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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group II, claims 22-29, in the reply filed on 8/28/25 is acknowledged.
Based on the amendment filed 8/28/25, newly added claims 30 through 51 are now pending with the elected claim set.
Claim Objections
Claim 29 is objected to because of the following informalities: In lines 2 and 3, ‘. . . adjust the loft, lie angle, and/or a loft and a lie angle of the golf club head.’ should read –. . . adjust a loft and/or a lie angle of the golf club head.--. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chen (US 2016/0236047).
Regarding claim 22, Chen discloses a club head with an interior cavity, sole 520, crown 522, face 508, rearward portion 532, hosel 540, and weight member 550. The weight member being coupled to the club head and being moveable between a first and second positions. It should be noted that every club head has a balance point projection extending vertically from the ground plane. In this case, the balance point projection is equivalent to the center of gravity extending vertically from the ground plane. Chen also discloses the center of gravity changing positions in the y axis and z axis (See Paragraph 0052). The change in the center of gravity between the first and second positions are 0.100 to 0.300 inch (2.54mm to 7.62mm) and 0.01 to 0.05 inch (.0254mm to 1.27mm) respectively (See Paragraph 0052). Chen does show center of gravity forward the thickened portion (a second position) of the weight member and rearward of a thin portion of the weight member (see Figure 2). Figure 4 also show the two center of gravity positions wherein a first position is shown to have a portion of the weight forward of the center of gravity of the club head.
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(s) 24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (US 2016/0236047) in view of Stites et al. (USPN 5935020).
Regarding claim 24, Chen discloses the club head having a volume less than 400cc and having a mass of 210 to 240 g (See paragraph 0081 and 0083), but does not disclose the peak crown height of the club head. Stites et al. discloses a club head having a peak crown height CH of 1.85 inches to 2.10 inches, 47mm to 54mm (See Column 6, lines 33 through 36). One having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to have a peak crown height of greater than 1.85 inches, as taught by Stites et al., in order to improve performance and playability of the club head.
Claim(s) 29 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (US 2016/0236047) in view of Murphy (US 2010/0323809).
Regarding claim 29, Chen discloses a shaft connection assembly 540 but does not disclose it being adjustable. Murphy discloses a shaft connection assembly wherein the hosel is configured to adjust the loft and lie angle of the club head (See Paragraph 0001 and 0034). One having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to have an adjustable shaft connection assembly, as taught by Murphy, in order to adjust the loft, lie, and face angles of the club head.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 23, 25-28, and 30-51 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
See the above regarding the election/restriction with respect to applicant’s arguments.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALVIN A HUNTER whose telephone number is (571)272-4411. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday through Friday from 7:30AM to 4:00PM Eastern Time.
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/ALVIN A HUNTER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3711