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 .
Claim Objections
Claims 12-13 are objected to because:
Claim 12, line 14, “the power” lacks antecedent basis.
Claim 13, line 5, “said power supply” lacks antecedent basis.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-3, 5-8, 10-13,15-16 and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by He et al, CN 203165795 [He].
Regarding claim 1, He discloses (figs.1-3) a circuit breaker apparatus (labeled in fig.1, below) comprising:
a vacuum interrupter (13) having a fixed contact and a movable contact (inherent in vacuum interrupters) therein, the movable contact being movable between an open position in which the fixed contact is in spaced relation to the movable contact and a closed position in which the fixed contact is in electrically conductive relation to the movable contact, said vacuum interrupter (13) having a vacuum interior and positioned within a hollow insulator body (2);
a first actuator (5) cooperative with the movable contact so to move the movable contact from the closed position to the open position;
a support isolator (labeled in fig.1, below) supporting said vacuum interrupter (13), said support isolator (labeled in fig.1, below) adapted to insulate said vacuum interrupter (13) from ground;
a rod (3) having one end connected to said first actuator (52), said rod (3) positioned exterior of said support isolator(labeled in fig.1, below) ; and
a second actuator (located within box 1) connected to or adjacent to an opposite end of said rod (3), said second actuator moving said rod (3) such that said first actuator (5) moves the movable contact to the open position.
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Regarding claim 2, He further comprising a pedestal (labeled in fig.1, above) adapted to support the circuit breaker apparatus above the earth, said second actuator (located within box 1) being affixed to said pedestal (labeled in fig.1, above), said pedestal supporting said support insulator (labeled in fig.1, above).
Regarding claim 3, He further comprising a power supply; and
an operating mechanism (1) [see para.0015] cooperative with said second actuator(located within box 1), said operating mechanism (1) causing said second actuator (located within box 1) to move said rod (3) in relation to a power conducting condition.
Regarding claim 5, He further discloses said rod (3) being a pulling rod adapted to create a force on said first actuator (5) so as to move the movable contact to the open position.
Regarding claim 6, He further discloses said rod (3) being a longitudinal member extending in spaced relation to the exterior of said support isolator (labeled in fig.1, above) and in spaced relation to the hollow insulator body (2).
Regarding claim 7, He further discloses said rod (3) extending in a vertical orientation between said first actuator (5) and said second actuator (located within box 1).
Regarding claim 8, He further discloses said rod (3) being of a solid non-conductive material.
Regarding claim 10, He further discloses said support isolator (labeled in fig.1, above) being solid and formed of a non-conductive material.
Regarding claim 11, He further discloses where the circuit breaker apparatus is free of fluid.
Regarding claim 12, He discloses (fig.1-3) a circuit breaker apparatus (labeled in fig.1, above) comprising:
a vacuum interrupter (13) having a fixed contact and a movable contact therein (inherent in vacuum interrupters), the movable contact being movable between an open position in which the fixed contact is in spaced relation to the movable contact and a closed position in which the fixed contact is in electrically conductive relation to the movable contact, said vacuum interrupter having a vacuum interior and positioned within a hollow insulator body (2);
a first actuator (5) cooperative with the movable contact so as to move the movable contact from the closed position to the open position;
a support isolator (labeled in fig.1, above) supporting said vacuum interrupter, said support isolator (labeled in fig.1, above) adapted to insulate said vacuum interrupter (13) from ground;
a rod (3) having one end connected to said first actuator (labeled in fig.1, above), said rod (3) positioned exterior of said support isolator (labeled in fig.1, above) and an exterior of the hollow insulator body (2); and
an operating mechanism (1) [para.0015] cooperative with said rod (3), said operating mechanism causing said rod (3) to move said first actuator (5) so as to create the power conducting.
Regarding claim 13, He further comprising a second actuator (located within box 1) connected to or adjacent to an opposite end of said rod (3), said second actuator (located within box 1) moving said rod such that said first actuator (5) moves the movable contact to the open position, said operating mechanism (1) connected to said second actuator (located within box 1) so as to cause said second actuator (located within box 1) to move said rod (3) in relation to the power condition of said power supply.
Regarding claim 15, He further discloses said rod (3) being a longitudinal member extending in spaced relation to an exterior of said support isolator (labeled in fig.1, above).
Regarding claim 16, He further discloses said rod (3) being of a solid non-conductive material.
Regarding claim 18, He further discloses said support insulator (labeled in fig.1, above) being solid and formed of a non-conductive material.
Regarding claim 19, He further discloses wherein the circuit breaker apparatus (labeled in fig.1, above) is free of fluid.
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 4,14 and 20-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over He in view of Borgstrom et al, US 9190231 [Borgstrom].
Regarding claim 4, He fails to explicitly disclose a silicone elastomer interposed between said vacuum interrupter and the hollow insulator body so as to seal a space therebetween.
Borgstrom discloses (fig. 6) a voltage switch (100) comprising a silicone elastomer (170) interposed between a vacuum interrupter (160) and a hollow insulator body (140) so as to seal a space therebetween.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the circuit breaker of He with the teaching of the interior sleeve of Borgstrom, thereby providing a substantially void-free dielectric interface between the outside of the bottle and the inside of the hollow insulator body.
Regarding claim 14, He fails to explicitly disclose a silicone elastomer interposed between said vacuum interrupter and the hollow insulator body so as to seal a space therebetween.
Borgstrom discloses (fig. 6) a voltage switch (100) comprising a silicone elastomer (170) interposed between a vacuum interrupter (160) and a hollow insulator body (140) so as to seal a space therebetween.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the circuit breaker of He with the teaching of the interior sleeve of Borgstrom, thereby providing a substantially void-free dielectric interface between the outside of the bottle and the inside of the hollow insulator body.
Regarding claim 20, He discloses (figs.1-3) a circuit breaker apparatus (labeled in fig.1, above) comprising:
a vacuum interrupter (13) having a fixed contact and a movable contact therein (inherent in vacuum interrupters), the movable contact being movable between an open position in which the fixed contact is in spaced relation to the movable contact and a closed position in which the fixed contact is in electrically conductive relation to the movable contact, said vacuum interrupter having a vacuum interior, said vacuum interrupter (13) positioned within a hollow insulator body (2);
a support isolator (labeled in fig.1, above) connected to said vacuum interrupter (13), said support isolator (labeled in fig.1, above) adapted to insulate said vacuum interrupter (13) from a surface; and
a first actuator (5) interconnected to the movable contact of said vacuum interrupter (13) so as to move the movable contact from the closed position to the open position.
Regarding claim 21, He further comprising:
a rod (3) having one end connected to said first actuator (5), said rod (3) positioned exterior of said support isolator (labeled in fig.1, above) and an exterior of the hollow insulator body (2).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9, 17 and 22-23 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claims 9 and 17, the prior art fails to teach or show, alone or in combination, the claimed circuit breaker, the non-conductive material being epoxy glass having a coating of silicone on an exterior thereof.
Regarding claim 22, the prior art fails to teach or show, alone or in combination, the claimed circuit breaker apparatus wherein said silicone elastomer is a two-component silicone elastomer.
Regarding claim 23, the prior art fails to teach or show, alone or in combination, the claimed circuit breaker apparatus, wherein said silicone elastomer comprises a ring positioned around said vacuum interrupter in an area adjacent said first actuator.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Walker, Siebens, Lee, Gentsch et al, Stepniak et al and Luehring are examples of circuit breakers configured similar to the present invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILLIAM A BOLTON whose telephone number is (571)270-5887. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri: 7:30AM - 5:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Renee S Luebke can be reached at 571-272-2009. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/WILLIAM A BOLTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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