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
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I in the reply filed on 3/9/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 8-14 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Group II, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 3/9/2026.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 3/13/2025, 8/7/2025, and 11/04/2025 were filed and are being considered by the examiner.
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 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 plugged to the luminaire driver and to the main circuit board, for making an electrical connection between the luminaire driver and the main circuit board. (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.)
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Wang (US 2026/0081378 A1) disclose a connector socket.
Chickanosky et al (US 2026/0071737 A1) disclose a luminaire.
Clark et al (US 2021/0222864 A1) disclose an LED lighting assembly.
Lauck et al (US 2020/0232613 A1) disclose an assembly.
Stuby, Jr et al (US 2019/0350065 A1) disclose a sensor element.
Stolte et al (US 2019/0041026 A1) disclose a luminaire.
Cartmill et al (US 2018/0238505 A1) disclose a light engine.
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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