DETAILED ACTION
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, claims 1-17 and 21-23, in the reply filed on March 26, 2026 is acknowledged.
Examiner notes that the Species Restriction previously set forth has been withdrawn.
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, 15-17 and 21-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chen (US 11,154,743).
As to claim 1, Chen discloses an adjustment pin for an exercise device, comprising:
a knob A (Figure 6 reprinted below with annotations);
a bushing B;
a fastener 46, wherein the fastener connects the bushing to the knob such that the knob is configured to rotate with respect to the bushing; and
a cylindrical body 42 connected to the bushing (Figures 1-8).
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As to claim 2, Chen discloses an adjustment pin wherein the fastener 46 connects to the knob A from a distal end of the knob toward a proximal end of the knob (Figures 1-8).
As to claim 3, Chen discloses an adjustment pin wherein the bushing B inserts at least partially into the knob A (Figures 1-8).
As to claim 4, Chen discloses an adjustment pin wherein the fastener 46 connects to the knob A through the bushing B (Figures 1-8).
As to claim 5, Chen discloses an adjustment pin wherein the fastener 46 threads into the knob A but not the bushing B (Figures 1-8).
As to claim 6, Chen discloses an adjustment pin wherein the cylindrical body 42 is connected to the bushing B via a press fit (Figures 1-8).
As to claim 7, Chen discloses an adjustment pin wherein the cylindrical body 42 is connected to the bushing B via a threaded connection (Figures 1-8).
As to claim 8, Chen discloses an adjustment pin wherein the bushing B includes a tightener C for tightening a threaded connection with the cylindrical body 42 (Figures 1-8).
As to claim 9, Chen discloses an adjustment pin wherein the cylindrical body 42 is a retention pin (Figures 1-8).
As to claim 10, Chen discloses an adjustment pin wherein the cylindrical body 42 is capable of engaging and supporting one or more arms of the exercise device (Figures 1-8).
As to claim 11, Chen discloses an adjustment pin wherein the cylindrical body 42 is capable of engaging and supporting one or more weights of a weight stack (Figures 1-8).
As to claim 12, Chen discloses an adjustment pin wherein the knob A is a handle configured to be gripped by a user to manipulate the adjustment pin with respect to a component of the exercise device (Figures 1-8).
As to claim 13, Chen discloses an adjustment pin wherein the cylindrical body 42 does not have threads on a distal end opposite from a connection of the cylindrical body with the bushing B (Figures 1-8).
As to claim 15, Chen discloses an adjustment pin for an exercise device, comprising:
a knob A having a female knob connection at a distal end of the knob, wherein the knob has internal threads D accessible via the female knob connection;
a bushing B having a male bushing connection at a proximal end of the bushing and a female bushing connection at a distal end of the bushing, wherein the male bushing connection is configured to at least partially insert into the female knob connection, and wherein the bushing has a rotation interface at the male bushing connection;
a fastener 46 having a threaded portion and a non-threaded portion, wherein the fastener is configured to connect the knob to the bushing by engaging the internal threads of the knob through the rotation interface of the bushing;
wherein the non threaded portion engages the rotation interface of the bushing such that the knob is configured to rotate with respect to the bushing; and
a cylindrical body 42 configured to connect to the bushing at the female bushing connection with a press fit (Figures 1-8).
As to claim 16, Chen discloses an adjustment pin wherein the fastener 46 is a shoulder screw (Figures 1-8).
As to claim 17, Chen discloses an adjustment pin wherein the cylindrical body 42 includes a spring retainer E (Figures 1-8).
As to claim 21, Chen discloses an adjustment pin for an exercise device, comprising:
a knob A;
a bushing B;
a fastener 46, wherein the fastener connects the bushing to the knob such that the knob is configured to rotate with respect to the bushing;
a cylindrical body 42 connected to the bushing; and
a spring 44 positioned between the bushing and a spring retainer E, the cylindrical body including the spring retainer, wherein the spring is configured to bias the adjustment pin in one of a distal direction or a proximal direction (Figures 1-8).
As to claim 22, Chen discloses an adjustment pin for an exercise device, comprising:
a knob A;
a fastener 46;
a bushing B that is rotatably connected to the knob via the fastener; and
a cylindrical body 42, wherein the cylindrical body is connected to the bushing such that the knob is configured to rotate with respect to the bushing and the cylindrical body, the cylindrical body comprising:
a stop E,F configured to limit longitudinal movement of the adjustment pin (Figures 1-8).
As to claim 23, Chen discloses an adjustment pin wherein the stop E,F includes a spring retainer, the spring retainer configured to retain a spring 44 on the cylindrical body 42 (Figures 1-8).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen.
As to claim 14, Chen fails to explicitly disclose an adjustment pin wherein the cylindrical body is made of metal. Chen does not disclose any structural or functional significance as to the specific material of the cylindrical body.
The applicant is reminded that the selection of a known material based upon its suitability for the intended use, wherein there is no structural or functional significance disclosed as to the specific material of an element, is a design consideration within the skill of the art. In re Leshin, 227 F.2d 197, 125 USPQ 416 (CCPA 1960). Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the adjustment pin disclosed by Chen wherein the cylindrical body is made of metal, as Chen does not disclose any structural or functional significance as to the specific material of the cylindrical body, and as such selection of material is a design consideration within the skill of the art which would yield expected and predictable results.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL P FERGUSON whose telephone number is (571)272-7081. The examiner can normally be reached M-F (10:00 am-7:00 pm EST).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Anna Momper can be reached at (571)270-5788. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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04/28/26
/MICHAEL P FERGUSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3619
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