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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 03/03/2025 and 04/16/2025 the submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-2 and 9-10 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claims 1-2 and 9-10, recite the term “and/or” is confusing and unclear. It is unclear whether “and” or “or” is intended and it is noted that the two terms (“and” and “or”) have different meanings making it imperative to know which term is intended in order to understand the metes and bounds of the claim. Applicant is advised to select EITHER “and” or “or”, but not both. The claim will be examined as best understood wherein “and/or” is taken to mean “or”.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-5, 7, and 10-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being participated by Yoshikawa (US 2013/0194734).
Regarding claim 1, Yoshikawa teaches A DC voltage switching device (see figures 1-3@ 3) for coupling a DC voltage load (see par. [0025], “an electrical equipment which operates with DC”) via a positive conductor and/or negative conductor to a DC voltage source (see par. [0025], “receptacle 3 and a plug 2 for DC wiring”), wherein the DC switching device comprises: a housing (fig. 1B@ housing of 2 and 3) and wherein an inside of the housing includes: at least one first switching element (fig. 1B@ switch 33) integrated into the positive conductor (fig. 1B@ connection terminals 22) and/or into the negative conductor (fig. 1B@ connection terminals 21) for coupling and decoupling the DC voltage load (see figures 1B and 2), wherein the housing has at least two housing parts (figs. 1A and 1B: 2 and 3) which are mechanically coupled to one another and can be moved relative to one another, wherein in a first position of these two housing parts the housing is closed, and in a second position of the housing parts the housing is opened and at least one of the positive and negative conductors is interrupted due to the second position (see par. [0026-0029]).
Regarding claim 2, Yoshikawa teaches wherein to interrupt at least one of the positive and negative conductors (21, 22), complementary electrical contact elements (21, 30) are arranged on the two housing parts (2 and 3) which are movable relative to one another, which are in mutual electrical contact when the housing is closed and are electrically and galvanically isolated from one another when the housing is open (see figures 1A-B).
Regarding claim 3, Yoshikawa teaches at least one signal generator (fig. 1B@ 22) arranged and configured to signal an opening movement in response to the movement of the two relatively movable housing parts (2 and 3) from the first position towards the second position (see par. [0026-0028]).
Regarding claim 4, Yoshikawa teaches an evaluation device ( fig. 1B@ 34, 34a) connected to the signal generator (22) and the first switching element, which is configured to control at least the first switching element (33) to decoupling the DC voltage load in response to an opening movement signaled by the signal generator (22), (see par. [0026-0028]).
Regarding claim 5, Yoshikawa teaches a second switching element (33) for coupling and decoupling the DC voltage load, wherein the second switching element is integrated into one of the positive and negative conductors (see par. [0026-0029]).
Regarding claim 7, Yoshikawa teaches wherein the housing (2, 3) further includes a second switching element (33) comprising an electromechanical switching element (34, 34a) for coupling and decoupling the DC voltage load, wherein the second switching element (33) is integrated into one of the positive and negative conductors, and wherein the evaluation device is also connected to the second switching element (33), (see par. [0026-0029]).
Regarding claim 10, Yoshikawa teaches an actuating mechanism arranged and set up for moving the two housing parts (2 and 3) relative to one another from the first position to the second position and vice versa, and/or an electromechanical switching element is connected in parallel with the first switching element and is set up such to assume a closed state in the coupled state of the first switching element (see figure 1B).
Regarding claim 11, Yoshikawa teaches wherein the at least one first switching element (RELAY POWER SUPPLY 34) comprises a semiconductor-based (34a), electronically controllable switching element (33), (see figure 1B).
Regarding claim 12, Yoshikawa teaches the second switching element (33) comprises an electromechanical switching element (34a), (see figure 1B).
Regarding claim 13, Yoshikawa teaches wherein the second switching element (33) is accommodated in the housing (3), (see figure 1B).
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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
Claims 6 and 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshikawa (US 2013/0194734) in view of Beckert et al. (US 2022/0149610).
Regarding claim 6, Yoshikawa teaches the DC voltage switching device above, but does not explicitly teach wherein further comprising a third switching element for coupling and decoupling the DC voltage load which is integrated into the other one of the positive and negative conductors.
Beckert teaches a third switching element for coupling and decoupling the DC voltage load which is integrated into the other one of the positive and negative conductors (see figure 3).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Yoshikawa with the teachings of Beckert by having a third switching element for coupling and decoupling the DC voltage load which is integrated into the other one of the positive and negative conductors in order to provides a backup safety layer, stops fault currents from spreading, and protects sensitive parts if the main switches fail or leak current.
Regarding claim 14, the combination teaches wherein the third switching element comprises an electromechanical switching element (see figure 3 and par. [0086] and [0115]; Beckert).
Regarding claim 15, the combination teaches wherein the third switching element is accommodated in the housing (see figure 3 and par. [0080], “Internally in the housing, the switching device SCH”; Beckert).
Claims 9 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshikawa (US 2013/0194734) in view of Kanno et al. (US 2025/0087949).
Regarding claim 9, Yoshikawa teaches the DC voltage switching device above, but does not explicitly teach wherein a fuse is integrated in the positive conductor and/or in the negative conductor which fuse is integrated within the housing and is replaceable and is accessible from outside the housing when the housing is open.
Kanno teaches a fuse (fig. 5A@ a fuse 41) is integrated in the positive conductor (fig. 5A@ positive electrode terminal 32) and/or in the negative conductor (fig. 5A@ negative electrode terminal 34) which fuse (41) is integrated within the housing and is replaceable and is accessible from outside the housing when the housing is open (see figure 5A).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Yoshikawa with the teachings of Kanno by having a fuse is integrated in the positive conductor and/or in the negative conductor which fuse is integrated within the housing and is replaceable and is accessible from outside the housing when the housing is open in order to change blown fuses quickly without taking the whole device apart.
Regarding claim 16, Yoshikawa teaches the DC voltage switching device above, but does not explicitly teach wherein a fuse is integrated in the one of the positive and negative conductors in which the first switching element is not integrated, which fuse is integrated within the housing and is replaceable and is accessible from outside the housing when the housing is open.
Kanno teaches a fuse (fig. 5A@ a fuse 41) is integrated in the one of the positive and negative conductors (fig. 5A@ positive electrode terminal 32 and negative electrode terminal 34) in which the first switching element is not integrated, which fuse (41) is integrated within the housing and is replaceable and is accessible from outside the housing when the housing is open, (see figure 5A).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Yoshikawa with the teachings of Kanno by having a fuse is integrated in the one of the positive and negative conductors in which the first switching element is not integrated, which fuse is integrated within the housing and is replaceable and is accessible from outside the housing when the housing is open in order to change blown fuses quickly without taking the whole device apart.
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshikawa (US 2013/0194734) in view of Georg et al. (DE102012108877).
Regarding claim 17, Yoshikawa teaches the DC voltage switching device above, but does not explicitly teach wherein the actuating mechanism is manually operable.
Georg teaches the actuating mechanism is manually operable (see figure 1 and par. [0023], “switching device according to the invention with a manually operated actuating device”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Yoshikawa with the teachings of Georg by having the actuating mechanism is manually operable in order to provides a safe backup if power fails, allows precise local control during setup or maintenance, and reduces costs in systems that do not need remote or automated control.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 8 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to XUAN LY whose telephone number is (571)272-9885. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-5pm.
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/XUAN LY/Examiner, Art Unit 2836
/REXFORD N BARNIE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2836
