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 § 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 1-8, 13-14 and 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over DiMarco et al, US 6248970 [DiMarco] in view of Yang, KR20220147380.
Regarding claim 1, DiMarco discloses (figs.1-11) an arc chute apparatus (105) comprising:
a housing (labeled in fig.5, below) comprising a first sidewall (106), a second sidewall (107), and an arc runner (116), the arc runner (116) comprising: a base portion (labeled in fig.10, below) integral with the housing (labeled in fig.5, below) and extending between the first sidewall (106) and the second sidewall (107); and a tab (118) that extends from the base portion (labeled in fig.10, below) and is configured to be oriented toward an electrical contact (42, 44) of a switching device (10), where the arc runner (116) comprises a ferrous material [col.6, lines 44-49];
an arc guide (fig.8) between the first sidewall (106) and the second sidewall (107); and
mounting features configured to hold a plurality of ferrous plates (58) in a spaced apart arrangement in the housing (labeled in fig.5, below) between the first sidewall (106) and the second sidewall (107) and between the arc guide (110) and the arc runner (116).
DiMarco fails to disclose an ablative insert in the housing.
Yang discloses (figs.4 and 8) an arc chute apparatus (100) comprising an ablative insert (111) in a housing (105, 120).
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 arc chute apparatus of DiMarco with the inclusion of the ablative insert of Yang, thereby providing a gassing material that emits molecules for arc extinguishing when heated by an arc, thus results in rapid extinguishing of the arcs, preventing damage or deformation of the arc chute housing.
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Regarding claim 2, DiMarco further discloses where the base portion (labeled in fig.10, above) is planar and the tab (118) extends in a different plane than the base portion (labeled in fig.10, above).
Regarding claim 3, DiMarco further discloses where the tab (118) extends perpendicularly from the base portion (labeled in fig.10, above).
Regarding claim 4, DiMarco further discloses where the arc guide (fig.8) comprises: a guide plate (110) that extends between the first sidewall (106) and the second sidewall (107), and a retention portion (112).
Regarding claim 5, DiMarco and Yang further disclose where the ablative insert (Yang, 111) comprises a first ablative insert (111) adjacent to a first sidewall (Yang, 110), and a second ablative insert (111) adjacent to a second sidewall (110)
Regarding claim 6, DiMarco and Yang further disclose where the mounting features are openings (111a, 111b) in the first ablative inert (111) and openings (111a, 111b) in the second ablative insert (111).
Regarding claim 7, DiMarco and Yang further disclose where the mounting features comprise: a first mounting plate (Yang, 111) on an inner side of a first sidewall (Yang, 110), a second mounting plate (111) on an inner side of a second sidewall (110).
Regarding claim 8, DiMarco and Yang further disclose where the first mounting plate (Yang, 111) and the second mounting plate (Yang, 111) are identical and include a plurality of openings (111a, 111b) each configured to receive a mounting portion (131) of a ferrous plate (130).
Regarding claim 13, DiMarco fails to disclose wherein the arc chute apparatus further comprises an ablative insert in the housing.
Yang discloses (figs.4 and 8) an arc chute apparatus (100) comprising an ablative insert (111) in a housing (105, 120).
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 arc chute apparatus of DiMarco with the inclusion of the ablative insert of Yang, thereby providing a gassing material that emits molecules for arc extinguishing when heated by an arc, thus results in rapid extinguishing of the arcs, preventing damage or deformation of the arc chute housing.
Regarding claim 14, DiMarco and Yang further disclose where the ablative insert (Yang, 111) comprises a first ablative insert (111) adjacent to a first sidewall (110), and a second ablative insert (111) adjacent to a second sidewall (110).
Regarding claim 17, DiMarco fails to disclose an ablative insert.
Yang discloses (figs.4 and 8) an arc chute apparatus (100) comprising an ablative insert (111).
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 arc chute apparatus of DiMarco with the inclusion of the ablative insert of Yang, thereby providing a gassing material that emits molecules for arc extinguishing when heated by an arc, thus resulting in rapid extinguishing of the arc, and preventing damage or deformation of the arc chute housing.
Regarding claim 18, DiMarco and Yang further disclose where the interior mounting features comprise openings (111a, 111b) in the ablative insert (111).
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 9-12 and 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by DiMarco.
Regarding claim 9, DiMarco discloses (figs.1-11) a switching device (10) comprising:
a first electrical contact (44);
a second electrical contact (42) configured to move relative to the first electrical contact (44); and an arc chute apparatus (105) comprising:
a housing (labeled in fig.5, above) comprising a first sidewall (106), a second sidewall (107), and an arc runner (116), the arc runner (116) comprising: a base portion (labeled in fig.10, above) integral with the housing (labeled in fig.5, above) and extending between the first sidewall (106) and the second sidewall (107); and a tab (118) that extends from the base portion (labeled in fig.10, above) and is configured to be oriented toward one or more of the first electrical contact (44) and the second electrical contact (42), where the arc runner (116) comprises a ferrous material [col.6, lines 44-49].
Regarding claim 10, DiMarco further comprising mounting features configured to hold a plurality of ferrous plates (58) between the first sidewall (106) and the second sidewall (107).
Regarding claim 11, DiMarco further discloses where the arc chute apparatus (105) further comprises an arc guide (fig.8), and mounting features configured to hold the plurality of ferrous plates (58) between the arc guide (fig.8) and the arc runner (116).
Regarding claim 12, DiMarco further discloses where the arc chute apparatus (105) is configured to be mounted to the first electrical contact (44).
Regarding claim 15, DiMarco discloses (figs.1-11) a housing assembly (labeled in fig.5, above) for an arc chute (105), the housing assembly (labeled in fig.5, above) comprising:
a first sidewall (106);
a second sidewall (107);
interior mounting features configured to hold a plurality of ferrous plates (58) between an interior side of the first sidewall (106) and an interior side of the second sidewall (107); and
an arc runner (116) comprising: a base portion (labeled in fig.10, above) and a tab (118) that extends from the base portion (labeled in fig.10, above), where an exterior of the housing assembly (labeled in fig.5, above) is configured for mounting to an electrical contact (44) of a switching apparatus (10), the base portion (labeled in fig.10, above) is integrally attached to the interior side of the first sidewall (106) and the interior side of the second sidewall (107), the base portion (labeled in fig.5, above) and the tab (118) comprise a ferrous material [col.6, lines 44-49], and the tab (118) is configured to be positioned toward an arc generating location (56) of the switching apparatus (10).
Regarding claim 16, DiMarco further comprising an arc guide [see fig.8].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Park, Kim, Rival, Smeltzer et al, Baek, Pollitt et al, Shea et al, Maier et al and Gryetko et al are examples of arc chute apparatuses 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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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Renee S Luebke can be reached at (571)-272-2009. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/WILLIAM A BOLTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2833