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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I (claims 1-17) in the reply filed on 12/19/2025 is acknowledged.
Claims 18-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 12/19/2025.
Claim Objections
Claim 17 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 17 recites “comprises a first power transferable connected positioned” which appears to mean “comprises a first power transferable connector positioned”. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1, 3, 5-6, 13, 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Fischer et al. (US 7,192,276).
Fischer shows a curing system comprising an elongated wand (at 410 in Fig. 4 for instance) having a proximal end (bottom of Fig. 4) and a distal end (top of Fig. 4); said wand proximal end comprising a handle (near 415); a curing light attachment comprising one or more light source (light source 405 in Fig. 4 in particular, such as disclosed LEDs) and one or more lens configured for producing a curing light beam from said curing light attachment (abstract discusses inclusion of lenses at the LED light source); said wand distal end comprising a first power transferable connector (the standard electronic mating shown in Fig. 4 near 407) positioned in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal length of said wand (the connection near 407 extends across the upper face of the wand, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis [particularly the circumferential electrical contacts seen above 407 in Fig. 4, which extend in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis]; see annotated Fig. 4 below for example perpendicular planes the connection extends along; also noted that the hashed lines angle is defined as acute and therefore overlaps with substantially straight pieces as well)
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said curing light attachment further comprising a second power transferable connector configured for selective engagement with said first power transferable connector (portion on the light source 405 utilizing the standard electronical mating of Fig. 4 as discussed above); and wherein said wand is configured for selectively supplying power to said one or more light source of said curing light attachment (light control 415) in an assembled configuration so as to produce said curing light beam in a direction for curing one or more resins (“dental curing light” and discussion of “composite resin filling material”), wherein said first and second power transferable connectors comprise a plurality of engagement positions of said curing light attachment in relation to said wand rotationally about a rotational axis through a center of said first and second power transferable connectors (attachment 405 rotates on wand 410 via 412 interfacing with 417). With respect to claim 3, said plurality of engagement positions comprises eight engagement positions spaced approximately 45-degrees apart rotationally about said rotational axis (col. 5, line 25 in particular states the 45 degree increment which results in eight engagement positions). With respect to claim 5, said one or more light source and said one or more lens comprise one or more light emitting diode light source (col. 2, lines 25-35) and one or more LED lens (abstract; lens is used in conjunction with LED light source and is therefore a LED lens). With respect to claim 6, said wand further comprises one or more battery configured for selectively supplying power to said light source (“battery pack”).
System claims 13, 16-17 are rejected similarly to the above and additionally a plurality of lenses (“lenses” in abstract) wherein said curing light feature is adjustable rotationally relative to said wand about a rotational axis through a center of said curing light feature (Fig. 4). With respect to claim 16, said curing light feature is detachable from said wand (Fig. 4).
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.
Claims 2, 7, 10, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fischer in view of Cao (US 2022/0273410).
Fischer discloses the device as previously described above, but fails to show said first and second power transferable connectors comprise power transferable magnets. With respect to claim 7, further comprising a dock station comprising a wand receiver and a connection to a power source; wherein said dock station is configured for charging said one or more battery when said wand is engaged with said wand receiver and said dock station is connected to the power source. With respect to claims 10 and 15, said one or more lens comprises three lenses arranged in an approximate U-shape configured for curing surfaces of a dental crown procedure.
Cao similarly shows a dental curing light wherein power transfer may use wireless connection ([0034] for instance), further comprising a dock station (2) comprising a wand receiver (where wand is received on charger for charging) and a connection to a power source (211); wherein said dock station is configured for charging said one or more battery when said wand is engaged with said wand receiver and said dock station is connected to the power source ([0023]). With respect to claims 10 and 15, said one or more lens comprises three lenses arranged in an approximate U-shape configured for curing surfaces of a dental crown procedure (configuration of Fig. 1, 3, 4). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Fischer’s device by having the docking station and U-shape three lenses arrangement as taught by Cao in order to support the use of rechargeable batteries and simultaneous curing of multiple locations at once. However, Fischer/Cao still fails to show the power transferable connectors comprise power transferable magnets. Cao discusses plug-in or wireless transfer of power ([0022] for instance) and therefore the Office takes official notice that power transferable magnets (induction) is a very well known means of power transfer in the art and would have therefore been obvious to include and utilize as an alternative power transfer means.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fischer in view of Cannon (US 2017/0056130).
Fischer discloses the device as previously described above, but fails to show said one or more lens comprises one or more collimating lens.
Cannon similarly teaches a dental curing light wherein said one or more lens comprises one or more collimating lens ([0027]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Fischer’s device by having a collimating lens as taught by Cannon in order to focus light at a focal point distal from the tool so the intensity is increased to a desired area ([0027]).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fischer/Cao as applied to claim 7 above and further in view of Peterson (US 2019/0201176).
Fischer/Cao discloses the device as previously described above, but fails to show wherein said dock station further comprises a curing light attachment receiver configured to receive and retain said curing light attachment.
Peterson similarly shows a dental curing light wherein said dock station further comprises a curing light attachment receiver configured to receive and retain said curing light attachment (12b in Fig. 3). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Fischer/Cao’s device by including a curing light receiver as taught by Peterson in order to allow for housing of the curing light and also allowing for calibration ([0045]-[0046]).
Claims 9, 11, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fischer in view of Cao and further in view of Grande et al. (US 2019/0247147).
Fischer/Cao discloses the device as previously described above, but fails to show said one or more lens comprises four lenses arranged in line opposite said second power transferable connector facing a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal length of said wand and providing this configuration in combination with the U-shape and single lens configurations already disclosed by Cao (Fig. 3 and Fig. 5A).
Grande similarly teaches a dental curing light wherein said one or more lens comprises four lenses arranged in line opposite said second power transferable connector facing a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal length of said wand (Fig. 11-12 show two lenses in a line of teeth and [0119]-[0120] state that also “three or more light source/lenses” may be included to make up the line along the dentition).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Fischer/Cao’s system by including a light attachment as taught by Grande in order to allow for the curing at multiple teeth simultaneously and reduce or eliminate discomfort for the clinician ([0119]).
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fischer in view of Gersh (US 2013/0052607).
Fischer discloses the device as previously described above, but fails to show with respect to claim 12, wherein each of said one or more lens is at least 12 millimeters in diameter.
Gersh similarly teaches a dental curing light wherein the tips and corresponding lenses may have various sizes, such as 2-13 mm in diameter ([0109] for instance lists several possibilities and notes that additional diameters outside this example range are possible). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Fischer’s device by having corresponding lenses be at least 12 mm in diameter as taught by Gersh in order to provide greater curing area and utilize known diameters in the art.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW NELSON whose telephone number is (571)270-5898. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 7:30am-5:00pm EDT.
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/MATTHEW M NELSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3772