Ex Parte Ferry et al - Page 7

                Appeal 2007-2812                                                                             
                Application 10/337,236                                                                       
                12.  Anderson describes all elements of the magnetically navigable medical                   
                guidewire of claim 1.  (See also Final Office Action 3.)                                     
                13.   In regard to claim 14, Anderson does not expressly disclose the                        
                stiffness or magnetic strength of the magnetically responsive element, but                   
                Fig. 5 suggests that the guidewire has a tip that is flexible enough to deflect              
                to at least 30 degrees when subjected to the magnetic field of magnet 41.                    
                (See also Final Office Action 7.)                                                            
                Kuntz                                                                                        
                14.  Kuntz describes a retrieving catheter 21 which comprises an elongate                    
                tube (Kuntz, at col. 3, l. 40 and Fig. 1, 28) for introducing into the urethra               
                (Kuntz, at col. 4, ll. 10-16).                                                               
                15.  The retrieving catheter 21 can have a magnet 27 at its end (Kuntz, col.                 
                4, ll. 11-15 and Fig. 5).                                                                    
                16.  The magnet 27 has a cylindrical core 32 which is covered by a hollow                    
                stainless steel cap 33 shown in Fig. 5 as being dome-shaped (Kuntz, col. 5,                  
                ll. 15-19).                                                                                  
                17.  “The cap 33 serves to . . . attach the magnet 27 to the catheter 21”                    
                (Kunz, col. 5, 11. 1-21 and Fig. 5).                                                         
                18.  The magnet “preferably” is comprised of neodymium-iron-boron                            
                material (Kuntz, col. 5, ll. 15-17).                                                         
                Application of Kuntz to the claims                                                           
                19.  The retrieving catheter 21 comprises an elongate tube (FF 14; Kuntz, at                 
                col. 3, l. 40 and Fig. 1, 28), meeting the limitation of claim 1 of “an elongate             
                wire having a proximal end.” (See Final Office Action 5-6.)                                  



                                                     7                                                       

Page:  Previous  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  Next

Last modified: September 9, 2013