Ex Parte Boutilette et al - Page 7

                 Appeal 2007-0845                                                                                      
                 Application 10/268,135                                                                                

                        Thus, we agree with the Examiner that Jang’s catheter meets claim 1’s                          
                 requirement of a guide wire ramp formed of a portion of the catheter wall                             
                 separated from another portion of the catheter wall by a slit extending                               
                 proximally to create a substantially angled tip.                                                      
                        We also agree with the Examiner that claim 1 does not require the                              
                 angled portion of the guide wire ramp to be permanently angled.  Moreover,                            
                 by describing a guide wire exchange procedure that “deflects the ramp 62                              
                 radially outward to allow the guide wire 36 to pass thereunder”                                       
                 (Specification 9), Appellants’ Specification clearly contemplates                                     
                 embodiments in which the guide wire ramp is not permanently angled.                                   
                        Appellants argue that “in each drawing showing the angled structure,                           
                 a gap is left between the angled structure and an inner surface of the wall                           
                 30” (Br. 6).  Thus, Appellants argue, the conclusion that Jang’s angled                               
                 structure                                                                                             
                        forms a ramp forcing a guidewire 50 out of the lumen 20 is                                     
                        speculative. . . .  [A]lthough Jang includes no description of                                 
                        what  happens  as  a  proximal  end  of  a  guidewire  moves                                   
                        proximally within the lumen 20 past the side port 34 (i.e., if the                             
                        catheter of Jang were loaded distal end first as is generally                                  
                        done)  it  appears  likely  that  the  guide  wire  would  continue                            
                        through  the  lumen  20  past  this  angled  structure  into  the                              
                        proximal portion of the lumen 20.  Nothing in Jang contradicts                                 
                        this reading and it is respectfully submitted that only                                        
                        speculation suggests any other reading.                                                        
                 (Id.)                                                                                                 
                        The Examiner points (Answer 4) to Jang’s disclosure that                                       
                        [t]he side port 234 . . . is adapted to permit insertion or removal                            
                        of a guidewire therethrough.  Preferably, the side port 234 is                                 
                        configured such that a guidewire passing through the side port                                 
                        234 may easily extend distally through the guidewire lumen                                     

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