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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Invention I, drawn to Claims 1-11 and 21-32 in the reply filed on 12/9/2025 is acknowledged.
Claims 12-20 and 33-38 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to nonelected inventions, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 12/9/2025.
Claim Objections
Claim 10 is objected to because of the following informalities: The limitation “wherein the mount includes a includes resilient flexible wall portion” in lines 1-2 of the claim is grammatically incorrect. The Examiner respectfully suggests amending it to be --wherein the mount includes a . Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 21-32 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 21, the limitation “a recharging port of the housing to permit recharging of the rechargeable battery, the recharging port; and” in lines 6-7 of the claim renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear if additional language was intended to follow the additional recitation of “the recharging port” in line 7 prior to the conjunction “and”, if the recharging port permits recharging of both the rechargeable battery and the recharging port, or if this is a typographical error and the additional recitation of “the recharging port” here was not intentional, rendering the exact scope of the claim unascertainable. For the purpose of examination, the Examiner has treated this as a typographical error, and so the Examiner respectfully suggests amending it to be --a recharging port of the housing to permit recharging of the rechargeable battery
Claims 22-32 are rejected due to their dependence on indefinite Claim 21.
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 1-2, 4-5, and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Liao (US 2013/0242544).
Regarding claim 1, Liao discloses a lighted headgear (hat 10; see Figs. 1-8; Abstract; par. [0015]) comprising a head-fitting portion for fitting on a head of a user (crown 12; see Figs. 1, 7; para. [0016], [0021]); a brim portion that extends in a generally forward direction from the head-fitting portion, the brim portion having a generally downwardly-facing surface (a stiff bill 11 is provided extending forward from the head-fitting portion 12, the bill including upward and downward facing surfaces; see Figs. 1-7; par. [0016]); a mount fixedly secured to the brim portion at the generally downwardly-facing surface (U-shaped seat 21 is fixedly secured via snapping to a recess 111 and cavity 112 of the brim portion 11 formed between the upwardly and downwardly facing surfaces to enable the seat to extend along both the upwardly and downwardly facing surfaces; see Figs. 1-7; para. [0017]-[0018]); and a light module (a lamp 22 is connected to a power supply 30 to form a light module structure; see Figs. 1-8; para. [0017]-[0020], [0022]-[0023]) including a housing assembly (mounting unit 23 and lamp unit 24 are releasably secured to form a housing assembly; see Figs. 1-7; para. [0018]-[0019]), a light source (a plurality of light emitting members 242; see Figs. 1-5; para. [0019]-[0020], [0023]), a rechargeable battery (rechargeable battery 33; see Fig. 8; para. [0022]-[0023]), and a battery charging interface for charging the rechargeable battery (a port 35 is provided to connect to an external power source for charging the battery 33; see Fig. 8; para. [0022]-[0023]), the housing assembly removably securable to the mount (the housing assembly (combination of mounting unit 23 and lamp unit 24) is adapted to fit in a recessed portion 211 of the mount 21, and includes two hollow cylinders 232 each having a bore 233 and a lengthwise protrusion 234 on an outer surface which engage the tooth of a corresponding gear 214 to allow the lamp to pivot about holes 213 in the mount, and could be disconnected if needed; see Figs. 1-7; para. [0017]-[0018]).
Regarding claim 2, Liao discloses wherein the mount receives the housing assembly in a sliding engagement to secure the light module to the mount (the housing assembly (combination of mounting unit 23 and lamp unit 24) is adapted to fit in a recessed portion 211 of the mount 21 and is slid into the recessed portion until the bores 233 of the hollow cylinders 232 fit into corresponding holes 213; see Figs. 2-4; para. [0017]-[0018]).
Regarding claim 4, Liao discloses wherein the mount includes a track for slidably receiving a portion of the housing assembly of the light module therein (the recessed portion 211 is defined by two wings 212 on left and right sides thereof which include inner surfaces to serve as a track along which the housing assembly (combination of mounting unit 23 and lamp unit 24) is slid to insert the cylinders 232 and their bores 233 into the holes 213 on the inner surfaces of the wings; see Figs. 2-4; para. [0017]-[0018]).
Regarding claim 5, Liao discloses wherein the light module includes at least one flange and the mount includes at least one channel for receiving and guiding the at least one flange as the light module is slid relative to the mount (hollow cylinders 232 each having a bore 233 are provided on the housing assembly (combination of mounting unit 23 and lamp unit 24) to fit into corresponding holes 213 of the mount 21; see Figs. 2-4; para. [0017]-[0018]).
Regarding claim 7, Liao discloses wherein the housing assembly includes a lower housing having side walls (lamp unit 24 defines a lower housing of the housing assembly; see Figs. 2-4) and a housing cover secured to the lower housing to extend beyond at least one of the side walls to form the at least one flange (mounting unit 23 is secured to the lower housing (lamp unit 24) and includes cylinders 232 that extend beyond the side walls of the lower housing to define flanges; see Figs. 2-4; para. [0017]-[0018]).
Claims 21-22, 24-28, and 30-31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Maldonado et al. (US 2019/0350292, hereinafter “Maldonado”).
Regarding claim 21, Maldonado discloses a removable light mounting system for a light module for removably mounting the light module to an article (an apparatus 200 for improving the noticeability of a hat 218; see Figs.2A-2C; Abstract; para. [0036]-[0060]), the removable light mounting system comprising a housing of the light module including a light source and a rechargeable battery for providing power to the light source (a light source 202 includes a housing in the form of a mount 210 that contains one or more light-emitting elements 204 therein and also includes a battery receptacle 222 for housing one or more batteries which can be recharged by a charging circuit connected to a connector 228; see Figs. 2A-2C; para. [0036]-[0042], [0044]-[0053], [0057]-[0059]); a recharging port of the housing to permit recharging of the rechargeable battery (a charging circuit is electrically coupled to the battery receptacle 222 and includes a connector 228 for coupling to an external power source to recharge the batteries; see Fig. 2B; para. [0046]-[0053], [0059]); and a light module mount configured for removably mounting the light module to an article (the hat 218 includes an orifice 216 for removably mounting the light module 200; see Fig. 2C; para. [0043]-[0044], [0056], [0058]) so that with the light module mounted to the light module mount, the light module mount extends across the recharging port blocking access to the recharging port, and removing the light module from the light module mount provides access to the recharging port to permit a recharging operation of the rechargeable battery via the recharging port (the recharging port 228 is positioned on a side of the light module housing 210 facing the hat 218 when the light module 200 is mounted to the hat, and is rendered inaccessible as long as the light module is mounted to the hat, so that removing the light module is required to permit a recharging operation of the batteries in the battery receptacle 222; see Figs. 2B-2C; para. [0043]-[0044], [0052]-[0053], [0056], [0058]).
Regarding claim 22, Maldonado discloses wherein the light module is slidably mountable to the light module mount (the housing 210 of the light module 200 includes a clip 212 configured to insert into the light module mount 216 of the hat 218, and includes flexible detents 214 to lock into the orifice; see Figs. 2A-2C; para. [0043], [0056], [0058]).
Regarding claim 24, Maldonado discloses the removable light mounting system further comprising a battery charging interface, the recharging port aligned with the battery charging interface for permitting charging access to the battery charging interface therethrough (a charging circuit is electrically connected to the battery receptacle 222 and is accessible via the charging port 228 to allow an external power source to be connected to recharge the batteries; see Fig. 2B; para. [0046]-[0053], [0059]).
Regarding claim 25, Maldonado discloses wherein the recharging port is aligned with the battery charging interface along a first axis (as shown in Fig. 2B), and wherein the light module is slidably mountable to the light module mount along a second axis that is transverse to the first axis (the light module 200 is slidably mounted to the light module mount 216 by moving along a vertical axis which is perpendicular to the axis of the charging port 228; see Figs. 2B-2C; para. [0046]-[0053], [0059]).
Regarding claim 26, Maldonado discloses wherein the first axis is orthogonal to the second axis (the light module 200 is slidably mounted to the light module mount 216 by moving along a vertical axis which is perpendicular to the axis of the charging port 228; see Figs. 2B-2C; para. [0046]-[0053], [0059]).
Regarding claim 27, Maldonado discloses wherein the housing includes a lower housing shell (the portion of the housing 210 containing the light sources 204; see Figs. 2A-2C) and a housing cover secured to the lower housing shell (the portion of the housing 210 containing the clip 212; see Figs. 2A-2C), the recharging port extending through the housing cover (the recharging port 228 is provided on the housing cover (clip 212); see Fig. 2B).
Regarding claim 28, Maldonado discloses wherein the light module mount includes a longitudinally-extending support portion that engages the housing along a length thereof for supporting the light module when removably mounted to the light module mount (the light module mount is an orifice 216 defined by a support portion formed as a wall which extends longitudinally along the hat 218 to define the orifice itself which receives the clip 212 and flexible detents 214; see Fig. 2C; para. [0043]-[0044], [0056], [0058]).
Regarding claim 30, Maldonado discloses wherein the light module mount is sized to completely cover the recharging port when the light module is removably mounted to the light module mount (the light module mount 216 extends over the entire clip 212 where the recharging port 228 is located to prevent access to the recharging port whenever the light module 200 is mounted to the hat 218; see Figs. 2B-2C; para. [0043]-[0044], [0052]-[0053], [0056], [0058]).
Regarding claim 31, Maldonado discloses the removable light mounting system in combination with an article, wherein the article is a hat (hat 218; see Fig. 2C; para. [0043]-[0044], [0056]-[0058]), the light module mount configured to be permanently secured to a brim portion of the hat (the light module mount is an orifice 216 defined by a three-sided wall which is mounted on top of a brim portion of the hat and connects to a head-fitting portion of the hat; see Fig. 2C; para. [0043], [0056], [0058]).
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.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liao (US 2013/0242544) in view of Waters (US 2013/0192961). The teachings of Liao have been discussed above.
However, the teachings of Liao fail to disclose or fairly suggest wherein the flange and the channel cooperate to form a substantially fluid-tight seal therebetween.
Waters teaches a lighted headgear (lighted hat 10; see Figs. 23-25; para. [0150]-[0153]) comprising a head-fitting portion for fitting on a head of a user (crown 14; see Fig. 25; par. [0153]); a brim portion that extends in a generally forward direction from the head-fitting portion, the brim portion having a generally downwardly-facing surface (brim 16; see Figs. 24-25; para. [0150]-[0153]); a mount fixedly secured to the brim portion at the generally downwardly-facing surface (the brim 16 includes a light hood reception portion or mounting base 510 disposed either on the upper covering 34 or upper major surface 26 thereof, or on the lower surface thereof (shown mounted to the upper surface); see Figs. 24-25; para. [0151]-[0153]); and a light module including a housing assembly and a light source (light hoods or modules 500 each comprise a housing in the form of a hood portion 502 connected to a base portion 504, sized to receive one or more light sources 506 therein; see Figs. 23-24; para. [0150]-[0153]); wherein the light module includes at least one flange and the mount includes at least one channel for receiving and guiding the at least one flange as the light module is slid relative to the mount (each mount 510 defines a channel for receiving leads 508 which project through the base portion 504 of the housing of each light module 500, and includes a clamping mechanism 514 to securely receive the leads therein; see Figs. 23-25; para. [0150]-[0153]); wherein the flange and the channel cooperate to form a substantially fluid-tight seal therebetween (each mount 510 is provided with a sealing layer 512, such as a rubberized layer, that is configured to seal around the leads 508 of each light module 500 after it has been inserted into the brim 16; see Fig. 25; par. [0151]).
Therefore, in view of Waters, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effecting filing date of the claimed invention to modify the lighted headgear of Liao by providing a seal within the channel such that the flange and the channel cooperate to form a substantially fluid-tight seal therebetween. One would have been motivated to modify the known lighted headgear of Liao by providing a seal within the channel such that the flange and the channel cooperate to form a substantially fluid-tight seal therebetween, as taught by Waters, in order to prevent the intrusion of water around the wires in the channel during a rainy day and protect the electronic components from damage.
Claims 8-9 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liao (US 2013/0242544) in view of Maldonado (US 2019/0350292). The teachings of Liao have been discussed above.
Regarding claim 8, Liao teaches wherein the light module includes an access opening (a port 35 is provided to connect to an external power source for charging the battery 33; see Fig. 8; para. [0022]-[0023]).
However, the teachings of Liao fail to disclose or fairly suggest wherein the access opening extends through the housing assembly and is aligned with the battery charging interface for permitting charging access to the battery charging interface.
Maldonado teaches a lighted headgear (an apparatus 200 for improving the noticeability of a hat 218; see Figs.2A-2C; Abstract; para. [0036]-[0060]) comprising a mount fixedly secured to the hat (the hat 218 includes an orifice 216 for removably mounting the apparatus 200; see Fig. 2C; para. [0043]-[0044], [0056], [0058]); and a light module including a housing assembly, a light source, a rechargeable battery, and a battery charging interface for charging the rechargeable battery (the apparatus 200 comprises a light source 202 that includes a housing in the form of a mount 210 that contains one or more light-emitting elements 204 therein and also includes a battery receptacle 222 for housing one or more batteries which can be recharged by a charging circuit connected to a connector 228; see Figs. 2A-2C; para. [0036]-[0042], [0044]-[0053], [0057]-[0059]), the housing assembly removably secured to the mount (the housing 210 of the light module 200 includes a clip 212 configured to insert into the mount 216 of the hat 218, and includes flexible detents 214 to lock into the orifice; see Figs. 2A-2C; para. [0043], [0056], [0058]); wherein the light module includes an access opening through the housing assembly aligned with the battery charging interface for permitting charging access to the battery charging interface (a charging circuit is electrically coupled to the battery receptacle 222 and includes a connector 228 for coupling to an external power source to recharge the batteries; see Fig. 2B; para. [0046]-[0053], [0059]).
Therefore, in view of Maldonado, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the lighted headgear of Liao by arranging the battery charging interface in the housing assembly of the light module and arranging the access opening on the housing assembly to extend through the housing assembly and align with the battery charging interface for permitting charging access to the battery charging interface. One would have been motivated to modify the known lighted headgear of Liao by arranging the battery charging interface in the housing assembly of the light module and arranging the access opening on the housing assembly to extend through the housing assembly and align with the battery charging interface for permitting charging access to the battery charging interface, as taught by Maldonado, in order to ensure the battery charging interface and access opening are provided in the same housing assembly containing the rest of the light module, thereby ensuring the light module is contained within a single housing and eliminating the need for loose wires extending between separate housings.
However, regarding claim 9, the teachings of Liao fail to disclose or fairly suggest wherein the mount covers the access opening to be inaccessible when the light module is secured to the mount, and the battery charging interface being accessible through the access opening when the light module is removed from the mount.
Maldonado teaches wherein the mount covers the access opening to be inaccessible when the light module is secured to the mount, and the battery charging interface being accessible through the access opening when the light module is removed from the mount (the access opening 228 is positioned on a side of the light module housing 210 facing the hat 218 when the light module 200 is mounted to the hat, and is rendered inaccessible as long as the light module is mounted to the hat due to being covered by the mount 216, so that removing the light module is required to permit a recharging operation of the batteries in the battery receptacle 222; see Figs. 2B-2C; para. [0043]-[0044], [0052]-[0053], [0056], [0058]).
Therefore, in view of Maldonado, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the lighted headgear of Liao by arranging the battery charging interface in the housing assembly of the light module and arranging the access opening on the housing assembly to extend through the housing assembly and align with the battery charging interface, thus causing the mount to cover the access opening to be inaccessible when the light module is secured to the mount and causing the battery charging interface to be accessible through the access opening when the light module is removed from the mount. One would have been motivated to modify the known lighted headgear of Liao by arranging the battery charging interface in the housing assembly of the light module and arranging the access opening on the housing assembly to extend through the housing assembly and align with the battery charging interface, thus causing the mount to cover the access opening to be inaccessible when the light module is secured to the mount and causing the battery charging interface to be accessible through the access opening when the light module is removed from the mount, as taught by Maldonado, in order to ensure the battery charging interface and access opening are provided in the same housing assembly containing the rest of the light module, thereby ensuring the light module is contained within a single housing and eliminating the need for loose wires extending between separate housings.
Regarding claim 11, Liao teaches wherein the light source is within an interior of the housing assembly (the light sources 242 are provided inside the lamp unit 24; see Figs. 1-5; para. [0019]-[0020]).
However, the teachings of Liao fail to disclose or fairly suggest the rechargeable battery and the battery charging interface are also within the interior of the housing assembly.
Maldonado teaches wherein the light source, the rechargeable battery, and the battery charging interface are within an interior of the housing assembly (the apparatus 200 comprises a light source 202 that includes a housing in the form of a mount 210 that contains one or more light-emitting elements 204 therein and also includes a battery receptacle 222 for housing one or more batteries which can be recharged by a charging circuit connected to a connector 228; see Figs. 2A-2C; para. [0036]-[0042], [0044]-[0053], [0057]-[0059]).
Therefore, in view of Maldonado, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the lighted headgear of Liao by disposing the rechargeable battery and the battery charging interface within the interior of the housing assembly with the light source. One would have been motivated to modify the known lighted headgear of Liao by disposing the rechargeable battery and the battery charging interface within the interior of the housing assembly with the light source, as taught by Maldonado, in order to ensure the battery charging interface and rechargeable battery are provided in the same housing assembly containing the rest of the light module, thereby ensuring the light module is contained within a single housing and eliminating the need for loose wires extending between separate housings.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liao (US 2013/0242544). The teachings of Liao have been discussed above.
Liao teaches wherein the mount includes a wall portion (the wings 212 on either side of the recessed portion 211 of the mount 21 define wall portions; see Figs. 2-4; par. [0017]).
However, the teachings of Liao fail to specifically disclose the wall portion is a resiliently flexible wall portion that flexes as the light module is removably secured to the mount.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the lighted headgear of Liao by forming the wall portion of a resiliently flexible material which is capable of flexing as the light module is removably secured to the mount, since it has been held by the courts that selection of a prior art material on the basis of its suitability for its intended purpose is within the level of ordinary skill. See In re Leshing, 125 USPQ 416 (CCPA 1960) and Sinclair & Carroll Co. v. Interchemical Corp., 65 USPQ 297 (1945). In this case, modifying the known lighted headgear of Liao by forming the wall portion of a resiliently flexible material which is capable of flexing as the light module is removably secured to the mount would have flown naturally to one of ordinary skill in the art as necessitated by the particular design requirements of a given application, in order to make the process of removably securing the light module to the mount easier.
Claim 29 and 32 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Maldonado (US 2019/0350292). The teachings of Maldonado have been discussed above.
Regarding claim 29, Maldonado teaches wherein a portion of the housing extends within the support portion when the light module is removably mounted to the light module mount (the housing 210 includes a clip 212 configured to insert into the light module mount 216 of the hat 218, with flexible detents 214 capable of locking into the orifice; see Figs. 2A-2C; para. [0043], [0056], [0058]).
However, the teachings of Maldonado fail to disclose or fairly suggest wherein the support portion extends within the housing when the light module is removably mounted to the light module mount.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Maldonado by reversing the connector types between the support portion and the housing, such that the support portion extends within the housing when the light module is removably mounted to the light module mount, since it has been held by the courts that a mere reversal of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. See In re Gazda, 219 F.2d 449, 104 USPQ 400 (CCPA 1955). In this case, modifying the known system of Maldonado by reversing the connector types between the support portion and the housing, such that the support portion extends within the housing when the light module is removably mounted to the light module mount would have flown naturally to one of ordinary skill in the art as necessitated by the particular design requirements of a given application, in order to provide an alternate configuration to the mechanical connection while still achieving the same removable connection between the light module mount of the hat and the light module.
Regarding claim 32, Maldonado teaches the removable light mounting system in combination with an article, wherein the article is a hat (hat 218; see Fig. 2C; para. [0043]-[0044], [0056]-[0058]), the light module mount configured to be secured to a brim portion of the hat (the light module mount is an orifice 216 defined by a three-sided wall which is mounted on top of a brim portion of the hat and connects to a head-fitting portion of the hat; see Fig. 2C; para. [0043], [0056], [0058]).
However, the teachings of Maldonado fail to disclose or fairly suggest the light module mount is configured to be removably secured to the brim portion of the hat.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Maldonado by configuring the light module mount to be removably secured to the brim portion of the hat, since it has been held that constructing a formerly integral structure in various separable elements involves only routine skill in the art. See Nerwin v. Erlichman, 168 USPQ 177, 179. In this case, modifying the known system of Maldonado by configuring the light module mount to be removably secured to the brim portion of the hat would have flown naturally to one of ordinary skill in the art as necessitated by the particular design requirements of a given application, in order to enable a user to rearrange the light module mount on the hat and enable the light module to be mounted in various customizable locations as desired.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 3 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.
Claim 23 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include 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 3, the Prior Art taken as a whole fails to specifically disclose or suggest, in combination, “The lighted headgear of claim 1 wherein the mount retains the light module as the light module slides along a longitudinal axis between a first longitudinal position within the mount and a second longitudinal position offset from the first longitudinal position” (emphasis added).
Although lighted headgears are known, as evidenced by the Prior Art already of record, no Prior Art was found teaching individually, or suggesting in combination, all the features of Applicant’s invention, in particular the above limitations in combination with the remaining features of the claim, and there would be no motivation, absent the Applicant’s own disclosure, to modify the references in the manner distinctly and specifically called for in the combination as claimed in Claim 3.
Regarding claim 23, the Prior Art taken as a whole fails to specifically disclose or suggest, in combination, “The removable light mounting system of claim 22 wherein the light module is kept in engagement with the light module mount as the light module slides along a longitudinal axis between a first longitudinal position along the light module mount and a second longitudinal position offset from the first longitudinal position” (emphasis added).
Although removable light mounting systems are known, as evidenced by the Prior Art already of record, no Prior Art was found teaching individually, or suggesting in combination, all the features of Applicant’s invention, in particular the above limitations in combination with the remaining features of the claim, and there would be no motivation, absent the Applicant’s own disclosure, to modify the references in the manner distinctly and specifically called for in the combination as claimed in Claim 23.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Oh (US 2022/0264983), McCaslin et al. (US 9,829,182, hereinafter “McCaslin’182”), McCaslin et al. (US 2012/0182748, hereinafter “McCaslin ‘748”), Lau (US 2010/0289433), and Johnson (US 5,741,060) all disclose lighted headgear and removable light mounting systems for removably mounting a light module to an article, with McCaslin’748 additionally disclosing the light module can be removably mounted to other devices in addition to hats and other headgear.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILLIAM N HARRIS whose telephone number is (571)272-3609. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 8:00AM- 5:00PM EST, Alternate Fridays.
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/WILLIAM N HARRIS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875