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 .
Election/Restrictions
Arguments filed 3/4/2026 are persuasive. The Restriction is withdrawn.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Preliminary Amendment
The preliminary amendment filed 3/12/2025 has been entered.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 3/12/2025 was filed and is being considered by the examiner.
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 11-20 are 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.
In regard to claim 11, line 3, the applicant recites the limitation of “the cooling circuit.” This limitation lacks proper antecedent basis. Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 12-20 are further rejected for depending on claim 11.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11-20 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is an examiner's statement of reasons for allowance:
The prior art taken as a whole does not show nor suggest an installation, comprising a lamp, a circuit for cooling said lamp, at least one electrical connection area of the lamp and at least one sealing device for sealing between said at least one electrical connection area of the lamp, external to said lamp, and the cooling circuit of said lamp, the lamp comprising a tube adapted to enclose a heat source and at least one electrode, adapted to generate said heat source, said at least one electrode being positioned at one end of the tube and connected to said connection area, said cooling circuit comprising a cooling chamber which surrounds said tube of the lamp and wherein a cooling fluid circulates with a cooling fluid pressure, said installation being wherein said at least one sealing device comprises an overpressure chamber positioned between said cooling chamber and said at least one electrical connection area, said at least one sealing device further comprising two seals which are spaced apart from each other by being positioned on either side of said overpressure chamber, at least one of said two seals defining a first sealing wall between the cooling chamber and the overpressure chamber, and the other seal defining a second sealing wall between the overpressure chamber and said at least one electrical connection area, said overpressure chamber comprising a pressurized overpressure fluid, the pressure of the overpressure fluid being higher than said pressure of the cooling fluid present in the cooling chamber as specifically called for the claimed combinations.
The closest prior art, Li (CN 1888525 A), does not include said installation being wherein said at least one sealing device comprises an overpressure chamber positioned between said cooling chamber and said at least one electrical connection area, said at least one sealing device further comprising two seals which are spaced apart from each other by being positioned on either side of said overpressure chamber, at least one of said two seals defining a first sealing wall between the cooling chamber and the overpressure chamber, and the other seal defining a second sealing wall between the overpressure chamber and said at least one electrical connection area, said overpressure chamber comprising a pressurized overpressure fluid, the pressure of the overpressure fluid being higher than said pressure of the cooling fluid present in the cooling chamber as required by the claim and there is no motivation absent the applicant’s own disclosure, to modify the Li reference in the manner required by the claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Peschl (US 2025/0161508 A1) disclose a radiation source.
Lys et al (US 2021/0278072 A1) disclose a fluid cooled LED lamp.
Edwards (US 2021/0229001 A1) disclose a coolant chamber.
Nichols (US 2021/0140618 A1) disclose a cooled light.
Schwarz (US 2019/0387636 A1) disclose a cooled electronic device.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER E DUNAY whose telephone number is (571)270-1222. The examiner can normally be reached 7:00 am - 6:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, James (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.
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/CHRISTOPHER E DUNAY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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