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 .
EXAMINER’S COMMENT
The amendment to the Specification and claims has been entered on 11/17/2025.
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) 1-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Rubin (US 20210068875).
With respect to claim 1, Rubin discloses a pedicle screw assembly (e.g., see fig. 1, 3A-3B below) comprising: a screw member (110) configured to be coupled to a pedicle (see para. 85-86); a rod support member (120, see para. 85) configured to rotatably support the screw member (see para. 87); a driver support member (200+140) extending in one direction (see fig. 1 below), one side (e.g., distal) of the driver support member being coupled to the rod support member (e.g., via 140, see para. 90, 95); and a reinforcing member (204) coupled to a different side (e.g., proximal) of the driver support member, the reinforcing member being configured to press the driver support member radially inward (see para. 95-96), wherein the driver support member includes: a driver support body (140) extending in the one direction, one side (e.g., distal) of the driver support body in the extending direction being coupled to the rod support member (see fig. 1 below); and a reinforcing-member coupler (206) extending in the one direction, the reinforcing-member coupler being continuous with a different side of the driver support body in the extending direction and being coupled to the reinforcing member (see para. 92 fig. 3a below).
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As for claim 2, Rubin further discloses the pedicle screw assembly of claim 1, wherein the reinforcing member includes: a reinforcing body (threaded internal surface 204b) configured to surround the reinforcing-member coupling portion (see fig. 3A above and para. 92, via external threads 208a) and to be coupled to the driver support member (see para. 92-93); and a support-member coupling space (e.g., 204c) formed inside the reinforcing body (see fig. 3A-3B above and para. 92-93), the support-member coupling space being open on one side facing the reinforcing member so as to detachably receive the reinforcing-member coupler (see para. 92-93).
As for claim 3, Rubin further discloses the pedicle screw assembly of claim 2, wherein the driver support body includes a pair of driver support bodies (142, 144), the pair being spaced apart from each other in a different direction (e.g., horizontal); the reinforcing-member coupler includes a pair of reinforcing-member couplers (208b, 208c), the pair being respectively continuous with the pair of driver support bodies (see fig. 3B above and para. 93); and the support-member coupling space includes a pair of support-member coupling spaces (160a, 160b), the pair being spaced apart from each other in the different direction and respectively receiving the pair of reinforcing-member couplers (see fig. 3B above and para. 93, fig. 1 above).
As for claim 4, Rubin further discloses the pedicle screw assembly of claim 2, wherein the reinforcing-member coupler includes a reinforcing-member receiving groove (210d, 210e), the reinforcing-member receiving groove being recessed on an outer surface of the reinforcing-member coupler (see para. 93-94) and wherein reinforcing member includes a support-member coupling protrusion (e.g., 208b, 208c) protruding from an inner surface surrounding the support-member coupling space so as to be received in the reinforcing-member receiving groove (see para. 94).
As for claim 5, Rubin further discloses the pedicle screw assembly of claim 2, wherein the reinforcing member is divided into one portion positioned inward (208) and a different portion (210) positioned outward along a radial direction with respect to the support-member coupling space (see fig. 3B above), and wherein the different portion of the reinforcing member includes a slitted groove (210d, 210e), the slitted groove extending along a height direction of the reinforcing member and penetrating through a thickness direction of the different portion (see para. 94-95).
As for claim 6, Rubin further discloses the pedicle screw assembly of claim 5, wherein the reinforcing member includes a pair of slitted grooves (210d, 210e), the pair being spaced apart from each other along an outer circumference of the different portion of the reinforcing member (see para. 94), and wherein the reinforcing body includes a reinforcing wing (208b or 208c) positioned between the pair of slitted grooves, the reinforcing wing being configured to be elastically deformable radially outward when pressed by the reinforcing-member coupler (see para. 93, note that the wing can perform this function).
As for claim 7, Rubin further discloses the pedicle screw assembly of claim 6, wherein the reinforcing member includes a support-member coupling protrusion (e.g., 162), the support-member coupling protrusion protruding from an inner surface of the reinforcing wing so as to contact the reinforcing-member coupler (see fig. 3B above, para. 95).
As for claim 8, Rubin further discloses the pedicle screw assembly of claim 1, wherein a thread (208a) is formed on an outer circumferential surface of the reinforcing-member coupler, a thread (204b) is formed on an inner circumferential surface of the reinforcing member, such that the reinforcing-member coupler and the reinforcing member are screw-coupled to each other (see para. 93).
With respect to claim 9, Rubin discloses a pedicle screw assembly (e.g., see fig. 1, 3A-3B) comprising: a screw member (110) configured to be coupled to a pedicle (see para. 85-86); a rod support member (120+140, see para. 85) configured to rotatably support the screw member (see para. 87); a driver support member (206) extending in one direction (see fig. 1), one side (e.g., distal) of the driver support member being coupled to the rod support member (e.g., via 140, see para. 90, 95); and a reinforcing member (204) coupled to a different side (e.g., proximal) of the driver support member, the reinforcing member being configured to press the driver support member radially inward (see para. 95-96, note 208b, 208c), wherein the driver support member includes: a driver support body (body of 208) extending in the one direction, one side (e.g., distal) of the driver support body in the extending direction being coupled to the rod support member (see fig. 1); and a reinforcing-member coupler (210) extending in the one direction, the reinforcing-member coupler being continuous with a different side of the driver support body in the extending direction and being coupled to the reinforcing member (see para. 91-97 fig. 3a); wherein the rod support member includes a support-member coupler (e.g., 140) received in the driver support member and coupled thereto (see fig. 2), and the driver support member includes a rod coupler (e.g., arms 208b or 208c) positioned at one side of the driver support body and coupled to the support-member coupler (see para. 92-97, see fig. 3).
As for claim 10, Rubin further discloses the pedicle screw assembly of claim 9, wherein the support member coupler and the rod coupler are hook-fitted to each other (e.g., via 208b, 208c with 160a, 160b).
As for claim 11, Rubin further discloses the pedicle screw assembly of claim 9, wherein the rod coupler includes: a movement groove (e.g., 210d or 210e) configured to penetrate through a thickness direction of the driver support body and to extend along a longitudinal direction thereof (see para. 91-97); and a rod coupling projection (hooks of 208b/208c) disposed in the movement groove and extending in the same direction as the movement groove (see fig. 3B), one end thereof facing the rod support member, being formed as a free end (see fig. 3B), and the other end thereof facing the reinforcing member, being coupled to the driver support body (see fig. 3B).
As for claim 12, Rubin further discloses the pedicle screw assembly of claim 11, wherein the support-member coupler includes: a coupling body (e.g., 150) extending in the same direction as the rod coupling projection; a coupling groove (160a, 160b) recessed at each edge in a width direction of the coupling body; and a coupling projection (162a, 162b) positioned at one end of the coupling body facing the driver support member, the coupling projection being configured to have a width greater than that of the coupling body (see fig. 1).
As for claim 13, Rubin further discloses pedicle screw assembly of claim 12, wherein the rod coupling projection includes a projection (tip of hook) formed at one end thereof and protruding facing the rod support member (see fig. 3B), and the rod coupling projection is received in the coupling groove after the projection contacts the coupling projection and is elastically deformed outward (see fig. 3B).
As for claim 14, Rubin further discloses the pedicle screw assembly of claim 12, wherein the coupling projection includes: a first projection surface (e.g., distal surface, adjacent to 16a, 160b) positioned farthest from the driver support member and extending outward from an outer surface of the coupling body (see fig. 1); a second projection surface (e.g., between distal surface and 150) continuous with the first projection surface and extending inward and inclined toward the driver support member (see fig. 1); and a third projection surface 156a, 156b) continuous with the second projection surface and extending inward and inclined toward the driver support member, wherein the rod coupling projection is received in the coupling groove after being shape-deformed as it sequentially contacts the third projection surface and the second projection surface (see fig. 1, fig. 3B, para. 95).
Conclusion
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/TARA ROSE E CARTER/Examiner, Art Unit 3773
/JAN CHRISTOPHER L MERENE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3773
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