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 .
Status
The filing on 11/07/2025 amended claims 1 and 8. Claims 1, 3-8, and 10-16 are pending and rejected on new grounds of rejections necessitated by the amendments of claims 1 and 8.
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 11/07/2025 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - AIA 35 USC § 103
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
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 of this title, 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 1, 3-5, 8, and 10-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shibata (US 20200094647 A1) in view of Morohoshi (US 20130050657 A1) and Nishima (US 20130010268 A1) and in further view of Iinuma (US 20200033706 A1).
Regarding claims 1 and 8, Shibata teaches projector (10; Fig. 1-5), comprising an optomechanical module and a projection lens (13b), wherein: the optomechanical module comprises an optomechanical housing (11), a light source (12a), and a display element (13a), wherein: the optomechanical housing (11) comprises at least two heat-dissipation holes (15, 16), two of the at least two heat-dissipation holes (15, 16) are respectively disposed on two opposite surfaces of the optomechanical housing (11); the light source (12a) is configured to emit an illumination beam and is disposed in the optomechanical housing (11); and the display element (13a) is disposed in the optomechanical housing (11), is located on a transmission path of the illumination beam, and is configured to convert the illumination beam into an image beam, wherein positions of the at least two heat- dissipation holes are closer to the light source (12a) than the display element (13a), when the optomechanical module is configured to operate, the light source (12a) generates heat, and the at least two heat-dissipation holes (15, 16) are configured to allow airflow to pass through, so as to dissipate the heat generated by the light source (12a); and the projection lens (13b) is connected to the optomechanical module and is configured to project the image beam outward (Fig. 1-5).
Shibata does not explicitly teach the optomechanical module further comprises: at least two filter structures, detachably disposed in the at least two heat-dissipation holes (15, 16), respectively.
Morohoshi teaches at least two filter structures, detachably disposed in the at least two heat-dissipation holes, respectively ([0047]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify Shibata with Morohoshi; because it prevents dust from entering into the projector.
Neither Shibata nor Morohoshi teaches the light source is not located between the two of the at least two heat-dissipation holes, and the light source is not aligned with the two of the at least two heat- dissipation holes.
Nishima teaches the light source (54) is not located between the two of the at least two heat-dissipation holes (32a, 106a), and the light source (54) is not aligned with the two of the at least two heat-dissipation holes (32a, 106a; [0051], [0070]; Fig. 1A/B, 3A/B).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skills in the art at the time of the invention to combine Shibata and Morohoshi with Nishima; because it prevents light leakage from the projector.
Neither Shibata, Morohoshi nor Nishima explicitly teaches the material of the filter.
Iinuma teaches the air filter being made of felt or paper, which is opaque ([0039]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skills in the art at the time of the invention to combine Shibata, Morohoshi and Nishima with Iinuma; because using known filter materials such as felt and paper reduce eliminates undue experimentation.
Regarding claims 3 and 10, the combination of Shibata, Morohoshi, Nishima and Iinuma consequently results in at least one first engaging member, each of the at least two filter structures comprises at least one second engaging member corresponding to the at least one first engaging member, and each of the at least two filter structures is fixed to the optomechanical housing (11 of Shibata) through engaging the at least one first engaging member with the at least one second engaging member.
Regarding claims 4 and 11, neither Shibata, Morohoshi, Nishima nor Iinuma explicitly teaches at least one first screw thread part, each of the at least two filter structures comprises at least one second screw thread part corresponding to the at least one first screw thread part, and each of the at least two filter structures is screwed to the at least one first screw thread part through the at least one second screw thread part to be fixed to the optomechanical housing.
Having at least one first screw thread part, each of the at least two filter structures comprises at least one second screw thread part corresponding to the at least one first screw thread part, and each of the at least two filter structures is screwed to the at least one first screw thread part through the at least one second screw thread part to be fixed to the optomechanical housing is well known in the art.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to fasten the filters to the housing using screws; because it is a matter of common sense.
Regarding claims 5 and 12, Shibata further teaches the optomechanical module further comprises: an air duct (24, 25) located outside the optomechanical housing (11), wherein a number of the at least two heat-dissipation holes (15, 16) is two, the air duct (24, 25) is disposed at one of the two heat-dissipation holes (15, 16) and is configured to connect to an external fan (21; Fig. 1).
Claims 6, 7, and 13-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shibata in view of Morohoshi, Nishima and Iinuma and in further view of Ishimoto (US 20140293431 A1).
Regarding claims 6, 13, 15 and 16, Shibata further teaches an internal fan (19) disposed adjacent to one of the at least two heat-dissipation holes (15, 16).
Neither Shibata, Morohoshi, Nishima nor Iinuma teaches a temperature sensor disposed in the optomechanical housing and close to the light source, and the temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the light source.
Ishimoto teaches a temperature sensor disposed in the optomechanical housing and close to the light source, and the temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the light source ([0007]-[0020], [0043], [0118]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skills in the art at the time of the invention to modify Shibata, Morohoshi, Nishima and Iinuma with Ishimoto; because it protects the projection system and ensure optimal operating condition.
The combination of Shibata, Morohoshi, Nishima, Iinuma and Ishimoto consequently results in the controller electrically connected to the temperature sensor and the fan ([0007]-[0020], [0043], [0118] of Ishimoto).
Regarding claims 7 and 14, Shibata further teaches an alarm (31a), electrically connected to the controller, wherein the alarm comprises a buzzer, a horn, a display light (from 13b; Fig. 1-5), or a display screen (31a).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments with respect to claims 1 and 8 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection necessitated by the amendment/s of claims 1 and 8.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BAO-LUAN Q LE whose telephone number is (571)270-5362. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday; 9:00AM-5:00PM.
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/BAO-LUAN Q LE/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2882
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