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 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.
Claim(s) 1-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being taught by Piech (PGPUB 2018/0127236) in view of Tominaga (PGPUB 2001/0017236).
With respect to claim 1, Piech teaches Elevator counterweight assembly (14) comprising
- an electrical energy generator module (20) comprising at least one electric generator (26) for
generating electrical power when an axis of said at least one generator is rotated;
- at least one mechanism (32) for converting a linear motion of said assembly into a rotatory
motion for rotating the axis of said at least one electric generator;
- an accumulator module (60) for storing electrical power produced by said electrical energy
generator module;
- a power transfer module (80, paragraph 0036) for discharging said accumulator module to at
least one electric power sink external to said assembly; and
- a battery management unit (50; paragraph 0035; charges/discharges according to power unit
and controller) for causing the power transfer module to discharge said accumulator.
Piech does not specifically teach causing the power transfer module to discharge said
accumulator to a motor of said elevator if an accumulator charge level is below a threshold, and to
discharge said accumulator module to one or more sinks if said accumulator charge level is above said
threshold. Tominaga teaches causing the power transfer module to discharge said accumulator to a motor of said elevator if an accumulator charge level is below a threshold, and to discharge said accumulator module to one or more sinks if said accumulator charge level is above said threshold (paragraph 0021/22; discharges to resistor when accumulator circuit cannot take more charge/goes above threshold).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention
was made to have capacitor discharge to sink/resistor as taught by Tominaga to dissipate heat/longevity of components (paragraph 0022), since it was known in the art of power circuitry.
With respect to claim 2, Piech teaches wherein said at least one mechanism for converting linear
motion into rotatory motion comprises one among a bevel gear (paragraph 0027; 20 includes gears) or a
worm gear, wherein a first axis of said bevel gear or said worm gear is mechanically connected to a shaft
(inherent that shaft drives generator) of said at least one electric generator so as to induce a rotatory
motion of said shaft of said at least one electric generator when said first axis rotates.
With respect to claim 3, Piech teaches wherein a second axis of said bevel gear or worm gear is
connected to a wheel such that a rotation of said wheel induces rotation of said second axis, said wheel
being adapted to be in contact with a surface parallel to a direction of motion of said assembly,
(inherent that geared wheel drive shaft which drive generator) so that said wheel rotates when said
assembly is in motion.
With respect to claim 4, Piech teaches wherein said surface is part of, or fixed to, a mechanical
guide (paragraph 0014; guide rail) for said assembly, for guiding the assembly in its linear motion.
With respect to claim 5, Piech teaches wherein said accumulator module comprises at least one
among: at least one super capacitor; at least one ultra capacitor; at least one battery (paragraph 007).
With respect to claim 6, Piech teaches wherein said power transfer module comprises at least
one among: - contacts adapted (paragraph 009) to enter into electrical contact with corresponding
contacts external to said assembly; or - an induction mat adapted to cooperate with another induction
mat external to said assembly.
With respect to claim 7, Piech teaches further comprising a frame (18) for holding said electrical
energy generator module and said accumulator module, the size of said frame being adjustable
(paragraph 0028; holds various components and size) according at least one dimension.
With respect to claim 8, Piech does not teach wherein said electrical energy generator module
comprises at least one plurality of generators, the shafts of said at least one plurality of generators being
mechanically connected to form an alignment such that rotating the shaft of one generator induces
rotation of the shaft of the other generators of said plurality of generators, wherein at least one shaft of
the generators of said alignment is connected to one of said at least one mechanisms for converting a
linear motion of said assembly into a rotatory motion.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was
made to align shafts with plurality of generators, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a
worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a
matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
With respect to claim 9, Piech does not teach wherein said alignment of generators is arranged
along a direction which is parallel or orthogonal compared to the intended direction of motion of said
assembly. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention
was made to align shafts in parallel/orthogonal directions, since it has been held to be within the
general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the
intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
With respect to claim 10, Piech does not teach comprising a plurality of alignments of
generators arranged along parallel and/or orthogonal directions. It would have been obvious to one
having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to align shafts in parallel/orthogonal
directions, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known
material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re
Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
With respect to claim 11, Piech does not teach wherein respective mechanisms for converting a
linear motion into a rotatory motion are provided at a first and a second shaft respectively at each
extremity of an alignment of generators. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the
art at the time the invention was made to align shafts with plurality of generators, since it has been held
to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its
suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
With respect to claim 12, Piech does not teach further comprising at least one among: means
for engaging and disengaging an element of said at least one mechanism for converting a linear motion
of said assembly into a rotatory motion; a switch for opening and closing an electrical circuit for
connecting and disconnecting all or part of the generators of said energy generator module from said
accumulator module. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the
invention was made to have switch connect/disconnect the generator, since it has been held to be
within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for
the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
With respect to claim 13, Piech does not teach wherein said mechanism for converting a linear
motion of said assembly into a rotatory motion comprises as part of a chain of transmission of motion at
least one among a kinetic flywheel module and a continuously variable transmission module.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was
made to generator to have flywheel or connect to cvt, since it has been held to be within the general
skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as
a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
With respect to claim 14, Piech teaches - a cabin (12); - a counterweight assembly according to
claim 1; - a drive unit (20) mechanically connected to said cabin and said counterweight assembly
through rope means (13).
With respect to claim 15, Piech teaches wherein said accumulator module comprises both at
least one battery and at least one capacitor (paragraph 007), further comprising a battery management
unit (50). Piech does not teach prioritizing the use of said at least one capacitor when the length of a
run is below a given threshold and prioritizing the use of said at least one battery when said run is above
said given threshold.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was
made to have one capacitor for above threshold and one capacitor for below since it was known in the
art of power circuitry.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-15 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERICK DAVID GLASS whose telephone number is (571)272-8395. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri_8-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Eduardo Colon-Santana can be reached at 571-2727-2060. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ERICK D GLASS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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