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 .
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed 02/27/2026 has been entered.
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 8-10, 13, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Veloskey (US 2017/0219188) in view of Miyazaki (US 5,133,018).
Regarding claim 8. Veloskey discloses a lamp module (light fixture 10) comprising: a housing (12, see Figs. 2A and 5, Para. 0146) defining a first end (e.g. top open end portion for receiving light cover 14, see Figs. 5 and 7, Para. 0153, 0191) and a second end (26/78, see Figs. 5 and 7, Para. 0153, 0191), the housing defining inner wall (126, see Figs. 7 and 19B, Para. 0191) positioned between a lower cavity (cavity below the inner wall for receiving the driver 114 and electrical contacts 32, 34) and an upper cavity (cavity housing the light source, see Fig. 7) of the housing a center axis (24/218, see Fig. 5, Para. 0153, 0223) extending from the first end to the second end; and a terminal (electrical connectors 32, see Fig. 5, Para. 0154) positioned at least partially within the lower cavity (see Fig. 7), the terminal comprising a first contact and a second contact (one or more electrical connectors, see Para. 0154).
However, Veloskey is silent with respect to the center axis extending through the first contact.
Miyazaki teaches a speaker assembly (20) that includes two electrical contact pads (e.g. first contact, the second, 28 and 29, see Fig. 2) and an electrical terminal assembly (30, see Fig. 1, Col. 3; lines 3-8) that includes a pair of resilient cantilevered spring terminals (third contact and fourth contact 31 and 34) with terminal areas (32 and 35); wherein two electrical contact pads (28 and 29) mounted at the rear thereof so as to contact the terminal areas (32 and 35), respectively (see Col. 3; lines 28-48); wherein the center axis intersecting the two electrical contact pads (see Figs. 2 and 3, Col. 1; lines 51-62).
Therefore, in view of Miyazaki, it would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to reposition the first contact so that it is centrally located thereby the center axis intersecting the first contact facilitate installation into the housing with simplified assembly requirements, as suggested by Miyazaki, since it has been held that rearranging parts of a prior art structure involves only routing skill in the art. In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950). Accordingly, one would have been motivated to make this combination to achieve an improved assembly process.
Regarding claim 9. Veloskey in view of Miyazaki further discloses the second contact (one or more electrical connectors, see Para. 0154) is radially offset from the first contact relative to the center axis (24).
Regarding claim 10. The teachings of Veloskey have been discussed above.
However, Veloskey is silent with respect to the second contact is shaped as a circular ring, and wherein the second contact encircles the first contact.
Miyazaki teaches a speaker assembly (20) that includes a first contact (28) and a second contact (29, see Fig. 2,) the first contact is a first contact pad (28, see Col. 3; lines 28-48), and wherein the second contact is a second contact pad (29, see Col. 3; lines 28-48), as recited in claim 2; wherein the second contact pad is a circular ring (see Fig. 2), as recited in claim 3; wherein the second contact pad (29) encircles the first contact pad (28), as recited in claim 4.
Therefore, in view of Miyazaki, it would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the first and second contacts to be contact pads so that it is centrally located thereby the center axis intersecting the third contact facilitate installation into the housing with simplified assembly requirements, as suggested by Miyazaki, since it has been held that rearranging parts of a prior art structure involves only routing skill in the art. In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950). Accordingly, one would have been motivated to make this combination to achieve an improved assembly process.
Regarding claim 13. Veloskey further discloses comprising a light-emitting diode lamp board (116, see Figs. 5, 7, and 18, Para. 0190) positioned in the upper cavity.
Regarding claim 14. Veloskey further discloses comprising a power supply driving module (114, see Fig. 7, Para. 0188) positioned in the lower cavity.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Veloskey in view of Miyazaki and further in view of STIFFEL (US 2,965,751).
Regarding claim 11. The teachings of Veloskey have been discussed above.
However, Veloskey is silent with respect to the first contact comprises a base and a telescoping tip.
STIFFEL teaches a ceiling fixture that includes a pair of electrical conductors and a pole with electrical terminals located at the upper end of said upper portion; wherein the upper portion includes a contact comprises a base (41) and a telescoping tip (42, see Fig. 5, col. 2; lines 14-44) to establish electrical contact and mechanical locking between the fixture and the pole (see, Figs. 4-6, claim 3).
Therefore, in view of STIFFEL, it would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the first contact comprises a base and a telescoping tip in order to establish electrical contact and mechanical locking. One would have been motivated to make this combination to provide an improved electrical contact.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 02/27/2026 with respect to claims 8-11 and 13-14 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to applicant's arguments that “the rejection of independent claim 8 is improper because the cited references do not teach "an inner wall" as required by the limitation of "the housing defining an inner wall positioned between a lower cavity and an upper cavity of the housing," the applicant is respectfully reminded that, while it might be evident, by comparing the patented structure of Veloskey with the instant specification and drawings, that applicant' s invention is different from the Prior Art made of record, that is not the test for patentability. Rather, it is the language of the claims what defines the meets and bounds of the instant invention. In this case, Veloskey teaches an inner wall (126) configured to at least partially thermally separate the light engine (116) from other components of the cartridge (18, e.g., from the driver(s) (114) as shown in figures 5 and 7.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-7 and 15 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: the claims are allowable based on Applicant’s amendments to independent claims 1, 8, and 15, together with the persuasive argument by the applicant (Remarks/Arguments dated 02/27/2026, pgs. 5-10). Specifically, arguments regarding the difference between the prior arts and the limitation “the lamp module rotatable within the lamp holder about the center axis relative to the housing.” These claimed structural and functional features are not taught nor suggested by the prior arts. Accordingly, as amended, independent claims 1 and 15 are allowable.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 Tsion Tumebo whose telephone number is 571-270-1668. The examiner can normally be reached on 7:30 am to 4:00 pm, Monday thru Friday.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jong-Suk (James) Lee can be reached on (571)272-7044. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TSION TUMEBO/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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