DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions.
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 3-6 and 8-21 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. Claims 3, 5, 8-11 and 20-21, claim 1 should be claim 2. Claim 4, claim 2 should be claim 3. Claim 6, claim 4 should be claim 5. Claims 12-16, claim 10 should be claim 11. Claim 17, claim 15 should be claim 16. Claim 18, is this the inner cover or outer cover? Claim 19, claim 17 should be claim 18.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of pre-AIA 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 –
(b) the invention was patented or described in a printed publication in this or a foreign country or in public use or on sale in this country, more than one year prior to the date of application for patent in the United States.
Claim(s) 2, 3, and 5-21 is/are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim et al. (2006/0166762). Claim 2, Kim discloses a golf ball comprising:(a) a core having a PGA compression of less than 100 and a diameter of from 1.00 to 1.62 inches [0216, 0215]; (b) a mantle layer (one or more intermediate layers) adjacent to the core comprising a polyalkenamer [0225]; (c) an inner cover layer (one or more intermediate layers) adjacent to the mantle layer having a material Shore D hardness of 50 or greater [0228]; and (d) an outer cover layer adjacent to the inner cover layer having a thickness of at least 0.020 inches [0230] and comprising a thermoset or thermoplastic polyurethane [0039]. Claim 3, the core further comprises a peptizer [0124]. Claim 5, the core further comprises at least one synthetic rubber comprising cis-1,4-polybutadiene [0134]. Claim 6, the at least one synthetic rubber further comprises ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer (EPDM) [0133]. Claim 7, the core further comprises a peroxide selected from the group consisting of dicumylperoxide, 1,4-bis-(t-butylperoxyisopropyl)-benzene, 1,1 -bis-(t- butylperoxy)-3,3,5 tri-methylcyclohexane, and any and all combinations thereof [0118]. Claim 8, the polyalkenamer contains from 50 to 99 percent of its double bonds in the trans configuration [0113]. Claim 9, the polyalkenamer has a molecular weight of from 10,000 to 300,000 [0114]. Claim 10, the polyalkenamer has a degree of crystallization of from 5 to 70 percent [0115]. Claim 11, the thermoset or thermoplastic polyurethane or thermoset or thermoplastic polyurea comprise an isocyanate and a fast-reacting curing agent (see chain extender) [0143]. Claim 12, the isocyanate comprises toluene diisocyanate (TDI) [0143]. Claim 13, the isocyanate comprises polymeric 4,4' diphenyl-methane diisocyanate (MDI) [0143]. Claim 14, the isocyanate comprises 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) [0143]. Claim 15, the isocyanate comprises 2,4'- bis(isocyanatomethyl) dicyclohexaneisophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) [0143]. Claim 16, the fast-reacting curing agent comprises a diamine [0149]. Claim 17, the diamine comprises an ethylene diamine (aliphatic) [0149]. Claim 18, the cover layer further comprises a catalyst comprising a diol [0143]. Claim 19, the diol comprises a 1,4-butane diol (aliphatic) [0139]. Claim 20, the outer cover layer has a thickness of 0.02 to 0.06 inches [0230]. Claim 21, the core PGA compression is less than 100 [0216].
Conclusion
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Eugene Kim can be reached at 571-272-4463. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/RAEANN GORDEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3711
June 23, 2026
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