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.
Claim 16 is 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.
Claim 16 recites the limitation "the rigid material" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Note: Claim 16 should be dependent on claim 15.
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)(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.
Claims 1-7, 15-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Terlik (US2025/0249327 A1).
Claim 1, Terlik discloses an ice hockey stick handle assembly, comprising:
a first handle assembly body (61) and a second handle assembly body (62) configurable to hingeably form an elongated hollow body enveloping a portion of an elongated shaft of an ice hockey stick (paragraphs 0003 and 0043; figure 10), wherein the elongated hollow body comprises:
a general outer surface configured to allow the user to hold the ice hockey stick handle assembly with their hand (figure 24);
a general inner surface (105; figures 10-13) generally surrounding a portion of the elongated shaft of the ice hockey stick.
Claim 2, Terlik shows the first handle assembly body (61) and second handle assembly body (62) further each define an essentially semi-cylindrical shell configurable to hingeably form an essentially elongated tubular body (figures 0-13 shows the first and second bodies form a tubular body).
Claim 3, Terlik shows a connecting hinge pin (110) joining the first and second handle assembly bodies via at least one hinge knuckle (slotted knuckles 108, 109) integral with each separate handle assembly body (figure 10).
Claim 4, Terlik shows the hollow body configurable to be slidable along a section of the elongated shaft of an ice hockey stick (paragraph 0040).
Claim 5, Terlik shows the hollow body is configurable to be rotatable around the elongated shaft of an ice hockey stick (paragraph 0040).
Claim 6, Terlik shows the hollow body is configured to be rotatable around the elongated shaft of an ice hockey stick (paragraph 0040).
Claim 7, Terlik shows at least one hinge knuckle (slotted knuckles 108, 109) on the first handle assembly body defining a detent engageable with a notch defined on the second handle assembly body (figure 10).
Claim 15, Terlik shows the assembly is formed of a rigid material (paragraph 0040).
Claim 16, Terlik shows the rigid material comprises plastic (paragraph 0040).
Claim 17, Terlik shows the general outer surface is defined by the first and second handle assembly body and includes a slip resistant texture (paragraph 0040).
Claim 18, Terlik shows the general outer surface comprises a slip resistant material (paragraph 0040).
Claim 19, note the rejection of claims 1, 3-5, 7 and 17.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-14 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.
Claim 20 is allowed.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Cather (12,330,033); Williams (8,500,609).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MITRA ARYANPOUR whose telephone number is (571) 272-4405. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon, Thurs, Fri 8:00am to 4:00pm, Wed 8:00-2:00.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Eugene Kim can be reached on 571-272-4463. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MITRA ARYANPOUR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3711
/ma/
20 February 2026