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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 03/10/2025 is/are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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.
Claim 11 is 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.
Claim 11, recites “wherein a normal line of the first cover surface includes a component toward a base end side of a longitudinal axis of the insertion part”. This phrase/term is unclear because a line would not have a component. Instead, a vector would have a component.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-14, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ogami (JP 2018171256) in view of Nakamoto (US JP H09299316).
Regarding claim 1, Ogami discloses an endoscope (FIG. 1) comprising:
a distal end member (Tip 7) that is connected to a distal end side of an insertion part; and
a distal end cap (cap 26; FIG. 5) that is mounted on the distal end member,
wherein the distal end member has a disposition surface (The external circumferential surface of the tip 7 along with the surface of cable 21 and light guide 43 of the tip can be considered as a disposition surface; FIG. 6) on which an observation window (Lens barrel 25 of the imaging unit 16) and an illumination window (mouth piece 43A of the light guide) are disposed, and the endoscope includes a cover member (movable block 30B) that is provided on the disposition surface (Block 30B is provided in the disposition surface; FIG. 6), that has a first insertion hole (mounting hole 53) in which the observation window (Lens barrel 25) is disposed and a second insertion hole (Mounting hole 54) in which the illumination window (Base 43A of the light guide 43) is disposed (Mounting holes 53 and 54 for attaching the lens barrel 25 of the imaging unit 16 and the base 43A of the light guide 43 are formed in the movable block 30B. para [0075]), and that has an insulating property (Movable block 30B has an insulating property because it has holes and has thickness).
Ogami does not expressly disclose a distal end member that is made of a conductive material.
Nakamoto is directed to an endoscope and teaches a distal end portion that is formed of a metal (A distal end portion main body 11 is made of a metal material; FIG. 2).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Ogami to provide a distal end member that is made of a conductive material (such as a metal) so that the heat regulation can be made effective by way of having a conductive material at the distal end.
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Regarding claim 2, Ogami discloses wherein the disposition surface has a recessed portion in which the cover member is disposed (Note the recessed portion in the disposition surface; FIG. 6, annotated).
Regarding claim 3, Ogami discloses wherein the recessed portion is provided with an engaging portion (Note the engaging portion in the recessed portion), and the cover member has an engaged portion (Note a portion of block 30B is engaged with the engaging portion; FIG. 6) that engages with the engaging portion (FIG. 6, annotated).
Regarding claim 5, Ogami discloses a retaining portion (surface 49 that comes in contact with the moveable block 30B; para [0082]; Friction prevents the engaged portion from being disengaged from the engaging portion.) that prevents the engaged portion from being disengaged from the engaging portion.
Regarding claim 6, Ogami discloses wherein the recessed portion has a flange portion (FIG. 6, annotated; The flange portion provides a support from the bottom side.) that supports the illumination window, and the illumination window is fixed by the cover member and the flange portion (The illumination window is positionally fixed by the cover 26 and the flange portion. FIG. 6).
Regarding claim 7, Ogami discloses wherein the recessed portion has a cylindrical portion (Bottom portion where the cap 26 meets with the distal end is a cylindrical portion. ) that protrudes from a bottom surface portion of the recessed portion (The portion with which the majority of the cap engages is a protrusion from the bottom portion. ), and the flange portion is located inside the cylindrical portion (Considering the outer perimeter as the cylindrical portion, the inner side is the flange portion that is inside the cylindrical portion.).
Regarding claim 8, Ogami discloses wherein an inner diameter of the first insertion hole as viewed from an optical axis direction of the observation window is equal to or larger than an outer diameter of the observation window (As shown in FIG. 13, diameter of hole 53 is bigger than diameter of lens barrel 25.).
Regarding claim 9, Ogami discloses wherein the cover member has a first cover surface (FIG. 13) on which the first insertion hole (window 53, FIG. 13 annotated) is formed and a second cover surface (FIG. 13) on which the second insertion hole (window 54, FIG. 13 annotated) is formed, and the second cover surface has a higher height in a normal direction of the disposition surface than the first cover surface (The second cover surface has a higher height in a normal direction of the disposition surface than the first cover surface when viewed downward by the device.).
Regarding claim 10, Ogami discloses wherein the cover member has an inclined surface (FIG. 13, as annotated) between the first cover surface and the second cover surface.
Regarding claim 11, Ogami discloses wherein a normal line of the first cover surface includes a component toward a base end side of a longitudinal axis of the insertion part (A vector on first cover surface would have a component towards proximal direction/base end.).
Regarding claim 12, Ogami discloses wherein an optical axis of the observation window includes a component toward a base end side of a longitudinal axis of the insertion part (As seen from FIG. 13, the optical axis of the observation window is tilted towards the proximal side, thus would have a component towards the proximal side.).
Regarding claim 13, Ogami discloses wherein the cover member has a covered portion that is covered with the distal end cap in a case in which the distal end cap is mounted on the distal end member (This is met when the cap 26 is mounted on the distal end member 7. FIG. 6).
Regarding claim 14, Ogami discloses wherein the distal end member is a side-viewing type (FIGS. 6, 13) in which the observation window and the illumination window face in a direction intersecting a longitudinal axis direction of the insertion part (FIG. 6, 13; The axis of observation window and illumination window indicate side view).
Claim(s) 4, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ogami (JP 2018171256) in view of Nakamoto (JP H09299316) and further in view of Saito (US 20220248942).
Regarding claim 4, Ogami does not expressly disclose wherein the engaging portion is an engaging hole that is provided in a bottom surface portion of the recessed portion, and the engaged portion is a protrusion portion that is provided on the cover member and that is engageable with the engaging hole.
Saito is directed to endoscope cap (abstract) and teaches wherein the engaging portion is an engaging hole (fixing hole 59; FIG. 27; Para [0064]) that is provided in a bottom surface of a portion of an engaging portion, and the engaged portion is a protrusion portion (protrusion 74; FIG. 27; Para [0064]) that is engageable with the engaging hole.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Ogami to include an engaging hole in the bottom surface of the tip and a protrusion portion in the cover member so that the attachment could be made more stable by using the protrusion portion and hole for the attachment.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO – 892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHANKAR R GHIMIRE whose telephone number is (571)272-0515. The examiner can normally be reached 8 AM - 5 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Anhtuan Nguyen can be reached on 571-272-4963. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SHANKAR RAJ GHIMIRE/Examiner, Art Unit 3795
/ANHTUAN T NGUYEN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3795 9/6/26
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