DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 4-5 and 10-11 have been canceled.
Claims 1-3 and 6-9 have been examined.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed 9/11/2025 with respect to the rejection(s) of the claims under 35 USC § 102have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, new grounds of rejection are set forth below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
Claims 1-2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Huang (Chinese Patent 1432420 A).
As to Claim 1, Yang discloses a table tennis racket comprising:
a blade (1);
a handle (2) being connected to one side of the blade and symmetrical alignment with the blade;
a thumb support part (4) being installed on an upper surface of the blade and being formed with a three-dimensional protrusion part positioned and highly upward protruding on a thumb contact part of a flat surface of the blade on a left side adjacent to the handle, thereby increasing the range of angle adjustment, and naturally adjusting angle of the racket when switching between forehand and backhand (Par. 0018-0020; Figs 1 and 3).
As to Claim 2, Yang discloses the table tennis racket of claim 1, wherein a groove (3) is formed between the thumb support part protruding from the flat surface of the blade and the handle (Par. 0018-0020; Figs 1 and 3).
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tillery (US Patent Application Publication 2014/0221133).
As to Claim 3, Tillery discloses a table tennis racket comprising:
a blade (1);
a handle (2) being connected to one side of the blade;
an index finger support part (3) being installed on an upper surface of the blade and being formed with a three-dimensional protrusion part positioned on an index finger contact part of a flat surface of the blade on a right side adjacent to the handle, extending and protruding more widely from the handle to an edge of the blade, thereby resolving interference with the blade (3; Fig 8 shows support part 3 protruding from the blade; Par. 0025 also discloses that the tabs are “incorporated into the substrate shape” (e.g. part of the blade)).
Claims 6, 7, and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Siow (US Patent 7993222).
As to Claim 6, Siow discloses a table tennis racket (Fig 3) comprising:
a blade (U);
a handle (V) being connected to one side of the blade;
a middle finger, a ring finger, or a little finger support part (Y) being installed on a lower surface of the blade and being formed with a three-dimensional protrusion part positioned on a middle finger, a ring finger, or a little finger contact part of a flat surface of the blade on a front side adjacent to the handle and extending laterally and coupled parallel to the surface of the blade, thereby resolving interference with the middle finger (Col 2, Lines 51-61).
As to Claim 7, Siow discloses the table tennis racket of claim 6, wherein a groove (at X formed by the vertically extending portion of the support part and the surface of the blade) is formed in the middle finger, the ring finger or the little support part protruding from the flat surface of the blade.
As to Claim 9, Siow discloses the table tennis racket of claim 6, wherein an index finger is capable of being supported by the middle finger, the ring finger, or the little finger support part (Fig 3; Abstract; Examiner notes that any finger is actually capable of being supported by the support (Y) depending on how a user chooses to hold the racket).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Siow in view of Yu (CN 201445753).
As to Claim 8, Siow discloses the table tennis racket significantly as claimed, but does not explicitly disclose wherein the middle finger, the ring finger, or the little finger support part is formed on a covering attached to the flat surface of the blade (although coverings are universally known to be applied to a hitting surface of a table tennis racket).
Yu teaches a similar table tennis racket having a finger support part (7) for gripping by a middle finger, ring finger, and little finger which is mounted to a covering (1) on a blade of the racket to provide an ergonomically placed gripping surface for the user. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the racket of Siow to include a covering and the support part be mounted thereon as taught by Yu to provide a racket with an enhanced grip for pen-style users.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSHUA T KENNEDY whose telephone number is (571)272-8297. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7a-4:30p MST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, LoAn Jimenez can be reached on (571) 272-4966. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JOSHUA T KENNEDY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3784 10/10/2025