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 Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to Claims 1-20 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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ishii (JP2004055160A).
With regards to Claim 1, Ishii discloses a holding device configured for holding a light source [note Figures 1-18: (1)], the holding device including:
A first holding element [(2) or (3)] configured for holding therein a first end of the light source; and
A second holding element [(3) or (2)] configured for holding therein a second end of the light source opposite the first end [note Figures 1-8], the second holding element including:
A movable component [e.g., (11) or (14)] configured for receiving the second end of the light source; and
A spring mechanism [e.g., (13) or (17)] configured to apply a spring force to the movable component so that the light source is clampable between the first holding element and the second holding element.
With regards to Claim 2, Ishii discloses the movable component including a positioning element [(11) or (14)] configured for positioning a count-positioning element of the light source [e.g., note the edges of (1)].
With regards to Claim 3, Ishii discloses the second holding element further including a housing [e.g., (16) or (12)] configured for receiving the movable component and the spring mechanism [note Figures 1-8].
With regards to Claim 4, Ishi discloses, in being configured for holding the first end of the light source, the first holding element [(2) or (3)] is configured to receive the first end of the light source in a form-fitting manner [note Figures 1-8].
With regards to Claim 5, Ishii discloses the first holding element (2) includes at least one electrical contact element (13) configured for providing an electrical contact with the light source [note Figures 1-8].
With regards to Claim 6, Ishii discloses the second holding element (2) is pivotably mounted so that the second end of the light source is insertable into the holding device with a simultaneous pivoting movement of the second holding element [note Figures 1-8].
With regards to Claim 7, Ishii discloses a light source [e.g., (1)] configured to be held by the holding device.
With regards to Claim 8, Ishii discloses a lighting device including the holding device [note Figure 1].
With regards to Claim 9, Ishii discloses a method including:
Providing the holding device [note Figures 2-3];
Inserting the first end of the light source into the first holding element [(2) or (3)];
Moving the movable component [e.g., (11) or (14)] against the spring force of the spring mechanism [e.g., (13) or (17)];
Positioning the second end of the light source in the second holding element [(3) or (2)]; and
Releasing the movable component [note Figures 1-8].
With regards to Claim 10, Ishii discloses positioning the second end of the light source in the second holding element [(3) or (2)] includes: positioning a counter-positioning element of the light source [note edges of (1)] to a positioning element of the second holding element [note (3) or (2)] [note Figures 1-8].
With regards to Claim 11, Ishii discloses in being configured for receiving the second end of the light source (1), the movable component [e.g., (11) or (14)] is configured to have the second end inserted therein [note Figures 1-8].
With regards to Claim 12, Ishii discloses a slider [e.g., (14, 17)] operatively connected to the movable component and configured such that displacement of the slider causes displacement of the movable component against the spring force [note Figures 4-8].
With regards to Claim 13, Ishii discloses the first end of the light source includes a first end of a carrier board (1); and the second end of the light source includes a second end of the carrier board (1) [note Figures 1-3].
With regards to Claim 14, Ishii discloses the carrier board (1) includes a circuit board; and the light source further includes at least one light-emitting diode (LED) (8) populated on the circuit board [note Figures 1-3].
With regards to Claim 15, Ishii discloses the first holding element [e.g., (2) or (3)] and the second holding element [e.g., (3) or (2)] are affixed to a carrier element [e.g., (27)] external to the holding device [note Figures 1-3].
With regards to Claim 16, Ishii discloses the first holding element [e.g., (2) or (3)] being devoid of any spring mechanism like that of the second holding element [note Figures 1-3: e.g., (3) or (2)].
With regards to Claim 17, Ishii discloses the positioning element [(11) or (14)] includes a protrusion [note Figures 1-3]; and the counter-positioning element includes an indentation configured to physically interface with the protrusion [note indentations (7a, 7b) based on the missing circuit patterns on edges thereof].
With regards to Claim 18, Ishii discloses the second holding element (3) being devoid of any electrical contact element like that of the first holding element (2).
With regards to Claim 19, Ishii discloses a housing [e.g., (27)], wherein the holding device is attached to the housing [note Figures 1-3].
With regards to Claim 20, Ishii discloses a carrier element (4a) attached to the housing [note Figures 1-8], wherein at least one of the first holding element and the second holding element is attached to the carrier element [note Figures 1-8].
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 JASON M HAN whose telephone number is (571)272-2207. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-5PM EST M-F.
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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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April 4, 2026
/Jason M Han/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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