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 Objections
Claim 7 is objected to because of the following informalities:
On line 2 of the claim, “the inventor-volume” before “mostly” should be changed to “interior-volume” to correct typographical error. For the purpose of examination, “the inventor-volume” has been interpreted as “interior-volume”. Appropriate correction is required.
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)(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) 1-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Hoffman et al. (US 2024/0255128 A1), using priority date of provisional application No.63/441514 filed on Jan. 27,2023.
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Regarding claim 1, Hoffman et al. teaches a downsizer ring comprising:
a main-disc (138) that is in a right-cylinder shape where an outside-diameter of the main-disc (138) is larger than a height of the main-disc (see 138 in at least figure 3);
wherein the main-disc (138) comprises an interior-volume that is hollow (see middle portion of 138; figure 2), wherein the interior-volume is configured to receive an annular-disc portion of a spackle-frame (140) within the interior-volume such that when the annular-disc portion is within the interior-volume a bottom-surface of the main-disc (138; see figure 2) and a bottom surface of the annular-disc portion are at least substantially flush with each other (see figure 2); and a raised-platform (130) that extends above a top-surface of the main-disc (138);
wherein the main-disc (138) and the raised-platform (130) are attached to each other (see figure 1 and 2).
Regarding claim 2, Hoffman et al. teaches the downsizer-ring according to claim 1, wherein the main-disc (138) comprises a plurality of holes-for-fasteners that are through holes (see figure 2 where 138 comprises a plurality of holes for receiving fasteners) in the main-disc (138) that are configured to receive mechanical-fasteners (144) therein for attaching the downsizer-ring to a ceiling (see paragraph [0166]).
Regarding claim 3, Hoffman et al. teaches the downsizer-ring according to claim 2, wherein a hole-for-fastener selected from the plurality of holes-for-fasteners (144, 242) is beveled around an opening to that hole-for-fastener on the bottom-surface of the main-disc (138) such that the bottom-surface of the main-disc (138) is at least substantially flush with a surface of a head of a mechanical-fastener (144, 242) selected from the mechanical-fasteners when that mechanical-fastener is inserted into that hole-for-fastener (see figure 2, fasteners 242, 144).
Regarding claim 4, Hoffman et al. teaches the downsizer-ring according to claim 1, wherein the main-disc (138) comprises a plurality of holes that are through-holes (see holes within 138 in at least figure 2) in the main-disc (138) that are configured to receive plaster (see paragraph [0184] where plaster is disclosed) therein.
Regarding claim 5, Hoffman et al. teaches the downsizer-ring according to claim 4, wherein the main-disc (138) comprises a plurality of holes-for-fasteners (see figure 2 where 138 comprises a plurality of holes for fasteners 242); wherein each hole selected from the plurality of holes is smaller than a hole-for-fastener (242) selected from the plurality of holes-for-fasteners (242, 144).
Regarding claim 6, Hoffman et al. teaches the downsizer-ring according to claim 1, wherein the interior-volume (see middle portion of disc 138) is inset into the main- disc (138) from the bottom-surface of the main-disc (138) by a uniform and fixed depth that is less than the height of the main-disc (138).
Regarding claim 7, Hoffman et al. teaches the downsizer-ring according to claim 1, wherein the interior-volume is: open at a bottom of the interior-volume (see middle portion of 138 in figure 2); mostly enclosed at a top of the interior-volume by a bottom-surface of the raised-platform (130; see figure 1 and 2), aside from holes or slots in the raised-platform (130); and entirely enclosed around a periphery of the interior-volume by an interior-edge of the main-disc (138; see figure 1 and 2); wherein the interior-edge (see 138 in at least figure 1 and 2) is disposed between the top of the interior-volume and the bottom of the interior-volume (see figure 1 and 2).
Regarding claim 8, Hoffman et al. teaches the downsizer-ring according to claim 1, wherein from a bottom view of the downsizer-ring (see figure 2), the interior-volume has a modified-square shape wherein the modified-square shape is square shaped but with two modifications (see paragraph [0168]), namely: that corners of the modified-square shape are rounded (see figure 2); and that each side of the modified-square shape has an outwards curving region that curves towards an outside-edge of the main-disc (138).
Regarding claim 9, Hoffman et al. teaches the downsizer-ring according to claim 8, wherein the outwards curving region (see figure 2) is located in a middle of each side of the modified-square shape (see figure 2).
Regarding claim 10, Hoffman et al. teaches the downsizer-ring according to claim 1, wherein from a top view of the downsizer-ring (see figure 1 and 2), an outer periphery of the raised-platform (130) has a square shape with rounded corners (see shape of 130 in figure 1 and 2).
Regarding claim 11, Hoffman et al. teaches the downsizer-ring according to claim 10, wherein a width of the square shape of the raised- platform (130) is less than the outside-diameter of the main-disc (138; see figure 2).
Regarding claim 12, Hoffman et al. teaches the downsizer-ring according to claim 10, wherein a width of the square shape of the raised- platform (130) is less than a width of the interior-volume of the main-disc (138).
Regarding claim 13, Hoffman et al. teaches the downsizer-ring according to claim 1, wherein the raised-platform (130) extends above the top- surface of the main-disc (140) by a height of the raised-platform (130) that is uniform and fixed.
Regarding claim 14, Hoffman et al. teaches the downsizer-ring according to claim 1, wherein the raised-platform (130) comprises a plurality of slots that are configured for receiving mechanical-fasteners (threaded holes where mounting screws 144 are positioned; paragraph [0157] and figure 2) therein for securing the raised- platform to the spackle-frame (140; figure 1 and 2).
Regarding claim 15, Hoffman et al. teaches the downsizer-ring according to claim 1, wherein the raised-platform (130) comprises a plurality of holes-for-fasteners that are configured for receiving mechanical-fasteners(threaded holes where mounting screws 144 are positioned; paragraph [0157] and figure 2) therein for securing the raised-platform to the spackle-frame (140; figure 1).
Regarding claim 16, Hoffman et al. teaches the downsizer-ring according to claim 1, wherein the raised-platform (130) comprises a plurality of holes (threaded holes where mounting screws 144 are positioned; paragraph [0157] and figure 1 and 2) that are through-holes in the raised-platform that are configured to receive plaster therein.
Regarding claim 17, Hoffman et al. teaches the downsizer-ring according to claim 1, wherein the raised-platform (130) comprises a largest-hole (see figure 2 where 130 comprises a large hole) that is a through-hole in the raised-platform (130) that is configured to receive an upward-extending-collar (collar ring 138) of the spackle-frame (140) therein.
Regarding claim 18, Hoffman et al. teaches the downsizer-ring according to claim 1, wherein the main-disc (140) and the raised-platform (130; figure 2; paragraph [0157]) are integrally attached to each other such that the main-disc (140) and the raised-platform (130) are a single article of manufacture.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Cohen (US 2023/0100581 A1), Simmons, JR et al. (US 2020/0149717 A1), Nguyen et al. (US 10,900,654 B1) comprises reflector and trims for downlights.
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/JESSICA M APENTENG/ Examiner, Art Unit 2875
/EVAN P DZIERZYNSKI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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