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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Specification
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 or similar is suggested: RING LAMP WITH ANNULAR HOUSING AND LED ILLUMINATING MEANS ACCOMODATED THEREIN .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
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.
The applicant is respectfully advised that in examining a pending application, the claims are interpreted as broadly as their terms reasonably convey. In re American Academy of Science Tech Center, 70 USPQ2d. 1827, 1834 (Fed. Cir. May 13, 2004). MPEP § 2111.01.
Claims 1-2 and 5-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zheng (U.S. Patent No. 12638,146).
Regarding Claim 1, Zheng discloses in Figures 1-2, a ring lamp, comprising a receiving housing (face ring 2 with annular sidewall 21) which is annular, in particular circular, oval, rectangular, or square, and which surrounds an intermediate space, and in which an illuminating means (light strip 3), preferably an LED illuminating means, is accommodated, said illuminating means extending correspondingly in an annular, in particular circular, oval, rectangular, or square manner, and a cover element (cover 1 with back cover 11) which is annular, in particular circular, oval, rectangular, or square, and which closes the receiving housing 2, wherein the illuminating means 3 is electrically connected to a line 72 via contacts, preferably contact surfaces, directly or indirectly via a plug 71 wherein the line 72 is guided as a flat line out of the receiving housing 2, or on the side of the receiving housing 1 facing away from the illuminating means , a protruding feedthrough is arranged, through which the line 72 is guided, in particular as a flat line (the term flat line is seen to be capable of being disposed in a flat manner).
Regarding Claim 2, Zheng discloses in Figures 1-2, the ring lamp (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that wherein the line 72 is designed as a flat line made of a strip of a flexible insulating material, in particular plastics material, with conductor tracks and contacts, preferably contact surfaces, applied thereto.
Regarding Claim 5, Zheng discloses in Figure 6, the ring lamp according to claim 1, wherein an opening is provided in the receiving housing 2, at which the feedthrough (for the cord connector 72) is arranged.
Regarding Claim 6, Zheng discloses in Figures 1-2, the ring lamp (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that wherein the line 72 is in contact with the illuminating means 3 through the opening (Col 7, lines 23-30).
Regarding Claim 7, Zheng inherently discloses the ring lamp according claim 1, wherein the line 72 is at least a 2-wire, preferably 3- wire, line (inherently a wire from an outside external source has at least a positive and negative conductor).
Regarding Claim 8, Zheng inherently discloses the ring lamp (1) according to claim 1, wherein the flat line 72 has at least one of the following properties: a) a current carrying capacity of 4-8 A, preferably at least 6 apses (the common amperage of an AC power line is 10-15amps).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
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.
The applicant is respectfully advised that in examining a pending application, the claims are interpreted as broadly as their terms reasonably convey. In re American Academy of Science Tech Center, 70 USPQ2d. 1827, 1834 (Fed. Cir. May 13, 2004). MPEP § 2111.01.
Claims 3-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zheng (U.S. Patent No. 12,638,146).
Regarding Claim 3, Zheng does not disclose the line 72 is soldered to a contact of the illuminating means 3.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use soldering, because a person of ordinary skill would have had good reason to pursue the known option(s) of soldering electrical connections to create a low loss or low resistive connection which is considered to be within his or her technical grasp. This leads to the anticipated success of proving a low resistive electrical connection and it is determined that soldered electrical connections is not of innovation, but of ordinary skill and common sense. See KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Regarding Claim 4, Zheng does not explicitly disclose the ring lamp (1) according claim 1, wherein the receiving housing 2 and/or the line (16) comprises a self-adhesive layer.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use adhesive to adhere the line 72 or housing 2, because a person of ordinary skill would have had good reason to pursue the known option(s) of adhering a housing or line to a support surface which is considered to be within his or her technical grasp. This leads to the anticipated success of easily affixing the housing or cord to a surface and it is determined that the use of adhesive is not of innovation, but of ordinary skill and common sense. See KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zheng (U.S. Patent No. 12,638,146) in view of Kwiatt (U.S. PG Publication No. 2007/177381).
Zheng does not disclose a furniture component to which at least one ring lamp according to claim 1 is attached, wherein the line is guided through a recess in the furniture component
Kwiatt discloses in Figures 1-2B, a furniture component to which at least one ring lamp 100 110 is attached, wherein the power line is guided through a recess in the furniture component (the power line is guided through an opening to connect with the light segment 110).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use a ring light with furniture. All the claimed elements in Zheng and Kwiatt were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the ring light with the furniture as claimed with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded the predictable result providing decorative lighting to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing. See KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Swaris (U.S. PG Publication No. 2006/0087844), Bennett (U.S. Patent No. 10,332,667) and Lin (U.S. Patent No. 11,143,366) disclose annular housings with a light strip disposed therein.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT J MAY whose telephone number is (571)272-5919. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10AM-3:30pm.
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 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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/ROBERT J MAY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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