Appeal No. 2002-1916
Application 09/332,772
independent claim 21 is directed to a catheter system including
a kit of parts for use with a plurality of guidewires having
different diameters and, in addition to a catheter having a lumen
of a given internal diameter, also includes
a plurality of adapters, each of said
plurality of adapters including an external
diameter substantially equal to said internal
diameter of said lumen of said catheter for
individual exclusive positioning in said
lumen of said catheter, each of said
plurality of adapters further including a
lumen defining mutually distinct internal
diameters for uniquely fitting one of said
plurality of guidewires.
According to the examiner (answer, page 6), although
Donadio does not disclose a plurality of adapters, it is common
knowledge in the prior art to insert a plurality of different
devices through a catheter in order to perform surgery and those
skilled in the art would recognize that such different devices
have different diameters. Apparently based on that knowledge,
the examiner then reaches the conclusions that
[i]t would have been obvious to one having
ordinary skill in the art at the time the
invention was made to modify the number of
adapters used in order to customize it to
the patient’s blood vessels (i.e. veins,
arteries, capillaries). Further it would
have been construed as a mere duplication
of adapters performing the same function.
8
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007