DETAILED ACTION
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) 1-3, 10, and 12-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Puetz et al. (US 3643188) in view of De Barros Albuquerque (US 9601290).
In re claim 1, Puetz, in figures 1-4, discloses an electromagnetic switching device comprising: a lower set that houses at least one pair of main fixed elongated conductor members (34), each of the main fixed elongated conductor members comprising a main fixed conductor end, wherein the main fixed conductor ends of the pair of main fixed elongated conductor members are separated from each other by a gap (as best seen in figure 3); a stationary intermediate set that comprises a fixed core (96) and coil (98), arranged above the lower set; an upper cover (22) arranged above the stationary intermediate set (2); a split movable carrier (figure 5) of the stationary intermediate set, comprising an upper portion arranged above the fixed core, and a lower portion, arranged below the fixed core, which houses at least one main movable conductor bridge (36), comprising main movable conductor ends; the upper portion of the split movable carrier houses a movable core (as seen in the figures). Puetz does not teach auxiliary contacts. De Barros Albuquerque however, in figures 1-5, discloses a similar device having at least one auxiliary movable conductor bridge (73), comprising conductor ends. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have adapted auxiliary conductor bridge structure as taught by De Barros Albuquerque to the device of Puetz to provide additional switching capacity to the device.
In re claim 2, Puetz, in figures 1-4, discloses that the split movable carrier is configured to operate between a first and a second operating position, wherein in the first operating position, the main fixed and main movable conductor ends are separated from each other by the gap and wherein in the second operating position, the main fixed elongated conductor members are electrically connected by means of the main fixed conductor ends in contact with the main movable conductor ends of the main movable conductor bridge (inherent function of the shown device).
In re claim 3, Puetz, in figures 1-4, discloses that the fixed core of the stationary intermediate set is fastened by means of fastening latches (112,114).
In re claim 10, Puetz, in figures 1-4, discloses a connection set provides an electric power connection access for the main fixed elongated conductor members, by means of the fastening elements (52).
In re claim 12, De Barros Albuquerque discloses that the auxiliary conductor movable bridge of the movable split carrier operates alternatively between a first and a second operating position, wherein the stationary intermediate set further comprises an auxiliary fixed support for one or more auxiliary fixed elongated conductor members (as best seen in figure 4); wherein in the first operating position auxiliary fixed conductor ends of a pair of auxiliary fixed elongated conductor members (31,32), each comprise a spacing in a gap and wherein in the second operating position, the auxiliary fixed conductor ends are connected to the auxiliary movable bridge by means of the auxiliary movable conductor ends (inherent function of the shown structure).
In re claim 13, Puetz, in figures 1-4, discloses the split movable carrier slides on sliding guides (at surface 58 between structures 178 as seen in figures 1 and 4) of the stationary intermediate set; and wherein the lower portion comprises at least one lower laying chamber (between 64 and 70) for the main movable conductor bridge and for main springs (inside 66).
In re claim 14, De Barros Albuquerque discloses that the upper cover comprises an electrical conductor passage groove (41) and can configured to house a block (43) in a cavity.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-9 and 11 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. A list of pertinent prior art is attached in form PTO-892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Alexander Talpalatski whose telephone number is (571)270-3908. The examiner can normally be reached 10 AM - 6 PM PT.
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/Alexander Talpalatski/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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