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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 09/11/2026 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 1-8 and 10-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Beadle (US 7,874,709 B1) in view of Zhang et al. (US 2009/0097262 A1), and Ruberg (US 2008/0186717 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Beadle et al. teaches a lighting apparatus (see at least figures 1-16) comprising:
an in-ground landscape lighting fixture (see at least figure 5 and column 1, lines 11-15 discloses an in ground fixture) comprising:
a fixture housing (housing 100; see at least figure 1-5) defining a central axis (see at least figures 3-5); and a light-engine frame (see at least figure 5) that is configured to:
support: a light source (235); and a light-source-inclination retainer (see at least figure 4).
Beadle et al. does not explicitly teach a light-emitting diode (“LED”) light source.
Zhang et al. teaches an LED light source (57).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify Beadle et al. to include a LED light source as taught by Zhang et al. as it is known in the art that LEDs have advantages of environmental protection, energy saving, high efficiency and long lifespan.
Beadle et al. modified by Zhang et al. does not explicitly teach a [light-engine frame] that is configured to be: inserted and removed from the housing; and rotated about the central axis and the light-engine frame comprises a protrusion that extends outwardly from the light-engine frame and is configured to: be inserted into an annular slot in the fixture housing; and rotate about the center axis when the protrusion is disposed in the annular slot.
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Ruberg (US 2008/0186717 A1) teaches a light-engine frame (170; figure 5) that is configured to be: inserted and removed from the housing (housing 110; figure 1); and rotated about the central axis and the light-engine frame (170) comprises a protrusion (see figure 5 where 132 comprises a protrusion) that extends outwardly from the light-engine frame (170) and is configured to: be inserted into an annular slot (see slot within 122) in the fixture housing (110); and rotate about the center axis when the protrusion (120) is disposed in the annular slot (slot within 122).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Beadle et al. to include a protrusion and annular slot as taught by Ruberg as an alternative way to position the light engine to achieve a desired illumination output.
Regarding claim 2, Beadle et al. modified by Zhang and Ruberg teaches the apparatus of claim 1, but Beadle et al. does not explicitly teach wherein the light-engine frame is further configured to be axially secured inside the housing by the protrusion that is configured to: extend into the annular slot in the housing; and be removed from the annular slot .
Ruberg teaches a light engine frame that is further configured to be axially secured inside the housing (110) by the protrusion (120) that is configured to: extend into the annular slot (within 122) in the housing (110); and be removed from the annular slot (within 122).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Beadle et al. to include a protrusion and annular slot as taught by Ruberg as an alternative way to position the light engine to achieve a desired illumination output.
Regarding claim 3, Beadle et al. modified by Zhang and Ruberg teaches the apparatus of claim 2 but Beadle et al. does not explicitly teach wherein the protrusion is biased by elasticity of the frame to remain in the annular slot.
Ruberg teaches the protrusion (120) is biased by elasticity of the frame (170) to remain in the annular slot (within 122).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Beadle et al. to include a protrusion and annular slot as taught by Ruberg as an alternative way to position the light engine to achieve a desired illumination output.
Regarding claim 4, Beadle et al. modified by Zhang and Ruberg teaches the apparatus of claim 2, but Beadle et al. does not explicitly teach wherein the annular slot includes a groove in an inner wall of the housing.
Ruberg teaches wherein the annular slot (within 122) includes a groove (see figure 5 and 7) in an inner wall of the housing (110).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Beadle et al. to include an annular slot including a groove in the inner wall of the housing as taught by Ruberg as an alternative design choice and way to position the light engine within the housing.
Regarding claim 5, Beadle et al. further teaches the apparatus of claim 4, wherein the groove extends 360° circumferentially about the axis (see at least figure 5).
Regarding claim 6, Beadle et al. further teaches the apparatus of claim 1 wherein the light-engine frame (see at least figure 5) is further configured to support a beam angle changing lens (300; see at least figure 5).
Regarding claim 7, Beadle et al. modified by Zhang and Ruberg teaches the apparatus of claim 6 and Zhang et al. further teaches wherein the beam angle changing lens (108) is movable with respect to the LED light source (57) by rotating a slotted cylinder (see at least figure 16) about the central axis (see at least figure 16).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify Beadle et al. to include a LED light source as taught by Zhang et al. as it is known in the art that LEDs have advantages of environmental protection, energy saving, high efficiency and long lifespan.
Regarding claim 8, Beadle et al. modified by Zhang et al. and Ruberg teaches the apparatus of claim 1 Beadle et al. does not explicitly teach wherein the light-engine frame is further configured to support heat-exchange fins.
Zhang et al. further teaches wherein the light-engine frame is further configured to support heat-exchange fins (74; see at least figures 2-16).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the light engine of Beadle et al. to support heat-exchange fins as taught by Zhang et al. to draw heat out of the fixture so that higher intensity light sources can be used (see abstract of Zhang et al.).
Regarding claim 10, Beadle et al. modified by Zhang et al. and Ruberg teaches the apparatus of claim 1, and Beadle et al.’709 further teaches wherein the light source (235) is configured to rotate about the central axis with the light-engine frame (see at least figure 1-5). However, Beadle et al.’709 does not teach an LED light source.
Zhang et al. teaches an LED light source (57; paragraph [0049]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify Beadle et al. to include a LED light source as taught by Zhang et al. as it is known in the art that LEDs have advantages of environmental protection, energy saving, high efficiency and long lifespan.
Regarding claim 11, Beadle et al. modified by Zhang et al., and Ruberg teaches the apparatus of claim 1 but Beadle et al. does not explicitly teach wherein the LED light source is configured to rotate through 180 continuous degrees.
Zhang et al. further teaches wherein the LED light source (57) is configured to rotate through 180 continuous degrees (see at least figures 10-16).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify Beadle et al. to include a LED light source as taught by Zhang et al. as it is known in the art that LEDs have advantages of environmental protection, energy saving, high efficiency and long lifespan.
Regarding claim 12, Beadle et al. modified by Zhang et al. and Wagner et al. teaches the apparatus of claim 1 and Beadle et al. further teaches wherein the light source (235) is configured to incline relative to the fixture housing (100) while being supported by the light-engine frame (see at least figure 5). However, Beadle et al. does not teach an LED light source. Zhang et al. teaches an LED light source 57.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify Beadle et al. to include a LED light source as taught by Zhang et al. as it is known in the art that LEDs have advantages of environmental protection, energy saving, high efficiency and long lifespan.
Regarding claim 13, Beadle et al. modified by Zhang et al. and Wagner et al. teaches the apparatus of claim 1 and Beadle et al. further teaches wherein the light source 235) is configured to be removable from the fixture housing (100) with the light-engine frame (see figure 5). However, Beadle et al. does not explicitly teach an LED light source
Zhang et al. teaches an LED light source (57).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify Beadle et al. to include a LED light source as taught by Zhang et al. as it is known in the art that LEDs have advantages of environmental protection, energy saving, high efficiency and long lifespan.
Regarding claim 14, Beadle et al. modified by Zhang et al. and Wagner et al. teaches the apparatus of claim 1 and Beadle et al. further teaches wherein the light-source-inclination retainer (see figure 1-5) and includes a biased catch configured to retain a pin (see figure 3-5) in a predetermined position corresponding to an inclination of the light source (235). However, Beadle et al. does not teach an LED light source.
Zhang et al. teaches an LED light source 57.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify Beadle et al. to include a LED light source as taught by Zhang et al. as it is known in the art that LEDs have advantages of environmental protection, energy saving, high efficiency and long lifespan.
Regarding claim 15, Beadle et al. modified by Zhang et al. and Wagner et al. teaches the apparatus of claim 14 and Beadle et al. further teaches wherein the light-source-inclination retainer defines a slot (s see figures 3-5) that is configured to guide the pin (see figure 3-5) as the pin inclines with the light source (235).However, Beadle et al. does not teach an LED light source.
Zhang et al. teaches an LED light source 57.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify Beadle et al. to include a LED light source as taught by Zhang et al. as it is known in the art that LEDs have advantages of environmental protection, energy saving, high efficiency and long lifespan.
Regarding claim 16, Beadle et al. modified by Zhang et al. and Wagner et al. teaches the apparatus of claim 1 and Beadle et al. further teaches wherein the light source (235) is configured to tilt relative to the light-engine frame (see at least figure 5). However, Beadle et al. does not explicitly teach an LED light source.
Zhang et al. teaches an LED light source 57.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify Beadle et al. to include a LED light source as taught by Zhang et al. as it is known in the art that LEDs have advantages of environmental protection, energy saving, high efficiency and long lifespan.
Claim(s) 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Beadle et al. (US 7,874,709 B1) in view of Zhang et al. (US 2009/0097262 A1), and Ruberg (US 2008/0186717 A1) as applied to claim 1 above and further in view of Jiang et al. (US 2016/0363267 A1).
Regarding claim 9, Beadle et al. modified by Zhang et al., and Ruberg teaches the apparatus of claim 1, but Beadle et al. does not teach an LED light source. However, Zhang et al. further teaches wherein the LED light source (57).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify Beadle et al. to include a LED light source as taught by Zhang et al. as it is known in the art that LEDs have advantages of environmental protection, energy saving, high efficiency and long lifespan.
Zhang et al. does not explicitly teach the light source has LEDs that in aggregate are configured to consume no less than 750 W in operation.
Jiang et al. teaches an LED bulb comprising an LED filament 11 that has a brightness that may easily exceed 700 Im (see paragraph [0056]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the light source of Zhang et al. to include an LED light source configured to consume no less than 750W in operation as taught by Jiang et al. so as to achieve a lower heat dissipation (see paragraph [0056] of Jiang et al.).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-16 have been considered but are moot in view of new grounds of rejection after consideration of applicant’s arguments and further consideration of the prior art of record.
Regarding claim 1, applicant points out the limitations “an annular slot in the fixture housing;” and “rotate about the center axis when the protrusion is disposed in the annular slot”. Applicant states that the prior art of record is not obvious to combine to teach the above limitation. Therefore, claim 1 is now rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Beadle (US 7,874,709 B1) in view of Zhang et al. (US 2009/0097262 A1), and Ruberg (US 2008/0186717 A1).
Claims 2-16 remain rejected based on dependency on a rejected base claim.
Conclusion
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/JESSICA M APENTENG/Examiner, Art Unit 2875
/EVAN P DZIERZYNSKI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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