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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because the PDU is labeled throughout the drawings as (204). The disclosure labels the PDU as (206). Similarly, the power sources are identified in the disclosure as (204). However, the drawings label the power source as (206).
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. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. 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 Objections
Claims 2, 4, 7 and 17 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 2 Ln 17, please amend to --to [[the]] an inverter--.
Claim 4 Ln 2, please amend to --the plurality of batteries [[battery]] from--.
Claim 7 Ln 2, please amend to --converter regulating voltage levels, the DC/DC converter converts the DC electrical supply--.
Claim 17 is currently listed as dependent upon claim 1. Please confirm this is accurate. It appears that the claim should instead be dependent upon claim 8.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(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 2, 4-5 and 7 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 2 Ln 7-10 states the limitation " a grid supply in connection to an isolation transformer for converting AC power to DC power in further connection to the PDU, an isolation transformer and a rectifier, a converter, and inverter with an active front end (AFE)”. Ln 5-6 previously claimed “a grid supply in connection to an isolation transformer for converting AC power to DC power in further connection to the PDU”. The difference between the two clauses is highlighted in bold. It is unclear if the how the bold term effects the rest of the limitation. Furthermore, it is unclear if the Ln 7-10 clause is intended to state a set of different components than the Ln 5-6 clause or if it was just a copying/typographical mistake. Therefore, the scope of the claim is indeterminate.
Claims 4-5 and 7 are rejected for their dependence upon claim 2.
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.
-(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1), 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by HOOGENDOORN CORNELIS WO 2020035578 A1, hereinafter Hoogendoorn.
Regarding claim 1, Hoogendoorn discloses (Fig. 1-9) an electrical powertrain system for a mobile crusher, comprising:
a DC electrical supply network (Fig. 8);
a plurality of motors (M1, M2, M3) connected to the DC electrical supply network and configured to drive a plurality of machine operations [0075, 0077];
a plurality of batteries (BP, RBP) connected to the DC electrical supply network, providing electrical energy [0032, 0073, 0078];
a power distribution unit (“DC line” , Fig. 8) managing DC power to different components of the mobile crusher [0077]; and
a control unit (PLC) configured to manage a charging and discharging cycles of the plurality of batteries for operation of the plurality of machine operations [0075].
Regarding claim 2, as far as is definite, Hoogendoorn discloses (Fig. 1-9) further comprising at least one of a plurality of power sources chosen from the group consisting of:
a generator connected to an inverter, converting an AC power to DC power, the inverter in further connection to the PDU;
a grid supply in connection to an isolation transformer for converting AC power to DC power in further connection to the PDU (AC-OBC [0079]);
a grid supply in connection to an isolation transformer for converting AC power to DC power in further connection to the PDU, an isolation transformer and a rectifier, a converter, and inverter with an active front end (AC-OBC [0079]);
a plurality of solar panels connected to the PDU (PV [0079]);
a photovoltaic system (PV [0079]);
a battery energy storage system (the PLC functions as a BESS, [0075]);
a plurality of alternative energy sources producing DC power connected to the PDU (WM, PV [0079]);
a plurality of alternative energy sources producing AC power connected to the inverter, converting AC power to DC power, the inverter in further connection to the PDU (WM, PV [0079]); and
the control unit is further configured to manage the charging and discharging cycles of the plurality of power sources for operation of the plurality of machine operations [0075, 0079].
Regarding claim 3, Hoogendoorn discloses (Fig. 1-9) further comprising a plurality of inverters (INV) converting DC power to AC power for the plurality of motors [0075-0077].
Regarding claim 4, Hoogendoorn discloses (Fig. 1-9) further comprising an on-board charger (OBC) configured to charge the battery from one of the plurality of power sources [0079].
Regarding claim 5, Hoogendoorn discloses (Fig. 1-9) further comprising a battery thermal management system including cooling and heating elements configured to prevent the plurality of batteries from overheating or freezing (PLC, [0032] indicates that the PLC performs thermal management of the batteries).
Regarding claim 6, Hoogendoorn discloses (Fig. 1-9) at least one of the plurality of machine operations powered by the plurality of motors is chosen from the group consisting of rock crusher assembly (JC, IC, SC, XC), hydraulic pumps [0017], air-condition system, conveyor systems (ST), and electronic systems (PLC, Mn DC) [0078-0080].
Regarding claim 7, Hoogendoorn discloses (Fig. 1-9) further comprising a DC/DC converter (INV-Mn DC) regulating voltage levels DC/DC converts the DC electrical supply network to a lower voltage to supply electrical power to ancillary systems and components [0075].
Regarding claim 8, Hoogendoorn discloses (Fig. 1-9) a mobile crusher comprising:
a frame (1/3/4);
ground engaging elements (2) supporting the frame;
a rock crushing assembly (JC) mounted on the frame, configured to process rocks into smaller pieces [0058];
an electrical powertrain system including:
a DC electrical supply network mounted to the frame (Fig. 8);
a plurality of motors (M1, M2, M3) connected to the DC electrical supply network and configured to drive a plurality of machine operations [0075, 0077];
a plurality of batteries (BP, RBP) connected to the DC electrical supply network, providing electrical energy [0032, 0073, 0078];
a power distribution unit (“DC line”, Fig. 8) managing DC electrical power to different components of the mobile crusher [0077]; and
a control unit (PLC) configured to manage a charging and discharging cycles of the plurality of batteries for operation of the plurality of machine operations [0075].
Regarding claim 9, Hoogendoorn discloses (Fig. 1-9) further comprising at least one of a plurality of power sources chosen from the group consisting of:
a generator connected to an inverter, converting AC power to DC power, the inverter in further connection to the PDU;
a grid supply in connection to an isolation transformer for converting AC power to DC power in further connection to the PDU;
a plurality of solar panels connected to the PDU (PV [0079]);
a plurality of alternative energy sources producing DC power connected to the PDU (WM, PV [0079]);
a plurality of alternative energy sources producing AC power connected to the inverter, converting AC power to DC power, the inverter in further connection to the PDU (WM, PV [0079]); and
the control unit is further configured to manage the charging and discharging cycles of the plurality of power sources for operation of the plurality of machine operations [0075, 0079].
Regarding claim 10, Hoogendoorn discloses (Fig. 1-9) further comprising a plurality of inverters (INV) converting DC power to AC power for the plurality of motors [0075-0077].
Regarding claim 11, Hoogendoorn discloses (Fig. 1-9) further comprising an on-board charger (OBC) configured to charge the battery from one of the plurality of power sources [0079].
Regarding claim 12, Hoogendoorn discloses (Fig. 1-9) further comprising a battery thermal management system including cooling and heating elements configured to prevent the plurality of batteries from overheating or freezing (PLC, [0032] indicates that the PLC performs thermal management of the batteries).
Regarding claim 13, Hoogendoorn discloses (Fig. 1-9) at least one of the plurality of machine operations powered by the plurality of motors is chosen from the group consisting of rock crusher assembly (JC, IC, SC, XC), hydraulic pumps [0017], air-condition system, conveyor systems (ST), and electronic systems (PLC, Mn DC) [0078-0080].
Regarding claim 14, Hoogendoorn discloses (Fig. 1-9) further comprising a DC/DC converter (INV-Mn DC) regulating voltage levels DC/DC converts the DC electrical supply network to a lower voltage to supply electrical power to ancillary systems and components [0075].
Regarding claim 15, Hoogendoorn discloses (Fig. 1-9) further comprises screens (8.1 [0054]).
Regarding claim 16, Hoogendoorn discloses (Fig. 1-9) the rock crushing assembly comprises a jaw crusher (JC), a cone crusher (XC), or an impact crusher (IC) [0017].
Regarding claim 17, Hoogendoorn discloses (Fig. 1-9) further comprising a hydraulic pump and hydraulic motor configured to power hydraulic systems of the mobile crusher [0017].
Regarding claim 18, Hoogendoorn discloses (Fig. 1-9) a method of powering a mobile crusher having a DC electrical supply network from a plurality of power sources, the method comprising:
initializing, via a control unit (PLC), to evaluate a status of the plurality of power sources [0077-0078];
selecting a power source chosen from the plurality of power sources based on availability, cost, and environmental conditions [0077-0078];
managing power distribution from the power source to the DC electrical supply network and a plurality of mobile crusher operational systems, via the control unit [0077-0078];
continuously monitoring, via the control unit, the operational conditions and state of the plurality of power sources [0077-0078]; and
cycling power distribution between the plurality of power sources to the plurality of mobile crusher operational systems [0077-0078].
Regarding claim 19, Hoogendoorn discloses (Fig. 1-9) the plurality of power sources include a grid (AC-OBC [0079]), a generator, a turbine, a fuel cell, a photovoltaic (PV [0079]), and a battery energy storage system (the PLC functions as a BESS, [0075]), further comprising:
optimizing a charging and discharging cycles of the battery via the control unit and an on-board battery charger [0077-0078];
supplying electrical power to a power distribution unit (“DC line” , Fig. 8) to a plurality of electric motors (M1, M2, M3) from the plurality of power sources; and
maintaining optimal battery temperature via a battery thermal management system (PLC, [0032] indicates that the PLC performs thermal management of the batteries).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 20 is 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 20, Hoogendoorn discloses (Fig. 1-9) the method further comprising:
providing a rock crusher (JC, IC, SC, XC) having an electric motor (M1, M2, M3) configured to drive a rock crushing assembly and a powertrain control system configured to manage power sources (managed by the PLC, [0073-0080]);
controlling the powertrain control system to switch between the plurality of power sources or to use them concurrently to maintain continuous operation of the rock crushing assembly [0073-0080].
Hoogendoorn fails to explicitly state that the method further comprises tramming the rock crusher using DC power from plurality of power sources.
The prior art does not anticipate nor render obvious the combination set forth in the claim, and specifically does not show the claimed tramming. Although Hoogendoorn discloses a method of operating a rock crusher, there is no teaching in the prior art of record that would, reasonably and absent impermissible hindsight, motivate one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Hoogendoorn to incorporate the details of tramming the rock crusher using DC power from plurality of power sources, along with the other claimed components of the method. Therefore, when viewed as a whole and for at least the foregoing reasons, the prior art of record neither anticipates nor rendered obvious the present invention as set forth in the claim.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Relevant Art
The following is a listing of relevant art:
US 20240226905 A1, US 11097281 B2, US 20190291120 A1, US 20190217308 A1, US 20190151857 A1, US 20140333237 A1, US 5561356 A, US 5252904 A disclose electrical powertrain systems for machines for crushing, pulverizing or disintegrating.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW WIBLIN whose telephone number is (571)272-9836. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, NATHANIEL WIEHE can be reached on 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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/MATTHEW WIBLIN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3745
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