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.
Claims 12-13 and 16-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Kosse, US 10373785.
Regarding claim 12, Kosse discloses (figs.1-5) a switching device (2) with a disconnecting or grounding function, the switching device (2) comprising:
an encapsulation housing (4) filled with an insulating gas (6) [col.1, lines 61-63];
a first contact configuration (10) having a first main contact (16) and a first arcing contact (9) connected to said first main contact (16) in an electrically conductive manner;
a second contact configuration (8) having a second main contact (14) and a second arcing contact (7) connected to said second main contact (14) in an electrically conductive manner;
a nozzle configuration (12) set up for streaming the insulating gas (6) onto a switch arc (20) between said first and second arcing contacts (9, 7); and
said first and second contact configurations (10, 8) being movable relatively to one another between a first end position, in which said first and second main contacts (16, 14) contact one another and said first and second arcing contacts (9, 7) contact one another [see fig.1], and a second end position, in which said first and second main contacts (16, 14) are disconnected from one another and said first and second arcing contacts (9, 7) are disconnected from one another, where during a movement from the first end position into the second end position, said first and second main contacts (16, 14) upstream of said first and second arcing contacts (9, 7) are disconnected from one another [see fig.2] and the switch arc (20) between said first and second arcing contacts (9, 7) is quenched by streaming the insulating gas (6) onto the switch arc (20) [see fig.3].
Regarding claim 13, Kosse further discloses where the insulating gas (6) is synthetic air [col.2, lines 32-34].
Regarding claim 16, Kosse further discloses where said first arcing contact (9) is formed in a tube-shaped manner and said second arcing contact (7) is formed in a pin-shaped manner, and said first arcing contact (9) has an internal diameter (11) that corresponds to an external diameter of said second arcing contact (7).
Regarding claim 17, Kosse further discloses where said first main contact (16) is configured as a metallic sleeve in which said first arcing contact (9) is disposed.
Regarding claim 18, Kosse further discloses where said nozzle configuration (12) has an insulating-material nozzle (12) which is disposed on an inner surface of said first main contact (16) and has a first nozzle section, which runs around an end region of said first arcing contact (9), and a second nozzle section, which faces said second arcing contact (7).
Regarding claim 19, Kosse further discloses where said insulating-material nozzle (12) is manufactured from a fluorine-free plastic [col.4, lines 49-50].
Regarding claim 20, Kosse further discloses where said nozzle configuration (12) has at least one blowout opening formed in said first main contact (16) on a side of said first arcing contact (9) facing away from said second arcing contact (7).
Regarding claim 21, Kosse further discloses where said nozzle configuration (12) has a blowing chamber (18) that is disposed inside said first main contact (16) on a side of said first arcing contact (9) facing away from said second arcing contact (7).
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.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kosse in view of Lutz et al, DE 102020202688 [Lutz].
Regarding claim 14, Kosse fails to disclose wherein the synthetic air is admitted in said encapsulation housing with an overpressure in a range of 6 to 14 bar with respect to a pressure in an environment of said encapsulation housing.
Lutz discloses a high voltage switch (10) where synthetic air is admitted in an encapsulation housing (12) with an overpressure in a range of 6 to 14 (6-8) bar with respect to a pressure in an environment of said encapsulation housing (12).
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 insulating gas of Kosse with the teaching of the insulating medium of Lutz, thereby providing improved long-term stability and functionality, thus reducing the risk of corrosion mechanism.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kosse in view of Gerlach, DE19724759.
Regarding claim 15, Kosse fail to disclose wherein said first and second arcing contacts are manufactured from tungsten-copper.
Gerlach discloses a power switch (1) where first and second arcing contacts (2, 3) are manufactured from tungsten-copper.
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 arcing contacts of Kosse with the teaching of the arcing contacts of Gerlach, thereby providing contacts that having excellent electrical and thermal conductivity and resistance to high temperatures.
Claim 22 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kosse in view of Bessede et al, US 20050236370 [Bessede].
Regarding claim 22, Kosse fails to explicitly disclose wherein said second main contact has elastic contact fingers for contacting said first main contact.
Bessede discloses (fig.1) an electrical switch where a second main contact (12) has elastic contact fingers for contacting a first main contact (20).
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 main contact of Kosse with the teaching of the main contact of Bessede, thereby providing a contact with an elastic force, ensuring positive current connection between both contact connections.
Claim 28 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kosse in view of Kubo et al, US 20150357137 [Kubo].
Regarding claim 23, Kosse fails to disclose wherein said fluorine- free plastic is polypropylene.
Kubo discloses (figs.1-2) a nozzle (15) comprising fluorine- free plastic is polypropylene [para.0010].
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 material of the nozzle of Kosse with the teaching of the material of the nozzle of Kubo, thereby providing evaporation gases when heated by the electric arc, thus cooling down the arc and rapidly extinguishing the arc.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Cernat et al, Terada et al, Kieffel et al, Moriyama et al, Drews et al, Ozil et al, Bergmann et al and Holmgren et al are examples of gas insulation devices 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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