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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 1-3 and 5-10 in the reply filed on 2/9/2026 is acknowledged.
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 and 5-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nesbitt et al. (6,450,898). Claim 1, Nesbitt discloses a golf ball comprising a core (10) comprising at least one radar detectable component (inner core 20), the core (10) defining a radially outermost surface and the at least one radar detectable component (inner core 20) being radially inward from the radially outermost surface such that a gap is defined between the radially outermost surface of the core (10) and the at least one radar detectable component (inner core 20); and a cover (16) disposed around the core (fig 2). The radar detectable component (inner core 20) includes large amounts metal filler such as tungsten, which is radar detectable (table 2; col 25, lines 25-40) (see applicant’s [0048] for tungsten as the radar detectable option). Claim 2, the at least one radar detectable component (inner core 20) is comprised of a polybutadiene composition (same as base rubber composition and a secondary rubber composition) (col. 16, lines 11-16, the polybutadiene) including a radar reflective additive (tungsten) (table 2). Claim 3, the base rubber composition and the secondary rubber composition are simultaneously co-molded with each other is a method step that does not further limit the claim. Claim 5, the at least one radar detectable component (inner core 20) is comprised of at least one radar reflective body (tungsten) that is embedded within a base rubber material of the core (10). Claim 6, the at least one radar reflective body (tungsten) includes at least one metallic body (tungsten table 2). Claim 7, the at least one radar reflective body (tungsten) includes a plurality of radar reflective bodies (tungsten powder table 2). Claim 8, the plurality of radar reflective bodies (tungsten) is comprised of a first radar reflective body arranged at a first radial depth within the core and a second radar reflective body arranged at a second radial depth within the core, and the first and second radial depths are different (tungsten powder is throughout the core and located at different depths). Claim 9, further comprising at least one layer (14) disposed between the core and the cover (fig 2). Claim 10, the at least one radar detectable component (inner core 20) is not a printed radar detectable component, and is not an ink-based radar detectable component.
Conclusion
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/RAEANN GORDEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3711
March 19, 2026