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 .
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)(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.
Claim(s) 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a2 as being anticipated by BOWEN et al. US Publication No. 2025/0198605.
Re Claim 1, A centerplate (102) for a lighting assembly, the centerplate (102) comprising:
a support portion (104, Fig. 1);
and a plurality of rings (112, 114) , integrally formed with the support portion (Fig. 1), each ring of the plurality of rings (112, 114) being selectively removable to define a respective different size of opening in the support portion to receive the lighting assembly (P19-21, The breakaway panels 114 may be disposed adjacent to and along at least a portion of an aperture edge 116 that defines a perimeter of the fixture receiving opening 112. The breakaway panels 114 are configured to be detached from the mounting frame 102 to change the shape or size of the fixture receiving opening 112. That is, the breakaway panels 114 allow the same mounting frame 102 to be used for mounting luminaires having different shapes by detaching the breakaway panels 114 from the mounting frame 102 to change the shape of the fixture receiving opening 112 from a first shape to a second shape);
the plurality of rings including a first ring (112) that defines a first inner radius corresponding to a first size of opening in the support portion (104) , and a second ring (114) that defines a second inner radius corresponding to a second size of opening in the support portion (104) , the second inner radius being larger than the first inner radius (Fig. 1) ;the second ring (114) including a notch (118) that extends radially outward to define a notch (118) inner radius on the second ring (114) that is greater than the second inner radius (Fig. 1) ; and
a stem (116) extending between the first ring (112) and the second ring (114) to connect the first ring to the second ring (Fig. 1),
the stem (116) having a minimum stem width within the notch (118), as measured perpendicularly to a radial direction along the stem (116), that defines a cutting location within the notch (118) to separate the first ring from the centerplate (P20-21).
Re Claim 2, Bowen discloses the centerplate of claim 1, wherein an outer perimeter of the plurality of rings (112, 114) is extruded relative to the support portion (Fig. 1).
Re Claim 3, Bowen discloses The centerplate of claim 1, wherein the support portion (102) includes a plurality of rails configured to slidably engage a support bracket to slidably support the centerplate with the support bracket relative to a building structure (P26).
Re Claim 4, Bowen discloses the centerplate of claim 1, wherein the plurality of rings (112, 114) is arranged asymmetrically on the centerplate (P21).
Re Claim 5, Bowen discloses the centerplate of claim 4, wherein the support portion (102) defines an adjustment direction of the centerplate relative to building support structure(210) ; and wherein a center point of the plurality of rings is offset relative to a center of the centerplate along the adjustment direction (P21) .
Re Claim 6, Bowen discloses the centerplate of claim 5, wherein the center point of the plurality of rings is centered on the centerplate along a direction perpendicular to the adjustment direction (P21).
Re Claim 7, Bowen discloses the centerplate of claim 1, wherein the notch (118) defines flattened notch edges extending along the second inner radius on opposite sides of the stem (116) (Fig. 1).
Re Claim 8, Bowen discloses the centerplate of claim 1, wherein, with the stem (116) cut at the minimum stem width within first notch (118), a cut end of the stem (116) that remains connected to the second ring (114) does not extend past the second inner radius (Fig. 1).
Re Claim 9, Bowen discloses the centerplate of claim 1, wherein the notch (118) has a maximum extension into the second ring adjacent to the stem (Fig. 1).
Re Claim 10, Bowen discloses the centerplate of claim 1, wherein the first ring (112) defines a first outer radius that is separated from the second inner radius by one or more gaps (Aperture edge) in the centerplate; and wherein the one or more gaps (aperture 18) extend outward past the second inner radius on opposing sides of the stem to define the notch, and do not extend inward past the first outer radius adjacent the stem (P20, slits 118 formed in the mounting frame 102. In other example embodiments, the breakaway panels 114 may be marked using any other appropriate mechanism. For example, in some embodiments, the breakaway panels 114 may be marked by perforated lines or score lines. In either case, each breakaway panel 114 may be detachable from the mounting frame 102 along the slits 118 that mark the respective breakaway panel).
Re Claim 11, Bowen discloses the centerplate of claim 1, wherein the notch (118) defines a substantially rectangular shape (Fig. 1).
Re Claim 12, Bowen discloses the centerplate of claim 11, wherein the notch (118) does not extend into the first ring (figure 1).
Re Claim 13, Bowen discloses the centerplate of claim 1, wherein a circumferential slot extends around an outermost ring of the plurality of rings, the circumferential slot configured to receive a fastener of the lighting assembly to secure the lighting assembly within the outermost ring (P22 and see claim 2) .
Re Claim 14, Bowen discloses a centerplate for a lighting assembly, the centerplate comprising:
a plurality of rings (112, 114) that are selectively removable to define different size openings for the lighting assembly (P19-21);
a first ring (112) of the plurality of rings (112, 114) defining a first inner radius (Fig. 1);
a second ring (114) of the plurality of rings (112, 114) defining a second inner radius that is greater than the first inner radius (Fig. 1) with a notch (118) extending radially outwardly into the second ring (114) to receive a cutting tool; and a stem (116) that extends from a connection with the first ring (114) at the first radius to a cuttable portion of the stem (116) within the notch (118) , to connect the first ring to the second ring (P20-21).
Re Claim 15, Bowen discloses the centerplate of claim 14, wherein the cuttable portion (score lines , slits ) of the stem (116) is a narrowest portion of the stem (P20, fig. 1).
Re Claim 16, Bowen discloses The centerplate of claim 15, wherein the notch (118) defines a flattened edge adjacent to the stem (116) within the notch (118; Fig. 1).
Re Claim 17, BOWEN discloses a method for installing a lighting assembly, the method comprising:
providing a centerplate including a plurality of rings (112, 114) that are selectively removable to define different size openings for the lighting assembly, including a first ring (112) that defines a first inner radius and a second ring (114) that defines a second inner radius and is connected to the first ring (112) by a stem (116, Fig. 1);
selectively removing the first ring from the centerplate by inserting a cutting tool into a notch (118) that extends radially outwardly into the second ring (114) , and cutting a cuttable portion of the stem (116) within the notch (118) (P19-21 and see claim 1).
Re Claim 18, Bowen discloses The method of claim 17, wherein a cut end of the stem (118) that remains connected to the second ring does not extend inward past the second inner radius (see claim 1).
Re Claim 19, Bowen discloses the method of claim 17, Bowen discloses further comprising: after aligning the lighting assembly within the second ring, securing the lighting assembly to the centerplate by extending a fastener of the lighting assembly through a circumferential slot of the centerplate that extends around the second ring (P22 and see claim 3).
Re Claim 20, Bowen discloses the method of claim 17, wherein the notch (118) defines a substantially rectangular shape that receives the cutting tool to align the cutting tool with the cuttable portion of the stem (P20, the breakaway panels 114 may be marked using any other appropriate mechanism.
Conclusion
The following reference is cited but not relied upon:
Momin et al. discloses mounting pans for lighting fixtures that are designed to accommodate light fixtures of various sizes.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SONJI N JOHNSON whose telephone number is (571)270-5266. The examiner can normally be reached 9am-9pm.
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SONJI N. JOHNSON
Examiner
Art Unit 2876
/SONJI N JOHNSON/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876