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.
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Claim(s) 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Anzai (US 2013/0135885 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Anzai teaches a vehicle headlight comprising:
a plurality of light sources (semiconductor light emitting elements 33a; figure 6A and 6B) disposed in a left-right direction.
a light-source-side lens (32) disposed in front of the light sources (33a) and emitting light forward (see figure 8B where light sources 33a emit in a forward direction); and
a projection lens (20; figure 5A) disposed in front of the light-source-side lens (32) and emitting, in front of a vehicle, the light emitted from the light-source-side lens (32), wherein the light-source-side lens (32) includes an incident surface through which light from the light sources (33a) enters,
the incident surface includes at least one groove portion (openings 31C) disposed at a position offset from an optical axis (Ax; see figure 8 where Ax is offset from groove 31) of the projection lens (20) in the left-right direction and extending in an up- down direction, and
the groove portion (31c) includes an inclined portion (see figure 6A and 6B) that refracts the light from the light sources (33a) toward a side closer to the optical axis (Ax; see figure 8).
Regarding claim 2, Anzai teaches the vehicle headlight according to claim 1, wherein when viewed in an optical-axis direction along the optical axis (AX), the groove portion is disposed such that at least a part of a portion of the incident surface facing a corresponding light source (33a) is left (see figure 6B and 8A).
Regarding claim 3, Anzai teaches the vehicle headlight according to claim 2, wherein when viewed in the optical-axis direction along the optical axis (AX; figure 6B and 8A), the groove portion is disposed such that the inclined portion is located between the light sources (33a) that are adjacent in the left-right direction (see figure 6B).
Regarding claim 4, Anzai teaches the vehicle headlight according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of the groove portions (31) is spaced apart in the left-right direction (see spacing of groove portions in at least figure 6B).
Regarding claim 5, Anzai teaches the vehicle headlight according to claim 4, wherein the groove portions (openings 31; figure 6B) are disposed on a left side and a right side of the optical axis (see openings 31 in at least figure 6B where openings extend in a left and right direction).
Regarding claim 6, Anzai teaches the vehicle headlight according to claim 4, wherein the groove portions (31; figure 6B) are disposed closer to an outside of the vehicle in the left-right direction (see figure 6B) with respect to the optical axis (AX).
Regarding claim 7, Anzai teaches the vehicle headlight according to claim 5, wherein a number of groove portions (31) disposed on the left side of the optical axis is different from a number of groove portions disposed on the right side of the optical axis (see figure 6B where there are 3 openings 31 on one side of the axis AX and 5 openings 31 on another side of the axis AX).
Regarding claim 8, Anzai teaches the vehicle headlight according to claim 1, wherein the light-source-side lens (30) has an exit surface through which the light incident on the incident surface exits, and the exit surface includes a central portion (see figure 6B) through which the optical axis (AX) passes, and curved portions (see middle portion of 30 in figure 6B where there is a curved portion) that curve to a rear side from the central portion to both ends in the left-right direction of the exit surface (see figure 6B and 8A where light exits 30).
Regarding claim 9, Anzai teaches the vehicle headlight according to claim 8, wherein the groove portion (31) is disposed in a portion overlapping the curved portion (see figure 6B and 8A) when viewed in an optical-axis direction along the optical axis (AX).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Ishida et al. (WO 2016/021698 A1), Akinori (WO 2018/003888 A1), Takada et al. (US 2019/0145595 A1), Okubo (JP 2024168591 A) and Nakada (US 2008/0239742 A1) teaches vehicle headlights comprising a projection lens, a plurality of LEDs and a light source side lens.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JESSICA MCMILLAN APENTENG whose telephone number is (571)272-5510. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:00 am-5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, ABDULMAJEED AZIZ can be reached at 571-270-5046. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JESSICA M APENTENG/ Examiner, Art Unit 2875
/EVAN P DZIERZYNSKI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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