DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/20/2025, 03/28/2025, and 01/16/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement has been considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claims 1 and 5 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1, line 3: “couples open volume” should be -- couples an open volume --
Claim 5, line 2: “the lighting fixture” should be -- the light fixture -- in order to be consistent with terminology
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Interpretation
Claim 1 recites the limitation “installing the fastener in the light fixture to seal the open volume”. Since the open volume refers to the housing, the limitation was interpreted as the installing the fastener in the light fixture, where the housing is part of the light fixture such that the fastener seals the open volume of the housing.
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.
Claims 1 and 3-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HUANG (US 2011/0050073), and in view of TAKAHASHI (US 6,694,709).
Regarding claim 1, HUANG discloses a method for making a light fixture, comprising assembling a light fixture (20, Fig.1) in a housing (10, Fig.1), leaving a fastener (11, Fig.1) out of the light fixture, wherein an opening for the fastener fluidically couples to an open volume in the housing (as seen in Fig.1, the “open volume” was considered to be the interior space of the housing 10); pulling a vacuum to remove air (as seen in para[0041], the air of the open volume of the light fixture is vacuumed); introducing a dry gas (as seen in para[0041], the gas is filled in the open volume of the light fixture); and installing the fastener in the light fixture to seal the open volume (as seen in para[0041], the fastener 11 can be a rubber plug or a ceramic plug tight fitted or press fitted into the light fixture 20 and the housing 10).
HUANG fails to disclose placing the housing in a vacuum chamber; pulling a vacuum on the vacuum chamber to remove air from the open volume of the housing; and introducing a dry gas into the vacuum chamber to fill the open volume in the housing.
However, TAKAHASHI discloses a housing (21, Fig.1), leaving a fastener (23, Fig.1) out of the device, an opening for the fastener fluidically couples to an open volume in the housing, placing the housing in a vacuum chamber (4, Fig.1), pulling a vacuum (10, Fig.1) on the vacuum chamber to remove air from the open volume of the housing (as seen in col.4, lines 1-18, the vacuum 10 removes air inside the vacuum chamber 4), introducing a dry gas (9, Fig.1) into the vacuum chamber to fill the open volume in the housing (as seen in col.4, lines 1-18, the gas 9 is filled inside the vacuum chamber 4), and installing the fastener in the device (as seen in Fig.1, after the air 10 is vacuumed and the gas 9 filling the inside the vacuum chamber 4, the fastener 23 is inserted into the housing 21 for sealing).
Therefore, in view of TAKAHASHI, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate a vacuum chamber as taught by TAKAHASHI to the light fixture and the housing of HUANG in order to provide an alternative method of vacuuming air and filling gas into a device. One of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that TAKAHASHI shows a typical method of using a vacuum chamber during a manufacturing process to add gas into a device.
Regarding “a method for making an underwater light fixture,” the recitation is not limiting because the body of the claim describes a complete invention and the language recited solely in the preamble does not provide any distinct definition of any of the claimed invention’s limitations. Thus, the preamble of the claim(s) is not considered a limitation and is of no significance to claim construction. See Pitney Bowes, Inc. v. Hewlett-Packard Co., 182 F.3d 1298, 1305, 51 USPQ2d 1161, 1165 (Fed. Cir. 1999). See MPEP § 2111.02.
Regarding claim 3, HUANG modified by TAKAHASHI fails to explicitly disclose performing the assembly in a clean room.
Regarding “performing the assembly in a clean room”, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that manufacturing or assembling a device or an object in a clean room environment would reduce dust, contaminants, and other debris from entering during the assembly process. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate performing the assembly in a clean room to the method of HUANG modified by TAKAHASHI in order to reduce contaminants during the assembly process.
Regarding claim 4, HUANG modified by TAKAHASHI fails to disclose maintaining a temperature between about 22ºC and about 28ºC during the assembly of the lighting fixture.
Regarding “maintaining a temperature between about 22ºC and about 28ºC during the assembly of the lighting fixture”, one of ordinary skill in the would have recognized that the temperature for assembling can be selected for a desired application. The temperature range of about 22ºC and about 28ºC was not considered to provide unexpected results to the assembly process. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate a temperature between about 22ºC and about 28ºC to the assembly of HUANG modified by TAKAHASHI in order to provide a temperature for a desired application.
Claims 2 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HUANG (US 2011/0050073), and in view of TAKAHASHI (US 6,694,709), and in view of REBSTOCK (US 2018/0286726).
Regarding claim 2, HUANG modified by TAKAHASHI fails to disclose cycling between pulling the vacuum and introducing the dry gas for at least two iterations before installing the fastener.
However, REBSTOCK discloses cycles between pulling a vacuum and introducing a gas (para[0068]).
Therefore, in view of REBSTOCK, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate cycles between pulling the vacuum and introducing the gas as taught by REBSTOCK to the vacuum chamber of HUANG modified by TAKAHASHI in order to achieve the desired properties of the vacuum chamber (such as air/gas composition, etc).
Regarding “at least two iterations”, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the cycles between pulling the vacuum and introducing the gas can be selected depending on how many times would be required to achieve the desired properties of the vacuum chamber (such as air/gas composition, etc). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate at least two iterations to the iterations of HUANG modified by TAKAHASHI and REBSTOCK in order to achieve the desired properties of the vacuum chamber (such as air/gas composition, etc)
Regarding claim 5, HUANG modified by TAKAHASHI fails to disclose maintaining a relative humidity between about 30% and about 40% during the assembly of the lighting fixture.
However, REBSTOCK discloses maintaining a relative humidity (Fig.2A).
Therefore, in view of REBSTOCK, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate maintaining a relative humidity as taught by REBSTOCK to the assembly of HUANG modified by TAKAHASHI in order to provide a desired humidity level.
Regarding “maintaining a relative humidity between about 30% and about 40%”, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate maintaining a relative humidity between about 30% and about 40% to the humidity of HUANG modified by TAKAHASHI and REBSTOCK in order to provide a desired humidity level tolerable for the assembly process.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HUANG (US 2011/0050073) modified by TAKAHASHI (US 6,694,709), and in view of LIU (US 2010/0142199), USHER (US 10,517,972), and OLSSON (US 8,167,468).
Regarding claim 6, HUANG further discloses wherein assembling the light fixture in the housing comprises a lighting circuit board (21, Fig.2); mounting the lighting circuit board in the housing (10, Fig.2) with lighting elements (22, Fig.2) mounting on the lighting circuit board.
HUANG modified by TAKAHASHI fails to disclose attaching a thermal pad to a back of a lighting circuit board, lighting elements mounting on the lighting circuit board facing an opening in the housing; sealing a clear plate to the housing over the lighting circuit board; and mounting a control circuit board to the back of the lighting circuit board.
However, LIU discloses attaching a thermal pad (211, Fig.1) to a back of a lighting circuit board (11, Fig.1), and mounting a control circuit board (31, Fig.1) to the back of the lighting circuit board (as seen in Fig.1, the control circuit board 31 was considered to be generally mounted to the back of the lighting circuit board 11 by the thermal pad 211).
However, USHER discloses lighting elements (362, Fig.9) mounting on a lighting circuit board (360, Fig.9) facing an opening in a housing (322, Fig.9).
However, OLSSON discloses a clear plate (106, Figs.1 and 3; as seen in col.3, lines 55, the clear plate 106 is made of a clear material).
Therefore, in view of LIU, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the thermal pad and the control circuit board as taught by LIU to the back of the lighting circuit board of HUANG modified by TAKAHASHI in order to provide a compact configuration and/or provide heat dissipation between the control circuit board and the lighting circuit board.
Therefore, in view of USHER, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate lighting elements mounting on the lighting circuit board facing an opening in the housing as taught by USHER to the lighting elements of HUANG modified by TAKAHASHI and LIU in order to provide an alternative light fixture and housing.
Therefore, in view of OLSSON, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the clear plate as taught by OLSSON to the housing of HUANG modified by TAKAHASHI, LIU, and USHER in order to provide a transparent window to pass light of the lighting elements.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HUANG (US 2011/0050073) modified by TAKAHASHI (US 6,694,709), LIU (US 2010/0142199), USHER (US 10,517,972), and OLSSON (US 8,167,468), and in view of SAVAGE (US 2007/0139913).
Regarding claim 7, HUANG modified by TAKAHASHI, LIU, USHER, and OLSSON fails to disclose a lens plate over the lighting circuit board before sealing the clear plate to the housing.
However, SAVAGE discloses a lens plate (22, Fig.1; as seen in para[0046], the lens plate 22 was considered to be the lenses 22 cojoined as a single piece) over a lighting circuit board (14, Fig.1) before sealing a clear plate (22, Fig.1) to a housing (10, Fig.1).
Therefore, in view of SAVAGE, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the lens plate as taught by SAVAGE over the lighting circuit board of HUANG modified by TAKAHASHI, LIU, USHER, and OLSSON in order to provide a desired light distribution pattern based on the properties of the lens plate, and protect the internal components of the light fixture.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HUANG (US 2011/0050073) modified by TAKAHASHI (US 6,694,709), LIU (US 2010/0142199), USHER (US 10,517,972), and OLSSON (US 8,167,468), and in view of WANG (US 2021/0197304).
Regarding claim 8, HUANG modified by TAKAHASHI, LIU, USHER, and OLSSON fails to disclose heating the lighting circuit board to about 80ºC for about 30 minutes to volatilize organic compounds before attaching the thermal pad.
However, WANG discloses heating a circuit board to volatilize organic compounds (as seen in para[0034], the circuit board is heated to vaporize VOCs).
Therefore, in view of WANG, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate heating the circuit board as by WANG to the lighting circuit board of HUANG modified by TAKAHASHI, LIU, USHER, and OLSSON in order to vaporize VOCs during the assembly process.
Regarding “heating the lighting circuit board to about 80ºC for about 30 minutes to volatilize organic compounds before attaching the thermal pad”, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized to select the temperature for heating and how long to heat the circuit board for a desired application. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate heating the lighting circuit board to about 80ºC for about 30 minutes before attaching the thermal pad to the lighting circuit board of HUANG modified by TAKAHASHI, LIU, USHER, OLSSON, and WANG in order to vaporize VOCs during the assembly process.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HUANG (US 2011/0050073) modified by TAKAHASHI (US 6,694,709), LIU (US 2010/0142199), USHER (US 10,517,972), and OLSSON (US 8,167,468), and in view of LOZEAU (US 2019/0093863).
Regarding claim 9, HUANG modified by TAKAHASHI, LIU, USHER, and OLSSON fails to disclose soldering a cable to the control circuit board.
However, LOZEAU discloses soldering a cable (44, Fig.5) coupled to a circuit board (20, Fig.5).
Therefore, in view of LOZEAU, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the cable as taught by LOZEAU to the control circuit board of HUANG modified by TAKAHASHI, LIU, USHER, and OLSSON in order to provide power to the lighting fixture.
Claims 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HUANG (US 2011/0050073) modified by TAKAHASHI (US 6,694,709), LIU (US 2010/0142199), USHER (US 10,517,972), and OLSSON (US 8,167,468), and in view of KATO (US 8,794,794).
Regarding claim 10, HUANG modified by TAKAHASHI, LIU, USHER, and OLSSON fails to disclose disposing a layer of potting compound over the control circuit board.
However, KATO discloses a potting compound (71, Fig.1) over a control circuit board (88, Fig.1).
Therefore, in view of KATO, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate a potting compound as taught by KATO over the control circuit board of HUANG modified by TAKAHASHI, LIU, USHER, and OLSSON in order to provide thermal conductivity to the back plate.
Regarding claim 11, HUANG modified by TAKAHASHI, LIU, USHER, OLSSON, and KATO as discussed above for claim 10 further discloses mounting a back plate to the housing over the layer of potting compound (as seen in Fig.1 of KATO, the back plate 20 is mounted over the layer of potting compound 71).
Relevant Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 20160084424, US 20210080063, US 20200011490, US 20020122446, US 20160260876, US 4450660, US 5022930, US 5743632, US 10415764, US 20110114840, and US 20030183916 discloses vacuuming air and introducing gas
Examiner’s Comment
It is noted that the features of the applicant’s invention are recited in separate dependent claims where the prior art was considered to be applicable. The applicant is suggested to combine the features into a single claim in order for the claims to reflect the applicant’s invention.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES ENDO whose telephone number is 571-272-2782. The examiner can normally be reached Monday and Thursday 9AM-5PM.
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, JONG-SUK LEE can be reached at 571-272-7044. 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.
/J.M.E/Examiner, Art Unit 2875
/ZHENG SONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875