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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 8/28/25 and 6/16/26 have been 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)(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, and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Beswick [US 4812955].
As to claim 1, Beswick discloses a housing component [30, figure 1] configured to constitute a part of a housing [12] configured to store a functional component configured to realize a function of a vehicle lamp, the housing component comprising: a destructible portion [31] configured to be destructible by a predetermined operation of a predetermined tool [such as a hammer], wherein the destructible portion is configured to form, when being destructed, an opening that allows the functional component inside the housing to be taken out without disassembling the housing [see top surface in figure 4].
As to claim 2, Beswick discloses the housing component according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of destructible portions [31c] are provided at intervals on an outer edge of a region where the opening is to be formed [see figure 1].
As to claim 3, Beswick discloses the housing component according to claim 2, wherein the region where the opening is to be formed has a rectangular shape [see 31, figure 1], and wherein the destructible portion comprises: a first destructible portion disposed along one side of the region; and a second destructible portion disposed along another side of the region [see 31c at left and right sides in figure 1].
As to claim 6, Beswick discloses a method for destructing a housing component [12] configured to constitute a part of a housing configured to store a functional component configured to realize a function of a vehicle lamp, the method comprising: a step of preparing the housing component comprising a destructible portion [31] configured to be destructible by a predetermined operation of a predetermined tool [such as a hammer]; and a step of destructing the destructible portion by tilting the tool while being thrusted into the destructible portion to form an opening that allows the functional component inside the housing to be taken out without disassembling the housing [see top surface in figure 4].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4 and 5 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: As to claims 4 and 5, the claims recite wherein the destructible portion comprises: a recess that is recessed from an outer side of the housing component toward an inner side of the housing component, the recess allowing a tip of the predetermined tool to enter; a thin-walled portion that is formed at a base of a protrusion, the protrusion being defined by the recess protruding to the inner side of the housing component; and a force-receiving portion configured to receive a force from the tool when the tool is inclined while the tip of the tool is caught on a bottom of the recess, and wherein the thin-walled portion is configured to break due to the force received by the force-receiving portion. Such features are not taught or disclosed by the prior art of record.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Branstetter [see PTO-892], Schwab, Katsuma, Buse, and Kokobu all teach alternative lighting sources with breakable portions.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRYON GYLLSTROM whose telephone number is (571)270-1498. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30-6.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jong-Suk 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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/BRYON T GYLLSTROM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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