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 8-9 and 11 are objected to because:
Claim 8, line 2, “the insulator flange” lacks antecedent basis.
Claim 9, line 2, “the flange” lacks antecedent basis.
Claim 11, line 2, “the insulator flange” lacks antecedent basis.
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, 4, 7, 10, 12, 15 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tavernier et al WO 2017125333 [Tavernier] in view of Furrer et al, EP 4141901 [Furrer].
Regarding claim 1, Tavernier discloses (figs.1-8) a high-voltage circuit breaker (100) comprising:
a first main contact and a second main contact extending along a central longitudinal axis (111); and
at least one particle trap (120) for trapping particles generated during operation of the circuit breaker (100), the particle trap (120) having an inner surface (131) facing the central longitudinal
axis (111) and being arranged at a second distance (bottom of trap to axis) from the central longitudinal axis (111), the second distance being larger than the first distance.
Tavernier fails to disclose first main contact and a second main contact enclosed by an insulator, the insulator having an inner surface facing the central longitudinal axis and being arranged at a first distance from the central longitudinal axis.
Furrer discloses (figs.1-2) a circuit breaker (1) where a first main contact (7) and a second main contact (8) are enclosed by an insulator (13), the insulator (13) having an inner surface facing a central longitudinal axis (4) and being arranged at a first distance from the central longitudinal axis (4).
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 enclosure of Tavernier with the inclusion of the insulating tube of Furrer, thereby safeguarding other parts of the circuit breaker from arc flashovers, during contacts separation.
Regarding claim 12, Tavernier discloses (figs.1-8) a gas-insulated switchgear [para.0003] comprising:
a high-voltage circuit breaker (100) comprising:
a first main contact and a second main contact extending along a central longitudinal axis (111); and
at least one particle trap (120) for trapping particles generated during operation of the circuit breaker (100), the particle trap (120) having an inner surface (131) facing the central longitudinal
axis (111) and being arranged at a second distance (bottom of trap to axis) from the central longitudinal axis (111), the second distance being larger than the first distance.
Tavernier fails to disclose first main contact and a second main contact enclosed by an insulator, the insulator having an inner surface facing the central longitudinal axis and being arranged at a first distance from the central longitudinal axis.
Furrer discloses (figs.1-2) a circuit breaker (1) where a first main contact (7) and a second main contact (8) are enclosed by an insulator (13), the insulator (13) having an inner surface facing a central longitudinal axis (4) and being arranged at a first distance from the central longitudinal axis (4).
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 enclosure of Tavernier with the inclusion of the insulating tube of Furrer, thereby safeguarding other parts of the circuit breaker from arc flashovers, during contacts separation.
Regarding claims 4 and 15, Tavernier and Furrer further disclose where the particle trap (120) comprises a pocket (130), the pocket (130) being located behind the insulator (Furrer, 13) when seen radially outwards from the central longitudinal axis (111).
Regarding claims 7 and 18, Tavernier and Furrer further disclose where the particle trap (120) comprises an entrance through which particles can enter the particle trap, wherein the entrance is located at an axial end of the insulator (Furrer, 13).
Regarding claim 10, Tavernier and Furrer further comprising at least two particle traps (120) located at opposite axial ends of the insulator (Furrer, 13).
Claims 2-3, 9, 13-14 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tavernier and Furrer and further in view of Jin, US 8735760.
Regarding claims 2 and 13, Tavernier and Furrer fail to explicitly disclose at least one insulator flange for coupling the insulator to further parts of the circuit breaker, wherein the particle trap is formed by the insulator flange.
Jin discloses (figs.1-4) a circuit breaker comprising at least one insulator flange (450, 460) for coupling an insulator (400) to further parts of the circuit breaker, where particle trap is formed by the insulator flange (450, 460) [col.4, lines 16-19].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the enclosure of Tavernier with the inclusion of flanges, taught by Jin, thereby providing a collection point for metal particles, thus minimizing occurrence of insulation breakdown and improving the reliability of the device.
Regarding claims 3 and 14, Jin further discloses where the insulator flange (450, 460) is located at an outer surface of the insulator (400), the outer surface facing away from a central longitudinal axis.
Regarding claims 9 and 20, Tavernier and Furrer fail to disclose wherein the particle trap has not an additional coupling function of coupling the flange to another part.
Jin discloses (figs.1-4) a circuit breaker where a particle trap (470) has not an additional coupling function of coupling a flange (460 to another part (450).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the enclosure of Tavernier with the inclusion of flanges, taught by Jin, thereby providing a collection point for metal particles, thus minimizing occurrence of insulation breakdown and improving the reliability of the device.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-6, 8, 11, 16-17 and 19 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 5 and 16, the prior art fails to teach or show, alone or in combination, the claimed high-voltage circuit breaker where the pocket is shielded from an electric field by a metal shield being located at an outer surface of the insulator.
Regarding claims 8 and 19, the prior art fails to teach or show, alone or in combination, the claimed high-voltage circuit breaker where , the particle trap is confined in a radial direction by an inner wall and by an outer wall of the insulator flange, wherein the inner wall is recessed along the central longitudinal axis relative to the outer wall.
Regarding claim 11, the prior art fails to teach or show, alone or in combination, the claimed high-voltage circuit breaker where the particle trap is located at a lowermost portion of the insulator flange, where the lowermost portion is lowermost in regard of gravity in an installation position of the circuit breaker.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Pisu et al, Vladuchick et al, Adcock et al and Bolin et al are examples of high-voltage circuit breakers comprising particle traps, configured similar to the present invention.
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/WILLIAM A BOLTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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