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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/30/2023 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “body is tapered in a direction away from the cap” (Claim 15) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claims 11 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 11 recites the limitation " the multi-stage electromagnetic relay" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 15 recites the limitation "the cap" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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, 3, 4, 7, 13 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hawkins [US 3,200,222], applicant cited prior art.
Claim 1, Hawkins discloses a component [figures 1 and 2] for a high-voltage electric system of a vehicle, the component comprising: a hollow body [36/38/5] having a circular cross section; a first contact [42] arranged circumferentially in the body and configured to be externally exposed and to reach an interior of the body [figures 1 and 2]; a second contact [43] arranged circumferentially in the body and configured to be externally exposed and to reach an interior of the body, the second contact being separated from the first contact [42] in the axial direction of the body [figures 1 and 2]; an axially movable connector element [23/24/26/27/29/31/32] arranged within the body; and an electromagnetic relay [3] arranged to control axial movement of the connector element, wherein the relay is configured so that actuation of the relay results in an axial movement of the connector element to form an electrical connection between the first contact and the second contact [col. 5 lines 9-26 and 39-46].
Claim 3, Hawkins discloses the component according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first [42] and second contact [43] extends into the interior of the body [figures 1 and 2].
Claim 4, Hawkins discloses the component according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first [42] and second contact [43] comprises a central opening [51] through which the connector element is arranged [figures 1 and 2].
Claim 7, Hawkins discloses the component according to claim 1, further comprising a third [44] and a fourth [46] contact, each contact being arranged circumferentially in the body and configured to be externally exposed and to reach an interior of the body [figures 1 and 2].
Claim 13, Hawkins discloses the component according to claim 1, further comprising a fifth contact [47] arranged circumferentially in the body and configured to be externally exposed and to reach an interior of the body [figures 1 and 2].
Claim 14, Hawkins discloses the component according to claim 1, wherein the body has a substantially cylindrical shape [figures 1 and 2].
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hawkins [US 3,200,222] in view of Perreira [US 20230178318].
Claim 16, Hawkins discloses the component according to claim 1, with the exception of at least one of the first and second contact area is threaded and configured to be threaded into a receiving socket.
Zhong teaches a high voltage relay disclosing that the conventional way to connect a terminal involves threaded connection, connector connection, signal line connection, coil QC (quick-connection) leading-out terminal connection, PCB lead connection [paragraph 0003].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for at least one of the first and second contact area of Hawkins to be threaded as taught by Zhong to facilitate connection of the relay with other components [Zhong paragraph 0003]. It has been held that the recitation that the element is “configured to” perform a function is not a positive limitation but only requires the ability to so perform. It does not constitute a limitation in any patentable sense. In re Hutchison, 69 USPQ 138.
Claims 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hawkins [US 3,200,222] in view of Roemelsberger [US 2022/0200214]
Claim 18, Hawkins discloses the component according to claim 1, but fails to teach that it can be used in a vehicle.
Roemelsberger teaches that a high voltage contactor (relay) can be used in an electric vehicle [abs].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the component of Hawkins in a vehicle as taught by Roemelsberger in order to switch high voltages in a vehicle. It has been held that a recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the claimed structural limitations. Ex Parte Masham, 2 USPQ F.2d 1647 (1987).
Claim 19, Hawkins discloses the component according to claim 1, but fails to teach a socket configured to receive a component according to claim 1.
Roemelsberger teaches that a carrier [100] comprising plural sockets [111/211] for receiving high voltage contactors [301].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a socket to mount the component of Hawkins as taught by Roemelsberger in order to simplify connecting and replacing components.
Claim 20, Hawkins discloses the component according to claim 1, but fails to teach
a connector assembly comprising a said and a socket configured to receive the component.
Roemelsberger teaches that a connector assembly [100] comprising plural sockets [111/211] for receiving high voltage contactors [301].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a connector assembly with a socket to mount the component of Hawkins as taught by Roemelsberger in order to simplify connecting and replacing components.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 5, 6, 8-10, 12 and 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.
Claims 11 and 15 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Bernard Rojas whose telephone number is (571)272-1998. The examiner can normally be reached Mon. thru Fri. 7:00 am - 4:00 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Shawki S Ismail can be reached at (571) 272-3985. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BERNARD ROJAS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837