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 .
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-3 and 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lax et al. (11490474), Lax hereinafter.
Regarding claim 1, Lax discloses a lighting fixture (10, col. 3, line 46, fig. 1), comprising: a mounting bracket (112, col. 4, lines 27-28, fig. 6) configured for attachment to a surface and having a supporting arm (114, col. 4, line 28, fig. 6) and a retaining bay (formed between the supporting arm (114) and a surface to which the mounting bracket (112) is installed, fig. 8) at least partially bounded by the supporting arm (114); and a housing (14, col. 4, line 18, fig. 9) configured for attachment to the mounting bracket (112) (see fig. 10) and having a longitudinal hook (140, col. 5, lines 3-5, fig. 13) extending at least partially along a length of the housing (14); wherein the retaining bay of the mounting bracket (112) is configured to receive the longitudinal hook (140) of the housing (14) in a first direction (see fig. 13); wherein the mounting bracket (112) further comprises a foot (130, col. 5, line 9, fig. 6) and the housing (14) further comprises a first arm (142, col. 5, lines 6-7, fig. 13) and a second arm (156, col. 5, line 26, fig. 13); and wherein the first arm (142) of the housing (14) is configured to receive at least one fastener (134, col. 5, lines 9-10, fig. 14) in a second direction substantially opposite the first direction and the at least one fastener (134) operatively engages with the foot (130) of the mounting bracket (112) in the second direction.
Regarding claim 2, Lax discloses that the mounting bracket (112) further comprises an upright portion (116, col. 4, line 32, fig. 6) having the supporting arm (114) and the foot (130) extending therefrom.
Regarding claim 3, Lax discloses that the mounting bracket (112) further comprises an upper extended portion (120, col. 4, lines 37-39, fig. 6) extending from one end of the upright portion (116) and a lower extended portion (122, col. 4, lines 37-39, fig. 6) extending from another end of the upright portion (116).
Regarding claim 12, Lax discloses a light emitting diode driver (148, col. 5, line 19, fig. 14) operatively coupled with the housing (14) and electrically coupled with the light module (30).
Regarding claim 13, Lax discloses that the housing (14) further comprises a horizontal wall (HW, hereinafter as denoted on the figure below) and a vertical wall (VW, hereinafter as denoted on the figure below) coupled together by a shoulder portion (SP, hereinafter as denoted on the figure below), wherein the horizontal wall (HW) is positioned substantially perpendicular to the first direction and the vertical wall (VW) is positioned substantially parallel to the first direction.
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Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-11 and 14-20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if at least one the limitations indicated below were included in the base claim.
Regarding claim 4, the references of Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim 4, and specifically comprising the limitation directed to housing further comprises a first arcuate portion and a second arcuate portion spaced apart from the first arcuate portion and having a spring clip disposed thereon; and wherein the spring clip is configured to urge the light module towards the first arcuate portion to removably attach the light module to the housing.
Regarding claims 5 and 16-19, the claims are allowable for the reasons given in claim 4 because of their dependency status from claim 4.
Regarding claim 6, the references of Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim 6, and specifically comprising the limitation directed to the second arm of the housing has a notch formed therein; wherein the flange comprises a curved finger and the notch of the housing is configured to receive the curved finger in the first direction; and wherein the housing further comprises a threaded channel disposed on the second arm and configured to receive a fastener passing through the flange in a third direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction.
Regarding claims 7-9 and 20, the claims are allowable for the reasons given in claim 6 because of their dependency status from claim 6.
Regarding claim 10, the references of Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim 10, and specifically comprising the limitation directed to the light diffuser configured for attachment to the mounting bracket within an opening in the housing between the first arm and the second arm.
Regarding claim 11, the claim is allowable for the reasons given in claim 10because of their dependency status from claim 10.
Regarding claim 14, the references of Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim 14, and specifically comprising the limitation directed to the horizontal wall of the housing comprises one or more longitudinal threaded channel each configured for receipt of one or more fasteners configured to affix the light emitting diode driver to the horizontal wall of the housing.
Regarding claim 15, the references of Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim 15, and specifically comprising the limitation directed to the light emitting diode driver comprises a connection flange configured for insertion into the longitudinal recess of the horizontal wall of the housing in the first direction, wherein the at least one longitudinal threaded channels formed in the vertical wall are configured for receipt of one or more fasteners.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSE M. DIAZ whose telephone number is (571)272-9822. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00-4:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, James R Greece can be reached at (571) 272-3711. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JOSE M DIAZ/ Examiner, Art Unit 2875
/ANNE M HINES/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875