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 1-13, 19-25 are currently pending.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species B in the reply filed on 06/30/2025 is acknowledged.
Claim Objections
Claims 3-5 and 22-24 are objected to because of the following informalities: “potion” should instead say “portion”. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 20-25 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.
Claim 20 recites “a line,” but it depends on claim 19, which also recites “a line.” It is unclear whether claim 20 requires two lines. Thus, claim 20 and dependent claims 21-25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b). For purposes of examination, it is assumed that claim 20 recites only one line.
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.
Claims 1-13 and 19-25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent No. 2,709,866 to Stumvoll et al. (“Stumvoll”).
Regarding claim 1, Stumvoll discloses a decoy line adjuster comprising: a line (18); and a body (10) comprising: a top end (end shown at the right in FIGS. 2, 5); a bottom end (end shown at the left in FIGS. 2, 5); a fin (11/12); a first flange (portion of 17 at top in FIG. 2); and a second flange (portion of 17 at bottom in FIG. 2).
Regarding claim 2, Stumvoll discloses wherein said second flange includes a flange notch (22) configured to receive said line (FIG. 2).
Regarding claim 3, Stumvoll discloses wherein said body is divided into a decoy attaching potion; a spool potion; and an anchoring attaching potion (FIG. 2).
Regarding claim 4, Stumvoll discloses wherein said decoy attaching potion comprises an aperture (34).
Regarding claim 5, Stumvoll discloses wherein said anchoring attaching potion comprises a body notch (20) configured to receive said line; and a line locking system (13/15).
Regarding claim 6, Stumvoll discloses wherein said line locking system comprises: a first hook (30, FIG. 4) and a second hook (31, FIG. 4).
Regarding claim 7, Stumvoll discloses wherein said line locking system further comprises: a guide wall (13).
Regarding claim 8, Stumvoll discloses wherein said line locking system further comprises: a guide rod (15).
Regarding claim 9, Stumvoll discloses wherein said first hook and said second hook have generally opposite orientations (FIG. 4).
Regarding claim 10, Stumvoll discloses wherein said fin protrudes perpendicularly from said body (FIGS. 2-5).
Regarding claim 11, Stumvoll discloses wherein said fin extends longitudinally from said top end to said bottom end along a length of said body (FIGS. 2-5).
Regarding claim 12, Stumvoll discloses wherein said first flange is parallel to said second flange (FIGS. 2, 4).
Regarding claim 13, Stumvoll discloses wherein said first flange is perpendicular to said fin (FIG. 2).
Regarding claim 19, Stumvoll discloses A system comprising: a decoy line adjuster (10, 17); a decoy (23); a weight (19); and a line (18).
Regarding claim 20, Stumvoll discloses wherein said decoy line adjuster comprises: a line (18); and a body (10) comprising: a top end; a bottom end; a fin (11, 12); a first flange (top portion of 17 in FIG. 2); and a second flange (bottom portion of 17 in FIG. 2).
Regarding claim 21, Stumvoll discloses wherein said second flange includes a flange notch (20) configured to receive said line.
Regarding claim 22, Stumvoll discloses wherein said body is divided into a decoy attaching potion; a spool potion; and an anchoring attaching potion (FIG. 2).
Regarding claim 23, Stumvoll discloses wherein said decoy attaching potion comprises an aperture (34).
Regarding claim 24, Stumvoll discloses wherein said anchoring attaching potion comprises a body notch (20) configured to receive said line; and a line locking system (13, 15).
Regarding claim 25, Stumvoll discloses wherein said line locking system comprises: a first hook (30); a second hook (31); and a guide wall (13).
Conclusion
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/MARISA V CONLON/ Examiner, Art Unit 3643