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 .
The following correspondence is a non-final Office Action for application no. 18/616,820 for a SEARCHLIGHT SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE POST, filed on 3/26/2024. Claims 21-42 are pending.
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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 21-42 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 21 contains the limitation wherein the “adapter comprises a first projection and a second projection, … wherein at least a portion of the first projection has a cross-sectional geometry which widens as the first projection extends away from the adapter.” This limitation, however, is confusing because the first projection is a part of the adapter so how can the first projection extend away from the adapter (itself)? The Examiner suggests that the applicant clarify the claim to refer to a specific member of the adapter when describing which portion of the adapter the first projection extends away from. Appropriate clarification is requested. Claims 22-42 are rejected for the same reasons as dependent on claim 21.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) 21 and 31 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ruckwied (U.S. Pub. 2003/0174508).
Regarding claim 21, as best understood, Ruckwied teaches a searchlight mounting system for a vehicle, comprising: a mounting assembly including a bracket and an adapter configured to attach a searchlight assembly thereon, wherein the bracket has an interior surface (6) configured to face toward the vehicle (see [0030], which states that the interior surface fasces the vehicle because “[t]he inner frame 6 is provided for firmly receiving not shown parts of the vehicle, such as for example a light source and a reflector and/or a projecting optical system (so-called light module). These parts are moved together with movement of the inner frame.”) and an exterior surface opposite the interior surface, and the adapter projects out from the exterior surface of the bracket, wherein the adapter comprises a first projection (see below) and a second projection (shown in Fig. 1), which are arranged opposite the bracket and spaced apart from one another, wherein at least a portion of the first projection has a cross-sectional geometry which widens as the first projection extends away from the adapter.
[AltContent: textbox (2nd projection)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (adapter)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (bracket)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Widening cross sectional geometry)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Exterior surface)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Interior surface)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (1st projection )]
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[AltContent: textbox (Direction of away from the adapter (horizontal))]
Regarding claim 31, as best understood, Ruckwied teaches the system of claim 21, wherein the bracket has a multi-piece construction.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 27 and 28 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ruckwied (U.S. Pub. 2003/0174508).
Regarding claims 27 and 28, Ruckwied teaches the system of claim 21, but does not specifically teach that the bracket and the adapter are formed together as a single component or that the adapter is a separate component fixed to the bracket. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to construct the bracket and the adapter formed together as a single component, since forming in one piece an article which has formerly been formed in two pieces and put together involves only routine skill in the art. Further, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to construct the adapter as a separate component fixed to the bracket because constructing a formerly integral structure in various elements involves only routine skill in the art.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 22-26, 29, 30 and 32-42 would 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. USP 8113701, 11148610 (vehicular lamps).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NKEISHA J. SMITH whose telephone number is (571)272-5781. The examiner can normally be reached Normal hours: M/Th 7-4; T 9-5; W 7-3; F 7-4.
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/NKEISHA SMITH/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3632 January 22, 2026