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
Claims 4-12, 17 and 20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on May 27, 2026.
Applicant's election with traverse of Species B (Figures 3-4) in the reply filed on May 27, 2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the grounds that the technical conception of multiple embodiments of the present application is unified, inter alia. This is not found persuasive because while Examiner acknowledges that the technical conception pertaining to the width ratio is generically recited in claim 1, the dependent claims are directed to different species and recite the mutually exclusive characteristics of such species, and Examiner does not find these species to be obvious variants of each other. Moreover, there is an examination and search burden for the various species and dependent claims pertaining to such species. Accordingly, the requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 1-3, 13, 15 and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Engel (US 2008/0266851).
Regarding claim 1, Engle discloses a lamp body assembly, comprising an outer peripheral structure (generally 10; see Fig. 1), an inner peripheral structure (generally 4) and a light transmission member 13, wherein the inner peripheral structure 4 is arranged on an inner periphery of the outer peripheral structure 10, an outer edge space is formed between the inner peripheral structure 4 and the outer peripheral structure 10 (see Fig. 1), a middle space is formed by an inner periphery of the inner peripheral structure 4, a light emergent side of the lamp body assembly comprises an outer edge light emergent area (generally 2) corresponding to the outer edge space, and the light transmission member 13 is arranged between the outer edge space and the outer edge light emergent area; wherein, on an orthographic projection of the light emergent side, a ratio of a width of the outer edge light emergent area 2 to a distance from the outer edge light emergent area 2 to a center of the light emergent side has a value (see Fig. 1); the width of the outer edge light emergent area 2 is a first size or a second size; the first size is a distance between the outer peripheral structure and the inner peripheral structure at an outlet of the outer edge space on the orthographic projection of the light emergent side 2 (see Fig. 1); and the second size is a width of an exposed front light emergent surface of the light transmission member 13 on the orthographic projection of the light emergent side (see at least Figs. 1 and 3 and paras [0033]-[0047]).
As illustrated in at least Fig. 1, the ratio of a width of the outer edge light emergent area 2 to a distance from the outer edge light emergent area 2 to a center of the light emergent side appears to be in the claimed range of 1:100 to 3:10 (see Fig. 1), but it is not specifically taught. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to specify that the ratio be between 1:100 and 3:10 in order to achieve the stated objective of providing a glare-free diffuse light region 2 and a direct light discharge region 1, and since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art (MPEP 2144.05).
Regarding claim 2, Engel discloses the limitations of claim 1, and further discloses wherein the light transmission member 13 comprises a lampshade and the lampshade is arranged at an outlet of the middle space and the outlet of the outer edge space; and the width of the outer edge light emergent area 2 is the first size (see at least Figure 1).
Regarding claim 3, Engel discloses the limitations of claim 2, and further discloses wherein the lamp body assembly comprises a lamp body, wherein the lamp body comprises an outer peripheral wall 10; the lamp body assembly further comprises an anti-glare ring (9 and/or reflector 7 which can be applied to interior of outer peripheral structure 10, see Fig. 1 and para [0035]), and the anti-glare ring 9,7 is connected to an inner side of the outer peripheral wall 10; the outer peripheral structure comprises the outer peripheral wall 10 and the anti-glare ring 9,7, and the outer edge space is located between the inner peripheral structure and the outer peripheral wall; and the first size is a distance between the outer peripheral wall 10 and the inner peripheral structure 4 or a distance between the anti-glare ring and the inner peripheral structure at the outlet of the outer edge space on the orthographic projection of the light emergent side (see at least Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 13, Engel discloses the limitations of claim 1, and further discloses wherein on the orthographic projection of the light emergent side, the outer edge light emergent area 2 is an annular, an arc-shaped or a discontinuous annular (see at least Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 15, Engel discloses the limitations of claim 1, and further discloses wherein the inner peripheral structure 4 is a light reflecting cup, a lamp cup, a light shielding cover or an annular component (see at least Fig. 1 and para [0034]).
Regarding claim 18, Engel discloses the limitations of claim 1, and further discloses wherein the outlet is formed between a bottom of the inner peripheral wall and the outer peripheral wall (see at least Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 19, Engel discloses the limitations of claim 3, and further discloses wherein the lampshade 13 is of a semi-light transmission structure and/or the lampshade is fixedly mounted at a bottom of the outer peripheral wall, and the lampshade blocks an opening of the middle space and also blocks the outlet of the outer edge space (see at least Fig. 1 and para [0036]).
Claims 14 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Engel (US 2008/0266851) in view of Shima et al (US 2020/0332981).
Regarding claim 14, Engel discloses the limitations of claim 1, and the lamp body (generally 7,10) assembly comprises a lamp body, wherein the lamp body comprises a top wall 7 and an outer peripheral wall 10, and the outer peripheral wall comprises the outer peripheral structure (see at least Fig. 1), but Engel does not specifically teach a circuit board fixed on a lower side of the top wall 7, a first light source and a second light source fixedly connected to the circuit board and coplanar. However, providing circuit boards with coplanar first and second light sources are common in the art and taught in Shima (see Shima, at least Figures 1 and 9A). Accordingly it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to replace the lamp 6 in Engel with a circuit board having coplanar first and second light sources as taught Shima by in order to provide an efficient, bright and long-lasting illumination source.
Regarding claim 16, Engel discloses a lamp comprising a lamp body (generally 7,10) and a light source 6, wherein the lamp body assembly according to claim 1 is used at the lamp body assembly, the light source 6 is arranged in the middle space of the lamp body assembly (see at least Fig. 1), but does not specifically another light source arranged in the outer edge space of the lamp body assembly. However, providing first and second light sources at outer edge spaces and middle spaces of lamp body assemblies is common in the art and taught in Shima (see Shima, at least Figures 1 and 9A). Accordingly it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to provide another light source in the outer edge space of the lamp body in Engel as taught Shima by in order to provide an efficient, bright and long-lasting illumination source.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Zullim et al US 2007/0285921 (Lighting with customizable color accents)
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SEAN P GRAMLING whose telephone number is (571)272-9082. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30am-5pm EST.
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, Abdulmajeed Aziz can be reached at (571) 270-5046. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SEAN P GRAMLING/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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