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)(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 5-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2018/0051858, hereafter referred to as ‘Hatanaka’. With respect to claim 1, Hatanaka discloses a vehicle lighting device [1; see title], comprising: a socket [10] formed from highly thermally conductive resin [para. #’s 38 and 40, socket 10 is made from highly thermally conductive resin); a light emitting module [20] provided on one end side of the socket and including a light emitting element [22]; a heat transfer part [15 & 15b] formed from metal [see para. # 30, the heat radiation portion 10b includes heat transfer part 15, 15b and see para. #’s 38 and 40, the heat radiation portion 10b which includes heat transfer part 15, 15b is made of metal, such as a highly conductive resin with metal or aluminum filler], provided between the socket [10] and the light emitting module [20], wherein in a case of being viewed in a direction along a central shaft of the vehicle lighting device [1], a contour of the heat transfer part [15, 15b] includes an arc [outer circular edge of element 15b] protruding outward, and a portion of the heat transfer part [15b] including the arc [outer circular edge of element 15b] is located outside the light emitting module [20]; wherein the contour of the heat transfer part [15, 15b] includes the arc [outer circular edge of element 15b], a pair of straight lines [see sketch below, ‘line pair’ marked below] each having one end connected to each of both end points of the arc [outer circular edge of element 15b], and a straight line [marked ‘straight line’ below] connecting ends on a side of the pair of straight lines opposite to the arc.
With respect to claim 3, Hatanaka discloses a vehicle lighting device [1; see title], comprising: a socket [10] formed from highly thermally conductive resin [para. #’s 38 and 40, socket 10 is made from highly thermally conductive resin); a light emitting module [20] provided on one end side of the socket and including a light emitting element [22]; a heat transfer part [15 & 15b] formed from metal [see para. # 30, the heat radiation portion 10b includes heat transfer part 15, 15b and see para. #’s 38 and 40, the heat radiation portion 10b which includes heat transfer part 15, 15b is made of metal, such as a highly conductive resin with metal or aluminum filler], provided between the socket [10] and the light emitting module [20], wherein in a case of being viewed in a direction along a central shaft of the vehicle lighting device [1], a contour of the heat transfer part [15, 15b] includes an arc [outer circular edge of element 15b] protruding outward, and a portion of the heat transfer part [15, 15b] including the arc [outer circular edge of element 15b] is located outside the light emitting module [20]; wherein the contour of the heat transfer part [15, 15b] includes the arc and a chord connecting both end points of the arc [see sketch below, ‘arc and cord contour’ marked below. The shape is inherent but not shown well].
With respect to claim 5, Hatanaka discloses the vehicle lighting device of claim 1. Hatanaka further teaches wherein the heat transfer part 15, 15b further includes at least one fin [16] extending inside the socket [figures 1-2].
With respect to claim 6, Hatanaka discloses the vehicle lighting device of claim 1. Hatanaka further teaches wherein a step [12, 14, 14a, fig. 1] is provided outside a region where the light emitting module is provided in the heat transfer part [15, 15b].
With respect to claim 7, Hatanaka discloses the vehicle lighting device [1] as claimed in claim 1. Hatanaka further discloses a housing [101] to which the vehicle lighting device [1] is attached [fig. 7].
With respect to claim 8, Hatanaka discloses the vehicle lighting device of claim 3. Hatanaka further teaches wherein the heat transfer part 15, 15b further includes at least one fin [16] extending inside the socket [figures 1-2].
With respect to claim 9, Hatanaka discloses the vehicle lighting device of claim 3. Hatanaka further teaches wherein a step [12, 14, 14a, fig. 1] is provided outside a region where the light emitting module is provided in the heat transfer part [15, 15b].
With respect to claim 10, Hatanaka discloses the vehicle lighting device [1] as claimed in claim 3. Hatanaka further discloses a housing [101] to which the vehicle lighting device [1] is attached [fig. 7].
With respect to claim 11, Hatanaka discloses the vehicle lighting device [1] as claimed in claim 8. Hatanaka further discloses a housing [101] to which the vehicle lighting device [1] is attached [fig. 7].
With respect to claim 12, Hatanaka discloses the vehicle lighting device [1] as claimed in claim 9. Hatanaka further discloses a housing [101] to which the vehicle lighting device [1] is attached [fig. 7].
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Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 04/09/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In the first non-final action, the socket should have been identified as detail 10, not detail 31.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THOMAS M SEMBER whose telephone number is (571)272-2381. The examiner can normally be reached flexing generally from 7 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. M-F.
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/THOMAS M SEMBER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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