DETAILED ACTION
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 5 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.
As to claim 5, after further consideration, it is noted that claim 5 depends on claim 3, but “the first drilling jig” is not present in claim 3 and there is no antecedent basis for this term. This claim should have depended on claim 4 instead (see “a first drilling jig” in claim 4).
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 1-6, 8, and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hayden (US 20140234109) in view of Zwart (US 20160290313).
As to claim 1, Hayden teaches a method for manufacturing a root segment of a wind turbine rotor blade ([0033]). The Hayden method comprises providing multiple root segment sections (Fig. 2-3), drilling ([0040]) first holes (12) into each of the root segment sections, arranging the multiple drilled root segment sections into a mold (Fig. 3A), and casting (Fig. 3B, Fig. 4B, [0044]) the multiple drilled root segment sections in the mold to obtain the root segment.
Hayden is silent to drilling second holes transverse to and through the first holes in the root segment.
Zwart teaches drilling first holes ([0008]) and drilling transverse secondary holes ([0009]) that are at least partially through the first holes (Fig. 3D, 303 and 301).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to filing to incorporate the Zwart hole drilling into Hayden because this is the use of a known technique to improve a similar device in the same way. Hayden provides a base process with a first drilled hole upon which the claimed process can be seen as an improvement by providing a second/transverse hole. The Zwart prior art contained a comparable wind turbine blade improved in the same way as the claimed invention by providing a second transverse/radial hole in order to accommodate a T-bolt portion (310). One of ordinary skill in the art could have applied this known improvement of a T-bolt portion in the same way to Hayden and the results would have been predictable (T-bolt portion provides a fastener into which the fastener can be attached).
As to claim 2, Hayden’s holes are inherently drilled substantially perpendicular to the connection face portions of the root segment sections (see Fig. 4B). As to claims 3-5, Hayden is silent to the placement in a predetermined position on a first fixture and drilling using a first drilling jig at the first fixture. However, Zwart teaches a first drilling jig at a first fixture (110) and drilling a first hole in a predetermined hole at the first fixture (Figs. 3A-3B, item 301). It would have been prima facie obvious to incorporate this feature from Zwart into Hayden motivated by drilling the first hole in a correct location, and a reasonable expectation of success is evident from the similarity in the two articles/processes in Hayden and Zwart. As to claim 6, Hayden teaches attaching an alignment frame to the drilled root segment sections to the mold by fastening the drilled root segment sections to the alignment frame via bolts inserted into the drilled first holes (Fig. 4A, item 16). While Hayden does not specifically teach attaching the alignment frame “to the mold”, one would have found it obvious to make integral the alignment frame and mold in order to fix the alignment of the drilled root segment sections to the mold. As to claims 8-9, Hayden is silent to a second fixture having a second drilling jig for drilling second holes comprising a mounting arrangement mounting to the root segment. Zwart teaches a second fixture (390) having a second drilling jig (Figs. 3C to 3D, item 391) which mounts to a root segment.
Claims 3-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hayden (US 20140234109) in view of Zwart (US 20160290313), and further in view of Frydendal (US 9,132,590). Hayden and Zwart teach the subject matter of claim 1 above under 35 U.S.C. 103. Note that this is alternative rejection of claims 3-5 since these claims were already rejected above over Hayden in view of Zwart.
As to claims 3-5, Hayden is silent to the placement in a predetermined position on a first fixture and drilling using a first drilling jig at the first fixture.
Frydendal teaches a first fixture (positioning device 3) and drilling using a first drilling jig (8:14-17) at the first fixture (“gripping elements…securely grip…while guiding a drilling tool”).
It would have been prima facie obvious to incorporate the Frydendal fixture and drilling jig/tool into Hayden because Hayden teaches/suggests drilled holes in a turbine blade root, and Frydendal teaches a device for drilling holes in a turbine blade root within the scope of the Hayden teaching/suggestion. There would have been a reasonable expectation of success in light of the fact that both references are directed to turbine blade roots.
Claims 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hayden (US 20140234109) in view of Zwart (US 20160290313), and further in view of Garcia (WO 2018042063). Hayden and Zwart teach the subject matter of claim 1 above under 35 U.S.C. 103.
As to claims 8-9, Hayden is silent to the claimed second fixture having a second drilling jig mounted on the root segment with a mounting arrangement.
Garcia teaches a second fixture (16) mounted on the root segment using a mounting arrangement (Fig. 7) and a second drilling jig (12, 13) which is used to drill second holes which are transverse and intersect the first holes in the root segment (Fig. 9).
It would have been prima facie obvious to incorporate the Garcia second fixture and second drilling jig into the modified Hayden process because the Garcia attachment configuration is an obvious interchangeable substitute for the attachment configuration already shown by Hayden. Hayden provides a known attachment configuration for attaching to a wind turbine blade root using one drilled hole and an inserted pin or bolt which differs from the claimed process by the use of a different attachment configuration using a second drilling step and a two-part fastener. However, the substituted component and its function (for attaching to a wind turbine blade root) were known from Garcia. One of ordinary skill in the art could have substituted one attachment configuration (that of Garcia) for another (that of Hayden) and the results of the substitution would have been predictable (attachment to a blade root).
As to claim 10, Hayden is also silent to the alignment pins. Garcia also provides alignment pins (Fig. 7, below item 14) spaced apart from the second drilling jig (12, 13) and from one another and alignment pins inserted into the first holes (Fig. 7, item 12’). These features would have been prima facie obvious to incorporate these features into Hayden for the same reasons discussed above in the rejections of claims 8-9.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hayden (US 20140234109) in view of Zwart (US 20160290313), and further in view of Garcia (WO 2018042063). Hayden and Zwart teach the subject matter of claims 1, 8, and 9 above under 35 U.S.C. 103.
As to claim 10, Hayden and Zwart appear to be silent to an alignment pins mounting arrangement spaced from the second drilling jig and one another for insertion into the first holes. Garcia provides a drilling jig with alignment pins (Fig. 7, below item 14) spaced apart from the second drilling jig (12, 13) and from one another and alignment pins inserted into the first holes (Fig. 7, item 12’). It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to filing to incorporate these features from Garcia into the modified Hayden process as an obvious interchangeable substitute for the similar alignment features already provided by Hayden (Fig. 3C, item 390).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed December 5, 2025 have been fully considered. Arguments regarding the rejection of claim 1 are on the grounds that Garcia does not teach the amended subject matter of claim 1. Applicant presents arguments on pages 6-8 over the Garcia reference which had been applied in the previous rejection of claim 7 which contained the amended feature.
While the Examiner does not necessarily agree with Applicant’s characterization of Garcia, a new reference to Zwart was located which more clearly shows the drilling of a second hole as part of a manufacturing (rather than a repair) process, which addresses Applicant’s position. This action is being made non-final in order to present this additional rejection, and the rejection of claim 5 under 35 U.S.C. 112(b). In light of Zwart, drilling second holes transversely and through the first holes cannot be considered a novel or nonobvious feature. The Examiner maintains that the ordinary artisan in this field would have had knowledge of the Garcia device even if it is directed primarily to a repair process, and therefore it is still applicable in some claim rejections for teaching of a known (second) fixture with a mounting arrangement comprising alignment pins.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW J DANIELS whose telephone number is (313)446-4826. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:30-5:00 pm.
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/MATTHEW J DANIELS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1742