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 1-4 and 6-17 are objected to because of the following informalities: Regarding claim 1, line 11, “the longitudinally extending slot” should be changed to the second slot. Regarding claim 2, line 2, “a first fixed blade” should be changed to the first fixed blade. Regarding claim 6, line 2, “the slot” should be changed to the first slot. Appropriate correction is required.
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)(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.
Claims 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Miller (US 2023/0221100 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Miller discloses a universal ferrule element [114] for an arrowhead configured to be coupled to a shaft [12] of an arrow [10], comprising a main body [116] having: a front end [116F] and an opposed rear end [A] (see annotated Figure 4 below for all reference letters), wherein the rear end [A] is threaded and is configured to be coupled to the shaft [12], and wherein the front end [116F] has a selected shape having a first fastener-receiving opening [B] formed therein and a first slot [C] that communicates with the first fastener-receiving opening [B] and that is sized and configured for mounting a first fixed blade [118]; a second slot [128] formed in and extending longitudinally along the front end [116F] that is sized and configured for seating one or more of a fixed body blade, one or more front deployable blades, and one or more rear deployable blades [120]; and second and third fastener-receiving openings [D, 138, 140] formed in the front end [116F] and positioned to communicate with the longitudinally extending slot [128] (paragraphs 0004, 0028-0037, Figures 1-6, and annotated Figure 4 below).
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Regarding claim 2, Miller discloses the universal ferrule element of claim 1, wherein the first fastener-receiving opening [B] is sized and configured for seating a first fastener element [134] for attaching a first fixed blade[118] via the first slot [C] to the front end [116F] of the main body [116] (paragraph 0032 and annotated Figure 4 above).
Regarding claim 3, Miller discloses the universal ferrule element of claim 1, wherein the main body [116] further comprises an outwardly projecting base portion [E] that is longitudinally spaced from the rear end [A] (annotated Figure 4 above).
Regarding claim 4, Miller discloses the universal ferrule element of claim 3, wherein the main body [116] further comprises an outwardly extending flared portion [F] that is disposed between the outwardly projecting base portion [E] and the front end [116F] for forming a seat portion (annotated Figure 4 above).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-17 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Regarding claim 5, the combination including a sleeve element having a front end and a rear end and a central opening, wherein the central opening has a diameter that is greater than an outer diameter of the post element such that the post element when coupled to the universal ferrule element seats within the central opening in the invention as claimed is neither disclosed nor rendered obvious by the prior art. The closest art is Miller as outlined above. However, Miller neither discloses nor renders obvious the claimed sleeve element.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See Romero (US 2017/0363397 A1), Perry (US 2020/0124386 A1), Grace (US 8,449,415 B2), Armstrong et al. (US 6,554,727 B1) which all disclose similar ferrule elements for arrowheads.
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/AUDREY B. WALTER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3711
