DETAILED ACTION
The Examiner acknowledges Claims 1, 3, 4, 14 and 15 have been amended and Claims 22-23 have been added in this Request for Continued Examination.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments and amendments with respect to the Prior Art rejection of Claim 1 and its dependents have been fully considered and are persuasive. The Prior Art rejection of Claims 1, 3-15 and 18-21 has been withdrawn.
Note: the Applicant argues Fritz fails to disclose that the angular orientation of the entire platform with respect to the tower guide means is adjustable as in previous claim 14 and new claim 22. The Examiner disagrees in that the tilt adjustment mechanism of Fritz meets this limitation.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 23 recites the limitation "the form". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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.
Claim 22 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by DE 10 2011 100 912 to Fritz et al.
Regarding claim 22, Fritz discloses a blade access arrangement for a rotor blade of a wind power plant having a tower, the arrangement comprising a platform (2) having blade guide means (at 6) for guiding the platform against the blade and the arrangement further comprising tower guide means (at 5) for guiding the platform against the tower, wherein the platform is adjustable in an open configuration, in which the blade can enter the blade guide means, and in a closed configuration, in which the platform is guided by the blade (as seen in the figures and noted throughout the disclosure and at least at paragraph 0027 of the translation), wherein the platform comprises at least two sub-platforms (3,4 including 22,23,26,27) and a linking system (24) linking the sub-platforms together, and wherein an angular orientation of the entire platform with respect to the tower guide means is adjustable [via an electronically controlled tilt-dependent adjustment].
Claim 23 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by DE 101 18 906 to Mueller.
Regarding claim 23, Mueller teaches in Figure 2, a blade access arrangement (2) [enclosing chamber] for a rotor blade (7) of a wind power plant [wind turbine] having a tower [TURM], the arrangement (2) comprising a platform (3) [housing] having blade guide means (4) [horizontally movable arrangements] for guiding the platform (3) against the blade (7) and the arrangement (2) further comprising tower guide means [as seen] for guiding the platform (3) against the tower [TURM], wherein the platform (3) is adjustable [adjusts to different cross sections] in an open configuration [horizontally movable], in which the blade (7) can enter the blade guide means (4), and in a closed configuration [horizontally movable], in which the platform (3) is guided by the blade (7), wherein the platform (3) comprises at least two sub-platforms [as seen] and a linking system [as seen] linking the sub-platforms together, wherein the blade guide means (4) are arranged within an opening of the platform (3) that accommodates the blade (7) when the platform (3) is in the closed configuration, and wherein the blade guide means (4) are configured to adapt [horizontally moveable] to the form of the blade (7).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1,3-15 and 18-21 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The Prior Art does not anticipate or make obvious an enclosure for laterally receiving the blade when the platform is in the open configuration.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDREW J TRIGGS whose telephone number is (571)270-3657. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs 6am-2pm EST.
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/ANDREW J TRIGGS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3635
