DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(B) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 1, line 2, the limitation of “the connecting part . . .” is indefinite. “The connecting part” is singular. Line 1 claims “at least two connecting parts . . .” It is indefinite which of the at least two connecting parts (“parts” is plural) is “the connecting part” (singular) being referred to. The limitation is given little weight. The same rejection applies to claim 14.
Regarding claim 1, the limitation of “at least one wiring groove . . . for being in communication with the adjacent electrical connectors on the splicing area” is indefinite. As claimed, there is “an electrical connector” (singular) “provided on each splicing area.” The claim does not claim adjacent electrical connectors on the splicing area, therefor the limitation is confusing and ambiguous. The limitation is given little weight. The same rejection applies to claim 14.
Claim Rejections - and 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
(a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negatived by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1, 4, 5, 8, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Chen US 7438566.
Regarding claim 1, Chen discloses a splicing piece (e.g., 4, figures 3-6), comprising:
a base 41, the base provided with a central area (labeled CEA in annotated figure 6 below) and comprising at least two connecting parts (labeled CNP below),
wherein the connecting part is centrosymmetrically provided around the central area and comprises at least one splicing area (labeled SPA below);
an electrical connector 421, the electrical connector provided on each splicing area;
a fixing connector (402, labeled FCC below), the fixing connector provided beside the electrical connector on the splicing area.
Chen discloses wires 422, but does not show specifically that the wires 422 are in wiring grooves. Chen discloses track 2 for mating with splicing piece 4, where the wires 22, corresponding to wires 422 of the splicing piece 4, are located in wiring grooves (2121, 2131).
It would have been obvious to form the base 41 with wiring grooves for wires 421, as taught with wires 22 being held in wiring grooves (2121, 2131). The reason would have been to positively secure the wires in the base as is the case with wires 22 being held in track body 21.
The wire grooves would inherently avoid the fixing connector.
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Per claim 4, each of the connecting parts of the base is coplanar with each other;
each splicing area is provided with one electrical connector and at least two fixing connectors; and
distances between each splicing area and the central area are identical.
Per claim 5, the base comprises two connecting parts;
both connecting parts are provided with merely one splicing area;
the splicing area is provided with one electrical connector and at least two fixing connectors;
a connecting line between one of the electrical connectors and the central area is collinear to a connecting line between the other of the electrical connectors and the central area; and
both of the fixing connectors are positioned on a straight line between the electrical connector and the central area.
Per claim 8, Chen discloses a cover plate 412; and the cover plate is provided on a surface where the wiring groove of the base is positioned, and used to cover the wiring groove.
Per claim 11, Chen discloses a positioning part 403 (labeled POP above);
a surface of each connecting part distal to the central area is set as an end surface (labeled ENS above); and the positioning part is provided on the end surface of the connecting part positioned in each splicing area.
Claims 1, 2, 3, 9, 10, 12, and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen. Regarding claim 1, Chen discloses a splicing piece (7’, figure 14), comprising:
a base 77, the base provided with a central area (at 771) and comprising at least two connecting parts (at 70),
wherein the connecting part is centrosymmetrically provided around the central area and comprises at least one splicing area (at 70);
an electrical connector 742’, the electrical connector provided on each splicing area;
and at least one wiring groove (labeled WRG in annotated figure 14 below).
The wiring groove avoids the fixing connector.
Chen figure 14 does not clearly identify the fixing connectors, but they are somewhat visible and labeled as FXC below. It would have been obvious to include the fixing connectors on the species of figure 14, as shown for example at 402, 4021, in figures 9, 15, 5, 6, etc. The reason would have been to fix the connector to the track 2 just as in the other species.
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Per claim 2, at least two connecting parts of the base are non-coplanar; each two of the connecting parts are centrosymmetrically provided around the central area; and an included angle between the two connecting parts that are non-coplanar is 60°-150°.
Per claim 3, the base comprises two connecting parts;
the connecting part is provided with merely one splicing area; each splicing area is provided with one electrical connector and at least two fixing connectors; and the fixing connector is arranged on a periphery taking the electrical connector as a center (note that the ground terminal is in the center of the connecting part), flanked by the fixing connectors.
Per claim 9, there is a cover plate 76; and the cover plate is provided on a surface where the wiring groove of the base is positioned, and used to cover the wiring groove.
Per claim 10, there is a cover plate 76; and the cover plate is provided on a surface where the wiring groove of the base is positioned, and used to cover the wiring groove.
Regarding claim 12, figure 14 does not show the positioning part 403, which is shown for example in figure 6. The a positioning part 403 (labeled POP above) has a surface of each connecting part distal to the central area is set as an end surface (labeled ENS above); and the positioning part is provided on the end surface of the connecting part positioned in each splicing area.
It would have been obvious to obvious to provide the positioning part as shown in the species of figures 3-6 on the species of figure 14. The reason would have been to secure the connector correctly to the track 2.
Regarding claim 13, figure 14 does not show the positioning part 403, which is shown for example in figure 6. The a positioning part 403 (labeled POP above) has a surface of each connecting part distal to the central area is set as an end surface (labeled ENS above); and the positioning part is provided on the end surface of the connecting part positioned in each splicing area.
It would have been obvious to obvious to provide the positioning part as shown in the species of figures 3-6 on the species of figure 14. The reason would have been to secure the connector correctly to the track 2.
Claims 14, 17, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen.
Regarding claim 14, Chen discloses a lighting apparatus, comprising at least two lighting bars 2 (i.e., devices capable of supplying power to a apparatus for producing light) and one splicing piece (4).
Chen discloses a splicing piece (e.g., 4, figures 3-6), comprising:
a base 41, the base provided with a central area (labeled CEA in annotated figure 6 below) and comprising at least two connecting parts (labeled CNP below),
wherein the connecting part is centrosymmetrically provided around the central area and comprises at least one splicing area (labeled SPA below);
an electrical connector 421, the electrical connector provided on each splicing area;
a fixing connector (402, labeled FCC below), the fixing connector provided beside the electrical connector on the splicing area.
Chen discloses at least one mounting part 403 for connecting to the splicing area of the base.
Chen discloses wires 422, but does not show specifically that the wires 422 are in wiring grooves. Chen discloses track 2 for mating with splicing piece 4, where the wires 22, corresponding to wires 422 of the splicing piece 4, are located in wiring grooves (2121, 2131).
It would have been obvious to form the base 41 with wiring grooves for wires 421, as taught with wires 22 being held in wiring grooves (2121, 2131). The reason would have been to positively secure the wires in the base as is the case with wires 22 being held in track body 21.
The wire grooves would inherently avoid the fixing connector.
Per claim 17 each of the connecting parts of the base is coplanar with each other; each splicing area is provided with one electrical connector and at least two fixing connectors; and distances between each splicing area and the central area are identical.
Per claim 18, the base comprises two connecting parts; both connecting parts are provided with merely one splicing area; the splicing area is provided with one electrical connector and at least two fixing connectors; a connecting line between one of the electrical connectors and the central area is collinear to a connecting line between the other of the electrical connectors and the central area; and both of the fixing connectors are positioned on a straight line between the electrical connector and the central area.
Claims 14, 15, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen.
Regarding claim 14, Chen discloses a lighting apparatus, comprising at least two lighting bars 2 (i.e., devices capable of supplying power to an apparatus for producing light) and one splicing piece (7’).
Chen discloses a splicing piece (7’, figure 14), comprising:
a base 77, the base provided with a central area (at 771) and comprising at least two connecting parts (at 70),
wherein the connecting part is centrosymmetrically provided around the central area and comprises at least one splicing area (at 70);
an electrical connector 742’, the electrical connector provided on each splicing area;
and at least one wiring groove (labeled WRG in annotated figure 14 above).
The wiring groove avoids the fixing connector.
Chen discloses at least one mounting part 403 for connecting to the splicing area of the base in for example figure 6. Figure 14 does not show the mounting part 403. It would have been obvious to provide the mount part 403 in the species of figure 14. The reason would have been to facilitate attachment of the track 2.
Chen figure 14 does not clearly identify the fixing connectors, but they are somewhat visible and labeled as FXC below. It would have been obvious to include the fixing connectors on the species of figure 14, as shown for example at 402, 4021, in figures 9, 15, 5, 6, etc. The reason would have been to fix the connector to the track 2 just as in the other species.
Per claim 15, at least two connecting parts of the base are non-coplanar; each two of the connecting parts are centrosymmetrically provided around the central area; and an included angle between the two connecting parts that are non-coplanar is 60°-150°.
Per claim 16, the base comprises two connecting parts;
the connecting part is provided with merely one splicing area; each splicing area is provided with one electrical connector and at least two fixing connectors; and the fixing connector is arranged on a periphery taking the electrical connector as a center (note that the ground terminal is in the center of the connecting part), flanked by the fixing connectors.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6, 7, 19, and 20 may be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims, depending on how the rejections are overcome.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROSS GUSHI whose telephone number is (571)272-2005. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Thursday, 8:30 - 5:00.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christopher Koehler can be reached on 571-272-3560. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ROSS N GUSHI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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