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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 6/22/2026 has been entered.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 6/26/2026 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement has been considered by the examiner.
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)(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.
Claims 1-3, 8, 10 and 12-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Okada (JP 2000041539 A, as cited by Applicant).
For claim 1, Okada discloses a fishing line guide comprising: a guide main body (Figs. 10-11: 22) that comprises a ring holding portion (Figs. 10-11: 24) to which an annular guide ring (Figs. 10-11: 23) is attached; a first leg portion (as discussed in the translated description “support portions 26 which stand vertically from the horizontal portions 28, 28a” and Figs. 10-11: 26) that extends from the guide main body; a second leg portion (Figs. 10-11: 20) that branches from the guide main body and has an extending direction that extends at an angle different from an angle in an extending direction of the first leg portion (as shown in Fig. 11); and a fixing portion (Fig. 10: 28, 28a) that is between and connected to the first leg portion and the second leg portion (as shown in Fig. 10) and is configured to fix the fishing line guide to a rod body of a fishing rod (as shown in Figs. 10-11), wherein a through-hole is between the first leg portion, the second leg portion, and the fixing portion (as shown in Figs. 10-11: between 20, 26, 28, 28a), and the fixing portion is configured to be attached to an outer surface of the rod body by line winding (Figs. 10-11: 30, 31), line fastening, or sheet winding through the through hole so that the line winding, line fastening, or sheet winding contacts the rod (Figs. 10-11: 29) and fixing portion (Figs. 10-11: 28, 28a), and the first leg and the second leg are fixed relative to the fixing portion (as shown in Figs. 10-11).
For claim 2, Okada discloses fishing line guide according to claim 1, wherein the through-hole is triangular (as shown in Figs. 10-11: between 20, 26, 28, 28a) when the through-hole is viewed in a direction parallel to the guide main body.
For claim 3, Okada discloses the fishing line guide according to claim 1, wherein an angle in the extending direction of the first leg portion and an angle in the extending direction of the second leg portion are different (as shown in Fig. 11 where the first leg 20 appears at a 45 degree angle with respect to the second leg 26 that is vertical), wherein an angle in the extending direction of the first leg portion and an angle in the extending direction of the second leg portion are different and in a range of 5 degrees to 45 degrees (as shown in Fig. 11).
For claim 8, Okada discloses the fishing line guide according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the ring holding portion (Figs. 10-11: 24) is equal to or larger than a thickness of the first leg portion (as shown in Figs. 10-11: 26) or the second leg portion (as shown in Figs. 10-11: 20), and a thickness of the fixing portion (Figs. 10-11: 28, 28a) is equal to or smaller than the thickness of the first leg portion (as shown in Figs. 10-11: 26) or the second leg portion (as shown in Figs. 10-11: 20).
For claim 10, Okada discloses the fishing line guide according to claim 1, wherein a part of the second leg portion (as shown in Figs. 10-11: 20) is attachable and detachable or openable and closable to allow insertion of the line winding, the line fastening, or the sheet winding into the through-hole (as discussed in the translated description “FIG. 12 is a side view showing a procedure for attaching a second embodiment of the fishing line guide according to the present invention to a fishing rod. FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a procedure for attaching the second embodiment of the fishing line guide to a fishing rod. 12 and 13 both show a state in which the pressing member 18 is rotated.”).
For claim 12, Okada discloses the fishing line guide according to claim 1, wherein the fixing portion (Figs. 10-11: 28, 28a) comprises a protruding portion (Fig. 11: at the terminal end of fixing portion 28) that extends from the fixing portion and protrudes outward beyond the second leg portion (Fig. 11: a protruding portion of the fixing portion extends beyond the terminal end of the second leg portion 20) or the first leg portion.
For claim 13, Okada discloses the fishing line guide according to claim 12, wherein the protruding portion (Fig. 11: at the terminal end of fixing portion 28) is configured to be attached to the outer surface of the rod body by the line winding, the line fastening, or the sheet winding (as shown in Figs. 10-11).
For claim 14, Okada discloses a fishing rod comprising: the fishing line guide according to claim 1 (as rejected above); and a rod body (Figs. 10-11: 29).
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 4-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Okada in view of Ohmura (U.S. Patent No. 4,176,488).
For claims 4-7, Okada discloses the invention substantially as claimed, but fails to specifically show the thickness of the ring holding portion, the first leg portion, the second leg portion, and the fixing portion. Ohmura ‘488 teaches a fishing line guide (Figs. 1-3) comprising: a guide main body (Fig. 1: 1) that comprises a ring holding portion (Fig. 1: 1), wherein a thickness of the ring holding portion is in a range of 1.5 mm to 2.5 mm (as discussed in Col. 1, lines 45-52: “1 to 2 mm”); a first leg portion (Figs. 1-2: 2) and a second leg portion (Figs. 1-2: 4); wherein a thickness of the first leg portion and the second leg portion is in a range of 0.5 mm to 1.2 mm (as discussed in Col. 1, lines 45-52: “1-2 mm”); and a fixing portion (Fig. 1: 3, 5, 5’); wherein a thickness of the fixing portion is in a range of 0.2 mm to 1.0 mm (as discussed in Col. 1, lines 45-52: “1 to 2 mm”). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the fishing line guide of Okada to include the thickness of the ring holding portion, the first leg portion, the second leg portion, and the fixing portion as taught by Ohmura ‘488 for the advantage of aiding in providing a lightweight fishing rod.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Okada in view of Taniguchi et al. (JP 2018157769 A, as cited by Applicant).
For claim 11, Okada discloses the invention substantially as claimed, but fails to specifically show wherein a plurality of recessed portions are on a second surface of the fixing portion on a side opposite to a first surface on a side on which the rod body is arranged in a use state of the fishing line guide, along a longitudinal direction of the second surface. Taniguchi et al. teaches a fishing line guide (as shown in Fig. 1: 1) comprising: a guide main body (Fig. 1: 12) and a fixing portion (Figs. 1 and 5: 11); wherein a plurality of recessed portions (Fig. 1: 22) are on a second surface (a top surface) of the fixing portion (11) on a side opposite to a first surface (a bottom surface of the fixing portion 11) on a side on which the rod body (Fig. 5: 4) is arranged in a use state of the fishing line guide, along a longitudinal direction of the second surface (as shown in Fig. 5). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the fishing line guide of Okada to include a plurality of recessed portions as taught by Taniguchi et al. for the advantage of permitting the winding thread to engage the fishing line guide for proper mounting on the rod body.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Okada, as above.
For claim 15, Okada disclose the invention substantially as claimed, but fails to show wherein the fishing line guide does not extend outward of the first leg and the second leg along a direction that the fixing portion extends. Okada, as shown in Fig. 36, teaches a different embodiment of the fishing line guide (Fig. 36: 87), wherein the fishing line guide does not extend outward of the first leg (Fig. 36: 89) and the second leg (Fig. 36: at the vertical portion of 90) along a direction that the fixing portion (Fig. 36: at horizontal portion of 90) extends. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the fishing line guide to include the fixing portion as taught by the embodiment of Fig. 36 as taught by Okada for the advantage of reducing manufacturing costs and more efficiently securing the fishing line guide to the fishing rod.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-8 and 10-15 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Ayoub (US 2018/0249693) shows a fishing line guide with a fixing portion (Fig. 5: 102) and thread wrapping ([0022]) within a through hole between a first leg portion and a second leg portion (112).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIELLE A CLERKLEY whose telephone number is (571)270-7611. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30AM-5PM.
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/DANIELLE A CLERKLEY/
Examiner, Art Unit 3643
/PETER M POON/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3643
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