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 § 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.
Claims 9-12 and 23-26 are 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.
A broad range or limitation together with a narrow range or limitation that falls within the broad range or limitation (in the same claim) may be considered indefinite if the resulting claim does not clearly set forth the metes and bounds of the patent protection desired. See MPEP § 2173.05(c). In the present instance, claims 9 and 23 recite the broad recitation “wherein the flushing gas is an acidic gas and the flushing liquid is a buffer solution comprising a buffering agent,”, and the claim also recites “preferably wherein the buffering agent is one or more selected from a group consisting of glycine, lysine, ammonium, borate, TRIS, HEPES, phosphate, histidine, and arginine” which is the narrower statement of the range/limitation. The claim(s) are considered indefinite because there is a question or doubt as to whether the feature introduced by such narrower language is (a) merely exemplary of the remainder of the claim, and therefore not required, or (b) a required feature of the claims.
Claims 10-12 depend on claim 9.
Claims 24-26 depend on claim 23.
Allowable Subject Matter
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claims 1-8, 13-22, and 27-31 are allowed.
The closest prior art references are Brandl et al. (US 7,419,645), Fangrow (US 2018/0272117 A1), Ou-Yang et al. (US 2010/0136209 A1), Baier et al. (DE 4035487 C2)., and Bouton et al. (US 8,198,599 B2).
Regarding claim 1, Brandl et al. discloses a disinfecting and cleaning agent connection device can be used in conjunction with medical devices (see Abstract).
Fangrow discloses that the fluid transfer module (31) can comprise a multidirectional flow-control valve (41) and an intermediate container or pumping region (40), as well as any connector(s) and/or conduit(s) that may extend between or among these or any other components of the fluid transfer module (31), and/or any connectors and/or conduits that may extend between or among the fluid transfer module 31 and the source container (39) and/or the destination container (44) (see figure 1A and paragraph 0032).
Ou-Yang et al. discloses insert gas, at a controlled pressure to flush any excess coating from the medical device (see figure 4A and paragraph 0071).
Baier et al. discloses a flushing device comprising rinsing liquid under considerable gas pressure (see Abstract; figures 1-5; description; and claims 1-4).
The prior art references fail to disclose a system for flushing a medical device, comprising: a multi-port valve for controlling the delivery of flushing fluids, the multi-port valve connected to: a gas-driven pump connected to the fluid outlet, wherein, in a first configuration, the multi-port valve couples a flow of gas from the source of pressurised flushing gas to the fluid outlet, and wherein, in a second configuration, the multi-port valve couples a flow of gas from the source of pressurised flushing gas to the gas-driven pump to drive the gas-driven pump thereby to provide a flow of flushing liquid to the fluid outlet.
Claims 2-8 and 13-18 depend on claim 1.
Regarding claim 1, Brandl et al. discloses a disinfecting and cleaning agent connection device can be used in conjunction with medical devices (see Abstract).
Ou-Yang et al. discloses insert gas, at a controlled pressure to flush any excess coating from the medical device (see figure 4A and paragraph 0071).
Baier et al. discloses a flushing device comprising rinsing liquid under considerable gas pressure (see Abstract; figures 1-5; description; and claims 1-4).
Bouton et al. discloses that a fluid pathway is further provided from the access device to a first pumping device which may include a syringe and activator, or peristaltic pump; and source of a nonradioactive flushing material such as saline is also provided with a second fluid path, which may be connected to a second pumping device, or may be in fluid communication with the first pumping device through a valve mechanism (see column 2, lines 7-38).
The prior art references fail to disclose or suggest a method of flushing a medical device, comprising: flushing the medical device with a flow of flushing gas from a source of pressurised flushing gas; and, flushing the medical device with a flow of flushing liquid, wherein the flow of flushing liquid is provided by a gas-driven pump driven by a flow of flushing gas from the source of pressurised flushing gas.
Claims 20-22 and 27-31 depend on claim 19.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATASHA E YOUNG whose telephone number is (571)270-3163. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:00 am - 6:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Wang Claire can be reached at 571-270-1051. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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NATASHA E. YOUNG
Examiner
Art Unit 1774
/NATASHA E YOUNG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1774
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