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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 6/24/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
The reference listed as patent number U.S. 1457636 A to Johnson issued on 2023-06-05 has not been considered because a reference matching the listed information could not be found.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the focal point of the first light collection portion reflector at or near the first light source of Claim 4 lines 2-3, the focal point of the second light collection portion reflector at or near the second light source of Claim 4 lines 4-5, the light outlet of Claim 5 lines 3-4, the fourth reflective surface having one portion located on the same side of the reflective body as the first light collection portion and another portion located on the other side of the reflective body the same as the second light collection portion of Claim 13 lines 6-8, the ribs partially protruding from the mounting surface of Claim 19 lines 1-2, must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Claim Objections
Claim 10 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 10 line 3 “surface” should be --surface.--
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 18-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
With regards to Claim 18 and claims depending therefrom, lines 3-4 “a second reflector is formed on one side of the heat dissipation plate facing the circuit board”. However, Claim 18 includes in its scope the limitation of Claim 1 line 4 “a first reflector and a second reflector”. Therefore, it is unclear as to whether the “second reflector” of Claim 18 lines 3-4 refers to the second reflector of Claim 1 or whether Claim 18 intends to include an additional reflector which is formed on one side of the heat dissipation plate facing the circuit board. The examiner has looked to the Specification for guidance on understanding the limitation of the claim, which discloses in at least paragraph 56 of the Specification as originally filed 6/24/2025 discusses a first reflector [500] and second reflector [430] reflecting light respectively from the first light collection portion [210] and second light collection portion [220], and paragraph 71 discloses the second reflector [430] is formed on the side of the heat dissipation plate facing the circuit board. Therefore, for the purpose of examination, the examiner understands this limitation such that the second reflector of Claim 18 and claims depending therefrom refer to the second reflector of Claim 1 line 4. The applicant is encouraged to clarify in the claim language the number of reflectors included in the lighting module and the relationship between the second reflector of Claim 18 and the second reflector of Claims 1 and 17, fully supported by the original disclosure.
With regards to Claim 19, line 2 recite the phrasing “the mounting surface”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim language. Furthermore, it is unclear as to what element the mounting surface is a surface of, what component is mounted on the mounting surface, and how the mounting surface is related to the recited structure of the lighting module. For the purpose of examination, the examiner understands this limitation such that the second reflector includes ribs partially protruding from a surface on which the second reflector is mounted upon. The applicant is encouraged to provide sufficient antecedent basis for all limitations in the claims and to define in the claim language the relationship between the mounting surface and the other structure of the lighting module, fully supported by the original disclosure.
Applications filed after March 15th 2013
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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, 4, 15, 17, 18, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Imamura et al. (US 2022/0205607).
With regards to Claim 1, Imamura et al. discloses a lighting module comprising: a first light source [11] and a second light source [12] (see paragraph 72 and Figure 9); a light collector (comprising the light collector including portions [14Ba,15Ba], see paragraph 78 and Figure 9); and a first reflector [14Bb] (see paragraph 74 and Figure 9) and a second reflector [15Bb] (see paragraph 76 and Figure 9), wherein the light collector includes a first light collection portion [14Ba] and a second light collection portion [15Ba] that are integrated into one component (see paragraph 78 and Figure 9), the first light collection portion [14Ba] is configured to collect light from the first light source [11] and guide the light towards the first reflector [14Bb] (see paragraph 74 and Figure 9), the second light collection portion [15Ba] is configured to collect light from the second light source [12] and guide the light towards the second reflector [15Bb] (see paragraph 76 and Figure 9), the first reflector [14Bb] is configured to reflect light from the first light collection portion [14Ba] to form a first beam for emission (see paragraphs 75 and 79 and Figure 9; the light from first light source [11], collected by first light collection portion [14Ba], and reflected by first reflector [14Bb] substantially forms a first beam to be emitted from the lighting module by lens [17]), and the second reflector [15Bb] is configured to reflect light from the second light collection portion [15Ba] to form a second beam for emission (see paragraphs 77 and 80 and Figure 9; the light from first light source [12], collected by second light collection portion [15Ba], and reflected by second reflector [15Bb] substantially forms a second beam to be emitted from the lighting module by lens [17]).
With regards to Claim 4, Imamura et al. discloses the lighting module as discussed above with regards to Claim 1.
Imamura et al. further discloses the first light collection portion [14Ba] includes a reflector with a focal point at or near the first light source [11] (see paragraph 74 and Figure 9), and/or the second light collection portion [15Ba] includes a reflector with a focal point at or near the second light source [12] (see paragraph 76 and Figure 9).
With regards to Claim 15, Imamura et al. discloses the lighting module as discussed above with regards to Claim 1.
Imamura et al. further discloses a single circuit board [18B] (see paragraphs 36 and 82 and Figure 9), wherein one or more first light sources [11] and one or more second light sources [12] are mounted at intervals on the circuit board [18B] (see Figure 9).
With regards to Claim 17, Imamura et al. discloses the lighting module as discussed above with regards to Claim 1.
Imamura et al. further discloses a circuit board [18B] for mounting the first light source [11] and the second light source [12] (see paragraphs 36 and 82 and Figure 9), and a single heat sink [13B] (see paragraph 73 and Figure 9), wherein the circuit board [18B] and the light collector are mounted on the same side of the heat sink [13B] (see Figure 9), so that the first light collection portion [14Ba] and the second light collection portion [15Ba] are located on the same side of the circuit board [18B] away from the heat sink [13B] (see Figure 9).
With regards to Claim 18, Imamura et al. discloses the lighting module as discussed above with regards to Claim 17.
Imamura et al. further discloses the heat sink [13B] includes a heat dissipation plate (comprising the plate having surface [13b], see paragraph 73 and Figure 9) and a plurality of heat dissipation fins extending from the heat dissipation plate (see paragraph 73), and a second reflector [15Bb] is formed on one side of the heat dissipation plate facing the circuit board [18B] (see Figure 9).
With regards to Claim 20, Imamura et al. discloses the lighting module as discussed above with regards to Claim 18.
Imamura et al. further discloses a light projection component (comprising the component [17] configured to project the first and second beams outwards into lighting beams for different lighting functions (see paragraphs 75 and 77 and Figure 9).
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 Imamura et al. (US 2022/0205607).
With regards to Claim 2, Imamura et al. discloses the lighting module as discussed above with regards to Claim 1.
Imamura et al. does not explicitly disclose the first light collection portion and the second light collection portion are moulded into one component, or the first light collection portion and the second light collection portion are separate components and are fixed to each other to be integrated into one component. However, Imamura et al. does disclose the first light collection portion [14Ba] and the second light collection portion [14Bb] are provided integrally with a shade portion [16B], which substantially supports the first and second light collection portions 9see Imamura et al. paragraph 78). Furthermore, one of ordinary skill in the art would be able to form the first light collection portion and the second light collection portion as separate components fixed to each other to be integrated into one component since it has been held that forming in one piece a structure which has formerly been formed in two, or more pieces, involves only routine skill in the art. In re Larson, 144 USPQ 347, 349 (CCPA 1965), and one of ordinary skill in the art would substantially be able to form the first light collection portion and second light collection portion to be molded into one component, since the one component being molded is a product-by-process limitation not given patentable weight in this product claim. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the first light collection portion and second light collection portion of Imamura et al. to be molded into one component, or be separate components fixed to each other to be integrated into one component. One would have been motivated to do so in order to form the first light collection portion and the second light collection portion integrally with a shade extending therewith and supporting the first and second light collection portions (see Imamura et al. paragraph 78).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-13, and 16 are 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.
Claims 19, 21, and 22 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
With regards to Claim 5 and claims depending therefrom, the prior art of record fails to disclose or fairly suggest the light collector includes two side connection portions located on opposite sides of the light outlet, each side connection portion extending from the first light collection portion to the second light collection portion, so that the first light collection portion, the second light collection portion, and the side connection portion form an integrated component, in combination with the remaining limitations of the claim and claim from which it depends.
With regards to Claim 16, the prior art of record fails to disclose or fairly suggest the circuit board has a U-shaped contour defining an opening, the first and second light sources being respectively mounted on opposite sides of the opening having a U-shaped contour, in combination with the remaining limitations of the claims from which it depends.
With regards to Claim 19, the prior art of record fails to disclose or fairly suggest the second reflector includes ribs partially protruding from the mounting surface, in combination with the remaining limitations of the claims from which it depends.
With regards to Claims 21 and 22, the prior art of record fails to disclose or fairly suggest the lens bracket is mounted on the heat sink to cover the light collector, first reflector, second reflector, first light source, and second light source (emphasis provided by examiner for clarity), in combination with the remaining limitations of the claims from which Claim 21 depends.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. In addition to the prior art discussed in this action, the applicant is directed to form 892, and particularly the references Zhang (US 2022/0390081), which discloses at least a first light source emitting light to a first light collection portion, which directs light to a first reflector, a second light source emitting light to a second light collection portion which directs the light to a second reflector, a projection lens on a bracket, the first light collection portion and the second light collection portion being integrally molded, and Nagase (JP 2013175415), which discloses at least a lighting module including a heat sink including a heat radiating plate and fins, a first light source with first light collection portion and first reflector, a second light source with a second light collection portion and second reflector.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERIN KRYUKOVA whose telephone number is (571)272-3761. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9a.m. - 4p.m.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jong-Suk (James) Lee can be reached at 5712727044. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ERIN KRYUKOVA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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