Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/652,468

VEHICLE INTERIOR STERILIZER

Non-Final OA §103§112
Filed
May 01, 2024
Priority
Nov 23, 2023 — RE 10-2023-0164018
Examiner
TALBERT, ERIC MICHAEL
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
SL Corporation
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
17%
Grant Probability
At Risk
1-2
OA Rounds
1y 4m
Est. Remaining
77%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants only 17% of cases
17%
Career Allowance Rate
6 granted / 35 resolved
-42.9% vs TC avg
Strong +60% interview lift
Without
With
+59.8%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 7m
Avg Prosecution
47 currently pending
Career history
79
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.1%
-38.9% vs TC avg
§103
73.4%
+33.4% vs TC avg
§102
8.5%
-31.5% vs TC avg
§112
11.2%
-28.8% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 35 resolved cases

Office Action

§103 §112
DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . Priority 2. Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55. Information Disclosure Statement 3. The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 01 May 2024 is being considered by the examiner. Claim Objections 4. Claim 8 is objected to because of the following informalities: in line 4, “is and inserted” should read --and is inserted--. Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 5. 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. 6. Claims 1-9 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. 7. Regarding claim 1, it is unclear whether the limitation in lines 10-11 reciting a controller “configured to determine whether an occupant exits a vehicle and to open the cover unit and turn on the light source unit” requires that the controller is configured to “determine whether…to open the cover unit” and to determine whether to “turn on the light source unit”, or simply that the controller is configured to do the actions of “open the cover unit” and “turn on the light source by driving of the actuator unit”. This discrepancy in possible controller configurations renders the claim indefinite. For examination purposes, a controller configured to separately determine whether an occupant exits a vehicle, open the cover unit, and turn on the light source unit will be considered to read upon the claim as interpreted broadly herein. 8. Claims 2-15 are indefinite by virtue of their dependence on indefinite claim 1. 9. Regarding claim 5, it is unclear whether the limitation “the shaft” recited in line 6 refers back to the “central shaft of the motor” as introduced in line 3 or to the “shaft of the cover unit” introduced in claim 1, or whether these shafts may even be the same shaft. For compact prosecution, the claims are examined under the interpretation most consistent with the Specification e.g., par 0068, which describes the shaft 210 as a shaft of the cover unit that may be turned through gearing by a second shaft central to the motor. Examiner notes that claims 6-9 also fail to resolve the basis of “the shaft” as recited therein. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 10. 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. This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention. 11. Claims 1-2 and 11-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Umenei et al (US 20210369907 A1) in view of Childress et al (US 20220189759 A1) and DuPuis et al (US 9370600 B1). 12. Regarding claim 1, Umenei discloses a vehicle interior sterilizer (device used for UV-C dual mode disinfection…configured with or attached to a vehicle headliner, par 0033, FIGS. 6A-B) comprising: a roof lining (vehicle headliner, par 0033, FIG. 6B); a housing located in the roof lining (FIG. 6B, housing 601 configured with a vehicle headliner, par 0033), the housing having an opening (FIGS. 6A-6B, shutter 607 in open position, par 0034); a cover unit configured to open and close the opening of the housing (shutter 607 in closed position to contain the UV-C light completely within the interior of the housing, par 0033; shutter 607 in open position where UV-C light is irradiating the interior of a vehicle, par 0034; FIGS. 6A-6B); an actuator unit coupled to the cover unit and configured to apply a driving force to selectively open and close the cover unit (controller 711 controls motor actuation and speed and also works to open or close the shutter, par 0040, FIG. 7); a light source unit located in the opening of the housing (one or more UV-C lights within the housing, par 0033) and exposed to an interior of a vehicle so as to perform sterilization when the cover unit is opened (shutter 607 in open position where UV-C light is irradiating the interior of a vehicle, par 0034, FIG. 6B); and a controller (controller 711, par 0040, FIG. 7) configured to determine whether an occupant exits the vehicle (controller executes operation of disinfection system, par 0043, FIG. 8, including where determination is made if vehicle is occupied, par 0043, then in the event the vehicle is not occupied, the system can be switched to surface disinfection mode with UV-C light sources activated, pars 0044-0046) and to open the cover unit and turn on the light source unit by driving of the actuator unit (controller 711 controls motor actuation and speed and also works to open or close the shutter, par 0040). Umenei teaches that the housing is “configured with or attached to a vehicle headliner” (par 0033, FIG. 6B) but does not specifically teach that the housing is inserted into the roof lining. Childress teaches an analogous housing with disinfecting UV light sources inside (Abstract, pars 0004-0008, FIGS. 16-19) that can be mounted in a ceiling, wall, or other structure in a vehicle (par 0076). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to reposition the housing of Umenei to be inserted into the roof lining as taught by Childress, as this change of position would predictably provide the same UV disinfection to the vehicle interior and simply involves simple substitution of one known element (position relative to a roof surface) for another to obtain predictable results. See MPEP 2143(I)(B). Umenei also does not teach that the actuator is coupled to a shaft of the cover unit, only teaching that the controller 711 controls motor actuation and speed and also works to open or close the shutter (par 0040) along a curved path per FIG. 6A. DuPuis teaches an analogous UV light disinfection system (Abstract, col 1 lines 20-55) with a similar rotating shutter (FIGS. 4-5, shutter 26) that is driven by a range of motors/actuators that can include may include alternating current motors, direct current motors, stepper motors, brushless motors, or a servo motor (col 5 lines 30-47), and the motor may include a shaft that extends through the first opening 56 in the first internal wall 50 and connects to the first arm 64 of the shutter (col 5 lines 30-47). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to configure the motorized shutter/cover unit of Umenei to rotate via a shaft as taught by DuPuis, as providing such a shaft would predictably transmit the rotational force from the motor in the same manner and simply involves combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results. See MPEP 2143(I)(A). 13. Regarding claim 2, Umenei as modified by Childress and DuPuis teaches the vehicle interior sterilizer of claim 1, further comprising a reflector located adjacent to the light source unit (aluminum reflectors on the shutter, Umenei par 0035). 14. Regarding claim 11, Umenei as modified by Childress and DuPuis teaches the vehicle interior sterilizer of claim 1, wherein, when a sterilization request from a user is approved (remote control 721 can be used to control the UV source 701, Umenei par 0042), the controller is configured to apply power to the actuator unit and to switch the cover unit to an opened state thereof (controller 711 controls motor actuation and speed and also works to open or close the shutter depending on whether ambient air or vehicular interior surfaces are to be disinfected, Umenei par 0040). According to the above mapping, a user can remotely control the UV source to an ‘on’ state and the controller would do the rest to open the shutter and allow the UV rays to contact the interior surfaces of the vehicle (Umenei par 0035). 15. Regarding claim 12, Umenei as modified by Childress and DuPuis teaches the vehicle interior sterilizer of claim 1, but the combination does not teach a heat sink located on one side of the light source unit; and a cooling fan located on one side of the heat sink. Childress further teaches a heat sink feature in the form of a plurality of fins extending from the rear wall of the UV light emitting module (par 0070) and at least one cooling fan that circulates air through the modules (par 0050), these cooling features advantageous because they provide heat transfer functionality to enable the modules to operate at higher power and provide correspondingly higher UV irradiation (par 0036). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include on one side of the light source unit of modified Umenei a heat sink coupled with a cooling fan as taught by Childress, because this combination would predictably, and with a reasonable expectation of success, provide the same heat transfer functionality to cool the UV light sources and involves combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results. See MPEP 2143(I)(A) and MPEP 2143(I)(G). 16. Regarding claim 13, Umenei discloses a vehicle interior sterilizer (device used for UV-C dual mode disinfection…configured with or attached to a vehicle headliner, par 0033, FIGS. 6A-B) comprising: a roof lining (vehicle headliner, par 0033, FIG. 6B); a housing located in the roof lining (FIG. 6B, housing 601 configured with a vehicle headliner, par 0033), the housing having an opening (FIGS. 6A-6B, shutter 607 in open position, par 0034); a cover unit configured to open and close the opening of the housing (shutter 607 in closed position to contain the UV-C light completely within the interior of the housing, par 0033; shutter 607 in open position where UV-C light is irradiating the interior of a vehicle, par 0034; FIGS. 6A-6B); an actuator unit coupled to the cover unit and configured to apply a driving force so as to open and close the cover unit (controller 711 controls motor actuation and speed and also works to open or close the shutter, par 0040, FIG. 7); a light source unit located in the opening of the housing (one or more UV-C lights within the housing, par 0033) and exposed to an interior of a vehicle so as to perform sterilization when the cover unit is opened (shutter 607 in open position where UV-C light is irradiating the interior of a vehicle, par 0034, FIG. 6B); and a controller (controller 711, par 0040, FIG. 7) configured to determine whether an occupant exits the vehicle (controller executes operation of disinfection system, par 0043, FIG. 8, including where determination is made if vehicle is occupied, par 0043, then in the event the vehicle is not occupied, the system can be switched to surface disinfection mode with UV-C light sources activated, pars 0044-0046) and to open the cover unit and turn on the light source unit by driving of the actuator unit (controller 711 controls motor actuation and speed and also works to open or close the shutter, par 0040). Umenei teaches that the housing is “configured with or attached to a vehicle headliner” (par 0033, FIG. 6B) but does not specifically teach that the housing is inserted into the roof lining. Childress teaches an analogous housing with disinfecting UV light sources inside (Abstract, pars 0004-0008, FIGS. 16-19) that can be mounted in a ceiling, wall, or other structure in a vehicle (par 0076). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to reposition the housing of Umenei to be inserted into the roof lining as taught by Childress, as this change of position would predictably provide the same UV disinfection to the vehicle interior and simply involves simple substitution of one known element for another to obtain predictable results. See MPEP 2143(I)(B). Umenei also does not teach that the actuator is coupled to a shaft of the cover unit, only teaching that the controller 711 controls motor actuation and speed and also works to open or close the shutter (par 0040) along a curved path per FIG. 6A. DuPuis teaches an analogous UV light disinfection system (Abstract, col 1 lines 20-55) with a similar rotating shutter (FIGS. 4-5, shutter 26) that is driven by a range of motors/actuators that can include may include alternating current motors, direct current motors, stepper motors, brushless motors, or a servo motor (col 5 lines 30-47), and the motor may include a shaft that extends through the first opening 56 in the first internal wall 50 and connects to the first arm 64 of the shutter (col 5 lines 30-47). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to configure the motorized shutter/cover unit of Umenei to rotate via a shaft as taught by DuPuis, as providing such a shaft would predictably transmit the rotational force from the motor to rotate the shutter through an angular range in the same manner as in DuPuis (col 5 lines 30-47) and simply involves combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results. See MPEP 2143(I)(A). 17. Regarding claim 14, Umenei as modified by Childress and DuPuis teaches the vehicle interior sterilizer of claim 13, wherein, when switching the light source unit to an on state thereof (UV-C light is irradiating the interior of a vehicle…with the shutter 607 in an open position, Umenei par 0034), the controller is configured to control rotational force of the actuator unit so that the cover unit is rotated (controller 711 controls motor actuation and speed and also works to open or close the shutter, Umenei par 0040; Umenei FIG. 6A, shutter 607 rotates by a set angle to close opening in housing 601) around the shaft by a predetermined angle (shutter motor 28 may rotate the shutter 26 through an angular range of approximately 180 degrees, DuPuis col 5 lines 30-47). 18. Claims 3-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Umenei et al (US 20210369907 A1), Childress et al (US 20220189759 A1) and DuPuis et al (US 9370600 B1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Glaudel (WO 2022081407 A1). 19. Regarding claim 3, Umenei as modified by Childress and DuPuis teaches the vehicle interior sterilizer of claim 1, further comprising an indicator located in at least an instrument cluster monitor or console (touch screen vehicle control interface, par 0051). Umenei further teaches that the controller tracks the disinfection status (pars 0044-0046) but fails to teach specifically wherein the indicator is configured to light up when the light source unit is driven. Glaudel teaches an analogous disinfecting UV light source (Abstract, pars 0030-0031, FIG. 1) that includes a phosphorescent or fluorescent coated layer on a portion of the UV light source that absorbs UV light and converts it to visible light (par 0031), which is advantageous because UV is not visible to the human eye but the luminescence of this coating would necessarily serve as an indication that the UV light sources are operating (par 0031). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include on a portion of the UV light source of Umenei an indicator comprising a luminescent coating as taught by Glaudel, because this luminescent coating would predictably improve the UV light source in the same way by lighting up to indicate the invisible UV light source unit is being driven and involves the use of a known technique to improve similar devices in the same way. See MPEP 2143(I)(C). 20. Regarding claim 4, Umenei as modified by Childress and DuPuis teaches the vehicle interior sterilizer of claim 3, wherein the indicator includes a luminescent pigment applied thereto (coat a portion of the disinfection light source with a phosphorescent or fluorescent layer that absorbs UV light and converts it to visible light…then the phosphorescence or luminescence produced by this coating would serve as the indication that the disinfection light sources are operating, Glaudel par 0031). 21. Claims 5-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Umenei et al (US 20210369907 A1), Childress et al (US 20220189759 A1) and DuPuis et al (US 9370600 B1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Bai et al (US 20210016720 A1). 22. Regarding claim 5, Umenei as modified by Childress and DuPuis teaches the vehicle interior sterilizer of claim 1, wherein the actuator unit comprises a motor configured to provide a driving force (controller 711 controls motor actuation and speed and also works to open or close the shutter, par 0040). Umenei is silent regarding further structural details of the motor or driving mechanism, thus does not teach a first worm gear engaged with a central shaft of the motor; a worm wheel gear engaged with the first worm gear; and a second worm gear located between the worm wheel gear and a clutch unit circumscribing the shaft. Bai teaches an actuator for analogously rotating a shaft to rotate a display terminal in a vehicle (Abstract, pars 0005-0008, FIGS. 1 and 13), the actuator comprising a motor configured to provide a driving force (drive unit of actuator 100 includes a power source 31 that may be a motor, pars 0105-0107); a first worm gear engaged with a central shaft of the motor (FIG. 13, first stage driving worm connected to output shaft 31a of the power source 31, pars 0122-0123); a worm wheel gear engaged with the first worm gear (FIG. 13, first-stage driving worm 32 is engaged with the first-stage driven spur gear 33, par 0124); and a second worm gear (second-stage driving worm 34, par 0125) located between the worm wheel gear and a clutch unit (FIG. 13, worm wheel 33 and second engaging portion 23 which combines with first engaging portion 21 to form clutch unit, pars 0052-0055) circumscribing the shaft (FIG. 10, mounting shaft 15 penetrates the clutch unit, par 0052). Bai teaches that this speed reduction gearing and clutch arrangement is advantageous for engagement stability of the components (pars 0111-0112) and ability to switch between manual and automatic adjustment manners of the display without the manners interfering with one another(pars 0005-0008). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to substitute the simple shaft and motor arrangement of modified Umenei with the actuator comprising a motor, first worm gear, worm wheel gear, second worm gear, and clutch unit circumscribing the shaft connected in the manner taught by Bai, because this speed reduction gearing would predictably provide the same engagement stability for turning the shaft as taught by Bai (pars 0111-0112) and involves simple substitution of one known element (actuator) for another to obtain predictable results. See MPEP 2143(I)(B). 23. Regarding claim 6, Umenei as modified by Childress, DuPuis, and Bai teaches the vehicle interior sterilizer of claim 5, and Bai further teaches wherein the clutch unit comprises: a clutch plate (Bai FIG. 13, first engaging portion 21 of clutch unit) integrally rotated with the shaft (rotating turntable 13 may also be integrally formed with the first engaging portion 21 which locks with second engaging portion 23, Bai par 0050); and a clutch gear (second-stage driven spur gear 35, Bai pars 0126-0127 and 0131-0133) configured to surround an outer surface of the clutch plate (Bai FIG. 13, gear 35 has hole to accommodate outer surface of clutch plate 23) and engage with the second worm gear (second-stage driven spur gear 35 is engaged with the second-stage driving worm 34, Bai par 0126). 24. Regarding claim 7, Umenei as modified by Childress, DuPuis, and Bai teaches the vehicle interior sterilizer of claim 6, and Bai teaches that the clutch unit further comprises: a spring part configured to surround an outer peripheral surface of the shaft (Bai FIG. 3, elastic member 40 surrounds outer surface of shaft 15; elastic member 40 may be a spring, Bai par 0100), wherein the spring part is configured to press the clutch plate so that the clutch plate and the shaft are integrally secured (elastic member 40 being used to engage the second engaging portion 23 with the first engaging portion 21, Bai par 0100; first engaging portion 21 of the clutch unit is connected to the mounting unit, which comprises rotating turntable 13 and mounting shaft 15 which may be integrally formed, Bai pars 0051 and 0053); and a stopper disposed to face an end of the spring part (One end of the elastic member 40 is pressed against the axial limiting member 42, par 0102) and configured to regulate a position of the spring part (limits an axial length of a system by compressed deformation of elastic member 40, par 0102). 25. Regarding claim 8, Umenei as modified by Childress, DuPuis, and Bai teaches the vehicle interior sterilizer of claim 6, and Bai further teaches a groove formed in the clutch plate (Bai FIG. 6, clutch plate 23) and a coupling part located at one end of the shaft (Bai FIG. 6, other engaging portion 21 of clutch unit has coupling part 27 at furthest end), wherein the one end faces the clutch plate is and inserted into the groove (one of the two end surfaces of the first engaging portion 21 and the second engaging portion 23 facing each other has a plurality of locking slots 25 and the other has at least one locking protrusion 27, Bai par 0071). 26. Regarding claim 9, Umenei as modified by Childress, DuPuis, and Bai teaches the vehicle interior sterilizer of claim 6, and Bai further teaches wherein, when the cover unit is rotated in a direction of closing the cover unit in response to a manual operation (manually rotatable to drive the first engaging portion 21 to rotatably switch between the plurality of engaging positions relative to the second engaging portion 23, Bai par 0053) , the clutch plate is configured to prevent rotational force of the cover unit from being applied to the clutch gear (when the torque is greater than the above opening force, the locking protrusion 27 is gradually detached from the locking slot 25…the second engaging portion 23 and the drive unit 30 do not move relative to the whole vehicle in the axial direction, the elastic member 40 is compressed, Bai par 0101). As modified above, and with no further modification needed, the clutch unit of Bai applied to the shaft of the Umenei rotatable cover would be expected to behave in the same torque-limiting way in either opening or closing directions, preventing rotational force from the manual movement of the cover from being applied to the gearing as in the design of Bai. 27. Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Umenei et al (US 20210369907 A1), Childress et al (US 20220189759 A1) and DuPuis et al (US 9370600 B1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Dayton (US 20160324997 A1). Regarding claim 10, Umenei as modified by Childress and DuPuis teaches the vehicle interior sterilizer of claim 1, wherein the cover unit is configured to move to a side surface of the housing in response to the driving of the actuator unit so as to open the opening of the housing (Umenei FIG. 6A). The combination fails to teach specifically wherein the cover unit is formed of a plurality of plates. Dayton teaches an analogous ultraviolet decontamination apparatus (Abstract, FIGS. 6-7) having a door 114 that rotates in similar manner to that of Umenei, wherein the door can be coupled with one or more shields 112 that rotate along with the door (pars 0045-0046, FIG. 6) the plurality of shield plates behaving as an additional measure to interfere with UVC light emitted by the UVC light bulbs 18 from escaping the decontamination apparatus 10 (par 0045). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to form the cover unit of modified Umenei as a plurality of plates as taught by Dayton, because layering these UV-blocking plates would predictably ensure that UV light remains blocked during opening/closing of the cover unit and involves combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results. See MPEP 2143(I)(A). 28. Claim 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Umenei et al (US 20210369907 A1), Childress et al (US 20220189759 A1) and DuPuis et al (US 9370600 B1) as applied to claim 13 above, and further in view of Glaudel (WO 2022081407 A1). Regarding claim 15, Umenei teaches the vehicle interior sterilizer of claim 13, further comprising an indicator located in at least an instrument cluster monitor or console (touch screen vehicle control interface, par 0051). Umenei further teaches that the controller tracks the disinfection status (pars 0044-0046) but fails to teach specifically wherein the indicator is configured to light up when the light source unit is driven. Glaudel teaches an analogous disinfecting UV light source (Abstract, pars 0030-0031, FIG. 1) that includes a phosphorescent or fluorescent coated layer on a portion of the UV light source that absorbs UV light and converts it to visible light (par 0031), which is advantageous because UV is not visible to the human eye but the luminescence of this coating would necessarily serve as an indication that the UV light sources are operating (par 0031). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include on a portion of the UV light source of Umenei an indicator comprising a luminescent coating as taught by Glaudel, because this luminescent coating would predictably improve the UV light source in the same way by lighting up to indicate the invisible UV light source unit is being driven and involves the use of a known technique to improve similar devices in the same way. See MPEP 2143(I)(C). Conclusion 29. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Kim (KR 20220149926 A) discloses a vehicle lamp assembly having a sterilization function that rotates lamp using a worm gear/worm wheel (Abstract, FIGS. 1-2). 30. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Eric Talbert whose telephone number is (703)756-5538. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:00-5:00 Eastern Time. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Maris Kessel can be reached at (571) 270-7698. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /ERIC TALBERT/Examiner, Art Unit 1758 /MARIS R KESSEL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1758
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Prosecution Timeline

May 01, 2024
Application Filed
Jun 17, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103, §112 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
17%
Grant Probability
77%
With Interview (+59.8%)
3y 7m (~1y 4m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
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