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 1-15 are objected to because:
Claims 1-15, lines 1-2, “arc distinguishing unit” seem to typographical errors.
Claim 3, line 2, “the same shape” lacks antecedent basis.
Claim 3, line 1, “the insulating member” lacks antecedent basis.
Claim 3, line 2, “the grid” lacks antecedent basis.
Claim 4, lines 1-2, “the insulating member” lacks antecedent basis.
Claim 4, line 2, “the grid” lacks antecedent basis.
Claim 5, line 3, “the remaining insulating members” lacks antecedent basis.
Claim 5, lines 4-5, “the remaining grids” lacks antecedent basis.
Claim 6, line 2, “the grid” lacks antecedent basis.
Claim 6, line 2, “the insulating member” lacks antecedent basis.
Claim 7, line 2, “the grid” lacks antecedent basis.
Claim 7, lines 2-3, “the insulating member” lacks antecedent basis.
Claim 10, lines 1-2, “the first insulating member” and “the second insulating member” lack antecedent basis.
Claim 10, line 2, “the same shape” lacks antecedent basis.
Claim 11, lines 1-2, “the first insulating member” and “the second insulating member” lack antecedent basis.
Claim 11, line 2, “the grid” lacks antecedent basis.
Claim 12, lines 1-2, “the first insulating member” and “the second insulating member” lack antecedent basis.
Claim 12, line 2, “the grid” lacks antecedent basis.
Claim 13, line 2, “the grid” lacks antecedent basis.
Claim 13, line 2, “the first insulating member” and “the second insulating member” lack antecedent basis.
Claim 14, line 2, “the grid” lacks antecedent basis.
Claim 14, lines 3-4, “the first insulating member” and “the second insulating member” lack antecedent basis.
Claim 15, line 2, “the first insulating member” and “the second insulating member” lack antecedent basis.
Claim 15, line 3, “the grid” 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, 6-10 and 12-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Chen et al, Chen et al, CN1558439 [Chen].
Regarding claim 1, Chen discloses (figs.1-2) an arc extinguishing unit (1) of a molded case circuit breaker (11), the arc distinguishing unit comprising:
a first side plate and a second side plate (implicitly disclose) disposed to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance;
a plurality of grids (2) disposed at predetermined intervals between the first and second side plates; and
insulating members (3) disposed in surface contact with the plurality of grids (2), respectively.
Regarding claim 2, Chen further discloses where the grids (2) and the insulating members (3) are alternately disposed with one another.
Regarding claim 3, Chen further discloses where the insulating member (3) is formed in the same shape as that of the grid (2).
Regarding claim 6, Chen further discloses where insertion grooves (implicitly disclose) into which the grid (2) and the insulating member (3) are inserted together are disposed in the first and second side plates (implicitly disclose).
Regarding claim 7, Chen further discloses where an entry portion adjacent to a contact unit (5, 6) in the grid (2) extends from an insulator entry portion adjacent to the contact unit (5, 6) in the insulating member (3) [see fig.1b].
Regarding claim 8, Chan discloses (figs.1-2) an arc extinguishing unit (1) of a molded case circuit breaker (11), the arc distinguishing unit comprising:
a first side plate and a second side plate (implicitly disclose) disposed to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance; and
a plurality of grid-insulator combinations (2, 3) disposed at predetermined intervals between the first and second side plates (implicitly disclose),
where the grid-insulator combinations (2, 3) comprise:
a plurality of grids (2) disposed at predetermined intervals between the first and second side plates (implicitly disclose); and
insulating members (3) coupled in surface contact with upper or lower surfaces of the plurality of grids (2), respectively.
Regarding claim 9, Chen discloses (figs.1-2) an arc extinguishing unit (1) of a molded case circuit breaker (11), the arc extinguishing unit (1) comprising:
a first side plate and a second side plate (implicitly disclose) disposed to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance;
a plurality of grids (2) disposed between the first and second side plates (implicitly disclose);
first insulating members (3) disposed in surface contact with first surfaces of the plurality of grids (2), respectively; and
second insulating members (3) disposed in surface contact with second surfaces of the plurality of grids (2), respectively [insulating member sandwich between grids].
Regarding claim 10, Chen further discloses where the first insulating member (3) and the second insulating member (3) are formed in the same shape as that of the grid (2).
Regarding claim 12, Chen further discloses where the first insulating member (3) and the second insulating member (3) are disposed in parallel to the grid (2).
Regarding claim 13, Chen further discloses where insertion grooves (implicitly disclose in the side walls) into which the grid (2) and the first insulating member (3), and the second insulating member (3) are inserted together are disposed in the first and second side plates (implicitly disclose).
Regarding claim 14, Chen further discloses where an entry portion or cutout portion facing a contact unit (5, 6) in the grid (2) extends (protrudes) from a first insulator entry portion or first insulator cutout portion of the first insulating member(3) and a second insulator entry portion or second insulator cutout portion of the second insulating member (3) [see fig.1b].
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 4-5, 11 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen in view of Takeshi et al, JP 2014154492 [Takeshi].
Regarding claim 4, Chen fails to explicitly disclose wherein a thickness of the insulating member is formed to be thinner than that of the grid.
Takeshi shows (fig.7) a thickness of an insulating member (21) is formed to be thinner than that a conductor plate (19) of a grid (17).
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 thickness of insulating member of Chen, with the teaching of the insulating member of Takeshi, thereby providing an insulating layer, adequately dimension, so as to allow the arc to extend further in the arc movement portion between adjacent grids, increasing the arc voltage, and also allowing the arc to be interrupted in the arc movement portion, resulting in higher interruption performance.
Regarding claim 5, Chan further discloses where a lowermost insulating member (3) among the plurality of grids (2) and insulating members (3) is disposed in surface contact with a lower surface of a lowermost grid (2), and the remaining insulating members (3) among the plurality of grids (2) and insulating members (3) are disposed in surface contact with upper surfaces of the remaining grids (2)
Regarding claim 11, Chen fails to explicitly disclose wherein the first insulating member and the second insulating member are disposed to have a thickness smaller than that of the grid.
Takeshi shows (fig.7), where a first insulating member (21) and a second insulating member (21) are disposed to have a thickness smaller than that of a conductor plate (19) of a grid (17).
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 thickness of insulating member of Chen, with the teaching of the insulating member of Takeshi, thereby providing an insulating layer, adequately dimension, so as to allow the arc to extend further in the arc movement portion between adjacent grids, increasing the arc voltage, and also allowing the arc to be interrupted in the arc movement portion, resulting in higher interruption performance.
Regarding claim 15, Chen fails to explicitly disclose wherein a first insulator rear portion of the first insulating member and a second insulator rear portion of the second insulating member extend (protrude) from a rear portion of the grid.
Takeshi discloses (clearly shown in fig.9c) where a first insulator rear portion of a first insulating member (21) and a second insulator rear portion of a second insulating member (21) extend (protrude) from a rear portion of a grid (17).
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 member of Chen, with the teaching of the insulating member of Takeshi, thereby providing an insulating layer, design, so as to allow the arc to extend further in the arc movement portion between adjacent grids, increasing the arc voltage, and also allowing the arc to be interrupted in the arc movement portion, resulting in higher interruption performance.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Oh et al, Lim et al, Lee, Nahata et al, Kratzschmar, An, Bahlinger et al and Duggal et al are examples of arc extinguishing units of a molded case circuit breakers configured similar to the present invention.
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/WILLIAM A BOLTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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