DETAILED ACTION
Notice of 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 .
Benefit & Priority
Acknowledgment is made of Applicant’s claim for domestic benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 365 (c) with PCT/EP2023/080165 and claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 (a)-(d) with FR 2211248. The certified copy has been filed with the Office on 04/25/2025. Accordingly, the earliest effective filing date has been recognized as 10/28/2022.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 04/25/2025 was considered by the examiner.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the informalities below.
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed. The following title is suggested: LIGHTING DEVICE INCLUDING SEPARATING MASK FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE.
In ¶ 0057, the specification should refer to Fig 5 when describing part 23 in order to place the disclosure in proper form and reconcile with the drawings more clearly.
In ¶ 0062, the specification should refer to Fig 4 when describing reliefs 26 in order to place the disclosure in proper form and reconcile with the drawings more clearly.
In ¶ 0063, the specification should refer to Fig 4 when connecting walls 27 in order to place the disclosure in proper form and reconcile with the drawings more clearly.
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.
Claims 1 and 7-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Wu (US 20190039505 A1; pre-grant publication of Cite No. 1 under US Patents in the IDS filed on 04/25/2025; described in English Translated copy of ISA Written Opinion of the PCT that was listed as Cite No. 1 under Non-Patent Literature Documents in the IDS filed on 04/25/2025 ).
Re Claim 1:
Wu discloses a lighting device (headlight; shown in at least Figs 1-4; described in at least ¶¶ 0013-0016 as well as below and the following) for an automotive vehicle (vehicle described in at least ¶ 0002; also described as a headlight in ¶ 0013), comprising:
- a first luminous module (described by the following) including a first luminous unit (any light-emitting unit 3) with a first light generator (light emitting member 32) and a first light collector (reflective cover 35) provided with a reflective surface (described as reflective in at least ¶ 0016) capable of reflecting light rays emitted by the first light generator in a first light beam (capable due to at least the configuration shown in Figs 1-4 and description in ¶¶ 0014-0016 as well as the description of light beams in ¶ 0018), and a first optical device (lens 34) capable of projecting the first light beam along an optical axis (for example the dashed line in the exploded view of Fig 3) of the lighting device (Fig 3),
- a second luminous module (described by the following) including a second luminous unit (any other 3) with a second light generator (32), a second light collector (35) provided with a reflective surface (reflective) capable of reflecting light rays emitted by the second light generator in a second light beam (Figs 1-4 and description in ¶¶ 0014-0016 as well as the description of light beams in ¶ 0018), and a second optical device (35) capable of projecting the second light beam along an optical axis of the lighting device (for example the dashed line in the exploded view of Fig 3), and
- a separating mask (mounting seat 2) including a cover element (mounting portion 21) covering the first luminous unit and the second luminous unit (Fig 2), and a separating wall (surrounding wall 211) extending parallel to the optical axis (Fig 2) and configured to block light rays coming from the first light generator (any 3) and oriented toward the second optical device and configured to block light rays coming from the second light generator and oriented toward the first optical device (configuration shown in Figs 2-3; see also the description in ¶ 0016).
Re Claim 7:
The claim depends upon claim 1.
Wu further discloses a third luminous module (described by the following) including a third luminous unit (any second other 3) comprising a third light generator (any second other 32) and a third light collector (any second other 35) provided with a reflective surface (reflective) capable of reflecting light rays emitted by the third light generator in a third light beam (capable due to at least the configuration shown in Figs 1-4 and description in ¶¶ 0014-0016 as well as the description of light beams in ¶ 0018), and a third optical device (any second other 34) capable of projecting the third light beam along the optical axis (for example the dashed line in the exploded view of Fig 3) of the lighting device (Fig 3), the separating mask (28) including a second separating wall (any 211 between the other 3 and the second other 3) extending parallel to the optical axis and configured to block light rays coming from the second light generator and oriented toward the third optical device and/or configured to block light rays coming from the third light generator and oriented toward the second optical device (configuration shown in Figs 2-3; see also the description in ¶ 0016; the Examiner notes that there five luminous modules in Fig 2 with eight separating walls disposed interstitially).
Re Claim 8:
The claim depends upon claim 1.
Wu further discloses wherein first luminous module is configured to perform a high beam lighting function, and the second luminous module is configured to perform a low beam lighting function (described in at least ¶ 0021, specifically including the description of two headlights are respectively disposed at left and right sides of the vehicle, for each of the headlights, two of the light emitting units 3 which are close to a central portion of the vehicle cooperatively form the high beam, and the remaining three of the light emitting units 3 which are distal from the central portion of the vehicle cooperatively form the low beam).
Re Claim 9:
Wu discloses headlamp for an automotive vehicle (vehicle described in at least ¶ 0002; also described as a headlight in ¶ 0013), comprising at least one lighting device (described by the following and below), the at least one lighting device includes
a first luminous module (described by the following) including a first luminous unit (any light-emitting unit 3) with a first light generator (light emitting member 32) and a first light collector (reflective cover 35) provided with a reflective surface (described as reflective in at least ¶ 0016) capable of reflecting light rays emitted by the first light generator in a first light beam (capable due to at least the configuration shown in Figs 1-4 and description in ¶¶ 0014-0016 as well as the description of light beams in ¶ 0018), and a first optical device (lens 34) capable of projecting the first light beam along an optical axis (for example the dashed line in the exploded view of Fig 3) of the lighting device (Fig 3),
a second luminous module (described by the following) including a second luminous unit (any other 3) with a second light generator (32), a second light collector (35) provided with a reflective surface (reflective) capable of reflecting light rays emitted by the second light generator in a second light beam (Figs 1-4 and description in ¶¶ 0014-0016 as well as the description of light beams in ¶ 0018), and a second optical device (35) capable of projecting the second light beam along an optical axis of the lighting device (for example the dashed line in the exploded view of Fig 3), and
a separating mask (mounting seat 2) including a cover element (mounting portion 21) covering the first luminous unit and the second luminous unit (Fig 2), and a separating wall (surrounding wall 211) extending parallel to the optical axis (Fig 2) and configured to block light rays coming from the first light generator (any 3) and oriented toward the second optical device and configured to block light rays coming from the second light generator and oriented toward the first optical device (configuration shown in Figs 2-3; see also the description in ¶ 0016).
Re Claim 10:
The claim depends upon claim 9.
Wu further discloses a housing (shell unit 1; Fig 1) closed by a transparent outer lens (transparent light output cover 12), the lighting device (1) being accommodated inside the housing (Fig transposed with Fig 2), the cover element (1) covering the first luminous unit and the second luminous unit so that they are not visible through the outer lens (Fig 1 transposed with Fig 2).
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 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu in view of Blandin et al. (FR 2979970 A1; English machine translation provided and referred to as “Blandin”).
The claim depends upon claim 1.
Wu further discloses the first optical device includes a lens surface (surface of the selected 34) configured to project the light beam coming from the first light collector (the selected 35) along the optical axis of the lighting device (Figs 2-3 and ¶¶ 0013-0016), and in that the second optical device includes a lens surface (surface of the other 34) configured to project the light beam coming from the second light collector (surface of the other 34) along the optical axis of the lighting device (Figs 2-3 and ¶¶ 0013-0016).
Wu does not disclose the first optical device includes a reflective surface configured to reflect the light beam coming from the first light collector along the optical axis of the lighting device, and/or in that the second optical device includes a reflective surface configured to reflect the light beam coming from the second light collector along the optical axis of the lighting device.
Blandin teaches a first optical device (any reflector 71; Fig 12) includes a reflective surface (surface of 71 facing the respective collector 61) configured to reflect the light beam coming from a first light collector (61) along the optical axis of the lighting device (Fig 12; bottom of Page 42 – top of Page 43), and in that the second optical device (any other 71) includes a reflective surface (surface of 71 facing the respective collector 61; Fig 12) configured to reflect the light beam coming from the second light collector (61) along the optical axis of the lighting device (Fig 12; bottom of Page 42 – top of Page 43).
Blanding also teaches a first optical device (lens 55; Fig 14) includes a lens surface (surface of 55) configured to project the light beam coming from the first light collector (collector 53) along the optical axis of the lighting device (Fig 14; second paragraph of Page 43).
Therefore, Blandin teaches equivalent structures (reflective surface and lens surface) for the configuration of at least the first optical device for the purpose of propagating light. Further, art recognized equivalence for the same purpose is prima facie obvious. MPEP § 2144.06. Accordingly, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have recognized Wu as at least suggesting an equivalent first optical device to the claimed optical device for the purpose of propagating light.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-6 and 11 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.
Below is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter.
Re Claims 3 and 11:
The closest prior art (Wu) neither discloses, teaches, suggests, nor renders obvious the combined structure and functionality of the separating wall as set forth in the claims.
Re Claim 4:
The closest prior art (Wu) neither discloses, teaches, suggests, nor renders obvious the combined structure and functionality of the connecting wall as set forth in the claim.
Re Claim 5:
The closest prior art (Wu) neither discloses, teaches, suggests, nor renders obvious the combined structure and functionality of the interposed wall as set forth in the claim.
Re Claim 6:
The closest prior art (Wu) neither discloses, teaches, suggests, nor renders obvious the combined structure and functionality of the one-piece element as set forth in the claim.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record on the PTO-892 but not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure because they disclose lighting devices for vehicles.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KEITH G DELAHOUSSAYE whose telephone number is (469)295-9088. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday: 9:00 am-5:00 pm CST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, James Greece can be reached at (571) 272-3711. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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KEITH G. DELAHOUSSAYE JR.
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2875
/KEITH G. DELAHOUSSAYE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
