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 .
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 1-3 and 7-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wilcox et al. US 8783913 (“Wilcox”).
Re 1: Wilcox teaches (Figs. 1-11; col. 3 ll 58-67)
a light module 11+17/50 (Figs. 1-11: light module includes the LED illuminator 11 and reflector cup 50 or illuminator cover depending on the embodiment; col. 3 ll 58-67) configured to generate light for delivery through an opening (Figs. 1-11: see, 40, the lens through which light is emitted) to an underlying plant (note: the light module is configured to generate light to anything, including a plant);
a power module 15 electrically coupled with the light module and configured to facilitate powering of the light module, the power module 15 comprising at least one heat generating semiconductor component (Figs. 4 and 8; col. 4 ll 19-21: teaching heat is generated by components that fill the box denote by 15 and dissipated through the housing and heat sink);
a heat sink 26 associated with the power module for dissipating heat therefrom (col. 4 ll 6-8; Figs. 1-11), the heat sink comprising a front wall and a rear wall (Figs. 1-11: for instance in Figures 1-4 the heat sink comprises four walls: a front, rear, left, and right wall), wherein:
the opening is disposed beneath the light module and resides in a first imaginary plane such that the light generated by the light module projects through the first imaginary plane (Figs. 1-11: first imaginary plane is below the lens 40 and allows light to pass therethrough);
a second imaginary plane that is parallel to the first imaginary plane is disposed above the light module (Figs. 3-4, 7-8, and 11: secondary imaginary plane is just above the light module);
the second imaginary plane intersects each of the front wall and the rear wall (Figs. 3-4, 7-8, and 11); and
the at least one heat generating semiconductor component is thermally coupled with the rear wall at a location that is above the second imaginary plane such that the light module and the at least one heat generating semiconductor component is disposed entirely on opposite sides of the second imaginary plane (Figs. 3, 7:).
Re 2: further comprising a bracket 30 and wherein the heat sink is coupled with the light module via the bracket (Figs. 3-4, 7-8, and 11).
Re 3: wherein the light module and the heat sink are spaced from each other along the second imaginary plane (Figs. 3-4, 7-8, and 11).
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Fig. A (Wilcox’s Figure 2 annotated by Examiner for clarity of the record)
Re 7: Wilcox teaches (Figs. 1-11; col. 3 ll 58-67)
a light module 11+17 (Fig. A; Figs. 1-4: light module includes the LED illuminator 11 and reflector cup 50 or illuminator cover depending on the embodiment; col. 3 ll 58-67) configured to generate light for delivery through an opening (Figs. 1-4: see, 40, the lens through which light is emitted) to an underlying plant (note: the light module is configured to generate light to anything, including a plant);
a heat sink 26 comprising (Fig. A):
a rear wall R;
a front wall F that is more proximate to the light module than the rear wall (note: both walls are slanted, so the portion that is slanted closest to the light module is more proximate the light module than the portion of the rear wall slanted furthest from the light module); and
a plurality of upper fins and lower fins extending from the front wall to facilitate cooling thereof (Fig. A: the upper and lower axis extends parallel to the centerline); and
a power module 15 electrically coupled with the light module and configured to facilitate powering of the light module, the power module 15 comprising at least one heat generating semiconductor component (Figs. 4 and 8; col. 4 ll 19-21: teaching heat is generated by components that fill the box denote by 15 and dissipated through the housing and heat sink), wherein:
the heat sink defines a centerline CL that extends between the front wall and the rear wall (Fig. A: the center line is right in-between the front and rear walls, running parallel);
the plurality of upper fins and the plurality of lower fins are disposed on opposite sides of the centerline (Fig. A: upper and lower fins are on opposite sides/ends of CL, i.e. upper and lower quadrants, with the gold line showing the delineation);
the front wall at the plurality of upper fins is angled towards the rear wall relative to the centerline by a first acute angle (Fig. A: angle is at most 45° with the CL); and
the front wall at the plurality of lower fins is angled towards the rear wall relative to the centerline by a second acute angle (Fig. A: id.).
Re 8: wherein the first acute angle and the second acute angle are less than sixty degrees (Figs. 1-4: the angles are shown as at most 45°; Fig. A).
Re 9: wherein:
the opening is disposed beneath the light module and resides in a first imaginary plane such that the light generated by the light module projects through the first imaginary plane (Figs. 1-11: first imaginary plane is below the lens 40 and allows light to pass therethrough);
a second imaginary plane that is parallel to the first imaginary plane is disposed above the light module (Figs. 3-4, 7-8, and 11: secondary imaginary plane is just above the light module);
the second imaginary plane intersects each of the front wall and the rear wall (Figs. 3-4, 7-8, and 11); and
the at least one heat generating semiconductor component is thermally coupled with the rear wall at a location that is above the second imaginary plane such that the light module and the at least one heat generating semiconductor component is disposed entirely on opposite sides of the second imaginary plane (Figs. 3, 7:).
Re 10: wherein the light module and the heat sink are spaced from each other along the second imaginary plane (Figs. 3-4, 7-8, and 11).
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 4-5 and 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wilcox in view of Jiang et al. US 20200318825 (“Jiang”).
Re 4 and 11: Wilcox does not explicitly teach wherein the at least one heat generating semiconductor component comprises a plurality of MOSFETs.
Jiang teaches wherein the at least one heat generating semiconductor component comprises a plurality of MOSFETs (¶¶383, 447, 451).
MOSFETs are used for a wide variety of reasons in lighting devices. They are extremely efficient while having low conduction loss in LED drivers. Also, they provide flicker-free diming with minimal noise or visible flicker.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Wilcox with Jiang’s teachings in order to have an efficient power component in the LED power module.
Re 5 and 12: wherein all of the at least one heat generating semiconductor components present on the power module and thermally coupled with the rear wall are disposed at a location that is above the second imaginary plane (Fig. 3).
Claims 6 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wilcox in view of Vangal US 11211540 (“Vangal”).
Re 6 and 13: Wilcox does not explicitly teach wherein the at least one heat generating semiconductor component is thermally coupled with the rear wall via thermally conductive paste.
Vangal teaches/discloses (col. 4 ll 3-9): wherein the at least one heat generating semiconductor component is thermally coupled with the rear wall via thermally conductive paste.
Coupling via thermally conductive paste has many benefits. First, it reduces thermal interface resistance, allowing for greater heat dissipation. Second, it compensates for surface irregularities allowing for better contact between components. Lastly, it enables removable assembly without machining, unlike epoxy or graphite pads.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Wilcox in view of Vangal to increase heat dissipation and modularity.
Conclusion
Relevant prior art considered: US 20090310381 teaching an LED streetlight fixture with a plurality of heat sink fins.
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GERALD J. SUFLETA II
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2875
/GERALD J SUFLETA II/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875