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 .
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 4, and 8 objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1, lines 5-6, “said trailer” should say “said commercial trailer”
Claim 4, lines 5-6, “said trailer” should say “said towed trailer”
Claim 8, line 1, “an electric regeneration unit” should say “the electric regeneration unit”
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 has the limitations of “A venturi generator unit for installation in a commercial trail”, “mounting the inlet to a forward facing surface of said trailer”, “mounting the outlet to a side facing surface of said trailer”. It is unclear whether applicant is trying to claim the combination of a venturi generator unit with a commercial trailer or only the sub-combination of a venturi generator unit that is configured to be mounted on a trailer. The preamble says “for installation in a commercial trail” which is intended use and only claiming the sub-combination, but later in the claim says “mounting the inlet to a forward facing surface of said trailer”, “mounting the outlet to a side facing surface of said trailer” which is claiming the combination. If applicant is trying to claim the combination preamble could say something along the lines of “A venturi generator unit installed in a commercial trailer”. If applicant is only trying to claim the sub-combination of the venturi generator “mounting the inlet to a forward facing surface of said trailer”, “mounting the outlet to a side facing surface of said trailer” should say something along the lines of “the inlet configured to mount to a forward facing surface of said trailer”, “the outlet configured to mount to a side facing surface of said trailer”.
Claim 3 has the limitation of “a solar generator disposed on a flat top surface of the commercial vehicle”. If applicant is only trying to claim the sub-combination of the venturi generator of “a solar generator disposed on a flat top surface of the commercial vehicle” should say something along the lines of “a solar generator configured to be disposed on a flat top surface of the commercial vehicle”.
Claim 4 has the limitations of “An electric regeneration unit for a towed trailer”, “mount the inlet to a forward facing surface of said trailer”, “mount the outlet to a side facing surface of said trailer”, and “a solar generator disposed on a top surface of the trailer”. It is unclear whether applicant is trying to claim the combination of an electric regeneration unit with a towed trailer or only the sub-combination of an electric regeneration unit that is configured to be mounted on a trailer. The preamble says “for a towed trailer” which is intended use and only claiming the sub-combination, but later in the claim says “mount the inlet to a forward facing surface of said trailer”, “mount the outlet to a side facing surface of said trailer”, and “a solar generator disposed on a top surface of the trailer” which is claiming the combination. If applicant is trying to claim the combination preamble could say something along the lines of “An electric regeneration unit mounted on a towed trailer”. If applicant is only trying to claim the sub-combination of the electric regeneration unit “mount the inlet to a forward facing surface of said trailer”, “mount the outlet to a side facing surface of said trailer”, and “a solar generator disposed on a top surface of the trailer” should say something along the lines of “the inlet configured to mount to a forward facing surface of said trailer”, “the outlet configured to mount to a side facing surface of said trailer”, and “a solar generator configured to be disposed on a top surface of the trailer”.
Claim 8 has the limitation of “A vehicle trailer”. Claim 8 depends upon claim 1 which recites “An electric regeneration unit for a towed trailer”. Is the “A vehicle trailer” in claim 8 a different trailer than the “a towed trailer” in claim 1, or the same trailer. Is applicant trying to claim the sub-combination of the electric regeneration unit in claim 4 and the combination of a trailer with the electric regeneration unit in claim 8.
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) 1-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Woodward (US 20220371449 A1) in view of Colletta (US 20250052224 A1).
Regarding claim 1 as best understood based on the 35 U.S.C 112(b) issue discussed above, Woodward discloses a generator unit (trailer mounted wind turbine generation system 104/106 and lower wind turbine generator 214, figs.1-2) for installation in a commercial trailer (trailer 202 of semi-truck 200 as seen in figure 2) of the type having a cargo hold (cargo hold of trailer 202, fig.1), comprising: an inlet with an inlet axis (louver system 110 allows air to pass to vanes of turbine-generators 106, figs.1-2, paragraph [0030]) and an outlet with an outlet axis (outlet of turbine-generator 106, figs.1-2); and a housing (housing of turbine generator 106, fig.2). Woodward fails to disclose said inlet axis being oriented 90 degrees from said outlet axis; and a housing adapted for mounting the inlet to a forward facing surface of said trailer and for mounting the outlet to a side facing surface of said trailer.
However, Colletta discloses a venturi generator (converging conduit 8, diverging conduit 9, ejection mouth 11, wind turbine 4 , figs.1- 8, paragraph [0050 and 0074]), comprising and an inlet (inlet to converging conduit 8, figs.1-8) with an inlet axis (axis in converging conduit 8, figs.7D and 8) and an outlet (ejection mouth 11 after angular segment 22 and diverging conduit 9, figs.1-8) with an outlet axis (axis of ejection mouth 11 after angular segment 22 and diverging conduit 9, figs.7D and 8), said inlet axis being oriented 90 degrees from said outlet axis (fig.7D and 8); and a housing adapted for mounting the inlet to a forward facing surface (front surface 13 of vehicle 1, fig.8) and for mounting the outlet to a side facing surface (side surface of vehicle 1, fig.8).
Woodward and Colletta are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of renewable power generation for vehicles. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the turbine-generator (106) of Woodward with the venturi generator of Colletta with a reasonable expectation of success because it would have been a simple substitution of one known wind generator for a venturi generator obtaining predictable results because venturi generators have high reliability, light weight and compact design.
Regarding claim 2 as best understood based on the 35 U.S.C 112(b) issue discussed above, Woodward in combination with Colletta, Colletta discloses further comprising a venturi region (converging conduit 8 with diverging conduit 9, figs.1-8, paragraph [0050]) and an outlet channel (ejection mouth 11 with shutter 15 and movable wings 16, figs.1-8) downstream from said venturi region, said outlet channel having a port for venting air from within said trailer through said outlet (ejection mouth 11 with shutter 15 and movable wings 16, figs.1-8).
Regarding claim 3 as best understood based on the 35 U.S.C 112(b) issue discussed above, Woodward in combination with Colletta, Woodward discloses further comprising a solar generator (solar panels 102 on top of trailer 202, fig.2) disposed on a flat top surface of the commercial trailer (fig.2).
Regarding claims 4-5 as best understood based on the 35 U.S.C 112(b) issue discussed above, Woodward discloses an electric regeneration unit (trailer mounted wind turbine generation system 104/106, lower wind turbine generator 214, solar panels 102, figs.1-2) for a towed trailer (trailer 202 of semi-truck 200 as seen in figure 2), comprising: a generator unit (wind turbine generation system 104/106, lower wind turbine generator 214, figs.1-2) comprising: an inlet with an inlet axis (louver system 110 allows air to pass to vanes of turbine-generators 106, figs.1-2, paragraph [0030]) and an outlet with an outlet axis (outlet of turbine-generator 106, figs.1-2); and a housing (housing of turbine generator 106, fig.2), and a solar generator (solar panels 102 on top of trailer 202, fig.1) disposed on a top surface of the trailer. Woodward fails to disclose said inlet axis being oriented 90 degrees from said outlet axis; and a housing adapted for mounting the inlet to a forward facing surface of said trailer and for mounting the outlet to a side facing surface of said trailer.
However, Colletta discloses a venturi generator (converging conduit 8, diverging conduit 9, ejection mouth 11, wind turbine 4 , figs.1- 8, paragraph [0050 and 0074]), comprising and an inlet (inlet to converging conduit 8, figs.1-8) with an inlet axis (axis in converging conduit 8, figs.7D and 8) and an outlet (ejection mouth 11 after angular segment 22 and diverging conduit 9, figs.1-8) with an outlet axis (axis of ejection mouth 11 after angular segment 22 and diverging conduit 9, figs.7D and 8), said inlet axis being oriented 90 degrees from said outlet axis (fig.7D and 8); and a housing adapted for mounting the inlet to a forward facing surface (front surface 13 of vehicle 1, fig.8) and for mounting the outlet to a side facing surface (side surface of vehicle 1, fig.8).
Woodward and Colletta are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of renewable power generation for vehicles. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the turbine-generator (106) of Woodward with the venturi generator of Colletta with a reasonable expectation of success because it would have been a simple substitution of one known wind generator for a venturi generator obtaining predictable results because venturi generators have high reliability, light weight and compact design.
Regarding claim 6 as best understood based on the 35 U.S.C 112(b) issue discussed above, Woodward in combination with Colletta, Colletta discloses further comprising a venturi region (converging conduit 8 with diverging conduit 9, figs.1-8, paragraph [0050]) and an outlet channel (ejection mouth 11 with shutter 15 and movable wings 16, figs.1-8) downstream from said venturi region, said outlet channel having a port for venting air from within said trailer through said outlet (ejection mouth 11 with shutter 15 and movable wings 16, figs.1-8).
Regarding claim 7 as best understood based on the 35 U.S.C 112(b) issue discussed above, Woodward in combination with Colletta, Woodward discloses wherein an output of the solar generator is electrically connected with an onboard charger of the towed trailer (solar panels 102 are connected to battery pack 114 of the trailer 202 which charges the vehicle battery 118 through plug or other adaptor, figs.1-2, paragraph [0031-0032]).
Regarding claim 8 as best understood based on the 35 U.S.C 112(b) issue discussed above, Woodward in combination with Colletta, Woodward discloses a vehicle trailer (trailer 202, figs.1-2), comprising an electric regeneration unit as claimed in claim 4.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
The prior art not relied upon but considered pertinent to the applicant’s disclosure is included in the 892 form. The art included has features related to claim limitations, the general structural of the invention, teachings, and other analogous art to the invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to IAN BRYCE SHELTON whose telephone number is (571)272-6501. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00-5:00.
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/IAN BRYCE SHELTON/Examiner, Art Unit 3613