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 1-2, 4-8, 12, and 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kohlmeier-Bechmann et al. Publication No. US 2005/0013075.
Regarding claim 1, Kohlmeier discloses a load-break switching device for a busbar system, comprising:
a first connector unit [Fig. 1, power bus 10] comprising at least one first terminal [Fig. 1, aircraft electrical system is using 115 V AC system, which comprises a plurality of power conductors, comprising three separate input terminals], each first terminal being adapted to be connected to a power source or load;
a second connector unit [Fig. 1, output of the power distribution center 20 comprising a plurality of conductors] comprising at least one second terminal, each second terminal being adapted to connect to an electrical connection of an external electrical device [Fig. 1, 30];
a load-break unit [Fig. 1, each power conductor of the plurality of conductors of the 115 AC system, comprises a switch 23], adapted to interrupt electrical connections between the first terminals of the first connector unit and the corresponding second terminals of the second connector unit;
a shunt resistor [Fig. 1, resistor 22; par. 0032] in each current path between one of the first terminals of the first connector unit and the load-break unit, respectively; and
at least one fuse unit [Fig. 1, 21; par. 0032], each of the at least one fuse unit being disposed in a current path between a first terminal of the first connector unit and a corresponding second terminal of the second connector unit.
Regarding claim 2, Kohlmeier discloses that each fuse unit is adapted to receive a fuse in the range of NH000 to NH03 or an equivalent type of rated current [Fig. 1, each fuse 21 is inherently rated for the current that passes through it].
Regarding claim 4, Kohlmeier comprises a monitoring unit [Fig. 1, 24] adapted to determine a current in the current path between one of the first terminals of the first connector unit and the load-break unit based on a voltage drop across the shunt resistor in the respective current path [par. 0032].
Regarding claim 5, Kohlmeier discloses that the monitoring unit is adapted to measure a voltage at a connection between one of the first terminals of the first connector unit and the load-break unit, and to determine power flow and/or current direction based on the sensed current and measured voltage [Fig. 1, the voltage sensor 24 is connected to a connection between one of the first terminals of the connector unit and the switch 23 as shown; par. 0032, 0034].
Regarding claim 6, Kohlmeier discloses that the monitoring unit comprises a communication interface [Fig. 1, interface of the CPU 26] adapted to establish a communication link with a remote device [Fig. 1, fault signal 27], and to output data comprising the sensed current [par. 0033].
Regarding claim 7, Kohlmeier discloses that the monitoring unit is adapted to trigger the load-break unit to interrupt electrical connections between the first terminals of the first connector unit and the corresponding second terminals of the second connector unit if at least one determined current exceeds a predetermined threshold value [par. 0032, 0033].
Regarding claim 8, Kohlmeier discloses that each terminal of the first connector unit comprises a connection element adapted to connect the respective first terminal to a related terminal of the power source or load, and wherein the shunt resistors in the current paths between the first terminals of the first connector unit and the load-break unit are directly connected to the connection elements, respectively [.
Regarding claim 12, Kohlmeier discloses that the load-break unit is adapted to interrupt electrical connections between the first terminals of the first connector unit and the corresponding second terminals of the second connector unit under load.
Regarding claims 16 and 17, Kohlmeier comprises a switching cabinet arrangement [par. 0032], comprising: a load-break switching device according to claim 1; and a busbar system comprising at least one busbar [par. 0032 suggests one or more power conductors 11], wherein the at least one busbar is electrically connected to the first connector unit of the load-break switching device [as shown].
Regarding claim 18, Kohlmeier discloses a method for operating a load-break switching device according to claim 1, comprising the steps of: measuring a voltage drop over the shunt resistor in the current path between one of the first terminals of the first connector unit and the load-break unit; determining a current in the respective current path between one of the first terminals of the first connector unit and the load-break unit based on the measured voltage drop across the shunt resistor; and providing an output signal indicating the determined current [par. 0032 to par. 0034].
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 9-11 and 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kohlmeier-Bechmann et al. Publication No. US 2005/0013075 in view of Steele et al. Patent No. US 7,683,604.
Regarding claim 9, Kohlmeier discloses a shunt resistor that measures current passes through the power line, wherein the shunt resistor is connected in series with the fuse and the breaker. However, Kohlmeier does not disclose a sensor element adapted to sense a physical property of the shunt resistor, and wherein the monitoring unit is adapted to determine the current in the current path between one of the first terminals of the first connector unit and the load-break unit based on the physical property sensed by the sensor element.
Steele discloses a current detection circuit, comprising a shunt resistor connected between a power source and a load, and further comprises a sensor element [Fig. 1, temperature sensor 14] adapted to sense a physical property of the shunt resistor [Fig. 1, resistor 6], and wherein the monitoring unit is adapted to determine the current in the current path between one of the first terminals of the first connector unit and the load-break unit based on the physical property sensed by the sensor element col. 1 lines 27 to 38].
Kohlmeier and Steele are analogous overcurrent protection circuits. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to incorporate Steele’s temperature sensor sensing a temperature of the shunt resistor, into Kohlmeier, for the benefit of maintaining highly accurate current measurements and providing critical overcurrent and overheating protection.
Regarding claim 10, Steele discloses that the sensor element comprises a thermal sensor [Fig. 1, temperature sensor 14].
Regarding claim 11, Kohlmeier discloses that the monitoring unit is configured to output an alarm signal [Fig. 1, output of the CPU 26 indicates a fault signal message] if at least one of the determined currents exceeds a predetermined threshold value [par. 0010]. It is well known in the overcurrent protection art to use alarm or display as a warning message to an alerting operator for the benefit of providing an early warning of electrical faults or equipment overloads and reducing the risk of electrical fires.
Regarding claims 13 and 14, Kohlmeier discloses a power conductor connected between the power source and a load. Kohlmeier discloses that there are one or more power conductors connected to the power bus, wherein each fuse on the plurality of power conductors are rated for the current that passes through that power conductor. However, Kohlmeier does not explicitly disclose that each fuse in the at least one fuse unit has a maximum rated current of at least 160 Ampere, in particular at least 250A, 355A, 500A, or up to 800A. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have each fuse in the at least one fuse unit has a maximum rated current of at least 160 Ampere, in particular at least 250A, 355A, 500A, or up to 800A, since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Boesch, 617 F. 2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980).
Regarding claim 15, Kohlmeier discloses a switching device. However, Kohlmeier does not explicitly disclose that the load-break switching device has an outer width of at most 27 millimeters. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have the load-break switching device has an outer width of at most 27 millimeters, since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Boesch, 617 F. 2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980).
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kohlmeier-Bechmann et al. Publication No. US 2005/0013075 in view of Darr Publication No. US 2007/0252670.
Regarding claim 3, Kohlmeier discloses a fuse located on a power conductor between a power source and a load. However, Kohlmeier does not disclose that the fuse is adapted to receive a cylindrical fuse.
Darr discloses a fuse disconnect device connected between line side and load side terminals, wherein the fuse [Fig. 1, 106] is a cylindrical fuse [pa. 0050].
Kohlmeier and Darr are analogous current/voltage protection circuits comprising fuses between line side and load side terminals. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to incorporate Darr’s cylindrical fuse, into Kohlmeier, for the benefit of providing reliable, compact overcurrent protection while offering space efficiency in electrical systems.
Conclusion
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DHARTI PATEL
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2836
/DHARTI H PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838
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