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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 3/2/2026 has been entered.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 3/2/2026 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 § 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.
Claim 18 is 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 18 recites the limitation "said first portion recess". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Dmytriw (U.S. Patent No. 3,949,513, cited by Applicant in IDS on 11/18/2024).
For claim 1, Dmytriw discloses a fishing line accessory system comprising: (a) an accessory (Fig. 1), said accessory having a first accessory portion (Figs. 1-3: 20) and a second accessory portion (Figs. 1-3: 22); (b) a first coupling component (Fig. 2: 26) associated with said first accessory portion, said first coupling component having an associated annular mating surface (Fig. 2: 36); and (c) a second coupling component (Fig. 3: 28) associated with said second accessory portion, said second coupling component having an associated annular mating surface (Figs. 2-3: 34); (d) wherein mating said first coupling component with said second coupling component joins said first accessory portion with said second accessory portion (as shown in Fig. 2), and forms at least one a pinch spot between said annular mating surface associated with said first coupling component and said annular mating surface associated with said second coupling component (Col. 2, lines 3-6), wherein said at least one pinch spot may be used to hold a fishing line (Figs. 1-2: 40).
Claims 1 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Riead (U.S. Patent No. 4,426,805).
For claim 1, Riead discloses a fishing line accessory system comprising: (a) an accessory (Fig. 1: 2), said accessory having a first accessory portion (Figs. 3: 18, 20, 22, 24, 26) and a second accessory portion (Fig. 3: 28, 32); (b) a first coupling component (Fig. 3: 18) associated with said first accessory portion, said first coupling component having an associated annular mating surface (Figs. 3-4: 20); and (c) a second coupling component (Fig. 3: 28) associated with said second accessory portion, said second coupling component having an associated annular mating surface (Fig. 4: 34); (d) wherein mating said first coupling component with said second coupling component joins said first accessory portion with said second accessory portion (as shown in Fig. 3), and forms at least one a pinch spot between said annular mating surface associated with said first coupling component and said annular mating surface associated with said second coupling component (Col. 3, lines 28-40), wherein said at least one pinch spot may be used to hold a fishing line (Fig. 3: 12).
For claim 3, Riead discloses the fishing line accessory system of claim 1, further comprising: (a) at least one accessory portion one of or both of the first accessory portion and the second accessory portion (Figs. 3-4: 32) having a recess defined therein (Figs. 3-4: 38); and (b) at least one coupling component of said first accessory portion (Figs. 3-4: 24) and said second accessory portion keyed to fit within said recess only if they engage correctly (Col. 3, lines 22-24).
Claims 1-3, 5, 7-9, 19-25, 27-29, 31-34 and 37 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Douglas (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2024/0334919 A1), based on provisional application No. 63/577,220 filing date 4/10/2023.
For claim 1, Douglas discloses a fishing line accessory system comprising: (a) an accessory (as shown in Figs. 9-15: 400), said accessory having a first accessory portion (406) and a second accessory portion (404); (b) a first coupling component (Figs. 10-11: 408) associated with said first accessory portion (406), said first coupling component having an associated annular mating surface (Fig. 11: at horizontal surface at numeral 408); and (c) a second coupling component (Fig. 12: 412) associated with said second accessory portion (404), said second coupling component having an associated annular mating surface (Fig. 12: at surface at numeral 412); (d) wherein mating said first coupling component with said second coupling component joins said first accessory portion with said second accessory portion (as shown in Figs. 9-15), and forms at least one a pinch spot between said annular mating surface associated with said first coupling component and said annular mating surface associated with said second coupling component (as discussed in [0073]), wherein said at least one pinch spot may be used to hold a fishing line (414).
For claim 2, Douglas discloses the fishing line accessory system of claim 1, further comprising: (a) said first accessory portion (406) having a first portion recess defined therein (as discussed in [0040]: “an internal gap to facilitate the engagement of a screw assembly to connect the top hemisphere to the bottom hemisphere” and [0050]: “In other embodiments, the gap can be present on one or both hemispheres.”); (b) said first coupling component (408) having a shaft projecting from a base (Figs. 10-11, 13-15: 402), said shaft having at least one channel (as discussed in [0064]: “four-way screw”); and (c) said base positioned within said first portion recess (as discussed in [0040]: “an internal gap to facilitate the engagement of a screw assembly to connect the top hemisphere to the bottom hemisphere”).
For claim 3, Douglas discloses the fishing line accessory system of claim 1, further comprising: (a) at least one accessory portion (one of or both of the first accessory portion (406) and the second accessory portion (404)) of said first accessory portion and said second accessory portion having a recess defined therein (as discussed in [0040]: “an internal gap to facilitate the engagement of a screw assembly to connect the top hemisphere to the bottom hemisphere” and [0050]: “In other embodiments, the gap can be present on one or both hemispheres.”); and (b) at least one coupling component (Figs. 10-15: 402, 412) of said first accessory portion and said second accessory portion keyed to fit within said recess only if they engage correctly (as discussed in [0064]: “The four-way screw 402 may be a threaded screw to ensure secure engagement with the top hemisphere 404.”).
For claim 5, Douglas discloses the fishing line accessory system of claim 1, said first coupling component (408) having a shaft (Figs. 10-11, 13-15: 402), said shaft having two vertical channels defined therein, said vertical channels intersecting (as discussed in [0064]: “four-way screw”).
For claim 7, Douglas discloses the fishing line accessory system of claim 1, at least one of said accessory portions (Figs. 10-11, 13-15: 406) having a rotation indicator thereon (as discussed in [0064]: the user can visualize the position of the fishing line 414 in the shaft 402, and whether the system has been rotated, in relation to slot 410).
For claim 8, Douglas discloses the fishing line accessory system of claim 1, at least one of said accessory portions (Figs. 10-11, 13-15: 406) having a line-placement indicator thereon (as discussed in [0064]: 410).
For claim 9, Douglas discloses the fishing line accessory system of claim 1, at least one of said accessory portions (Figs. 10-11, 13-15: 406) having a line-placement indicator thereon (as discussed in [0064]: 410), and, at least one of said accessory portions (Figs. 10-11, 13-15: 404, 406) having a rotation indicator thereon (as discussed in [0073]: four-way screw 402 threads).
For claim 19, Douglas discloses the fishing line accessory system of claim 1, further comprising: (a) said first coupling component (Figs. 10-11: 408) having a shaft projecting from a base (Figs. 10-11, 13-15: 402); (b) said associated annular mating surface of said first coupling component being a surface of said first coupling component (Fig. 11: at horizontal surface at numeral 408) or a surface of a base-nesting O-ring; and (c) said associated annular mating surface (Fig. 10: annular horizontal surface at numeral 408 surrounding shaft 402) of said first coupling component having an outer annular periphery (Fig. 10: at the outermost periphery of the accessory portion 406) and an inner annular periphery annularly associated with said base and said shaft (Fig. 10: at the innermost periphery of the accessory portion 406 directly adjacent the shaft 402), said annular mating surface annularly angled downward from said outer annular periphery to said inner annular periphery (as best shown in Fig. 8A cross-section and discussed in the last sentence of [0049]).
For claim 20, Douglas discloses the fishing line accessory system of claim 1, further comprising: (a) said first coupling component (Figs. 10-11: 408) having a shaft projecting from a base (Figs. 10-11, 13-15: 402); (b) said associated annular mating surface of said first coupling component being a surface of said first coupling component (Fig. 11: at horizontal surface at numeral 408) or a surface of a base-nesting O-ring; and (c) said associated annular mating surface (Fig. 10: annular horizontal surface at numeral 408 surrounding shaft 402) of said first coupling component annularly curved downward toward an annular intersection of said base and said shaft (as shown in Fig. 8A: 106 and discussed in the last sentence of [0049]).
For claim 21, Douglas discloses the fishing line accessory system of claim 1, said annular mating surface associated with said first coupling component (Fig. 11: at horizontal surface at numeral 408) being a surface of said first coupling component (Fig. 11: at horizontal surface at numeral 408) or a surface of a base-nesting O-ring, ais annular mating surface associated with said second coupling component (Fig. 12: at surface at numeral 412) being a surface of said second coupling component, and said annular mating surface of said first coupling component and said annular mating surface associated with said second coupling component being annularly curved (as best shown in Fig. 8A cross-section and discussed in the last sentence of [0049]).
For claim 22, Douglas discloses the fishing line accessory system of claim 1, said annular mating surface associated with said first coupling component (Fig. 11: at horizontal surface at numeral 408) being a surface of said first coupling component (Fig. 11: at horizontal surface at numeral 408) or a surface of a base-nesting O-ring, ais annular mating surface associated with said second coupling component (Fig. 12: at surface at numeral 412) being a surface of said second coupling component, and said annular mating surface associated with said first coupling component and said annular mating surface associated with said second coupling component being annularly angled (as best shown in Fig. 8A cross-section and discussed in the last sentence of [0049]).
For claim 23, Douglas discloses the fishing line accessory system of claim 1, said annular mating surface associated with said first coupling component (Fig. 11: at horizontal surface at numeral 408) being a surface of said first coupling component (Fig. 11: at horizontal surface at numeral 408) or a surface of a base-nesting O-ring, ais annular mating surface associated with said second coupling component (Fig. 12: at surface at numeral 412) being a surface of said second coupling component, and said annular mating surface associated with said first coupling component and said annular mating surface associated with said second coupling component being relatively hard so as to provide a clench feature (as best shown in Fig. 8B cross-section and discussed in [0055]).
For claim 24, Douglas discloses Douglas discloses the fishing line accessory system of claim 1, further comprising: (a) said second coupling component (Fig. 12: 412) being a female coupling component (as shown in Fig. 12), and (b) at least part of the said annular mating surface associated with said second coupling component protruding from said second accessory portion (Fig. 12 shows the second coupling component 412 protruding into the central opening of the second accessory portion 404).
For claim 25, Douglas discloses a fishing line accessory system comprising: (a) an accessory (as shown in Figs. 9-15: 400), said accessory having a first accessory portion (406) and a second accessory portion (404); (b) a first coupling component (Figs. 10-11: 408) associated with said first accessory portion (406), said first coupling component (408) having a shaft projecting from a base (Figs. 10-11, 13-15: 402), said first coupling component having an associated annular mating surface (Fig. 11: at horizontal surface at numeral 408), said annular mating surface associated with said first coupling component having an outer annular periphery (Fig. 10: at the outermost periphery of the accessory portion 406) that extends annularly downward to an inner annular periphery (Fig. 10: at the innermost periphery of the accessory portion 406 directly adjacent the shaft 402) annularly associated with said base and said shaft (as best shown in Fig. 8A cross-section and discussed in the last sentence of [0049]); and (c) a second coupling component (Fig. 12: 412) associated with said second accessory portion (404), said second coupling component having an associated annular mating surface (Fig. 12: at surface at numeral 412), at least part of the said annular mating surface associated with said second coupling component protruding from said second accessory portion (Fig. 12 shows the second coupling component 412 protruding into the central opening of the second accessory portion 404); (d) wherein mating said first coupling component with said second coupling component joins said first accessory portion with said second accessory portion (as discussed in [0066]), and forms at least one a pinch spot between said annular mating surface associated with said first coupling component and said annular mating surface associated with said second coupling component (as discussed in [0073]), wherein said at least one pinch spot may be used to hold a fishing line (414).
For claim 27, Douglas discloses the fishing line accessory system of claim 25, said shaft (Figs. 10-11: 402) having at least one channel (as discussed in [0064]: “four-way screw”).
For claim 28, Douglas discloses the fishing line accessory system of claim 25, said shaft (Figs. 10-11: 402) having at least one notch (Fig. 6: threaded portion 206) defined therein.
For claim 29, Douglas discloses the fishing line accessory system of claim 25, at least one of said accessory portions (Figs. 10-11, 13-15: 406) having a use indicator thereon (as discussed in [0064]: the user can visualize whether fishing line 414 is within 410).
For claim 31, Douglas discloses the fishing line accessory system of claim 25, said annular mating surface associated with said first coupling component (Fig. 11: at horizontal surface at numeral 408) curved annularly (as best shown in Fig. 8A cross-section and discussed in the last sentence of [0049]) downward from an outer annular periphery (Fig. 10: at the outermost periphery of the accessory portion 406) to an inner periphery (Fig. 10: at the innermost periphery of the accessory portion 406 directly adjacent the shaft 402).
For claim 32, Douglas discloses the fishing line accessory system of claim 25, said annular mating surface associated with said first coupling component (Fig. 11: at horizontal surface at numeral 408) angled annularly (as best shown in Fig. 8A cross-section and discussed in the last sentence of [0049]) downward from an outer annular periphery (Fig. 10: at the outermost periphery of the accessory portion 406) to an inner periphery (Fig. 10: at the innermost periphery of the accessory portion 406 directly adjacent the shaft 402).
For claim 33, Douglas discloses the fishing line accessory system of claim 25, said annular mating surface associated with said first coupling component (Fig. 11: at horizontal surface at numeral 408) and said annular mating surface associated with said second coupling component (Fig. 12: at surface at numeral 412) being annularly curved (as best shown in Fig. 8A cross-section and discussed in the last sentence of [0049]: each of said first and said second coupling components having annularly curved inner surfaces).
For claim 34, Douglas discloses the fishing line accessory system of claim 25, said annular mating surface associated with said first coupling component (Fig. 11: at horizontal surface at numeral 408) and said annular mating surface associated with said second coupling component (Fig. 12: at surface at numeral 412) being annularly angled (as best shown in Fig. 8A cross-section and discussed in the last sentence of [0049]: each of said first and said second coupling components having annularly angled inner surfaces).
For claim 37, Douglas discloses the fishing line accessory system of claim 25, at least one of said accessory portions (Figs. 10-11, 13-15: 406) having a rotation indicator thereon (as discussed in [0064]: the user can visualize the position of the fishing line 414 in the shaft 402, and whether the system has been rotated, in relation to slot 410).
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 6 and 36 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Douglas, as above.
For claim 6, Douglas discloses the fishing line accessory system of claim 1, said first coupling component (408) having a shaft projecting from a base (Figs. 10-11, 13-15: 402), said shaft having a vertical slip channel and a vertical fixed channel defined therein, said vertical channels intersecting (as discussed in [0064]: “four-way screw”), but fail to disclose said vertical slip channel being wider than said vertical fixed channel. 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 accessory system of Douglas to include the vertical slip channel being wider than said vertical fixed channel for the advantage of selectively changing the operation of the system to allow the fishing line to be situated in a slip or a non-slip position.
For claim 36, Douglas discloses the fishing line accessory system of claim 25, said first coupling component (408) having a shaft projecting from a base (Figs. 10-11, 13-15: 402), said shaft having a vertical slip channel and a vertical fixed channel defined therein, said vertical channels intersecting (as discussed in [0064]: “four-way screw”), but fail to disclose said vertical slip channel being wider than said vertical fixed channel. 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 accessory system of Douglas to include the vertical slip channel being wider than said vertical fixed channel for the advantage of selectively changing the operation of the system to allow the fishing line to be situated in a slip or a non-slip position.
Claims 35 and 38 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Douglas in view of Tufts (U.S. Patent No. 418,995).
For claim 35, Douglas discloses the invention substantially as claimed, but fails to show wherein mating said first coupling component with said second coupling component creates at least one non-straight gap between said annular mating surface associated with said first coupling component and said annular mating surface associated with said second coupling component, said at least one non-straight gap varying in depth. Tufts teaches a fishing line accessory system (Fig. 8) comprising a first accessory portion (Fig. 8: B) and a second accessory portion (Fig. 8: B’); said annular mating surface associated with said first coupling component curved (Fig. 8 at the concaved interior surfaces from circumferential edges); wherein mating said first coupling component with said second coupling component creates at least one non-straight gap (Fig. 8 at the concaved interior surfaces between the first accessory portion B and a second accessory portion B’) between said annular mating surface associated with said first coupling component and said annular mating surface associated with said second coupling component, said at least one non-straight gap varying in depth (as shown in Fig. 8). 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 accessory system of Douglas to include the at least one non-straight gap as taught by Tufts for the advantage of providing a secure pinching of the fishing line between the first accessory portion and the second accessory portion.
For claim 38, Douglas discloses the invention substantially as claimed, but fails to show wherein mating said first coupling component with said second coupling component creates at least one non-straight gap between said annular mating surface associated with said first coupling component and said annular mating surface associated with said second coupling component, said at least one non-straight gap varying in depth. Tufts teaches a fishing line accessory system (Fig. 8) comprising a first accessory portion (Fig. 8: B) and a second accessory portion (Fig. 8: B’); said annular mating surface associated with said first coupling component curved (Fig. 8 at the concaved interior surfaces from circumferential edges); wherein mating said first coupling component with said second coupling component creates at least one non-straight gap (Fig. 8 at the concaved interior surfaces between the first accessory portion B and a second accessory portion B’) between said annular mating surface associated with said first coupling component and said annular mating surface associated with said second coupling component, said at least one non-straight gap varying in depth (as shown in Fig. 8). 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 accessory system of Douglas to include the at least one non-straight gap as taught by Tufts for the advantage of providing a secure pinching of the fishing line between the first accessory portion and the second accessory portion.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 26 and 30 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 18 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 3/2/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues “The rejections based on the Douglas reference use the Douglas nonprovisional application's reference numbers, so it is unclear which Douglas reference the Examiner is using. (Applicant would also like to point out that paragraph [0064] through at least paragraph [0072] appear to reference FIGS. 16-21. Applicant respectfully submits that the Douglas nonprovisional application contains only 15 figures. The Douglas nonprovisional application is therefore unclear. Applicant believes (but does not admit) that FIGS. 9-15 are the referred to FIGS. 16-21.)”.
The provisional application of the Douglas reference contains the same reference components as shown in Figs. 9-15 of the Douglas non-provisional application that the examiner has relied on in the rejection of the claim above. Further, while the Douglas application refers to Figs. 16-21 not provided in the application, the reference numerals referred to in specification can be clearly seen in Figs. 9-15, from which the examiner relies.
Applicant further argues with regard to amended claim 3, “As shown in the Douglas nonprovisional application, the screw bases (shown, for example, in FIGS. 3, 6, and 7) and recesses (shown, for example, in FIG. 2A) are circular. Further, in both the Douglas provisional application and the Douglas nonprovisional application, the intersections between the bases of the four-way screw and the recesses in the bottom hemispheres also appear to be circular. It is reasonable to assume that a circular base of a four-way screw could be put into a circular recess of a bottom hemisphere in any position (and, after insertion, could be rotated), not just when they engage correctly. This would not meet the claimed coupling component "keyed to fit within said recess only if they engage correctly.".
The examiner maintains the Douglas reference shows the “keyed to fit within said recess only if they engage correctly” limitation of claim 3 because, as discussed in [0064], “The four-way screw 402 may be a threaded screw to ensure secure engagement with the top hemisphere 404.”. Further it is well-known that a threaded screw engages only with a corresponding threaded opening.
Additional arguments by applicant 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
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
Prosecution Insights