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 .
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-18 are allowed.
Regarding claim 1, US Publication 2021/0146208 by Burgess discloses a golf bag comprising:
a bag body (Fig 8A of Burgess, bag body 68);
a base coupled to the bag body (Fig 5 of Burgess, base 16 is attached to bag body 12);
a top cuff coupled to the bag body (Fig 8A-9 of Burgess, top cuff 140 is attached to the bag body); and
a leg-deployment system coupled to the top cuff, the leg-deployment system comprising: a receptacle provided along an exterior surface of the top cuff (Fig 8A and 9 of Burgess, the leg receptacle 58 and 60 are provided along an exterior surface of top cuff 140);
a spring element that is insertable into the receptacle (Fig 9 of Burgess, receptacle 58 and 60 has spring insert 102 and 104), the spring element including a cantilevered spring segment extending from a top wall of the spring element (Fig 9 of Burgess, the spring segment extends from a top wall of the spring element 102/104 and is a cantilevered spring segment) [Not taught: and curling back under the top wall towards the exterior surface of the top cuff]; and
a leg assembly including a cam nose that contacts the cantilevered spring segment when the leg assembly is in a retracted state (Fig 9 of Burgess, the cam nose is the portion of the receptacles 58 and 60 other than the part that attach to the legs that attach to the spring inserts 102 and 104 that contacts the cantilevered spring segments 102 and 104).
Burgess as modified does not expressly disclose the following Limitations:
Limitation A: the cantilevered spring segment curls back under the top wall towards the exterior surface of the top cuff
Regarding claim 11, US Publication 2021/0146208 by Burgess discloses a golf bag comprising:
a bag body (Fig 8A of Burgess, bag body 68);
a base coupled to the bag body (Fig 5 of Burgess, base 16 is attached to bag body 12);
a top cuff coupled to the bag body (Fig 8A-9 of Burgess, top cuff 140 is attached to the bag body); and
a leg receptacle protruding away from an exterior surface of the top cuff (Fig 8A and 9, the leg receptacle 58 and 60 protrudes away from the exterior surface of top cuff 140), the leg receptacle including a top wall, an outer side wall, and an inner side wall at least partially defining a cavity (Fig 9 of Burgess, receptacles 58 and 60 have a top, side and inner side walls that partially define a cavity), wherein the top wall includes an elongated cantilevered spring segment that is at least partially separated from a remaining portion of the top wall (Fig 9 of Burgess, the free end portion of the spring segment 102/104 that is the outermost extruded part of the cantilevered spring segment 102/104 has an end portion that is separated from top wall portion to which the fixed end of the spring segment 102/104 is attached); and
a leg assembly including a cam nose (Fig 9 of Burgess, the cam nose is the portion of the receptacles 58 and 60 other than the part that attach to the legs that attach to the spring inserts 102 and 104 that contacts the cantilevered spring segments 102 and 104) [Not taught: that is insertable into the cavity], wherein the elongated cantilevered spring segment is configured to apply a force to the cam nose to maintain the leg assembly in a retracted state (Fig 9 of Burgess, the springs 102/104 are cantilevered springs that apply a force to the cam nose in order to expand and contract the legs 54 and 56).
Burgess does not expressly disclose the following Limitations:
Limitation B: a leg assembly including a cam nose that is insertable into the cavity
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 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Publication 2021/0146208 by Burgess (Here forth “Burgess”) in view of Chinese Publication CN204709732 by Zhang (Here forth “Zhang”).
Regarding claim 19, US Publication 2021/0146208 by Burgess discloses a golf bag comprising:
a bag body (Fig 8A of Burgess, bag body 68);
a base coupled to the bag body (Fig 5 of Burgess, base 16 is attached to bag body 12);
a top cuff coupled to the bag body (Fig 8A-9 of Burgess, top cuff 140 is attached to the bag body); and
a leg-deployment system coupled to the top cuff, the leg-deployment system comprising: a first leg receptacle and a second leg receptacle provided along an exterior surface of the top cuff (Fig 8A and 9 of Burgess, the leg receptacle 58 and 60 are provided along an exterior surface of top cuff 140);
a first spring element that is insertable into the first leg receptacle and a second spring element that is insertable into the second leg receptacle (Fig 9 of Burgess, the first and second springs 102 and 104 are insertable into the first and second leg receptacles 58 and 60 respectively), [Not taught: wherein the first spring element is differently shaped than the second spring element]; and
a leg assembly including a cam nose (Fig 9 of Burgess, the cam nose is the portion of the receptacles 58 and 60 other than the part that attaches the legs to the spring segments 102 and 104), wherein the first spring element or the second spring element includes a flat spring or a cantilevered spring that is configured to apply a force to the cam nose to maintain the leg assembly in an expanded state or a retracted state (Fig 9 of Burgess, the springs 102/104 are asymmetrical cantilevered springs that apply a force to the cam nose in order to expand and contract the legs 54 and 56).
Jackson does not expressly disclose the following limitation:
Limitation C: the first spring element is differently shaped than the second spring element
Chinese Publication CN204709732 by Zhang discloses a similar golf bag that teaches Limitation C, the first spring element is differently shaped than the second spring element (Fig 4 of Zhang spring element 4 is asymmetrical as the ends of the spring don’t necessarily end at the same spot; the spring element 4 is within a housing attached to the top cuff with leg 2 attached within It is possible to modify the golf bag of Jackson to have one of the legs include a leg assembly with the spring shape of Zhang, which is shorter than that shown in Jackson).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the second spring, second cam nose, and second leg, taught by Zhang by providing the second spring shape as that of Zhang rather than that of Burgess. Such a modification involves only a change in shape which provides no change in function (see MPEP 2144.04 IV B). Further Applicant has not disclosed criticality for the claimed shape.
Regarding claim 20, Burgess as modified includes all of the limitations including wherein the first spring element and the second spring element are asymmetric (See the detailed description of the rejection of claim 19).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JESSICA KAVINI TAMIL whose telephone number is (571)272-6655. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 9:00am-5:00pm EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, John Fristoe can be reached at 571-272-4926. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered uSIsers. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JESSICA KAVINI TAMIL/Examiner, Art Unit 3733
/DON M ANDERSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3733