12/2026DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
2. 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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 1/12/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
2. The amendment filed 1/12/2026 has been received and considered for examination. Claims 8-14 are presently pending.
The amendment filed 1/12/2026 includes only an amendment to claim 1 which is a claim that has been canceled. None of the currently pending claims (8-14) are amended.
Response to Arguments
3. Applicant’s arguments, filed 1/12/2026, with respect to the prior art of Alderman, have been considered but not persuasive as they are not commensurate in scope with the presently pending claims.
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) 8-10 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Alderman (US 2021/0275703 A1).
Regarding claim 8, Alderman discloses (see figures 1-4; para [0017]-[0021], [0036]) a self-contained ultraviolet C light emitting system (100) for door access, comprising: a door (110) for entering and exiting a premise; a source of a sanitizing ultraviolet C light for the door (UVC LED array 130 or UV optic fiber 465); means for electrically energizing the source (power source) of the sanitizing ultraviolet C light for the door (see para [0025], [0032]-[0035], claims 9, 13); and, a door access device (handle 125 or knob 100) for the door wherein a user is able to come into physical contact with an outer surface of the door access device, the door access device having embedded therein the source of the sanitizing ultraviolet C light (UVC LEDs or optic fibers are embedded within the light permeable handle – see para [0021]) with the outer surface (120) of the door access device being made of a permeable material allowing for the sanitizing ultraviolet C light to pass through the outer surface of the door access device for sanitizing the door access device for the user accessing the door for entering and exiting the premise.
Regarding claim 9, Alderman discloses wherein the source of UVC light is an LED array (130) or UV fiber optics (see para [0019] and [0036]).
Regarding claim 10, Alderman discloses that the door access device is a door bar, door handle lever (125) or a knob (see figures; para [0017] and [0036]).
Regarding claim 13, Alderman discloses that the door handle (125) is made of a permeable material, specifically quartz, allowing for sanitizing UVC light to pass through the outer surface (120) (see para [0021]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
6. 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.
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.
7. Claim(s) 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Alderman as applied to claim 8 above, and further in view of Kwon (KR 101933671 B1 – English translation).
Alderman is set froth above with regards to claim 8 and discloses that the power source for the system can be connected to various components such as a card reader linked to handle and latch components (see para [0032]). Alderman does not appear to disclose a switch and lock barrel combination as recited in claim 11.
Kwon discloses a power supply system of a digital door lock (100) where an external power source supplies power through the latch bolts (110, 120) to a digital door lock installed on an emergency exit of a building door (see English abstract). Figure 2 shows the latch bolts (110, 120), which are lock barrels, that when the door is closed the latch bolts are seated in the strike plate groove (224) and contact the electrical connection terminals (221, 222) which in turn supply power from an external power supply to the device (400) (see English translation, figures 1-2).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use the switch means comprising a lock barrel of Kwon (electrical terminals 221, 222 and latch bolts 110, 120) for permitting electric current to energize the source of ultraviolet C light of Alderman as a means to enable activation of the UV light device when the door is closed/locked and also preventing activation of the UV light when the door is in an opened position.
8. Claim(s) 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Alderman as applied to claim 8 above, and further in view of Wyman et al. (US 2017/0173200 A1) (hereafter “Wyman”).
Alderman is set forth above with regards to claim 8 but does not appear to disclose a means to visually determine the electrical condition of the UVC light emitting system.
Wyman discloses a self-contained UVC light emitting system for door access (see para [0023], [0094] - the door handle enables the UVC light to make contact and sanitize the entire outer surface of the door handle). The device of Wyman further comprises means to visually determine an electrical condition of the self-contained UVC light emitting system (see para [0114[, [0115] - sanitation system 100 may include the use of indicators for the user. For example, in some implementations, sanitation system 100 may have a green light that indicates that sanitation system 100 is not currently performing a door handle sanitation cycle. The green light may indicate to the user that the user can operate (e.g., grasp) the door handle..., sanitation system 100 may have a red light that indicates that sanitation system 100 is currently performing a door handle sanitation cycle).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the device of Alderman to include a visual indicator means such as a green light to indicate to a user the operating status of the UVC light as taught by Wyman, thereby preventing unwanted exposure of UV light to the user.
9. Claim(s) 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Alderman as applied to claim 8 above, and further in view of Choi (KR 20090120021 A – English translation).
Alderman is set froth above with regards to claim 8 and teaches that the UV transparent handle is made of quartz. Alderman does not appear to disclose that the handle is made of transparent plastic to permit the passage of UV light.
Choi discloses a sterilizing door handle housing a UVC light that emits UVC light through a plastic transparent handle in order to sterilize the surface of the door handle (see English translation).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the handle of Alderman and substitute the transparent quartz material with a functionally equivalent alternative such as transparent plastic as taught by the UV sterilizing door handle of Choi.
Conclusion
10. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SEAN E CONLEY whose telephone number is (571)272-8414. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F, 8:30am-4pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Mike Marcheschi can be reached on 571-272-1374. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SEAN E CONLEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1799