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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by Chung (US Pub no. 2019/0128480 A1)
Regarding claim 1,Chung et al discloses An LED light source module fig. 2a-fig. 4), comprising: a substrate (100) [0032]; a protective layer(300) [0033], disposed on the substrate (100)and having at least one opening(310) [0033]; a plurality of conductive terminals(400 and 500), arranged in the at least one opening(310)[0033]; a light-emitting member(700)[0034], including a bottom surface(701) [0034], a first lateral surface (lateral surface having 710) [0037] connected to the bottom surface(701), a second lateral surface(lateral surface having 720) connected to the bottom surface (701)and opposite to the first lateral surface((lateral surface having 710)[ 0037], a light-emitting surface(702) connected to the bottom surface(701)[0040], a back surface (703)connected to the bottom surface(701) and opposite to the light-emitting surface(702), and a plurality of electrodes(710/720)[0037], wherein the light-emitting surface(702) and the back surface (703)are located between the first lateral surface and the second lateral surface((lateral surfaces having 710 and 720)[ 0037], and the electrodes(710/720) are electrically connected to the conductive terminals (400/500)respectively[0047]; and an auxiliary structure(600), including at least two interposed portions(600 or 630/640) arranged between the substrate (100)and the light-emitting member(700)[0043], wherein the interposed portions (600 or 630/640) correspond to the first lateral surface and the second lateral surface((lateral surfaces having 710 and 720)[ 0037] of the light-emitting member (700)respectively fig. 2a/fig. 2b.
Regarding claim 3, Chung et al discloses wherein the electrodes(710/720) are located on the bottom surface(701) of the light-emitting member(700)[0034][0037], the interposed portions(600 or 630/640) are located outside of the electrodes(710/720), at least a part of one of the interposed portions(600 or 630/640) is located between the electrodes(710/720) and the first lateral surface (703) of the light-emitting member(700), and at least a part of the other one of the interposed portions(600 or 630/640) is located between the electrodes (710/720) and the second lateral surface((lateral surfaces having 710 and 720)[ 0037]of the light-emitting member(700) fig. 2a/fig. 2b.
Regarding claim 5, Chung et al discloses wherein one of the interposed portions(600 or 630 and 640) is provided on the substrate (100) and located between the electrodes(710/720) and the light-emitting surface (702)of the light-emitting member(700) fig. 2a/fig. 2b.
Regarding claim 6, Chung et al discloses , wherein one of the interposed portions(600 or 630 and 640) is provided behind the electrodes (710/720)and extends in a direction away from the light-emitting surface(702) of the light-emitting member(700) fig. 2a/fig. 2b.
Regarding claim 7, Chung et al discloses wherein the
interposed portions(600 or 630 and 640) are provided on the substrate(100) fig. 2a/fig 2b)[0033].
Regarding claim 8, Chung et al discloses wherein the
interposed portions(600 or 630 and 640) are located between the electrodes (710/720)and an outer periphery of the light-emitting member(700) fig. 2a/fig. 2b).
Regarding claim 9, Chung et al discloses wherein the
interposed portions(600 or 630 and 640) are arranged symmetrically or parallelly fig. 2a./fig. 2b.
Regarding claim 10, Chung et al discloses wherein the interposed portions(600 or 630 and 640) surround the conductive terminals(400 and 500) with a non-enclosed
shape to define a passway ( fig. 2a/2b).
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) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chung (US Pub no. 2019/0128480 A1) in view of Ebitsuka (CN 210199452 U).
Regarding claim 11, Chung et al discloses An LED light source module fig. 2a-fig. 4), comprising: a substrate (100) [0032]; a protective layer(300) [0033], disposed on the substrate (100)and having at least one opening(310) [0033]; a plurality of conductive terminals(400 and 500), arranged in the at least one opening(310)[0033]; a light-emitting member(700)[0034], including a bottom surface(701) [0034], a first lateral surface (lateral surface having 710) [0037] connected to the bottom surface(701), a second lateral surface(lateral surface having 720) connected to the bottom surface (701)and opposite to the first lateral surface((lateral surface having 710)[ 0037], a light-emitting surface(702) connected to the bottom surface(701)[0040], a back surface (703)connected to the bottom surface(701) and opposite to the light-emitting surface(702), and a plurality of electrodes(710/720)[0037], wherein the light-emitting surface(702) and the back surface (703)are located between the first lateral surface and the second lateral surface((lateral surfaces having 710 and 720)[ 0037], and the electrodes(710/720) are electrically connected to the conductive terminals (400/500)respectively[0047]; and an auxiliary structure(600), including at least two interposed portions(600 or 630/640) arranged between the substrate (100)and the light-emitting member(700)[0043], wherein the interposed portions (600 or 630/640) correspond to the first lateral surface and the second lateral surface((lateral surfaces having 710 and 720)[ 0037] of the light-emitting member (700)respectively fig. 2a/fig. 2b.
Chung et al fails to teach an auxiliary structure, including at least two interposed portions arranged between the substrate and the light-emitting member, wherein the first lateral surface and the second lateral surface of the light-emitting member are located between the interposed portions.
However, Ebitsuka et al discloses a planar illumination device including an auxiliary structure( support members (70)), including at least two interposed portions (70)arranged between the substrate and the light-emitting member(12), wherein the first lateral surface and the second lateral surface of the light-emitting member (12) are located between the interposed portions(70 fig. 8a/fig. 8b)pp 20 para 1-3. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Chung et al with the teachings of Ebitsuka et al to provide installation precision.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 12 is allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the limitation of claim 12 including: interposed portions are arranged at an interval in the first direction.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/2/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that Chung fails to disclose and to teach
"the interposed portions correspond to the first lateral surface and the second lateral surface of the light-emitting member respectively”.
Examiner notes that Chung et al discloses that the lateral surfaces have the electrodes 710 and 720 residing on the surfaces [0037]. The interposed portions (600:630,640)correspond to the first lateral surface and the second lateral surface of the light-emitting member respectively fig. 2a -2b. The portion 630 corresponds to the lateral surface that comprises electrode 710 because it aligns with that lateral surface. The portion 640 corresponds to the lateral surface that comprises electrode 720 because it aligns to that surface. Therefore, the rejection is maintained .
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LATANYA N CRAWFORD EASON whose telephone number is (571)270-3208. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steven B Gauthier can be reached at (571)270-0373. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/LATANYA N CRAWFORD EASON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2813