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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference character “H2” has been used to designate both “first inner cylindrical surface” and “inner surface”; reference character “H3” has been used to designate both “inner frustoconical surface” and “inner surface”; reference character “H4” has been used to designate both “second inner cylindrical surface” and “inner surface”; reference character “38” has been used to designate both “six openings” and “opening”; reference character “20” has been used to designate “six bearing assemblies”, “bearing assembly”, “structural part”, and “blade assembly”; reference character “38” has been used to designate “six openings”, “opening”, and “structural part”. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference characters "32", "68a", and "68b" have been used to designate “a drive shaft”; reference characters "46", "48", and "58" have been used to designate “mechanical fixings”; reference characters "38", "50", "52", and "54" have been used to designate “opening”; reference characters "20", "22", "36", and "38" have been used to designate “structural part”. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claims 1-25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Peljo et al. (WO 2020/120824).
As per claim 1, Peljo teaches a cyclorotor comprising:
-a rotary housing (2) comprising a main body (2b) and a plurality of blade modules (6) arranged circumferentially around the main body (Peljo: figure 1);
-a plurality of blade assemblies, each blade assembly being located in a respective blade module (13) and having a blade extending from the rotary housing with a blade axis (6a) about which it can be pivoted relative to the rotary housing (Peljo: figure 1); and
-a plurality of blade actuators (9), each blade actuator being associated with a respective one of the blade assemblies (Peljo: figure 4);
-wherein each blade actuator comprises:
-an electric motor (12) having a drive shaft (6b);
-a driving gear (10) mechanically connected to the drive shaft (6b); and
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-a driven gear mechanically connected to the driving gear and to the respective blade assembly for pivoting the respective blade about its blade axis (Peljo: figure 4).
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As per claim 2, the cyclorotor of claim 1 is as described. Peljo teaches wherein each blade assembly comprises exactly one bearing assembly rotatably mounting the respective blade (7), wherein each bearing assembly includes a stationary ring that is fixed to a blade module housing and a rotating ring that is fixed to a root part of the respective blade (Peljo: pg. 5, para. 2; Main bearing arrangement comprising an inner ring fixed and an outer bearing ring.).
As per claim 3, the cyclorotor of claim 2 is as described. Peljo teaches wherein the driven gear is formed as an integral part of the rotating ring of the respective bearing assembly and the teeth of the driven gear are formed on a surface of the rotating ring (Peljo: pg. 5).
As per claim 4, the cyclorotor of claim 2 is as described. Peljo teaches wherein the driven gear is formed as a separate component that is fixed to the rotating ring of the respective bearing assembly (Peljo: pg. 5).
As per claim 5, the cyclorotor of claim 4 is as described. Peljo teaches wherein the driven gear is formed as a ring and the teeth of the driven gear are formed on a surface of the ring (Peljo: pg. 5).
As per claim 6, the cyclorotor of claim 1 is as described. Peljo teaches wherein the driving and driven gears of each blade actuator define a transmission gear (5a) located in the respective blade module (Peljo: figure 1).
As per claim 7, the cyclorotor of claim 6 is as described. Peljo teaches wherein each transmission gear is a bevel gear (Peljo: pg. 10).
As per claim 8, the cyclorotor of claim 7 is as described. Peljo teaches wherein the driven gear of each blade actuator is a conical gear (Peljo: pg. 10) with an axis of rotation substantially parallel to the respective blade axis (Peljo: figure 1), and wherein the driving gear of each blade actuator is a conical gear with an axis of rotation substantially perpendicular to the respective blade axis (Peljo: figure 4).
As per claim 9, the cyclorotor of claim 1 is as described. Peljo teaches wherein the driving gear of each blade actuator is disengagable from the drive shaft of the respective electric motor (Peljo: pg. 5).
As per claim 10, the cyclorotor of claim 1 is as described. Peljo teaches wherein the driving gear of each blade actuator is disengagable from the driven gear (Peljo: pg. 5).
As per claim 11, the cyclorotor of claim 1 is as described. Peljo teaches wherein the driving gear of each blade actuator is mechanically connected to one or both of the drive shaft of the respective electric motor and the respective driven gear by a respective drivetrain (Peljo: figure 4).
As per claim 12, the cyclorotor of claim 1 is as described. Peljo teaches further comprising a plurality of openings (2c), each opening providing access between the interior of the main body and the interior of a respective one of the blade modules (Peljo: figure 4), wherein a drivetrain of each blade actuator extends through a respective opening during normal use, and wherein the drivetrain is adapted to be selectively reconfigured so that it does not extend through the opening so that the opening can be sealed for blade module replacement (Peljo: pg. 3).
As per claim 13, the cyclorotor of claim 1 is as described. Peljo teaches further comprising a plurality of openings (2c), each opening providing access between the interior of the main body and the interior of a respective one of the blade modules (Peljo: figure 4).
As per claim 14, the cyclorotor of claim 13 is as described. Peljo teaches wherein each opening is defined by a first opening formed in a structural part of the blade module and an aligned second opening formed in an adjacent structural part of the main body (Peljo: figure 4).
As per claim 15, the cyclorotor of claim 14 is as described. Peljo teaches further comprising a first panel removably connected to the structural part of the blade module for sealing the first opening (8), and a second panel removably connected to the structural part of the main body for sealing the second opening (Peljo: figure 9).
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As per claim 16, the cyclorotor of claim 15 is as described. Peljo teaches further comprising one or more seals between the first panel and the structural part of the blade module and extending around the first opening, and one or more seals between the second panel and the structural part of the main body and extending around the second opening (Peljo: figure 9).
As per claim 17, the cyclorotor of claim 1 is as described. Peljo teaches wherein each blade module is removably connected to the main body by a plurality of mechanical fixings (Peljo: pg. 4).
As per claim 18, Peljo teaches a method of repairing a cyclorotor according to claim 1 the method comprising:
-sealing a first opening in a blade module to be replaced and optionally an aligned second opening in the main body (Peljo: pg. 12); and
-removing the sealed blade module from the main body (Peljo: pg. 12).
As per claim 19, the method of claim 18 is as described. Peljo further teaches further comprising disengaging the driving gear from one or both of the drive shaft of the respective electric motor and the respective driven gear prior to sealing (Peljo: pg. 12).
As per claim 20, the method of claim 18 is as described. Peljo further teaches further comprising:
-securing a replacement sealed blade module to the main body (Peljo: pg. 6); and
-unsealing a first opening in the replacement blade module and the aligned second opening in the main body if sealed (Peljo: pg. 6).
As per claim 21, the method of claim 18 is as described. Peljo further teaches further comprising reengaging the driving gear with one or both of the drive shaft of the respective electric motor and the respective driven gear after unsealing (Peljo: pg. 6).
As per claim 22, Peljo teaches a marine vessel comprising one or more cyclorotors according to claim 1 mounted to the hull of the marine vessel as a propulsor (Peljo: pg. 3).
As per claim 23, the marine vessel of claim 22 is as described. Peljo teaches wherein an access opening is provided in the hull of the marine vessel through which winch cables can be attached to a blade module to be replaced (Peljo: pg. 2).
As per claim 24, the marine vessel of claim 23 is as described. Peljo wherein the access opening is provided in an annular collar that surrounds the rotary housing and which forms a structural part of the hull of the marine vessel (Peljo: pg. 2).
As per claim 25, the marine vessel of claim 22 is as described. Peljo teaches further comprising an earthing assembly, wherein the earthing assembly comprises an earthing circuit between each blade assembly and an earthing connection on the hull of the marine vessel (Peljo: figure 4).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Xia et al. – CN 113277051A – Teaches a cycloid propeller.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHEETAL R. PAULSON whose telephone number is (571)270-1368. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8am-5pm.
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, Marc Jimenez can be reached at (571) 272-4530. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SHEETAL R PAULSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3615
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