Appeal No. 1999-0425
Application No. 08/788,969
has characteristics indicative of an arcing fault. A line interrupter interrupts the current
in the line conductor in response to the detection of an arcing fault signal.
Representative independent claim 1 is reproduced as follows:
1. A system for detecting arcing faults in an electrical distribution system that
includes a line conductor connected to a utility power transformer, said system
comprising:
a current transformer coupled to said line conductor for monitoring the rate of
change of electrical current in the line conductor and producing a signal
representing the rate of change,
means for generating an arcing-fault-detection signal in response to said rate-
of-change signal,
a test line coupled to said current transformer in the same manner as said line
conductor for subjecting said transformer to a test signal simulating a line current
produced by an arcing fault, and
a signal generator connected to said test line for producing said test signal.
The examiner relies on the following references:
Pardue et al. (Pardue) 4,833,564 May 23, 1989
MacKenzie et al. (MacKenzie) 5,459,630 Oct. 17, 1995
Claims 1-28 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103. As evidence of obviousness, the
examiner cites MacKenzie and Pardue.
Reference is made to the brief and answer for the respective positions of appellant and
the examiner.
OPINION
At the outset, we note that the specific rejection before us is not clear. At page 3 of
the answer, the examiner states that “Claims 1-28 are held rejected under 35 USC 103 as
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