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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. Claims 1 and 19-22 include ratios that are not clearly defined in the claims. The last line of the claims includes a D1 ratio range but the ratio is not defined in the claim. The equation as well as the definition for each factor should be included in the claims. Claims 2-4, the acronym CG should be expanded to the full term. Claims 5-7, since delta has an accepted meaning of change, applicant’s definition should be described in the claim. Claim 8, CFY should be expanded and defined. Claims 10-12, I should be expanded to moment of inertia. Claim 13, BP Proj, Up should be defined. Claim 14, Zup should be defined.
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) 1-3, 5, 9, 14-17, and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Greaney et al. (2021/0146203). Claim 1, Greaney discloses a golf club head comprising a heel portion, a sole portion, a toe portion, a crown portion, a front portion, a rear portion, and a striking face (figures). The front portion of the club having an upper front portion and a lower front portion (fig 9-10). The upper front portion made of a first material and the lower front portion made of a material different from the upper front portion (see fig 10 for different hatch marks indicating different materials). For examining purposes, the top is considered an upper portion and the face includes the lower portion. An aft body having at least a portion of the crown portion and a portion of the sole portion (see figure 10 for sole and crown connection at the aft), the aft body being made of a non-metallic and metallic material [0028]; and a D1z ratio of 5.8 (kg ·mm3)/cm3 [(10mm *525 kg ·mm3)/900 cm3] [0046,0060,0068]. Claim 2, the golf club head has a center of gravity CGX of between -2 mm and 5 mm [0069]. Claim 3, the golf club head has a center of gravity CGZ of between 0 mm and -4 mm [0069]. Claim 5, the golf club head has a Delta1 (distance from hosel axis to the center of gravity) of 10 mm [0060]. Claim 9, the golf club head has a mass between 185 g and 215 g [0025]. Claim 14, the golf club head has a Zup of between 10 mm and 35 mm [0069]. Claim 15, the golf club head has a volume divided by Delta1 no greater than 70 cc/mm [0069]. Claim 16, the golf club head has a volume divided by Zup ratio of at least 25 cc/ mm [0069]. Claim 17, the golf club head has a Zup divided by D1 ratio of between 1.8 to 4 [0069]. Claim 19, Greaney discloses a golf club head comprising a heel portion, a sole portion, a toe portion, a crown portion, a front portion, a rear portion, and a striking face (figures). The front portion of the club having an upper front portion and a lower front portion (fig 9-10). The upper front portion made of a first material and the lower front portion made of a material different from the upper front portion (see fig 10 for different hatch marks indicating different materials). For examining purposes, the top is considered an upper portion and the face includes the lower portion. An aft body having at least a portion of the crown portion and a portion of the sole portion (see figure 10 for sole and crown connection at the aft), the aft body being made of a non-metallic and metallic material [0028]; and a D1y ratio of 4.4 (kg ·mm3)/cm3 [(10mm *400 kg ·mm3)/900 cm3] [0046,0060,0068]. Claim 20, Greaney discloses a golf club head comprising a heel portion, a sole portion, a toe portion, a crown portion, a front portion, a rear portion, and a striking face (figures). The front portion of the club having an upper front portion and a lower front portion (fig 9-10). The upper front portion made of a first material and the lower front portion made of a material different from the upper front portion (see fig 10 for different hatch marks indicating different materials). For examining purposes, the top is considered an upper portion and the face includes the lower portion. An aft body having at least a portion of the crown portion and a portion of the sole portion (see figure 10 for sole and crown connection at the aft), the aft body being made of a non-metallic and metallic material [0028]; and a D1x ratio of 5.8 (kg ·mm3)/cm3 [(10mm *300 kg ·mm3)/900 cm3] [0046,0060,0068].
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) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Greaney et al. (2021/0146203) in view of Johnson et al. (2018/0185719). Greaney discloses a CFY or distance from the center to the shaft axis as shown in figure 7, which is identical to applicant’s figure 7. However, the value is not disclosed. Johnson teaches a club head with a CFY or distance from the center to the shaft axis of 14.5 (table 1). One of ordinary skill in the art would modify the value for the desired control of the head during use.
Claim(s) 21-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Greaney et al. (2021/0146203). Claim 21, Greaney discloses a golf club head comprising a heel portion, a sole portion, a toe portion, a crown portion, a front portion, a rear portion, and a striking face (figures). The front portion of the club having an upper front portion and a lower front portion (fig 9-10). The upper front portion made of a first material and the lower front portion made of a material different from the upper front portion (see fig 10 for different hatch marks indicating different materials). For examining purposes, the top is considered an upper portion and the face includes the lower portion. An aft body having at least a portion of the crown portion and a portion of the sole portion (see figure 10 for sole and crown connection at the aft), the aft body being made of a non-metallic and metallic material [0028]; and a D1xz ratio of 1750 (kg2 ·mm5)/cm3 [(10mm *300 kg ·mm3 * 525kg ·mm3 /900 cm3] [0046,0060,0068]. Decreasing the value is within the capabilities of one skilled in the art for the desired performance. "[W]here the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation." In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955). Claim 22, Greaney discloses a golf club head comprising a heel portion, a sole portion, a toe portion, a crown portion, a front portion, a rear portion, and a striking face (figures). The front portion of the club having an upper front portion and a lower front portion (fig 9-10). The upper front portion made of a first material and the lower front portion made of a material different from the upper front portion (see fig 10 for different hatch marks indicating different materials). For examining purposes, the top is considered an upper portion and the face includes the lower portion. An aft body having at least a portion of the crown portion and a portion of the sole portion (see figure 10 for sole and crown connection at the aft), the aft body being made of a non-metallic and metallic material [0028]; and a D1xyz ratio of 700,000 (kg3 ·mm7)/cm3 [(10mm *300 kg ·mm3 * 400kg ·mm3 * 525kg ·mm3 /900 cm3] [0046,0060,0068]. Decreasing the value is within the capabilities of one skilled in the artfor the desired performance. "[W]here the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation." In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955).
Conclusion
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/RAEANN GORDEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3711
January 9, 2026