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 .
Status of the Claims
This is a non-final rejection in response to the communication filed 07/17/2026. Claims 1, 3-15, 17-18 and 20 are currently pending with claims 8-15 withdrawn from consideration, claims 1, 6 and 18 amended (of the elected claims), claim 20 new, and claims 2, 16 and 19 canceled.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 07/17/2026 and 06/15/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see the response, filed 06/15/2026, with respect to 112(a) rejections have been fully considered and are persuasive. The 112(a) rejections of 04/20/2026 have been withdrawn in light of amendments to the claims.
Applicant's arguments filed 06/15/2026, with respect to the art rejections, have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to arguments on page 9 to 10 of the response, examiner disagrees with the arguments that the layers 237 of the reference Dahl ‘515 is not a separate sheet. It is contended that, to start, the figure 8 of Dahl ‘515 shows the element 233 (the reinforcement element that is precured) to be a separately depicted element from the element 237 (the pre-impregnated uncured part of the system). It is agreed that uncured layers 237 are illustrated and disclosed as an integral surface feature and this is so as to ensure a strong mechanical bond between the reinforcement element and the shell part of the blade. However, examiner contends that 237 is still a separate sheet, first as a sheet as seen in figure 8, and second because it is uncured relative to the precured reinforcement element of 233. If 237 was not separate then it itself would be precured along with the reinforcement element and not uncured as disclosed. It seems farfetched that a system of a precured part and an uncured part could be one part and not separate yet maintain separate qualities of being precured and uncured. Examiner contends that the findings of the layers of 237 being a separate sheet is not conclusory but gathered from facts of the reference itself. While the reference did not mention that the layers of 237 is a “structurally and functionally distinct from a separate, handleable sheet,” as argued, examiner contends that the evidence presented by the reference itself shows that 237 is a separate element.
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 and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Application Publication 2012/0067515 to Dahl et al. (Dahl ‘515) in view of in view of US Patent Application Publication 2012/0245286 to Younes (Younes) and in view of US Patent Application Publication 2015/0308404 to Dahl et al. (Dahl ‘404).
In Reference to Claim 1
Dahl ‘515 discloses a blade shell member for a wind turbine blade (Fig. 3, 152 and 154 for instance), comprising:
a pre-manufactured spar cap (Figs. 3 and 5, portion 133 of 130 for instance, the spar structure, reinforcing element, being pre-fabricated for instance, see also ¶ [0014]);
a number of fiber-reinforced layers (152 and 154 for instance), and
a pre-impregnated fibre sheet (Figs. 8-9, 237 or 337 for instance, see also ¶ [0019]),
wherein the pre-impregnated fibre sheet extends in a longitudinal direction (along reinforcement element 230 or 330 for instance) and in a transverse direction (left to right extension for instance), the pre-impregnated fiber sheet (237 or 337) comprising two connected layers (¶ [0068], layers of 237 and having at least an upper layer of the layers and a lower layer of the layers and connected by further layers for instance), the two connected layers with comprising a first fibre layer forming part of an upper surface of the pre-impregnated fibre sheet (237 or 337, an upper layer of the layers) and a second fibre layer forming part of a lower surface of the pre-impregnated fibre sheet (237 or 337, a lower layer of the layers for instance),
wherein the pre-impregnated fibre sheet (237 for instance) is arranged as a separate sheet (as uncured layers atop the precured layers of 237 for instance, see figure 8 and ¶ [0018] and [0068]) at an interface between the pre-manufactured spar cap (233 for instance) and remaining parts of the blade shell member (152 and 154, see also figure 3), such that the first fibre layer (a layer of 237 adjacent 233 for instance) faces the pre-manufactured spar cap (faces 233 for instance) and the second fibre layer (a layer of 237 having bonding surface 234 for instance) faces the number of fibre-reinforced layers (of the shell part with 152 and 154 for instance, see figure 3), and
wherein the first fibre layer (Fig. 8, an upper layer of the layers of 237 for instance and adjacent 233) facilitates adhesion (¶ [0019], ensured bonding strength for instance) between the pre-manufactured spar cap (233 of 230 for instance) and the pre-impregnated fibre sheet (237 for instance), and
wherein the second fibre layer facilitates adhesion to the number of fibre-reinforced layers during resin infusion (see ¶ [0002] and [0068]).
Dahl ‘515 does not teach the two connected layers “... with two different properties ...“ or “... wherein the first fibre layer is pre-impregnated with an adhesion promoter, wherein the second fibre layer is not pre-impregnated with the adhesion promoter ....”
Younes is related to a composite structure of pre-impregnated fibre sheet (¶ [0032], multi-ply mat structures capable of being impregnated with resin for instance) comprising a fibre layer (¶ [0032]), as the claimed invention, and teaches wherein the fibre layer is pre-impregnated with an adhesion promoter (¶ [0032], pre-treating of the reinforcing fibres with adhesion promoters for instance).
Dahl ‘404 is related to a blade shell member with an adhesion promoter (¶ [0128], primer for instance), as the claimed invention, and teaches that the adhesion promoter may be applied to an outer surface of the spar cap before attachment to a blade shell (¶ [0128], applied to an outer surface and thus only to an outer layer for instance).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide in the system of Dahl ‘515 wherein the first fibre layer (an outer layer of the layers of Dahl ‘515 for instance) is pre-impregnated with an adhesion promoter (as taught by Younes), and wherein the second fibre layer is not pre-impregnated with the adhesion promoter (the application of adhesion promoter only to an outer surface/layer for instance, as taught by Dahl ‘404, and thus not to other layers) the teachings such that the two connected layers have two different properties (the application of adhesion promoter only to an outer surface/layer for instance, as taught by Dahl ‘404, and thus not to other layers and each having different properties) and such that the second fibre layer (of Dahl ‘515) not being pre-impregnated with the adhesion promoter (as opposite a surface layer, as taught by Dahl ‘404 as applicable to Dahl ‘515) facilitates adhesion to the number of fibre-reinforced layers during resin infusion (of Dahl ‘515), so as to use an art known technique (of using adhesion promoters in wind turbine fibre reinforced composite systems as taught by Younes and Dahl ‘404) into the system of Dahl ‘515 and predictably form the wind turbine blade of Dahl ‘515 including improving adhesion of the composite portions.
In Reference to Claim 7
Dahl ‘515, as modified by Younes and Dahl ‘404, discloses the blade shell member according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first plurality of fibres or the second plurality of fibres comprises glass fibres (Dahl ‘515, ¶ [0002], the known use of glass fibres to form wind turbine components for instance).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide in the system of Dahl ‘515 wherein the first and/or second plurality of fibres comprises or essentially consists of glass fibres (the known use of glass fibres to form wind turbine components), so as to use an art known technique (of using glass fibre in the forming of wind turbine components) into the system of Dahl ‘515 and predictably and suitably form the wind turbine blade.
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Application Publication 2012/0067515 to Dahl et al. (Dahl ‘515) in view of in view of US Patent Application Publication 2012/0245286 to Younes (Younes) and in view of US Patent Application Publication 2015/0308404 to Dahl et al. (Dahl ‘404) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of US Patent Application Publication 2022/02500308 to Dobosz et al. (Dobosz).
In Reference to Claim 3
Dahl ‘515, as modified by Younes and Dahl ‘404, discloses the blade shell member according claim 1, Dahl ‘404 further teaching wherein the adhesion promoter is compatible with at least one of polyester resin, epoxy ester resin, vinyl ester resin (limitations satisfied as being in the alternative), wherein the adhesion promoter is a primer (¶ [00128]), except, "... wherein the adhesion promoter is at least one of isocyanate based, silane based, acrylate based, urethane based ....”
Dobosz is related to the forming of a wind turbine blade (abstract), as the claimed invention, and teaches wherein an adhesion promoter is at least one of isocyanate based (see ¶ [0249]), silane based (see ¶ [0249]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide in the system of Dahl ‘515 wherein the adhesion promoter is at least one of isocyanate based, silane based, acrylate based, urethane base (at least isocyanate based or silane based as taught by Dobosz), so as to use an art known technique (of using adhesion promoters, in wind turbine composite systems as taught by Dobosz) into the system of Dahl ‘515 and so as to predictably form the wind turbine blade of Dahl ‘515 including improving adhesion of the composite portions.
Claim(s) 4-5 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Application Publication 2012/0067515 to Dahl et al. (Dahl ‘515) in view of US Patent Application Publication 2012/0245286 to Younes (Younes) and in view of US Patent Application Publication 2015/0308404 to Dahl et al. (Dahl ‘404) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of US Patent Application Publication 2013/0034684 to Meyer et al. (Meyer).
In Reference to Claim 4
Dahl ‘515, as modified by Younes Dahl ‘404, discloses the blade shell member according to claim 1, except explicitly, “... wherein the first fibre layer comprises a first plurality of fibres arranged along a first fibre direction and the second fibre layer comprises a second plurality of fibres arranged along a second fibre direction ....”
Meyer is related to a fibre reinforced composite (abstract) having a first fibre layer (Fig. 4, 30 for instance) and a second fibre layer (33 for instance), as the claimed invention, and teaches wherein the first fibre layer (30) comprises a first plurality of fibres (34 of 30 for instance) arranged along a first fibre direction (see lines in 30 for instance) and the second fibre layer (33) comprises a second plurality of fibres (34 of 33 for instance) arranged along a second fibre direction (see lines in 30 for instance).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide in the system of Dahl ‘515 wherein the first fibre layer (of Dahl ‘515) comprises a first plurality of fibres (of Dhal ‘515) arranged along a first fibre direction (as taught by Meyer) and the second fibre layer (of Dhal ‘515) comprises a second plurality of fibres (of Dahl ‘515) arranged along a second fibre direction (as taught by Meyer), so as to tailor the composite to various loads by arrangement of the fibres in the composite (Meyer ¶ [0002]).
In Reference to Claim 5
Dahl ‘515, as modified by Younes, Dahl ‘404 and Meyer, discloses the blade shell member according to claim 4, as further taught by Meyer wherein the first and second fibre directions (of 30 and of 33, respectively, as taught by Meyer for instance) are different (as seen in figure 4, as taught by Meyer) and wherein a fibre angle between the first and second fibre directions is between 40 degrees and 150 degrees (90 degrees for instance, between the directions of fibres in 30 and of fibres in 33 as taught by Meyer).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide in the system of Dahl ‘515 wherein the first and second fibre directions are different (as taught by Meyer) and wherein a fibre angle between the first and second fibre directions is between 40 degrees and 150 degrees, preferably 90 degrees (as taught by Meyer), so as to tailor the composite to various loads by arrangement of the fibres in the composite (Meyer ¶ [0002]).
In Reference to Claim 17
Dahl ‘515, as modified by Younes, Dahl ‘404 and Meyer, discloses the blade shell member according to claim 5, wherein the fibre angle is 90 degrees (90 degrees for instance, between the directions of fibres in 30 and of fibres in 33 as taught by Meyer).
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Application Publication 2012/0067515 to Dahl et al. (Dahl ‘515) in view of US Patent Application Publication 2012/0245286 to Younes (Younes) and in view of US Patent Application Publication 2015/0308404 to Dahl et al. (Dahl ‘404) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of WO 2008062818 to Kawabe (and based on English machine translation)(Kawabe) and US Patent Application Publication 2008/0260954 to Paton et al (Paton).
In Reference to Claim 6
Dahl ‘515, as modified by Younes and Dahl ‘404, discloses the blade shell member according to claim 1, except, “... wherein an arrangement of the first plurality of fibres and an arrangement of the second plurality of fibres are maintained in the pre-impregnated fibre sheet relative to each other by a plurality of stitching rows and wherein the plurality of stitching rows are parallel and arranged along a first stitch direction and wherein the first stitch direction is between the first and second fibre directions ....”
Kawabe is related to a fibre reinforced composite fibre sheet (abstract, see also figure 1, 11) having a first fibre layer (21D for instance) and a second fibre layer (21A for instance), as the claimed invention, and teaches wherein the arrangement of the first plurality of fibres (21D) and the arrangement of the second plurality of fibres (21A) are maintained in the fibre sheet (11) relative to each other by a plurality of stitching rows (51) and wherein the plurality of stitching rows are parallel and arranged along a first stitch direction (as seen in figure 1 for instance).
Paton is related to a fibre reinforced composite fibre sheet (abstract) having a first fibre layer and a second fibre layer (see layers in figure 2b for instance), as the claimed invention, and teaches and wherein a first stitch direction (of 32 for instance) is between a first and second fibre directions (of adjacent layers at top and middle for instance).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide in the system of Dahl ‘515 wherein the arrangement of the first plurality of fibres (of Dahl ‘515) and the arrangement of the second plurality of fibres (of Dahl ‘515) are maintained in the pre-impregnated fibre sheet (of Dahl ‘515) relative to each other by a plurality of stitching rows (as taught by Kawabe) and wherein the plurality of stitching rows are parallel and arranged along a first stitch direction (as taught by Kawabe) and wherein the first stitch direction is between (as taught by Paton) the first and second fibre directions (of Dahl ‘515), so as to use an art known technique (of stitching of pre-arranged fibres in a fibre sheet as taught by Kawabe and Paton) into the system of Dahl ‘515 and predictably form the wind turbine blade of Dahl ‘515 including holding the fibrous layers during forming.
Claim(s) 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Application Publication 2012/0067515 to Dahl et al. (Dahl ‘515) in view of US Patent Application Publication 2018/0252202 to Johnson et al. (Johnson) in view of in view of US Patent Application Publication 2012/0245286 to Younes (Younes) and in view of US Patent Application Publication 2015/0308404 to Dahl et al. (Dahl ‘404).
In Reference to Claim 18
Dahl ‘515 discloses a blade shell member for a wind turbine blade (Fig. 3, 152 and 154 for instance) comprising:
a pre-manufactured spar cap (Figs. 3 and 5, portion 133 of 130 for instance, the spar structure, reinforcing element, being pre-fabricated for instance, see also ¶ [0014]);
a number of fibre-reinforced layers (152 and 154 for instance); and
a pre-impregnated fibre sheet (Figs. 8-9, 237 or 337 for instance, see also ¶ [0019]),
wherein the pre-impregnated fibre sheet extends in a longitudinal direction (along reinforcement element 230 or 330 for instance) and in a transverse direction (left to right extension for instance), the pre-impregnated fibre sheet (237 or 337) comprising two connected layers (¶ [0068], layers of 237 and having at least an upper layer of the layers and a lower layer of the layers and connected by further layers for instance), the two connected layers comprising a first fibre layer forming part of an upper surface of the pre-impregnated fibre sheet (237 or 337, an upper layer of the layers) and a second fibre layer forming part of a lower surface of the pre-impregnated fibre sheet (237 or 337, a lower layer of the layers for instance),
wherein the pre-impregnated fibre sheet (237 for instance) is arranged as a separate sheet (¶ [0018] and [0019], the pre-impregnated fibre sheet being uncured and the pre-manufactured spar cap, reinforcement element, is pre-cured and thus separate elements) at an interface between the pre-manufactured spar cap (233 of 230 for instance) and remaining parts of the blade shell member (Fig. 3, 152 and 154 for instance), and
wherein the first fibre layer (Fig. 8, outer layer of the layers of 237 for instance and adjacent 233) facilitates adhesion (¶ [0019], ensured bonding strength for instance) between the pre-manufactured spar cap (233 of 230 for instance) and the pre-impregnated fibre sheet (237 for instance), and
wherein the second fibre layer facilitates adhesion to the number of fibre-reinforced layers during resin infusion (see ¶ [0002] and [0068]).
Dahl ‘515 does not teach the pre-manufactured spar cap “... comprising a plurality of elongated pultruded elements arranged in a stacked array in a cured resin ...”, the two connected layers “... with two different properties ...“ or “... wherein the first fibre layer is pre-impregnated with an adhesion promoter, wherein the second fibre layer is not pre-impregnated with the adhesion promoter ....”
Regarding the limitation the pre-manufactured spar cap “... comprising a plurality of elongated pultruded elements arranged in a stacked array in a cured resin ...”: Johnson is related to a composite with pultruded material (abstract), as the claimed invention, and teaches a pre-manufactured spar cap comprising a plurality of elongated pultruded elements (¶ [0005]) arranged in a stacked array (see figure 3 for instance) in a cured resin (see ¶ [0005] and [0038]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide in the system of Dahl ‘515 wherein the pre-manufactured spar cap (of Dahl ‘515) comprises a plurality of elongated pultruded elements arranged in a stacked array in a cured resin (as taught by Johnson), so as to use an art known technique (of using pultruded elements to form spar cap systems in wind turbine blades as taught by Johnson for instance) into the system of Dahl ‘515 and predictably and suitably form the wind turbine blade of Dahl ‘515.
Regarding the limitations the two connected layers “... with two different properties ...“ or “... wherein the first fibre layer is pre-impregnated with an adhesion promoter, wherein the second fibre layer is not pre-impregnated with the adhesion promoter ....”:
Younes is related to a composite structure of pre-impregnated fibre sheet (¶ [0032], multi-ply mat structures capable of being impregnated with resin for instance) comprising a fibre layer (¶ [0032]), as the claimed invention, and teaches wherein the fibre layer is pre-impregnated with an adhesion promoter (¶ [0032], pre-treating of the reinforcing fibres with adhesion promoters for instance).
Dahl ‘404 is related to a blade shell member with an adhesion promoter (¶ [0128], primer for instance), as the claimed invention, and teaches that the adhesion promoter may be applied to an outer surface of the spar cap before attachment to a blade shell (¶ [0128], applied to an outer surface and thus only to an outer layer for instance).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide in the system of Dahl ‘515 wherein the first fibre layer (an outer layer of the layers of Dahl ‘515 for instance) is pre-impregnated with an adhesion promoter (as taught by Younes), and wherein the second fibre layer is not pre-impregnated with the adhesion promoter (the application of adhesion promoter only to an outer surface/layer for instance, as taught by Dahl ‘404, and thus not to other layers) the teachings such that the two connected layers have two different properties (the application of adhesion promoter only to an outer surface/layer for instance, as taught by Dahl ‘404, and thus not to other layers and each having different properties) and such that the second fibre layer (of Dahl ‘515) not being pre-impregnated with the adhesion promoter (as opposite a surface layer, as taught by Dahl ‘404 as applicable to Dahl ‘515) facilitates adhesion to the number of fibre-reinforced layers during resin infusion (of Dahl ‘515), so as to use an art known technique (of using adhesion promoters in wind turbine fibre reinforced composite systems as taught by Younes and Dahl ‘404) into the system of Dahl ‘515 and predictably form the wind turbine blade of Dahl ‘515 including improving adhesion of the composite portions.
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Application Publication 2012/0067515 to Dahl et al. (Dahl ‘515) in view of in view of US Patent Application Publication 2012/0245286 to Younes (Younes) and in view of US Patent Application Publication 2015/0308404 to Dahl et al. (Dahl ‘404) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of US 2016/0046107 to Zhang et al. (Zhang).
In Reference to Claim 20
Dahl ‘515, as modified by Younes and Dahl ‘404, discloses the blade shell member according to claim 1, except, "... wherein the pre-impregnated fibre sheet is provided in a roll-up configuration with a removable film covering the first fibre layer ....”
Zhang is related to a pre-impregnated fiber sheet (abstract), as the claimed invention, and teaches wherein the pre-impregnated fibre sheet is provided in a roll-up configuration with a removable film covering the first fibre layer (see figure 3C and ¶ [0046] for instance).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide in the system of Dahl ‘515 wherein the pre-impregnated fibre sheet (of Dahl ‘515) is provided in a roll-up configuration with a removable film covering the first fibre layer (as taught by Zhang), so as to use an art known technique (of the provision of a pre-impregnated fibre in a roll-up form as taught by Zhang) into the system of Dahl ‘515 and predictably provide a component that can be used in the formation of the fiber reinforced system of Dahl ‘515.
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure, as cited in the Notice of References Cited, are cited to show the joining of spar portions to shell portions in wind turbine blades.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WAYNE A LAMBERT whose telephone number is (571)270-3516. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 9 am - 7 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nathaniel E Wiehe can be reached at (571)272-8648. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/WAYNE A LAMBERT/Examiner, Art Unit 3745
/NATHANIEL E WIEHE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3745
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