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.
(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.
Claim(s) 1-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lindbo et al US 2018/0237221.
Regarding claim 1, Lindbo discloses a stackable lighting module comprising a load-bearing frame (10) comprising a first support member (sidewall) and a second support member (sidewall) held in a spaced apart and parallel configuration by a cross-member (sidewall of 10)( Lindo: Figures 6a, 6b), and a light source module (60) attached to the cross-member, wherein the light source module is disposed to provide light to a growth module when the growth module is positioned adjacent to the stackable lighting module (Lindbo is capable of performing this functional limitation); whereby the load- bearing frame is configured to enable the stackable lighting module to occupy a cuboidal volume (Lindbo, Figure 10) within which the light source module is supported, and wherein the load-bearing frame comprises upper and lower load-transferring edge surfaces (Lindbo, Figure 9), and wherein the cross-member comprises a vertically arranged plate member (sidewall which supports 60) (Lindo, Figure 6a) for supporting the light source module.
Regarding claim 2, Lindbo further discloses the light source module comprises electrical connectors (40) along upper and lower edges of the light source module, the connectors arranged such that, when a plurality of stackable lighting modules are arranged in a stack (Lindbo, ¶0042), the connector of a first light source module will engage the connector of a vertically adjacent light source module (Lindbo, ¶0043).
Regarding claim 3, Lindbo further discloses the stackable lighting module is a functional component of a vertical farming system (Lindbo, ¶0070).
Regarding claim 4, Lindo further discloses the upper load-transferring edge surface is provided with recesses (Lindbo, Figure 6a, ¶0044) arranged to be engaged by a gripping mechanism of a module handling vehicle of a vertical farming facility.
Regarding claim 5, Lindbo further discloses the first support member and second support
member each being side support members (Lindbo, Figure 6a).
Regarding claim 6, Lindbo further discloses the side support members comprises a vertical guide (Lindbo, Figure 6b).
Regarding claim 7, Lindbo further discloses the cross member being a growth board, said growth board comprising a component of growth modules of a vertical farming system (Lindbo, Figure 9 shows the stackable module stacked in a vertical farming system).
Regarding claim 8, Lindbo further discloses the stackable module being arranged to be stackable upon a second load bearing frame that supports spacer module (the module of Lindbo is capable of performing this functional language), and the spacer module having a corresponding connector (40) in connection with the power grid, and thereby supplying electrical power to a stack of lighting modules.
Claim(s) 1 and 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Koumoudis US 7,788,848.
Regarding claim 1, Koumoudis discloses a stackable (Koumoudis, column 8: lines 10-15) lighting module comprising a load-bearing frame comprising a first support member (107(1)) and a second support member (107(2)) held in a spaced apart and parallel configuration by a cross-member (150), and a light source module attached to the cross-member (Koumoudis, column 8: lines 59-65), wherein the light source module is disposed to provide light to a growth module when the growth module is positioned adjacent to the stackable lighting module (Koumoudis is capable of performing this functional limitation), whereby the load-bearing frame is configured to enable the stackable lighting module to occupy a cuboidal volume within which the light source module is supported (Koumoudis is capable of performing this functional limitation), wherein the load-bearing frame comprises upper and lower load-transferring edge surfaces (103, 109), and wherein the cross-member comprises a vertically arranged plate member (150) for supporting the light source module.
Regarding claim 5, Koumoudis further discloses the first support member and second support member being side support members (Koumoudis, Figure 1(A)).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-8 under Lindbo US 2018/0237221 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in light of a different embodiment of Lindbo US 2018/0237221 as well as Koumoudis US 7,788,848, as discussed above.
Conclusion
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/KRISTEN C HAYES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3642
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