DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claims 1-20 are pending in the application.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-20 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claims 1, 6 and 16; the word -and- should be inserted between “hardness” and “molded”, and between “hardness” and “positioned” in the claims. In addition, the word -the- should be inserted after “less than” and “first” in the claims.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
4. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
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.
5. Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor, regards as the invention.
6. The claimed features “the third shore durometer” (should be replaced with -the third shore durometer hardness-) and “the second shore durometer” (should be replaced with -the second shore durometer hardness-) lack sufficient antecedent basis as recited in the claims (independent claims 1, 6 and 16, and subsequent dependent claims). Similarly, the claimed feature “the apex” lacks sufficient antecedent basis in claim 14.
Allowable Subject Matter
As best understood by the examiner, claims 1, 6 and 16 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b), set forth in this Office action.
As best understood by the examiner, claims 2-5, 7-15 and 17-20 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
9. The prior art cited and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
The prior art references cited by the examiner disclose leash arrangements for surfboards.
10. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL V VENNE whose telephone number is (571) 272-7947. The examiner can normally be reached between M-F, 7am-3:30pm Flex. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Samuel J. Morano can be reached on (571) 272-6684. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free).
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/Daniel V Venne/
Senior Examiner, Art Unit 3615
03/02/2026