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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Embodiment 2, Figures 1-3 and 5, Claims 1-17 in the reply filed on 07/08/2026 is acknowledged.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 09/27/2024 and 02/19/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 1-8, 4 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hennemann [US 3,947,791], applicant cited prior art.
Claim 1, Hennemann discloses a latching module [figure 1] for an electrical device, comprising: a swing arm [7] movable between an unlocked position [figure 2c] and a locked position [figure 2a]; a tripper [10] movable in a first direction towards a holding position [figure 2a] or in a second direction towards a tripped position [figure 2c], the first direction being opposite to the second direction; a holder [13], a first portion [33, figure 3] of which can act on the tripper [10] and a second portion [18; figure 3] of which can act on the swing arm [7]; wherein, when the swing arm [7] is in the locked position [figure 2a] and the tripper [10] is in the holding position [figure 2a], the holder [13] bears a force applied by the swing arm to make the holder [13] abut against the tripper [10] to apply a force on the tripper [10] in the first direction, such that the tripper [10] is secured in the holding position [figure 2a], and the holder [10] holds the swing arm [7] in the locked position [figure 2a]; when the tripper [10] is in the tripped position [figure 2c], the holder [10] releases the hold on the swing arm [7] so that the swing arm can be moved from the locked position towards the unlocked position [figure 2c].
Claim 2, Hennemann discloses the latching module according to claim 1, wherein the tripper [10] is provided as a pivotable tripper [pivots around 11; figures 2a-2c], which can pivot in a first direction towards the holding position [figure 2a] or pivot in a second direction towards the tripped position [figure 2c].
Claim 3, Hennemann discloses the latching module according to claim 2, wherein the pivotable tripper [10] comprises a pivot portion [11], a first portion and a second portion both extending from the pivot portion, wherein the first portion of the holder acts on the second portion, and wherein the first portion is held on a fixed portion or component of the latching module when the tripper is in the holding position, to keep the tripper fixed in the holding position [figures 1-3].
Claim 4, Hennemann discloses the latching module according to claim 1, further comprising a driver [not show, the element that applies force 12] coupled with the tripper to drive the tripper from the holding position to the tripped position.
Claim 8, Hennemann discloses the latching module according to claim 1, wherein the holder [13] is arranged as a pivotable holder [33 pivots about 18; figure 4] that pivots about a pivot portion.
Claim 17, Hennemann discloses a contactor comprising a latching module [figure 1] for an electrical device, comprising: a swing arm [7] movable between an unlocked position [figure 2c] and a locked position [figure 2a]; a tripper [10] movable in a first direction towards a holding position [figure 2a] or in a second direction towards a tripped position [figure 2c], the first direction being opposite to the second direction; a holder [13], a first portion [33, figure 3] of which can act on the tripper [10] and a second portion [18; figure 3] of which can act on the swing arm [7]; wherein, when the swing arm [7] is in the locked position [figure 2a] and the tripper [10] is in the holding position [figure 2a], the holder [13] bears a force applied by the swing arm to make the holder [13] abut against the tripper [10] to apply a force on the tripper [10] in the first direction, such that the tripper [10] is secured in the holding position [figure 2a], and the holder [10] holds the swing arm [7] in the locked position [figure 2a]; when the tripper [10] is in the tripped position [figure 2c], the holder [10] releases the hold on the swing arm [7] so that the swing arm can be moved from the locked position towards the unlocked position [figure 2c].
Claims 1-5, 7, 8, 16 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nebson et al. [US 5,731,560], applicant cited prior art.
Claim 1, Nebson et al. discloses a latching module [figures 3-4] for an electrical device, comprising: a swing arm [44] movable between an unlocked position [figure 3]and a locked position [figure 3]; a tripper [60] movable in a first direction towards a holding position or in a second direction towards a tripped position, the first direction being opposite to the second direction; a holder [50/80], a first portion [86] of which can act on the tripper [60] and a second portion [64] of which can act on the swing arm [44]; wherein, when the swing arm [44] is in the locked position [figure 3] and the tripper [60] is in the holding position [figure 3, the holder [50/80] bears a force applied by the swing arm to make the holder abut against the tripper to apply a force on the tripper in the first direction, such that the tripper is secured in the holding position [figure 3], and the holder [50/80] holds the swing arm [44] in the locked position [figure 3]; when the tripper [10] is in the tripped position [figure 24], the holder [50/80] releases the hold on the swing arm [44] so that the swing arm can be moved from the locked position towards the unlocked position [figure 4].
Claim 2, Nebson et al. discloses the latching module according to claim 1, wherein the tripper [60] is provided as a pivotable tripper [figures 3 and 4], which can pivot in a first direction towards the holding position [figure 3] or pivot in a second direction towards the tripped position [figure 4].
Claim 3, Nebson et al. discloses the latching module according to claim 2, wherein the pivotable tripper [60] comprises a pivot portion [11], a first portion and a second portion both extending from the pivot portion, wherein the first portion of the holder acts on the second portion, and wherein the first portion is held on a fixed portion or component of the latching module when the tripper is in the holding position, to keep the tripper fixed in the holding position [figures 3 and 4].
Claim 4, Nebson et al. discloses the latching module according to claim 1, further comprising a driver [70] coupled with the tripper [60] to drive the tripper from the holding position to the tripped position [col. 3 lines 17-25].
Claim 5, Nebson et al. discloses the latching module according to claim 4, wherein the driver [70] comprises a coil and a moving iron core arranged inside the coil [electronic trip device; [col. 3 lines 17-25], with one end of the moving iron core connected to the tripper to drive the tripper from the holding position to the tripped position by means of the moving iron core when the coil is energized [figures 1 and 2].
core to apply a force on the tripper in the first direction through the moving iron core.
Claim 7, Nebson et al. discloses the latching module according to claim 1, wherein the tripper further comprises a manual operation portion, the end of which extends outside the housing of the latching module [manual trip option; col. 3 lines 17-25].
Claim 8, Nebson et al. discloses the latching module according to claim 1, wherein the holder [50/80] is arranged as a pivotable holder [pivots around 58] that pivots about a pivot portion [figures 3 and 4.
Claim 16, Nebson et al. discloses the latching module according to claim 1, further comprising a return spring [62], wherein: the return spring resiliently biases the tripper in a first direction; or the return spring resiliently biases the holder so that a force in the first direction is applied to the tripper by the holder [col. 3 lines 5-16].
Claim 17, Nebson et al. discloses a contactor comprising a latching module [figures 3-4] for an electrical device, comprising: a swing arm [44] movable between an unlocked position [figure 3]and a locked position [figure 3]; a tripper [60] movable in a first direction towards a holding position or in a second direction towards a tripped position, the first direction being opposite to the second direction; a holder [50/80], a first portion [86] of which can act on the tripper [60] and a second portion [64] of which can act on the swing arm [44]; wherein, when the swing arm [44] is in the locked position [figure 3] and the tripper [60] is in the holding position [figure 3, the holder [50/80] bears a force applied by the swing arm to make the holder abut against the tripper to apply a force on the tripper in the first direction, such that the tripper is secured in the holding position [figure 3], and the holder [50/80] holds the swing arm [44] in the locked position [figure 3]; when the tripper [10] is in the tripped position [figure 24], the holder [50/80] releases the hold on the swing arm [44] so that the swing arm can be moved from the locked position towards the unlocked position [figure 4].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6, 10-15 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Bernard Rojas whose telephone number is (571)272-1998. The examiner can normally be reached Mon. thru Fri. 7:00 am - 4:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Shawki S Ismail can be reached at (571) 272-3985. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BERNARD ROJAS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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