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
Claim 1, line 10, “the power distribution unit” lacks antecedent basis.
Claim 20, recites the step of “guiding the movement of the moving plate assembly” without specifying the structure that is performing the guiding, which makes the claim unclear.
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 1-5, 8, 9, and 12-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Morris (US20080022673).
Regarding claim 1, Morris teaches a backfeed protection system, comprising: a casing 16; a moving plate assembly 58 supported by the casing and configured to move with respect to the casing (paragraph 46-47), the moving plate assembly including at least one electrical contact (44, 46, 48, 50) configured to releasably engage a power distribution element (88, 90, 92 bus or supply lines, see paragraphs 36, 47); and an actuator (84, 34, 308, 312) secured to the casing and the moving plate assembly (paragraph 8), the actuator being configured to move the moving plate assembly with respect to the casing between an engaged position (extended position) in which the at least one electrical contact is engaged with the power distribution element (Fig. 5 and paragraph 47) and a disengaged (retracted position) position in which the at least one electrical contact is disengaged from the power distribution unit (Fig. 3 and paragraph 43).
Regarding claim 13, Morris teaches a method of selectively engaging at least one electrical contact to a power distribution element (88, 90, 92 bus or supply lines, see paragraphs 36, 47), the method comprising: supporting the at least one electrical contact (44, 46, 48, 50) with a moving plate assembly 58; positioning the moving plate assembly on a casing 16; and moving the moving plate assembly with respect to the casing between an engaged position (extended position) in which the at least one electrical contact is engaged with the power distribution element (Figs. 5 and paragraphs 47-48) and a disengaged position (retracted position) in which the at least one electrical contact is disengaged from the power distribution element (Fig. 6 and paragraph 43-45).
Regarding claim 2, Morris teaches the backfeed protection system further comprising at least one switch 60 coupled to the casing 16 and configured to prevent a removal of the casing when the moving plate assembly 58 is in at least one of a ready position (test position) or the disengaged position (the automatic retention latch 6 acts as switch preventing the removal of the casing 16 once the moving plate assembly leaves the disengaged position, see paragraphs 46, 51).
Regarding claims 3 and 16, Morris teaches the method/backfeed protection system wherein the at least one switch 60 is configured to lock the casing 16 to a frame 314 when moving the moving plate assembly 58 from the disengaged position (paragraph 51) to the ready position (test position) prior to the engaged position (Figs. 4-7 and paragraph 46).
Regarding claims 4 and 17, Morris teaches the method/backfeed protection system wherein the at least one switch 60 includes a detent (projection portion of the switch 60) positioned to extend through an opening 98 of the casing and an aligned opening of the frame 314 when moving the moving plate 58 assembly from the disengaged position to the ready position to lock the casing in place with respect to the frame (the switch extends upward through the opening 98 in the divider pan 380 when triggered during stab advancement, and this locks the casing to the frame preventing the removal, paragraphs 51-52).
Regarding claim 5, Morris teaches the backfeed protection system wherein the moving plate assembly 58 includes a guide (104, 96) configured to guide the movement of the switch 60 when moving the moving plate assembly from the disengaged position to the ready position to release the detent from the openings of the casing 16 and the frame 314 (the lip 104 and the guide 96 physically contact and control the position/movement of the switch, see paragraphs 51-52).
Regarding claim 8, Morris teaches the backfeed protection system wherein the power distribution element includes a busbar (88-92, see Figs. 5, 7, 9 and paragraph 47).
Regarding claim 9, Morris teaches the backfeed protection system wherein the at least one electrical contact includes a jaw (46, 48, 50) configured to engage the busbar 88-92 (Figs. 5, 7, 9 and paragraphs 42-43).
Regarding claim 12, Morris teaches the backfeed protection system wherein the casing 16 includes a bottom wall (internal housing structure) having at least one guide pin 96, and wherein the moving plate assembly includes a moving plate 59 having at least one slot (elongated guiding interface receiving guiding pin 96) configured to receive the at least one guide pin configured to extend through the at least one slot to guide movement of the moving plate assembly with respect to the casing (Fig. 6 and paragraph 50).
Regarding claim 14, Morris teaches the method wherein moving the moving plate assembly 58 with respect to the casing 16 is achieved by an actuator (84, 34, 308, 312) secured to the casing and to a moving plate 59 of the moving plate assembly (Fig. 6 and paragraphs 46, 50).
Regarding claim 15, Morris teaches the method further comprising preventing removal of the casing 16 from the frame 314 with at least one switch 60 coupled to the casing and configured to prevent a removal of the casing when the moving plate assembly is in at least one of a ready position or the disengaged position (the automatic retention latch 6 acts as switch preventing the removal of the casing 16 once the moving plate leaves the disengaged position, see paragraphs 46, 51).
Regarding claim 18, Morris teaches the method further comprising guiding the movement of the switch 60 when moving the moving plate assembly 58 from the disengaged position (retracted position) to the ready position (test) to release the detent (projection portion of the switch 60) from the openings 98 of the casing and the frame (Figs. 6-7 and paragraphs 51-52).
Regarding claim 19, Morris teaches the method wherein the power distribution element includes a busbar (88-92, see Figs. 5, 7, 9 and paragraph 47), and wherein the at least one electrical contact includes a jaw (46, 48, 50) configured to engage the busbar (Figs. 5, 7, 9 and paragraphs 42-43).
Regarding claim 20, Morris teaches the method further comprising guiding the movement of the moving plate assembly 58 with respect to the casing 16 (the moving plate assembly 58 is guided during movement relative to the casing 16 by the fixed stab guide 96 with a thread bearing 100, which constrains and directs the moving plate with respect to the casing, see Fig. 6 and paragraphs 50).
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 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Morris in view of Demetriades (US20120218676).
Regarding claim 10, Morris does not teach the moving plate assembly including at least one thyristor assembly having the at least one electrical contact. However, Demetriades teaches a similar circuit breaker that uses a thyristor assembly as power switching (paragraph 42). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teaching of Demetriades in the circuit breaker of Morris to provide reliable and wear free control of high power electrical current.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Morris in view of Leeman (US 20140321067)
Regarding claim 11, Morris teaches the backfeed protection system wherein the actuator includes a linear drive actuator 84 (the racking-type actuator 84/96 produces a linear motion of the moving plate, see paragraph 50) secured to the casing 16 by a first bracket (96, 100) and to a moving plate of the moving plate assembly 58 by a second bracket 59 (Figs. 3-5 and paragraphs 44, 46). Morris does not teach the actuator including a linear motor. However, Leeman teaches a similar protection system that uses a linear motor actuator 980 to drive a contact assembly 920 (paragraph 32). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to replace the rotary/screw actuator of Morris to a linear motor actuator as taught by Leeman, since the two actuators are two known alternatives and interchangeable (paragraph 32).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6 and 7 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.
Regarding claim 6, the prior art fails to teach or show, alone or in combination, the claimed device wherein the at least one switch includes a moving arm, a base element pivotally secured to the moving arm, a spring to bias the base element away from the moving arm, and a position switch configured to sense a position of the moving arm.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AHMED M SAEED whose telephone number is (571)270-7976. The examiner can normally be reached 10-8pm.
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/AHMED M SAEED/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2833