Appeal No. 1997-2216
Application No. 08/392,661
resetting stage which generates pulses to reset the circuit
when the overload condition is eliminated (see column 4, lines
25-68). However, Sears states (column 4, lines 66-68) that
the pulsing continues "until the overload condition is
removed," or, rather, indefinitely. Thus, Sears discloses all
limitations of claim 1 except for the generation of "one or
more pulses, up to a finite maximum number of pulses, or for a
predetermined time."
Zocholl discloses an automatic reclosure system with a
counter for tracking and limiting the number of times a
circuit breaker trips and is reset. Although Zocholl does not
explicitly disclose why the number of reclosures is to be
limited, Zocholl states (column 1, lines 17-25) that
[r]eclosing relays are used whenever it is
desired to automatically reclose a circuit breaker
one or more times after it has been tripped by its
protective relay. The protective relays are
employed to protect power lines which may be
subjected to temporary faults caused by lightning or
tree branches which may fall on the power lines
wherein the lightning surge disappears after a brief
interval and wherein the tree branches are caused to
burn free leaving the line free.
In other words, reclosing relays are only used for resetting a
circuit breaker after a temporary fault which occurs for a
short period of time. Thus, Zocholl implies that the number
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