DETAILED ACTION
This action is in response to the application filed on September 23, 2024.
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 .
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
[0005]: the first mention of the "DALI standard" should be introduced as --the Digital Addressable Lighting Interface (DALI) standard-- in order to prevent any possible confusion for the reader.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-15 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claims 1-15: remove all part numbers;
Claim 1:
line 8: "the connecting region" lacks antecedent basis and should be --a connecting region--;
line 13: "the connection" lacks antecedent basis and should be --a connection--;
Claim 2, line 3: "a plurality of electrical contacts" should be --a plurality of the electrical contacts-- in order to make it clear that these electrical contacts are same electrical contacts introduced in claim 1;
Claim 9, line 4: "the transition region" lacks antecedent basis and should be --a transition region--;
Claim 10, line 4: "the connector element" lacks antecedent basis (claim 10 does not depend on claim 3 which introduces a connector element) and should be --a connector element--;
Claim 11, line 3: "at least one wall" should be --at least one side wall-- in order to make it clear that this is the wall that the later-mentioned "side wall having an opening" refers to;
Claim 13:
line 4: "that two successive trunking rail elements" should be --that the two successive trunking rail elements--;
line 4: "the interconnected state" lacks antecedent basis and should be --an interconnected state--;
Claim 14, line 4: "a busbar" should be --the busbar-- because claim 8 depends on claim 1 which already introduces a busbar;
Claim 15, line 6: "the DALI standard" should be --the Digital Addressable Lighting Interface (DALI) standard-- in order to prevent any possible confusion.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1, 8-10 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bloemdal, et al. (DE-10227079-A1).
With respect to Claim 1:
Bloemdal discloses a busbar for luminaires or other electrical devices,
having a plurality of busbar sections which can be connected to one another (Figs. 3A-3B) and which each have a plurality of lines 3a/3b, running in a longitudinal direction (Figs. 1 and 3A-3B), for power supply and/or signal transmission, which lines 3a/3b are arranged in grooves 14 (Figs. 3A-3B), open towards a contacting side (Figs. 1 and 3A-3B), of a line-receiving structure 13 consisting of an insulating material,
wherein electrical contacts 4 are arranged in a connecting region of two successive busbar sections (Figs. 1 and 4A-4C), to which contacts 4 in each case the ends of two lines to be connected to one another can be connected (Fig. 1) and which contacts 4 form a contacting surface accessible from the contacting side (Fig. 1: open outward),
wherein that at least one of the electrical contacts 4 is removable in order to interrupt a connection of the corresponding line 3a/3b between two successive busbar sections (Fig. 1: the clamp terminals 4 make conductive contact between copper strips 3a and 3b, therefore if the clamp terminals 4 are removed, the connections between successive copper strips 3a and 3b and between busbar sections 2a and 2b are interrupted).
With respect to Claim 8:
Bloemdal discloses a trunking rail system for luminaires or other electrical devices, which comprises a trunking rail profile (Figs. 3A-3B) and at least one busbar held by the trunking rail profile according to claim 1.
With respect to Claim 9:
Bloemdal discloses the trunking rail system according to claim 8.
Bloemdal also discloses wherein in that the trunking rail profile comprises a plurality of trunking rail elements 2a/2b arranged one behind the other (Fig. 1), the electrical contacts 4 being arranged in a transition region of two successive trunking rail elements 2a/2b (Figs. 1 and 4A-4C).
With respect to Claim 10:
Bloemdal discloses the trunking rail system according to claim 9.
Bloemdal also discloses wherein in that two successive trunking rail elements 2a/2b are mechanically connected to one another by a mechanical connector 5 (Figs. 5A-5C), the removable electrical contact 4 or a connector element being arranged on the mechanical connector 5 (Fig. 5B).
With respect to Claim 14:
Bloemdal discloses the trunking rail system according to claim 8.
Bloemdal also discloses wherein in that the trunking rail profile is U-shaped or H-shaped with two side walls (Figs. 3A-3B), on the inner sides of each of which the busbar is arranged (Figs. 3A-3B).
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 2-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bloemdal, et al. (DE-10227079-A1) in view of Walser, et al. (EP-1284033-B1).
With respect to Claim 2:
Bloemdal discloses the busbar according to claim 1.
Bloemdal does not explicitly disclose wherein in that a plurality of the electrical contacts are arranged in a connector element which has groove-like recesses corresponding to the grooves of the line-receiving structure, via which recesses the contacting surfaces of the electrical contacts are accessible.
However, Walser teaches a conductor rail system wherein a plurality of electrical contacts 35 are arranged in a connector element 31 (Fig. 8) which has groove-like recesses 32 corresponding to grooves 11 of a line-receiving structure 10 (Figs. 1-2), via which recesses 32 contacting surfaces of the electrical contacts 35 are accessible (Fig. 7).
Thus, Bloemdal and Walser each disclose a conductive rail system. A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized that the contacts and connector element of Walser could be combined with the electrical contacts of Bloemdal because they allow a greater density of modular contacts to exist within the busbar sections. Furthermore, a person of ordinary skill in the art would have been able to carry out the modification.
With respect to Claim 3:
Bloemdal in view of Walser discloses the busbar according to claim 2.
Walser also discloses wherein that the connector element 31 consists of an insulating material.
With respect to Claim 4:
Bloemdal in view of Walser discloses the busbar according to claim 3.
Bloemdal also discloses wherein that the connector element (if modified by 31 of Walser) is open or can be opened at its rear side opposite the recesses (Fig. 1: sleeve 5 may be removed on the outside of the busbar sections, which would be the rear side opposite the recesses of 31 of Walser) so as to be able to selectively remove the at least one electrical contact 4 (Fig. 1).
With respect to Claim 5:
Bloemdal in view of Walser discloses the busbar according to claim 4.
Bloemdal also discloses wherein that the rear side of the connector element is covered by a removable lid 5 (Figs. 1 and 5A-5F), preferably by a lid pivotally mounted on the connector element. (The term "preferably" does not suggest that it is a substantial requirement for the removable lid to be pivotally mounted on the connector element.)
With respect to Claim 6:
Bloemdal in view of Walser discloses the busbar according to claim 5.
Bloemdal also discloses wherein that the lid 5 is fixed to the connector element in the closed state (Figs. 5A-5F).
With respect to Claim 7:
Bloemdal in view of Walser discloses the busbar according to claim 4.
Walser also discloses wherein that the connector element 31 is designed in such a way that only a part of the electrical contacts 35 is accessible and thus removable (Fig. 8).
Claims 11 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bloemdal, et al. (DE-10227079-A1) in view of Feurle, et al. (DE-102019126933-A1).
With respect to Claim 11:
Bloemdal discloses the trunking rail system according to claim 10.
Bloemdal also discloses wherein in that the mechanical connector 5 has at least one side wall on which the electrical contacts 4 or the connector element are arranged (Fig. 5B: contact 4 is arranged on an inner side wall of 5).
Bloemdal does not explicitly disclose the side wall having an opening which allows access to the removable electrical contact.
However, Feurle teaches a conductor rail comprising a mechanical connector 20 having an opening 40 in a side wall which allows access to removable electrical contacts 100 (Fig. 4).
Thus, Bloemdal and Feurle each disclose conductor rails for lighting systems. A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized that the opening in the side wall of Feurle could be combined with the sleeve of Bloemdal because it would allow easier access to the electrical contacts, improving accessibility for removing the electrical contacts. Furthermore, a person of ordinary skill in the art would have been able to carry out the modification.
With respect to Claim 13:
Bloemdal discloses the trunking rail system according to claim 10.
Bloemdal does not explicitly disclose wherein that the two successive trunking rail elements in an interconnected state laterally enclose the mechanical connector in such a way that access to the electrical contacts is prevented.
However, Feurle teaches a conductor rail comprising trunking rail elements 120 in an interconnected state that laterally enclose a mechanical connector (Fig. 7: the connector on which fasteners 110 are located) in such a way that access to the electrical contacts 100 is prevented (Fig. 7).
Thus, Bloemdal and Feurle each disclose conductor rails for lighting systems. A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized that the trunking rail elements and mechanical connector of Feurle could be combined with the sleeve and busbar sections of Bloemdal because it would provide an alternative structure for preventing unwanted removal of electrical contacts. Furthermore, a person of ordinary skill in the art would have been able to carry out the modification.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bloemdal, et al. (DE-10227079-A1) in view of Hadeil, et al. (DE-102021126198-A1).
With respect to Claim 15:
Bloemdal discloses the trunking rail system according to claim 8.
Bloemdal does not explicitly disclose wherein in the lines including the removable electrical contacts are used to provide a safety extra low voltage or are used for communication purposes, in particular for the communication according to the Digital Addressable Lighting Interface (DALI) standard.
However, Hadeil teaches a luminaire and conductor rail, wherein it is disclosed that control signals are sent in accordance with the DALI standard via the control lines.
Thus, Bloemdal and Hadeil each disclose conductor rails. A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized that the DALI standard of Hadeil could be combined with the electrical signals sent of Bloemdal because the DALI standard is a well-known communications standard in the art. Furthermore, a person of ordinary skill in the art would have been able to carry out the modification.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 12 is 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 a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding Claim 12, allowability resides, at least in part, with the prior art, taken alone or in combination not showing or fairly teaching or suggesting “wherein that the opening is designed in such a way that only a part of the electrical contacts is accessible and thus removable,” as recited in claim 12, in conjunction with ALL the remaining limitations of the base claims. The prior art of record fails to teach or fairly suggest these limitations as substantially described in claim 12. These limitations, in combination with remaining limitations of claim 12, are neither taught nor suggested by the prior art of record, before claim 1 is allowable.
Conclusion
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/AMARA ANDERSON/Examiner, Art Unit 2831 /ABDULLAH A RIYAMI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2831
