3DETAILED 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 Objections
Claims 1-10 are objected to because:
Claim 1, line 5, “its end” is unclear and leaves doubts as to what feature is being referred to.
Claim 1, line 5, “it” is unclear and leaves doubts as to what feature is being referred to.
Claims 2-5, lines 1, “A fast earthing switch” should be -The fast-earthing switch-.
Claim 2, line 2, phrase, “an end” is unclear and leaves doubts as to what feature is being referred to, example, “an end of what or where”.
Claim 4, line 2, “the end” is unclear and leaves doubts as to what feature is being referred to,
Claim 6, line 2, “a gas” should be -the gas-.
Claim 6, line 3, “a fast-earthing switch” should be -the fast-earthing switch-.
Claim 7, line 1, “A GIS” should be -The GIS-.
Claim 8, line 1, “an earthing switch” should be -the earthing switch-.
Claim 7, line 1, “A GIS” should be -The GIS-.
Claim 8, line 1, “a GIS” should be -the GIS-.
Claim 8, line 3, “the fixed contact” lacks antecedent basis.
Claim 8, line 4, “the shape” lacks antecedent basis.
Claim 9, line 1, “A method” should be -The method-.
Claim 10, line 1, “A method” should be -The method-.
Claim 10, line 2, “the separation” lacks antecedent basis.
Appropriate corrections are required.
35 USC § 112(f)
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
Claim limitation “means for actuating the contact rod” (in claim 1) has being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f), because it uses a generic placeholder “means “coupled with functional language “actuating” without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function. Furthermore, the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier.
Since the claim limitation invokes 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, claim 1 has been interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof. A review of the specification shows that the following appears to be the corresponding structure described in the specification for the 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph limitation: rod and lever providing the function of actuating.
If applicant wishes to provide further explanation or dispute the examiner’s interpretation of the corresponding structure, applicant must identify the corresponding structure with reference to the specification by page and line number, and to the drawings, if any, by reference characters in response to this Office action.
If applicant does not intend to have the claim limitation interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may amend the claim so that it will clearly not invoke 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, or present a sufficient showing that the claim recites sufficient structure, material or acts for performing the claimed function to preclude application of 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
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 1-2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Chareyron et al, EP 4105959 [Chareyron].
Regarding claim 1, Chareyron discloses (figs. 1-10) a fast-earthing switch (2) for a GIS [para.0002], comprising:
a movable contact rod (20), having an end (20b);
a cylinder (22), fixed to the contact rod (20) and forming a gas chamber (29) around at least part of the contact rod (20), the gas chamber (29) comprising an outlet (51) around the contact rod (20) so that gas can flow along the contact rod (20) and its end when it moves from a closed to an open position [para.0061]; and
means (30) for actuating the contact rod (20) between a closed and an open position.
Regarding claim 2, Chareyron further discloses the cylinder (22) having an end provided with a lip (26) which extends from the cylinder (22) towards the rod (20) and which has an end which is separated from the rod (20), thereby forming an outlet slot (22b) with the rod (20).
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 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chareyron in view of Ono et al, US 20140367360 [Ono].
Regarding claim 3, Chareyron fails to disclose wherein the cylinder being made of aluminum or of a plastic material.
Ono discloses (figs.1-3) a puffer-type circuit breaker comprising a cylinder (6) being made of aluminum [para.0031].
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 material of the cylinder of Chareyron with the teaching of the material of the cylinder of Ono, thereby providing a lower cost, achieving excellent wear-resistance, while suppressing the generation of the abrasion-powders of aluminum.
Claims 6-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chareyron in view of Lee, US 8822867.
Regarding claim 6, Chareyron discloses the fast-earthing switch (2), but fails to explicitly disclose the GIS, comprising a metal tank filled with a gas.
Lee discloses a gas insulated switchgear comprising a metal tank filled with a gas [col.1, lines 24-29].
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 enclosure (housing) of Chareyron with the teaching of the tank of Lee, thereby providing an enclosure (housing) fill with an insulation gas having excellent insulation and breaking performance. It has features and advantages such as miniaturization of substations, improved safety and reliability, easy operation and maintenance, and harmony with the environment.
Regarding claim 7, Lee further discloses the gas comprising SF6.
Regarding claim 8, Chareyron further discloses a method for opening the earthing switch of the GIS, comprising, separating the movable contact rod (20) from a fixed contact (40) of the GIS; and blowing a flow of gas along the rod (20), so that the gas flow follows the shape of the end of the rod (20).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chareyron and Lee and further in view of Ranjan et al, EP 3611745 [Ranjan].
Regarding claim 9, Chareyron and Lee fail to explicitly disclose the method of the fixed contact being at a voltage between 3 kV and 30 kV after opening of the switch.
Ranjan discloses (figs.1-4) a load break switch (1) comprising a method of a fixed contact (10) being at a voltage between 3 kV and 30 kV (12kV or 24kV) after opening of the switch (1) [para.0006].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the switch of Chareyron with the teaching of the voltages of Ranjan, thereby providing a circuit breaker capable of interrupting low or medium voltages in the range safely.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-5 and 10 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim but would be allowable if rewritten to overcome claim objections; and in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding claim 4, the prior art fails to teach or show, alone or in combination, the claimed fast earthing switch, where a distance between an end of the cylinder and the end of the rod being between 10 mm and 60 mm.
Regarding claim 5, the prior art fails to teach or show, alone or in combination, the claimed fast earthing switch, where the outlet having a thickness between 3 mm and 10 mm.
Regarding claim 10, the prior art fails to teach or show, alone or in combination, the claimed method, wherein the rod moving at a speed comprised between 1m/s and 10 m/s during the separation of the movable contact rod from the fixed contact.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Son, Kim et al, Kubota et al, Papetti et al and Meyer are further examples of earthing or grounding switches 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