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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments regarding the 35 USC 103 rejections, filed 14 August 2025 have been fully considered but the amendment required the new reference Ertas et al. Note, Rogg is merely cited to teach the first housing encompasses the drive train mounting, the structural relationship between the first and second housing is taught by Ventzke and Muhamad.
Applicant’s amendments to the claims have overcome the 35 USC 112 rejections. However, new rejections are below.
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 39-42 and 44-51 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.
Regarding claim 39: Line 8 recites “an adjustable unit”, however “a plurality of adjustable units” has already been introduced. It is unclear if these are the same or different components.
Claims 40-42 and 44-51 are rejected due to their dependency on claim 39.
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 39-42 and 44-54 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ventzke et al. (“Ventzke”; US 2012/0076652), in view of Rogg (US 2018/0328344), Ertas et al. (“Ertas”; US 2017/0321747), and Muhamad et al. (“Muhamad”; US 2022/0299012).
Regarding claim 39: Ventzke discloses a wind power installation (Fig. 1), comprising:
a drive train mounting assembly and a shaft (13) of the drive train (Fig. 1) defining an axial direction, wherein the drive train mounting assembly comprises a plurality of adjustable units (52,1; paragraph 0040);
a mounting (21) supporting the shaft;
an adjustable torque support (22) comprising an adjustable unit (paragraph 0040);
a sensor selected from at least one of a force sensor (16), a path sensor, and
an acceleration sensor (15) installed in the drive train (Fig. 4), with the adjustable unit controlling the adjustable torque support in response to signals received from the sensor (paragraph 0042);
second housing (20) encompassing a transmission component (20) having a planetary gear stage that is coupled to the shaft (as shown in Fig. 1), the second housing comprising a first end connected via the adjustable unit (at 21) to the torque support and a second free end constructed as a cantilever requiring no additional support (right side of 20, connected to 30);
a generator (30) supported on the free end of the second housing and forming with the transmission component a transmission/generator combination; wherein
the force pairs of opposing forces counteract a gravity-induced tilting torque exerted on the shaft by the transmission component (paragraph 0042).
Ventzke does not explicitly disclose the plurality of adjustable units configured to provide force pairs of opposing forces acting at least in the axial direction, a first housing encompassing the drive train mounting, the first housing separate from the second housing, and the mounting supported in the first housing; an adjustable torque support fastened to the first housing.
However, Ertas discloses the adjustable unit (54) configured to provide force pairs of opposing forces acting at least in the axial direction (paragraph 0062).
And, Rogg discloses a first housing (15) encompassing the drive train mounting (paragraph 0042, relative to second housing 8), and the mounting supported in the first housing (paragraph 0042).
And, Muhamad discloses a first housing (203) separate from a second housing (201), and
an adjustable torque support (at 210, comprising 221 and 222, shown in greater detail in Fig. 6) fastened to the first housing (203, shown in Fig. 6, but also supported from the bottom by 211 in Fig. 2).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the adjustable units of Ventzke to provide opposing forces in the axial direction, as disclosed by Ertas, in order to minimize unwanted forces in additional directions, to surround the mounting of Ventzke in a housing, as disclosed by Rogg, in order to better protect the mounting coupling and to have the adjustable torque support fastened to the first housing as disclosed by Muhamad, in order to better reduce the loads and vibrations on the housing (paragraph 0062).
Regarding claim 40: Ventzke discloses the adjustable unit comprises at least one circumferential opposing pair, at 3 and 6 o'clock or at 6 and 12 o'clock positions and is designed in at least one of two ways, a first way in which the adjustable unit generates on the at least one circumferential position pair a first force pair which is substantially axially aligned about an axial center of the drive train, and is designed to counter tilting or yawing moments, and a second way in which the adjustable unit generates on at least one circumferential position pair, a second torque generating force pair which is substantially radially aligned and acts orthogonally in relation to the axial center of the drive train to counter to torques (paragraph 0041 teaches the first way).
Regarding claim 41: Ventzke discloses the adjustable unit comprises a pre-tensioning unit (5) per circumferential position designed to ensure on at least two mutually opposite circumferential positions vibration damping or vibration decoupling between interacting coupling parts in at least one coupling section (as 21 surrounds the transmission).
Regarding claim 42: Ventzke discloses the adjustable unit is designed to act on at least two mutually opposite predefined circumferential position pairs, in a resilient or damping manner between tappets of the first and second housings (as springs 5, at least dampen).
Regarding claim 44: Ventzke modified by Rogg disclose the first housing, Ventzke further discloses the torque support is supported exclusively on the first housing (as 21 supports the torque), independently of any connection to a machine support (43) or similar base disposed below the drive train or below the drive train mounting assembly.
Regarding claim 45: Ventzke modified by Rogg disclose a first and second housing, Ventzke further discloses the torque support is supported on the first housing in support points/regions disposed along an outer connection diameter between the first housing and the second housing (as 52,1 are located on each side of 21, which is the location of the first housing), or wherein at least one of the first housing and the second housing is designed to provide at least partially at least one coupling partner for a mutual support of the first and second housings on one another (52, 1 inherently support the transmission).
Regarding claim 46: Ventzke discloses the adjustable unit is designed for adjustment of at least one of force, or direction of action or force-engagement region (paragraph 0040, as it is an active damper).
Regarding claim 47: Ventzke discloses the adjustable unit of the torque support is provided in at least one of an upper region and a lower region of an interface between the first and second housings and to provide a hydraulic or mechanical compensation is stiffer in a tilting direction than in an axial direciton (paragraph 0040, the yaw and nodding moment is absorbed, and would inherently have to be stiff enough to ensure the cantilevered portion of the drive train and generator is supported).
Regarding claim 48: Ventzke discloses a second housing but does not explicitly disclose a radially projecting flange or force-engagement collar or segment, which is provided on the second housing and delimited or encompassedon an axial position by the torque support.
However, Muhamad discloses a radially projecting flange or force-engagement collar or segment (210), which is provided on the second housing (201) and delimited or encompassed on an axial position by the torque support (Fig. 6, paragraph 0056).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the housing of Ventzke to include the flange of Muhamad in order to properly delimit the movement.
Regarding claim 49: Ventzke discloses the torque support is disposed to provide an erection force acting axially and countering a tilting moment on the second housing (paragraph 0040, absorbing “nodding”); or
wherein the torque support is disposed to provide a supporting force which acts axially but symmetrically off-center counteracting a yawing moment on the second housing (paragraph 0040, absorbing the yaw moment).
Regarding claim 50: Ventzke discloses the torque support comprises a support unit which acts on the first housing and is disposed in such a manner that a force that acts substantially vertically or in a circumferential direction is provided so as to engage on the second housing (as the force is enacted on 21, which is akin to the first housing, which is connected to the second housing and engages in a substantially vertical direction, “nodding”, paragraph 0040).
Regarding claim 51: Ventzke discloses the transmission component is disposed between the shaft and the generator which engages on the transmission component (as 20 is between 30 and 13, and the generator engages with the gearbox, which is a transmission component, within the second housing).
Regarding claim 52: Ventzke discloses a method for compensating a gravity-induced tilting torque exerted by a transmission component on a shaft of a drive train defining an axial direction of a wind power installation (Fig. 1), the method comprising:
supporting the shaft (13) of the drive train via a mounting (at 21);
fastening the first housing with a plurality of adjustable units (52,1; paragraph 0040) designed to provide opposing forces in response to signals received from a sensor (15, paragraph 0042);
surrounding the transmission component having a planetary gear stage by a second housing (20) and coupling the transmission component to the shaft (as the gearbox is inherently connected);
supporting a generator (30) on the second housing (as the generator is cantilever out on the right sight from the second housing);
supporting the second housing (20) with the transmission component and the generator on the first housing (at 21) by the adjustable torque support (22) that counteracts the gravity-induced tilting torque (as this is active damping, paragraph 0009).
Ventzke does not explicitly disclose the mounting in a first housing separate from the second housing, fastening to the first housing an adjustable torque support comprising an adjustable unit, the plurality of adjustable units designed to provide force pairs acting at least in the axial direction.
However, Rogg discloses the mounting in a first housing (15, paragraph 0042, relative to second housing 8) separate from a second housing (8).
And, Muhamed discloses fastening to the first housing (203) an adjustable torque support comprising an adjustable unit (at 210, comprising 221 and 222, shown in greater detail in Fig. 6).
And, Ertas discloses the adjustable unit (54) configured to provide force pairs of opposing forces acting at least in the axial direction (paragraph 0062).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention to surround the mounting of Ventzke in a housing, as disclosed by Rogg, in order to better protect the mounting coupling and to have the adjustable torque support fastened to the first housing as disclosed by Muhamad, in order to better reduce the loads and vibrations on the housing (paragraph 0062) and to modify the adjustable units of Ventzke to provide opposing forces in the axial direction, as disclosed by Ertas, in order to minimize unwanted forces in additional directions.
Regarding claim 53: Ventzke discloses providing vibration damping or vibration decoupling, but does not explicitly disclose providing vibration damping on at least two mutually opposite circumferential positions in at least one coupling portion between interacting coupling parts by the adjustable unit.
However, Muhamad discloses providing vibration damping (via 221, Fig. 6) on at least two mutually opposite circumferential positions (as shown in Fig. 6) in at least one coupling portion between interacting coupling parts by the adjustable unit (paragraph 0056).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the damping of Ventzke to be circumferentially located, as disclosed by Muhamad, better provide to reaction load damping (paragraph 0062).
Regarding claim 54: Ventzke discloses the sensor comprises at least one of a force sensor (16), a path sensor, and an acceleration sensor (15) installed in the drive train (Fig, 4, paragraph 0042).
Conclusion
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/SEAN GUGGER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834