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.
Claim(s) 1, 10 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Glaesman (US PG. Pub. 2020/0381148) in view of E. J. Grimmer (US Patent 3394455).
Regarding claim 1 – Glaesman teaches an electrical bushing (figs. 1-5, 10 [paragraph 0061] Glaesman states, “bushing 10”) comprising: a conductor (fig. 4, 14 [paragraph 0065] Glaesman states, “conductor 14”) extending along a longitudinal axis (vertical axis); and an insulating body (16 [paragraph 0066] Glaesman states, “insulator body 16”) surrounding at least a portion of the conductor (14), the insulating body (16) including a first end (bottom end having female outlet 26 therein), a second end (top end) opposite the first end, a plurality of sheds (see “sheds” shown extending horizontally away from the conductor 14; sheds discussed in paragraph 0063-0064) extending away from the longitudinal axis between the first end and the second end of the insulating body (16; claimed structure shown in figure 4), a recess (fig. 5, see recess exposing the conductor 14) extending into the insulating body (16) from the first end, the recess defining a female connection interface (26 [paragraph 0035] Glaesman states, “female outlet 26”) in communication with the conductor (14), and an outer surface (see outer surface between bottom and shed) extending from the first end to a first shed of the plurality of sheds (claimed structure shown in figure 4), wherein the outer surface is configured such that electrical stresses on the outer surface is explicitly considered along an entire length of the outer surface when the conductor is energized to a non-zero potential ([paragraph 0064] Glaesman states, “With this geometry screen 12, the peak stresses are 39.7 kV/inch at the edge of the grounded steel plate, 15.1 kV/inch at the edge of screen 12, and 39.5 kV/inch at the sheds of the bushing”).
Glaesman fails to teach explicitly wherein the outer surface is configured such that electrical stresses on the outer surface vary by 25% or less along an entire length of the outer surface when the conductor is energized to a non-zero potential.
Grimmer teaches and electrical bushing (fig. 3, 10 [column 5 line 31-32] Grimmer states, “bushing assembly 10”) explicitly wherein the outer surface (fig. 3, see outer surface of the insulating body 70) is configured such that electrical stresses on the outer surface vary by 25% or less along an entire length of the outer surface when the conductor (14 [column 3 line 64] Grimmer states, “electrically conductive member 14”) is energized to a non-zero potential ([column 3 lines 20-24] Grimmer states, “each discrete step is used to locate and secure a tubular electrically conductive member, which forms a plate for capacitively distributing electrical stress substantially uniformly throughout the insulating bushing”; “substantially uniformly” electrical stress indicates that the electrical stress on the outer surface of the insulting bushing will be less than 25%).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the electrical bushing having an insulating body with the electrical stress considered on the outer surface of the insulating body as taught by Glaesman with the outer surface of the insulating body having electrical stress vary by 25% or less/substantially uniform as taught by Grimmer because Grimmer states, “Equal capacitance between the plates will make the voltage or electrical stress between the plates equal, which allows the electrical stress to be distributed across the insulation of the bushing, and prevents it from concentrating at one point” [column 3 lines 24-28]. Preventing electrical stress concentration will enhance insulation performance, reduce energy loss and extend the bushings lifespan.
Regarding claim 10 – Glaesman teaches an electrical bushing (figs. 1-5, 10 [paragraph 0061] Glaesman states, “bushing 10”) comprising: a conductor (fig. 4, 14 [paragraph 0065] Glaesman states, “conductor 14”) extending along a longitudinal axis (vertical axis); and an insulating body (16 [paragraph 0066] Glaesman states, “insulator body 16”) surrounding at least a portion of the conductor (14), the insulating body (16) including a first end (bottom end having female outlet 26 therein), a second end (top end) opposite the first end, a recess (fig. 5, see recess exposing the conductor 14) extending into the insulating body (16) from the first end, the recess defining a female connection interface (26 [paragraph 0035] Glaesman states, “female outlet 26”) in communication with the conductor (14), wherein an outer surface of the insulating body is configured such that electrical stresses on the outer surface is explicitly considered along an entire length of the outer surface when the conductor is energized to a non-zero potential ([paragraph 0064] Glaesman states, “With this geometry screen 12, the peak stresses are 39.7 kV/inch at the edge of the grounded steel plate, 15.1 kV/inch at the edge of screen 12, and 39.5 kV/inch at the sheds of the bushing”).
Glaesman fails to teach an outer surface including a curved portion extending from the first end and a linear portion extending from the curved portion, wherein the outer surface is configured such that electrical stresses on the outer surface vary by 25% or less along an entire length of the outer surface when the conductor is energized to a non-zero potential.
Grimmer teaches an electrical bushing (fig. 3, 10 [column 5 line 31-32] Grimmer states, “bushing assembly 10”) with an outer surface (fig. 3, see outer surface of the insulating body 70) includes a curved portion extending from the first end (bottom end) and a linear portion extending from the curved portion (see annotated figure 3 below), wherein the outer surface is configured such that electrical stresses on the outer surface vary by 25% or less along an entire length of the outer surface when the conductor (14 [column 3 line 64] Grimmer states, “electrically conductive member 14”) is energized to a non-zero potential ([column 3 lines 20-24] Grimmer states, “each discrete step is used to locate and secure a tubular electrically conductive member, which forms a plate for capacitively distributing electrical stress substantially uniformly throughout the insulating bushing”; “substantially uniform” electrical stress indicates that the electrical stress on the outer surface will be less than 25%).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the electrical bushing having an insulating body with the electrical stress considered on the outer surface of the insulating body as taught by Glaesman with the outer surface of the insulating body having electrical stress vary by 25% or less/substantially uniform as taught by Grimmer because Grimmer states, “Equal capacitance between the plates will make the voltage or electrical stress between the plates equal, which allows the electrical stress to be distributed across the insulation of the bushing, and prevents it from concentrating at one point” [column 3 lines 24-28]. Preventing electrical stress concentration will enhance insulation performance, reduce energy loss and extend the bushings lifespan.
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Regarding claim 18 – Glaesman in view of Grimmer teach the electrical busing of claim 10, wherein the non-zero potential is greater than 1,000 volts ([paragraph 0063] Glaesman states, “For this test of bushing 10, the voltage applied to the bushing was increased to 26 kV, the minimum extinction voltage required in a 35 kV rated apparatus bushing used in a separable connectors application”).
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Glaesman in view of E. J. Grimmer and further in view of Thomas (US PG. Pub. 2015/0027988).
Regarding claim 9 – Glaesman in view of Grimmer teach the electrical bushing of claim 1 but fails to teach an electrical switch gear including an interrupter assembly and the electrical bushing.
Thomas teaches an electrical switch gear (fig. 1B [title] Thomas states, “Green Switchgear Apparatus”) including an interrupter assembly (106 [vacuum interrupter 106]) and the electrical bushing (103 [paragraph 0071] Thomas states, “a finned silicone rubber bushing boot 103, the bushing boot 104 also received by the switchgear body via the upper boot”).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the electrical bushing as taught by Glaesman in view of Grimmer with an electrical switchgear including an interrupter assembly and the electrical bushing as taught by Thomas because Thomas states regarding this arrangement, “the GREEN SWITCHGEAR provide an improvement in temperature rise performance or "heat rise" performance when compared with known switchgear” [paragraph 0065].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 19-23 are allowed.
Claims 2-8 and 11-17 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Farmer et al. (US Patent 3784733) discloses a bushing for transformers and the like.
Ko et al. (US Patent 8759683) discloses a spark-over prevention device for high-voltage bushing.
Freeman et al. (US Patent 5466891) discloses a conical composite SF, high voltage bushing with floating shield.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEVEN T SAWYER whose telephone number is (571)270-5469. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30 am - 5pm.
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/STEVEN T SAWYER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847
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