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 .
Drawings
Figure 1 should be designated by a legend such as --Prior Art-- because only that which is old is illustrated. See MPEP § 608.02(g). Corrected drawings in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. The replacement sheet(s) should be labeled “Replacement Sheet” in the page header (as per 37 CFR 1.84(c)) so as not to obstruct any portion of the drawing figures. 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.
Status of Claims
Claims 1-16 are pending and presented for prosecution on the merits below.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Roberts et al. US 20210135452 in view of Cheng US 20130280956.
Regarding claim 1, Roberts discloses a leakage current protection device with charging power output [pars. 0002, 0040], comprising:
a shell [Fig. 2, 12 + 14; par. 0042]; and
a core assembly disposed within the shell, the core assembly including:
a ground fault circuit interrupter assembly [Fig. 2, electromechanical PCB 201 with mechanism 203], including a first control circuit board [PCB 201], and a first input assembly and a first output assembly coupled to the first control circuit board [par. 0045]; and
a charging power supply assembly [Fig. 2, USB receptacle PCB 303 with type-A USB receptacle 303-1, type B USB receptacle 303-2], including a second control circuit board [PCB 303], and a second input assembly and a second output assembly coupled to the second control circuit board [par.0043],
wherein the second control circuit board [PCB 303] is disposed in parallel to the first control circuit board [PCB 201], and is electrically coupled [note: all instances of coupled are broadly construed as either being coupled electrically or mechanically, either directly or indirectly through intervening components] to the first control circuit board [PCB 201] by the second input assembly [pars. 0044-0046, abstract].
Roberts does not disclose the control circuit boards are perpendicular to each other.
Cheng discloses: wherein the second control circuit board [Fig. 3, printed circuit board (PCB) assembly 120 with AC PCB 142; par. 0042] is disposed perpendicularly to the first control circuit board [Fig. 3, AC printed circuit board (PCB) assembly 140; par. 0039].
Roberts and Cheng are analogous AC power outlets with a USB charging supply. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the perpendicular board layout as taught by Cheng with Roberts’ outlet for the benefit of minimizing the overall height dimension of the housing assembly [see Cheng, par. 0041].
Regarding claim 2, Roberts discloses the leakage current protection device of claim 1, wherein the first input assembly includes at least a neutral line input terminal and a hot line input terminal, and the first output assembly includes at least a neutral line output terminal, a hot line output terminal, a neutral output conductor and a hot output conductor [pars. 0045-0046].
Regarding claim 3, Roberts discloses the leakage current protection device of claim 1, wherein the second input assembly includes conductor wires coupled to both the first control circuit board and the second control circuit board [par. 0046].
Regarding claim 4, Roberts discloses the leakage current protection device of claim 1, wherein the second output assembly includes at least one USB (Universal serial bus) power outlet [par. 0044].
Regarding claim 5, Roberts discloses the leakage current protection device of claim 1, wherein the charging power supply assembly further includes a transformer and a switch-mode power supply chip coupled to the second control circuit board [pars. 0054, 0065, 0066].
Regarding claim 6, Roberts + Cheng disclose the leakage current protection device of claim 1, wherein the shell includes a top cover and a base unit [Fig. 2, 12 + 14; par. 0042], wherein the first control circuit board is disposed in parallel with a bottom side of the base unit, and the second control circuit board is disposed perpendicularly to the bottom side of the base unit [Cheng, par. 0041].
Regarding claim 7, Roberts + Cheng disclose the leakage current protection device of claim 1, but is silent regarding wherein the charging power supply assembly further includes a third control circuit board, dispose perpendicularly to the second control circuit board and coupled to the second control circuit board, wherein the second output assembly includes at least one USB (Universal serial bus) power outlet disposed on the third control circuit board.
However, one of ordinary skill in the art could easily add a third circuit board with USB if desired, using the combined teachings of Roberts and Cheng, for the benefit of providing additional USB outlet(s) as desired, with space savings as outlined by Cheng in par. 0041.
Regarding claim 8, Roberts discloses the leakage current protection device of claim 1, wherein the ground fault circuit interrupter assembly further includes a ground fault detection ring assembly coupled to the first control circuit board [par. 0062, Fig. 10A, 1002, 1004].
Regarding claim 9, Roberts discloses the leakage current protection device of claim 1, wherein the ground fault circuit interrupter assembly further includes conductor plates configured to couple to the first input assembly and the first output assembly, wherein the conductor plates include at least a neutral conductor plate [Fig. 10, LINE L1D neutral terminal] and a hot conductor plate [Line L1C hot terminal], configured to connect or disconnect an electrical power connection between the first input assembly and the first output assembly.
Regarding claim 10, Roberts discloses the leakage current protection device of claim 1, further comprising an intermediate support frame [Fig. 2, 12 + 14 + 16], which defines a first installation area for installing the ground fault circuit interrupter assembly and a second installation area for installing the charging power supply assembly, and includes positioning portions for positioning the first output assembly [par. 0042].
Regarding claim 11, Roberts discloses the leakage current protection device of claim 1, further comprising a heat dissipater disposed in a vicinity of the charging power supply assembly [pars. 0057, 0068].
Regarding claim 12, Roberts discloses the leakage current protection device of claim 11, wherein the heat dissipater is an L-shaped mounting frame [e.g., Fig. 2, 201-1, 202-2 both have L shapes], where one portion of the L shape is disposed in the vicinity of and parallel to the second control circuit board [par. 0057, automatic under the combination with Cheng].
Regarding claim 13, Roberts discloses the leakage current protection device of claim 11, wherein the intermediate support frame has a mounting portion for mounting the heat dissipater, wherein the mounting portion separates the heat dissipater and the second installation area [par. 0057, Fig. 6].
Regarding claim 14, Roberts discloses the leakage current protection device of claim 10, further comprising auxiliary functional components disposed on the intermediate support frame, the auxiliary functional components including a night light control assembly and/or an indicator assembly [par. 0061].
Regarding claim 15, Roberts discloses the leakage current protection device of claim 1, further comprising a reset assembly and a trip assembly, configured to connect or disconnect an electrical power between the first input assembly and the first output assembly [pars. 0043, 0045].
Regarding claim 16, Roberts discloses the leakage current protection device of claim 1, further comprising a test assembly [par. 0043].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RICHARD V MURALIDAR whose telephone number is (571)272- 8933. The examiner can normally be reached M - W 9:30 am to 6:30 PM.
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unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Drew Dunn can be contacted at 571-272-2312. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273- 8300.
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RICHARD V. MURALIDAR
Primary Examiner Art Unit 2859
/RICHARD V MURALIDAR/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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