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 .
The present application is a 371 of PCT/EP2022/078157 filed on October 10, 2022.
A first preliminary amendment was filed by the applicant on July 12, 2024. A second preliminary amendment was filed by the applicant on December 18, 2024.
Drawings
The drawings were received on July 12, 2024. These drawings are acceptable.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on July 12, 2024 and April 3, 2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claims 10-11 are 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.
A broad range or limitation together with a narrow range or limitation that falls within the broad range or limitation (in the same claim) may be considered indefinite if the resulting claim does not clearly set forth the metes and bounds of the patent protection desired. See MPEP § 2173.05(c).
Claim 10 recites the broad recitation “the height of the third pontoon structure is less than 75%”, and the claim also recites “preferably less than 50% of the height of at least one of the first and second pontoon structures” which is the narrower statement of the range/limitation. The claim(s) are considered indefinite because there is a question or doubt as to whether the feature introduced by such narrower language is (a) merely exemplary of the remainder of the claim, and therefore not required, or (b) a required feature of the claims.
Claim 11 recites the broad recitation “the height of the third pontoon structure is at least 1m smaller”, and the claim also recites “preferably at least 2m or at least 3m smaller” which is the narrower statement of the range/limitation. The claim(s) are considered indefinite because there is a question or doubt as to whether the feature introduced by such narrower language is (a) merely exemplary of the remainder of the claim, and therefore not required, or (b) a required feature of the claims.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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, 4, 7, 9, 12, 14-15, 19-22, 29 and 33 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ludwigsson et al. (US 12,292,030) in view of Lepreux et al. (US 10,683,065).
Ludwigsson et al. discloses a semi-submersible platform for a wind turbine, as shown in Figures 1-13, which is comprised of a hull structure or platform, defined as Part #1, with first, second and third buoyant stabilizing columns, defined as Parts #201, 202 and 203, that extend in a substantially vertical direction, as shown in Figure 1, and first and second elongated submersible buoyant pontoons, defined as Parts #11 and 12, with a pair of lower horizontal bracings, each defined as Part #141, that extend in a substantially horizontal direction. Said hull structure or platform has the general shape of a triangle, as shown in Figure 2, where said first pontoon and said pair of lower horizontal bracings form three sides of said triangle and have substantially equal lengths. Said first pontoon and said pair of lower bracings each connect to a lower part of two of said three buoyant stabilizing columns, as shown in Figures 1-2, and each have an upper side facing upwards, as shown in Figure 2. Said first pontoon is shown to have an upper side that is located at a lower level than an upper side of each of said pair of lower bracings, as shown in Figure 7. Said first pontoon is also shown to have said upper side aligned with and located at a lower level than a lower side of each of said pair of lower horizontal bracings, as shown in Figure 7. Said first pontoon also has a lower side facing downwards that is substantially aligned with downwardly facing lower sides of a pair of said buoyant stabilizing columns, as shown in Figures 6-7. Said first pontoon and said pair of lower horizontal bracings also have a width that is less than a width of a lower part of each of said buoyant stabilizing columns, as shown in Figure 1. Outer sides of said first pontoon and said pair of lower horizontal bracings are also substantially aligned with outer sides of each of said buoyant stabilizing columns, as shown in Figure 2. A supporting structure is also arranged at each of said buoyant stabilizing columns between said first pontoon and said pair of lower horizontal bracings, as shown in Figures 1-2. Said hull structure is provided with a controllable ballast system, as described in lines 10-16 of column 11, which includes ballast and void tanks that are located in a well-known manner in each of said buoyant stabilizing columns.
Ludwigsson et al. also discloses a method for loading a set of hull structures onto a marine vessel, as shown in Figures 12-13, said method being comprised of the steps of providing a set of hull structures, each defined as Part #1, in a body of water, as shown in Figure 1, arranging said set of hull structures in a row above a marine vessel, defined as Part #500, when said marine vessel is in a lower position, as shown in Figure 13, and raising said marine vessel to an upper position in order to load said row of hull structures onto said marine vessel, as shown in Figure 13, so that said marine vessel is configured to carry said set of hull structures.
Ludwigsson et al., as set forth above, discloses all of the features claimed except for the use of first, second and third horizontal buoyant pontoons that connect with first, second and third vertical buoyant stabilizing columns to form the general shape of a triangle.
Lepreux et al. discloses a stabilization system for a floating support, as shown in Figures 1-7b, which is comprised of a stabilization system or hull structure, defined as Part #1, having first, second and third buoyant stabilizing columns, each defined as Part #2, and first, second and third elongated buoyant pontoons, each defined as Part #3, that are connected together to form the general shape of a triangle, as shown in Figure 1.
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art, to utilize a stabilization system including first, second and third horizontal buoyant pontoons that are connected with first, second and third vertical buoyant stabilizing columns to form the general shape of a triangle, as taught by Lepreux et al., in combination with the semi-submersible platform for a wind turbine and method as disclosed by Ludwigsson et al. for the purpose of providing a hull structure that is comprised of first, second and third vertical stabilizing columns and first, second and third horizontal buoyant pontoons that are connected together to form the general shape of a triangle, where one of said buoyant pontoons is arranged with an upper side that is located at a lower level than the upper sides of each of the other two buoyant pontoons.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-3, 5-6, 8, 13, 16-18, 23-28 and 30-32 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LARS A OLSON whose telephone number is (571) 272-6685. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday 8:00am - 4:00pm.
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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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June 1, 2026
/LARS A OLSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3615B
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