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 § 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) 8-15, 26-32, and 34 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Suarez et al. (US 2011/0082462; “Suarez”).
Claim 8, Suarez discloses a reamer (Fig. 6B) for shaping a bone without requiring a guide pin (Fig. 6B), the reamer comprising: a primary driveshaft (210) configured to rotate about a first axis of rotation (axis of 210); a cutting head (paragraph [0069]) coupled to a distal end (228) of the primary driveshaft (Fig. 6B; paragraph [0069]), the cutting head configured to rotate about a second axis of rotation (Fig. 6B; paragraph [0069]), laterally offset from the first axis of rotation (Fig. 6B; paragraph [0069]).
Claim 9, Suarez discloses the reamer of claim 8, wherein the second axis of rotation is parallel to the first axis of rotation (Fig. 6B; paragraph [0069]).
Claim 10, Suarez discloses the reamer of claim 8, wherein the orientation of the primary driveshaft is adjustable relative to the orientation of the cutting head (Fig. 6C), such that the first axis of rotation is located at an acute or an oblique angle relative to the second axis of rotation (Figs. 6b-6C; paragraph [0069]).
Claim 11, Suarez discloses the reamer of claim 8, further comprising a motive (Fig. 6B; 200a) coupler coupled to the primary driveshaft (Fig. 6B), the motive coupler engageable with a motive source to provide rotary motion to the primary driveshaft (Fig. 6B; paragraph [0069]), at least a portion of the motive coupler and the primary driveshaft rotatable about the first axis of rotation (Fig. 6B; paragraph [0069]).
Claim 12, Suarez discloses the reamer of claim 11, wherein the motive source is an electric motor (could be any type of motor the motive source is not positively recited, so the coupler just needs to be capable of coupling to this type of source), the motor operable to rotate the primary driveshaft to rotate the cutting head (Fig. 6B; paragraph [0069]).
Claim 13, Suarez discloses the reamer of claim 11, wherein the motive source is a pneumatically-actuated motor (could be any type of motor the motive source is not positively recited, so the coupler just needs to be capable of coupling to this type of source), the motor operable to rotate the primary driveshaft to rotate the cutting head (Fig. 6B; paragraph [0069]).
Claim 14, Suarez discloses the reamer of claim 8, further comprising a retainer (Fig. 6B; 50) connecting the primary driveshaft to an end effector (Figs. 3B and 6B) of a robotic arm (Figs. 3B and 6B), a portion of the retainer being laterally from both the end effector and the reamer (Fig.6B; the neck portion of 50 meets this limitation, for instance run an axis through the neck portion parallel to the shaft 210 axis).
Claim 15, Suarez discloses the reamer of claim 8, further comprising a secondary driveshaft (Fig. 6B; 224) coupled to the cutting head (Fig. 6B), the secondary driveshaft rotatable about a third axis of rotation (axis defined by 224) that is not parallel to the first axis of rotation or the second axis of rotation (Fig. 6B).
Claim 26, Suarez discloses the reamer of claim 15, wherein the secondary driveshaft is coupled to the primary driveshaft at a first joint (Fig. 6B; 228).
Claim 27, Suarez discloses the reamer of claim 26, wherein the secondary driveshaft is coupled to the cutting head at a second joint (distal 228 joint).
Claim 28, Suarez discloses the reamer of claim 8, wherein the primary driveshaft extends within a primary housing (Fig. 6B; 60).
Claim 29, Suarez discloses a reamer (Fig. 6B) for shaping a bone without requiring a guide pin (Fig. 6B), the reamer comprising: a primary driveshaft (210) configured to rotate about a first axis of rotation (axis of 210); a secondary driveshaft (Fig. 6B; 224) coupled to the primary driveshaft at a first joint (Fig. 6B; 228) and configured to rotate about a second axis of rotation (axis of 224); and a cutting head (paragraph [0069]) coupled to the secondary driveshaft at a second joint (distal joint 228), the cutting head configured to rotate about a third axis of rotation (Fig. 6B; paragraph [0069]) laterally offset from the first axis of rotation (Fig. 6B; paragraph [0069]).
Claim 30, Suarez discloses the reamer of claim 29, wherein the primary driveshaft extends within a primary housing (Fig. 6B; 60).
Claim 31, Suarez discloses the reamer of claim 30, wherein the secondary driveshaft extends within a secondary housing (where 222 points).
Claim 32, Suarez discloses the reamer of claim 29, wherein the first axis of rotation and the third axis of rotation are parallel (Fig. 6B).
Claim 34, Suarez discloses the reamer of claim 32, wherein the second axis of rotation lies at an oblique angle (Fig. 6B; angles between the different segments) relative to at least one of the first axis of rotation or the third axis of rotation (Fig. 6B).
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(s) 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Suarez et al. (US 2011/0082462; “Suarez”), in view of Yang et al. (US 2012/0265009; “Yang”).
Claim 16, Suarez discloses the reamer of claim 8.
However, Suarez does not disclose a camera coupled to a distal portion of the primary driveshaft.
Yang teaches a cutting device (Fig. 2) further comprising a camera (Fig. 2; 66; paragraph [0039]) coupled to a distal portion of a housing of the primary driveshaft (Fig. 2; paragraph [0039]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to include a camera, as taught by Yang, to the reamer of Suarez, in order to allow the user to have visualization of the worksite and get image data (paragraphs [0039], [0042], and [0048]).
Claim(s) 24-25 and 33 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Suarez et al. (US 2011/0082462; “Suarez”), in view of Dekel et al. (US 2019/0223957; “Dekel”).
Claim 24, Suarez discloses the reamer of claim 15.
However, Suarez does not disclose the secondary driveshaft extending perpendicular to the primary driveshaft.
Dekel teaches a reamer (Figs. 5-6) comprising a secondary driveshaft (Fig. 5; 212) extending perpendicular to a primary driveshaft (220).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made how the driveshafts of Suarez connect to one another so the extend perpendicular relative to one another as taught by Dekel, since this is a well-known way to help offset the handle portion from the reaming head (Figs. 5-6) and connect driveshafts to rotate the reaming head (Figs. 5-6; paragraph [0083]).
Claim 25, Suarez discloses the reamer of claim 15.
However, Suarez does not disclose the third axis of rotation being perpendicular to the first axis of rotation.
Dekel teaches a manner of connecting driveshafts at 90 degree angles (Figs. 5-6), which makes the axis of rotations of the shafts perpendicular to one another
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the driveshaft connections of Suarez to be at 90 degree angles, as taught by Dekel, since this is a well-known way to help offset the handle portion from the reaming head (Figs. 5-6) and connect driveshafts to rotate the reaming head (Figs. 5-6; paragraph [0083]).
Claim 33, Suarez discloses the reamer of claim 32.
However, Suarez does not disclose the second axis of rotation being perpendicular to the third axis of rotation.
Dekel teaches a manner of connecting driveshafts at 90 degree angles (Figs. 5-6), which makes the axis of rotations of the shafts perpendicular to one another
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the driveshaft connections of Suarez to be at 90 degree angles, as taught by Dekel, since this is a well-known way to help offset the handle portion from the reaming head (Figs. 5-6) and connect driveshafts to rotate the reaming head (Figs. 5-6; paragraph [0083]).
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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/Zade Coley/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3775
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