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 .
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s preliminary amendment filed on 05/08/2025 has been entered. Claims 1-20 are pending in this application.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/05/2024 and 11/06/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement has been considered by the examiner.
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 1-5 and 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WIMBERLY (US 2008/0137345), and in view of BALDWIN (US 4,520,435).
Regarding claim 1, WIMBERLY discloses a light effector comprising
an adapter seat (19, Fig.2) and a focusing assembly (13, 14, Fig.2) provided along an axis of the light effector;
wherein the focusing assembly is provided with a screen sheet accommodation cavity for mounting a screen sheet (7, Fig.2), the adapter seat is capable of being assembled to an external light head (13, Fig.2), and a light transmission hole of the adapter seat, a light transmission hole of the focusing assembly, and the screen sheet accommodation cavity are located at the same axis (as seen in Fig.2, the adapter seat 19, the focusing assembly 13, 14, and the screen sheet 7 are located at the same axis);
wherein the light effector further comprises a first connection member (20, Fig.2) provided between the adapter seat and the light effector;
wherein the first connection member comprises a first connection portion (as seen in Fig.2 and para[0046], the “first connection portion” was considered to be the portion of the adapter seat 19 receiving the lip 20) and a second connection portion (20, Fig.2), the first connection portion is provided on the adapter seat (as seen in Figs.2 and 19, the first connection portion is on the adapter seat 19) and the second connection portion is provided on the focusing assembly (as seen in Figs.2-3 and 8, the second connection portion 20 is on the focusing assembly 13, 14).
WIMBERLY fails to disclose wherein the second connection portion is snap-fit with the first connection portion, to limit the focusing assembly and the adapter seat in the axis of the light effector, and to make the first connection portion and the second connection portion detachable from each other.
However, BALDWIN discloses a second connection portion (14, Fig.2) is snap-fit with a first connection portion (12, Fig.2), to limit a focusing assembly (3, Fig.2) and an adapter seat (10, Fig.2) in an axis of a light effector, and to make the first connection portion and the second connection portion detachable from each other (as seen in col.2, lines 65-col.3, lines 8, the first and second connection portion 12, 14 was considered to snap-fit and rotate while allowing the second connection portion 14 to disengage with the first connection portion 12).
Therefore, in view of BALDWIN, 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 second connection portion is snap-fit with a first connection portion as taught by BALDWIN to the first and second connection portion of WIMBERLY in order to provide an alternative connection mechanism to provide rotation and detachability.
Regarding claim 2, WIMBERLY modified by BALDWIN as discussed above for claim 1 further discloses wherein the first connection portion is provided with a curved surface, and the second connection portion is rotatable along the curved surface to adjust an angle where the screen sheet is provided on the focusing assembly (as seen in Fig.2 of BLADWIN, the first connection portion 12 has a curved surface, and the second connection portion 14 rotates along the curved surface).
Regarding claim 3, WIMBERLY modified by BALDWIN as discussed above for claim 2 further discloses wherein the first connection portion comprises a curved snap groove (“curved snap groove” was interpreted as a curved groove allowing for a snap connection; as seen in Fig.2 of BALDWIN, the first connection portion 12 has a curved groove allowing for a snap connection with the second connection portion 14), the second connection portion comprises curved snap teeth (“curved snap teeth” was interpreted as a teeth on a curved surface allowing for a snap connection; as seen in Fig.2 of BALDWIN, the second connection portion 14 has teeth on a curved surface allowing for a snap connection with the first connection portion 12), the curved snap teeth are able to be snapped into the curved snap groove.
Regarding claim 4, WIMBERLY modified by BALDWIN as discussed above for claim 3 further discloses wherein the second connection portion comprises a snap-fit, an end of the snap-fit is provided on the focusing assembly, and another end of the snap-fit is overhung and faces the adapter seat and provided with the curved snap teeth (as seen in Fig.2 of BALDWIN, the second connection portion 14 was considered to snap-fit with the first connection portion 12 where one end of the snap-fit is on the focusing assembly 3 and the other end of the snap-fit faces the adapter seat 10).
WIMBERLY modified by BALDWIN fails to disclose an elastic snap-fit
Regarding “an elastic snap-fit”, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the material of the snap-fit can be selected such that the snap-fit is an elastic material to provide a degree of elastic properties. 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 an elastic material to the snap-fit of WIMBERLY modified by BALDWIN in order to provide an alternative typical material for the snap-fit.
Regarding claim 5, WIMBERLY modified by BALDWIN as discussed above for claim 4 further discloses wherein the elastic snap-fit comprises a first snap-fit and an elastic member (as seen in Fig.2 of WIMBERLY, the “elastic member” was considered to be the pin 24 because the pin 24 can be pressed to release the adapter seat 19 and the focusing assembly 13, 14), an end of the first snap-fit is rotationally connected to the focusing assembly (as seen in Fig.2 of BALDWIN, one end of the first snap-fit 12, 14 is connected to the focusing assembly 3), and an end of the first snap-fit away from the focusing assembly is provided with the curved snap teeth (as seen in Fig.2 of BALDWIN, another end of the first snap-fit 12, 14 is provided with the curved snap teeth 14); and an end of the elastic member is connected to the first snap-fit (as seen in Fig.2 of WIMBERLY, one end of the elastic member 24 is connected to a snap-fit 20), and another end of the first snap-fit is connected to the focusing assembly (as seen in Fig.2 of BALDWIN, another end of the first snap-fit 12, 14 is connected to the focusing assembly 3), to make the curved snap teeth on the first snap-fit be pressed into the curved snap groove.
Regarding claim 7, WIMBERLY modified by BALDWIN as discussed above for claim 4 further discloses wherein the curved snap groove is provided on an inner side of the adapter seat (as seen in Fig.2 of BALDWIN, the first connection portion 12 [or the curved snap groove] is on the inner side of the adapter seat 10), to make the curved snap groove and the curved snap teeth snapped into the curved snap groove to be hidden inside the adapter seat.
WIMBERLY modified by BALDWIN fails to disclose the focusing assembly is provided with an avoidance groove, and the elastic snap-fit is provided inside the avoidance groove.
Regarding “the focusing assembly is provided with an avoidance groove, and the elastic snap-fit is provided inside the avoidance groove”, while WIMBERLY shows the snap-fit as one piece with the focusing assembly, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that a single piece can be separated into multiple pieces connected together. A groove or a hole and inserting a member into the groove or the hole is a typical connection arrangement. 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 an avoidance hole and an elastic snap-fit provided inside an avoidance groove to the focusing assembly of WIMBERLY modified by BALDWIN in order to provide an alternative arrangement of providing multiple pieces connected together by inserting the elastic snap-fit into the avoidance hole to secure the elastic snap-fit to the focusing assembly.
Regarding claim 8, WIMBERLY modified by BALDWIN as discussed above for claim 3 further discloses wherein the curved snap groove is circular, to make the focusing assembly to rotate 360 degrees circumferentially (as seen in Fig.2 of BALDWIN, the first connection portion 12 [or the curved snap groove] is circular to rotate 360 degrees); or the curved snap groove is a circular segment.
WIMBERLY modified by BALDWIN fails to disclose a width of each curved snap tooth is less than a length of the curved snap groove, to allow for a gap in the curved snap groove required for rotation of the curved snap teeth.
Regarding “a width of each curved snap tooth is less than a length of the curved snap groove, to allow for a gap in the curved snap groove required for rotation of the curved snap teeth”, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized to select the dimensions of the curved snap tooth and the curved snap groove in order for the first and second connection portion to cooperate with each other. Therefore, would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate width of each curved snap tooth is less than a length of the curved snap groove to the first and second connection portion of WIMBERLY modified by BALDWIN in order for the first and second connection portion to cooperate with each other.
Regarding claim 9, WIMBERLY modified by BALDWIN fails to disclose wherein two first connection members are provided at 180 degrees along the axis of the focusing assembly.
Regarding “wherein two first connection members are provided at 180 degrees along the axis of the focusing assembly”, while WIMBERLY shows a cross-section of the first connection member, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the first connection member can be annular or segmented in multiple sections. And when connection members are segmented in multiple sections, it is well within one of ordinary skill in the art to arrange the first connection members at intervals. Therefore, in view of NAME, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate two first connection members are provided at 180 degrees to the first connection member of WIMBERLY modified by BALDWIN in order to provide an alternative arrangement of the first connection members at multiple sections.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WIMBERLY (US 2008/0137345) modified by BALDWIN (US 4,520,435), and in view of ZHU (US 11,506,367).
Regarding claim 6, WIMBERLY modified by BALDWIN fails to disclose wherein the elastic member comprises a torsion spring, the torsion spring is rotationally connected to the first snap-fit or the focusing assembly, and the torsion spring comprises at least two torsion arms; wherein at least one of the at least two torsion arms is abutted against the first snap-fit, and at least one of the at least two torsion arms is abutted against the focusing assembly, to make the curved snap teeth on the first snap-fit be pressed into the curved snap groove.
However, ZHU discloses an elastic member (41, Figs.4 and 6) includes a torsion spring (22, Figs.4 and 6), the torsion spring is connected to a first fit (42, Figs.4 and 6), the torsion spring includes two torsion arms (as seen in Fig.6, the “two torsion arms” were considered to be the ends of the torsion spring 22); at least one of the two torsion arms is abutted against the first snap-fit (Fig.4), and at least one of the two torsion arms is abutted against an assembly (13, 1, 3, Figs.4 and 6).
Therefore, in view of ZHU, 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 torsion spring as taught by ZHU to the elastic member of WIMBERLY modified by BALDWIN in order to bias the elastic member such that the second connection portion is biased into the first connection portion. As a result, the torsion spring would have been rotationally connected to the first snap-fit, and the curved snap teeth would have been pressed into the curved snap groove.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WIMBERLY (US 2008/0137345) modified by BALDWIN (US 4,520,435), and in view of OKURA (US 6,623,124).
Regarding claim 10, WIMBERLY further discloses wherein the focusing assembly (13, 14, Fig.2) comprises a housing (13, Fig.2), a focusing barrel (14, Fig.2) and a lens structure (8, Fig.2);
wherein the lens structure is connected to the focusing barrel (Fig.2), the focusing assembly further comprises a second connection member (21, Fig.2), and the second connection member is provided between the housing and the focusing barrel;
wherein the second connection member comprises a third connection portion and a fourth connection portion, the third connection portion is provided on the housing (as seen in Fig.2, the “third connection portion” was considered to be part of the second connection member 21 on the housing 13), and the fourth connection portion is provided on the focusing barrel (as seen in Fig.2, the “fourth connection portion” was considered to be the other part of the second connection member 21 on the focusing barrel 14);
WIMBERLY modified by BALDWIN fails to disclose wherein the third connection portion is screwed to the fourth connection portion, and a contact surface where the third connection portion contacts the fourth connection portion is helical, to make the fourth connection portion move along an axis of the third connection portion, to adjust a distance between the focusing barrel and the housing in the axis of the third connection portion.
However, OKURA discloses a third connection portion (52, Fig.2) on a housing (10, 30, Fig.2) is screwed to a fourth connection portion (51, Fig.2) on a focusing barrel (40, Fig.2), and a contact surface where the third connection portion contacts the fourth connection portion is helical, to make the fourth connection portion move along an axis of the third connection portion, to adjust a distance between the focusing barrel and the housing in the axis of the third connection portion.
Therefore, in view of OKURA, 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 third connection portion is screwed to a fourth connection portion as taught by OKURA to the third and fourth connection portion of WIMBERLY modified by BALDWIN in order to provide an alternative connection member by screwing the housing and the focusing barrel.
Claims 11 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WIMBERLY (US 2008/0137345) modified by BALDWIN (US 4,520,435) and OKURA (US 6,623,124), and in view of GOLDBERG (US 6,244,730) and ZHANG (US 10,042,238).
Regarding claim 11, WIMBERLY further discloses the lens structure (8, Fig.2) is provided at an end of the focusing barrel (13, 14, Fig.2) away from the housing (13, Fig.2);
wherein the screen sheet accommodation cavity (7, Fig.2) is provided on the housing, and located between the focusing barrel and the adapter seat; and
the screen sheet (7, Fig.2) is placed in an axial center of the light effector.
WIMBERLY modified by BALDWIN and OKURA fails to disclose wherein the lens structure is detachably connected to the focusing barrel, a screen sheet box is detachably connected inside the screen sheet accommodation cavity, and wherein the screen sheet is detachably connected inside the screen sheet box.
However, GOLDBERG discloses a lens structure (60a, Figs.2-4) is detachably connected to a focusing barrel (40, Fig.2).
However, ZHANG discloses a sheet box (33, Fig.2) is detachably connected inside a sheet accommodation cavity (Fig.3), and a sheet (50, Fig.2) is detachably connected inside the sheet box.
Therefore, in view of GOLDBERG, 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 detachable lens structure as taught by GOLDBERG to the lens structure of WIMBERLY modified by BALDWIN and OKURA in order to interchange the lens structure.
Therefore, in view of ZHANG, 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 detachable sheet box and a detachable sheet as taught by ZHANG to the screen sheet of WIMBERLY modified by BALDWIN, OKURA, and GOLDBERG in order to interchange the screen sheet. As a result, the screen sheet would have been placed in an axial center of the light effector when the screen sheet box is placed inside the screen sheet accommodation cavity.
Regarding claim 13, WIMBERLY modified by BALDWIN, OKURA, GOLDBERG, ZHANG as discussed above for claim 11 discloses wherein at least one side of the screen sheet accommodation cavity is communicated with an outer surface of the housing to form the screen sheet accommodation cavity adapted to the screen sheet box, and the screen sheet box is able to be inserted into the screen sheet accommodation cavity from outside of the housing (as seen in Fig.3 of ZHANG, the sheet accommodation cavity is communicated with an outer surface of a housing 10 such that the sheet box 33 is inserted into the sheet accommodation cavity from outside of the housing 10).
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WIMBERLY (US 2008/0137345) modified by BALDWIN (US 4,520,435), OKURA (US 6,623,124), GOLDBERG (US 6,244,730) and ZHANG (US 10,042,238), and in view of ALESSIO (US 2005/0254233).
Regarding claim 12, WIMBERLY further discloses wherein the lens structure comprises a lens set (8, Fig.2).
WIMBERLY modified by BALDWIN, OKURA, GOLDBERG, ZHANG fails to disclose wherein the lens structure comprises a lens seat, the lens set is fixed to the lens seat, and the lens seat is detachably connected to the focusing barrel.
However, ALESSIO discloses a lens structure includes a lens seat (62, Figs.2 and 3B) and a lens set (60, Figs.2 and 3B), and the lens set is fixed to the lens seat.
Therefore, in view of ALESSIO, 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 lens seat as taught by ALESSIO to the lens set of WIMBERLY modified by BALDWIN, OKURA, GOLDBERG, ZHANG in order to provide a lens support. As a result, the lens seat would have been detachably connected to the focusing barrel.
Claims 14-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WIMBERLY (US 2008/0137345), and in view of BALDWIN (US 4,520,435) and LABRUM (US 4,151,584).
Regarding claim 14, WIMBERLY discloses a flash light comprising
a light effector, wherein the light effector comprises an adapter seat (19, Fig.2) and a focusing assembly (13, 14, Fig.2) provided along an axis of the light effector;
wherein the focusing assembly is provided with a screen sheet accommodation cavity for mounting a screen sheet (7, Fig.2), the adapter seat is capable of being assembled to an external light head (13, Fig.2), and a light transmission hole of the adapter seat, a light transmission hole of the focusing assembly, and the screen sheet accommodation cavity are located at the same axis (as seen in Fig.2, the adapter seat 19, the focusing assembly 13, 14, and the screen sheet 7 are located at the same axis);
wherein the light effector further comprises a first connection member (20, Fig.2) provided between the adapter seat and the light effector;
wherein the first connection member comprises a first connection portion (as seen in Fig.2 and para[0046], the “first connection portion” was considered to be the portion of the adapter seat 19 receiving the lip 20) and a second connection portion (20, Fig.2), the first connection portion is provided on the adapter seat (as seen in Figs.2 and 19, the first connection portion is on the adapter seat 19) and the second connection portion is provided on the focusing assembly (as seen in Figs.2-3 and 8, the second connection portion 20 is on the focusing assembly 13, 14); and
wherein the flash light further comprises a light head (13, Fig.2), wherein the light head is provided on an end of the adapter seat of the light effector away from the focusing assembly (Fig.2).
WIMBERLY fails to disclose wherein the second connection portion is snap-fit with the first connection portion, to limit the focusing assembly and the adapter seat in the axis of the light effector, and to make the first connection portion and the second connection portion detachable from each other, and the light head is detachably connected to the adapter seat.
However, BALDWIN discloses a second connection portion (14, Fig.2) is snap-fit with a first connection portion (12, Fig.2), to limit a focusing assembly (3, Fig.2) and an adapter seat (10, Fig.2) in an axis of a light effector, and to make the first connection portion and the second connection portion detachable from each other (as seen in col.2, lines 65-col.3, lines 8, the first and second connection portion 12, 14 was considered to snap-fit and rotate while allowing the second connection portion 14 to disengage with the first connection portion 12).
However, LABRUM discloses a light head (10, 12, 16, 17, Fig.1) is detachably connected (14, Fig.1) to an adapter seat (11. Fig.1).
Therefore, in view of BALDWIN, 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 second connection portion is snap-fit with a first connection portion as taught by BALDWIN to the first and second connection portion of WIMBERLY in order to provide an alternative connection mechanism to provide rotation and detachability.
Therefore, in view of LABRUM, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate detachable light head as taught by LABRUM to the light head of WIMBERLY modified by BALDWIN in order to service, interchange, or replace the light head.
Regarding claim 15, WIMBERLY modified by BALDWIN and LABRUM as discussed above for claim 14 fails to disclose wherein the light head comprises a round light head or a square light head, a mounting hole adapted to an outer contour of the light head is provided in the adapter seat; and a locking member is provided on the adapter seat, and the locking member is configured to fix the light head to the adapter seat.
However, LABRUM further discloses a mounting hole adapted to an outer contour of the light head is provided in the adapter seat (as seen in Fig.1, the “mounting hole” was considered to be the hole on the light head 10, 12, 16, 17 receiving the fastener 14); and a locking member is provided on the adapter seat (as seen in Fig.1, the “locking member” was considered to be the hole on the adapter seat 1 receiving the fastener 14), and the locking member is configured to fix the light head to the adapter seat (as seen in Fig.1, the locking member and the mounting hole is used to fix the light head 10, 12, 16, 17 and the adapter seat 11).
Therefore, in view of LABRUM, 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 mounting hole and a locking member as taught by LABRUM to the light head and the adapter seat of WIMBERLY modified by BALDWIN and LABRUM in order to service, interchange, or replace the light head.
Regarding “wherein the light head comprises a round light head or a square light head”, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the shape of the light head can be selected to be a round shape or a square shape for a desired application. Therefore, in view of LABRUM, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to select a round shape or square shape to the light head of WIMBERLY modified by BALDWIN and LABRUM in order to provide a typical shape for the light head.
Regarding claim 16, WIMBERLY modified by BALDWIN and LABRUM as discussed above for claim 14 further discloses wherein the first connection portion is provided with a curved surface, and the second connection portion is rotatable along the curved surface to adjust an angle where the screen sheet is provided on the focusing assembly (as seen in Fig.2 of BALDWIN, the first connection portion 12 has a curved surface, and the second connection portion 14 rotates along the curved surface).
Regarding claim 17, WIMBERLY modified by BALDWIN and LABRUM as discussed above for claim 16 further discloses wherein the first connection portion comprises a curved snap groove (“curved snap groove” was interpreted as a curved groove allowing for a snap connection; as seen in Fig.2 of BALDWIN, the first connection portion 12 has a curved groove allowing for a snap connection with the second connection portion 14), the second connection portion comprises curved snap teeth (“curved snap teeth” was interpreted as a teeth on a curved surface allowing for a snap connection; as seen in Fig.2 of BALDWIN, the second connection portion 14 has teeth on a curved surface allowing for a snap connection with the first connection portion 12), the curved snap teeth are able to be snapped into the curved snap groove.
Regarding claim 18, WIMBERLY modified by BALDWIN and LABRUM as discussed above for claim 17 further discloses wherein the second connection portion comprises a snap-fit, an end of the snap-fit is provided on the focusing assembly, and another end of the snap-fit is overhung and faces the adapter seat and provided with the curved snap teeth (as seen in Fig.2 of BALDWIN, the second connection portion 14 was considered to snap-fit with the first connection portion 12 where one end of the snap-fit is on the focusing assembly 3 and the other end of the snap-fit faces the adapter seat 10).
WIMBERLY modified by BALDWIN and LABRUM fails to disclose an elastic snap-fit
Regarding “an elastic snap-fit”, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the material of the snap-fit can be selected such that the snap-fit is an elastic material to provide a degree of elastic properties. 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 an elastic material to the snap-fit of WIMBERLY modified by BALDWIN and LABRUM in order to provide an alternative typical material for the snap-fit.
Regarding claim 19, WIMBERLY modified by BALDWIN and LABRUM as discussed above for claim 18 further discloses wherein the elastic snap-fit comprises a first snap-fit and an elastic member (as seen in Fig.2 of WIMBERLY, the “elastic member” was considered to be the pin 24 because the pin 24 can be pressed to release the adapter seat 19 and the focusing assembly 13, 14), an end of the first snap-fit is rotationally connected to the focusing assembly (as seen in Fig.2 of BALDWIN, one end of the first snap-fit 12, 14 is connected to the focusing assembly 3), and an end of the first snap-fit away from the focusing assembly is provided with the curved snap teeth (as seen in Fig.2 of BALDWIN, another end of the first snap-fit 12, 14 is provided with the curved snap teeth 14); and an end of the elastic member is connected to the first snap-fit (as seen in Fig.2 of WIMBERLY, one end of the elastic member 24 is connected to a snap-fit 20), and another end of the first snap-fit is connected to the focusing assembly (as seen in Fig.2 of BALDWIN, another end of the first snap-fit 12, 14 is connected to the focusing assembly 3), to make the curved snap teeth on the first snap-fit be pressed into the curved snap groove.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WIMBERLY (US 2008/0137345) modified by BALDWIN (US 4,520,435) and LABRUM (US 4,151,584), and in view of ZHU (US 11,506,367).
Regarding claim 20, WIMBERLY modified by BALDWIN and LABRUM fails to disclose wherein the elastic member comprises a torsion spring, the torsion spring is rotationally connected to the first snap-fit or the focusing assembly, and the torsion spring comprises at least two torsion arms; wherein at least one of the at least two torsion arms is abutted against the first snap-fit, and at least one of the at least two torsion arms is abutted against the focusing assembly, to make the curved snap teeth on the first snap-fit be pressed into the curved snap groove.
However, ZHU discloses an elastic member (41, Figs.4 and 6) includes a torsion spring (22, Figs.4 and 6), the torsion spring is connected to a first fit (42, Figs.4 and 6), the torsion spring includes two torsion arms (as seen in Fig.6, the “two torsion arms” were considered to be the ends of the torsion spring 22); at least one of the two torsion arms is abutted against the first snap-fit (Fig.4), and at least one of the two torsion arms is abutted against an assembly (13, 1, 3, Figs.4 and 6).
Therefore, in view of ZHU, 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 torsion spring as taught by ZHU to the elastic member of WIMBERLY modified by BALDWIN and LABRUM in order to bias the elastic member such that the second connection portion is biased into the first connection portion. As a result, the torsion spring would have been rotationally connected to the first snap-fit, and the curved snap teeth would have been pressed into the curved snap groove.
Relevant Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 20190132544, US 20210310636, US 20220146080, US 20220146802, US 20120140463, US 20130322115, US 20100296066, US 20140247602, US 5951137, US 4992918, US 3832075, US 4217047, US 5321449, and US 5738437 discloses a focusing assembly, a light head, and a connection member
Conclusion
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/J.M.E/Examiner, Art Unit 2875
/JONG-SUK (JAMES) LEE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2875