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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election with traverse of Species 1, Figures 1-4, claims 1-6, and 8-10 in the reply filed on 7/1/26 is acknowledged.
The traversal is on the ground(s) that:
Page 1, Applicant argued that :
“Since Species 1 and Species 2 are directed to the same embodiment and Species 3 is a modified version of the claimed invention, Applicant respectfully asserts that there is no undue burden to examine all three species together.
As is clear from review of the specification, Species 1 and 2, Figures 1-6, all pertain to a single embodiment of a relay, and Species 3, Figure 7, illustrates a modified version thereof.”
Examiner agreed to examine Species 1 and 2, Figures 1-6.
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, 3, 6, 8 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tanaka et al. (US 2016/0293368).
Regarding claim 1, Tanaka discloses a relay comprising:
a contact device (CS1, CS2) including a first fixed terminal (115) that has a first fixed contact (114),
a second fixed terminal (125) that has a second fixed contact (124), and
a movable contact piece (111, 121) opposing the first fixed contact (114) and the second fixed contact (124).
a movable member (110, 120) configured to press the movable contact piece (111, 121).
a driving device (L1, L2) disposed on one side of a first direction with respect to the contact device (CS1, CS2) and the movable member (110, 120)
the driving device (L1, L2) being configured to move the movable contact piece (111, 121) via the movable member (110, 120) to one side of a second direction intersecting the first direction;
a return spring (117, 127) disposed between the movable member (110, 120) and the driving device L1, L2) in the first direction,
the return spring (117, 127) being configured to urge the movable member (110, 120) toward another side of the second direction; and
an insulating member (see the drawing below) having an opening (see the drawing below) into which the return spring (117, 127) is inserted,
the opening (see the drawing below) being open toward the one side of the first direction,
the insulating member (see the drawing below) separating the contact device (CS1, CS2) from the driving device (L1, L2).
Although Tanaka does not explicitly disclose the member is insulating, 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 insulating member for the purpose of preventing the electric shock, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
[AltContent: textbox (Insulating Member)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Edge section)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Opening )]
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[AltContent: textbox (Insulating Wall )][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Guide section & wall)][AltContent: arrow]
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Regarding claim 3, Tanaka discloses:
the insulating member (see the drawing above) includes an insulating wall (see the drawing above) surrounding at least part of the return spring (117, 127).
Although Tanaka does not explicitly disclose the wall is insulating, 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 insulating wall for the purpose of preventing the electric shock, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
Regarding claim 6, Tanaka discloses:
the opening (see the drawing below) of the insulating member (see the drawing below) includes an edge section (see the drawing below) configured to cover part of the return spring (117, 127).
[AltContent: textbox (Edge section & 2nd end of the return spring)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (1st end of the return spring &
Positioning section)][AltContent: arrow]
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Regarding claim 8, Tanaka discloses:
the insulating member (see the drawing above) includes a positioning section (see the drawing above) configured to position a first end of the return spring (117, 127).
Regarding claim 9, Cooper discloses:
the opening of the insulating member (see the drawing above) includes an edge section (see the drawing above) configured to cover a second end of the return spring (see the drawing above).
Claims 2, 4 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tanaka et al. (US 2016/0293368) in view of Cooper (US 2,266,536).
Regarding claim 2, Tanaka teaches the claimed subject as disclosed above, however, fails to explicitly disclose the insulating member includes a guide section configured to guide movement of the movable member in the first direction.
[AltContent: textbox (Insulating wall)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Fixed terminal)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Guide section)][AltContent: arrow]
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Cooper discloses a relay comprising:
the insulating member (21) includes a guide section (see the drawing above) configured to guide movement of the movable member (60) in the first direction.
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 insulating member includes a guide section configured to guide movement of the movable member for the purpose of Ensuring Precise Linear Alignment and Maintaining Safety and Electrical Isolation.
Regarding claim 5, Tanaka teaches the claimed subject as disclosed above, however, fails to explicitly disclose the first and second fixed terminal (38 and 42) are fixed to the insulating member (21) by press-fitting.
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 first and second fixed terminal (38 and 42) and the second fixed terminal as taught by Cooper are fixed to the insulating member (21) by press-fitting for the purpose of providing High Mechanical Stability and Structural Integrity.
Regarding claim 4, Cooper discloses:
the insulating member (21) includes a guide section (see the drawing above) configured to guide movement of the movable member (60) in the first direction, and the insulating wall (see the drawing above) is slidable relative to the guide section (see the drawing above).
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tanaka et al. (US 2016/0293368) in view of Tsutsumi et al. (US 2023/0134636).
Regarding claim 10, Tanaka teaches the claimed subject as disclosed above, however, fails to explicitly disclose the auxiliary contact device aligned with the contact device in the second direction.
Tsutsumi discloses a device comprising the auxiliary contact device (22) aligned with the contact device (21) in the second direction.
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 auxiliary contact device (22) aligned with the contact device (21) as taught by Tsutsumi with Tanaka’s device for the purpose of preventing simultaneous opposite operations.
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.
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/Lisa Nhung Homza/
Patent Examiner - Art Unit 2837
September 9, 2026
/SHAWKI S ISMAIL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2837
Prosecution Insights