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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS’s) submitted on 01/08/2025 and 05/05/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1- 5,10,11,19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nass et al. (US 2010/0244598).
Regarding claim 1, Nass et al. disclose:
An alternator for a three-phase generator, the alternator comprising:
a rotor (abstract – implicit since it is a motor);
a stator having a plurality of coils arranged thereon (abstract – implicit since it is a motor),
each coil of the plurality of coils including two associated leads (Figs 1-7b);
a terminal block assembly (10) to which each one of the two associated leads of each one of the plurality of coils are attached (para 47, Figs 1-7b),
the terminal block assembly (10) including a plurality of terminals (20,22,24,26,28,30, 38,40,42),
each one of the two associated leads of each one of the plurality of coils being connected to a terminal (20,22,24,26,28,30, para 47); and
a cartridge (16) that is selectively connected to the terminal block assembly (10, Figs 1-2, para 34),
the cartridge (16) being electrically coupled to a plurality of the leads when the cartridge is connected to the terminal block assembly (10, para 34),
the cartridge (16) including a conductive portion (Fig s 1-2, inside of 16) that extends between and electrically couples a first lead to a second lead of the plurality of the leads (Figs 1-7b).
Nass et al. do not teach the use of an alternator for a three-phase generator.
However, Nass et al. do teach the use of a three-phase motor (abstract) and a skilled artisan would readily recognize the benefits of reconfiguring the connection assembly and make it suitable for an alternator generator, since it would depend on desired generation of power output.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the invention to modify Nass et al. to reconfigure their invention to make it suitable for an alternator generator.
The motivation to do so would be based on desired generation of power output and cost.
Regarding claim 2/1, Nass et al. disclose wherein the alternator is configured to produce a three-phase output (abstract).
Regarding claim 3/1, Nass et al. disclose the invention as discussed above, except wherein the alternator is configured to produce a single phase output.
However, Nass et al. do teach the use of a three-phase motor (abstract) and a skilled artisan would readily recognize the benefits of reconfiguring the connection assembly and make it suitable for an alternator generator and wherein the alternator is configured to produce a single phase output, since it would depend on desired generation of power output.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the invention to modify Nass et al. to reconfigure their invention to make it suitable for an alternator generator wherein the alternator is configured to produce a single phase output.
The motivation to do so would be based on desired generation of power output, load connected to the machine and cost.
Regarding claim 4/1, Nass et al. disclose wherein each port of the plurality of terminals (20,22,24,26,28,30, para 47) includes a lead connection post (30) and a cartridge connection post (inside of 18, Fig 1), the lead connection post being electrically coupled to the cartridge connection post by a connection bar (32-36).
Regarding claim 5/4, Nass et al. disclose wherein the each one of the two associated leads of each one of the plurality of coils are electrically coupled to each one of the lead connection posts (30) of each one of the plurality of terminals (Fig 1, paras 35,39.40).
Regarding claim 10/1, Nass et al. disclose further comprising a plurality of output leads, the plurality of output leads (44,46,48,50,52,54, para 39) being configured to provide an output voltage from the terminal block assembly.
Regarding claim 11, Nass et al. disclose:
A connection assembly for reconfiguring the voltage output (abstract, Fig 1) from an alternator, the connection assembly comprising:
a terminal block assembly (18) comprising a plurality of terminals (40,42,44,46,48,50,52,54); and
a first cartridge (16) that is selectively connected to the terminal block assembly (18);
the terminal block assembly (18) being configured to receive a plurality of leads from the alternator within the plurality of terminals (40,42,44,46,48,50,52,54); and
the terminal block assembly (18) further being configured to receive the first cartridge (16),
the first cartridge (16) providing an electrical connection between a first lead of the plurality of leads and a second lead of the plurality of leads when the first cartridge is received within the terminal block assembly (18, paras 35, 38,39,40, 47).
Nass et al. do not teach the use of an alternator.
However, Nass et al. do teach the use of a three-phase motor (abstract) and a skilled artisan would readily recognize the benefits of using the connection assembly for reconfiguring the voltage output from an alternator instead, since it would depend on desired generation of power output.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the invention to modify Nass et al. to make the connection assembly for reconfiguring the voltage output from an alternator instead of a motor.
The motivation to do so would be based on desired generation of power output and cost.
Regarding claim 19/11, Nass et al. disclose wherein each terminal of the plurality of terminals (40,42,44,46,48,50,52,54) includes a lead connection post and a cartridge connection post (32,36, inside of 18).
Regarding claim 20/19, Nass et al. disclose wherein the cartridge connection posts (32,36) are configured to extend through holes in conductive tabs of the first cartridge (Figs 1-2).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-9 and 12-18 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: In claim 6/5 inter alia, the specific limitations of “…wherein the cartridge includes a plurality of tabs, wherein each one of the plurality of tabs includes a hole arranged therethrough, wherein each one of the holes of each one of the plurality of tabs receives one of the cartridge connection posts when the cartridge is selectively connected to the terminal block assembly.”, in the combination as claimed are neither anticipated nor made obvious over the prior art made of record.
In claim 7/1 inter alia, the specific limitations of “…wherein the cartridge is a first cartridge, and wherein the alternator further comprises a second cartridge, wherein either one of the first cartridge or the second cartridge is selectively coupled to the terminal block assembly.”, in the combination as claimed are neither anticipated nor made obvious over the prior art made of record.
Claims 8 and 9 are also allowable for depending on claim 7.
In claim 12/11 inter alia, the specific limitations of “…further comprising: a second cartridge that is selectively connected to the terminal block assembly, the second cartridge providing an electrical connection between a third lead of the plurality of leads and a fourth lead of the plurality of leads.”, in the combination as claimed are neither anticipated nor made obvious over the prior art made of record.
Claims 13-18 are also allowable for depending on claim 12.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Please see PTO-892 for details.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NAISHADH N DESAI whose telephone number is (571)270-3038. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5.
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NAISHADH N. DESAI
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2834
/NAISHADH N DESAI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
Prosecution Insights