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 Objections
Claims 24-31 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 24, line 11 recites, “a third semiconductor switch” without reciting a first semiconductor switch and a second semiconductor switch previously. Claims 25-31 depend from objected Claim 24. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 25, line 3 recites, “a first solenoid”, which should be corrected to “the first solenoid” to have proper antecedent basis. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 25, line 5 recites, “a second semiconductor switch”, without reciting a first semiconductor switch previously. Appropriate correction is required.
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 24-31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Li (US 2018/0109102, Li ‘102).
Regarding Claim 24, Li ‘102 discloses a leakage current detection and interruption device (Figures 1-6) comprising:
power supply lines having an input end and an output end (comprising L, N with input/ end at LINE and output end at LOAD, Figures 1-6);
a switch module (comprising 4, Figures 1-6) coupled to the power supply lines between the input end and the output end (4 coupled between LINE and LOAD, Figures 1-6), configured to control an electrical connection between the input end and the output end (Paragraphs 24, 26-27);
a leakage current detection module (comprising 3, Figures 1-6), configured to detect a leakage current in the power supply lines and to generate a leakage fault signal in response thereto (leakage current signal output from 3, Figures 1-6, Paragraph 24);
a leakage-responsive drive module (comprising 21, 2, Figures 1-6), and coupled to the leakage current detection module and the switch module (2, 21 coupled to 3 and 4), configured to drive the switch module to disconnect the electrical connection between the input and output ends in response to the leakage fault signal (Paragraph 27, “…the leakage current detection chip U1 detects that the voltage signal generated by the leakage current detection ring ZCT1 reaches a predefined threshold, it controls the SCRs Q1 and Q4 to become conductive. When Q1 and Q4 are conductive, the tripping coils SOL1 and SOL2 experience large currents, which cause the switch module 4 to disconnect the lines…”);
a fault-responsive drive module (comprising part of 22, 2, Figures 1-6), including at least a third semiconductor switch (comprising Q4 coupled to SOL2, Figures 1-2, 5-6), wherein in response to a fault in the leakage-responsive drive module or the leakage current detection module, the third semiconductor switch becomes conductive which reduces a current flowing through the first solenoid to below a threshold value, and wherein in response thereto, the switch module disconnects the electrical connection between the input end and the output end (Paragraph 30); and
a self-test module (comprising 1, Figures 1-6 ), coupled to the leakage current detection module and the leakage-responsive drive module (1 coupled to 3 and Q in 2, Figures 1-6), configured to generate a self-test signal (Paragraph 29, “…drives transistor Q2 to become conductive, which in turn generates, via resistor R13, a self-test pulse signal on the leakage current detection ring ZCT1”), and to generate a self-test fault signal in response to a fault in the leakage current detection module and/or the leakage-responsive drive module (Paragraph 30, “…the self-testing module 1 detects that the ground fault detection module 3 is malfunctioning, e.g. the leakage current detection chip U1 cannot make transistor Q1 conductive,… diode D2 conducts. As a result, SCR Q1 and/or Q4 become conductive, which causes tripping coils SOL1 and/or SOL2 to move, which in turn controls the switch module 4 to disconnect the power. In use”).
Regarding Claim 25, Li ‘102 discloses the leakage current detection and interruption device of Claim 24, wherein the leakage-responsive drive module includes: the first solenoid (21, 2 including SOL1, Figures 1-6), coupled to the switch module (SOL1 coupled to the switch module 4, Figures 1-6), configured to generate an electromagnetic force to drive the switch module (Paragraph 30);
a second semiconductor switch (Q1, Figures 1-6), coupled to the first solenoid, the self-test module and the fault-responsive drive module (Q1 coupled to the first solenoid SOL1, the self-test module 1, and 22, Figures 1-6); and
a first semiconductor switch (comprising D2, Figures 1-2, D7, Figures 5-6), coupled to the leakage current detection module (D2, D7 coupled to 3, Figures 1-2, 5-6), and to either the second semiconductor switch or the first solenoid (D2, D2 coupled to Q1, Figures 1-2, 5-6) .
Regarding Claim 26, Li ‘102 discloses the leakage current detection and interruption device of Claim 24, wherein in absence of any fault, the second semiconductor switch is non-conductive when the self-test module generates the self-test signal (Paragraphs 29, 39).
Regarding Claim 27, Li ‘102 discloses the leakage current detection and interruption device of Claim 24, wherein the leakage current detection module includes:
a leakage current detection coil (comprising ZCT1/ZCT2, Figures 5-6), wherein the power supply lines include at least a first power supply line and a second power supply line which pass through the leakage current detection coil (comprising L, N lines passing through ZCT1/ZCT2, Figures 5-6), wherein the leakage current detection coil is configured to generate a leakage current signal in response to a leakage current on the first or second power supply line (detection signal from ZCT1/ZCT2 to U1, Figures 5-6); and
a leakage current detection unit (comprising U1, Figures 5-6), coupled to the leakage current detection coil and the leakage-responsive drive module (U1 coupled to ZCT1, ZCT2 and Q1, SOL1, Figures 5-6), and configured to receive the leakage current signal and generate a leakage fault signal in response thereto (output from U1 to Q1, Figures 5-6).
Regarding Claim 28, Li ‘102 discloses the leakage current detection and interruption device of Claim 27,
wherein the self-test module is coupled to the leakage current detection coil (self-test module 1 coupled to the detection coil ZCT1/ZCT2, Figures 1-6), wherein the leakage current detection coil is configured to receive the self-test signal and feed it to the leakage current detection unit (Paragraphs 28-29, “…..the self-testing module 1 periodically applies to the leakage current detection ring ZCT1 a simulated leakage current signal that reaches the predefined threshold value…the comparator U2 (at pin 4 of the comparator U2) outputs a signal, which drives transistor Q2 to become conductive, which in turn generates, via resistor R13, a self-test pulse signal on the leakage current detection ring ZCT1”, Paragraph 30).
Regarding Claim 29, Li ‘102 discloses the leakage current detection and interruption device of Claim 25, wherein each of the first. Second, and third semiconductor switch is a transistor, a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET), a silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR), a photocoupler, or a relay (Figures 1-6, Paragraph 32, Claim 15).
Regarding Claim 30, Li ‘102 discloses an electrical power connection device (device connecting and controlling the power from LINE end to LOAD end in Figures 1-6), comprising: a body (housing/enclosure the modules 1-4 are housed, not shown); and
the leakage current detection and interruption device of claim 24 (see rejection of Claim 24 above), disposed inside the body (Figures 1-6).
Regarding Claim 31, Li discloses an electrical appliance (Figures 1-6), comprising: an electrical load (LOAD, Figures 1-6); and
an electrical power connection device coupled between a power supply and the load to supply power to the load (device connecting and controlling the power from LINE end to LOAD end in Figures 1-6),
wherein the electrical power connection device includes the leakage current detection and interruption device of claim 24 (see rejection of Claim 24 above).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Baldwin (US 6,807,036) and Macbeth (US 6,674,289) both discloses fault detection and interruption devices including self-testing capabilities Baldwin, Figures 1-5, Macbeth, Figure 1); Chen (US 2012/0032813) discloses in Figures 1-2, a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) with overcurrent protection and end-of-life warning and tripping functions.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LUCY M THOMAS whose telephone number is (571)272-6002. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 9:30 am - 5:30 pm.
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/LUCY M THOMAS/Examiner, Art Unit 2838, 9/17/2026
/CRYSTAL L HAMMOND/Supervisory Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838
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