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
Claims 24-36 have been withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 8/17/2026.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 14-17 and 21-23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Linden 5,257,806.
As to claims 14, 17 and 23, Linden shows an asymmetric inner core layer 20 comprising a first zone 35 shown in figs. 8 and 9, a second zone 20, and a third zone 25 as shown in fig. 8; a cover stock layer 50 received about the inner core layer; and wherein the first zone extends substantially along what can be defined as a Y-axis and terminates at a distal end that is closer to the cover stock layer than the second zone and the third zone and wherein the second zone is located between the Y-axis and a defined X-axis at 313 such that that extends substantially perpendicular about and to the Y- axis wherein the third zone is located adjacent the X-axis and terminates at a distal end that is closer than the second zone as shown in fig. 8. The wherein clause in the final recitation in the claim is considered functional and amounts to no structure that defines over the applied art. Linden’s core inherently functions to as configured to define the mass properties or characteristics of the ball.
As to claims 15 and 23, the mass property 35 is considered to be symmetric in design about the Y axis.
As to claim 16, mass properties 35 is asymmetric in design about a defined X axis.
Claims 21 and 22 is shown at 40 and is capable of achieving a selected change in mass of the inner core layer and are considered to be placed in strategic locations to change the RG such as the reaction of the ball (col. 2, ln. 63).
Conclusion
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/WILLIAM M PIERCE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3711
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