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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group II (device claims 8-13 and newly added claims 21-33) in the reply filed on September 4, 2026 is acknowledged.
Claim Objections
Claim 8 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 8, last line, “tray to body” should read as –tray to the body--.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 8-13 and 21-33 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zander et al. (US 7549994; “Zander”).
Claim 8, Zander discloses a device (Fig. 3), comprising: a body (10) extending between a first surface (where 22 generally points) configured to engage a tray implant (Fig.3) and a second surface (generally where 14 points) configured to engage an offset impactor (Fig., 3), wherein an impaction force applied to the offset impactor is transferred to the tray implant (Fig. 3); and a locking element (4) configured to couple the tibial tray to body (Figs. 3-4).
Claim 9, Zander discloses the device of claim 8, wherein the second surface defines a first groove (Fig. 3, the slot that 16 points towards has a circular groove and then the channel groove, as well as 18 is a groove as well) and a second groove (the long part of the slot) extending from the second surface into the body (Fig. 3), wherein the first groove and the second groove are each sized and configured to engage the offset impactor (Fig. 3; an impactor with the right sized end surface can fit into or engage these grooves/slots/channels).
Claim 10, Zander discloses the device of claim 9, wherein the first groove corresponds to a first size of the tray implant and the second groove corresponds to a second size of the tray implant (if the implant is bigger then the user can use a impactor that hooks up to the bigger groove and vice versa for a smaller implant).
Claim 11, Zander discloses the device of claim 8, wherein the locking element comprises a spring-loaded locking element (Fig. 4; col. 6, lines 3-14).
Claim 12, Zander discloses the device of claim 11, wherein the locking element comprises a guide body (Fig. 4) defining a channel sized (cannel that the spring resides in) and configured to receive the spring-loaded locking element therethrough (Fig. 4), wherein the channel defines a retention element (70) at a proximal end (70).
Claim 13, Zander discloses the device of claim 8, wherein the second surface of the body is configured to engage an impactor arm of the offset impactor (Fig. 3; any surface on the device can engage another device).
Claim 21, Zander discloses a device (Fig. 3) capable of transferring an impaction force to an implant (Fig. 3), comprising: a body (10) extending between an upper surface (where 22 generally points) and a lower surface (where 14 generally points), the upper surface configured to engage the implant (Fig. 3), and the lower surface defining at least one groove (groove that 16 points near and/or 18) extending at least partially into the body (Fig. 3), the at least one groove sized and configured to receive a portion of an offset impactor therein to transfer the impaction force to the body (Fig. 3); and a coupling element (Fig. 4) coupled to the body and configured to couple the device to the implant (Fig. 3).
Claim 22, Zander discloses the device of claim 21, wherein the body defines a slot (16 and/or 18) extending from the lower surface at least partially into the body (Fig. 3), the slot sized and configured to receive an impactor element therein to transfer the impaction force to the body (Fig. 3).
Claim 23, Zander discloses the device of claim 21, wherein the at least one groove comprises a first groove (elongated portion of 16) and a second groove (circular portion of 16), the first groove corresponding to a first size of the implant and the second groove corresponding to a second size of the implant (Fig. 3; the long slot could correspond to a larger implant, while the circular slot corresponds to a smaller implant).
Claim 24, Zander discloses the device of claim 21, wherein the coupling element comprises a spring-loaded coupling element (Fig. 4; col. 6, lines 3-14).
Claim 25, Zander discloses the device of claim 24, wherein the spring-loaded coupling element comprises a head (Fig. 4; 70 and/or 60) and a spring-loaded shaft (68 and/or 70) extending from the head (Fig. 4), the spring-loaded shaft configured to couple the implant to the body (Fig. 3).
Claim 26, Zander discloses the device of claim 25, further comprising a guide body (Fig. 4) coupled to the body (Fig. 3), the guide body defining a channel (channel the spring 68 resides in) sized and configured to receive the spring-loaded shaft therethrough (Fig. 4).
Claim 27, Zander discloses the device of claim 26, wherein the channel defines a retention element (Fig. 4, 24, 44, 52, 60, and 70 all help retain the configuration) configured to retain the spring-loaded shaft within the channel (Fig. 4).
Claim 28, Zander discloses a device (Fig. 3), comprising: a body (10) having a first surface (where 22 generally points) configured to engage an implant (Fig. 3) and a second surface (where 14 generally points) opposite the first surface (Fig. 3), the body defining a slot (where 16 and/or 18 points) extending from the second surface at least partially into the body (Fig. 3), the slot sized and configured to receive an impactor element to transfer an impaction force to the body (Fig. 3); and a spring-loaded shaft (Fig. 4) coupled to the body (Fig. 3), the spring-loaded shaft having an implant driving portion (70) configured to couple the implant to the device (Fig. 3).
Claim 29, Zander discloses the device of claim 28, further comprising a guide body (Fig. 4) coupled to the body, the guide body defining a channel (where the spring 68 resides) sized and configured to receive the spring-loaded shaft therethrough (Fig. 4), the channel defining a retention element (Fig. 4, the channel includes a shape and surfaces that retains the spring lock) at a proximal end (the shoulders of the channel holding in the spring).
Claim 30, Zander discloses the device of claim 29, wherein the retention element comprises a reduced diameter portion (Fig. 4; where 70 is located the channel has shoulders) of the channel configured to prevent advancement of the spring-loaded shaft in a proximal direction beyond a predetermined length (Fig. 4).
Claim 31, Zander discloses the device of claim 28, wherein the spring-loaded shaft comprises a stop (shoulders at the base of 70) configured to interact with a retention element (shoulders of the channel) to maintain the spring-loaded shaft within a channel (channel the spring 68 and tip 70 reside in) defined by the device, and the implant driving portion extends from the stop (Fig. 4).
Claim 32, Zander discloses the device of claim 28, wherein the second surface defines a first groove (Fig. 3; slot where 16 points, circular portion of the slot, and or 18) and a second groove (slot where 16 points, circular portion of the slot, and or 18) extending from the second surface into the body (Fig. 3), the first groove and the second groove each sized and configured to engage an impactor arm (Fig. 3).
Claim 33, Zander discloses the device of claim 28, wherein the body has an oblong shape (Fig. 3) sized and configured to be received within a channel defined by the implant (Fig. 3; implant is not positively recited so the device could hold any shaped implant one so big that the entire device could fit in a hole designed for a large implant).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Zade Coley whose telephone number is (571)270-1931. The examiner can normally be reached M-F (9-5) PT.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kevin Truong can be reached at (571)272-4705. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Zade Coley/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3775
