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 .
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) 8-11, 14-16, and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yoneyama (GB 2172510 A).
Regarding claim 8, Yoneyama discloses a club head having a striking face portion and body portion attached to the rear of the striking face portion, wherein the striking face portion and body portion define an internal cavity filled with fibrous fill 26 (See Figure 2 and Abstract).
Regarding claim 9, Yoneyama discloses the fibrous fill being glass fiber (See Page 2, lines 32 through 35).
Regarding claim 10, Yoneyama shows the fibrous fill filling more than 25% of the internal cavity (See Figure 2).
Regarding claim 11, Yoneyama show the fibrous fill filling more than 30% of the total volume (See Figure 2).
Regarding claim 14, see the above regarding claims 8 and 10.
Regarding claim 15, see the above regarding claim 9.
Regarding claim 16, see the above regarding claim 11.
Regarding claim 19, Yoneyama discloses the fibrous fill being a synthetic fiber being that the fiber is glass fiber (See Abstract).
Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Cleghorn et al. (US 2017/0173413).
Regarding claim 1, Cleghorn et al. discloses a club head having a striking face portion and body portion. The striking face and body together define an internal cavity evident by Figures 5 and 6. The body portion incorporates a weight adjustment portion having an elongate channel, weight member, and fastener. The elongate channel has a plurality of scalloped depressions along the lower wall (See Figures 40-67). The weight member is received in the channel and has a fastener receiving aperture. The fastener has a fastener head and threaded shaft and engages the weight member wherein the fastener head is secured to the scalloped depressions.
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 Cleghorn et al. (US 2017/0173413) in view of Yoneyama (GB 2172510 A).
Regarding claim 2, Cleghorn et al. does not disclose the internal cavity having a fibrous fill. Yoneyama discloses a club head having a striking face portion and body portion attached to the rear of the striking face portion, wherein the striking face portion and body portion define an internal cavity filled with fibrous fill 26 (See Figure 2 and Abstract). One having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to have an internal cavity having a fibrous fill, as taught by Yoneyama, in order to reinforce the club head while reducing its weight.
Regarding claim 3, Yoneyama discloses the fibrous fill being glass fiber (See Page 2, lines 32 through 35).
Regarding claim 4, Yoneyama shows the fibrous fill filling more than 25% of the internal cavity (See Figure 2).
Regarding claim 5, Yoneyama show the fibrous fill filling more than 30% of the total volume (See Figure 2).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6, 7, 12, 13, 17, 18, and 20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALVIN A HUNTER whose telephone number is (571)272-4411. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday through Friday from 7:30AM to 4:00PM Eastern Time.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Eugene Kim, can be reached at telephone number 571-272-4463. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ALVIN A HUNTER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3711
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