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 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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Tan et al. (CN 214036491 U).
Regarding claim 1, Tan discloses a photovoltaic support spindle (see figures 2-8) (see pages 4-6 of translation), comprising at least a long shaft (long shaft 1, figures 2-8), wherein the long shaft (1) is depicted in figure 8 (see annotated figure).
PNG
media_image1.png
628
520
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Tan discloses that the long shaft (1) comprises:
a first flat panel (top flat plate, see annotated figure),
a second flat panel (one of right and left sides flat plates, see annotated figure),
a third flat panel (other of right and left sides flat plates, see annotated figure),
a first arc panel (bottom arc panel, see annotated figure),
a second arc panel (one of right and left sides arc panel on the top side, see annotated figure), and
a third arc panel (other of right and left sides arc panel on the top side, see annotated figure);
the first arc panel (bottom arc panel) is connected between the second flat panel (one of right and left sides flat plates) and the third flat panel (other of right and left sides flat plates) (see annotated figure);
the second arc panel (right or left side arc panel on the top) is connected between the first flat panel (top flat plate) and the second flat panel (right or left side flat panel);
the third arc panel (left or right-side arc panel on the top) is connected between the first flat panel (top flat plate) and the third flat panel (left or right-side arc panel on the top); and
the first arc panel (bottom arc panel, see annotated figure), the second arc panel (right or left side arc panel on the top) and the third arc panel (left or right-side arc panel on the top) are three arc surfaces distributed on a same cylindrical surface (see annotated figure that shows arc panels are on same cylindrical surface).
Regarding claim 2, Tan further discloses that an arc length of the first arc panel (bottom arc panel, see annotated figure) is greater than an arc length of the second arc panel (right or left side arc panel on the top), and greater than an arc length of the third arc panel (left or right-side arc panel on the top) (see figure 8 or annotated figure that shows the first arc panel has length is almost equal to the sum of second and third arc panel).
Regarding claim 3, Tan further discloses that, wherein the arc length of the second arc panel is the same as the arc length of the third arc panel (see annotated figure that shows 2nd and 3rd arc panels have equal length), and the second arc panel and the third arc panel are symmetric with respect to a perpendicular bisector of the first flat panel (bottom arc panel) (at the recess 103, the second and third panels are symmetric, and thus the second arc panel and the third arc panel are symmetric with respect to a line along the recess 103).
Regarding claim 4, Tan further discloses that the first arc panel (bottom arc panel) comprises one end connected to the second flat panel (left or right flat panel, see annotated figure) and the other end connected to the third flat panel (right or left flat panel, see annotated figure), thereby forming a U-shaped groove (see annotated figure that shows the U-shaped groove); and the second flat panel and the third flat panel are parallel to each other and have a same size (see annotated figure).
PNG
media_image2.png
513
549
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 5, Tan further discloses that wherein the first flat panel (top flat plate) comprises one end connected to the second arc panel (left or right flat panel, see annotated figure) and the other end connected to the third arc panel (right or left flat panel, see annotated figure), thereby forming a cap on the groove (see annotated figure below); the cap has an inverted bowl-shaped cross section (see annotated figure below); and the first flat panel (bottom arc panel) serves as a bowl bottom of the cap (see annotated figure below).
PNG
media_image3.png
501
500
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 6, Tan further discloses that wherein the first flat panel (top ) extends in a first direction, and the second flat panel and the third flat panel are parallel to each other and extend in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction (see annotated figure).
PNG
media_image4.png
515
630
media_image4.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 7, Tan further discloses that the long shaft (1) has a center of rotation; and the first arc panel, the second arc panel and the third arc panel each serve as one part of a circle that takes the center of rotation as a center and R as a radius (see annotated figure).
PNG
media_image5.png
470
484
media_image5.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 8, Tan further discloses that there are two long shafts (see figure 5 that shows two long shafts 1 connected by hoop 2) the photovoltaic support spindle further comprises a hoop (2, figure 5) sleeved on two adjacent ends of the two long shafts (1) to connect the two long shafts (1) (“the photovoltaic main shaft comprises a plurality of long shaft 1 connected end to end; between two adjacent long shaft 1 is provided with a hoop 2” – page 5 of translation, see figure 5); and an inner surface (202) of the hoop (2) is matched with an outer surface (101) of each of the long shaft (1) (see figures 5, 7 and 8; see also page 5 of translation).
Regarding claim 9, Tan discloses a photovoltaic tracking support (see figures 2-8), comprising:
a photovoltaic support spindle (1) (figure 4 and page 5),
a post (7) (figure 4 and page 5), and
a support seat (fixing frame 8) (fig. 4 and page 5),
wherein the photovoltaic support spindle (1) comprises three flat panels and three arc panels (see fig. 8 or annotated figure below);
PNG
media_image1.png
628
520
media_image1.png
Greyscale
wherein the three flat panels are provided alternately with the three arc panels to form the photovoltaic support spindle (1) (see annotated figure above); the photovoltaic support spindle (1) has a multi-corner cross section with three concentric arcs (first, second and third arcs of the arc panels); the support seat (8) is connected to the post (7) (see figure 4); the photovoltaic support spindle (1) is inserted into the support seat (8) (see figure 4); and an inner surface of the support seat (8) is matched with an outer surface of the photovoltaic support spindle (1) (see figure 4).
Regarding claim 10, Tan further discloses that a photovoltaic panel (photovoltaic plate 3) and a connecting assembly (mounting seat 5, fig. 6),
wherein one arc panel (bottom arc panel) is connected between two opposite flat panels (left and right-side plates) of the three flat panels to form a U-shaped groove;
PNG
media_image2.png
513
549
media_image2.png
Greyscale
the connecting assembly (5) comprises a purlin (strip 4, fig. 6) and a connecting hoop (6, fig. 6);
the purlin (4) supports the photovoltaic panel (3) and comprises a flat bottom (see fig. 6);
the connecting hoop (6) is U-shaped (fig. 6 and page 6), with two ends connected to the flat bottom of the purlin (4) (see fig. 6 and page 6);
the purlin (4) and the connecting hoop (6) jointly form an accommodating cavity for allowing the photovoltaic support spindle (1) to pass through (see fig. 6);
the connecting hoop (6) is matched with the groove (u-shaped groove of the long shaft 1) as it goes through the connecting hoop (6) (see fig. 6); and
the flat bottom of the purlin (4) is matched with the remaining flat panel of the three flat panels (see fig. 6).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GOLAM MOWLA whose telephone number is (571)270-5268. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th, 7am - 4pm.
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, Allison Bourke can be reached at 303-297-4684. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/GOLAM MOWLA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1721