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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 3/11/25, 4/1/25, and 9/16/25 has been considered by the examiner.
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 1-7, and 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Ebner [US 2016/0320025].
As to claim 1, Ebner discloses an elongated optical element [3, see figures 1, 2] for a lighting system having a longitudinal extension [L, figure 1] and a width [this is from left to right in figure 2] as transverse extension being substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal extension [see figures 1, 2], said optical element having a central portion [center of 3, figure 2] having a first edge and a second edge being arranged substantially parallel to each other [42, the two vertical walls which extend vertically on each side of the LED at the LED input surface, extending upwards and downwards through the lens itself] and to said longitudinal extension of said optical element [see figures 1, 2], said optical element further comprising at least a first lightguide arranged at said first edge of said central portion [portion of arm extending to left of leftmost 42, see figure 2], said optical element having a first surface [5] facing at least one light source of said lighting system [see figure 2], and a second surface [6] being opposite to said first surface [see figure 2] wherein said first surface of said first lightguide comprises at least one longitudinal jag being substantially parallel to said longitudinal extension of said optical element [jag is edge between curved portion 5 and horizontal portion in figure 2], wherein said optical element comprises a plurality of first lightguides spaced apart along said first edge of said central portion [see figure 1, note that the optic can be separated into a plurality of segments extending along L which are combined as a single optic, each segment is a lightguide in figure 1].
As to claim 2, Ebner discloses the elongated optical element according to claim 1, wherein said optical element further comprises a second lightguide arranged on said second edge of said central portion [see right arm of 3, to the right of rightmost 42, figure 2].
As to claim 3, Ebner discloses the elongated optical element according to claim 2, wherein said second lightguide comprises a longitudinal jag arranged on said first surface of said second lightguide [this is the same junction as the first jag in claim 1, wherein the curved portion of 5 transitions to a horizontal portion marked as 62 in figure 2].
As to claim 4, Ebner discloses the elongated optical element according to claim 1, wherein said jag is in the form of a groove [see figure 2].
As to claim 5, Ebner discloses the elongated optical element according to claim 1, wherein said jag is formed between a riser portion and a tread portion of a step [the tread is the horizontal portion and the rider is the curved portion of 5, figure 2].
As to claim 6, Ebner discloses the elongated optical element according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal extension of said jag is substantially equal in length to the length of said longitudinal extension of said optical element [see figures 1, 2].
As to claim 7, Ebner discloses the elongated optical element according to claim 1any one of the preceding claims, wherein said optical element comprises at least one lens plate being arranged along said central portion of said optical element [4, figure 2, or alternatively portion of 4 facing LED 1 in figure 2].
As to claim 9, Ebner discloses the elongated optical element according to claim 1 wherein said optical element is a diffuser [see arrows, figure 2].
As to claim 10, Ebner discloses the elongated optical element according to claim 1 wherein the angle between said first and/or said second lightguide and said central portion of said optical element is from 90° to 180° [see figure 2].
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.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ebner in view of Thombre [US 10957829].
As to claim 8, Ebner fails to explicitly disclose wherein said optical element comprises at least one collimator arranged adjacent to said at least one lens plate at said first surface of said optical element in said central portion thereof. Thombre teaches configuring a lens inputs in similar lens bodies which is collimating in effect was well known [see 32, figure 3, which collimates the light emitted by 14]. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to implement the input surface of Thombre with the lens as taught by Ebner, as such a modification could allow for alternative dimensions of the lens unit or alternative illuminative patterns as desired [see Ebner, paragraphs 16, 19, 71, discussing profile of light source and desired forms as well as luminance generated by the light source as desired by a user].
Claims 11-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ebner in view of Yeo [US 2020/03555345] and Kao [US 7470046].
As to claim 11, Ebner discloses an optical element according to claim 1 being arranged downstream from a light source, but fails to explicitly disclose a lighting system comprising: a substrate having a longitudinal extension a first edge and a second edge running substantially parallel to said longitudinal extension and spaced apart in a transverse direction being substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal extension, said substrate having a first width W1 between said first edge and said second edge; at least one printed circuit board arranged on said substrate and comprising at least one light source; said at least one PCB having a second width W2 in a direction being substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal extension of said substrate, an optical element according to claim 1 being arranged downstream from said at least one light source; a cover arranged downstream from said optical element.
Yeo teaches the implementation of a lighting system [see figure 1a] comprising: a substrate [117] having a longitudinal extension a first edge and a second edge running substantially parallel to said longitudinal extension and spaced apart in a transverse direction being substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal extension, said substrate having a first width W1 between said first edge and said second edge [see figure 1a]; at least one printed circuit board [112] arranged on said substrate and comprising at least one light source [108]; said at least one PCB having a second width W2 in a direction being substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal extension of said substrate [see figure 2].
It would have been obvious to implement the light source mounting structure of Yeo with the optical unit as taught by Ebner, in order to provide a mounting surface for the plurality of LEDs which are implemented in the Ebner disclosure [see Ebner, paragraph 16].
Ebner also fails to explicitly disclose a cover arranged downstream from said optical element. Kao teaches putting a cover on an optical system was well known [see 21a, figure 2a]. It would have been obvious to implement the optical cover into the system, in order to provide for downstream optical effects as desired, as well as to protect the optical bodies [see Kao, column 3, lines 14-29, teaching optical film diffuses light as may be desired by a user].
As to claim 12, Ebner teaches wherein the lighting system is a track lighting system [see figure 1, showing a light source providing an elongated track of light].
As to claim 13, Ebner fairly teaches a lighting device comprising a lighting system according to claim 11 [see figures].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Allen [see PTO-892 for references], Benitez, Ebner, Suehiro, Opolka, and Bitner all teach alternative lens bodies which are similar to applicant’s.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRYON GYLLSTROM whose telephone number is (571)270-1498. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30-6.
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, Jong-Suk Lee can be reached at 571-272-7044. 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.
/BRYON T GYLLSTROM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875