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 Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because: lines 6-9 should be indented as they are components of the stand-alone assembly.
Claim 10 is objected to because: the first instance of “the dimmer” should be “a dimmer.”
Claims 10 and 13-15 are objected to because: “the stand-alone assembly” should be “the enclosed stand-alone assembly” for purposes of antecedent basis.
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 13-14 have been 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.
Re 13-14: in claim 13, “further comprising a dimmer coupled to the housing or a closed end of the diffuser” conflicts with parent claim 10 which already defines “a dimmer,” and has been read as “wherein the dimmer is coupled to the housing or a closed end of the diffuser.”
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 1-5, 7-15, and 17-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Smith et al. US 20060262523 (“Smith”).
Smith teaches:
Re 1: A rechargeable luminaire configured for use with a cordless light fixture, comprising (Figs. 1-5; abstract; claim 1):
a housing 14 (Figs. 1-3);
a diffuser 50 configured to diffuse light in a predetermined manner (Fig. 3; ¶27);
wherein the diffuser is coupled to the housing 14 (Fig. 3; ¶27) to form a stand-alone assembly (abstract):
a battery disposed within the stand-alone assembly;
a light source 30b+30a powered by the battery 48 and disposed within the stand-alone assembly (Fig. 3; ¶24), wherein the light source 51 comprises a plurality of LEDs circumferentially surrounding the battery (Figs. 2-3: the LEDs, especially 30b, circumferentially surround the top of the battery).
Re 2: wherein the housing encloses a magnet 12 and/or is formed of a magnetic material 33 (¶29: teaching housing is at least in part formed of a magnetic material 33, which mates to magnet 12).
Re 3: wherein the housing has a substantially cylindrical shape defined by a closed end and an open end opposite the closed end, and wherein the housing is coupled to the diffuser at the open end (Fig. 2: it is substantially cylindrical the housing).
Re 4: further comprising a dimmer carried by the housing, wherein the dimmer reconfigures the stand-alone assembly between a first lighting state associated with a fully lit mode, a second lighting state associated with a partially lit mode, and a third lighting state associated with a fully off mode (¶331).
Re 5: a heat sink 28,20 disposed within the stand-alone assembly and adjacent to the battery and the light source to dissipate heat generated by the light source and the battery (¶27; Figs. 3-4).
Re 7: further comprising a dimmer, wherein the dimmer reconfigures the stand-alone assembly between a plurality of lighting states having different lighting levels (¶33).
Re 8: further comprising a dimmer, wherein the dimmer is coupled to the housing or the diffuser (¶33: all components are at least indirectly coupled to one another).
Re 9: wherein the dimmer is coupled to a closed end of the diffuser (¶33).
Re 10: A light assembly configured for use with a cordless light fixture, comprising: a rechargeable luminaire, comprising:
a housing 14 (Figs. 1-3);
a diffuser 50 configured to diffuse light in a predetermined manner (Fig. 3; ¶27);
wherein the diffuser is coupled to the housing 14 (Fig. 3; ¶27) and the dimmer (¶33) to form a stand-alone assembly (abstract),
a battery 48 disposed within the stand alone-assembly (Figs. 2-4);
a light source 30b+30a powered by the battery 48 and disposed within the stand-alone assembly (Fig. 3; ¶24); and
a magnetic holder 6 adapted to be coupled to the cordless light fixture, wherein the magnetic holder is configured to be magnetically coupled to the housing to releasably couple the rechargeable luminaire to the magnetic holder (¶29: teaching housing is at least in part formed of a magnetic material 33, which mates to magnet 12 that is held by magnetic holder 6),
wherein the light source 51 comprises a plurality of LEDs circumferentially surrounding the battery (Figs. 2-3: the LEDs, especially 30b, circumferentially surround the top of the battery).
Re 11: wherein the housing encloses a magnet 12 and/or is formed of a magnetic material 33 that magnetically interacts with the magnetic holder (Figs. 1-3; ¶29).
Re 12: wherein the housing has a substantially cylindrical shape defined by a closed end and an open end opposite the closed end, and wherein the housing is coupled to the diffuser at the open end (Fig. 2: it is substantially cylindrical the housing).
Re 13: further comprising a dimmer coupled to the housing or a closed end of the diffuser (Figs. 1-4; ¶33: it is at least indirectly coupled to the recited components), wherein the dimmer reconfigures the stand-alone assembly between a plurality of lighting states having different lighting levels (¶33).
Re 14: wherein the dimmer reconfigures the stand-alone assembly between a first lighting state associated with a fully lit mode, a second lighting state associated with a partially lit mode, and a third lighting state associated with a fully off mode (¶33).
Re 15: a heat sink 28,20 disposed within the stand-alone assembly and adjacent to the battery and the light source to dissipate heat generated by the light source and the battery (¶27; Figs. 3-4).
Re 17: wherein the magnetic holder 6 has a substantially cylindrical shape (Figs. 1a-1b: section 8 is cylindrical and forms a majority of the holder) defined by a closed end 10 and an open end (Figs. 1a-1b: the open end is open for coupling and has a magnet 12 thereon) opposite the closed end.
Re 18: A lighting system configured for portable use, comprising (claim 1): a rechargeable luminaire 4 comprising a rechargeable light source 30b configured to emit light (Figs. 1a-5; ¶24: the light sources are rechargeable as they draw power from a rechargeable battery 48); and a cordless light fixture 6 comprising a magnetic holder 12 sized to receive and magnetically retain the rechargeable luminaire (Figs. 1a-1b; ¶29).
Re 19: wherein the rechargeable light source is chargeable in an uncoupled state relative to the cordless light fixture (¶24: 48 are rechargeable AA NiMH batteries which may be recharged outside of the device).
Re 20: wherein the rechargeable luminaire further comprises a housing formed of a magnetic material and/or enclosing a magnet that magnetically interacts with the magnetic holder to releasably couple the rechargeable luminaire to the cordless light fixture (¶29: teaching housing is at least in part formed of a magnetic material 33, which mates to magnet 12).
Re 21: wherein the magnetic holder is formed of a magnetic material and/or encloses a magnet (¶29).
Re 22: wherein the magnetic holder has a substantially cylindrical shape defined by a closed end and an open end opposite the closed end (Figs. 1A-1B), and wherein the rechargeable luminaire engages the closed end of the magnetic holder when the magnetic holder is coupled to the rechargeable luminaire (¶29).
Re 23: wherein the magnetic holder at least partially surrounds the housing when the magnetic holder is coupled to the rechargeable luminaire (Figs. 1a-1b: it partially surrounds the magnetic coupling indentation formed on 4).
Re 24: wherein the rechargeable luminaire further comprises a light source 30a and a battery 48, and wherein the light source comprises a plurality of LEDs circumferentially surrounding the battery (Figs. 2-3: the LEDs, especially 30b, circumferentially surround the top of the battery).
Re 25: wherein the rechargeable luminaire and the magnetic holder are coaxial when the rechargeable luminaire is coupled to the magnetic holder (Figs. 1a-1b).
Re 26: wherein the rechargeable luminaire further comprises a diffuser 50 coupled to the housing (Figs. 1a-1b, and wherein the housing has an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of the diffuser (Figs. 1a-1b).
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 6 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Smith in view of Wan et al. US 20180320829 (“Wan”).
Re 6 and 16: Smith teaches wherein the heat sink 28, 20 circumferentially surrounds the battery (Fig. 3: it at least circumferentially surrounds a top portion of the battery)
Smith does not explicitly teach wherein the heat sink is composed of aluminum and the diffuser is composed of white glass.
Wan teaches (¶30, 36): wherein the heat sink is composed of aluminum and the diffuser is composed of white glass.
Aluminum and white glass are known to be suitable materials for heat sinks and diffusers, as evince by Wan’s teachings. Aluminum is readily available and conducts heat well, whereas white glass creates a diffused appearance to the light and is also readily available.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to modify Smith in view of Wan in order to use readily available materials for components.
Conclusion
Relevant prior art considered: US 20060262523 teaching an outdoor solar disc lamp
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GERALD J. SUFLETA II
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2875
/GERALD J SUFLETA II/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
1 “Various actuating members such as toggle switches or push-and-hold buttons can be employed in combination therewith to effectuate dimmer functions or on-off functions. For example, in some embodiments of the present invention, a single actuating member (e.g., button) is provided that can be used to toggle between control of the wide angle LEDs 30b and narrow angle LEDs 30a and can also be pushed and held to dim or brighten one or more LEDs.”