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 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.
Claim(s) 1-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Levillain et al. (Patent No. US 5,973,272).
As to claim 1, Levillain discloses a method for producing a high-voltage insulator (figs. 1-5), the method comprising:
providing a substantially rotationally symmetrical insulating pipe 1;
applying an insulating sheath 20 to the insulating pipe;
fastening at least one flange 2A, 2B to at least one end of the insulating pipe; and
applying at least one insulating strip 9 circumferentially to the insulating pipe.
As to claim 2, Levillain discloses that the insulating pipe is formed from a first insulating material (col. 1 lines 17-35), the insulating sheath and the at least one insulating strip are formed from a second insulating material (col. 4 lines 1-4), and the at least one flange is formed from a third material (col. 1 lines 17-24).
As to claim 3, Levillain discloses that the insulating sheath is applied in a first region of the insulating pipe (fig. 5 below, arrow 1), the at least one flange is fastened in a second region of the insulating pipe (fig. 5 below, arrow 2), the at least one insulating strip is applied in a third region of the insulating pipe (fig. 2; fig. 5 below, arrow 3), the third region extends, at least in part, over the first region or the second region with respect to a longitudinal axis of the insulating pipe, and the first region and the second region are spaced apart from each other with respect to the longitudinal axis of the insulating pipe (figs. 1-2, 4-5).
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As to claim 4, Levillain discloses that the insulating sheath is applied by an injection-molding process, or the at least one insulating strip is applied by an extrusion process (fig. 4; col. 3, lines 19-36).
As to claim 5, Levillain discloses a high-voltage insulator (figs. 1-5), the high-voltage insulator comprising:
a substantially rotationally symmetrical insulating pipe 1,
an insulating sheath 20, which is arranged circumferentially on the insulating pipe,
at least one flange 2A, 2B, which is arranged at at least one end of the insulating pipe, and
at least one insulating strip 9, which is arranged circumferentially on the insulating pipe.
As to claim 6, Levillain discloses that the insulating pipe is formed from a first insulating material (col. 1 lines 17-35), the insulating sheath and the at least one insulating strip are formed from a second insulating material (col. 4 lines 1-4), and the at least one flange is formed from a third material (col. 1 lines 17-24).
As to claim 7, Levillain discloses that the insulating sheath is arranged in a first region of the insulating pipe (fig. 5 above, arrow 1), the at least one flange is arranged in a second region of the insulating pipe (fig. 5 above, arrow 2), the at least one insulating strip is arranged in a third region of the insulating pipe (fig. 5 above, arrow 3), wherein the third region extends at least in part over the first region or the second region with respect to a longitudinal axis of the insulating pipe, and the first region and the second region are spaced apart from each other with respect to the longitudinal axis of the insulating pipe (figs. 1-2, 4-5).
As to claim 8, Levillain discloses that the at least one flange and the insulating sheath together with the insulating pipe form a circumferential groove in which the at least one insulating strip is arranged (figs. 4-5 show the strip being placed between the end piece and the insulating sheath and on top of the insulating pipe).
Claim(s) 1, 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Joulie et al. (Patent No. US 5,594,827)
As to claim 1, Joulie discloses a method for producing a high-voltage insulator (fig. 1), the method comprising:
providing a substantially rotationally symmetrical insulating pipe 1 (fig. 1);
applying an insulating sheath 5 (figs. 3-6) to the insulating pipe;
fastening at least one flange 2, 3 to at least one end of the insulating pipe; and
applying at least one insulating strip 7 (fig. 7) circumferentially to the insulating pipe.
As to claim 5, Levillain discloses a high-voltage insulator (fig. 1), the high-voltage insulator comprising:
a substantially rotationally symmetrical insulating pipe 1,
an insulating sheath 5 (figs. 3-6), which is arranged circumferentially on the insulating pipe,
at least one flange 2, 3, which is arranged at at least one end of the insulating pipe, and
at least one insulating strip 7 (fig. 7), which is arranged circumferentially on the insulating pipe.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AMOL H PATEL whose telephone number is (571)270-7833. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30AM-6:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, TIMOTHY THOMPSON can be reached at (571) 272-2342. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AMOL H PATEL/Examiner, Art Unit 2847
/TIMOTHY J THOMPSON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2847
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