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 .
Preliminary Amendment
The applicant’s preliminary amendment filed 3/18/2025 has been entered.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species D in the reply filed on 3/3/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 3-9, 17, and 18 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 3/3/2026.
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 3/18/2025 and 2/26/2026 were filed and are being 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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 2, and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Matuschek et al (US 2024/0401769 A1).
In regard to claim 1, Matuschek et al disclose an inflatable cylindrical light, comprising:
a light body, provided with a sealed inflatable cavity inside, wherein the light body is provided with an inflation opening in communication with the inflatable cavity, and the light body comprises a soft light cloth (12) and an opaque base cloth (11); and
a Light Emitting Diode (LED) light source (18), provided inside the light body;
wherein a light-emitting surface of the LED light source faces the soft light cloth, and the light emitted by the LED light source is emitted from the soft light cloth through the inflatable cavity. (Figure 5; see at least [0023] onward)
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In regard to claim 2, Matuschek et al disclose the base cloth and the soft light cloth are connected to enclose a cylindrical structure with openings at two ends and a hollow interior; wherein the light body further comprises two side cloths, respectively provided at the openings at two ends of the cylindrical structure to enclose the inflatable cavity of the light body.
In regard to claim 10, Matuschek et al disclose an air nozzle (15), provided at the inflation opening to open or close the inflation opening.
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) 11-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matuschek et al (US 2024/0401769 A1).
In regard to claim 11, Matuschek et al disclose a light-transmitting sheet (17);
wherein the light-transmitting sheet and the soft light cloth are connected to form the inflatable cavity;
the light-transmitting sheet corresponds to a light-transmitting region of the light body, and the soft light cloth corresponds to a soft light region of the light body; and
the LED light source is a light bead (LED panel—these contain LED beads) provided on the base cloth;
wherein the inflatable cylindrical light further comprises a transition connector (14).
Matuschek et al fail to disclose a surface of the base cloth is detachably provided on a surface of the light-transmitting sheet through the transition connector.
However, Velcro straps are already taught, and further, the courts have held that if it were considered desirable for any reason to form a device in the prior art in separable pieces, it would be obvious to make the device separable for that purpose. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to provide separable pieces attachable by Velcro in order to provide for a separable device.
In regard to claim 12, Matuschek et al disclose a plurality of light beads (not depicted but a part of LED panel 18) are provided on the base cloth (11); and the base cloth covers the light-transmitting region of the light body through the transition connector (14). (Figure 5; see at least [0030])
In regard to claim 13, Matuschek et al disclose the transition connector (14) is a Velcro provided on an outer surface of the light body; and the base cloth of the LED light source is adhered to an outer surface of the light body through the Velcro. (See [0024])
In regard to claim 14, Matuschek et al disclose the light body further comprises two side cloths (region surrounding 15—integral to body), respectively provided at two ends of an overall structure formed by connecting the light-transmitting sheet and the soft light cloth. (See Figure 1)
In regard to claim 15, Matuschek et al fail to disclose a plurality of LED light sources are provided, and each LED light source is detachably provided on the light body through its own base cloth and the transition connector. However, this a mere duplication of parts/separable parts situation. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to provide plural light sources in order to make the device more modular.
In regard to claim 16, Matuschek et al disclose an air nozzle (15), provided at the inflation opening to open or close the inflation opening; wherein the inflatable cylindrical light further comprises an annular rubber pad, provided on an inner surface of the light body and surrounding the air nozzle.
Where the rubber pad is argued, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to provide a rubber pad surrounding the nozzle in order to plastic weld it to the fabric.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Zeng (US 2026/0022814 A1) disclose a tube light.
Karle (US 2025/0258422 A1) disclose a book-light.
Zeng (US 2025/0224093 A1) disclose an air bag light.
Chen (US 11,555,595 B1) disclose an inflatable light.
Ho et al (US 2021/0011356 A1) disclose an inflatable soft box.
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
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