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 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.
Claim(s) 1-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kitajima et al (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0075172), hereinafter “Kitajima”.
With respect to Claim 1, Figures 1-12, teaches a spool 2 for a spinning reel, comprising:
a bobbin trunk 16a having a front end and extending in an axial direction; and
a front flange 8 disposed on the front end of the bobbin trunk in the axial direction the front flange including
a first wall portion 17a disposed on an outer peripheral side of the bobbin trunk 16a and extending radially outward,
a first annular portion 17c disposed further forward in the axial direction than an outermost diameter portion of the first wall portion 17a and extending forward in the axial direction, and
a second wall portion (See portion of Figure 3 on Page 3 of this Office Action) disposed on an outer peripheral side of the first annular portion 17c and extending radially outward.
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With respect to Claim 2, Kitajima further teaches wherein the second wall portion (See portion of Figure 3 on Page 3 of this Office Action) is flat in a radial direction perpendicular to the axial direction with respect to an outer circumferential surface of the first annular portion 17c.
With respect to Claim 3, Kitajima further teaches wherein the second wall portion (See portion of Figure 3 on Page 3 of this Office Action) has a slope 17e that is inclined radially inward toward a front of the spool.
With respect to Claim 4, Kitajima further teaches wherein the first annular portion 17c has an outer circumferential surface that is flat in the axial direction and a diameter that is essentially the same as a line winding diameter corresponding to an upper limit of an amount of line that is to be wound around the bobbin trunk.
With respect to Claim 5, Kitajima further teaches further comprising an annular spool ring 8 including the second wall portion.
With respect to Claim 6, Kitajima, Figures 1-12, teaches a spool for a spinning reel, comprising:
a bobbin trunk 16a extending in an axial direction;
a first wall portion 17a extending radially outward from the bobbin trunk;
a second wall portion (See portion of Figure 3 on Page 3 of this Office Action) disposed further forward in the axial direction than an outermost diameter portion of the first wall portion; and
a retaining portion (See portion of Figure 3 on Page 3 of this Office Action) configured to retain a fishing line of a lower layer that is exposed by an outermost layer of the fishing line wound around the bobbin trunk in a layered manner so as to prevent the lower layer from riding over the second wall portion.
With respect to Claim 7, Kitajima further teaches a spinning reel (See Figure 1), comprising the spool 2 according to Claim 1.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILLIAM ARAUZ RIVERA whose telephone number is (571)272-6953. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM MDT.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Victoria P. Augustine can be reached at 313-446-4858. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/WILLIAM A. RIVERA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3654