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 1-10 in the reply filed on 5/29/2026 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 and 6-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Golden et al. (2021/0046363). Claim 1, Golden discloses a golf club head comprising a striking face 118 having a front surface configured to strike a golf ball and a rear surface opposite said front surface; a periphery portion extending rearward from said striking face and including a sole, a topline opposite said sole, a heel side, a toe side opposite said heel side, and a back portion extending from said sole to said topline and from said heel side to said toe side; a hosel configured to receive a shaft, said hosel located on said heel side; a cavity 120 formed between said periphery portion and said striking face (fig 1A) [0112]; a cradle 108 (support pad) within said cavity 120 attached to said back portion 112; and a elastomer element 102 (damping element) positioned between said cradle 108 (support pad) and said rear surface of said striking face 118 [0112] (fig 1A). Claim 6, the cradle 108 (support pad) is parallel with said striking face 118 (fig 1A). Claim 7, the cradle 108 (support pad) includes a raised lip projecting towards said striking face. Figure 1A illustrates the lip of 108 raised in the direction of the striking face 118. Claim 8, the raised lip has an arcuate shape (fig 1A). Claim 9, the elastomer element 102 (damping element) has an elastic modulus between 4 to 15 GPa [0133].
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(s) 2-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Golden et al. (2021/0046363). Golden does not disclose an aperture covered by a cap. Golden does disclose a back cover which satisfies the final product of a covered back portion. Making the back separable is within the capabilities of one skilled in the art as an obvious design choice, In re Dulberg, 289 F.2d 522, 523, 129 USPQ 348, 349 (CCPA 1961). (Note: the final product is a club head without an aperture, the aperture is present during manufacturing only according to the instant spec [0019].
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Golden et al. (2021/0046363) in view of Ines (10,052,534). Golden does not disclose weights on the toe and heel. Ines teaches a first weight member and a second weight member, wherein said first weight member is positioned proximate said toe side, wherein said first weight member has an angled upper surface and a maximum height in a sole-to-topline direction at a toewardmost point and a minimum height in said sole-to-topline direction at a heelwardmost point, wherein said second weight member is positioned proximate said heel side, and wherein said second weight member has an angled upper surface and a maximum height in said sole-to-topline direction at a heelwardmost point and a minimum height in said sole-to-topline direction at a toewardmost point (fig 1). One of ordinary skill in the art would have included heel and toe weights for the desired weight.
Conclusion
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/RAEANN GORDEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3711
August 17, 2026
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