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 .
Claim Objections
Claim 3 is objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 3, the phrase “extending in a vehicle front-rear direction”, should be changed to -- extending in the vehicle front-rear direction --,
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
(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.
Claims 1-3 and 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yamada (US 4965950 A, hereinafter, “Yamada”).
Regarding claim 1, Yamada teaches a vehicle lighting fixture (mark plate 10, see figures 3-4, and figures 5-16 to show common elements and features to all embodiments), comprising:
a light-emitting body (light sources 13, see fig 3);
an inner lens (light conducting member 14, see fig 3) that emits light from the light-emitting body (13) to at least a front side (upper side of 10, as seen in fig 3) in a vehicle front-rear direction (see FR direction, as annotated in figure 7 below); and
a light-transmitting member (display panel 12, see fig 3) that is disposed at a position away (as seen in fig 3) the inner lens (14) on the front side (upper side of 10, as seen in fig 3), and which is formed with a light-blocking pattern (3) that blocks a portion (portion of light from 13 and 14) of light emitted from the inner lens (14).
Annotated figure 7 of Yamada has been reproduced below:
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Regarding claim 2, Yamada teaches wherein the light-blocking pattern (3) is formed on a surface of the light-transmitting member (12) that faces the inner lens (14).
Regarding claim 3, Yamada teaches wherein the inner lens (14) has a shape extending in a vehicle front-rear direction (FR), and emits light from an end surface (upper surface of 14, as seen in fig 3) disposed to an end portion (upper end of 14, as seen in fig 3) on a front side in the vehicle front-rear direction (FR) and a part of a side surface (see curved part of 14, and closest to 13) extending from the end surface (upper surface of 14) toward a back side (rear surface of 14), the part being connected to the end surface (upper surface of 14).
Regarding claim 5, Yamada teaches wherein the light-transmitting member (12) has the light-blocking pattern (3) disposed on an inner side (inner side of 12, as clearly seen in fig 3) of the inner lens (14) in a front view (see fig 4).
Regarding claim 6, Yamada teaches further comprising a housing (case 11, see fig 3) that accommodates the light-emitting body (13) and the inner lens (14), wherein the light-transmitting member (12) is an outer lens (evident from fig 3) that forms a lamp chamber (as the lamp and inner lens are enclosed between 11 and 12) together with the housing (11).
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, 3-4, 6-8 and 12-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kondo Matsuo (JP 2021180094 A, hereinafter, “Kondo”, cited by the Applicant in IDS filed on 4/2/2025).
Regarding claim 1, Kondo teaches a vehicle lighting fixture (Vehicular light fixture, see figures 1-6), comprising:
a light-emitting body (emblem 32, see fig 5);
an inner lens (inner lens 33, see fig 5) that emits light from the light-emitting body (32) to at least a front side (along the direction of axis, AX in annotated figure below) in a vehicle front-rear direction (direction along Ax); and
a light-transmitting member (convex lens 34, see fig 5) that is disposed at a position away (as seen in fig 5) the inner lens (33) on the front side (as seen in fig 3), and which is formed with a light-blocking pattern (emblem mark 40, see fig 5) that blocks a portion (portion of light from 32) of light emitted from the inner lens (33).
Annotated portion of figure 5 of Kondo has been reproduced below:
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Regarding claim 3, Kondo teaches wherein the inner lens (33) has a shape extending in a vehicle front-rear direction (direction along Ax), and emits light from an end surface (front surface of 33) disposed to an end portion (front end of 33) on a front side in the vehicle front-rear direction (direction along Ax) and a part of a side surface (see side surface of 33 in fig 5) extending from the end surface (front surface of 33) toward a back side (rear surface of 33), the part being connected to the end surface (front surface of 33).
Regarding claim 4, Kondo teaches further comprising an inner panel (inner panel 37, see fig 5) that covers the light-emitting body (32) and a portion of the inner lens (rear portion of 33), wherein the inner lens (33) is provided with a part (see front side surface of 33) of the side surface that emits light protruding from the inner panel (37) toward the front side (side along Ax).
Regarding claim 6, Kondo teaches further comprising a housing (housing 35, see fig 5) that accommodates the light-emitting body (32) and the inner lens (33), wherein the light-transmitting member (34) is an outer lens (evident from fig 5) that forms a lamp chamber (as the lamp and inner lens are enclosed) together with the housing (35).
Regarding claim 7, Kondo teaches further comprising
a light source (light source 12, see fig 5), and
a rod-shaped light-guiding body (first light guide lens 22, see fig 5) having an opposing surface (surfaces of incident faces 22I, see fig 1) that faces the light-emitting body (32), and which guides light from the light source (12) and emits the light from the opposing surface (surfaces of 22I) to the light-emitting body (32),
while also emitting the light from the light source (12) from a side surface (side surface of light guide lenses 22A, 22B, and 22C) toward another optical member (22A, 22B, and 22C) that is different from the light-emitting body (32) before the light is guided to the opposing surface (surfaces of 22I), wherein the light-emitting body (32) emits light due to light emitted from the rod-shaped light-guiding body (22).
Regarding claim 8, Kondo teaches a lighting fixture unit (emblem 32, see figures 1-6) comprising:
an annular light-guiding body (32) formed in an annular shape (as seen in fig 5), which is formed with incident surfaces (at least 32a, 32c) at single locations at positions (see positions, better seen in annotated figure 5 above) on each of a left and right side (see L and R as seen in fig 5 above) and offset above and below a central axis (Ax), and facing toward an outer side (towards 22) in a radial direction (evident from fig 5) in a left-right direction (L and R), and which guides light that enters from the incident surfaces (32i of 32a and 32c) and emits the light on a front side (along Ax) in a vehicle front-rear direction (as shown along the arrow Ax above); and
an inner lens (33) disposed on a front side of the annular light-guiding body (32), which is formed in an annular shape (as seen in fig 5) along a shape of the annular light-guiding body (32), and which emits the light emitted from the annular light-guiding body (32) toward a front side (as shown along the arrow Ax below).
Regarding claim 12, Kondo teaches wherein the annular light-guiding body (12-13) has prisms (steps 20, that are conical, pyramidal, cylindrical or prismatic in shape and splitter 17, see fig 4) that internally reflect light traveling inside toward a front side (front side of the unit).
Regarding claim 13, Kondo teaches wherein the prisms (formed by 20s and 17) are provided along a circumferential direction (as seen in fig 1) of a surface (rear surface of 12-13) of the annular light-guiding body (12-13) on a back side (as clearly seen in fig 4) so as to leave spaces open (see spaces, not labeled but clearly seen in fig 1) in parts where the incident surface (15) are provided.
Regarding claim 14, Kondo teaches wherein the prisms (formed by 20s and 17) are consecutively provided in the circumferential direction (evident from fig 1) of the annular light-guiding body (12-13) in each of an upper part (upper part of 11), which is positioned between the incident surface (15) on each of the left and right side on an upper side (upper left and right sides), a lower part (lower part of 11), which is positioned between the incident surface (15) on each of the left and right side on a lower side (lower left and right sides of 11), a left part, which is positioned between the incident surface (15) on the upper and lower sides on the left side (lower left side of 11), and a right part, which is positioned between the incident surface (15) on the upper and lower sides on the right side (lower right side of 11).
Regarding claim 15, Kondo teaches wherein the prisms (formed by 20s and 17) are formed in a recessed state (see prisms recessed into the back surfaces of 13) from a surface of the annular light- guiding body (rear surface of 13) on a back side to a front side (as seen in fig 4), and a depth (see depths of some 20s) at which the prisms (20s) are provided in the left part and the right part (left and right of 11) is deeper (evident from figure 4) than that at which the prisms (20s) are provided in the upper part and the lower part (upper and lower of 11).
Regarding claim 16, Kondo teaches wherein the prisms (20s and 17) are provided in parts of a surface of the annular light-guiding body (12-13) on a back side (rear side of 11) that is closer to (as seen in fig 1) an outer peripheral side (34).
Regarding claim 17, Kondo teaches wherein the prisms (formed by 20s and 17) have a first prism (17), which internally reflects (to the left and right of 12) light arriving from one side in a circumferential direction (along 12), and a second prism (20s), which internally reflects light arriving from another side (into 13) in a circumferential direction (outwards, and forward, see fig 4).
Regarding claim 18, Kondo teaches wherein the annular light-guiding body (12-13) has an annular concave portion (see concave shape of 12-13) along a circumferential direction (better seen in both fig 2 and fig 1) in a surface on a front side (see front side of 11 as seen in fig 1), and the concave portion (see concave shape of 12-13) has a shape that is curved toward a back side (rear side of 11) in a cross-sectional view (as clearly seen in fig 2) along a plane perpendicular (as figure 2 shows a perpendicular view of figure 1) to the circumferential direction (view of fig 1).
Regarding claim 19, Kondo teaches vehicle lighting fixture (Vehicular lighting fixture, see figures 1-4) comprising:
the lighting fixture unit (32) according to claim 8;
a light source (12); and
a rod-shaped light-guiding body (22) having an end surface (at least 22a and 22d) that faces the incident surface (32a and 32c) of the annular light-guiding body (32) with spacing therebetween (as seen in fig 1), guides light from the light source (12) and emits the light from the end surface toward the incident surface (32a, 32c) of the annular light-guiding body (32), and which emits light from the light source (12) toward a front side toward another unit (24, 34) that is different from the lighting fixture unit (32) before the light is guided to the end surface (front surface of 32).
Regarding claim 20, Kondo teaches wherein the annular light-guiding body (32) is accommodated in a storage portion (formed in 35) that surrounds an outer peripheral side (periphery of 32), and the storage portion has a cover portion (38) that surrounds a side direction (sides of 32) of a part between the incident surface (32a, 32c) of the annular light-guiding body (32) and the end surface (22a, 22c) of the rod-shaped light-guiding body (22).
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.
Claims 8-10 and 12-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mochizuki et al. (JP 2019003864 A, hereinafter, “Mochizuki”) in view of Amano Yasuyuki. (JP 2007123175 A, hereinafter, “Amano”).
Regarding claim 8, Mochizuki teaches a lighting fixture unit (light guide device 11, see figures 1-4) comprising:
an annular light-guiding body (rod-shaped light guide 12 and plate-like light guide 13, see fig 1) formed in an annular shape (as seen in fig 1), which is formed with incident surface (incident surface 15, see fig 4) at single location (at a lower end of 11) at positions (lower part of 11) and offset (as seen in fig 1) below a central axis (axis of the device, also labeled Ax in annotated figure 2 below), and facing toward an outer side (as 15 faces out of 11) in a radial direction (as seen in fig 3), and
which guides light that enters from the incident surface (15) and emits the light on a front side (see front side of 11, as seen in fig 4) in a vehicle front-rear direction (since the unit is a daylight running lamp designed to emit light forward and along the axis Ax); and
an inner lens (translucent cover 4, see fig 2) disposed on a front side (front side of 11) of the annular light-guiding body (12-13), which is formed in an annular shape (as seen in fig 4) along a shape (see shape of 11) of the annular light-guiding body (12-13), and which emits the light emitted from the annular light-guiding body (12-13) toward a front side (front side of the unit).
Annotated figure 2 of Mochizuki has been reproduced below:
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Mochizuki does not explicitly teach the incident surface comprises incident surfaces at single locations at positions on each of a left and right side and offset above and below the central axis, and facing toward an outer side in a radial direction in a left-right direction.
Amano teaches a lighting fixture unit (light guide member 24, see figures 1-4) having an annular light-guiding body (see shape of 24, better seen in fig 1) and including an incident surface (spherical concave surfaces 24Aa);
the incident surface (24Aa) comprises incident surfaces (see plural 24Aa) at single locations (see multiple locations of 24Aa) at positions on each of a left and right side (left and right sides of 24) and offset above and below (as seen in fig 6) the central axis (Ax), and facing toward an outer side (outside 24) in a radial direction in a left-right direction (as clearly seen in fig 6),
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filled date of the claimed invention to incorporate multiple incident surfaces as taught by Amano into the teachings of Mochizuki in order to provide light from additional light sources. One of ordinary skill would have been motivated to make this modification to provide a more even illumination output.
Regarding claim 9, Mochizuki teaches wherein the annular light-guiding body (12-13) has an upper guide portion (upper part of 12) that upwardly guides (due to interaction with steps 20, see fig 1 and 4) light entering from the incident surface (15) on an upper side (upper side of 11) with respect to the central axis (Ax), and a lower guide portion (lower part of 12) that downwardly guides light entering from the incident surface (15) on a lower side (lower side of 11) with respect to the central axis (Ax).
Regarding claim 10, Mochizuki teaches further comprising a holding portion (lamp body 2, see fig 2) that holds the annular light-guiding body (12-13) and the inner lens (4) with spacing (as seen in fig 2) in a vehicle front-rear direction (along Ax).
Regarding claim 12, Mochizuki teaches wherein the annular light-guiding body (12-13) has prisms (steps 20, that are conical, pyramidal, cylindrical or prismatic in shape and splitter 17, see fig 4) that internally reflect light traveling inside toward a front side (front side of the unit).
Regarding claim 13, Mochizuki teaches wherein the prisms (formed by 20s and 17) are provided along a circumferential direction (as seen in fig 1) of a surface (rear surface of 12-13) of the annular light-guiding body (12-13) on a back side (as clearly seen in fig 4) so as to leave spaces open (see spaces, not labeled but clearly seen in fig 1) in parts where the incident surface (15) are provided.
Regarding claim 14, Mochizuki teaches wherein the prisms (formed by 20s and 17) are consecutively provided in the circumferential direction (evident from fig 1) of the annular light-guiding body (12-13) in each of an upper part (upper part of 11), which is positioned between the incident surface (15) on each of the left and right side on an upper side (upper left and right sides), a lower part (lower part of 11), which is positioned between the incident surface (15) on each of the left and right side on a lower side (lower left and right sides of 11), a left part, which is positioned between the incident surface (15) on the upper and lower sides on the left side (lower left side of 11), and a right part, which is positioned between the incident surface (15) on the upper and lower sides on the right side (lower right side of 11).
Regarding claim 15, Mochizuki teaches wherein the prisms (formed by 20s and 17) are formed in a recessed state (see prisms recessed into the back surfaces of 13) from a surface of the annular light- guiding body (rear surface of 13) on a back side to a front side (as seen in fig 4), and a depth (see depths of some 20s) at which the prisms (20s) are provided in the left part and the right part (left and right of 11) is deeper (evident from figure 4) than that at which the prisms (20s) are provided in the upper part and the lower part (upper and lower of 11).
Regarding claim 16, Mochizuki teaches wherein the prisms (20s and 17) are provided in parts of a surface of the annular light-guiding body (12-13) on a back side (rear side of 11) that is closer to (as seen in fig 1) an outer peripheral side (12).
Regarding claim 17, Mochizuki teaches wherein the prisms (formed by 20s and 17) have a first prism (17), which internally reflects (to the left and right of 12) light arriving from one side in a circumferential direction (along 12), and a second prism (20s), which internally reflects light arriving from another side (into 13) in a circumferential direction (outwards, and forward, see fig 4).
Regarding claim 18, Mochizuki teaches wherein the annular light-guiding body (12-13) has an annular concave portion (see concave shape of 12-13) along a circumferential direction (better seen in both fig 2 and fig 1) in a surface on a front side (see front side of 11 as seen in fig 1), and the concave portion (see concave shape of 12-13) has a shape that is curved toward a back side (rear side of 11) in a cross-sectional view (as clearly seen in fig 2) along a plane perpendicular (as figure 2 shows a perpendicular view of figure 1) to the circumferential direction (view of fig 1).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding claim 11, although Kondo and Mochizuki teach the lighting fixture, as described in claim 8 above, the prior art the prior art of the record fails to teach further comprising a light-blocking portion disposed from an inner peripheral portion of the annular light-guiding body to an inner peripheral portion of the inner lens.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Tamaki Makoto. (US 20060171137 A1) discloses lighting fixture having an annular light guiding body having a plurality of entry points, and light sources into the annular light guiding body. The configuration of inner and outer periphery of the light guiding unit generates ring-shaped light of uniform luminance, thus emitting light of high luminance with free of bright line in addition to the uniformity of luminance.
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/OMAR ROJAS CADIMA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875