Appeal No. 2005-0929
Application No. 09/852,519
Claims 1, 5 and 8 are representative of the subject matter on appeal and read as
follows:
1. A punctum plug which is more easily visualized when positioned within a
punctual canal, the plug comprising:
a body having an outwardly exposed surface when so positioned; and
a substance causing at least the outwardly exposed surface to contrast
with surrounding tissue, such that the use of the substance causes the
plug to be more easily visualized than if the substance were not present.
5. The punctum plug of claim 1, wherein the plug is illuminated with light at an
illumination wavelength, and wherein the substance generates radiated light at a
wavelength other than the illumination wavelength.
8. The punctum plug of claim 5, wherein the radiated light is outside the visible
spectrum and further including a detector for detecting the radiated light.
The examiner relies on the following references:
L’Esperance, Jr. 5,300,020 Apr. 4, 1994
(L’Esperance)
Sedar et al. 4,959,048 Sep. 25, 1990
(Sedar)
Freeman 3,949,750 Apr. 13, 1976
Gwon et al 5,178,635 Jan. 12, 1993
(Gown)
The claims stand rejected as follows:
I. Claims 1-4 and 6 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b) as being anticipated by
L’Esperance.
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