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.
Claims 16-19, 21, 25 and 29-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Djogo, US 20200161065.
Regarding claim 16, Djogo discloses (figs.1A-1B and 2) a vacuum switching unit (102) of a vacuum circuit breaker (100), the vacuum switching unit (102) comprising:
a vacuum switching tube (106) having a longitudinal axis;
an insulating sleeve (112) formed of an insulating material, said insulating sleeve (112) surrounding said vacuum switching tube (106) in a tubular form around the longitudinal axis of said vacuum switching tube (106); and
a plurality of capacitor electrodes (110) integrated into said insulating sleeve (112).
Regarding claim 17, Djogo further discloses where said capacitor electrodes (110) extend in an annular or partially annular arrangement around the longitudinal axis of said vacuum switching tube (106).
Regarding claim 18, Djogo further discloses where said capacitor electrodes (110) form electrode pairs (114, 116) of concentrically extending said capacitor electrodes (110) having mutually facing electrode surfaces and said electrode pairs (114, 116) of concentrically extending capacitor electrodes (110) are disposed at an axial spacing distance from one another relative to the longitudinal axis of said vacuum switching tube (106).
Regarding claim 19, Djogo further discloses where each said electrode pair (114, 116) of concentrically extending capacitor electrodes (110) is formed of a capacitor electrode (114) that extends on a surface of said insulating sleeve (112) facing towards said vacuum switching tube (106) and a capacitor electrode (116) that extends on a surface of said insulating sleeve (116) facing away from said vacuum switching tube (106).
Regarding claim 21, Djogo further discloses where said plurality of capacitor electrodes (110) include capacitor electrodes (114, 116) that extend inside said insulating sleeve (112) axially at a distance from one another in relation to the longitudinal axis of said insulating sleeve (112) and that have mutually faced electrode surfaces.
Regarding claim 25, Djogo further discloses where said insulating sleeve (112) is made from a thermoplastic or from epoxy resin that includes a permittivity-increasing filler [para.0023].
Regarding claim 29, Djogo further discloses the vacuum circuit breaker (100), comprising at least one vacuum switching unit (102).
Regarding claim 30, Djogo further discloses the vacuum circuit breaker (100) comprising a plurality of vacuum switching units (102, 104), and said vacuum switching units (102, 104) having switching paths that are electrically connected in series [see figs.4A-4B].
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 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Djogo in view of Osterland, US2613345.
Regarding claim 20, Djogo discloses the claimed invention, except wherein said concentrically extending capacitor electrodes are formed of electrically conductive coating layers applied to said insulating sleeve.
Osterland discloses (figs.1-3) a vacuum envelope (10) where concentrically extending capacitor electrodes (C1) are formed of electrically conductive coating layers (13) applied to an insulating sleeve (15).
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 capacitor electrodes of Djogo with the teaching of the capacitor type voltage divider of Osterland, in which the effect of stray capacitances is reduced to a negligible factor, thereby resulting in a higher degree of measuring accuracy and permitting use of much smaller capacitor units.
Claims 22 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Djogo in view of Nagatsuna, JP 2017157453.
Regarding claim 22, Djogo discloses the claimed invention, except wherein said electrode pairs of capacitor electrodes with mutually facing electrode surfaces form capacitors that are connected in series by electrical wires integrated in said insulating sleeve.
Nagatsuna discloses (figs.1-2) a breaker (2) where an electrode pairs of capacitor electrodes (3) with mutually facing electrode surfaces form capacitors (9) that are connected in series by electrical wires (11) integrated in an insulating sleeve (12).
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 vacuum switching unit of Djogo with the teaching of the voltage dividing capacitor of Nagatsuna, thereby providing capacitance increased, as a result, the potential sharing ratio of the voltage dividing capacitor is increased; in addition, since the electrostatic capacity can be ensured with a small diameter, the voltage dividing capacitor can be reduced in the radial direction.
Claims 23 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Djogo in view of Li, CN234250Y.
Regarding claim 23, Djogo fails to disclose at least one electrical resistor integrated into said insulating sleeve and connected, by electrical wires integrated in said insulating sleeve, in series or in parallel with at least one capacitor formed of two capacitor electrodes.
Li teaches (figs. 1-2) a power equipment protection device comprising an at least one electrical resistor (3) integrated into an insulating sleeve (13) and connected, by electrical wires (14) integrated in said insulating sleeve (13), in series or in parallel with at least one capacitor (2) formed of two capacitor electrodes (2).
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 vacuum switching unit of Djogo with the teaching of the protection device of Li, thereby effectively absorb and suppress overvoltage, change the frequency of overvoltage, reduce the steepness of the overvoltage and divert large currents.
Claims 24 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Djogo in view of Shiro, JP 142658.
Regarding claim 24, Djogo fails to disclose wherein said vacuum switching tube comprises at least one shield electrode that is electrically conductively connected and/or capacitively electrically coupled to a capacitor electrode.
Shiro discloses (figs.3-4) a vacuum circuit breaker (21) where a vacuum switching tube (22) comprises at least one shield electrode (30) that is electrically conductively connected and/or capacitively electrically coupled to a capacitor electrode (33c).
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 insulating sleeve of Djogo with the inclusion of the shield electrode within the insulating tubing of Shiro, thereby providing a dielectric forming a voltage dividing capacitor inside the insulating tubing, so that the vacuum circuit breaker container can also be used as a voltage dividing capacitor, which not only improves the potential distribution, but also makes it possible to make the sealed switchgear more compact.
Claim 26 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Djogo in view of Ren et al, US 20170287662 [Ren].
Regarding claim 26, Djogo fails to disclose wherein said insulating sleeve, together with said capacitor electrodes, is a 3D-printer printed element.
Ren teaches a vacuum interrupter where an insulating housing (insulating sleeve) being manufactured using 3D-printing technique.
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 insulating sleeve of Djogo with the teaching of Ren, thereby providing a manufacturing technique of a complex three-dimensional construction by employing the 3D-printing, improving the voltage withstanding of the insulating housing significantly, pushing the vacuum interrupter to develop towards a more advanced technique.
Claim 27 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Djogo in view of Hartmann et al, US 10685797 [Hartmann].
Regarding claim 27, Djogo fails to disclose a coating disposed on at least one of a region of a surface of said vacuum switching tube that faces toward said insulating sleeve or at least one region of a surface of said insulating sleeve that faces toward said vacuum switching tube, said coating being configured to homogenize an electrical field between said insulating sleeve and said vacuum switching tube.
Hartmann discloses (figs. 1 and 6) a vacuum interrupter (3) comprising a coating (22) disposed on at least one of a region of a surface of a vacuum switching tube that faces toward an insulating sleeve (4) or at least one region of a surface of an insulating sleeve (4) that faces toward said vacuum switching tube, said coating (22) being configured to homogenize an electrical field between said insulating sleeve (4) and said vacuum switching tube [col.7, lines 20-30].
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 vacuum switching unit of Djogo with the teaching of the coating of Hartmann, thereby providing electric field control on the surface and for reducing the charging of the surface with electric charges, thus producing substantially surge-proof structure element.
Claim 28 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Djogo in view of Ranheim, US 3355564.
Regarding claim 28, Djogo fails to disclose where an insulating sleeve is formed of at least two sleeve parts.
Ranheim discloses (fig.1) a vacuum circuit interrupter (10) where an insulating sleeve is formed of at least two sleeve parts (16, 17).
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 vacuum switching unit of Djogo with the teaching of Ranheim, thereby providing a pair of insulating housing portions and a central arcing chamber joining the housing portions and an arc shield interposed between arcing contacts and the arcing chamber, wherein the coefficient of expansion of the arc shield is substantially closer to that of the housing portion than is that of the arc shield.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Ermel et al, Rostron et al, Pham et al, Perret et al, Sato et al and Yanabu et al are examples of vacuum switching units configured similar to the present invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILLIAM A BOLTON whose telephone number is (571)270-5887. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri: 7:30AM - 5:00PM.
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/WILLIAM A BOLTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2833