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 .
Response to Amendment
The following Office Action is in response to amendments filed 02/09/2026. Claims 1-26 are pending in the application. Claims 1-15 and 23-26 have previously been withdrawn. Claims 16-22 have been rejected as set forth below.
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 16-18 and 20-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rubin et al. (US 2019/0344123 A1) in view of Bhargava et al. (US 2023/0149761 A1).
Regarding claim 16, Rubin teaches a system comprising:
a base unit comprising: a spool (304) configured to rotate about an axis (Figs. 3 and 6, ¶ [59]); a motor (302) connected to the spool (Figs. 3 and 6) and configured to provide a torque to the spool (¶ [59]); a controller (e.g., computer/system controller 1102, Fig. 11) configured to operate the motor to regulate the torque provided to the spool (¶ [5], [8], [18], [59], [95], the controller controls the motor according to exercise parameters); a housing (102 with 104) enclosing the motor, the controller, and the spool (Figs. 1A-3, ¶ [58]-[59]); a support attached to the housing to facilitate mounting the base unit (via 116A-116D, Fig. 1C, ¶ [61]: “The feet 116A-116D may also include features for rigidly mounting the exercise platform 100 to the wall or floors. Such mounting may, for example, enable the exercise platform 100 to be used for exercises during which the user is not standing on or otherwise applying downward force on the exercise platform 100”); and a power source connected to the connected to the motor and configured to provide power to the motor during operation of the system (Fig. 11, ¶ [105]-[106], [111], motor power system 1142 which is coupled to the broader power system 1110. Motor power system 1142 may receive power from power system 1110 and provide is to both the motor and the motor controller. Power system 1110 include various components including a rechargeable battery pack 1116);
a handle (e.g., 108) comprising a grip sized and shaped to be gripped by a user during operation of the system (Figs. 1A-1B and 2, ¶ [58]-[59]); and
a cord (e.g., 106) extending from the handle to the base unit (Figs. 1A-1B, 2 and 10) and configured to wrap around the spool during operation of the system (¶ [59]),
wherein the system is portable and is sized to be carried by a single person (via 118, Fig. 1C, ¶ [62], the movable handle 118 is movable between a first position in which the handle 118 is substantially tucked under the exercise platform 100 and a second position in which the handle 118 protrudes from the bottom of the exercise platform 100, enabling carrying of the exercise platform 100 in a suitcase-like fashion. In other implementations, one or both of the lateral sidewalls 114A, 114B may include handles (e.g., pivotally connected the sidewalls, telescoping from the sidewalls, or integrated recesses in the sidewall) to enable lifting their respective end of the exercise platform), and
wherein the controller is configured to regulate the torque of the motor to provide a simulated weight resistance (abstract, ¶ [13], [52], [59], [129], [134]).
Rubin is silent about wherein the motor forms a direct drive system.
Regarding claim 16, Bhargava teaches a system comprising:
a base unit (i.e., 100) comprising: a spool (i.e., 112) configured to rotate about an axis (Fig. 2, ¶ [42]); a motor (i.e., 110) connected to the spool and configured to provide a torque to the spool (Fig. 2, ¶ [42], [44]-[45]); a controller configured to operate the motor to regulate the torque provided to the spool (¶ [21], [43], [46]); a housing (i.e., 102 with 114/116/118) enclosing the motor, the controller, and the spool (Figs. 1-2, [47]); and a power source connected to the motor and configured to provide power to the motor during operation of the system (¶ [46]);
a handle (i.e., 108) comprising a grip sized and shaped to be gripped by a user during operation of the system (Fig. 1, ¶ [42]); and
a cord (i.e., 106) extending from the handle to the base unit and configured to wrap around the spool during operation of the system (Figs. 102, ¶ [42]),
wherein the system is portable and is sized to be carried by a single person (i.e., using side grips 124, Figs. 1-2, ¶ [46]), and wherein the motor forms a direct drive system (Fig. 2, ¶ [57]), and the controller is configured to regulate the torque of the motor to provide a simulated weight resistance (¶ [38]-[39], [44]-[45]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Rubin’s invention wherein the motor forms a direct drive system as taught by Bhargava in order to provide higher precision, faster acceleration, reduction in maintenance and more compact and energy-efficient design for the system.
Regarding claim 17, Rubin in view of Bhargava teaches wherein the motor includes a shaft operatively connected to the spool to form the direct drive system (Bhargava: ¶ [42], [57]).
Regarding claim 18, Rubin in view of Bhargava teaches wherein the housing of the base unit includes: a frame supporting the motor and the spool (Rubin: i.e., frames 124A-B along with support structure 130 (or frame) including multiple web structures 132A-D, along with support bracket 134, Figs. 4-5, ¶ [65]-[67]; Bhargava: i.e., 114/116/118, Fig. 2, ¶ [47])); and a shell mounted on the frame (Rubin: 110 with 112A-B, 114A-B, and 122A-122B, Figs. 1A-C and 3; Bhargava: i.e., 102, Figs. 1-2, ¶ [47]).
Regarding claim 20, Rubin in view of Bhargava teaches wherein the housing completely encloses the spool and the motor to prevent a user from contacting moving parts of the spool and the motor during operation (Rubin: Figs. 1A-3; Bhargava: Figs. 1-3), and wherein the housing defines an outlet (Rubin: 124, Figs. 1A-1B, ¶ [73]; Bhargava: i.e., 120) for the cord to extend outward from the housing and between the spool and the handle (Rubin: Figs. 1A-2; Bhargava: Fig. 1, ¶ [47]).
Regarding claim 22, Rubin in view of Bhargava teaches wherein the controller is configured to regulate the torque of the motor to provide a simulated weight resistance of 100 lbs. or less (Rubin: ¶ [125]; Bhargava: ¶ [45]).
Rubin in view of Bhargava teaches the invention as substantially claimed. Although, Rubin in view of Bhargava does not specifically teach wherein the base unit, the handle, and the cord cumulatively weigh 16 lbs. or less, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Rubin’s invention in view of Bhargava wherein the base unit, the handle, and the cord cumulatively weigh 16 lbs. or less in order to enable use of the device by elderly users and provide for easier transportation of the device between various locations, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art (MPEP 2144.05) (Claim 21).
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rubin in view of Bhargava as applied to claim 16 above, and further in view of Garsdean (US 2019/0168053 A1).
Regarding claim 19, Rubin in view of Bhargava teaches wherein the power source is a rechargeable battery attached to the housing (Rubin: ¶ [105]-[106]; Bhargava: ¶ [46]).
Rubin in view of Bhargava is silent about the rechargeable battery being removably attached to the housing.
Regarding claim 19, Garsdean teaches a system comprising a power source (140), wherein the power source is a rechargeable battery (142) that is removably attached to a housing (30, Fig. 3, ¶ [62]).
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Rubin’s invention in view of Bhargava such that the rechargeable battery is removably attached to the housing as taught by Garsdean in order to enable placement and use of the device at a location where a plug is unavailable or out of access/reach and to enable easy access to and easy replacement of such battery when needed.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 16-22 have been considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection.
In response to applicant’s arguments regarding the newly added limitations of claim 16 reciting: “the base unit comprises a support attached to the housing to facilitate mounting the base unit”, and Bhargava failing to teach such limitation, the Examiner would like to mention that Bhargava has not been relied upon for teaching such limitation. Rather Rubin has been used to teach such limitation (see above for details). With respect to claim 16, Bhargava has been used to teach the motor forming a direct drive system (see above for details).
Applicant’s similar arguments regarding claim 19, stating that Garsdean does not cure the deficiencies of Bhargava, are moot in view of the above provided explanation.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHILA JALALZADEH ABYANEH whose telephone number is (571)270-7403. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 8:30 am - 3:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, LoAn Jimenez can be reached at (571)272- 4966. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SHILA JALALZADEH ABYANEH/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3784