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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the light sources, as required by claim 1, must be shown or the feature canceled from the claims. No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claims 4, 5 and 10-12 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 4, “the rear surface” lacks antecedent basis.
In claim 5, the phrase “the at least one aperture to accommodate passage” appear to be missing some language.
In claim 10, “the rear surface” lacks antecedent basis.
In claim 11, “the rear surface” lacks antecedent basis.
In claim 12, “a second thickness” should be --the second thickness--, per claim 1.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1, 4-9, and 12-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Karc et al. (US 9,848,479) in view of Newman, Jr. et al. (US 7,855,543).
Regarding claim 1, Karc discloses a wallbox mountable electric device controller, comprising: one or more actuatable devices (206); a faceplate (210) that includes: a planar member having a first portion (perimeter, Fig. 3B) with a first thickness and a second portion (center, Fig. 3B), at least partially surrounded by the first portion having a second thickness less than the first thickness; and one or more indicia (260) formed through the second portion of the faceplate, each of the one or more indicia formed proximate a respective one of the one or more actuatable devices; and a housing (211/212) that includes: one or more light sources (LEDs, not shown).
Newman teaches a light guide layer (not shown) disposed between the one or more light sources (114) and the second portion of the faceplate such that the one or more light sources backlight the one or more indicia (112) formed in the faceplate. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to use light guides, as taught by Newman, in order to focus the light, improve illumination of the indicia, and reduce light creeping.
Regarding claim 4, Karc discloses at least a portion of an external edge of the planar member being downturned, extending from the rear surface of the planar member (see Fig. 3B).
Regarding claim 5, Karc discloses the faceplate including at least one aperture (214) formed through the first portion of the faceplate, the at least one aperture to accommodate passage of at least a portion (206) of the one or more actuatable devices therethrough.
Regarding claim 6, Karc discloses the at least one aperture comprising a slot (213) formed through the first portion of the faceplate.
Regarding claim 7, to the extent that Karc does not disclose a plurality of apertures, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to use a plurality of apertures, each of the plurality of apertures extending through the first portion of the faceplate, wherein each of the plurality of apertures to accommodate the passage of at least one of the one or more actuatable devices, in order to provide a single faceplate for a plurality of actuators, and since it has been held that mere duplication of parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8.
Regarding claim 8, Karc discloses the housing further comprises at least one electrical status indicator device (LEDs, not shown); and wherein the faceplate includes at one aperture (260) such that the at least one electrical status indicator device is externally visible.
Regarding claim 9, Karc discloses the second portion of the faceplate comprising a square edge recess formed in a rear surface of the planar member (Fig. 3B).
Regarding claim 12, Karc discloses the second portion of the faceplate comprising a second thickness that is 50% or less than a first thickness of the first portion of the faceplate (Fig. 3B).
Regarding claim 13, Karc discloses an adapter member (208, 212) disposable between the housing and the faceplate, the adapter member comprising a plurality of apertures (for screws, not shown, col. 10, lines 50-57), each of the plurality of apertures to permit the passage of a respective one of a plurality of fasteners to couple the adapter member to the housing (intended use).
Regarding claim 14, Karc discloses the faceplate further comprises: a plurality of faceplate attachment features (attachment members/snap fit connectors, col. 10 lines 14-21) disposed on a rear surface of the planar member.
Regarding claim 15, Karc discloses the adapter member further comprising: a plurality of adapter attachment features (attachment members/complementary recesses, col. 10 lines 14-21), each of the plurality of adapter attachment features complimentary to a respective one of the plurality of faceplate attachment features; each of the plurality of attachment features to couple the faceplate to the adapter member without any of the fasteners externally visible when the faceplate is coupled to the adapter member.
Claims 2 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Karc and Newman, and further in view of Adams et al. (US 10,276,322).
Regarding claim 2, Adams teaches the use of a planar member comprises a metallic material (230).
Regarding claim 3, Adams teaches the planar member comprising a metallic layer (230) laminated to a translucent non-metallic material (220).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to form the planar member with a number of known structural arrangements, as taught by Adams, in order to provide proper illumination for the indicia and the desired aesthetic design.
Claims 10 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Karc and Newman, and further in view of O’Keeffe (US 9,807,481).
Regarding claim 10, O’Keeffe teaches the second portion (center) of the faceplate (105) comprising a chamfered edge recess formed in the rear surface of the planar member (Fig. 4B).
Regarding claim 11, O’Keeffe teaches the second portion (center) of the faceplate (105) comprising a radiused edge recess formed in the rear surface of the planar member (Fig. 4B).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to form the edge recess being radiused/chamfered, as taught by O’Keeffe, in order to minimize weak areas on the boundaries.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FELIX O FIGUEROA whose telephone number is (571)272-2003. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-6pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Renee Luebke can be reached at (571)727-2009. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/FELIX O FIGUEROA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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