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
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)(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.
Claim(s) 1,2,8,9 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Hoermann (EP1467056).
Regarding claim 1, Hoermann discloses a light assembly for use with a garage door operator (GDO) convertible between a ceiling mounted configuration and a jackshaft configuration(figs. 4 and 7), the light assembly comprising: a first illumination member (18), the first illumination member being operable between an illuminated state in which the first illumination member illuminates an area and a non- illuminated state in which the first illumination member does not illuminate the area (illuminated state when the first illumination member is attached to a power source, non-illuminated state when the first illumination member is not attached to a power source); a local light housing (10) to which the first illumination member is independently removably operably coupleable, the local light housing having a first power source and being disposed at a main housing of a motorhead of the GDO(Figs. 4 and 7); and a remote light housing to which the first illumination member is independently removably operably coupleable, the remote light housing having a second power source and being disposed away from the main housing, wherein the first illumination member is operably coupled to one of the local light housing and the remote light housing at a time(Description, “the Lighting unit according to another special embodiment of the invention optionally also on a receiver module with a corresponding slot be attachable(40, Fig. 9). This is also a separately arranged one powered module, for example, elsewhere in the garage or in another place to be illuminated. By It is therefore essential to provide such receiver modules accordingly possible a modular system consisting of the garage door operator, the receiver module and the attachable lighting units for optimal lighting a garage or other room in which the drive device is arranged is to achieve. The corresponding receiver module can of course also be located outside of a garage or house”), wherein each of the local light housing and the remote light housing comprises a power outlet terminal, and wherein the first illumination member comprises a power inlet terminal, the power inlet terminal being operably coupleable with the power outlet terminal to transmit power from a respective one of the first and second power sources to the first illumination member(figs.2,4,9) .
Regarding claim 2, The light assembly of claim 1, wherein the remote light housing is configured to be disposed in a variety of possible positions, angles and orientations, including on a ceiling, to enable a user to optimally locate the remote light housing relative to the local light housing, Hoermann’s recitation of “It is therefore essential to provide such receiver modules accordingly possible a modular system consisting of the garage door operator, the receiver module and the attachable lighting units for optimal lighting a garage or other room in which the drive device is arranged is to achieve. The corresponding receiver module can of course also be located outside of a garage or house”, as well as figures 9-12 are considered to satisfy the limitations of claim 2, since the figures and recitations above defines “ the light housing configured to be disposed in a variety of possible positions, angles and orientations, including on a ceiling”.
Regarding claim 8, Hoermann discloses wherein each of the local light housing (Figs. 4 and 7, 16,20,22,24), and the remote light housing comprises a power outlet terminal (40,42)and wherein the first illumination member (18) comprises a power inlet terminal(30), the power inlet terminal being operably coupleable with the power outlet terminal to transmit power from a respective one of the first and second power sources to the first illumination member.(figs. 4 and 7 and 9-12, respectively).
Regarding claim 11, the light assembly of claim 1, Hoermann’s discloses wherein the first power source for the local light housing also powers the motorhead, and wherein the second power source for the remote light housing only powers the remote light housing, the local light housing having a first power source and being disposed at a main housing of a motorhead of the GDO(Figs. 4 and 7, 16,20,22,24); and a remote light housing to which the first illumination member is independently removably operably coupleable, the remote light housing having a second power source and being disposed away from the main housing, wherein the first illumination member is operably coupled to one of the local light housing and the remote light housing at a time (42, Figs. 9-12).
Regarding claim 9, Hoermann discloses a light assembly for use with a garage door operator (GDO)(figs. 4 and 7), the light assembly comprising: a first illumination member(18), the first illumination member being operable between an illuminated state in which the first illumination member illuminates an area and a non- illuminated state in which the first illumination member does not illuminate the area(illuminated state when the first illumination member is attached to a power source, non-illuminated state when the first illumination member is not attached to a power source); a local light housing(10) to which the first illumination member is independently removably operably coupleable, the local light housing having a first power source and being disposed at a main housing of a motorhead of the GDO(Figs. 4 and 7),16,20,22,24; and a remote light housing (40)to which the first illumination member is independently removably operably coupleable(Figs. 9-12), the remote light housing having a second power source(42) and being disposed away from the main housing, wherein the first illumination member is operably coupled to one of the local light housing and the remote light housing at a time(figs. 4,7 and 9), wherein the light assembly further comprises a locking assembly to securely operably couple the first illumination member to the local light housing and the remote light housing, the locking assembly comprising fixed retention features and at least one movable retention feature (Description Fig. 4.:” In the area of the housing 12, as shown in FIG. 4, there is a slot 16 for a lighting unit 18 shown, this slot 16 two electrical Has connecting sleeves 20 and laterally two locking hooks 22 and 24. In opposite side area of the housing 12 is a lighting unit 18 the slot 16 plugged in, and in a manner not shown here Way the locking projections 22 and 24 in accordance with the housing of the Light unit 18 engage existing recesses (not shown here) and determine the light unit. The locking projections 22 and 24 designed to be elastic and make it possible to plug the light unit 18 back on release, whereby a correspondingly large force must be applied here, to overcome the locking force applied by the locking projections 22 and 24. The structure of the lighting unit is particularly clear from the figures 1 to 2. A lighting unit 18 consists of a central body 26 with a Plug connection area 28, two electrically conductive plugs 30 being provided here are that when inserting the lighting unit 18 on the slot 16 on Engage housing 12 in the corresponding sleeves 20. Laterally from the central Body 26 extend from symmetrically projecting lamps 32 and 43. The illuminants 32 and 34 are of partially enclosing reflectors 36 and 38, respectively enclosed. The reflectors 36 and 38 can in relation to the lamps 32 and 34 are rotated so that the released light beam is bundled in can emerge at a desired angle.”) and (Description Figs. 9-12: “the lighting units 18 can be used with an alternative Receiver module 40 shown, which also a slot 43 for electrical and mechanical connection and locking with a light unit 18 has. Such receiver modules 40 can be placed anywhere within a garage or outside the garage, such as on the outside of the garage or be arranged in the entrance area to the garage. This is a flexible modular system for garage lighting and lighting given the garage environment.”)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 12-20 are allowable.
Claims 3-7 and 10 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance of claims 12-20: The closest prior art cited of record Hoermann (EP1467056), although disclosing garage door drive(10) with a housing and at least one removable light source(32,34,18 (2), conductive plugs (30)), the garage door drive having light source having a slot (16 with corresponding sleeves 20), locking projections (22 and 24), Hoermann does not anticipate individually or teach in combination the limitations of “a motorhead operable to provide power for movement of the sectional door between the open and closed positions via turning of a drive tube in a jackshaft configuration or via movement of a trolley in a ceiling mounted configuration”.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Applicant's submission of an information disclosure statement under 37 CFR 1.97(c) with the timing fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(p) on 12/3/2025 prompted the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 609.04(b). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANABEL TON whose telephone number is (571)272-2382. The examiner can normally be reached Monday -Friday 9:00pm -6:00pm (EST).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, ABDULMAJEED AZIZ can be reached at (571)270-5046. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ANABEL TON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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