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 § 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 1-13 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wagner Juri (WO 2024125798 A1) in view of (CN 108172468 A).
Regarding claim 1, Jüri discloses an electromagnetic actuator comprising:
a coil (14) and a ferromagnetic armature (22) which is configured to be movable via the coil (14);
a housing (see the drawing below) comprising a housing body (see the drawing below) and a housing cover (see the drawing below),
the housing cover (see the drawing below) being connected to the housing body (see the drawing below),
the housing body (see the drawing below) and the housing cover (see the drawing below) together being arranged to enclose a contact chamber (42),
wherein, the housing cover (see the drawing below) comprises a housing cover wall (88) which comprises a first axial wall side (see the drawing below) and a second axial wall side (see the drawing below),
the first axial wall side (see the drawing below) being arranged opposite to the second axial wall side (see the drawing below),
a first contact element (54) which is fixed to the housing (see the drawing below);
a second contact element (56) which is fixed to the housing (see the drawing below); and
an electrically conductive contact bridge (44) which is arranged in the contact chamber (42) and which is configured to be displaceable, via the electromagnetic actuator, into a contact position where the first contact element (54) is electrically connected to the second contact element (56) via the electrically conductive contact bridge (44), and into an open position where an electrical contact between the first contact element (54) and the second contact element (56) is interrupted.
Regarding claim 1, Jüri teaches the claimed subject as disclosed above, however, fails to explicitly disclose the housing cover (see the drawing below) being connected to the housing body (see the drawing below) in a gas-tight manner via an ultrasonic welded connection (see the description), an axial ultrasonic wave insertion surface is arranged on the first axial side wall of the housing cover wall, and the ultrasonic welded connection comprises a welding joint which is arranged on the second axial wall side of the housing cover wall axially opposite to the ultrasonic wave insertion surface.
CN 108172468 discloses a device comprising:
the housing cover (3) being connected to the housing body (1) in a gas-tight manner via an ultrasonic welded connection (see the description).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the ultrasonic welded connection and axial ultrasonic wave insertion surface as taught by CN 108172468 to arrange on the first axial side wall of the housing cover wall of Juri’s device and the ultrasonic welded connection comprises a welding joint which is arranged on the second axial wall side of the housing cover wall of Juri’s device axially opposite to the ultrasonic wave insertion surface for the purpose of controlling cavitation, and conducting non-destructive testing.
[AltContent: textbox (Inner axial end surface)][AltContent: textbox (1st axial wall side & axial end surface)]
[AltContent: textbox (axial joining groove & radial inner wall)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (End wall section )][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Circumferential collar)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Contact chamber wall)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Housing body &
the acting stop &
stop surface)][AltContent: textbox (Electromagnetic actuator)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (2nd axial wall side)][AltContent: textbox (Housing cover)][AltContent: textbox (Housing)][AltContent: arrow]
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Annotated FIG. 1 of Juri
Regarding claim 2, Jüri discloses: the claimed subject as disclosed above, however, fails to explicitly disclose the ultrasonic wave insertion surface is further arranged to be perpendicular to the center axis of the electromagnetic actuator.
CN 108172468 discloses the ultrasonic wave insertion surface (see the description).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the ultrasonic wave insertion surface as taught by CN 108172468 is arranged to be perpendicular to the center axis of the electromagnetic actuator (9) for the purpose of suitability of the design choice, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70.
Regarding claim 3, Jüri discloses:
the housing body comprises an axially acting stop (see the drawing above)
Regarding claim 4, Jüri discloses:
the axially acting stop (see the drawing above) comprises a radially outwardly extending protrusion which comprises a stop surface (see the drawing below/above).
Regarding claim 5, Jüri discloses:
the stop surface (see the drawing below) is arranged to be perpendicular to the center axis.
Regarding claim 6, Jüri discloses:
a contact chamber wall (see the drawing below/above) which is arranged to completely radially enclose the contact chamber (42), wherein, the housing cover (see the drawing below/above) further comprises a circumferential collar (see the drawing below/above) which extends in an axial direction radially outwardly over the contact chamber wall (see the drawing below/above).
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Regarding claim 7, Jüri discloses:
housing cover wall (88) further comprises an end wall section (see the drawing above) which is configured to extend circumferentially and radially, and the circumferential collar (see the drawing above) is connected to the end wall section (see the drawing above).
Regarding claim 8, Jüri discloses:
the end wall section (see the drawing above) comprises an axial end surface (see the drawing above) on an outer side of the housing cover (see the drawing above) that faces away from the circumferential collar (see the drawing above), and the ultrasonic wave insertion surface (see the description).
However, Juri fails to explicitly disclose the ultrasonic wave insertion surface (see the description) is formed by the axial end surface.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the ultrasonic wave insertion surface as taught by Juri is formed by the axial end surface for the purpose of suitability of the design choice, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70.
Regarding claim 9, Jüri discloses:
the contact chamber wall (see the drawing above) comprises an axial end surface (see the drawing above),
the end wall section (see the drawing above) further comprises an inner axial end surface (see the drawing above) which is radially surrounded by the circumferential collar (see the drawing above).
However, Juri fails to explicitly disclose the welding joint is formed by the inner axial end surface and by the axial end surface (see the drawing above) of the contact chamber wall (see the drawing above).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the welding joint (see the description) is formed by the inner axial end surface and by the axial end surface (see the drawing above) of the contact chamber wall for the purpose of suitability of the design choice, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70.
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Regarding claim 10, Jüri discloses:
inner axial end surface (see the drawing above) of the end wall section (see the drawing above) comprises an axial joining groove (see the drawing above), and the contact chamber wall (see the drawing above) is further arranged to extend axially into the axial joining groove (see the drawing below/above).
Regarding claim 11, Jüri discloses:
the circumferential collar (see the drawing above) comprises a radial inner wall (see the drawing above), and the axial joining groove (see the drawing above) is arranged to border on the radial inner wall (see the drawing above) of the circumferential collar (see the drawing above).
Regarding claim 12, Jüri discloses the claimed subject as disclosed above, however, fails to explicitly disclose the axial joining groove has a U-shaped profile.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the axial joining groove as taught by Juri has a U-shaped profile for the purpose of suitability of the design choice, since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the shape of a component. A change in shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Dailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966).
Regarding claim 13, Jüri discloses the claimed subject as disclosed above, however, fails to explicitly disclose the axial joining groove is arranged axially adjacent to the ultrasonic wave insertion surface.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the axial joining groove as taught by Juri is arranged axially adjacent to the ultrasonic wave insertion surface for the purpose of suitability of the design choice, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70.
Regarding claim 16, Jüri discloses:
the housing body (see the drawing above) and the housing cover (see the drawing above) are each made of a plastic material (see the description).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 14 and 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The prior art does not teach or suggest the high-voltage contactor comprising the contact chamber wall further comprises an energy concentration structure.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication should be directed to Lisa Homza whose telephone number is (571) 272-3592.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Shawki Ismail can be reached on (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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/Lisa Nhung Homza/
Patent Examiner - Art Unit 2837
June 8, 2026
/SHAWKI S ISMAIL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2837
Prosecution Insights