DETAILED ACTION
Response to Amendment
The applicant’s amendment filed 7/30/2026 has been entered.
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(s) 1-7, 15, and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (US 2011/0133652 A1) in view of Boulanger et al (US 2023/0213156 A1).
In regard to claim 1, Chen discloses a luminaire comprising:
an outer housing (10);
a main circuit board (104) mounted inside the outer housing;
a luminaire driver (63) mounted on the main circuit board;
a light source (620) attached to the outer housing from the outside of the outer housing; and
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wherein the light source comprises a first push fit connector portion (623/624) which extends into the outer housing, and the main circuit board comprises a second push fit connector portion (602/603) which engages with the first push fit connector portion, when the main circuit board, outer housing and light source are assembled, thereby to provide an electrical connection between the main circuit board and the light source. (Figure 1 and 6; see at least [0002] onward)
Chen fails to disclose a pluggable connector on the driver.
Boulanger et al teaches a pluggable connector. (Figure 7; see at least [0053])
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to install the driver connector of Boulanger et al into the PCB of Chen in order to simplify the connection of the driver.
In regard to claim 2, Chen discloses that the first push fit connector portion comprises a socket and the second push fit connector portion comprises one or more pins.
Chen fails to disclose the first push fit connector portion comprises one or more pins and the second push fit connector portion comprises a socket.
However, where this is merely a reversal of parts, switching the connection would be at least obvious to try. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to switch the connection parts in Chen in order to attempt to simplify the connection.
In regard to claim 3, Chen discloses the main circuit board is mounted on an internal first face of the outer housing and the light source is attached to an external second face of the outer housing.
In regard to claim 4, the combination of Chen and Boulanger et al fail to disclose a motion sensor. However, motion sensors on light sources is notoriously old and well-known, and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to add a motion sensor to the lamp in order to automatically activate it as needed and to shut it off when it is not needed.
In regard to claim 5, the combination of Chen and Boulanger et al fail to disclose a wireless signal receiver. However, wireless control of light sources are notoriously old and well-known, and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to add a wireless receiver in order to allow the light to be controlled wirelessly, such as by a smart phone.
In regard to claim 6, Chen discloses the outer housing comprises a housing body and a housing cover (601) and wherein the main circuit board is mounted to the housing body.
In regard to claim 7, Chen discloses a road luminaire. (This is broad.)
In regard to claim 15, Chen discloses the main circuit board and the light source, on opposite faces of the outer housing, are vertically aligned.
In regard to claim 16, Chen discloses the push fit connector portion of the main circuit board and the push fit connector portion of the light source are vertically aligned.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 7/30/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The Examiner misspoke in the non-final, but the rejection of Chen (US 2011/0133652 A1) in view of Boulanger et al (US 2023/0213156 A1) still applies. The only element the Examiner takes from Boulanger et al is the pluggable connector. The driver may be integral in Chen, but the courts have established that switching from an integral to separable connection is inherently obvious. Providing the pluggable connector of Boulanger et al onto the driver would be obvious as it would simplify installation and replacement.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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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/CHRISTOPHER E DUNAY/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
