DETAILED ACTION
1. This Office Action is sent in response to Applicant’s communication received on 02/24/2025 for application number 19/061,733. The Office herby acknowledges receipt of the following and placed of record in file: Specification, Drawings, Abstract, Oath/Declaration, and claims.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
2. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Information Disclosure Statement
3. The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 08/20/2025 is in accordance with provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
4. 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.
5. Claim(s) 1-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lai [US Patent No.: 12,274,922 B1].
Re. Claim 1, Lai [US Patent No.: 12,274,922 B1] discloses:
A pickleball paddle [Fig. 2 Pickle ball paddle] comprising: a first clamshell component [Fig. 2 frame 1160], including: a first head portion [1150], a first rim portion surrounding the first head portion [frame 1150], a first handle portion, a second clamshell component [frame 1160], including: a second head portion [frame 1160], a second rim portion surrounding the second head portion [frame 1160], a second handle portion [frame 1160], wherein, when the first rim portion is joined to the second rim portion [coupling component 1151 and both frames 1150 and 1160 are coupled together], the first and second clamshell components together define a cavity [frames 1150 and 1160 define a cavity];
and a core disposed in the cavity [Fig. 2 core 1430 disposed in cavity created by frames 1150 and 1160].
Re. Claim 2, Lai discloses:
The pickleball paddle of claim 1, wherein the first rim portion comprises a first side wall, and the second rim portion comprises a second side wall [Fig. 2 Frames 1150 and 1160 comprise a side wall according to applicants specification para 0027].
Re. Claim 3, Lai discloses:
The pickleball paddle of claim 2, wherein the first side wall is adhered to the second side wall [The left frame 1150 is provided with at least one locking-tight part 1151, and the right frame 1160 is provided with at least one locking part 1161. Note Fig. 2 appears to have duplicate element numbers in Fig. 2 the locking portion is labeled as 1160 and should be 1161 according to the specification | Fig. 2-5].
Re. Claim 4, Lai discloses:
The pickleball paddle of claim 1, wherein the first side wall is joined to the second side wall by a weld [Fig.2 The left frame 1150 is provided with at least one locking-tight part 1151, and the right frame 1160 is provided with at least one locking part 1161. In this embodiment, the locking-tight part 1151 and the locking part 1161 are in snap connection, and the left frame 1150 and the right frame 1160 are detachably connected together through snap fit.| Col 4 Lines 45-53. Note: Applicants specification states: The first handle member 104a and the second handle member 104b can be adhered together through the use of mechanical fasteners, adhesives, ultrasonic welding, or any other suitable means. 0064. So the locking portion of Lai is equivalent to the welding portion of this application].
Re. Claim 5, Lai discloses:
The pickleball paddle of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second clamshell components comprises a metal material [frames 1150 and 1160 are created using aluminum |Col 5 Lines 24-50].
Re. Claim 6, Lai discloses:
The pickleball paddle of claim 5, wherein the metal material is aluminum, titanium, or an alloy of aluminum or titanium [aluminum can be used |Col 5 Lines 24-50].
Re. Claim, 7, Lai discloses:
The pickleball paddle of claim 1, wherein the first and second handle portions define a handle cavity [Fig.2 Frames 1150 and 1160 define a handle cavity].
Re. Claim 8, Lai discloses:
The pickleball paddle of claim 7, further comprising a handle fill disposed in the handle cavity [a handle fill disposed in the cavity created by frames 1150 and 1160 | Fig.2-5].
Re. Claim 9, Lai discloses:
The pickleball paddle of claim 1, wherein the core comprises a foam material [Foam is used as a core |Col 5 Lines 24-50].
Re. Claim 10, Lai discloses:
The pickleball paddle of claim 9, wherein the foam material comprises an expanding foam [Foam is used to create a core | Col 5 Lines 24-50].
Re. Claim 11, Lai discloses:
The pickleball paddle of claim 1, further comprising a grip coupled to and surrounding the first and second handle portions [Grip 1300 surrounds frames 1150 and 1160 at a handle portion of the paddle |Fig.2].
Re. Claim 12, Lai discloses:
The pickleball paddle of claim 1, further comprising an edge guard surrounding a majority of the head [Frames 1150 and 1160 cover the edges of the paddle head |Figs 2-5] and covering a seam between the first rim portion and the second rim portion [Frames 1150 and 1160 cover a the locking portion in a protective rim like fashion |Figs 2-5].
6. The prior art made of record and not relied upon but is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 20250269254 A1
US 20250177827 A1
US 20250135306 A1
US 4023799 A
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HOWARD D BROWN JR whose telephone number is (571)272-4371. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30AM - 5:00PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sathyanarayanan Perungavoor can be reached at 5712727455. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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HOWARD D. BROWN JR
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2488
/HOWARD D BROWN JR/Examiner, Art Unit 2488
Prosecution Insights