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
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, 2, 8, and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by ZHAN et al. (US 2019/0234577 hereinafter refer as “ZHAN”).
Regarding claim 1. ZHAN discloses a diffuse reflection light-emitting lamp structure (100, see Figs. 3 and 4, Para. 0021), comprising: a reflector cup (first cover 11 that includes a reflector 17, see Figs. 4, and 6, Para. 0021), integrally forming one through channel (through hole 33 with fixing groove 34, see Fig. 4, Para. 0021), the through channel extending toward a direction of a cup opening (see Fig. 4, Para. 0021); and a light source board (amp body 4, Fig. 3, Para. 0021), disposed at one end of the through channel that is close to the cup opening, light sources (first light-emitting unit 52, second light-emitting unit 5, see Figs. 3, 5 and 6, Para. 0021, 0030, and 0039) on the light source board being distributed at an outer peripheral side of the through channel, and a light-emitting surface of the light source facing the reflector cup (see Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 2. ZHAN further discloses a top end of the through channel (through hole 33 with fixing groove 34, see Fig. 4, Para. 0021) is not higher than a plane of the cup opening of the reflector cup.
Regarding claim 8. ZHAN further discloses the light sources on the light source board (first light-emitting unit 52, second light-emitting unit 5, see Figs. 3, 5 and 6, Para. 0021, 0030, and 0039) are uniformly spaced around the outer peripheral side of the through channel (see Figs. 5 and 6).
Regarding claim 9. ZHAN further discloses comprising: a cover plate (48, see Figs. 4 and 5, Para. 0021), disposed at a backlight surface of the light source board; and a light transmission cover (6), disposed at a light-emitting surface of the light source board (see Fig. 8, Para. 0021).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claims 3-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ZHAN in view of Ishida et al. (US 2015/0109792 hereinafter refer as “Ishida”).
Regarding claim 3. ZHAN further discloses comprising: a connecting element (3, see Fig. 5, Para. 0035) at least a part (first connecting part 31) of the connecting element being disposed within the through channel.
However, ZHAN does not explicitly disclose that the connecting element is a radiator, wherein the light source board is assembled on the radiator.
Ishida teaches a luminaire (10) that includes a thermal radiator (21, heat sink, see Fig. 1, Para. 0023 and 0060-0061), a reflector (24, see Para. 0023), and a light source board (23, see Fig. 2, Para. 0023) is assembled on the radiator (see Fig. 1) so that the heat generated by the light-emitting elements is conducted to the thermal radiator.
Therefore, in view of Ishida, it would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify ZHAN’s connecting element as Ishida’s radiator to be connect with the light source in order to effectively radiate heat generated by the light source as suggested by Ishida. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this combination to provide an improved heat radiation.
Regarding claim 4. ZHAN in view of Ishida further discloses at least a part of the radiator is attached to the through channel (e.g. first connecting part 31, see Fig. 5, Para. 0035).
Regarding claim 5. ZHAN further discloses comprising: the connecting part (31, see Figs. 5 and 6) is cylindrical.
However, ZHAN does not explicitly disclose that the radiator is a conoid; and a top of the radiator passes through the through channel to be connected to the light source board.
Ishida further teaches portion of the thermal radiator (21, heat sink, see Fig. 1, Para. 0023 and 0060-0061) includes a support part (37), that is conoid; and a top of the radiator passes through the through a channel (see Fig. 1) to be connected to the light source board (23).
Therefore, in view of Ishida, it would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify ZHAN’s connecting element as Ishida’s radiator to be connect with the light source in order to effectively radiate heat generated by the light source as suggested by Ishida. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this combination to provide an improved heat radiation.
Regarding claim 6. ZHAN further discloses comprising: a driver (2, see Fig. 6, Para. 0023), assembled at one end of the radiator that is away from the light source board.
Regarding claim 7. ZHAN in view of Ishida further discloses one end of the radiator that is connected to the light source board is provided with a window (e.g. spherical hole 311, see Fig. 6, Para. 0021); and the driver (2) is electrically connected by the window to the light source board (see Para. 0021).
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ZHAN in view of Kim (US 9,857,069).
Regarding claim 10. ZHAN further discloses one side of the cover plate (48) that faces the light transmission cover is provided with a connecting portion (e.g., two notches, see Figs. 5 and 6) and one side of the light transmission cover (6) that faces the cover plate (48) is provided with a connection fitting portion.
However, ZHAN does not explicitly disclose that the connecting portion is detachably connected to the connection fitting portion.
Kim teaches a lamp that includes a cover plate (upper cover 60, see Fig. 1, Col. 3; lines 1-26) that faces a light transmission cover (lower cover 50) that is provided with a connecting portion (one or more fastening portions 61, see Fig. 1) and one side of the light transmission cover (50) that faces the cover plate (60) is provided with a connection fitting portion (one or more fastening portions 51) and the connecting portion is detachably connected to the connection fitting portion.
Therefore, in view of Kim, it would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify ZHAN such that the connecting portion is detachably connected to the connection fitting portion in order to provide a connection means, since it has been held by the courts that combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results, simple substitution of one known element for another to obtain predictable results, or choosing from a finite number of identified, predictable solutions, with a reasonable expectation of success, is not sufficient to distinguish over the prior art, as it requires only ordinary skill in the art. KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1397 (2007). In this case, connecting the cove and the light transmission cover would have flown naturally to one of ordinary skill in the art as necessitated by the specific requirements of a given application.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Chen et al. (US 2022/0202972) discloses a lighting apparatus that includes a first light source, a second light source, a first reflective cup, a second reflective cup, a base housing and a driver; Armbruster et al. (US 11,163,100) teaches a light fixtures that include a body, a waveguide, and one or more independently-controllable light sources; and LIN et al. (US 2021/0199275) discloses a light passing cover, a light source module, a surface rim and a driver plate.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Tsion Tumebo whose telephone number is 571-270-1668. The examiner can normally be reached on 7:30 am to 4:00 pm, Monday thru Friday.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jong-Suk (James) Lee can be reached on (571)272-7044. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from Patent Center. Status information for published applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Patent Center for authorized users only. Should you have questions about access to Patent Center, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free).
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) Form at https://www.uspto.gov/patents/uspto-automated- interview-request-air-form.
/TSION TUMEBO/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
Prosecution Insights