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
Claim 16 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 16 recites “wherein the comprises” which should recite “wherein the elongated strap comprises.”
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claim 25 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends.
Claim 25 depends from claim 1 which was cancelled.
Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
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 13-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lewen (US PG Pub. No. 2014/0274569, Sept. 18, 2014).
Regarding claim 13, as broadly interpreted, Lewen teaches an exercise device comprising: an elongated strap (see Fig. 2A below) configured to support a body weight of a user (i.e., for suspension training), the elongated strap 208 comprising a first length (i.e., see annotated Fig. 2A below), a second length (i.e., length of 210 and 204b), a third length (i.e., length of 206o) and a fourth length (i.e., length of 206n); the first length positioned against the second length (i.e., at stitching 204b) to form a first loop 210, the first loop 210 configured to connect to a length adjustment mechanism (i.e., adjusters 108a,108b indirectly, see Fig. 3 below and para. [0013]); the second length (i.e., length of 210 and 204b) positioned against the third length (i.e., length of 206o at stitching) to form a second loop 206o, the second loop 206o configured to support a grip (i.e., bar shown in Fig. 2B and 3 is capable of being inserted into loop); and the third length (i.e., length of 206o) positioned against the fourth length (i.e., length of 206n at stitching) to form a third loop 206n for receiving a releasable coupler 202.
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Regarding claim 14, Lewen teaches the exercise device of claim 13, comprising stitching 204b (see para. [0019] and Fig. 2A above), to fix the second length (i.e., length of 210 and 204b) to the third length (i.e., length of 206o).
Regarding claim 15, Lewen teaches the exercise device of claim 14, comprising stitching 204b to fix the first length to the second length (i.e., length of 210 and 204b).
Regarding claim 16, Lewen teaches the exercise device of claim 15, wherein the comprises a continuous length of nylon webbing material (see para. [0019]).
Regarding claim 17, Lewen teaches the exercise device of claim 16, wherein the second loop and the third loop extend in opposite directions (i.e., top and bottom).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 18-24 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.
Regarding claim 18, none of the prior art teach or suggest the exercise device of claim 16, wherein the second length of the elongated strap passes through a center opening of a cylindrical handle of a combination grip.
Claims 19-24 depend either directly or indirectly from claim 18.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDREW S LO whose telephone number is (571)270-1702. The examiner can normally be reached Mon. - Fri. (9:30 am - 5:30 pm EST).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, LoAn Jimenez can be reached at (571) 272-4966. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ANDREW S LO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3784