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 .
Drawings
The drawings were received on August 9, 2024. These drawings are acceptable.
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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 6-7, 14 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 6-7, 14 and 19-20 all disclose a “U” shape opening portion or portions that is disclosed in quotation marks, which renders the claims indefinite. The “U” shape opening portion or portions should be corrected to read as a U-shaped opening portion or portions without quotation marks.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Dery St-Cry et al. (US 11,267,533).
Dery St-Cry et al. discloses a mooring line assembly for a watercraft, as shown in Figures 1-27, which is comprised of a mooring line, defined as Part #306, with a stopper, defined as Part #312, that is disposed at each end of said mooring line, as shown in Figure 25, a loop holder or housing, defined as Part #302, with a loophole, as shown in Figures 24 and 27, that is configured to attach to a surface of a boat, defined as Part #200, as shown in Figure 15, where said loophole has a diameter that allows passage of said mooring line and prevents passage of said stopper, as shown in Figures 24 and 27, and a clip holder or bracket, defined as Part #318, with a pair of pulleys, each defined as Part #314, that is also configured to attach to a surface of said boat, where said clip holder or bracket defines a plurality of openings for detachably receiving portions of said mooring line, as shown in Figures 24 and 27.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-5, 8-13 and 15-17 are allowed.
Claims 6-7, 14 and 19-20 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include 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 LARS A OLSON whose telephone number is (571) 272-6685. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday 8:00am - 4:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, MARC JIMENEZ can be reached at 571-272-4530. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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June 5, 2026
/LARS A OLSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3615B
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