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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 3/06/2024 was filed and is being considered by the examiner.
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, 9, 11, and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Feit et al (US 2017/0009962 A1).
In regard to claim 1, Feit et al disclose a ceiling lamp, comprising:
a quick connection (200) structure and a lamp body (100), wherein:
the quick connection structure is configured to connect the lamp body to a mounting surface, the quick connection structure is in a circular shape, and an edge of the quick connection structure is formed with a first annular wall extending towards the lamp body, the lamp body is provided with a second annular wall extending towards the quick connection structure, and
the second annular wall is provided on an inner side of the first annular wall, the quick connection structure is provided with a first limiting member (215), an inner wall of the second annular wall is provided with a second limiting member (115) for cooperating with the first limiting member, in a case that the quick connection structure covers an outer side of the second annular wall, the lamp body is rotated to drive the first limiting member to cooperate with the second limiting member to install the lamp body on the quick connection structure. (Figures 1 and 2; see at least [0029])
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In regard to claim 3, Feit et al disclose the second limiting member is provided with a stop rib (knob, t-post, or tab) that is protruding, and a stop groove (220 locking mechanism) is correspondingly provided in the accommodating chamber for accommodating the stop rib. (See [0035])
In regard to claim 9 and 13, Feit et al disclose the quick connection structure is provided with a connector that is radially arranged (this is broad), the connector is configured to be connected with the inner side of the first annular wall, the connector is provided with a wiring terminal (520), one end of the wiring terminal is configured to be connected with a wire of the mounting surface, and the other end of the wiring terminal is configured to be electrically connected with the lamp body. (Figure 2; see at least [0052])
In regard to claim 11, Feit et al disclose a quick connection structure, wherein:
the quick connection structure is configured to connect a lamp body to a mounting surface, the lamp body is provided with a second limiting member (115), wherein the quick connection structure is in a circular shape, an edge of the quick connection structure is formed with a first annular wall extending towards the lamp body, the quick connection structure is provided with a first limiting member (215), and the lamp body is rotated to drive the first limiting member to cooperate with the second limiting member to install the lamp body on the quick connection structure. (Figures 1 and 2; see at least [0029])
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) 2, 4-10, 12, and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Feit et al (US 2017/0009962 A1) in view of Smith (US 2006/0108137 A1).
In regard to claim 2, 6, and 12, Feit et al disclose an annular groove (which receives 115).
Feit et al fail to disclose an annular groove, bearing portion, and stop.
Smith teaches an annular groove (10d) is provided between the first annular wall and the first limiting member for rotation of the second annular wall, the first limiting member comprises a bearing portion (part of 10d that receives 26a) for carrying the second limiting member and a stop portion (end wall of 10d) for preventing excessive rotation of the second limiting member, and the bearing portion and the stop portion are enclosed to form an accommodating chamber for accommodating the second limiting member, and as recited in claim 6, the quick connection structure is provided with a through hole (see Figure 1; the accommodation chamber is open, thus a through hole) for communicating with the accommodating chamber. (Figure 1; see at least [0020])
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to provide the annular groove, bearing surface, and stop of Smith to the lamp of Feit et al in order to improve retention of the lamp.
In regard to claim 4, the combination of Feit et al and Smith further teach the second limiting element is provided with a guiding inclined surface to facilitate inserting the second limiting element into the accommodating chamber. (This is broad—an inclination of zero or ninety degrees is an inclined surface under BRI.)
Where this is argued, inclined surfaces for mating are notoriously old and well-known, and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to install an incline surface in order to ease mating of the parts.
In regard to claim 5, the combination of Feit et al and Smith further teach the bearing portion is not horizontally arranged to enable the second limiting member to have a tendency to move towards the stop portion in the accommodating chamber. (Negative limitations are problematically broad under BRI—they’re not indefinite, just broad when BRI is applied.)
In regard to claim 7, Feit et al disclose the annular groove extends towards a radial direction of the quick connection structure to form an installation portion, the installation portion is provided with a mounting hole and a mounting member (244), the mounting member passes through the mounting hole to install the quick connection structure on the mounting surface. (Figure 2; see at least [0058])
In regard to claim 8, Feit et al disclose at least two first limiting members are provided, and the installation portion is provided close to the stop portion.
In regard to claim 9 and 13, where the interpretation of Feit et al is argued, Smith teaches the quick connection structure is provided with a connector (22) that is radially arranged, the connector is configured to be connected with the inner side of the first annular wall, the connector is provided with a wiring terminal (10b), one end of the wiring terminal is configured to be connected with a wire (14) of the mounting surface, and the other end of the wiring terminal is configured to be electrically connected with the lamp body. (Figure 1; see at least [0016])
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to provide the connector of Smith to the lamp of Feit et al in order to simplify the electrical connection.
In regard to claim 10, the combination of Feit et al and Smith both teach the lamp body comprises a lampshell and a lampshade, and the lampshell is sealed and assembled with the lampshade.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Amos (US 2009/0135598 A1) disclose an electrical lamp.
Tanaka et al (US 2011/0291594 A1) disclose a lamp device.
Tang et al (US 2017/0234513 A1) disclose a lamp.
Hsu (US 10,816,163 B1) disclose a ceiling lamp.
Dixit et al (US 2021/0010662 A1) disclose a light fixture.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER E DUNAY whose telephone number is (571)270-1222. The examiner can normally be reached 7:00 am - 6:00 pm.
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/CHRISTOPHER E DUNAY/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875