DETAILED ACTION
1. This is the first action on the merits relating to U.S. Application Serial No. 19/193,688 filed on April 29, 2025. Currently claims 1-16 remain in the examination.
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 .
3. Applicant’s climaxing benefit of US provisional application is acknowledged.
Drawings
4. Drawings originally filed on April 29, 2025 are approved.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
5. 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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
6. 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.
7. Claims 1, 2, 8, 9, and 12-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2025/0090915 A1 to DuPerier, III (hereinafter “DuPerier”).
Regarding claim 1, DuPerier discloses a pickleball paddle (see figure 1) comprising a striking blade 1 and a paddle holding parts 3 and 5 (see paragraph 0029) wherein the straps 3 and 5 are used to temporarily secure user’s hand to the paddle (see paragraph 0040).
Regarding claim 2, the strap 5 is the paddle holding part and is configured to have user’s hand inserted therein.
Regarding claim 8, the strap 5 is configured to have the hand temporarily attached thereto.
Regarding claims 9 and 12, as shown in figure 1, there are a plurality of straps 3 and 5 to temporarily secure user’s hand to the paddle (see paragraph 0040).
Regarding claims 13 and 14, the paddle holding parts 3 and 5 are used in temporarily securing the hand to the paddle, and they are separate from the striking part of the paddle.
Regarding claim 15, the hand being secured by the holding part 3 and 5 may not require users to have an intended grip.
Regarding claim 16, the user’s fingers or hand is inserted into the holding parts 3 and 5.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
8. 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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
9. 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.
10. Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2025/0090915 A1 to DuPerier, III (hereinafter “DuPerier”).
The teachings of DuPerier have been discussed above.
Although DuPerier does not explicitly disclose or suggest that the straps 3 and 5 are used in securing one finger, the straps can be used in any fashion for the users. Users can secure one finger or any fingers to any of the straps 3 and 5 producing the most suitable case for the users.
Allowable Subject Matter
11. Claims 3-7 and 11 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.
12. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Claims are directed at a pickleball paddle. The subject matter as recited in the claims above regarding the pickleball paddle is neither disclosed nor suggested by the cited references.
Conclusion
The pertinent prior arts made of record but not relied are listed in the attached form PTO-892. These are considered pertinent to Applicant's disclosure. Applicant is respectfully suggested to carefully review these references.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Ahshik Kim whose telephone number is (571)272-2393. The examiner can normally be reached between the hours of 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday thru Friday. Examiner’s fax phone number is (571)273-2393.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Thomas Pham, can be reached on (571)272-3689. The fax phone number for this Group is (571)273-8300.
Communications via Internet e-mail regarding this application, other than those under 35 U.S.C. 132 or which otherwise require a signature, may be used by the applicant and should be addressed to [ahshik.kim@uspto.gov].
PTO employees do not engage in Internet communications where there exists a possibility that sensitive information could be identified or exchanged unless the record includes a properly signed express waiver of the confidentiality requirements of 35 U.S.C. 122. This is more clearly set forth in the Interim Internet Usage Policy published in the Official Gazette of the Patent and Trademark on February 25, 1997 at 1195 OG 89.
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/AHSHIK KIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
September 5, 2026
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