Appeal 2007-1432
Application 09/141,186
Patent 5,549,673
I. STATEMENT OF CASE
1. Appellant appeals under 35 U.S.C. § 134 from a Final Rejection
of reissue claims 1-3 and 16-26 entered January 4, 2001. We have
jurisdiction under 35 U.S.C. § 6(b).
2. A copy of Appellant’s reissue claims 1-3 and 16-26 is set forth
in the Claim Appendix of Appellant’s Brief.
3. Independent claims 1, 16, 17, and 18 under appeal read as
follows:
1. (Patent claim) A system of phonosurgery implantation for
insertion by a surgeon through an opening formed in a patient's
thyroid cartilage to stabilize a vocal cord therein, the system
comprising:
(a) a series of implant bodies of different sizes, the implant
bodies each having a holding portion and a series of engaging means
for holding the implant bodies relative to the vocal cord by engaging
the holding portion of the bodies in different positions in the opening
formed in the thyroid cartilage;
(b) a series of sizing instruments, each having a sizing portion
corresponding respectively in size and shape to one of the implant
bodies for enabling a surgeon to determine the implant body to use;
(c) inserter instrument means for engaging the selected implant
body so that the surgeon can insert and move the selected implant
body in the opening in the thyroid cartilage;
(d) wherein the holding portions on the implant bodies are
H-shaped in cross section and substantially the same size and shape.
- 2 -
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Next
Last modified: September 9, 2013