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 .
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) 1-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP H01-283772 in view of EP 3098889 and Niles et al 7850495.
Regarding claim 1, JP ‘772 substantially discloses the claimed invention, including a method of manufacturing an electrical conductor, like a current rod, comprising the following successive steps: providing a core 12 made of a first metallic material (see Abstract), providing a sheath 13, made of a second metallic material (see Abstract), the sheath being intended to cover a first portion of the core, providing a connection terminal 5,7 made of a third metallic material, assembling the core and the connection terminal, assembling the core and the connection terminal with the sheath. EP ‘889 (see Abstract) discloses welding by hot isostatic pressing, and to weld the sheath of JP ‘772 on the first portion of the core by hot isostatic pressing thus would have been obvious, for economy of manufacture. Niles et al (claim 14 thereof) discloses that the assembly of the core and of the connection terminal is carried out: by crimping, or by crimping and brazing, or by braze welding, or by brazing, and to assemble the core and connection terminal of JP ‘772 by one or more of these methods thus would have been obvious, since these methods are widely used.
Regarding claim 2, Niles et al (Figure 3 and Figure 14) discloses the assembly of the core and of the connection terminal is carried out by: inserting the core (wires) into a counterbore 116 of the connection terminal 106, so that the connection terminal covers a second portion of the core, and to provide JP ‘772 with a counterbore thus would have been obvious, for better engagement between the core and the terminal.
Regarding claims 3-5, the applied references disclose crimping, brazing, welding, hot isostatic pressing and the counterbore as noted above.
Regarding claim 6, it is well known that brazing material is an alloy based on copper, zinc and nickel which may further contain silver.
Regarding claim 7, JP ‘772 (Abstract) discloses the core 12 is made of copper.
Regarding claims 8-10, JP ‘772 discloses the sheath 13 is made of stainless steel or of a stainless nickel alloy. Similarly, it would have been an obvious matter of design to make the connection terminal of a stainless alloy, for compatibility of materials.
Regarding claims 11-15, the limitations thereof have been addressed above.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GARY F PAUMEN whose telephone number is (571)272-2013. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th.
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/GARY F PAUMEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834