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 .
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed August 21st, 2025 has been entered. Claims 1-20 are pending. Claims 1 and 12 have been amended by the Applicant.
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 1-3, 6-7, 10-14 and 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park, US 20220223362 in view of Yao et al, CN 106486324 [Yao] and further in view of Yan et al, WO 2017201824 [Yan].
Regarding claim 1, Park discloses (figs.4-5) a high voltage direct current relay (10), comprising:
an insulating housing (110, 120) defining a contact chamber (210);
a contact mechanism (200) comprising a movable contact (430) and a pair of immovable contacts (220); the immovable contact (220) being arranged on the insulating housing (110); one end of the immovable contact (220) protruding into the contact chamber (210), and another end of the immovable contact (220) protruding beyond the insulating housing (110) the movable contact (430)
being located in the contact chamber (210); a gap being formed between the immovable contact (220) and the movable contact (430); and
a driving mechanism (300) comprising a driving source (320) and a pushing assembly (400), the driving source (320) being arranged outside the insulating housing (110) , the pushing assembly (400) being arranged in the contact chamber (110); the pushing assembly (400) being configured to fix and push the movable contact (430) to move in the contact chamber (210).
Park fails to explicitly disclose the driving source is supplied with a positive voltage, the driving source drives the pushing assembly to move towards the immovable contacts, so that the movable contact is in contact with the immovable contacts under a contact status;
when the driving source is supplied with a reverse voltage, the driving source drives the pushing assembly to move away from the immovable contacts, thereby making the movable contact not in contact with the immovable contacts;
wherein the driving source is a motor; and under the contact status, even if the motor is not energized, the movable contact is still kept in contact with the immovable contacts.
Yao discloses (figs.1-7) a high voltage direct current relay (100), comprising a driving source (60) supplied with a positive voltage, the driving source (60) drives a pushing assembly (20) to move towards immovable contacts (12), so that a movable contact (21) is in contact with the immovable contacts (12) under a contact status; when the driving source (60) is supplied with a reverse voltage, the driving source (60) drives the pushing assembly (20) to move away from the immovable contacts (12), thereby making the movable contact (21) not in contact with the immovable contacts (12) [para.0029].
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 driving source of Park with the teaching of the driving source of Yao, thereby providing a relay that requires no electric energy to maintain the contacts in a closed position or an open position, which saves electricity and energy during use and greatly reduces the cost. In addition, the relay has a strong magnetic holding ability, small amount of malfunction, and is safe to use.
Yao fails to disclose wherein the driving source is a motor; and under the contact status, even if the motor is not energized, the movable contact is still kept in contact with the immovable contacts.
Yan discloses (figs.1-6) a high voltage direct current relay where a driving source is a motor (6); and under a contact status, even if the motor (6) is not energized, a movable contact (2) is still kept in contact with immovable contacts (3) [para.0051].
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 driving source of Park with the substitution of the driving source of Yan, thereby providing a self-locking function which can ensure the position of the push rod after the motor is powered off. It is not necessary to keep the power on after the moving and static contacts are in contact, thereby saving power loss.
Regarding claim 12, Park discloses (figs.4-5) a high voltage direct current relay (10), comprising:
an insulating housing (110, 120) defining a contact chamber (210);
a contact mechanism (200) comprising a movable contact (430) and a pair of immovable contacts (220); the immovable contact (220) being arranged on the insulating housing (110); one end of the immovable contact (220) protruding into the contact chamber (210), and another end of the immovable contact (220) protruding beyond the insulating housing (110) the movable contact (430) being located in the contact chamber (210); a gap being formed between the immovable contact (220) and the movable contact (430); and
a driving mechanism (300) comprising a driving source (320) and a pushing assembly (400), the driving source (320) being arranged outside the insulating housing (110) , the pushing assembly (400) being arranged in the contact chamber (110); the pushing assembly (400) being configured to fix and push the movable contact (430) to move in the contact chamber (210).
Park fails to explicitly disclose when the driving source is supplied with a first voltage, the driving source drives the pushing assembly to move towards the immovable contacts, so that the movable contact is in contact with the immovable contacts under a contact status; and
when the driving source is supplied with a second voltage opposite to the first volage, the driving source drives the pushing assembly to move away from the immovable contacts, thereby making the movable contact not in contact with the immovable contacts;
wherein the driving source is a motor; and under the contact status, even if the motor is not energized, the movable contact is still kept in contact with the immovable contacts.
Yao discloses (figs.1-7) a high voltage direct current relay (100), comprising a driving source (60) supplied with a positive voltage (a first voltage), the driving source (60) drives a pushing assembly (20) to move towards immovable contacts (12), so that a movable contact (21) is in contact with the immovable contacts (12); and when the driving source (60) is supplied with a reverse voltage (a second voltage), the driving source (60) drives the pushing assembly (20) to move away from the immovable contacts (12), thereby making the movable contact (21) not in contact with the unmovable contacts (12) [para.0029].
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 driving source of Park with the teaching of the driving source of Yao, thereby providing a relay that requires no electric energy to maintain the contacts in a closed position or an open position, which saves electricity and energy during use and greatly reduces the cost. In addition, the relay has a strong magnetic holding ability, small amount of malfunction, and is safe to use.
Yao fails to disclose wherein the driving source is a motor; and under the contact status, even if the motor is not energized, the movable contact is still kept in contact with the immovable contacts.
Yan discloses (figs.1-6) a high voltage direct current relay where a driving source is a motor (6); and under a contact status, even if the motor (6) is not energized, a movable contact (2) is still kept in contact with immovable contacts (3) [para.0051].
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 driving source of Park with the substitution of the driving source of Yan, thereby providing a self-locking function which can ensure the position of the push rod after the motor is powered off. It is not necessary to keep the power on after the moving and static contacts are in contact, thereby saving power loss.
Regarding claims 2 and 13, Park further discloses where the pushing assembly (400) comprises an insulating member (410) and an elastic member (450); the insulating member (410) is connected to a driving end of the driving source (300); one end of the elastic member (450) is connected to the insulating member (450), and another end of the elastic member (450) is connected to a bottom portion of the movable contact (430).
Regarding claims 3 and 14, Park further discloses where the pushing assembly (400) comprises a fixing bracket (410) for fixing the movable contact (430); the fixing bracket (410) comprises two first fixing portions and a second fixing portion (420); one ends of the two first fixing portions are arranged on opposite sides of the second fixing portion (420), respectively; ends of the first fixing portions away from the second fixing portion (420) are fixedly connected to the insulating member (410); and the second fixing portion (420) is in contact with a top portion of the movable contact (430) [see fig.7].
Regarding claims 6 and 17, Park further discloses where the driving mechanism (300) further comprises a transmission assembly arranged between the driving source (320) and the insulating member (400), the transmission assembly (440) comprises a linkage shaft (441) and a transmission shaft (442); one end of the linkage shaft (441) is connected to the driving source (320), and another end of the linkage shaft (441) is connected to one end of the transmission shalt (442), and another end of the transmission shaft (442) is threadedly connected to the insulating member (400).
Regarding claims 7 and 18, Park further comprising an arc extinguishing mechanism (500) arranged around a periphery of the insulating housing (110).
Regarding claim 10, Park and Yao further disclose where a wire inlet (Yao, 601) end of the driving source (60) has a connection terminal and the connection terminal is configured to be electrically connected to a circuit board (external circuit).
Regarding claim 11, Park further discloses an outer shell (100); where the insulating housing (110), the contact mechanism (200) and the driving mechanism (300) are arranged in the outer shell (100); the outer shell (100) is provided with a receptacle connector, and the driving source (320) is electrically connected with the receptacle connector [see fig.2].
Claims 4-5 and 15-16 re rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park, Yao and Yan and further in view of Li et al, N 217239353 [Li].
Regarding claims 4 and 15, Park, Yao and Yan fail to disclose wherein the pushing assembly further comprises a support member, the support member is fixedly arranged on the bottom portion of the movable contact and extends to a side portion of the movable contact; a buckle portion is provided on a support top portion of the support member: and the fixing bracket is provided with a buckle groove matched with the buckle portion.
Li discloses high voltage direct current relay where a pushing assembly further comprises a support member (32), the support member (32) is fixedly arranged on a bottom portion of a movable contact (2) and extends to a side portion of the movable contact (2); a buckle portion (38) is provided on a support top portion of the support member (32); and a fixing bracket (11, 15) is provided with a buckle groove (39) matched with the buckle portion (38).
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 pushing assembly of Park with the teaching of the pushing assembly of Li, thereby providing a high anti-short circuit ring structure easy to assemble, aiming at
reducing the complex degree of the structure, so that the assembly is more convenient, at the same time, improving the anti-short circuit ability of the product.
Regarding claims 5 and 16, Park, Yao, Yan and Li further disclose where the support member (32) comprises a first support arm and a second support arm, a receiving space is formed between the first support arm, the second support arm and the bottom portion of the movable contact (2); and the elastic member (Park, 450) is clamped in the receiving space [see fig. 7].
Claims 8-9 and 19-20 re rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park, Yao and Yan and further in view of Shimizu et al, US 20230326696 [Shimizu].
Regarding claims 8 and 19, Park, Yao and Yan disclose where the arc extinguishing mechanism (500) comprises two oppositely arranged magnets (510, 520), but silent on a magnetic conductive plate; the magnetic conductive plate is arranged around a periphery of a side wall of the insulating housing; an interval is formed between the magnetic conductive plate and the side wall of the insulating housing; and the magnets are disposed in the interval.
Shimizu discloses (figs.1-3) a relay (1) comprising a magnetic conductive plate (54); the magnetic conductive plate (54) is arranged around a periphery of a side wall of an insulating housing (51); an interval is formed between the magnetic conductive plate (54) and the side wall of the insulating housing (51) and magnets (53) are disposed in the interval.
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 relay of Park with the teaching of the relay of Shimizu, thereby providing a configuration that reduces the likelihood that an electric arc will be repeatedly generated in the space between the fixed contacts and movable contacts; therefore, the time required to extinguish the electric arc can be reduced.
Regarding claims 9 and 20, Shimizu further discloses a fixing seat (52); where the insulating housing (51), the magnets (53) and the magnetic conductive plate (54) are all arranged on the fixing seat
(52); and a driving end of a driving source (71) passes through the fixing seat (52) so as to be connected to an insulating member (63) [para.0045].
Response to Arguments
Applicant's amendments and arguments filed August 21st, 2025 have been fully considered. All relevant arguments have been fully addressed in the new rejections, above.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new grounds 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.
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/WILLIAM A BOLTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2833