Appeal No. 2000-2029
Application 09/012,530
insertion of the guide wire (44) through the opening (34) of the
dilator tip, both the cannula (12) and the dilator (14) are then
advanced over the guide wire and into the blood vessel. Like the
examiner, it is our opinion that the transition region between
the cylindrical portion (28) and the tapered portion (26) at the
tip of the dilator in Toye is likewise “configured to limit
insertion of the needle” therein, at least to the same extent
that appellant’s tip temporarily does so under manipulation by
the individual doing the insertion (i.e., the individual
“temporarily halting further advancement of the cannula assembly”
into the blood vessel when the transition stop contacts the outer
wall of the vessel).
Appellant provides no indication as to exactly how the
individual inserting the cannula assembly into a blood vessel
knows when the transition stop contacts the outer wall of the
vessel. We presume that some form of viewing device allows the
individual to see that such contact has occurred or that an
increase in resistance to insertion is noticed due to the
increasing diameter of the tip at the transition region. Both of
these possibilities would also allow one using the dilator in
Toye to temporarily halt further advancement of the cannula
7
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007