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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “a pattern” of claim 12 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claim 15 is objected to because of the following informalities: the phase "a lighting device with the lighting device" is not clear. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kindl et al. [U.S. 2020/0391657 A1].
Regarding claim 1, Kindl et al. discloses an optical component [see figure 1], comprising: a light source [a light source 5, figure 1] configured to emit light; a light guide unit [a second light guide 3, figure 1] configured to receive and guide light emitted by the light source [5] and output the light from a light output surface [a visible side 11, see figure 1] of the light guide unit [3], the light guide unit [3] includes at least a first portion [section 361 of a plurality of light guide sections 361, 362, 363, 364 and 365] and a second portion [sections 362], the at least first portion [section 361] and second portion [section 362] being arranged at a certain angle to each other [figure 1]; and a backplate [the structure walls 421, 422, 423, 424, 425, 426, figure 1] configured to provide support for the light guide unit [3] (figure 1).
Claim(s) 1-11, and 14-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by NOH et al. [U.S. 2020/0158309 A1].
Regarding claims 1, 14 and 15, NOH et al. discloses a vehicle [title] with a lighting device having an optical component [see figure 1], comprising: a light source [a second light source 400, figures 3-4] configured to emit light; a light guide unit [a light guide 500, figures 2-4] configured to receive and guide light emitted by the light source [400] and output the light from a light output surface [an exit surface 520] of the light guide unit, the light guide unit includes at least a first portion [upper part of 500 closer to LED 400; or one of a plurality of 500] and a second portion [lower part of 500 having an exit surface 520; or another of a plurality of 500], the at least first portion [upper part of 500 closer to LED 400] and second portion [lower part of 500 having exit surface 520] being arranged at a certain angle to each other [figures 3-5]; and a backplate [a second housing part 100b, figure 2] configured to provide support for the light guide unit [500] (figures 1-5).
Regarding claim 2, NOH et al. discloses the light source [400] is provided at one end of the light guide unit [500] (figures 3-5).
Regarding claim 3, NOH et al. discloses the light guide unit [500] extends substantially [light guide unit's thickness] perpendicular to a main emitting direction [direction of light emitting from LED 400; or direction of light emitting from surface 520].
Regarding claim 4, NOH et al. discloses an angle [figures 4-5 appear to show the angle at side surface 530] between adjacent parts [upper part of 500 closer to LED 400, and lower part of 500 having an exit surface 520] of the light guide unit is obtuse (figures 4-5).
Regarding claim 5, NOH et al. discloses the at least first portion [upper part of 500 closer to LED 400] and second portion [lower part of 500 having an exit surface 520] are integrally formed (figures 3-4).
Regarding claim 6, NOH et al. discloses the at least first portion [upper part of 500 closer to LED 400] and second portion [lower part of 500 having an exit surface 520] of the light guide unit are arranged on one same plane (figures 3-4).
Regarding claim 7, NOH et al. discloses a rib [a blocking part 120] is provided between the at least first portion [one of a plurality of 500] and second portion [another of a plurality of 500] to separate the at least first portion and second portion (figure 2).
Regarding claim 8, NOH et al. discloses the rib [120] is integrally formed with the backplate [100b] (figure 2).
Regarding claim 9, NOH et al. discloses the rib [120] extends along the entire longitudinal direction of the light guide unit [500] (figure 2).
Regarding claim 10, NOH et al. discloses the length of the rib [120] exceeds [see figure 3] an input end [at obtuse angle of the 500, figure 3] of the light guide unit [500] (figures 2-3).
Regarding claim 11, NOH et al. discloses a transparent front plate [a second lens 600b], the transparent front plate being arranged on a light output side of the light guide unit [500] and configured to transmit light from the light output surface (figures 2-3).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over NOH et al. in view of Hanulak et al. [U.S. 2018/0038569 A1].
Regarding claim 12, NOH et al. discloses a transparent front plate [a second lens 600b]. However, NOH et al. does not clearly show the light output surface of the transparent front plate being provided with a pattern.
Hanulak et al. teaches a light output surface of the transparent front plate being provided with a pattern [the transparent optical part 5 and an externally situated surface macrotexture 8] (paragraph [0009] and figures 1-3).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify/combine the transparent front plate of NOH et al. with the pattern as taught by Hanulak et al. for purpose of providing an advantageous way that in a view of the inner chamber towards the output surface through the translucent cover from the outside of the light device, the impression of a spatial effect is produced, which is even visible with the light source being off.
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over NOH et al. [U.S. 2020/0158309 A1].
Regarding claim 13, NOH et al. discloses the light guide unit [500] and the transparent front plate [600b] (see figures 1-4). NOH et al. also discloses a scattering layer [a diffuser 700]; the scattering layer [700] being arranged between a first light source 300 and a first lens 600a (figures 2-4, paragraph 0056).
However, the figures 2-4 do not show the scattering layer [a diffuser 700] being between the light guide unit [500] and the transparent front plate [600b].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify/combine the optical component of NOH et al. to have a scattering layer [700] being between the light guide unit [500] and the transparent front plate [600b] for purpose of providing an advantageous way of improving uniformity of the exiting light and soften the light for the second light source 400 and the second lens 600b.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Sato U.S. 2016/0116666 A1 discloses a plurality of light guiding lens 3 (figure 1).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BAO Q TRUONG whose telephone number is (571)272-2383. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7 am - 3 pm.
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BAO Q. TRUONG
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2875
/BAO Q TRUONG/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875