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 Status
Claims 1,9,10,13 and 17 have been amended.
Claims 11 and 12 have been canceled.
Claims 1-10 and 13-17 are pending and examined as follows:
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the railroad turnout, railroad ties, control-rod path, crib region must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claim 2 is objected to because of the following informalities:
There needs to be space between “;” and “and” on line 7.
The limitation “the plurality of induction coils being serially distributed along the elongated body” is duplicated on lines 8-9 and 10-11.
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.
Claim(s) 1,4,5,9 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Alfredeen (EP1582627A1) in view of Lee (KR102470942B1) in view of Johnston (US 2016/0258124A1).
With regards to claim 1, Alfredeen discloses a magnetic induction heating system for a railroad switch crib (rail heating device 4, Fig. 1) comprising: at least one coil assembly; the at least one coil assembly comprising at least one induction coil (magnetic coils 16, Fig. 3), a power supply terminal (magnetic modules 1-4 are made up of magnetic coils 16 connected to power through input and output f1 and f2, Fig. 6), at least one steel metal plate (planar heating means 18 including ferromagnetic material comprising planar sheets, paragraph 0030, lines 3-9), and a coil box (rigid outer enclosure 12, Fig. 5); the coil box being mounted onto the at least one steel metal plate (rigid outer enclosure 12 being mounted onto the planar heating means 18, Fig. 5); the at least one induction coil being positioned adjacent to the at least one steel metal plate (magnetic coils 16 are positioned adjacent to the planar heating means 18, Fig. 5); the power supply terminal being positioned adjacent to the at least one induction coil (input f1 and output f2 are positioned adjacent to magnetic modules 1-4 which are made of magnetic coils 16, Fig. 6); the at least one induction coil being mounted within the coil box (magnetic coil 16 is mounted in the rigid outer enclosure 12, Fig. 5); the at least one induction coil being in electromagnetic communication with the ferrous metal plate (the magnetic coil 16 is in electromagnetic communication with the planar heating means 18, Fig. 6); and the at least one induction coil being electrically connected to the power supply terminal (input f1 and output f2 are electrically connected to magnetic modules 1-4 which are made of magnetic coils 16, Fig. 6).
Alfredeen does not disclose the power supply terminal being mounted within the coil box.
Lee teaches a heating device comprising the power supply terminal (coil 110 has first opening 111 for AC current to applied and the first opening 111 is mounted within case 140, Fig. 4, Fig. 6) being mounted within the coil box (the positions of the first opening 111 and the second opening 112 can be maintained in a fixed state at the preset position, and accordingly, the user can set the It is fixed in one form and can be accurately seated on the core 120 which is within case 140, paragraph 0081, lines 1-2).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Alfredeen and Lee before him or her, to modify the power terminal of Alfredeen to include the power terminal inside the case of Lee of because the combination allows for protection of power components of a heating device.
Alfredeen and Lee does not disclose a railroad turnout, the railroad turnout comprising a plurality of railroad ties and a control-rod path, at least one crib region being positioned in between an adjacent pair of railroad ties from the plurality of railroad ties and the at least one coil assembly being in thermal communication with the control-rod path.
Johnston teaches a railroad turnout, the railroad turnout comprising a plurality of railroad ties and a control-rod path, at least one crib region being positioned in between an adjacent pair of railroad ties from the plurality of railroad ties and the at least one coil assembly being in thermal communication with the control-rod path (crib heater 21 is positioned adjacent to a switch motor drive rod of a railroad turnout, wherein the crib heater 21 is between railroad ties and rail 23 and the crib heater comprises an induction coil which is used to prevent accumulation of frozen material adjacent the at least one train track rail 23, paragraph 0053, lines 7-8).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Alfredeen, Lee and Johnston before him or her, to modify induction device of Alfredeen and Lee to include a position near a crib of a railroad rail because the combination allows for moving parts of a switch for a railroad system to be protected from snow and other harmful weather conditions.
With regards to claim 4, Alfreeden discloses the at least one coil assembly further comprising at least one coil enclosure (magnetic cores 14 enclose parts of coils 16, Fig. 3); the at least one induction coil being mounted within the at least one coil enclosure (coil 16 is mounted within magnetic core 14, Fig. 3); the at least one coil enclosure being positioned adjacent to the at least one steel metal plate; and the at least one coil enclosure being mounted within the coil box (magnetic core 14 is extends through the width of enclosure 12 which is adjacent to planar heating means 18, Fig. 3,5).
With regards to claim 5, Alfreeden discloses the at least one coil enclosure being a plurality of coil enclosures (each coil 16 is mounted within a magnetic core 14, Fig. 3); the at least one induction coil being a plurality of induction coils (coils 16, Fig. 3); each of the plurality of induction coils being positioned within a corresponding enclosure of the plurality of coil enclosures (each coil 16 is mounted within a magnetic core 14, Fig. 30); and the plurality of coil enclosures being distributed across the at least one steel metal plate (the planar heating means, are arranged in a plane defined by the free ends of the magnetic cores of the magnetic modules, paragraph 0033, lines 1-3).
With regards to claim 9, Johnston teaches a switch drive motor assembly; and the switch drive motor assembly being mounted adjacent to the at least one steel metal plate, opposite to the at least one coil box (heating units 5 are electronically connected to the crib heater 21, wherein the crib heater 21 is positioned adjacent to a switch motor drive rod of a railroad, paragraph 0053, lines 2-5).
With regards to claim 13, Alfreeden discloses the at least one coil enclosure being a plurality of coil enclosures (each coil 16 is mounted within a magnetic core 14, Fig. 3);each of the plurality of induction coils being positioned within a corresponding enclosure of the plurality of coil enclosures (each coil 16 is mounted within a magnetic core 14, Fig. 30); and the plurality of coil enclosures being distributed across the at least one steel metal plate (the planar heating means, are arranged in a plane defined by the free ends of the magnetic cores of the magnetic modules, paragraph 0033, lines 1-3).
Claim(s) 1,3,6 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee in view of Alfredeen in view of Johnston.
With regards to claim 1, Lee discloses a magnetic induction heating system for a railroad switch crib comprising at least one coil assembly (branch heating device 100 of a railway rail, Fig. 2); the at least one coil assembly comprising at least one induction coil (coil 110, Fig. 2), a power supply terminal (AC current applied from a power source can be input and output through first opening 111, paragraph 0068, lines 1-2), at least one plate (heating plate 130, Fig. 2), and a coil box (case 140, Fig. 2); the coil box being mounted onto the at least one plate (heating plate 130 mounted on case 140, Fig. 2); the at least one induction coil being positioned adjacent to the at least one plate (coil 110 positioned adjacent to the heating plate 130, Fig. 2); the power supply terminal being positioned adjacent to the at least one 110 induction coil (first opening 111 adjacent to coil 110, Fig. 6); the at least one induction coil and the power supply terminal being mounted within the coil box (coil 110 is mounted within case 140 and the positions of the first opening 111 and the second opening 112 can be maintained in a fixed state at the preset position, and accordingly, the user can set the It is fixed in one form and can be accurately seated on the core 120 within case 140, Fig. 2, paragraph 0079, lines 1-2); the at least one induction coil being in electromagnetic communication with the plate (the core 120 may link the alternating magnetic field generated in the coil 110 to the heating plate 130, paragraph 0020, line 1); and the at least one induction coil being electrically connected to the power supply terminal (AC current applied from a power source can be input and output through first opening 111 of coil 110, paragraph 0068, lines 1-2).
Lee does not disclose a steel metal plate and the at least one induction coil being in electromagnetic communication with the ferrous metal plate.
Alfredeen teaches a heating device comprising a steel metal plate (planar heating means including a ferromagnetic material, paragraph 0030, lines 1-4) and the at least one induction coil being in electromagnetic communication with the ferrous metal plate (a planar heating means 18 including a ferromagnetic material and constituting a heating surface adapted to face and be in contact with the rail to be heated, paragraph 0030, lines 2-8).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Lee and Alfredeen before him or her, to modify the heating plate of Lee to include the ferromagnetic material of Alfredeen because the combination allows for a shield that prevents the electromagnetic field to be spread.
Lee and Alfredeen does not disclose a railroad turnout, the railroad turnout comprising a plurality of railroad ties and a control-rod path, at least one crib region being positioned in between an adjacent pair of railroad ties from the plurality of railroad ties and the at least one coil assembly being in thermal communication with the control-rod path.
Johnston teaches a railroad turnout, the railroad turnout comprising a plurality of railroad ties and a control-rod path, at least one crib region being positioned in between an adjacent pair of railroad ties from the plurality of railroad ties and the at least one coil assembly being in thermal communication with the control-rod path (crib heater 21 is positioned adjacent to a switch motor drive rod of a railroad turnout, wherein the crib heater 21 is between railroad ties and rail 23 and the crib heater comprises an induction coil which is used to prevent accumulation of frozen material adjacent the at least one train track rail 23, paragraph 0053, lines 7-8).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Lee, Alfredeen and Johnston before him or her, to modify induction device of Lee and Alfredeen and to include a position near a crib of a railroad rail because the combination allows for moving parts of a switch for a railroad system to be protected from snow and other harmful weather conditions.
With regards to claim 3, Lee discloses at least one induction driver (high frequency resonance type inverter system 300, Fig. 12); the at least one induction driver being positioned offset to the at least one coil assembly (high frequency resonance type inverter system 300 being offset the branch heating device 100, Fig. 12); and the at least one induction coil being electrically connected to the at least one driver through the power supply terminal (high frequency resonance type inverter system 300 is connected to branch heating device 100 through wiring connected to first opening 111 and second opening 112,Fig. 6, Fig. 12).
With regards to claim 6, Lee discloses the coil box comprising a box floor, a first lateral wall, and a second lateral wall; the first lateral wall and the second lateral wall each comprising a proximal lengthwise edge and a distal lengthwise edge; the first lateral wall and the second lateral wall being positioned parallel to each other; the first lateral wall and the second lateral wall being positioned perpendicular to the box floor; the distal lengthwise edge of the first lateral wall being connected adjacent to the box floor; the distal lengthwise edge of the second lateral wall being connected adjacent to the box floor, opposite to the first lateral wall; and the proximal lengthwise edge of the first lateral wall and the proximal lengthwise edge of the second lateral wall being attached across the at least one steel metal plate as seen below:
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With regards to claim 9, Johnston teaches a switch drive motor assembly; and the switch drive motor assembly being mounted adjacent to the at least one steel metal plate, opposite to the at least one coil box (heating units 5 are electronically connected to the crib heater 21, wherein the crib heater 21 is positioned adjacent to a switch motor drive rod of a railroad, paragraph 0053, lines 2-5).
Claim(s) 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee, Alfredeen and Johnston as applied to claim 6 above, and further in view of Jeng (KR20080072322A).
With regards to claim 7, Lee discloses the coil box comprising a first wall ledge and a second wall ledge; the first wall ledge being positioned perpendicular to the first lateral wall; the first wall ledge being connected along the proximal lengthwise edge of the first lateral wall; the second wall ledge being connected along the proximal lengthwise edge of the second lateral wall as seen below:
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Lee, Alfredeen and Johnston does not teach the first wall ledge being oriented away from the second lateral wall; the second wall ledge being positioned perpendicular to the second lateral wall; the second wall ledge being oriented away from the first lateral wall; and the first wall ledge and the second wall ledge being attached onto the at least one steel metal plate.
Jeng teaches a high speed branch snowing melting system comprising a first wall ledge being oriented away from the second lateral wall (cover 90 having two edges where anchor holes 91 reside, Fig. 9); the second wall ledge being positioned perpendicular to the second lateral wall (cover 90 has two edges where anchor holes 90 reside and are perpendicular to sidewalls of cover 90, Fig. 9); the second wall ledge being oriented away from the first lateral wall (the two edges of cover 90 are oriented away from each other, Fig. 9); and the first wall ledge and the second wall ledge being attached onto the at least one steel metal plate (edges of cover 90 wherein the anchor holes 91 reside are attached to anchor holes 81 of base 80, Fig. 9).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Lee, Alfredeen, Johnston and Jeng before him or her, to modify the case of Lee, Alfredeen and Johnston to include the edges of Jeng because the combination allows for enhanced mechanical connection for a heating apparatus to protect the internal components.
Claim(s) 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee, Alfredeen and Johnston as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Fälldin (US 10,619,310).
With regards to claim 8, Lee, Alfredeen and Johnston does not teach a mounting bracket; the mounting bracket comprising a central bracket plate, a first bracket flange, and a second bracket flange; the first bracket flange and the second bracket flange being positioned parallel to each other; the first bracket flange and the second bracket flange being positioned perpendicular to the central bracket plate; the first bracket flange being connected adjacent to the central bracket plate; the second bracket flange being connected adjacent to the central bracket plate, opposite to the first bracket flange; the at least one coil assembly being positioned in between the first bracket flange and the second bracket flange; and the at least one steel metal plate and the coil box being attached onto the central bracket plate.
Fälldin teaches a railway track heating device comprising a mounting bracket (heat spreader 2, Fig. 1); the mounting bracket comprising a central bracket plate (heat spreader 2 being in the form of a plate, Fig. 1), a first bracket flange (one set of securing device 4, Fig. 1), and a second bracket flange (another set of securing device 4, Fig. 1); the first bracket flange and the second bracket flange being positioned parallel to each other (set of securing devices 4 are parallel to each other, Fig. 1); the first bracket flange and the second bracket flange being positioned perpendicular to the central bracket plate (securing devices 4 extend perpendicular to the plate part of heat spreader 2, Fig. 1); the first bracket flange being connected adjacent to the central bracket plate (securing device 4 that borders heat spreader 2, Fig. 1); the second bracket flange being connected adjacent to the central bracket plate, opposite to the first bracket flange (securing device 4 on the other side of heat element 3 opposite of the securing device 4 on the plate of heat spreader 2, Fig. 1); the at least one coil assembly being positioned in between the first bracket flange and the second bracket flange (heating element 3 positioned between the sets of securing devices 4, Fig. 1); and the at least one steel metal plate and the coil box being attached onto the central bracket plate (heater plate 13 and inductive core 10 being attached to the heat spreader 4, Fig. 3a and Fig. 4a).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Lee, Alfredeen, Johnston and Fälldin before him or her, to modify the plate of Lee, Alfredeen and Johnston to include the heating spreader of Fälldin because the combination allows for uniform heating of a heating apparatus.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 2 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. The prior art does not disclose or teach the coil body comprising a convex portion and a concave portion, the elongated plate body being positioned adjacent to the convex portion of each of the plurality of induction coils and the elongated conductive body being positioned adjacent to the concave portion of each of the plurality of induction coils.
Claims 10 and 13-17 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: Claims 10 and 13-17 are allowable because the prior art does not disclose or teach the coil body comprising a convex portion and a concave portion, the elongated plate body being positioned adjacent to the convex portion of each of the plurality of induction coils and the elongated conductive body being positioned adjacent to the concave portion of each of the plurality of induction coils.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 1/14/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicants argument: Applicant argues the prior art does not disclose or teach all the limitations of amended claim 1.
Examiners response: Applicant argues the prior art does not disclose or teach “the power supply terminal being located within the coil box”. Lee teaches a heating device comprising the power supply terminal (coil 110 has first opening 111 for AC current to applied and the first opening 111 is mounted within case 140, Fig. 4, Fig. 6) being mounted within the coil box (the positions of the first opening 111 and the second opening 112 can be maintained in a fixed state at the preset position, and accordingly, the user can set the It is fixed in one form and can be accurately seated on the core 120 which is within case 140, paragraph 0081, lines 1-2). Applicant amended claim 1 to include “a railroad turnout, the railroad turnout comprising a plurality of railroad ties and a control-rod path, at least one crib region being positioned in between an adjacent pair of railroad ties from the plurality of railroad ties and the at least one coil assembly being in thermal communication with the control-rod path”. Johnston teaches a railroad turnout, the railroad turnout comprising a plurality of railroad ties and a control-rod path, at least one crib region being positioned in between an adjacent pair of railroad ties from the plurality of railroad ties and the at least one coil assembly being in thermal communication with the control-rod path (crib heater 21 is positioned adjacent to a switch motor drive rod of a railroad turnout, wherein the crib heater 21 is between railroad ties and rail 23 and the crib heater comprises an induction coil which is used to prevent accumulation of frozen material adjacent the at least one train track rail 23, paragraph 0053, lines 7-8).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THOMAS JOHN WARD whose telephone number is (571)270-1786. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 7am - 4pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, EDWARD LANDRUM can be reached at 5712725567. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/THOMAS J WARD/Examiner, Art Unit 3761
/JOHN J NORTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3761
Prosecution Insights