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 .
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Appropriate correction is required.
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, 2, 8 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rothweiler (US 3,878,489).
Regarding claim 1, Rothweiler discloses a relay comprising:
a contact device (12) including
a first fixed terminal (30) that has a first fixed contact (23),
a second fixed terminal (31) that has a second fixed contact (24), and
a movable contact piece (19) opposing the first fixed contact (23) and the second fixed contact (24);
a driving device (13) disposed on one side of a first direction with respect to the contact device (12),
the driving device (13) being configured to generate an electromagnetic force to move the movable contact piece (19);
an insulating member (11) fixedly attached to the driving device (13),
the insulating member (11) separating the contact device (12) from the driving device; and
a cover (17, 77) fixed to the insulating member (11, 78),
the insulating member (11) defining an accommodation space together with the insulating member (11) to accommodate the contact device (12),
Regarding claims 1, 2, 4 and 5, Rothweiler teaches the claimed subject as disclosed above, however, fails to explicitly disclose one of the insulating member (11) and the cover (17, 77) includes a plurality of convex portions projecting toward the other of the insulating member (11) and the cover (17, 77), and the other of the insulating member (11, 78) and the cover (17, 77) includes a plurality of concave portions to be fixed to the plurality of convex portions.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the one of the insulating member (11, 78) and the cover (17, 77) includes a plurality of convex portions projecting toward the other of the insulating member (11, 78) and the cover (17, 77), and the other of the insulating member (11, 78) and the cover (17, 77) includes a plurality of concave portions to be fixed to the plurality of convex portions for the purpose of locking parts in place, stopping wrong assembly, guiding heat away, and saving space, since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the shape of a component. A change in shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Dailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966).
Regarding claim 2, Rothweiler discloses:
the plurality of convex portions projects along the first direction.
Regarding claim 8, Rothweiler discloses:
wherein one of the insulating member (11, 78) and the cover (17, 77) includes an insulating wall extending in a direction intersecting a direction of movement of the movable contact piece (19), and either the plurality of convex portions or the plurality of concave portions is disposed on the insulating wall (11).
Regarding claim 9, Rothweiler discloses:
one of the insulating member (11, 78) and the cover (17. 77)) includes a first terminal fixing section to which the first fixed terminal (30) is fixed, and the first terminal fixing section ((see the drawing below) is connected to the insulating wall (11, 78).
[AltContent: textbox (Terminal fixing section)][AltContent: arrow]
PNG
media_image1.png
225
378
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Claims 4 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rothweiler (US 3,878,489) in view of Ono et al. (US 4292614).
Regarding claim 4, Rothweiler teaches the claimed subject as disclosed above, however, fails to explicitly disclose the insulating member (11, 78) includes the plurality of convex portions, the cover (17, 77) includes the plurality of concave portions, the plurality of concave portions penetrates through the cover in the first direction, and the plurality of convex portions and the plurality of concave portions are fixed to each other via adhesive.
Ono discloses a relay comprising the cover (2) and the base (3) via adhesive.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the cover (2) and the base (3) via adhesive for the purpose of sticking and sealing the base 3 and cover 2.
Regarding claim 5, Rothweiler teaches the claimed subject as disclosed above, however, fails to explicitly disclose the plurality of convex portions and the plurality of concave portions have a frustum shape for the purpose of making the them strong, saving space inside, and guiding them easily into sockets, since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the shape of a component. A change in shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Dailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rothweiler (US 3,878,489) in view of Sasaki (US 2017/0345597).
Regarding claim 7, Rothweiler teaches the claimed subject as disclosed above, however, fails to explicitly disclose the first fixed terminal and the second fixed terminal are fixed to the cover by press-fitting.
Sasaki disclose a relay comprising the fixed terminal (44) is fixed to the cover (10) by press-fitting (see para. [36]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication should be directed to Lisa Homza whose telephone number is (571) 272-3592.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Shawki Ismail can be reached on (571) 272-3985. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Lisa Nhung Homza/
Patent Examiner - Art Unit 2837
August 8, 2026
/SHAWKI S ISMAIL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2837
Prosecution Insights