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 .
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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.
Claims 1 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20180030962 A1 to Bodanese et al. in view of ES 2387232 A1 to Vidal Pascual et al. and KR 20210020159 A to Rolf et al.
Regarding claim 1, Bodanese et al. discloses a floating offshore wind power generator comprising:
a power generator (Fig. 18: 140) disposed on an upper portion (of floating platform 420) and configured to perform a wind power generation action; and
a floating platform (420) configured to support the power generator while floating on the sea;
wherein the floating platform includes:
a plurality of floats (422) provided in the form of a hollow cylindrical shape and erected in a vertical direction;
a connecting beam (four connecting beams shown at the top of the floats) connecting and binding between the plurality of the floats; and
a strake (490) having a spiral shape and provided on an outer circumference of a lower region of each of floats by avoiding a connecting position of the connecting beam;
wherein the connecting beam includes: a horizontal connecting beam connected to the float in a horizontal direction (four horizontal connecting beams).
However, it fails to disclose a reinforcing member configured to reinforce a connecting portion between the connecting beam and the float; wherein the reinforcing member includes: a horizontal reinforcing member having a ring shape, wherein an inner circumference of the horizontal reinforcing member directly contacts with an outer circumference of the float to support the float in a horizontal state, wherein the horizontal reinforcing member and the vertical reinforcing member are provided individually for each of the floats; an inclined connecting beam connected to the float in an inclined manner; a vertical reinforcing member protruding perpendicularly to an outer surface of the float corresponding to a connection location of the inclined connecting beam to allow the inclined connecting beam to be coupled.
Vidal Pascual et al. teaches a reinforcing member (Fig. 1: 7) configured to reinforce a connecting portion between the connecting beam (8) and the float (14); wherein the reinforcing member includes: a horizontal reinforcing member having a ring shape (Figs. 2 and 3: 7), wherein an inner circumference of the horizontal reinforcing member (7) directly contacts with an outer circumference of the float (14) to support the float in a horizontal state, wherein the horizontal reinforcing member is provided individually for each of the floats (each float 14 has reinforcing member 7).
Rolf et al. an inclined connecting beam (Fig. 15j: 5019) connected to the float (6003) in an inclined manner; a vertical reinforcing member (7000f) protruding perpendicularly to an outer surface of the float (6003) corresponding to a connection location of the inclined connecting beam to allow the inclined connecting beam to be coupled; the vertical reinforcing member are provided individually for each of the floats (Fig. 15i).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teaching of the connecting beams and the reinforcing members as disclosed by Vidal Pascual et al. and Rolf et al. to the floating offshore wind power generator disclosed by Bodanese et al.
One would have been motivated to do so to improve structural integrity of the floating offshore apparatus.
Regarding claim 4, Bodanese et al. discloses a floating platform comprising:
a plurality of floats (Fig. 18: 422) provided in the form of a hollow cylindrical shape and erected in a vertical direction;
a connecting beam (four connecting beams shown at the top of the floats) connecting and binding between the plurality of the floats; and
a strake (490) having a spiral shape and provided on an outer circumference of a lower region of the individual floats by avoiding a connecting position of the connecting beam;
wherein the connecting beam includes: a horizontal connecting beam connected to the float in a horizontal direction (four horizontal connecting beams)
However, it fails to disclose a reinforcing member configured to reinforce a connecting portion between the connecting beam and the float; wherein the reinforcing member includes: a horizontal reinforcing member having a ring shape, wherein an inner circumference of the horizontal reinforcing member directly contacts with an outer circumference of the float to support the float in a horizontal state, wherein the horizontal reinforcing member and the vertical reinforcing member are provided individually for each of the floats; an inclined connecting beam connected to the float in an inclined manner; a vertical reinforcing member protruding perpendicularly to an outer surface of the float corresponding to a connection location of the inclined connecting beam to allow the inclined connecting beam to be coupled.
Vidal Pascual et al. teaches a reinforcing member (Fig. 1: 7) configured to reinforce a connecting portion between the connecting beam (8) and the float (14); wherein the reinforcing member includes: a horizontal reinforcing member having a ring shape (Figs. 2 and 3: 7), wherein an inner circumference of the horizontal reinforcing member (7) directly contacts with an outer circumference of the float (14) to support the float in a horizontal state, wherein the horizontal reinforcing member is provided individually for each of the floats (each float 14 has reinforcing member 7).
Rolf et al. an inclined connecting beam (Fig. 15j: 5019) connected to the float (6003) in an inclined manner; a vertical reinforcing member (7000f) protruding perpendicularly to an outer surface of the float (6003) corresponding to a connection location of the inclined connecting beam to allow the inclined connecting beam to be coupled; the vertical reinforcing member are provided individually for each of the floats (Fig. 15i).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teaching of the connecting beams and the reinforcing members as disclosed by Vidal Pascual et al. and Rolf et al. to the floating offshore wind power generator disclosed by Bodanese et al.
One would have been motivated to do so to improve structural integrity of the floating offshore apparatus.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20180030962 A1 to Bodanese et al. in view of ES 2387232 A1 to Vidal Pascual et al. and KR 20210020159 A to Rolf et al. as applied to claim 1 above and further in view of US 6953308 B1 to Horton.
Regarding claim 2, Bodanese et al., Vidal Pascual et al., and Rolf et al. discloses a floating offshore wind power generator as described above.
However, it fails to disclose the strake extends discontinuously to form a coil shape axially along the outer circumference of the float.
Horton teaches the strake (Fig. 2: 12) extends discontinuously to form a coil shape axially along the outer circumference of the float.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teaching of the discontinuous strakes as disclosed by Horton to the strakes disclosed by Bodanese et al., Vidal Pascual et al., and Rolf et al.
One would have been motivated to do so to improve reduction of vortex induced vibrations.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1 and 4 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
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 VIET P NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-9457. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 12-8.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Tulsidas C Patel can be reached at 571-272-2098. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/VIET P NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834