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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because Figure 1 contains instances of two elements 34 and 38 which are not associated with any features of the drawing (the instance of 34 on the left half of the depicted court, and the instance of 38 on the right half of the depicted court). Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-7, 9, 11-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Maslin (US 2025/0256196 A1), hereinafter Maslin.
Regarding claim 1, Maslin discloses:
A demarcation system for demarcating a playing area for a sport, the system comprising a plurality of strips lying on a shared plane and defining a boundary of the playing area, the plurality of strips being configured to rest on a ground surface to define a portion of the ground surface as a playing surface for the sport, the plurality of strips being foldable in an accordion fold fashion for storage see Abstract; paragraphs [0009] - [0012].
Regarding claim 2, Maslin discloses:
wherein each strip of the plurality of strips has a frictionally enhanced bottom surface see claim 5.
Regarding claim 3, Maslin discloses:
wherein the bottom surface is textured such that the bottom surface is frictionally enhanced see claim 5.
Regarding claim 4, Maslin discloses:
wherein the plurality of strips bounds within the playing area see Abstract.
Regarding claim 5, Maslin discloses:
wherein each strip of the plurality of strips is elongated, the plurality of strips including a pair of sets of strips, each set of strips of the plurality of strips corresponding to demarcating an associated one of a pair of halves of the playing area, the strips of each set of strips being interconnected see Figures 3-5; paragraphs [0010] – [0011].
Regarding claim 6, Maslin discloses:
wherein each set of strips of the plurality of strips includes: a baseline strip; and a first sideline strip and a second sideline strip being coupled to the baseline strip, the baseline strip extending from the first sideline strip to the second sideline strip, each of the first and second sideline strips extending perpendicularly away from the baseline strip, wherein the first and second sideline strips and the baseline strip bound an associated one of the pair of halves of the playing area see Figure 2; paragraph [0030].
Regarding claim 7, Maslin discloses:
wherein each set of strips of the plurality of strips further includes: a non-volley line strip being coupled to and extending between the first and second sideline strips, the non-volley line strip being spaced away from the baseline strip, wherein the non-volley line strip and the first and second sideline strips bound a non-volley zone of the associated half of the playing area; and a centerline strip being coupled to and extending between the baseline strip and the non-volley line strip, the centerline strip being centered between the first and second sideline strips, wherein the centerline strip, the baseline strip, the first sideline strip, and the non-volley line strip bound a first service zone of the associated half of the playing area, wherein the centerline strip, the baseline strip, the second sideline strip, and the non- volley line strip bound a second service zone of the associated half of the playing area see Figure 2; paragraph [0030].
Regarding claim 9, Maslin discloses:
wherein: a length of the baseline strip is between 19.0 feet and 21.0 feet; a length of each of the first and second sideline strips being between 21.0 feet and 23.0 feet; and a length of the centerline strip being between 14.0 feet and 16.0 feet see Abstract: the line demarcation slats are deployed such that they form side lines, back lines and interior lines compliant with sports authority play-area standards or rectangular-area standards describing allocated areas of use (for pickleball, 20 feet x 22 feet x 15 feet).
Regarding claim 11, Maslin discloses:
wherein each set of strips of the pair of sets of strips is foldable into an intermediate folded configuration in an accordion fold fashion such that each set of strips contracts along a first axis extending along the shared plane, each set of strips of the pair of sets of strips being foldable from the intermediate folded configuration into a final folded configuration in an accordion fold fashion such that each set of strips contracts along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis see Figures 6 -7; paragraphs [0035] – [0036].
Regarding claim 12, Maslin discloses:
wherein each set of strips of the pair of sets of strips has a plurality of first grooves extending alternately downwardly and upwardly into an associated set of strips of the pair of sets of strips to facilitate folding the associated set of strips into the intermediate folded configuration, each set of strips of the pair of sets of strips having a plurality of second grooves extending alternately downwardly and upwardly into an associated set of strips of the pair of sets of strips when the associated set of strips is positioned in the intermediate folded configuration to facilitate folding the associated set of strips into the final folded configuration see paragraph [0028].
Regarding claim 13, Maslin discloses:
wherein each first groove of the plurality of first grooves extends parallel to each of the first and second sideline strips, each second groove of the plurality of second grooves extending perpendicularly to each one of the plurality of first grooves see Figure 7; paragraph [0036].
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claims 8 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Maslin as applied to claim 7 above, and further in view of Williams (GB 2233565 A), hereinafter Williams.
Regarding claim 8, the claim discloses:
wherein each set of strips of the plurality of strips further includes a net strip being coupled to and extending between distal ends of the first and second sideline strips with respect to the baseline strip, the net strip indicating a location for a net above the net strip. Maslin discloses substantially the features of the claimed invention with the exception of a net strip. Williams discloses (p. 2, lines 24-25) a net line normal to the sidelines and bisecting the latter for the purpose of indicating the location for a net to be disposed above the net line. It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to add a net line to the invention disclosed by Maslin for the purpose of indicating the location of positioning a net above the net line.
Regarding claim 10, Maslin modified by Williams discloses:
wherein a width of the baseline strip is equal to each of a width of each of the first and second sideline strips, a width of the non-volley line strip, and a width of the centerline strip, a width of the net strip being equal to half the width of the baseline strip. Maslin as modified by Williams is silent regarding the width of the net strip. However, both Maslin and Williams disclose that dimensions of the play area to be demarcated, including width of lines, comply with sports authority play-area standards which describe allocated areas of use. It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to size the width of the net line to comply with sport authority standards for the marking of the play area.
Claims 14-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Maslin as applied to claim 12 above, and further in view of Webb et al. (US 11771191 B2), hereinafter Webb.
Regarding claim 14, the claim discloses:
The system of claim 12, further comprising a storage bag having a cavity positioned therein being shaped to contain the plurality of strips when each set of strips of the pair of sets of strips are positioned in the final folded configuration. Maslin substantially discloses the claimed invention including that when the slats are fully folded the resulting cuboid makes for easy storage and transport. Maslin does not disclose a storage bag. Webb discloses (Abstract) an equipment bag that includes a shell comprising interior surfaces defining an interior volume. It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to have combined the disclosure of Maslin with the equipment bag of Webb with the predictable result of providing a storage bag for the storage and transport of Maslin’s cuboid of materials.
Regarding claim 15, Maslin in view of Webb discloses:
wherein the storage bag comprises: a base wall; a perimeter wall being coupled to and extending upwardly from the base wall, the cavity being bounded by the base wall and the perimeter wall, an upper edge of the perimeter wall defining an opening to the cavity; a lid being coupled to the upper edge of the perimeter wall, the lid being movable between an open position and a closed position with respect to the opening; and a connector being coupled to the lid and the perimeter wall for releasably securing the lid to the perimeter wall
Maslin in view of Webb substantially discloses the storage bag of claim 14 and its walls, cavity, opening, lid, and connector. See Webb Figures 1A and 1B; column 6, lines 58-65; claims 1 and 13.
Regarding claim 16, Maslin in view of Webb discloses:
wherein the connector comprises a zipper See Webb Figures 1A and 1B; column 3, lines 54-58.
Regarding claim 17, Maslin in view of Webb discloses:
wherein the storage bag further comprises a handle being coupled to an exterior surface of the lid See Webb Figures 1A and 1B.
Claims 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Maslin as applied to claims 1-17 above, and further in view of Williams and Webb.
Maslin modified by Williams and Webb substantially discloses the invention claimed in claims 1-17. Claim 18 serially recites all of the limitations set forth in claims 1-17. Therefore, Maslin modified by Williams and Webb discloses below the entirety of claim 18.
A demarcation system for demarcating a playing area for a sport, the system comprising: a plurality of strips lying on a shared plane and defining a boundary of the playing area, the plurality of strips being configured to rest on a ground surface to define a portion of the ground surface as a playing surface for the sport see Maslin Abstract; paragraphs [0009] - [0012],
each strip of the plurality of strips having a frictionally enhanced bottom surface, the bottom surface being textured such that the bottom surface is frictionally enhanced see Maslin claim 5,
the plurality of strips defining a boundary of at least one zone within the playing area see Maslin Abstract,
each strip of the plurality of strips being elongated see Maslin Figure 5,
the plurality of strips including a pair of sets of strips, each set of strips of the plurality of strips corresponding to demarcating an associated one of a pair of halves of the playing area, the strips of each set of strips being interconnected, each set of strips of the plurality of strips including: a baseline strip see Maslin Figure 2; paragraph [0030],
a length of the baseline strip being between 19.0 feet and 21.0 feet see Maslin Abstract: the line demarcation slats are deployed such that they form side lines, back lines and interior lines compliant with sports authority play-area standards or rectangular-area standards describing allocated areas of use (for pickleball, 20 feet x 22 feet x 15 feet),
a first sideline strip and a second sideline strip being coupled to the baseline strip,
the baseline strip extending from the first sideline strip to the second sideline strip, each of the first and second sideline strips extending perpendicularly away from the baseline strip, wherein the first and second sideline strips and the baseline strip bound an associated one of the pair of halves of the playing area see Maslin Figure 2; paragraph [0030],
a length of each of the first and second sideline strips being between 21.0 feet and 23.0 feet see Maslin Abstract: the line demarcation slats are deployed such that they form side lines, back lines and interior lines compliant with sports authority play-area standards or rectangular-area standards describing allocated areas of use (for pickleball, 20 feet x 22 feet x 15 feet),
a non-volley line strip being coupled to and extending between the first and second sideline strips, the non-volley line strip being spaced away from the baseline strip, wherein the non-volley line strip and the first and second sideline strips bound a non-volley zone of the associated half of the playing area see Maslin Figure 2; paragraph [0030],
a centerline strip being coupled to and extending between the baseline strip and the non-volley line strip, the centerline strip being centered between the first and second sideline strips, wherein the centerline strip, the baseline strip, the first sideline strip, and the non-volley line strip bound a first service zone of the associated half of the playing area, wherein the centerline strip, the baseline strip, the second sideline strip, and the non-volley line strip bound a second service zone of the associated half of the playing area see Maslin Figure 2; paragraph [0030]
a length of the centerline strip being between 14.0 feet and 16.0 feet see Maslin Abstract: the line demarcation slats are deployed such that they form side lines, back lines and interior lines compliant with sports authority play-area standards or rectangular-area standards describing allocated areas of use (for pickleball, 20 feet x 22 feet x 15 feet),
a net strip being coupled to and extending between distal ends of the first and second sideline strips with respect to the baseline strip, the net strip indicating a location for a net above the net strip Maslin discloses substantially the features of the claimed invention with the exception of a net strip. Williams discloses (p. 2, lines 24-25) a net line normal to the sidelines and bisecting the latter for the purpose of indicating the location for a net to be disposed above the net line. It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to add a net line to the invention disclosed by Maslin for the purpose of indicating the location of positioning a net above the net line.
and wherein a width of the baseline strip is equal to each of a width of each of the first and second sideline strips, a width of the non-volley line strip, and a width of the centerline strip, a width of the net strip being equal to half the width of the baseline strip Maslin as modified by Williams is silent regarding the width of the net strip. However, both Maslin and Williams disclose that dimensions of the play area to be demarcated, including width of lines, comply with sports authority play-area standards which describe allocated areas of use. It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to size the width of the net line to comply with sport authority standards for the marking of the play area;
each set of strips of the pair of sets of strips being foldable into an intermediate folded configuration in an accordion fold fashion such that each set of strips contracts along a first axis extending along the shared plane see Maslin Figures 6 -7; paragraphs [0035] – [0036],
each set of strips of the pair of sets of strips having a plurality of first grooves extending alternately downwardly and upwardly into an associated set of strips of the pair of sets of strips to facilitate folding the associated set of strips into the intermediate folded configuration see Maslin paragraph [0028],
each first groove of the plurality of first grooves extending parallel to each of the first and second sideline strips see Maslin Figure 7; paragraph [0036],
each set of strips of the pair of sets of strips being foldable from the intermediate folded configuration into a final folded configuration in an accordion fold fashion such that each set of strips contracts along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis see Maslin Figures 6 -7; paragraphs [0035] – [0036],
each set of strips of the pair of sets of strips having a plurality of second grooves extending alternately downwardly and upwardly into an associated set of strips of the pair of sets of strips when the associated set of strips is positioned in the intermediate folded configuration to facilitate folding the associated set of strips into the final folded configuration see Maslin paragraph [0028],
each second groove of the plurality of second grooves extending perpendicularly to each one of the plurality of first grooves see Maslin Figure 7; paragraph [0036],
and a storage bag having a cavity positioned therein being shaped to contain the plurality of strips when each set of strips of the pair of sets of strips are positioned in the final folded configuration Maslin substantially discloses the claimed invention including that when the slats are fully folded the resulting cuboid makes for easy storage and transport. Maslin does not disclose a storage bag. Webb discloses (Abstract) an equipment bag that includes a shell comprising interior surfaces defining an interior volume. It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to have combined the disclosure of Maslin with the equipment bag of Webb with the predictable result of providing a storage bag for the storage and transport of Maslin’s cuboid of materials,
the storage bag comprising: a base wall; a perimeter wall being coupled to and extending upwardly from the base wall, the cavity being bounded by the base wall and the perimeter wall, an upper edge of the perimeter wall defining an opening to the cavity; a lid being coupled to the upper edge of the perimeter wall, the lid being movable between an open position and a closed position with respect to the opening; a connector being coupled to the lid and the perimeter wall for releasably securing the lid to the perimeter wall Maslin in view of Webb substantially discloses the storage bag above and its walls, cavity, opening, lid, and connector. See Webb Figures 1A and 1B; column 6, lines 58-65; claims 1 and 13,
the connector comprising a zipper See Webb Figures 1A and 1B; column 3, lines 54-58,
and a handle being coupled to an exterior surface of the lid See Webb Figures 1A and 1B.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RANDALL J. LOVDAHL whose telephone number is (571)272-6701. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 0800-1700.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nicholas Weiss can be reached at 571-270-1775. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/R.J.L./Examiner, Art Unit 3711
/NICHOLAS J. WEISS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3711