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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Vasylyev (US 2017/0254518 A1).
PNG
media_image1.png
621
597
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 1, Vasylyev teaches a foldable luminaire (900) comprising:
a body (40) having a thickness and comprising a top side (72) and a bottom side (86) separated by the thickness; a plurality of LED light sources (LEDs 2) arranged to, in operation, emit LED light (see figure 11 and 12 where light is emitting from light sources 2);
a first flexible material layer (20) attached to the bottom side of the body (40) , wherein the first flexible material layer (20) comprises electrical connecting elements (see paragraph [0043] where flexible printed circuit is disclosed) for providing power to the plurality of LED light sources (LEDs 2); and
a plurality of light shaping elements (see paragraph [0172] where plurality of beam-shaping optical elements are disclosed) arranged in the body (40) and configured to at least partially shape or redirect the LED light into luminaire light (see paragraph [0172]);
wherein a plurality of slits (32) is arranged in the body (40), the plurality of slits (32) extending from the top side of the body (40) to the bottom side of the body such that a plurality of body segments (see figures 12-14 where slits make segments withing body 40) with respective lengths (see figure 12 where segments within 40 are different lengths) are formed in the body (40), wherein a slit (32) thereby corresponds to at least one rotational axis in the first flexible material layer (20), wherein each of the plurality of body segments (figure 12-14) comprises a LED light source (LED 2) of the plurality of LED light sources (LEDs 2) and a light shaping element (lenses 80) of the plurality of light shaping elements (see paragraph [0172]);
wherein a rotational axis of the at least one rotational axis extends along a direction corresponding to the direction of its corresponding slit (32), wherein at least one of the plurality of body segments (see figure 12-14) is rotatable about the at least one rotational axis for folding of the foldable luminaire (see figure 13-14 where 900 is foldable), and wherein a first body segment (see figure 12-13) has a first length along the first axis and wherein a third body segment (see figure 12-14) has a third length along the first axis different from the first length (see figure 12 where the segment on the end of 40 is shorter than other segments of body 40).
Regarding claim 2, Vasylyev teaches the foldable luminaire according to claim 1, wherein the body (40) extends along a first axis (see figure 12-14), and wherein the plurality of slits (32) intersects the first axis (see figure 12-14) so that the body segments (see segments between slits 32) are formed extending along at least the first axis, and wherein the first flexible material layer (40) extends, along the first axis, from a first body segment (see figure 12) to a last body segment (see figure 12).
Regarding claim 3, Vasylyev teaches the foldable luminaire according to claim 1, wherein the flexible material layer (20) is formed by two layers, one for flexible folding and the other for providing electrical connection to the LEDs (LEDs 20; see paragraph [0054]).
Regarding claim 4, Vasylyev teaches the foldable luminaire according to claim 1, wherein the light shaping element (lenses 80) is chosen from at least one of a specular reflecting collimator, a diffuse reflective collimator, a total internal reflection collimator, and a collimator lens (see paragraph [0082] where collimating lens is disclosed).
Regarding claim 5, Vasylyev teaches the foldable luminaire according to claim 1, wherein a fourth body segment (see segments in body 40 separated by slits 32 in figure 12, 13 and 14) has a fourth length (see figure 12) along the first axis different from the first length and the third length (see figure 12).
Regarding claim 6, Vasylyev teaches the foldable luminaire according to claim 1, wherein a first body segment (see segments in body 40 separated by slits 32 in figure 12, 13 and 14) has a first length along the first axis and wherein a second body segment (see segments in body 40 separated by slits 32 in figure 12, 13 and 14), arranged adjacent to the first body segment along the first axis, has a second length (see figure 12-14) along the first axis equal to the first length.
Regarding claim 7, Vasylyev teaches the foldable luminaire according to claim 6, wherein a third body segment (see body segments in 40 in figure 12), arranged adjacent to the second body segment along the first axis (see figure 11-14), has a third length (see segments in 40 in figure 12) along the first axis (see figure 12), wherein the third length is less than the first length and the second length (see figures 12-14).
Regarding claim 8, Vasylyev teaches the foldable luminaire according to claim 6, wherein the respective length along the first axis of at least one of every other body segment (see figure 12), starting from a third body segment (see 40 in figure 12) arranged directly after the second body segment along the first axis, is equal to the thickness multiplied by an integer Z, wherein Z starts at one and increases by one for every other body segment (see segments of 40 separated by slits 32 in figure 12)
Regarding claim 9, Vasylyev teaches the foldable luminaire according to claim 6 or 8, wherein the respective length along the first axis of at least one of every other body segment (see segments of body 40 in at least figure 12 separated by silts 32), starting from a fourth body segment (see figure 12 and 13) arranged directly after the third body segment along the first axis (see figure 12), is equal to the first length plus the thickness multiplied by an integer Y, wherein Y starts at zero and increases by one for every other body segment (see figure 12).
Regarding claim 10, Vasylyev teaches the foldable luminaire (900) according to claim 1, wherein the body extends in a square or rectangular shape along a first axis and a second axis (see shape of 900 in at least figures 11 and 12)
Regarding claim 11, Vasylyev teaches the foldable luminaire according to claim 10, further comprising a second flexible material layer (30; flexible diffusing sheet; paragraph [0149] and figure 11) attached at the top side (72) of the body (40).
Regarding claim 12, Vasylyev teaches the foldable luminaire according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of slits (32; figure 12-14) includes two slits formed in the body (40), and wherein a first slit of the two slits (32) is formed along a first middle line of the square or rectangular shape (see figure 12 and 13 where shape is rectangular) along the first axis (see figure 12 and 13) and a second slit of the two slits (32) extends along a second middle line of the square or rectangular shape along the second axis and orthogonal to the first middle line (see figure 12-14).
Regarding claim 13, Vasylyev teaches the foldable luminaire according to claim 12, wherein the first flexible material layer (flexible support substrate 20) is attached at the bottom side of the body (40) such that it at least partially covers the first slit of the two slits (32), and wherein the second flexible material layer (flexible sheet 30) is attached at the top side of the body (40) such that it at least partially covers the second slit of the two slits (see figure 11 and 12)
Regarding claim 14, Vasylyev teaches the foldable luminaire according to claim 1, further comprising a LED strip comprising the plurality of LED light sources (2) and optionally the first flexible material layer (flexible support substrate 20).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Enomoto et al. (US 2009/0009977 A1), Ferrie et al. (US 2013/0182440 A1), Narag et al. (US 2014/0321126 A1), Labas (US 2020/0025343 A1) discloses flexible lighting strips.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JESSICA MCMILLAN APENTENG whose telephone number is (571)272-5510. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:00 am-5:00 pm.
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.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JESSICA M APENTENG/ Examiner, Art Unit 2875
/EVAN P DZIERZYNSKI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
Prosecution Insights