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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 March 16, 2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
This office action is responsive to the amendment filed on February 9, 2025. As directed by the amendment: claims 1, 11, 14-16, and 18 have been amended and claims 7 and 20 have been cancelled. Thus, claims 1, 3, 8, 9, 11, 15, 16, and 18 are presently pending in this application.
Applicant’s amendments to the Specification, Drawings, and Claims have overcome each and every objection previously set forth in the Final Office Action mailed December 16, 2025.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed February 9, 2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1 and 16 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) have been fully considered and are persuasive, specifically in regards to Sun not teaching or disclosing the light source is configured to direct light towards the clip structure when extended. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Applicant’s amendments.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1, 3, 8, 16, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Regarding claims 1 and 16, the claim has been amended to recite “the light source selectively directs light from the end portion of the housing towards the clip structure when extended from the housing”. The disclosure as originally filed does not provide sufficient support for the light source to direct light towards the clip structure. The specification provides support for the light source to be configured to direct light towards the neck, the breast shield, or another component of the breast pump (paragraph 24). However, there is no disclosure in the specification of the light being directed towards the clip structure. Applicant argues that support for the amendment is found in figs. 1-3 of the drawings. The examiner notes that the drawings shows light source 26 as positioned at the top of the housing and would direct light upward. The clip structure 28 is coupled to the back of the housing and moves parallel with the longitudinal axis of the housing (fig.3). Thus, it seems that the light would direct light in a direction parallel to the clip structure and not towards the clip structure, as recited in the amended claims. As such, it is the examiner’s opinion that the amendment is drawn to new matter.
Claims 3, 8, and 18 are also rejected by virtue of being dependent on claims 1 or 16.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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, 3, 8, 16, and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Buzza (US 3814927).
Regarding claim 1, Buzza discloses a light accessory device couplable to a neck of a breast shield assembly for a breast pump (fig. 10 shows a light device which is capable of coupling to a neck of a breast shield since the specifics of the shield are not further claimed), the light accessory device comprising:
a housing (shield 20A with cage 24A in fig. 10 form the “housing”; the examiner notes that Merriam-Webster defines “housing” as “something that covers or protects”; the shield 20A and cage 24A cover and protect the lamp 15);
a clip structure (hook 31C in fig. 10) coupled to and extensible from the housing (fig. 10 shows the clip structure can slide along the shield 20A to move to an extended position shown in phantom lines) and adapted to selectively couple the housing to the neck of the breast shield assembly (the hook is capable of connecting to a neck of a breast shield), wherein the clip structure is coupled to a slider that is configured to translate along a length of the housing such that the clip structure is translatably extensible from an end portion of the housing (base block 31E in fig. 10 slides along rod 50 to move the hook 31C to an extended position shown in phantom lines); and
a light source disposed within the housing (lamp 15 in fig. 10) and positionable adjacent to the neck of the breast shield assembly (the lamp is capable of being moved to a position where the lamp is adjacent to the neck of a breast shield) such that the light source selectively directs light from the end portion of the housing towards the clip structure when extended from the housing and into the neck of the breast shield assembly (a portion of the light from lamp 15 would be directed upwards and would illuminate a portion of the clip structure and the neck of the breast shield since the cage portion of the housing comprises open spaces at the top of the housing).
Regarding claim 3, Buzza discloses the slider is translatably coupled to a track or rail structure disposed at a back portion of the housing (rod 50 in fig. 10 is equated to the claimed “rail” and is disposed at a back portion since the back portion is not further defined).
Regarding claim 8, Buzza discloses the clip structure comprises one of a split ring and a full ring adapted to be selectively disposed circumferentially about the neck of the breast shield assembly (hook 31C in fig. 10 is a split ring).
Regarding claim 16, Buzza discloses a method of providing a light accessory device couplable to a neck of a breast shield assembly for a breast pump (fig. 10 shows a light device which is capable of coupling to a neck of a breast shield since the specifics of the shield are not further claimed), the method comprising:
providing a housing (shield 20A with cage 24A in fig. 10 form the “housing”; the examiner notes that Merriam-Webster defines “housing” as “something that covers or protects”; the shield 20A and cage 24A cover and protect the lamp 15);
providing a clip structure (hook 31C in fig. 10) coupled to and extensible from the housing (fig. 10 shows the clip structure can slide along the shield 20A to move to an extended position shown in phantom lines) and adapted to selectively couple the housing to the neck of the breast shield assembly (the hook is capable of connecting to a neck of a breast shield), wherein the clip structure is coupled to a slider that is configured to translate along a length of the housing such that the clip structure is translatably extensible from an end portion of the housing (base block 31E in fig. 10 slides along rod 50 to move the hook 31C to an extended position shown in phantom lines); and
providing a light source disposed within the housing (lamp 15 in fig. 10) and positionable adjacent to the neck of the breast shield assembly (the lamp is capable of being moved to a position where the lamp is adjacent to the neck of a breast shield) such that the light source selectively directs light from the end portion of the housing towards the clip structure when extended from the housing and into the neck of the breast shield assembly (a portion of the light from lamp 15 would be directed upwards and would illuminate a portion of the clip structure and the neck of the breast shield since the cage portion of the housing comprises open spaces at the top of the housing).
The examiner notes that the claimed method is directed towards the steps of "providing" the claimed components and not towards the step of using the components in conjunction with a breast shield assembly.
Regarding claim 18, Buzza discloses the slider is translatably coupled to a track or rail structure disposed at a back portion of the housing (rod 50 in fig. 10 is equated to the claimed “rail” and is disposed at a back portion since the back portion is not further defined).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9, 11, 14, and 15 are allowed over the prior art of record.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The claims in this application are allowed because the prior art of record fails to disclose either singly or in combination the claimed breast shield assembly.
See Reasons for Allowance provided in the Final Rejection mailed on 12/16/2026.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to COURTNEY FREDRICKSON whose telephone number is (571)270-7481. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday (9 AM - 5 PM EST).
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/COURTNEY FREDRICKSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3783