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) 1-4, 10-11, 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Fiero et al. (Patent No. US 3,296,358).
As to claim 1, Fiero discloses a cross arm assembly (fig. 1) comprising:
at least one insulator 12, 13, an end of the at least one insulator being configured to be connected with a tower body 14 of a transmission tower, forming a low-voltage end of the cross arm assembly (fig. 1, see where insulators connect to tower), and another end of the at least one insulator being configured as an end of the cross arm assembly for hanging a conductor 10, 11, forming a high-voltage end of the cross arm assembly; and
a high-voltage end fitting 16, including a fixing portion, the high-voltage end fitting being configured to be connected with the other end of the at least one insulator and hang at least one conductor (fig. 1).
As to claim 2, Fiero discloses a post insulator 13, an end of the post insulator is configured to be connected with the tower body, and another end of the post insulator is configured as the end of the cross arm assembly for hanging the conductor (fig. 1).
As to claim 3, Fiero discloses at least one suspension insulator 12, the end of the post insulator and an end of the suspension insulator are both configured to be connected with the tower body, and the other end of the post insulator and another end of the suspension insulator are connected together through the high-voltage end fitting and configured as the end of the cross arm assembly for hanging the conductor (fig. 1).
As to claim 4, Fiero discloses that the high-voltage end fitting includes at least one rotating portion connected with the fixing portion, the rotating portion is rotatably connected with the other end of the insulator, and the high-voltage end fitting is rotatably connected with the high-voltage end of the cross arm assembly (col. 3, lines 16-26; figs. 1-2).
As to claim 10, Fiero discloses that the low-voltage end of the cross arm assembly is rotatably connected with the tower body through a hinge assembly 22, the hinge assembly comprises includes a hinge support (fig. 3, see bracket connected to tower 14) and a hinge member (fig. 3, see portion connected to joint 22 and insulator 13), the hinge support is fixedly connected with the tower body (fig. 3), the hinge member is fixedly connected with the cross arm assembly, and the hinge support and the hinge member are rotatably connected through a hinge shaft (figs. 2-3).
As to claim 11, Fiero discloses that the high-voltage end fitting is connected with at least one suspension clamp 20, and the conductor is directly hung on the suspension clamp (fig. 2).
As to claim 13, Fiero disclsoes a transmission tower (fig. 1), comprising:
a tower body 14, 15 and the cross arm assembly of claim 1, wherein the cross arm assembly is disposed on the tower body (fig. 1).
Claim(s) 1-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ma et al. (CN104746935A).
As to claim 1, Ma discloses a cross arm assembly (fig. 3) comprising:
at least one insulator 230, 211, an end of the at least one insulator being configured to be connected with a tower body 200 of a transmission tower, forming a low-voltage end of the cross arm assembly (fig. 3, see where insulators connect to tower), and another end of the at least one insulator being configured as an end of the cross arm assembly for hanging a conductor (fig. 4, see clamp 220), forming a high-voltage end of the cross arm assembly; and
a high-voltage end fitting 214, including a fixing portion, the high-voltage end fitting being configured to be connected with the other end of the at least one insulator and hang at least one conductor (figs. 3-4).
As to claim 2, Ma discloses a post insulator 211, an end of the post insulator is configured to be connected with the tower body, and another end of the post insulator is configured as the end of the cross arm assembly for hanging the conductor (figs. 3-4).
As to claim 3, Ma discloses at least one suspension insulator 230, the end of the post insulator and an end of the suspension insulator are both configured to be connected with the tower body, and the other end of the post insulator and another end of the suspension insulator are connected together through the high-voltage end fitting and configured as the end of the cross arm assembly for hanging the conductor (figs. 3-4).
As to claim 4, Ma discloses that the high-voltage end fitting includes at least one rotating portion (fig. 4, see bearings 217 and supporting plate 216) connected with the fixing portion, the rotating portion is rotatably connected with the other end of the insulator, and the high-voltage end fitting is rotatably connected with the high-voltage end of the cross arm assembly (fig. 4; see pg. 4, “One end of the diagonal member 230 is fixed on the tower body 200 above the cross arm 210, and the other end is fixed on the moving shaft 213”).
As to claim 5, Ma discloses that the rotating portion has a rotating chamber 212, the other end of the insulator is provided with a rotating body (fig. 4, see portion of 213 entering the chamber), and the rotating body is rotatable in the rotating chamber, so that the high-voltage end fitting is rotatably connected with the high-voltage end of the cross arm assembly (fig. 4).
As to claim 6, Ma discloses that wherein the fixing portion comprises includes an attachment plate and a connecting plate, the attachment plate and the connecting plate are arranged to be perpendicular to each other and fixedly connected, and the attachment plate and the connecting plate are configured to connect the rotating portion (fig. 4, see frame 215 connected to insulator end).
Claim(s) 1-6, 9, 11-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Volker (Patent No. US 3,614,292).
As to claim 1, Volker discloses a cross arm assembly (fig. 1) comprising:
at least one insulator 3, an end of the at least one insulator being configured to be connected with a tower body 1 of a transmission tower, forming a low-voltage end of the cross arm assembly (fig. 1, see where insulator connects to tower), and another end of the at least one insulator being configured as an end of the cross arm assembly for hanging a conductor 4, forming a high-voltage end of the cross arm assembly; and
a high-voltage end fitting, including a fixing portion 8, 12, the high-voltage end fitting being configured to be connected with the other end of the at least one insulator and hang at least one conductor (fig. 1).
As to claim 2, Volker discloses a post insulator 5, an end of the post insulator is configured to be connected with the tower body, and another end of the post insulator is configured as the end of the cross arm assembly for hanging the conductor (fig. 1).
As to claim 3, Volker discloses at least one suspension insulator 3, the end of the post insulator and an end of the suspension insulator are both configured to be connected with the tower body, and the other end of the post insulator and another end of the suspension insulator are connected together through the high-voltage end fitting and configured as the end of the cross arm assembly for hanging the conductor (fig. 1).
As to claim 4, Volker discloses that the high-voltage end fitting includes at least one rotating portion 6 connected with the fixing portion, the rotating portion is rotatably connected with the other end of the insulator, and the high-voltage end fitting is rotatably connected with the high-voltage end of the cross arm assembly (fig. 1).
As to claim 5, Volker discloses that the rotating portion has a rotating chamber 6, the other end of the insulator is provided with a rotating body (col. 2 lines 11-14), and the rotating body is rotatable in the rotating chamber, so that the high-voltage end fitting is rotatably connected with the high-voltage end of the cross arm assembly (fig. 1).
As to claim 6, Volker discloses that the fixing portion includes an attachment plate and a connecting plate (fig. 4 shows two plates), the attachment plate and the connecting plate are arranged to be perpendicular to each other and fixedly connected (fig. 4), and the attachment plate and the connecting plate are configured to connect the rotating portion (fig. 3).
As to claim 9, Volker discloses that the rotating body is a ball, and the rotating chamber is a socket (col. 2 lines 11-14).
As to claim 11, Volker discloses that the high-voltage end fitting is connected with at least one suspension clamp 11, and the conductor is directly hung on the suspension clamp.
As to claim 12, Volker discloses that at least one line hanging hole (fig. 2, see where bolt 10 connects) is formed on the attachment plate, and a suspension clamp 11 is hung in the line hanging hole.
As to claim 13, Volker discloses a transmission tower 1, 2, comprising:
a tower body 1, 2 and the cross arm assembly claim 1, wherein the cross arm assembly is disposed on the tower body (fig. 1).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-8 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.
Regarding dependent claim 7, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest, in combining with other limitations within the claim and limitation recited in claims 1, 4, 5, and 6, a combination of limitations that discloses wherein the rotating portion includes a first rotating plate and a first rotating block, the first rotating plate is fixedly connected with the connecting plate, the first rotating block is fixedly connected with a side of the first rotating plate away from the connecting plate, and the rotating chamber is formed in the first rotating block. None of the reference art of record discloses or renders obvious such a combination.
Regarding dependent claim 8, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest, in combining with other limitations within the claim and limitation recited in claims 1, 4, 5, and 6, a combination of limitations that discloses wherein the rotating portion includes two second rotating plates and a second rotating block, the two second rotating plates are disposed opposite each other on a same side of the second rotating block at intervals and are arranged parallel to each other, the two second rotating plates clamp on both sides of the attachment plate and are fixedly connected with the attachment plate, and the rotating chamber is formed in the second rotating block. None of the reference art of record discloses or renders obvious such a combination.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Cotton et al. (Pub. No. US 2012/0205139) discloses an insulator connected to a tower having a high voltage end fitting.
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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/AMOL H PATEL/Examiner, Art Unit 2847
/TIMOTHY J THOMPSON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2847
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