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 1/29/2026 has been entered.
The objections over the Specification as presented in the Office Action mailed 10/29/2025 have been withdrawn based on the amendment filed 1/29/2026, with the understanding that the applicant will correct any errors of which the applicant may become aware in the Specification.
The rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) presented in the Office Action mailed 10/29/2025 have been withdrawn based on the amendment filed 1/29/2026.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 2, 4-5, and 7-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Son (KR 20220085662; please see attached translation for reference to pages).
With regards to Claim 1, Son discloses a vehicle lamp comprising: a plurality of light-emitting elements [211,212] (see top of page 5 and Figures 8 and 9); a lens [230] that transmits light emitted from each of the plurality of light-emitting elements [211,212]; and a housing (comprising the housing formed by portion [220], see Figures 8 and 16) that has an opening passes through the light that has transmitted through the lens [230] (see middle of page 5 and Figures 16 and 18); wherein the plurality of light-emitting elements [211,212] include at least one first light-emitting element [212] disposed on a left end side when mounted on a vehicle (see top half of page 5 and Figures 8 and 9; at least one light-emitting element [212] is disposed on a left end side), at least one second light-emitting element [212] disposed on a right end side when mounted on the vehicle (see top half of page 5 and Figures 8 and 9; at least one light-emitting element [212] is disposed on a right end side), and one or more third light-emitting element [211a] disposed between a first light-emitting element of the at least one first light-emitting element, and a second light-emitting element of the at least one second light-emitting element (see top half of page 5 and Figures 8 and 9) wherein a first light emitted from the first light-emitting element [212] and transmitted through the lens [230] passes through the housing [220] so as to spread biasedly in a rightward direction with respect to a front-rear direction when mounted on the vehicle (see bottom of page 7 and top of page 8 and Figure 18); wherein a second light emitted from the second light-emitting element [212] and transmitted through the lens [230] passes through the housing [220] so as to spread biasedly in a leftward direction with respect to the front-rear direction when mounted on the vehicle (see bottom of page 7 and top of page 8 and Figure 18), wherein the light emitted from the plurality of light-emitting elements [211a,212] forms a low beam and a high beam by transmitting through the lens [230] (see ), and wherein, among the plurality of light-emitting elements [211a,212], the light emitted from the first light-emitting element [212] and the second light-emitting element [212] forms at least a part of the low beam by transmitting through the lens [230] (see bottom of page 7 and Figure 18), and wherein, among the plurality of light-emitting elements [211a,212], the light emitted from a third light-emitting element [211a] of the one or more third light-emitting element, forms the high beam by transmitting through the lens [230] (see top of page 7 Figure 16).
With regards to Claim 2, Son discloses the vehicle lamp as discussed above with regards to Claim 1.
Son further discloses the first light has a greater component traveling in the rightward direction than a component, of the first light, traveling in the leftward direction with respect to the front-rear direction when mounted on the vehicle, and wherein the second light has a greater component traveling in the leftward direction than a component, of the second light, traveling in the rightward direction with respect to the front-rear direction when mounted on the vehicle (see Figure 18).
With regards to Claim 4, Son discloses the vehicle lamp as discussed above with regards to Claim 1.
Son further discloses a third light emitted from the third light-emitting element [211a] and transmitted through the lens [230] passes through the housing [220] so as to spread approximately symmetrically with respect to the front-rear direction when mounted on the vehicle (see Figure 16).
With regards to Claim 5, Son discloses the vehicle lamp as discussed above with regards to Claim 4.
Son further discloses the first light and the second light are emitted at wider angle than the third light (see Figures 4, 16, and 18).
With regards to Claim 7, Son discloses the vehicle lamp as discussed above with regards to Claim 1.
Son further discloses the first light includes a light distribution pattern spreading from the center in front of the vehicle to the right side (see Figure 18), and wherein the second light includes a light distribution pattern spreading from the center in front of the vehicle to the left side (see Figure 18).
With regards to Claim 8, Son discloses the vehicle lamp as discussed above with regards to Claim 2.
Son further discloses the first light includes a light distribution pattern spreading from the center in front of the vehicle to the right side (see Figure 18), and wherein the second light includes a light distribution pattern spreading from the center in front of the vehicle to the left side (see Figure 18).
With regards to Claim 9, Son discloses the vehicle lamp as discussed above with regards to Claim 4.
Son further discloses the first light includes a light distribution pattern spreading from the center in front of the vehicle to the right side (see Figure 18), and wherein the second light includes a light distribution pattern spreading from the center in front of the vehicle to the left side (see Figure 18).
With regards to Claim 10, Son discloses the vehicle lamp as discussed above with regards to Claim 5.
Son further discloses the first light includes a light distribution pattern spreading from the center in front of the vehicle to the right side (see Figure 18), and wherein the second light includes a light distribution pattern spreading from the center in front of the vehicle to the left side (see Figure 18).
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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
With regards to Claim 3, the prior art fails to disclose or fairly suggest the lens has a light emission surface disposed on a side of the housing closer to the second opening, and emits the first light and the second light from the light emission surface toward the first opening, in combination with the remaining limitations of the claim and the claim from which it depends.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 1 and claims depending therefrom have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. The examiner notes that a new rejection of at least Claim 1 is presented above over Son (KR 20220085662) based on the amended scope of Claim 1.
Prior Art Referral
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. In addition to the prior art discussed in this action, the applicant is directed to form 892, and particularly the references Tatsukawa (US 2015/0138822), which discloses at least a vehicle lamp having a plurality of light-emitting elements, a lens, and a housing, the light-emitting elements disposed at opposite ends in a left/right direction forming a low beam pattern and a light-emitting element disposed between forming a high beam pattern, and Jung (US 2023/0204177), which discloses at least a vehicle lamp having a plurality of light-emitting elements, a lens, and a housing, the light-emitting elements disposed at opposite ends in a left/right direction forming a low beam pattern and a light-emitting element disposed between forming a high beam pattern.
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 ERIN KRYUKOVA whose telephone number is (571)272-3761. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9a.m. - 4p.m.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jong-Suk (James) Lee can be reached at 5712727044. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ERIN KRYUKOVA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875