DETAILED ACTION
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.
Claims 1-4, 10-16, and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Barsness et al. (US 2014/0329217) in view of Kawaguchi (US 2013/0160251).
Regarding claims 1, 14, and 19, Barsness discloses a patient simulation system, comprising a simulated portion of a human body, and inserts that can be positioned therein for training purposes. See paragraphs 0103 and 0110.
Although Barsness discloses wherein any type of connections can be used to position the insert, there is no teaching wherein the coupling mechanisms comprise a male and female portion, wherein the male portion has opposing arms, and the female portions comprises a projection around which the opposing arms releasably engage. However, this manner of connection is well-established, as is disclosed by the system of Kawaguchi in paragraph 0008 and note in figure 4 that the top portion is the male portion and the lower receptacle is the female projection with the projections around which the arms of the male portion latch. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of applicant’s filing, to consider such with the Barsness system, to provide effective coupling.
Regarding claims 2-4 and 15-16, Barsness does not disclose wherein the arms can define an oval shape and are configured to expand around the projection of the female connector, and wherein there can be multiple arms. However, Kawaguchi discloses these concepts in paragraphs 0026-0027 and note from figure 4 that the arms are shaped such that they form at least a portion of an oval between them. they would have been obvious for the same reasons described above regarding claim 1 (i.e. to provide an effective coupling).
Regarding claims 10-11 and 20, Barsness discloses wherein the inserts are replaceable to simulate different types of conditions. See paragraph 0111.
Regarding claim 12, Barsness discloses skin in paragraph 0116.
Claim 13 is rejected as being unpatentable over Barsness et al. (US 2014/0329217) in view of Kawaguchi (US 2013/0160251) and also Silver et al. (US 2023/0386367).
Regarding claim 13, Barsness does not disclose a vaginal insert. However, this is established, as is disclosed by the medical training system of Silver in paragraph 0082. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of applicant’s filing, to consider such with the Barsness system, so as to provide a variety of training scenarios.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-9 and 17-18 are objected to as depending from a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten to include the base claim and any intermediate claims. The prior art does not teach or suggest the different materials of claims 5 and 17, or the anchor of claim 18.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TIMOTHY A MUSSELMAN whose telephone number is (571)272-1814. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday, 8:00AM - 4:00PM.
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TIMOTHY A. MUSSELMAN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3715
/TIMOTHY A MUSSELMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715
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