DETAILED ACTION
This communication is a first Office Action Non-Final rejection on the merits. Claims 1-2 as originally filed are pending and have been considered below.
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim 1, is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ginsberg-Klemmt et al. (U.S. Patent No. 11,515,833) hereinafter Ginsberg.
Regarding claim 1, Ginsberg teaches a system for a solar canopy (solar carport; abstract) comprising: a canopy assembly (figure 6) comprising: a set of support columns (vertical tubing [not labeled]; figure 6) configured to couple to a foundation (it is understood that the columns are capable of being configured to couple to a foundation); and a roofing frame (upper horizontal tubing [not labeled]; figure 2) comprising: a set of perimeter elements (outermost upper horizontal tubing [not labeled]; figure 2) arranged in a rectangular geometry (figure 2); a set of joists (inner upper horizontal tubing [not labeled]; figure 2) coupled to the set of perimeter elements and contained within the rectangular geometry (figure 2); and a set of corner joints arranged at corner intersections of the set of perimeter elements (corner connections [not labeled]; figure 2), each corner joint, in the set of corner joints comprising: a corner section (corner members [not labeled]; figure 2); a first tenon member extending from a first side of the corner section and configured to mate within a first inner channel of a first perimeter element, in the set of perimeter elements (horizontal x-axis tenon in the corner section [not labeled]; figure 2); a second tenon member, arranged orthogonal to the first tenon member, extending from a second side of the corner section and configured to mate within a second inner channel of a second perimeter element, in the set of perimeter elements (horizontal z-axis tenon in the corner section [not labeled]; figure 2); and a third tenon member, arranged orthogonal to the first tenon member and the second tenon member, extending from a bottom side of the corner section and configured to mate within a third inner channel of a support column, in the set of support columns (vertical y-axis tenon in the corner section [not labeled]; figure 2); and a power distribution system (abstract) comprising: a set of solar panels (201) coupled to the set of joists of the roofing frame (figure 6); and a power inverter electrically coupled to the set of solar panels (abstract) and configured to transfer electrical energy generated from the set of solar panels to an electrical power system (it is understood that the solar assemblies are inherently configured to transfer electrical energy generated from the set of solar panels to an electrical power system).
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 of this title, 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 2, is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ginsberg-Klemmt et al. (U.S. Patent No. 11,515,833), in view of Grases et al. (ES 1,072,448) with espacenet translation.
Regarding claim 2, Ginsberg does not specifically disclose an integrated foundation: comprising: a foundation frame coupled to a bottom end of the set of support columns; and a set of battery cells: arranged within the foundation frame; and coupled to the power inverter, the power inverter configured to transfer electrical energy generated across the set of solar panels to the set of battery cells; and configured form a self-ballasting structure supporting the canopy assembly.
Grases et al. discloses a solar pergola (paragraph 1) including an integrated foundation (at 3): comprising: a foundation frame (concrete footing) coupled to a bottom end of the set of support columns (paragraph 33); and a set of battery cells (16) arranged within the foundation frame (figure 1); and coupled to the power inverter (12; figure 1), the power inverter configured to transfer electrical energy generated across the set of solar panels to the set of battery cells (it is understood that power inverters are configured to transfer electrical energy generated across the set of solar panels to the set of battery cells); and configured form a self-ballasting structure supporting the canopy assembly (in the combination, it is understood that the batteries inside the footings are capable of functioning as a self-ballasting structure supporting the canopy assembly).
Therefore, from the teaching of Grases et al., it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the solar assembly of Ginsberg to include an integrated foundation: comprising: a foundation frame coupled to a bottom end of the set of support columns; and a set of battery cells: arranged within the foundation frame; and coupled to the power inverter, the power inverter configured to transfer electrical energy generated across the set of solar panels to the set of battery cells; and configured form a self-ballasting structure supporting the canopy assembly, as taught by Grases et al., in order to provide additional foundational support and weight to the solar canopy in order to both provide load-bearing base support and a clean minimal aesthetic.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
The cited patents listed on the included form PTO-892 further show the state of the art with respect to solar canopies in general.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to OMAR HIJAZ whose telephone number is (571)270-5790. The examiner can normally be reached on 8-6 EST Monday-Friday.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Brian Mattei can be reached on (571) 270-3238. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/OMAR F HIJAZ/Examiner, Art Unit 3633