CTNF 19/290,997 CTNF 78132 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia 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 8/5/2025 and 11/18/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner. Specification 07-29 AIA The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: The specification needs to be updated to include Pat. No. 12,402,878 . Appropriate correction is required. Claim Objections 07-29-01 AIA Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 1 line 9 recites “a protrusion includes a protrusion” (second occurrence). One need to be canceled . Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-23-aia AIA 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. 07-20-02-aia AIA This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention. 07-21-aia Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoon (US 5833695) in view of Williamson et al. (US 5452837). With regard to claim 1, Yoon discloses a fastening device (210) comprising: a flexible longitudinal body (218) including a central longitudinal axis and a distal end; an anvil (222) extending distally from the distal end of the longitudinal body; a first distal body (224) extending distally from the distal end of the longitudinal body; and a second distal body (220) extending distally from the distal end of the longitudinal body, wherein the first distal body and the second distal body are configured to removably receive a cartridge (30) having a plurality of fasteners (78), except for, wherein the anvil includes a protrusion extending from a distal portion of the anvil. Williamson et al. teach fastening device (10 fig.1) including the claimed protrusion (18) for the purpose of gripping and squeezing tissue from slipping during stapling operation. In view of Williamson et al., it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify Yoon by providing protrusion for the purpose of gripping and squeezing tissue from slipping during stapling operation (col.4, lines 13-14). Double Patenting 08-33 AIA The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg , 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman , 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi , 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum , 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel , 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington , 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969). A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b). The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13. The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA/25, or PTO/AIA/26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer. Claims 1-20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-15 of U.S. Patent No. 12,402,878. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because a person having ordinary skill in the art would have found the claims of the instant application to have been obvious variations of the claims of the patent. The claims of the patent and the claims of the present application are both directed to a fastening device including a flexible longitudinal body and anvil. While the claims of the present application and the claims of the patent may have variations and differences in their scope and terminology, the variations and differences would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art. Patented claims 1-15 disclose all of the structure defined in application claims 1-20. Therefore, patented claims 1-15 are in essence a “species” of the generic invention of application claims 1-20. It has been held that a generic invention is “anticipated” by a “species” within the scope of the generic invention. See In re Goodman, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993). Since application claims 1-20 are anticipated by patented claims 1-15, application claims 1-20 are not patentably distinct from patented claims 1-15. The application claims and patented claims match-up as follows: Application Claims Patent Claims US 12,402,878 1+4 1 2 2 3 3 5 4 6 7 7 8 8 5 9 9 10 6 11 10 12 11 13 12 14 13 15 14 16 15 17 2 18 6 19 3 20 2 Conclusion Refer to attachment for notice of references cited and recommended for consideration based on their disclosure of limitations of the claimed invention. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHANIEL C. CHUKWURAH whose telephone number is (571)272-4457. The examiner can normally be reached M-F & T-F 7-4:30 IFP. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Anna Kinsaul can be reached at 571-260-1926. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /NATHANIEL C CHUKWURAH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3731 4/16/2026 Application/Control Number: 19/290,997 Page 2 Art Unit: 3731 Application/Control Number: 19/290,997 Page 3 Art Unit: 3731 Application/Control Number: 19/290,997 Page 4 Art Unit: 3731 Application/Control Number: 19/290,997 Page 5 Art Unit: 3731 Application/Control Number: 19/290,997 Page 6 Art Unit: 3731 Application/Control Number: 19/290,997 Page 7 Art Unit: 3731 Application/Control Number: 19/290,997 Page 8 Art Unit: 3731
Prosecution Insights