connect connector, the quick-connect connector configured to selectively couple the simulated extremity to another portion of the patient simulator. 8. The patient simulator of claim 7, wherein the quick-connect connector is configured to provide mechanical and electrical connections. 9. The patient simulator of claim 8, wherein the quick-connect connector is further configured to provide a pneumatic connection and/or a fluid connection (Rodriguez, figs. 7 – 12; [0064] – [0066]).
Re claims 15 – 16:
15. The method of claim 11, wherein the coupling the simulated extremity to the simulated torso comprises coupling the simulated extremity using a quick-connect connector providing mechanical and electrical connections. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the coupling the simulated extremity to the simulated torso using the quick-connect connector further comprises using the quick-connect connector to provide a pneumatic connection and/or a fluid connection (Rodriguez, figs. 7 – 12; [0064] – [0066]).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rodriguez et al. (US 2021/0225203 A1) in view of Carvajal et al. (US 2014/0272877 A1) as applied to claim 4 above, and further in view of Campbell et al. (US 2021/0369539 A1).
Re claim 6:
The combination of Rodriguez and Carvajal does not explicitly disclose 6. The patient simulator of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to selectively activate the fan to manage a thermal property of the one or more power sources.
Campbell et al. (US 2021/0369539 A1) teaches an exoskeleton system comprising: a power system that powers the exoskeleton system, the power system including one or more battery slots, and a modular battery set that includes one or more battery units that are modular such that any of the one or more battery units can be readily and quickly removed and coupled within any of the one or more battery slots to provide power to the exoskeleton system (Campbell, Abstract). Campbell further teaches 6. The patient simulator of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to selectively activate the fan to manage a thermal property of the one or more power sources (Campbell, [0148]). Therefore, in view of Campbell, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the simulator described in Rodriguez, by providing the cooling system as taught by Campbell, since exposed heat sinks that are directly connected to a high heat component, a water-cooled or fluid-cooled heat management system, forced air cooling through the introduction of a powered fan or blower, external shielded heat sinks to protect heat sinks from direct contact by a user, and the like (Campbell, [0148]).
Claims 10 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rodriguez et al. (US 2021/0225203 A1) in view of Carvajal et al. (US 2014/0272877 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Caires et al. (US 2014/0276264 A1).
Re claims 10, 17:
Rodriguez does not explicitly disclose two extremity power sources.
Caires et al. (US 2014/0276264 A1) teaches an exoskeleton for a limb of a user utilizes an air bladder strap, which may be monitored and the pressure therein adjusted from time to time (Caires, Abstract). Caires teaches 10. The patient simulator of claim 1, further comprising an additional simulated extremity configured to be selectively coupled to the simulated torso, the additional simulated extremity containing a power source assembly configured to provide power to at least one of the pump, the compressor, or the control unit, wherein the additional simulated extremity is configured to replace the simulated extremity. 17. The method of claim 11, further comprising: uncoupling the simulated extremity from the simulated torso; coupling an additional simulated extremity to the simulated torso, the additional simulated extremity containing a power source assembly; and executing an additional simulated medical scenario using the patient simulator, wherein executing the additional simulated medical scenario includes using the power source assembly of the additional simulated extremity to power at least one of the pump, the compressor, or the control unit (Caires, figs. 1 – 3; [0103], “As exemplified in FIG. 3, batteries 31 may be provided on the upper limb portion 3. In other embodiments, one or more batteries 31 may be provided on the body portion 9”; [0104]; [0186]; [0132], “A further advantage is that the lower limb portion 4 may be easier to remove and service or replace”). Therefore, in view of Caires, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the simulator described in Rodriguez, by providing two extremity batteries as taught by Caires, in order to distribute powers consumption between two battery sources.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JACK YIP whose telephone number is (571)270-5048. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Friday; 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM EST.
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/JACK YIP/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715
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