	US 11,221,440 C1 (12,552nd)
	Systems and methods for illumination of medical tubing
Michael Lebhar, Durham, NC (US); Konstantinos Economopoulos, Durham, NC (US); Anshu Jonnalagadda, Durham, NC (US); Shikha Sharma, Durham, NC (US); Kevin Tian, Durham, NC (US); Jacqueline Vaughn, Durham, NC (US); Paul Fearis, Durham, NC (US); and Eric Richardson, Durham, NC (US)
Filed by DUKE UNIVERSITY, Durham, NC (US)
Assigned to DUKE UNIVESITY, Durham, NC (US)
Reexamination Request No. 90/019,148, Feb. 2, 2023.
Reexamination Certificate for Patent 11,221,440, issued Jan. 11, 2022, Appl. No. 17/225,679, Apr. 8, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/007,007, filed on Apr. 8, 2020.
Ex Parte Reexamination Certificate issued on Mar. 22, 2024.
Int. Cl. F21V 8/00 (2006.01); A61M 39/08 (2006.01); F21V 21/088 (2006.01); F21V 23/00 (2015.01); F21V 23/04 (2006.01); F21Y 115/10 (2016.01)

CPC G02B 6/001 (2013.01) [A61M 39/08 (2013.01); F21V 21/088 (2013.01); F21V 23/003 (2013.01); F21V 23/04 (2013.01); G02B 6/0006 (2013.01); A61M 2205/587 (2013.01); F21Y 2115/10 (2016.08)]

AS A RESULT OF REEXAMINATION, IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT:

The patentability of claims 19-23 is confirmed.

Claims 1 and 13 are determined to be patentable as amended.

Claims 2-12 and 14-18, dependent on an amended claim, are determined to be patentable.

1. A system for illuminating medical tubes, the system comprising:

[ an illuminating tube comprising ] an optical fiber secured to and extending along a length of a medical tube;

a light source configured to transmit a light through the optical fiber;

a controller in communication with the light source, and configured to control the light source; and

an optical junction comprising:

a first input configured to secure a portion of medical tubing;

a second input configured to receive and direct the light from the light source to the optical fiber; and

an output configured to secure ~~the optical fiber and the medical tube~~ [ the illuminating tube] , wherein the first input and the output are fluidly connected via the optical junction, and

wherein the light illuminates the medical ~~tubing~~ [ tube of the illuminating tube ] via the optical fiber [ when the illuminating tube is received by the output of the optical junction] .

13. A method for illuminating medical tubing, the method comprising:

coupling a first end of medical tubing to a first input of an optical junction;

guiding light from a light source to a second input of the optical junction;

securing an [ illuminating tube comprising an ] optical fiber [ coupled ] to ~~the~~ [ a length of a ] medical ~~tubing~~ [ tube ] at an output of the optical junction, causing the first input to be fluidly connected to the output of the optical junction and the second input to be connected to the output of the optical junction [ such that light received by the second input from the light source is directed onto the optical fiber of the illuminating tube] ; and

in response to a user input, activating the light source to provide the light.