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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 10/27/25 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding claim 1, Applicant argues “On the contrary, in amended claim 1 of the present application, the detection wire comprises one metal detection wire and one additional signal wire. Besides that, the additional signal wire comprises a second conductor group and a third
insulation layer enveloping the second conductor group. That is, the insulated stranded pilot wire 18 in Sherwood is different from "the additional signal wire comprising a second conductor group and a third insulation layer enveloping the second conductor group" as recited in the amended claim 1 of the present application”.
Examiner respectfully disagrees. Applicant has not clearly described how the claim is different from the prior art of record. It is unclear whether Applicant is implying that the additional signal wire has different characteristics from the pilot wire 18 of Sherwood. The claims do not disclose the metes and bounds of what is considered an additional signal wire other than it having a conductor group with an insulator covering the conductor group. It appears that the pilot wire of Sherwood also comprises a wire having an insulating layer covering the conductor (See fig. 1). It is unclear whether the conductor group comprises multiple conductors as the claim is silent regarding the structure of the conductor group. Therefore, the prior art of Sherwood in view of Williams meets the claim limitations of claim 1.
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 1-3, 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sherwood, US 4415850 in view of Williams et al., US 20070159740
Regarding claim 1, Sherwood discloses a leakage current metal detection circuit device comprising a detection wire and a detection device, wherein the detection wire comprises one metal detection wire (Fig.1; ground conductor 16 ), one additional signal wire (Fig. 1; pilot wire 18), a protective insulation layer (Fig. 1; jacket 20), and multiple core wires (Fig. 1; phase wires 11, 12, 13); the detection device is equipped with a sensing end S1 and a sensing end S2 (Fig. 6-8; ground monitor 35 having signal input from pilot wire 18 and ground 16), wherein one end of the metal detection wire is connected to one end of the additional signal wire and another end of the metal detection wire is connected to the sensing end S1 (Fig. 6-8; ground wire may be connected to pilot wire tin the monitoring loop from point 4, 5); and an another end of the additional signal wire is connected to the sensing end S2 (Fig. 6-8; pilot wire 18 is connected to point 1 to ground monitor 35), and the detection device detects whether an electrical connection between the sensing end S1 and sensing end S2 is interrupted (fig. 1-8; phase detector 56 detects a short between the pilot wire 18 and ground 16 which is a an interruption of originally wired cable); wherein the additional signal wire comprises a second conductor group and a third insulation layer enveloping the second conductor group (Fig. 1; pilot wire 18 is a conductor and is surrounded by insulator).
Sherwood is silent in a metal outer layer, wherein the additional signal wire, the metal detection wire, and the core wires are all wrapped by the metal outer layer and the metal outer layer is enveloped by the protective insulation layer. Williams teaches a leakage current detection device wherein an additional signal wire, the metal detection wire, and core wires are all wrapped by a metal outer layer and the metal outer layer is enveloped by the protective insulation layer (Fig. 24; core wires 741, 742 with drain wire 744 and grounding wire 743 are all wrapped by a conductive shield 747 and covered by outer insulating layer 748). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the invention to incorporate the teaching of Williams into Sherwood for the benefit of protecting the wires from environmental factors.
Regarding claim 2, Sherwood wherein the core wire comprises a first conductor group and a first insulation layer enveloping the first conductor group (Fig. 1; insulator 13a).
Regarding claim 3, Sherwood is silent in wherein the metal detection wire is a bare copper wire. Williams teaches wherein a metal detection wire is a bare copper wire (¶[0145]; drain wire 744 may be copper). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the invention to substitute the teaching of Williams into Sherwood since the substitution would produce the predictable result of conducting current.
Regarding claim 5, Sherwood is silent in wherein the metal outer layer is an aluminum foil layer. Williams teaches wherein the metal outer layer is an aluminum foil layer (¶[0039]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the invention to incorporate the teaching of Williams into Sherwood for the benefit of protecting the wires from environmental factors.
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(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sherwood, US 4415850 in view of Williams et al., US 20070159740 in view of Miller et al., US 4301399
Regarding claim 6, Sherwood is silent in wherein the core wire further comprises a second insulation layer enveloping the first insulation layer. Miller teaches core wire further comprises a second insulation layer enveloping the first insulation layer (Fig. 1; outer insulating layers 3 and 4). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the invention to incorporate the teaching of Miller into Sherwood for added protection of the core wires from cracks and defects.
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sherwood, US 4415850 in view of Williams et al., US 20070159740 in view of Kim, US 20040037018
Regarding claim 7, Sherwood teaches wherein the detection device comprises an input terminal L, an input terminal N, an output terminal LO, an output terminal NO, a drive module, and a circuit breaker X1, and the drive module is equipped with the sensing end S1 and sensing end S2.
Sherwood is silent in a main switch S1,a switch module, the input terminal L is connected to the output terminal LO through the main switch S1, and the input terminal N is also connected to the output terminal NO through the main switch S1; and the input of the drive module is connected to the output terminal LO and the output is connected to the control end of the switch module; the drive module operates according to the connection signals between the sensing end S1 and sensing end S2 to control the on/off of the switch module; the input of the switch module is connected to the output terminal LO and the output is connected to one voltage end of the circuit breaker X1, while the other voltage end of the circuit breaker X1 is connected to the output terminal NO; the control end of the circuit breaker X1 is connected to the control end of the main switch S1 and is used to control the on/off of the main switch S1.
Li teaches a main switch S1,a switch module, the input terminal L is connected to the output terminal LO through the main switch S1, and the input terminal N is also connected to the output terminal NO through the main switch S1 (Fig. 4; input terminals L, N connected to output terminals L, N of load through switches in switch module 4); and the input of the drive module is connected to the output terminal LO and the output is connected to the control end of the switch module (Fig. 4; drive module 3 connected to load end and connected to a switch module 4); the drive module operates according to the connection signals between a sensing end S1 and sensing end S2 to control the on/off of the switch module (fig. 1; signals sensed from leakage detection module 1 having multiple sensing ends provided to control operation of switch); the input of the switch module is connected to the output terminal LO and the output is connected to one voltage end of the circuit breaker X1 (Fig. 4; solenoid sol considered a circuit breaker as it operates to break circuit connection between input end and output end), while the other voltage end of the circuit breaker X1 is connected to the output terminal NO (All elements of Fig. 4 are connected, therefore solenoid is connected to the output terminal N); the control end of the circuit breaker X1 is connected to the control end of the main switch S1 and is used to control the on/off of the main switch S1 (Fig. 4; Solenoid operation controls switch module to disconnect the live and neutral wire). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the invention to incorporate the teaching of Li into Sherwood for the benefit of providing protection to the wires from a leakage current.
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sherwood, US 4415850 in view of Williams et al., US 20070159740 in view of Aromin, US 6738241
Regarding claim 8, Sherwood is silent in wherein the input terminal N is connected to a rectifier D1 through the main switch S1, and the switch module comprises a diode Q1 and a diode Q2, wherein an anode of the diode Q1 is connected to the output of the rectifier D1, and a cathode of the diode Q1 is grounded, the control end of the diode Q1 is connected to the output of the drive module; and wherein an anode of the diode Q2 is connected to the output of the rectifier D1, and a cathode of the diode Q2 is grounded, the control end of the diode Q2 is connected to the output of the drive module. Aromin teaches wherein the input terminal N is connected to a rectifier D1 through the main switch S1 (Fig. 8; rectifier formed by D6-D9 connected to a input terminal through switch K2), and a switch module comprises a diode Q1 and a diode Q2, wherein an anode of the diode Q1 is connected to the output of the rectifier D1, and a cathode of the diode Q1 is grounded, the control end of the diode Q1 is connected to the output of the drive module (Fig. 8; Diode D1 connected to ground as well as the rectifier); and wherein an anode of the diode Q2 is connected to the output of the rectifier D1, and a cathode of the diode Q2 is grounded, the control end of the diode Q2 is connected to the output of the drive module (Fig. 8; SCR1 having three terminals which are connected to rectifier, ground and a transformer considered a drive module). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the invention to incorporate the teaching of Aromin into Sherwood for the benefit of providing a switch module to disconnect the wires from potential hazard.
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sherwood, US 4415850 in view of Williams et al., US 20070159740 in view of Yang et al., CN 219201872
Regarding claim 9, Sherwood is silent in wherein the drive module comprises a resistor R5, a resistor R18, a resistor R4, and a resistor R17; the output of the rectifier D1 is connected sequentially through the resistor R18 and the resistor R5 and then connected to the control end of diode Q1, and the connection end between the resistor R18 and the resistor R5 is connected to the sensing end S1; the control end of diode Q2 is connected sequentially through the resistor R4 and the resistor R17 and then connected to the ground, and the connection end between the resistor R4 and the resistor R17 is connected to the sensing end S2. Yang teaches a drive module comprises a resistor R5, a resistor R18, a resistor R4, and a resistor R17 (Fig. 3; R14, 15, 17, 18); the output of the rectifier D1 is connected sequentially through the resistor R18 and the resistor R5 and then connected to the control end of diode Q1 (Fig. 3; R15 connected to D1), and the connection end between the resistor R18 and the resistor R5 is connected to the sensing end S1 (Fig. 3; as shown); the control end of diode Q2 is connected sequentially through the resistor R4 and the resistor R17 and then connected to the ground (Fig. 3; SCR2 connected to ground through resistors), and the connection end between the resistor R4 and the resistor R17 is connected to the sensing end S2 (Fig. 3; S2 connected to resistors R14 and R17). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the invention to incorporate the teaching of Yang into Sherwood for the benefit of detecting leakage current in the wiring system.
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.
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/FEBA POTHEN/Examiner, Art Unit 2858