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
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 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) 1 - 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Vijayachandran (US 2021/0338282 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Vijayachandran discloses a cannula assembly (Abstract), comprising:
an elongate cannula member (paragraph [0055], Fig. 5, ref. 152); and
an attachment port structure (ref. 112) coupled to an end portion of the elongate cannula member (Fig. 6), wherein the attachment port structure comprises a sealing valve and is adapted to sealingly receive either of a camera/arthroscope assembly and an instrument (paragraph [0054] incorporates by reference US Pat. Pub. No. 2019/0090905 which discloses a sealing valve ref. 404a, fig. 4, which is fully capable of receiving a camera/arthroscope due to the its fluid communication with the cannula member).
Regarding claim 2, Vijayachandran discloses the cannula assembly of claim 1, wherein the elongate cannula member is manufactured from one or more of a metallic material, a plastic material, and a ceramic material (paragraph [0056] discloses steel which is a metallic material).
Regarding claim 3, Vijayachandran discloses the cannula assembly of claim 1, further comprising a tip member (ref. 124, Fig. 5) coupled to and disposed about another end portion of the elongate cannula member (Fig. 6), wherein the tip member is manufactured from one or more of a metallic material, a plastic material, and a ceramic material (paragraph [0056] discloses steel).
Regarding claim 4, Vijayachandran discloses the cannula assembly of claim 1, further comprising a smooth, ribbed, threaded, or textured sheath structure (ref. 116, Fig. 5 shows a smooth structure) coupled to and disposed about the end portion of the elongate cannula member (Fig. 6), wherein the smooth, ribbed, threaded, or textured sheath structure is manufactured from one or more of a metallic material, a plastic material, and a ceramic material (paragraph [0056] discloses steel and thus a metallic material).
Regarding claim 5, Vijayachandran discloses the cannula assembly of claim 1, further comprising one or more fluid ports (ref. 140) coupled to the elongate cannula member (Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 6, Vijayachandran discloses the cannula assembly of claim 1, wherein the attachment port structure is manufactured from one or more of a metallic material, a plastic material, and a ceramic material (paragraph [0056] discloses plastics).
Regarding claim 7, Vijayachandran discloses the cannula assembly of claim 1, wherein the attachment port structure defines a port that is adapted to securely receive the camera/arthroscope assembly with or without the use of an intervening adapter structure (the port is fully capable of functioning in such a manner because it is in fluid communication with the elongate member).
Regarding claim 8, Vijayachandran discloses the cannula assembly of claim 1, wherein the attachment port structure and the elongate cannula member are adapted to receive an obturator, trocar, or dilator device comprising an elongate member and a handle member (note that the obturator, trocar, or dilator device comprising an elongate member and a handle member are not positively recited and thus not considered to be part of the claims cannula assembly, therefore assembly is fully capable of receiving such instruments due to its cannulation).
Regarding claim 9, Vijayachandran discloses the cannula assembly of claim 8, wherein the obturator, trocar, or dilator device is manufactured from one or more of a metallic material, a plastic material, and a ceramic material (these devices are not positively claimed and thus not part of the claimed invention).
Regarding claim 10, Vijayachandran discloses the cannula assembly of claim 8, wherein the elongate member of the obturator, trocar, or dilator device comprises a core member manufactured from a metallic material (these devices are not positively claimed and thus not part of the claimed invention).
Regarding claim 11, Vijayachandran discloses a method for providing a cannula assembly (Abstract), the method comprising:
providing an elongate cannula member (paragraph [0055], Fig. 5, ref. 152); and
coupling an attachment port structure (ref. 112) to an end portion of the elongate cannula member (Fig. 6), wherein the attachment port structure comprises a sealing valve and is adapted to sealingly receive either of a camera/arthroscope assembly and an instrument (paragraph [0054] incorporates by reference US Pat. Pub. No. 2019/0090905 which discloses a sealing valve ref. 404a, fig. 4, which is fully capable of receiving a camera/arthroscope due to the its fluid communication with the cannula member).
Regarding claim 12, Vijayachandran discloses the method of claim 11, wherein the elongate cannula member is manufactured from one or more of a metallic material, a plastic material, and a ceramic material (paragraph [0056] discloses steel).
Regarding claim 13, Vijayachandran discloses the method of claim 11, further comprising providing a tip member (ref. 124, Fig. 5) coupled to and disposed about another end portion of the elongate cannula member (Fig. 6), wherein the tip member is manufactured from one or more of a metallic material, a plastic material, and a ceramic material (paragraph [0056] discloses steel).
Regarding claim 14, Vijayachandran discloses the method of claim 11, further comprising providing a smooth, ribbed, threaded, or textured sheath structure (Fig. 6, ref. 116 is shown to be smooth) coupled to and disposed about the end portion of the elongate cannula member (Fig. 6), wherein the smooth, ribbed, threaded, or textured sheath structure is manufactured from one or more of a metallic material, a plastic material, and a ceramic material (paragraph [0056] discloses steel).
Regarding claim 15, Vijayachandran discloses the method of claim 11, further comprising providing one or more fluid ports (ref. 140) coupled to the elongate cannula member (Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 16, Vijayachandran discloses the method of claim 11, wherein the attachment structure is manufactured from one or more of a metallic material, a plastic material, and a ceramic material (paragraph [0056] discloses plastics).
Regarding claim 17, Vijayachandran discloses the method of claim 11, wherein the attachment port structure defines a port (ref. 140) that is adapted to securely receive the camera/arthroscope assembly with or without the use of an intervening adapter structure (the port is in fluid communication with the cannula and is fully capable of receiving a surgical assembly with using an intervening adapter).
Regarding claim 18, Vijayachandran discloses the method of claim 11, wherein the attachment port structure and the elongate cannula member are adapted to receive an obturator, trocar, or dilator device comprising an elongate member and a handle member (note that the obturator, trocar, or dilator device comprising an elongate member and a handle member are not positively recited and thus not considered to be part of the claims cannula assembly, therefore assembly is fully capable of receiving such instruments due to its cannulation).
Regarding claim 19, Vijayachandran discloses the method of claim 18, wherein the obturator, trocar, or dilator device is manufactured from one or more of a metallic material, a plastic material, and a ceramic material (these devices are not positively claimed and thus not part of the claimed invention).
Regarding claim 20, Vijayachandran discloses the method of claim 18, wherein the elongate member of the obturator, trocar, or dilator device comprises a core member manufactured from a metallic material (these devices are not positively claimed and thus not part of the claimed invention).
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 TESSA M MATTHEWS whose telephone number is (571)272-8817. The examiner can normally be reached M - F 8am - 1pm.
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/TESSA M MATTHEWS/Examiner, Art Unit 3773
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