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 .
Claims 1-17 have been examined.
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 4-7 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.
Initially, claim 3 sets forth that the first through fourth couplers define a respective loft and lie
angle. Claims 4-7 set fourth that each of the coupler positions either reduce or increase a lie angle
already defined by each position. For example, it is unclear how the first coupler position defines a first
lie angle in claim 3, but then the first coupler position reduces the lie angle. From what position/degree
is the lie angle being reduced? This issue occurs in each of claims 4-7. Clarification is required.
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.
Claims 1-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Beach et al (US Patent
Application Publication 2009/0286611) in view of Tsuchida (US Patent 5,624,330) and Hocknell et al (US Patent Application Publication 2007/0054749).
1, 13, and 14. Beach et al disclose a golf club head comprising:
a club head body (300; Fig 1A-1C) comprising:
a sole portion (350) comprising a sole bottom end, a top portion opposite the sole portion, a
heel portion, a toe portion opposite the heel portion, a rear portion, a front portion opposite the rear
portion, the front portion comprising a strike face (312) ; and
a hosel (330);
a shaft sleeve (3006) insertable into the hosel and configured to couple a golf club shaft with
the hosel; and
a securing fastener (400) configured to couple to a sleeve bottom end of the shaft sleeve to
secure the shaft sleeve in the hosel (Fig 43A);
wherein: the hosel comprises a hosel bore (3004) configured to receive the shaft sleeve;
the shaft sleeve comprises:
a shaft bore (3008) configured to receive an end of the golf club shaft;
a shaft sleeve body (3016) comprising a sleeve outer wall;
a shaft sleeve cap (3010) configured to be coupled with the sleeve body, wherein the shaft sleeve cap comprises a cap bore and a cap wall;
a sleeve top end;
a sleeve bottom end;
a sleeve axis (B; Fig 47) extending longitudinally between the sleeve top end and sleeve
bottom end;
the shaft sleeve body further comprising:
a first coupler (500; Fig 48) protruding from the sleeve outer wall;
a second coupler (500; Fig 48) protruding from the sleeve outer wall;
a third coupler (500; Fig 48) protruding from the sleeve outer wall; and
a fourth coupler (500; Fig 48) protruding from the sleeve outer wall;
the first coupler comprising a first arcuate surface curved throughout the first coupler
(Fig 48 shows the outer surface of each coupler being curved/arcuate);
the second coupler comprising a second arcuate surface curved throughout the second
coupler (Fig 48 shows the outer surface of each coupler being curved/arcuate);
the third coupler comprising a third arcuate surface curved throughout the third coupler
(Fig 48 shows the outer surface of each coupler being curved/arcuate);
the fourth coupler comprising a fourth arcuate surface curved throughout the fourth
coupler (Fig 48 shows the outer surface of each coupler being curved/arcuate);
the shaft bore further comprising a shaft bore axis (A; Fig 47);
wherein the shaft sleeve outer wall and shaft bore are non-coaxial (Fig 47).
However Beach et al do not disclose wherein the shaft sleeve body comprises a receiving groove and the shaft sleeve cap comprises a lip extending outwardly from the cap wall, an interior surface of the cap bore comprises one or more ribs extending into the cap bore; and the lip of the shaft sleeve cap engages the receiving groove of the shaft sleeve body.
Tsuchida teaches a similar golf club head having a shaft sleeve cap (7) comprising a lip (74) extending outwardly from a cap wall (73) which engages a receiving groove (32) of the shaft sleeve body which allows the shaft sleeve cap to be positively engaged with the joint between the golf club head and the shaft (Col 2, Lines 30-39). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the cap wall of the shaft sleeve cap and the shaft sleeve body of Beach et al to include a corresponding lip and groove, respectively, as taught by Tsuchida to positively secure the shaft sleeve cap and shaft sleeve body together.
Further, Beach et al do not disclose an interior surface of the cap bore comprising at least two ribs extending into the cap bore, wherein the one or more ribs are parallel to each other along the interior surface of the cap bore.
Hocknell et al disclose a similar golf club head having a shaft sleeve cap (46; Fig 10A) having a cap bore (68) comprising at least two parallel ribs (202) extending into the cap bore “enabling a shaft to be centered in the opening 68 of the sleeve 46” (Par. 0044). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the shaft sleeve cap of Beach et al to having ribs extending into the bore of the cap as taught by Hocknell et al to center the shaft within the shaft sleeve cap.
2. Beach et al disclose the golf club head of claim 2, wherein the shaft bore axis and sleeve axis define a loft angle and a lie angle therebetween (Tables 6-7).
3. Beach et al disclose the golf club head of claim 2, wherein:
a first coupler position defines a first loft angle and a first lie angle between the shaft bore axis and the sleeve axis;
a second coupler position defines a second loft angle and a second lie angle between the shaft bore axis and the sleeve axis;
a third coupler position defines a third loft angle and a third lie angle between the shaft bore axis and the sleeve axis;
a fourth coupler position defines a fourth loft angle and a fourth lie angle between the shaft bore axis and the sleeve axis (Tables 6-7).
4. Beach et al disclose the golf club head of claim 4, wherein: the first coupler position is configured to reduce the first lie angle between 0.2 degrees and 4 degrees (Tables 6-7).
5. Beach et al disclose the golf club head of claim 3, wherein: the second coupler position is configured to increase the second lie angle between 0.2 degrees and 4 degrees (Tables 6-7).
6. Beach et al disclose the golf club head of claim 3, wherein: the third coupler position is configured to reduce the third loft angle between 0.2 degrees and 4 degrees (Tables 6-7).
7. Beach et al disclose the golf club head of claim 3, wherein: the fourth coupler position is configured to increase the fourth loft angle between 0.2 degrees and four degrees (Tables 6-7).
8. Beach et al disclose the golf club head of claim 4, wherein the first loft angle remains in a neutral orientation (Tables 6-7).
9. Beach et al disclose the golf club head of claim 5, wherein the second loft angle remains in a neutral orientation (Tables 6-7).
10. Beach et al disclose the golf club head of claim 6, wherein the third lie angle remains in a neutral orientation (Tables 6-7).
11. Beach et al disclose the golf club head of claim 7, wherein the fourth lie angle remains in a neutral orientation (Tables 6-7).
12. Beach et al disclose the golf club head of claim 1, wherein:
the shaft sleeve further comprises a fifth coupler protruding from the sleeve outer wall and comprising a fifth arcuate surface curved throughout the fifth coupler; and
a sixth coupler protruding from the sleeve outer wall and comprising a sixth arcuate surface curved throughout the sixth coupler (Fig 48).
15-17. Beach et al disclose a golf club head comprising:
a club head body (300) comprising:
a sole portion (350) comprising a sole bottom end, a top portion opposite the sole portion, a
heel portion, a toe portion opposite the heel portion, a rear portion, a front portion opposite the rear
portion, the front portion comprising a strike face (312; Fig 1A-1C);
a hosel (330); and
a golf coupling mechanism comprising:
a shaft sleeve (3006) configured to be coupled to an end of the golf club shaft and a
hosel;
a shaft receiver (200) of the golf club head configured to receive the shaft sleeve;
wherein the shaft sleeve comprises:
a shaft bore (3018) configured to receive the end of the golf club shaft;
a shaft sleeve body (3016) comprising a sleeve outer wall;
a shaft sleeve cap (3006) configured to be coupled with the shaft sleeve;
a top end; a bottom end (Fig 47);
a sleeve axis (B; Fig 47) extending longitudinally between the sleeve top end and
sleeve bottom end;
a coupler set (500; Fig 48)comprising: a first coupler protruding from the sleeve
outer wall; a second coupler protruding from the sleeve outer wall; a third coupler
protruding from the sleeve outer wall; and a fourth coupler protruding from the sleeve
outer wall;
wherein: the shaft bore comprises a shaft bore axis (A; Fig 47);
the first coupler (Fig 49) comprises a first arcuate surface curved throughout the
first coupler; the second coupler comprises a second arcuate surface curved throughout
the second coupler; the third coupler comprises a third arcuate surface curved throughout the third coupler; the fourth coupler comprises a fourth arcuate surface curved throughout the fourth coupler; and
the shaft receiver (Fig 49) comprises: a fifth coupler indented into the receiver
inner wall;
a sixth coupler indented into the receiver inner wall;
a seventh coupler indented into the receiver inner wall; and
an eighth coupler indented into the receiver inner wall;
the fifth coupler comprises a fifth arcuate surface curved throughout the fifth coupler;
the sixth coupler comprises a sixth arcuate surface curved throughout the sixth
coupler;
the seventh coupler comprises a seventh arcuate surface curved throughout the seventh coupler;
the eighth coupler comprises an eighth arcuate surface curved throughout the eighth coupler; and
wherein the shaft sleeve outer wall and shaft bore are non-coaxial. (Fig 47)
However Beach et al do not disclose wherein the shaft sleeve body comprises a receiving groove and the shaft sleeve cap comprises a lip extending outwardly from the cap wall, an interior surface of the cap bore comprises one or more ribs extending into the cap bore; and the lip of the shaft sleeve cap engages the receiving groove of the shaft sleeve body.
Tsuchida teaches a similar golf club head having a shaft sleeve cap (7) comprising a lip (74) extending outwardly from a cap wall (73) which engages a receiving groove (32) of the shaft sleeve body which allows the shaft sleeve cap to be positively engaged with the joint between the golf club head and the shaft (Col 2, Lines 30-39). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the cap wall of the shaft sleeve cap and the shaft sleeve body of Beach et al to include a corresponding lip and groove, respectively, as taught by Tsuchida to positively secure the shaft sleeve cap and shaft sleeve body together.
Further, Beach et al do not disclose an interior surface of the cap bore comprising at least two ribs extending into the cap bore, wherein the one or more ribs are parallel to each other along the interior surface of the cap bore.
Hocknell et al disclose a similar golf club head having a shaft sleeve cap (46; Fig 10A) having a cap bore (68) comprising at least two parallel ribs (202) extending into the cap bore “enabling a shaft to be centered in the opening 68 of the sleeve 46” (Par. 0044). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the shaft sleeve cap of Beach et al to having ribs extending into the bore of the cap as taught by Hocknell et al to center the shaft within the shaft sleeve cap.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Halleck et al teach a similar golf club head having a shaft sleeve cap (14) comprising a lip (38) extending outwardly from a cap wall (34) which engages a receiving groove (45) of a shaft sleeve body which allows the shaft sleeve cap to be positively engaged with the joint between the golf club head and the shaft.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSHUA T KENNEDY whose telephone number is (571)272-8297. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7a-4:30p MST.
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/JOSHUA T KENNEDY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3784 2/25/2026