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 .
Status of the Claims
This is a final rejection in response to the amendments and arguments filed 10/28/2025. Claims 1, 3 and 5-15 are currently pending.
Election/Restrictions
Claims 7-11 and 14-15 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected inventions Groups II and III.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see the response, filed 10/28/2025, with respect to 112(b) rejections have been fully considered and are persuasive. The 112(b) rejections of 08/06/2025 have been withdrawn in light of amendments to the claims.
Applicant's arguments filed 10/28/2025, with respect to the art rejections, have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. In response to arguments, examiner disagrees that the prior art Schibsbye does not teach the limitations as amended in claim 1 and as presented in claim 12. The prior art teaches the stability component forming a frame structure, as outlined in this and the last rejection, and teaches wherein the stability component extends or is configured to extend from a main beam of the wind turbine blade toward a trailing edge of the wind turbine blade in the inner space of the wind turbine blade. That is, a left portion of 200 extends from 100 and toward a trailing edge (see 200 in right figure of figure 5 for instance).
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(s) 1, 3 and 5-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US Patent Application Publication 2020/0124028 to Schibsbye et al. (Schibsbye).
In Reference to Claim 1
Schibsbye discloses a stability component (Figs. 2-3, 200 and 300 for instance),
wherein the stability component is configured to be arranged in an inner space of a wind turbine blade (as seen in figure 6, see also ¶ [0042]) angled to a longitudinal direction (Fig. 6, along length of blade for instance) of the wind turbine blade by a component interface (outer perimeter of 200 for instance) of the stability component (200 and 300) for stabilizing a blade shell of the wind turbine blade of a wind turbine (¶ [0003], [0045]),
wherein the component interface of the stability component is built at least partially on an edge section of the stability component (periphery of 200 and secured within the blade, see ¶ [0045]),
wherein the stability component is multi-part with at least a first sub-body (Fig. 3, 200 for instance) and a second sub-body (300 for instance), wherein the first sub-body and/or the second sub-body is formed plate-like (200 and 300 for instance, see figures 5 and 6),
wherein at least the first sub-body (200) is arrangeable or arranged with an arrangement section (inter periphery of 200 for instance) on a counter arrangement section of the second sub-body (outer periphery of 300 for instance) to increase the stability of the stability component (inherently of the assembled system for instance),
wherein the first sub-body (200) of the stability component (200 and 300 for instance) is frame-shaped to form a circumferential stabilizing frame (frame or 200 as seen in figure 2 for instance), wherein the circumferential stabilizing frame surrounds a frame opening (opening in 200 for instance), and wherein the stability component (200 and 300) extends or is configured to extend from a main beam of the wind turbine blade (Fig. 2, 100 for instance and 200 as extending from either side) toward a trailing edge of the wind turbine blade (Fig. 6, left figure, left edge of blade for instance) in the inner space of the wind turbine blade (within blade for instance).
In Reference to Claim 3
Schibsbye discloses the stability component according to claim 1, wherein the second sub-body (300 for instance) is configured be arranged or is arranged with the counter arrangement section (inner periphery for instance) on the arrangement section of the first sub-body (201 for instance) in such a way that the frame opening is at least partially covered by the second sub-body in order to increase a stability of the stability component (see figures 3 and 6 for instance).
In Reference to Claim 5
Schibsbye discloses the stability component according to claim 1, wherein the first sub-body (201 for instance) with the arrangement section is arranged detachably, on the counter arrangement section of the second sub-body (outer periphery of 300 for instance, see also ¶ [0045]).
In Reference to Claim 6
Schibsbye discloses the stability component according to claim 1, wherein the first sub-body and/or the second sub-body (201 and 300 for instance) comprises: a plate-shaped core-body (Fig. 3, 300 for instance) having a first plate side (top side of 300 for instance) and a second plate side (bottom side of 300 for instance) opposite the first plate side, a first cover-body (201a for instance) for absorbing forces to stabilize the blade shell of the wind turbine blade (see the disposition of 200 in blade in figure 6 for instance), wherein the first cover-body is arranged on the first plate side of the core-body (201a to top side of 300 for instance), a second cover-body (201b for instance) for absorbing forces to stabilize the blade shell of the wind turbine blade (see the disposition of 200 in blade in figure 6 for instance), wherein the second cover-body is arranged on the second plate side of the core-body (201a to bottom side of 300 for instance).
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) 12-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Application Publication 2020/0124028 to Schibsbye et al. (Schibsbye) in view of US Patent Application Publication 2010/0054950 to Rao Kavala (Rao Kavala).
In Reference to Claim 12
Schibsbye discloses a wind turbine blade for a wind turbine (see blade in figure 6 for instance, not labeled), wherein the wind turbine blade extends in a longitudinal direction from a root region comprising a root attachment interface for attaching the wind turbine blade to a rotor of the wind turbine (left portion of blade for instance), through a middle region comprising a maximum chordal width of the wind turbine blade (central portion of blade for instance), into a tip region comprising a wind turbine blade tip (right end of blade for instance), and wherein the wind turbine blade comprises:
a blade shell (half of which is shown in figure 6, not labeled), the blade shell surrounding an inner space of the wind turbine blade (see 200 in blade in figure 6, see also ¶ [0051]),
a main beam (100 for instance) running in the longitudinal direction of the wind turbine blade (as seen in figure 6 and a web (100),
a stability component (200 for instance, see figures 3 and 5-6), wherein the stability component is configured according to claim 1,
wherein the stability component is arranged by a component interface of the stability component in the inner space of the wind turbine blade angled to the longitudinal direction of the wind turbine blade for stabilizing the blade shell of the wind turbine blade of the wind turbine (see 200 arranged in blade in figure 6 for instance), wherein the component interface of the stability component is built at least partially on an edge section of the stability component (periphery of 200 for instance), wherein the stability component is at least partially arranged on the main beam (200 and 300 as connected to 100 for instance, see also ¶ [0050] and [0051]), and wherein the stability component (200 and 300 for instance) extends from the main beam (100) in a direction towards a trailing edge of the wind turbine blade in the inner space of the wind turbine blade (see figure 6, the left portion of 200 extending toward trailing edge at left side of blade, not labeled).
Schibsbye does not teach the main beam “... with two opposite arranged spar caps ...” and the web “... connecting the two spar caps ...”
Rao Kavala is related to a wind turbine blade (Fig. 8, 10 for instance), as the claimed invention, and teaches wherein the wind turbine blade comprises a main beam, a single main beam (26 and 28 for instance), running in the longitudinal direction of the wind turbine blade (span of the blade for instance) with two opposite arranged spar caps (28 for instance) and a web (26 for instance) connecting the two spar caps (as seen in figure 8).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide in the system of Schibsbye wherein the main beam (of Schibsbye) with two opposite arranged spar caps (as taught by Rao Kavala) and the web (of Schibsbye) connecting the two spar caps (as taught by Rao Kavala), so as to use an art known technique (of a wind turbine blade have two spar caps joined by a web as taught by Rao Kavala) into the system of Schibsbye and predictably form the wind turbine blade of Schibsbye for suitable operation.
In Reference to Claim 13
Schibsbye, as modified by Rao Kavala, discloses the wind turbine blade according to claim 12, wherein at least several or a plurality of stability components (Schibsbye Fig. 6, 200 for instance, see also ¶ [0043]) are arranged by a respective component interface in the middle region in the inner space of the wind turbine blade each angled to the longitudinal direction of the wind turbine blade (Schibsbye ¶ [0047], 200 arranged along the span of the blade for instance) for stabilizing the blade shell of the wind turbine blade of the wind turbine (Schibsbye, see ¶ [0003] for instance), wherein the several or the plurality of stability components are arranged spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the wind turbine blade (Schibsbye, see ¶ [0047 for instance).
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure, as cited in the Notice of References Cited, are cited to show stability components in wind turbine blades.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 WAYNE A LAMBERT whose telephone number is (571)270-3516. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 9 am - 7 pm.
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, Nathaniel E Wiehe can be reached at (571)272-8648. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/WAYNE A LAMBERT/Examiner, Art Unit 3745
/NATHANIEL E WIEHE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3745
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