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 statements (IDSs) submitted on 9/11/2025 and on 1/21/2026 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
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 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yamagata et al. (US 2013/0051054).
With regards to Claim 1, Yamagata et al. discloses a vehicle lamp configured to form a low beam light distribution pattern (see paragraph 12), the vehicle lamp comprising: a projection lens [5] (see paragraph 31 and Figure 1); a light source [2] (see paragraphs 29 and 30 and Figure 1) disposed on a lamp rear side with respect to a rear focal of the projection lens [5] (see paragraph 31 and Figure 1); and a shade [4] (see paragraph 28 and Figure 1) disposed between the light source [2] and the projection lens [5] (see Figure 1), and configured to block a part of light emitted from the light source [2] to form a cutoff line [CL] of the low beam light distribution pattern (see paragraphs 33 and 34 and Figure 5), wherein the shade [4] is configured to form, as the cutoff line [CL], a stepped cutoff line in which a lower cutoff line (see paragraphs 38-40 and Figure 5) and an upper cutoff line [CL1] are connected via an inclined portion [CL3] (see Figure 5), and wherein a shape of the shade [4] is set such that an inclination angle of the inclined portion [CL3] is smaller in a lower region than in an upper region of the inclined portion (see paragraphs 34 and 36-37 and Figures 2, 3, and 5; portion [43c] of the shade [4] contribute to the shape of line [CL3], the portion [45] shaped as an arc contributes to forming the upper end edge portion [43] at portion [43c], the upper end edge portion [43] forming the cutoff line [CL] being a reverse image of the upper end edge portion [43], thereby substantially the portion [CL3] of the cutoff line has the reverse of the shape of the portion of the shade having a curved surface, which substantially has an inclination angle smaller in a lower region than in an upper region, furthermore as seen in Figure 5, the inclined portion [CL3] in a lower region substantially has a smaller inclination angle than that in an upper region).
With regards to Claim 2, Yamagata et al. discloses the vehicle lamp as discussed above with regards to Claim 1.
Yamagata et al. further discloses the shape of the shade [4] is set such that the inclination angle of the inclined portion [CL3] gradually decreases from an upper end edge toward a lower end edge of the inclined portion [CL3] (see Figure 5).
With regards to Claim 3, Yamagata et al. discloses the vehicle lamp as discussed above with regards to Claim 2.
Yamagata et al. further discloses the shape of the shade [4] is set such that the lower end edge of the inclined portion [CL3] is smoothly connected to the lower cutoff line (see Figure 5; the lower end edge of the inclined portion [CL3] substantially connects smoothly to the lower cutoff line without gaps or jumps).
With regards to Claim 4, Yamagata et al. discloses the vehicle lamp as discussed above with regards to Claim 1.
Yamagata et al. further discloses a reflector [3] disposed to cover the light source [2] from above and configured to reflect the light emitted from the light source [2] toward the projection lens [5] (see paragraph 30 and Figures 1 and 2), wherein the shade [4] is configured to block a part of light emitted from the light source [2] and reflected by the reflector [3] (see paragraph 37).
With regards to Claim 5, Yamagata et al. discloses the vehicle lamp as discussed above with regards to Claim 4.
Yamagata et al. further discloses the shade [4] has an upward reflection surface that reflects reflected light from the reflector [3] upward toward the projection lens [5], and is configured to form the stepped cutoff line [CL] at a front end edge of the upward reflection surface (see paragraphs 33 and 36 and Figures 2, 3, 4, and 5).
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 Yamagata (US 2010/0309679), which discloses at least a vehicle lamp forming a low beam light distribution, including a light source, projection lens, reflector, and shade, the shade shaped to form a cutoff line having a stepped configuration, Tsukamoto (US 2007/0002577), which discloses at least a vehicle lamp forming a low beam light distribution, including a light source, projection lens, reflector, and shade, the shade shaped to form a cutoff line having a stepped configuration, Aoki (JP 2010135069), which discloses at least a vehicle lamp forming a low beam light distribution, including a light source, projection lens, reflector, and shade, the shade shaped to form a cutoff line having a stepped configuration including an inclined portion having an inclination angle smaller at a lower end region and a larger inclination angle at an upper end region, and Mochizuki (JP 2009211964), which discloses at least a vehicle lamp forming a low beam light distribution, including a light source, projection lens, reflector, and shade, the shade shaped to form a cutoff line having a stepped configuration including an inclined portion having an inclination angle smaller at a lower end region and a larger inclination angle at an upper end region.
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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