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 § 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 18-20 and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mattlar in view of Mattlar (US. Pat. 7,863,530).
Regarding claim 18, Mattlar teaches a modular switching system comprising: switch apparatuses, each switch apparatus comprising a base structure 102, the base structure comprising:a first single-pole switch base (first housing) comprising: a first base body, the first base body comprising first engagement features (140, 103, 105, 109), first attachment features (paragraph 72), and first switch components 140 held in the first base body by the first engagement features; a second single-pole switch base (second housing) comprising a second base body, the second base body comprising second engagement features (140, 103, 105, 109) and second attachment features (paragraph 72), wherein the first attachment features are configured to connect to the second attachment features to hold the first and second single-pole switch bases together without the use of separate fastening devices (paragraph 72); and a first shaft 120 that passes through the first single-pole switch base, the first shaft configured to rotate relative to the first base body (paragraphs 50-52), the first shaft comprising a moveable contact 130 that extends radially outward (contacts moves outward from rotation axis) from the first shaft and rotates through an arc that intersects a first stationary contact 110 and a second stationary contact 112; (Figs. 1-11 and paragraph 25). Mattlar does not teach the first shaft extending from a first end to a second end; wherein the first end the first shaft of each switch apparatus is configured to be connected to the second end of the first shaft of another one of the switch apparatuses to form a multi-pole switch. However, Mattlar’530 teaches a similar switch modular that comprises plurality of single-pole switch, each having a first shaft 6 that extends from a first end 8 to a second end 10; wherein the first end the first shaft of each switch apparatus is configured to be connected to the second end of the first shaft of another one of the switch apparatuses to form a multi-pole switch (Figs. 1-4 and col. 2, lines 10-40). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings of Mattlar’530 in the switch device of Mattlar to facilitate the constructing and expanding different switching device assemblies (col. 1, line 45-46).
Regarding claim 19, Mattlar teaches the modular switch wherein the first switch components are secured to the first base body only with geometric features internal to the first base body (Fig. 1 and paragraph 72).
Regarding claim 20, Mattlar teaches the modular switch wherein the first switch components comprising: a first stationary contact 110, a second stationary contact 112, a first arc chute 142, and a second arc chute 142 (the arc plates 142 defines plurality of plates, see Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 24, Mattlar teaches the modular switch wherein the moveable contact 130 rotates about a longitudinal axis of the first shaft such that a first end of the moveable contact moves in and out of contact with the first stationary contact 110 and the second end of the moveable contact moves in and out of contact with the second stationary contact 112 (paragraph 29).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 2, 4-13, 15-17, 22 and 23 are 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 18-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 AHMED M SAEED whose telephone number is (571)270-7976. The examiner can normally be reached 10-8pm.
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/AHMED M SAEED/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
