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 Objections
Claims 19 and 20 objected to because of the following informalities: Claims 19 and 20 appear to have a typo and should be dependent from claim 17. Appropriate correction is required. For this office action claims 19 and 20 are seen as being dependent on claim 17.
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)(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.
(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 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Adams et al (US 2013/0067756) [hereinafter Adams].
Regarding claim 17, Adams discloses an archery sight for a bow (title; abstract) comprising:
a sight assembly 410, 810, 910 (Fig. 14, 22, 26)
the sight assembly having a first pin 770 having a first sight point (Fig. 20) and a second pin 772, 774, 776, 778 having a second sight point (Par. 0095: “FIGS. 20-21 illustrate an alternate horizontal pin adjustment assembly 740. Assembly 740 includes horizontal sight pins 770, 772, 774, 776 and 778”);
a follower pin connected to the second pin (Fig. 21-22; portion of respective bases 752, 754, 756 and 758 engaged in curved track portions 762, 764, 766 and 768);
a pin gap defined by a distance between the first sight point and the second sight point (not labelled but shown in Fig. 21 and 22);
an actuator 748 (Par. 0096-0097: “The circumference of wheel 748 may optionally include texturing to enhance as user's grip and to allow precise adjustment and/or may include indicia such as lines or numbers to facilitate adjustment relative to indicia on sight block 712 or elsewhere on the assembly”); and
a pin gap adjustment mechanism having a rotatable cam (track portions 762, 764, 766 and 768; Fig. 21-22) in communication with the follower pin and the actuator (Par. 0095-0099; see below comparison applicants Fig. 3 and Adams Fig. 20).
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Regarding claim 18, Adams further discloses wherein the rotatable cam is configured to move the second pin with respect to the first pin responsive to input from the actuator (Fig. 20-21; Par. 0095-0099).
Regarding claim 19, Adams further discloses wherein the rotatable cam comprises a curved cam slot, wherein the follower pin is installed into the curved cam slot (Fig. 20-21; Par. 0095-0099).
Regarding claim 20, Adams discloses an archery sight for a bow (abstract; Title) comprising:
a sight assembly 810;
the sight assembly having a first pin 870 having a first sight point and a second pin 872, 874, 876 and 878 having a second sight point (Fig. 23-25);
a follower pin 852, 854, 856, and 858 connected to the second pin (Fig. 24; Par. 103);
a pin gap defined by a distance between the first sight point and the second sight point (not labelled but shown in Fig. 22-25; Par. 102-103);
an actuator 848; and
a pin gap adjustment mechanism 842 having a rotatable cam 862, 864, 866, 868 in communication with the follower pin and the actuator (Fig. 22-25; Par. 102-103);
wherein the rotating cam comprises an outer surface with an irregular profile; wherein the follower pin abuts against the outer surface (clearly seen in Fig. 24).
Claim 21 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Boezi, III et al (US 12,359,892) [hereinafter Boezi].
Regarding claim 21, Boezi discloses an archery sight 700 for a bow comprising (Title; abstract):
a sight assembly moveably mounted to a vertical gear rack 400 (Fig. 15-16; “the elevation assembly 500 can be configured to slide along the rack 400 to permit movement of the bow sight 700 in a direction generally perpendicular in a first direction (e.g., vertically) to an axis passing through the bow sight 700 that is parallel to the shooting line”);
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the sight assembly having a first pin having a first sight point and a second pin having a second sight point (e.g. pins 709; Fig. 45);
an actuator 505 (Fig. 19; “The elevation assembly 500 can further include an elevation actuator 505 that can be actuated to move the elevation assembly 500 along the rack 400. The elevation actuator 505 can be a wheel (as shown in FIG. 19), a tri-lobe handle, a multi-lobe handle, or any other shape that can be gripped and actuated by a user”);
a sight assembly adjustment mechanism (configured to move the sight assembly along the vertical gear rack responsive to input from the actuator (Fig. 21-24; “the elevation assembly 500 can further include a pinion gear 510 having pinion gear teeth 512. The pinion gear 510 can be attached to the elevation actuator 505 and the pinion gear teeth 512 can be configured to engage the rack gear teeth 402. Thus, when a user actuates the elevation actuator 505, the elevation gear teeth 512 can engage the rack gear teeth 402 and cause the elevation assembly 500 to move along the rack 400 in the elevation direction”); and
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an actuator locking mechanism 540 configured to lock the actuator in place (Fig. 33 and 35; “the disclosed technology can include a lock lever 540, as shown in FIGS. 33 and 35, that can be configured to transition between a locked and an unlocked position. The lock lever 540 can be attached to the elevation assembly 500 by a by a lock lever fastener 542 (as shown in FIG. 35, which is a cross-sectional view of the elevation assembly 500 and rack 400 taken along line H-H of FIG. 17) that can extend through the first housing 502 and the second housing 504”).
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Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-16 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding independent claim 1, The prior art of record fails to disclose or render obvious an archery sight, as claimed, specifically in combination with an actuator, a sight assembly adjustment mechanism configured to move the sight assembly, the first pin, and the second pin up and down along the vertical gear rack responsive to input from the actuator; a pin gap adjustment mechanism configured to move the second pin with respect to the first pin to thereby vary the pin gap responsive to input from the actuator.
The claimed invention providing a two-pin archery sight where one actuator simultaneously moves the whole sight and changes the gap between the two pins. In this way, the sight can be tuned to compensate for arrow drop without forcing the archer to separately adjust each pin.
Regarding independent claim 10, the prior art of record fails to disclose or render obvious an archery sight, as claimed, specifically in combination with a sight assembly moveably mounted to a vertical gear rack, an actuator mounted on a shaft, a sight assembly adjustment mechanism having a main driver gear in communication with the shaft and intermeshed with the vertical gear rack; and a pin gap adjustment mechanism having a rotatable cam in communication with the follower pin and the shaft.
The claimed invention providing a two-pin archery sight with an actuator mounted on a shaft and both a sight assembly adjustment mechanism and pin gap adjustment mechanism are in communication with said shaft. This allows one actuator simultaneously moves the whole sight and changes the gap between the two pins.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Additional art representing the state of the art of archery sights considered relevant to applicant’s disclosure is cited in the attached PTO-892 form. The references alone or in combination do not anticipate or make obvious the claimed invention.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSHUA E FREEMAN whose telephone number is (303)297-4269. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM - 5PM MST M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Troy Chambers can be reached at 571-272-6874. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JOSHUA E FREEMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3641
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