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 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 1 recites the limitation “said insulated wire” in line 7 on pg. 1, however this same feature is referred to as an “insulated power wire” everywhere else in Claim 1. Therefore, the Examiner respectfully suggests amending it to be --said insulated power wire-- for consistency with the language used elsewhere in the claim. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "said conductive lead" in lines 4-5 on pg. 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim, since it is unclear if this is referring to a specific conductive lead, or to all of the conductive leads, rendering the scope of the claim unascertainable. For the purpose of examination, the Examiner has treated the claim as referring to each of the conductive leads, and so the Examiner respectfully suggests amending it to be --said conductive leads-- to establish proper antecedent basis.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "said circuit board holder" in lines 8-9 on pg. 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim, since the claimed circuit board holder is not defined until line 11 on pg. 1. The Examiner respectfully suggests either amending lines 8-9 on pg. 1 to recite --a said
Claim 1 recites the limitation "said housing" in line 11 on pg. 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For the purpose of examination, the Examiner has assumed that the “housing” is referring to the claimed lamp holder, and so the Examiner respectfully suggests amending it to be --said lamp holder
Claim 1 recites the limitation "said printed circuit board" in line 12 on pg. 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim, since none of the previous limitations ever specifically describe the circuit board as being a printed circuit board, and therefore it is unclear if this limitation is referring to the previously defined circuit board, or to an additional circuit board which is a printed circuit board, rendering the scope of the claim unascertainable. For the purpose of examination, the Examiner has treated the limitation as referring to the same circuit board previously defined in the claim, and so the Examiner respectfully suggests amending it to be --said
Claims 2-6 are rejected due to their dependence on indefinite Claim 1.
Claim 7 recites the limitation "placing said diffuser in said lamp holder over said lens" in line 15 on pg. 2 (emphasis added). There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim, since there is no language directed to the existence of any diffuser or lens anywhere in Claim 7 prior to this limitation. Further, it is noted that the claimed lens is not properly defined until dependent Claim 12. Thus, it is unclear if Applicant intended to define the lens in independent Claim 7, or in dependent Claim 12.
If Applicant intended to define the lens in dependent Claim 12 and not in independent Claim 7, then the Examiner respectfully suggests amending Claim 7 to recite --placing a light emitting diodes-- to establish proper antecedent basis. Alternatively, if Applicant intended to define the lens in independent Claim 7, then the Examiner respectfully suggests amending Claim 7 to recite --placing a a said
Claims 8-12 are rejected due to their dependence on indefinite Claim 7.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-2 and 4-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin (EP 2284438).
Regarding claim 1, Lin teaches a light string that resists being pulled apart (watertight light fixtures 100 which can be coupled together to form a light string; see Figs. 1-7; Abstract; para. [0009], [0017]) comprising an insulated power wire having stranded conductive leads and insulation covering said conductive leads (a power unit 60 defines a power wire comprising power cords 61 which each comprise an insulation layer 62 formed therearound; see Figs. 1-7; para. [0013]-[0014]); a lamp holder surrounding said insulated power wire (a hollow cylindrical housing 10 surrounds the insulated power wire 60 in conjunction with a disc shaped bottom plate 70 which combine to sandwich the insulated power wire therebetween; see Figs. 1-7; para. [0010], [0012], [0014]), said lamp holder having a cavity that exposes said insulated power wire (the insulated power wire 60 is exposed within a transverse channel 12 formed in the lamp holder (combination of housing 10 and bottom plate 70); see Figs. 1-7; para. [0010], [0014]), said lamp holder fixed to said insulated power wire (see Figs. 1-7, para. [0010], [0014]); a circuit board having a light emitting diode (a cross shaped circuit board 20 comprises a central light source in the form of an LED 22 mounted on a top surface thereof; see Figs. 2, 4, 6; para. [0011], [0015]), said circuit board adapted to fit on said circuit board holder in a fixed position relative to said lamp holder so that openings in said circuit board align with conductive leads of said insulated power wire (the circuit board 20 fits on a platform (i.e., a circuit board holder) and is cross shaped to match with corresponding protrusions within a space 11 of the housing 10 to be fixed within the lamp holder (combination of housing 10 and bottom plate 70), the circuit board including holes through which electricity conducting screws 82 are driven into corresponding threaded insulative sleeves 821, threaded holes 14 in the housing 10, and first and second bossed threaded holes 661 and 662 of watertight block 65 on the insulated power wire 60 to allow the screws to pierce the conductive leads 61 of the insulated power wire through the insulative covering 62; see Figs. 2-6; para. [0010]-[0011], [0013]-[0014]); a circuit board holder located in said cavity of said lamp holder (the lamp holder (combination of housing 10 and bottom plate 70) comprises a space 11 located within the housing 10 that includes a platform defining a circuit board holder which includes protrusions corresponding to the cross shape of the circuit board 20; see Figs. 2, 4, 6; para. [0010]-[0011]); printed circuit board leads on said circuit board proximate to or disposed in or around said openings in said circuit board (positive and negative electrical connections 21 extending from the LED 22 toward opposite directions are provided on the circuit board 20); and conductive screws that extend through said openings in said circuit board and are secured in said insulation covering and contact said stranded conductive leads without causing damage to said stranded conductive leads which creates a conductive connection between said printed circuit board leads and said conductive leads of said insulated power wire without cutting said insulated wire (electricity conducting screws 82 are driven into holes of the circuit board 20, corresponding threaded insulative sleeves 821, threaded holes 14 in the housing 10, and first and second bossed threaded holes 661 and 662 of watertight block 65 on the insulated power wire 60 to allow the screws to pierce the conductive leads 61 of the insulated power wire through the insulative covering 62; see Figs. 2-6; para. [0013]-[0014]).
However, the teachings of Lin fail to specifically disclose a plurality of light emitting diodes.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the light string of Lin by disposing a plurality of light emitting diodes on the circuit board rather than a single LED, since it has been held that mere duplication of essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8. In this case, modifying the known light string of Lin by disposing a plurality of LEDs on the circuit board rather than a single LED would have flown naturally to one of ordinary skill in the art as necessitated by the particular design requirements of a given application, in order to improve the overall brightness of the light string.
Regarding claim 2, Lin teaches wherein said circuit board holder comprises at least one protrusion from a ledge of said circuit board holder (the lamp holder (combination of housing 10 and bottom plate 70) comprises a space 11 located within the housing 10 that includes a platform defining a circuit board holder which includes protrusions corresponding to the cross shape of the circuit board 20; see Figs. 2, 4, 6; para. [0010]-[0011]); and at least one slot formed in said circuit board that engages said at least one protrusion (the circuit board 20 is cross shaped with slots between the four sides thereof corresponding to the protrusions of the platform within housing 10 of the lamp holder; see Figs. 2, 4, 6; para. [0010]-[0011]).
However, regarding claim 4, the teachings of Lin fail to disclose or fairly suggest said lamp holder is injection molded around said insulated power wire.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the light string of Lin by injection molding the lamp holder around the insulated power wire, since it has been held by the courts that patentability of a product does not depend on its method of production. If the product in the product-by-process claim is disclosed, or suggested, by the Prior Art, the claim is unpatentable even though the prior product was made by a different process. In re Thorpe, 227 USPQ 964, 966 (Fed. Cir. 1985). In this case, modifying the known light string of Lin by injection molding the lamp holder around the insulated power wire, or utilizing any other suitable process, would have flown naturally to one of ordinary skill in the art as necessitated by the particular design requirements of a given application, in order to ensure the lamp holder is secured around the insulated power wire.
Regarding claim 5, Lin teaches wherein said lamp holder is formed in at least two parts, and is assembled around, and secured to, said insulated power wire (the lamp holder is formed of a housing 10 and a disc shaped bottom plate 70 which combine to sandwich the insulated power wire 60 therebetween; see Figs. 1-7; para. [0010], [0012], [0014]).
However, regarding claim 6, the teachings of Lin fail to disclose or fairly suggest wherein said lamp holder is secured to said insulated power wire using plastic welding.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the light string of Lin by securing the lamp holder to the insulated power wire using plastic welding, since it has been held by the courts that patentability of a product does not depend on its method of production. If the product in the product-by-process claim is disclosed, or suggested, by the Prior Art, the claim is unpatentable even though the prior product was made by a different process. In re Thorpe, 227 USPQ 964, 966 (Fed. Cir. 1985). In this case, modifying the known light string of Lin by securing the lamp holder to the insulated power wire using plastic welding or any other suitable process would have flown naturally to one of ordinary skill in the art as necessitated by the design requirements of a given application, in order to ensure the lamp holder is secured around the insulated power wire.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin (EP 2284438) in view of Moser et al. (WO 2010/040159, see attached machine translation, hereinafter “Moser”). The teachings of Lin have been discussed above.
Lin as modified teaches the light emitting diodes are mounted on said circuit board (see Figs. 2, 4, 6; para. [0011], [0015]).
However, the teachings of Lin as modified fail to specifically disclose the light emitting diodes are chip-on-board light emitting diodes.
Moser teaches a light string comprising a circuit board having light emitting diodes (a light string comprising LEDs 1, 2, and 3 mounted on a carrier/support element 4; see Abstract; Figs. 1-3; para. [0019], [0022]-[0028], [0033]), wherein said light emitting diodes are chip-on-board light emitting diodes that are mounted on said circuit board (the LEDs 1, 2, 3 are chip-on-board (COB) LEDs; see Fig. 1; par. [0033]).
Therefore, in view of Moser, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the light string of Lin by selecting chip-on-board light emitting diodes as the light-emitting diodes. One would have been motivated to modify the known light string of Moser by selecting COB LEDs as the LEDs, as taught by Moser, in order to provide an improved thermal coupling between the LEDs and the circuit board and enable a very close placement of the LEDs, thereby allowing a more homogeneous light distribution (see Moser, par. [0033] for the motivation).
Claims 7-8 and 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin (EP 2284438) in view of Thomas et al. (US 2007/0115666, hereinafter “Thomas”).
Regarding claim 7, Lin implicitly teaches a method of making a light string that is strong and resists being pulled apart (watertight light fixtures 100 which can be coupled together to form a light string; see Figs. 1-7; Abstract; para. [0009], [0017]) comprising forming a lamp holder around an insulated wire so that said insulated wire passes through a cavity in said lamp holder (a hollow cylindrical housing 10 surrounds a power unit 60 in conjunction with a disc shaped bottom plate 70 which combine to sandwich the power unit therebetween, the power unit in the form of a wire; see Figs. 1-7; para. [0010], [0012], [0014]); providing a circuit board having a light emitting diode (a cross shaped circuit board 20 comprises a central light source in the form of an LED 22 mounted on a top surface thereof; see Figs. 2, 4, 6; para. [0011], [0015]); forming a circuit board holder in said cavity of said lamp holder to hold said circuit board in a predetermined position in said lamp holder (the lamp holder (combination of housing 10 and bottom plate 70) comprises a space 11 located within the housing 10 that includes a platform defining a circuit board holder which includes protrusions corresponding to the cross shape of the circuit board 20; see Figs. 2, 4, 6; para. [0010]-[0011]); placing a diffuser in said lamp holder over a lens so that light is directed from said light emitting diodes to an inside surface of said diffuser (a watertight cover 50 which comprises a second convex lens 51 is placed on top of the housing 10 of the lamp holder (combination of housing 10 and bottom plate 70), and a first convex lens 23 is placed over the LED 22, to ensure light is directed from the LED to the inside of the second convex lens; see Figs. 1-4, 6-7; Abstract; para. [0011]-[0012], [0015]); placing conductive screws in said circuit board so that said screws are aligned with conductive leads of said insulated wire (the circuit board 20 includes holes through which electricity conducting screws 82 are driven into corresponding threaded insulative sleeves 821, threaded holes 14 in the housing 10, and first and second bossed threaded holes 661 and 662 of watertight block 65 on the insulated wire 60 to allow the screws to pierce the conductive leads of power cords 61 of the insulated wire through their insulative layers 62; see Figs. 2-6; para. [0010]-[0011], [0013]-[0014]); and screwing said screws through said holes in said circuit board and through insulation on said insulated wire and into said conductive leads at said insulated wire so that power is supplied to power leads on said circuit board without cutting said insulated wire and not weakening said insulated wire (the screws 82 are driven into holes of the circuit board 20, corresponding threaded insulative sleeves 821, threaded holes 14 in the housing 10, and first and second bossed threaded holes 661 and 662 of watertight block 65 on the insulated wire 60 to allow the screws to pierce the conductive leads 61 of the insulated wire through their insulative layers 62; see Figs. 2-6; para. [0013]-[0014]).
However, the teachings of Lin fail to disclose or fairly suggest a plurality of light emitting diodes, and the circuit board having a power driving chip that converts power from power supplied to said light string to a voltage that can be used by said light emitting diodes to generate light.
Thomas teaches a light string (illumination system 10; see Abstract; Fig. 1; para. [0038]-[0039], [0046]) comprising a circuit board having light emitting diodes, and a power driving chip that converts power from power supplied to the light string to a voltage that can be used by said light emitting diodes to generate light (each module 12 comprises a printed circuit board assembly 32 including a plurality of electrical components 37 that include high-power, high-intensity LEDs 40, an LED driver control chip 41, a high-frequency cap filter 42 to abate “noise”, rectifying diodes 44 that convert electrical potential from AC to DC, and surface mounted resistors 46 to regulate the potential and illuminate the LEDs; see Figs. 2A-3D, 5; para. [0039], [0041]-[0045], [0047]-[0050]).
Therefore, in view of Thomas, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Lin by including on the circuit board a plurality of light emitting diodes and a power driving chip that converts power from power supplied to said light string to a voltage that can be used by said light emitting diodes to generate light. One would have been motivated to modify the known method of Lin by including on the circuit board a plurality of light emitting diodes and a power driving chip that converts power from power supplied to said light string to a voltage that can be used by said light emitting diodes to generate light, as taught by Thomas, in order to improve the overall brightness of the light string due to the presence of additional LEDs, and ensure the LEDs are provided with clean and regulated electrical potential to be energized and emit light (see Thomas, par. [0048] for the motivation)
Regarding claim 8, Lin teaches wherein said circuit board holder includes protrusions that interface with slots on said circuit board to rotationally locate said circuit board (the lamp holder (combination of housing 10 and bottom plate 70) comprises a space 11 located within the housing 10 that includes a platform defining a circuit board holder which includes protrusions corresponding to the cross shape of the circuit board 20; see Figs. 2, 4, 6; para. [0010]-[0011]).
Regarding claim 11, Lin teaches wherein said process of forming said lamp holder around said insulated wire comprises forming said lamp holder in at least two parts and bonding said lamp holder around said insulated wire (the lamp holder is formed of a housing 10 and a disc shaped bottom plate 70 which combine to sandwich the insulated power wire 60 therebetween; see Figs. 1-7; para. [0010], [0012], [0014]).
Regarding claim 12, Lin teaches the method further comprising placing a lens in said cavity over said light emitting diodes to direct light from said light emitting diodes to said diffuser (a first convex lens 23 is placed over the LED 22, to ensure light is directed from the LED to the inside of the diffuser (second convex lens 23); see Figs. 1-4, 6-7; Abstract; para. [0011]-[0012], [0015]).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin (EP 2284438), as modified by Thomas (US 2007/0115666) as applied to claim 7 above, and further in view of Moser (WO 2010/040159, see attached machine translation). The teachings of Lin modified by Thomas have been discussed above.
Lin as modified teaches the light emitting diodes are mounted on said circuit board (see Figs. 2, 4, 6; para. [0011], [0015]).
However, the teachings of Lin as modified fail to specifically disclose the light emitting diodes are chip-on-board light emitting diodes.
Moser teaches a light string comprising a circuit board having light emitting diodes (a light string comprising LEDs 1, 2, and 3 mounted on a carrier/support element 4; see Abstract; Figs. 1-3; para. [0019], [0022]-[0028], [0033]), wherein said light emitting diodes are chip-on-board light emitting diodes that are mounted on said circuit board (the LEDs 1, 2, 3 are chip-on-board (COB) LEDs; see Fig. 1; par. [0033]).
Therefore, in view of Moser, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the method of Lin, as modified by Thomas by selecting chip-on-board light emitting diodes as the light-emitting diodes. One would have been motivated to further modify the known light string of Moser by selecting COB LEDs as the LEDs, as taught by Moser, in order to provide an improved thermal coupling between the LEDs and the circuit board and enable a very close placement of the LEDs, thereby allowing a more homogeneous light distribution (see Moser, par. [0033] for the motivation).
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin (EP 2284438), as modified by Thomas (US 2007/0115666) as applied to claim 7 above, and further in view of Wang (US 2011/0085334). The teachings of Lin modified by Thomas have been discussed above.
However, the teachings of Lin modified by Thomas fail to disclose or fairly suggest wherein said process of forming said lamp holder around said insulated wire comprises injection molding said lamp holder around said insulated wire.
Wang teaches a method of making a light string (a light string comprising a plurality of LED illuminating devices connected with wires 24B; see Figs. 13-18; para. [0095]-[0106]), comprising forming a lamp holder around an insulated wire so that said insulated wire passes through a cavity in said lamp holder (a lamp holder in the form of a shell 1B is formed around wires 24B so that the wires pass through a cavity inside the shell; see Figs. 13-15, 17-18; para. [0095]-[0104]), wherein said process of forming said lamp holder around said insulated wire comprises injection molding said lamp holder around said insulated wire (the lamp holder is preferably a one-piece structure which is formed by injection molding; see Figs. 13, 17-18; para. [0096], [0100], [0102]).
Therefore, in view of Wang, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Lin, as modified by Thomas by forming said lamp holder around said insulated wire by injection molding said lamp holder around said insulated wire. One would have been motivated to further modify the method of Lin by forming said lamp holder around said insulated wire by injection molding said lamp holder around said insulated wire, as taught by Wang, in order to enhance the durability of the LED illuminating devices along the light string (see Wang, par. [0100] for the motivation).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Tan et al. (WO 2017/215848) discloses a light string comprising a lamp holder formed around an insulative wire so that the insulative wire passes through the lamp holder, the lamp holder being formed by injection molding. Pachler et al. (US 2013/0183779) discloses a light string comprising an insulated power wire having stranded conductive leads and insulation covering the conductive leads, a lamp holder surrounding the insulated power wire and having a cavity that exposes the insulated power wire, and a circuit board having COB LEDs which is fixed on a circuit board holder within the lamp holder.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILLIAM N HARRIS whose telephone number is (571)272-3609. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 8:00AM- 5:00PM EST, Alternate Fridays.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jong-Suk (James) Lee can be reached at 571-272-7044. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/WILLIAM N HARRIS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
