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 .
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.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed. A one-word title is not descriptive.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “collection tray” from claim 52 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
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
Claim 48 is objected to because of the following informalities: claim 48 has two commas before the recitation “wherein”. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim 44 is 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 44, the recitation “at least one of the comprises a solar cell” is indefinite because it is unclear what comprises a solar cell.
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.
Claims 27-33 and 38-39 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CN 201078308 Y to Qin et al.
Regarding claim 27, Qin et al. discloses a wind turbine comprising:
a first rotor (Fig. 2: 5) comprising a hub (1) and at least one blade (2) extending from the hub, the first rotor configured to rotate as wind engages the at least one blade;
a frame (9) configured to at least partially receive the first rotor therein; and
a first generator configured to generate electrical power from rotation of the first rotor, the first generator comprising at least one magnet (7) and a conductor coil (14),
wherein one of the at least one magnet and conductor coil is coupled to the first rotor and configured to rotate therewith (magnet 7 is coupled to rotor ring 6), and the other one of the at least one magnet and the conductor coil is fixed relative to the frame (coil 14 fixed to frame at 13), such that rotation of the first rotor causes relative movement between the conductor coil and the at least one magnet.
Regarding claim 28, Qin et al. discloses the frame comprises an aperture (Fig. 2: gap for ring 6), and the first rotor (5) is received within the aperture.
Regarding claim 29, Qin et al. discloses the first rotor further comprises a ring (Fig. 2: 6), and an outer end of the at least one blade is coupled to the ring such that the at least one blade (2) extends between the hub (1) and the ring (6).
Regarding claim 30, Qin et al. discloses the first rotor comprises a plurality of blades (Fig. 2: 2) extending from the hub (1), and an outer end of each of the blades is coupled to the ring (6), such that each of the blades extends between the hub (1) and the ring (6).
Regarding claim 31, Qin et al. discloses one of the at least one magnet (Fig. 2: 7) and the conductor coil is coupled to the ring (6) and is configured to rotate therewith.
Regarding claim 32, Qin et al. discloses the frame comprises a circular aperture (Fig. 2: opening to receive ring 6) and the first rotor (5) is received therein.
Regarding claim 33, Qin et al. discloses a tower (Fig. 2: 3) coupled to the hub (1) and configured to support the first rotor (5), wherein a longitudinal axis of the tower (vertical axis) is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the hub (horizontal axis).
Regarding claim 38, Qin et al. discloses a housing (Fig. 2: 11), wherein the first rotor (5), the frame (9), and the first generator (7 and 14) are received within the housing.
Regarding claim 39, Qin et al. discloses at least a portion of the tower (Fig. 2: 3) is received within the housing (11).
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 34 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 201078308 Y to Qin et al. in view of US 20200277937 A1 to Kumar.
Regarding claim 34, Qin et al. discloses a wind turbine as described above.
However, it fails to disclose the limitations from claim 34.
Kumar teaches a rotor hub support (Fig. 1: 3), wherein the tower (2) is coupled to the hub (11) via the rotor hub support (3) and the first rotor (12) rotates relative to the rotor hub support (3); and a rotor hub generator (9 and 21) configured to generate electrical power on rotation of the first rotor relative to the rotor hub support.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teaching of the rotor hub generator as disclosed by Kumar to the wind turbine disclosed by Qin et al.
One would have been motivated to do so to generate additional power.
Claims 35-37 and 45-48 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 201078308 Y to Qin et al. in view of US 8803354 B2 to Wamble et al.
Regarding claims 35-37, Qin et al. discloses a wind turbine as described above.
However, it fails to disclose the limitations from claims 35-37.
Wamble et al. teaches:
a rotatable element (Fig. 4: 408) configured to rotate with respect to the tower, and a rotation translation mechanism (shaft of 428) configured to translate the rotation of the first rotor (402) into rotation of the rotatable element (408) about an axis (428) perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the first rotor (426).
the rotation translation mechanism comprises a rotatable shaft (shaft of 428) which is at least partially received within the tower, and rotation of the rotatable shaft causes rotation of the rotatable element (408).
a second generator comprising at least one magnet and a conductor coil, wherein one of the at least one magnet (410) and the conductor coil of the second generator is coupled to the rotatable element (408), and the other one of the at least one magnet and the conductor coil (418) of the second generator is rotatably fixed (stator 414) relative to the rotatable element.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teaching of the second generator as disclosed by Wamble et al. to the wind turbine disclosed by Qin et al.
One would have been motivated to do so to generate additional power.
Regarding claims 45-48, Qin et al. discloses a wind turbine as described above.
However, it fails to disclose the limitations from claims 45-48.
Wamble et al. teaches:
a base housing (Fig. 11: 1116).
the base housing (1116) is configured to receive at least a portion of the tower (1104).
a rotatable element (1114) of the tower is at least partially received within the base housing, and wherein the other one of the at least one magnet and the conductor coil (1112) of a second generator is received within and fixed relative to the base housing.
the tower is rotatable (1118) with respect to the base housing (1116).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teaching of the second generator as disclosed by Wamble et al. to the wind turbine disclosed by Qin et al.
One would have been motivated to do so to generate additional power.
Claims 40-42 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 201078308 Y to Qin et al. in view of US 20210348590 A1 to Churchill.
Regarding claims 40-42, Qin et al. discloses a wind turbine as described above.
However, it fails to disclose the limitations from claims 40-42.
Churchill teaches:
the housing comprises louvers (Fig. 4: 26), openable to expose the first rotor (46) to the wind and closable to shield the first rotor from the wind.
the louvers are located on opposed sides of the housing (26 and 43) such that opposed sides of the first rotor may be selectively exposed to or shielded from the wind.
a mesh (25) located between the louvers (26) and the first rotor (46).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teaching of the louvers as disclosed by Churchill to the wind turbine disclosed by Qin et al.
One would have been motivated to do so to control wind flow through the housing.
Claims 43-44 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 201078308 Y to Qin et al. in view of US 20210348590 A1 to Churchill as applied to claims 27, 33, 38, and 40 above and further in view of US 20040148933 A1 to Miller.
Regarding claims 43-44, Qin et al. and Churchill discloses a wind turbine as described above.
However, it fails to disclose the limitations from claims 43-44.
Miller teaches:
a solar cell [0023].
at least one of the (louvers) comprises a solar cell [0023].
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teaching of the solar cell as disclosed by Miller to the wind turbine disclosed by Qin et al. and Churchill.
One would have been motivated to do so to generate additional power from the sun.
Claim 49 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 201078308 Y to Qin et al. in view of US 20090058093 A1 to Bridwell.
Regarding claim 49, Qin et al. discloses a wind turbine as described above.
However, it fails to disclose the limitations from claim 49.
Bridwell teaches a second rotor (Fig. 2 shows three rotors) comprising a hub (Fig. 1: 102) and at least one blade (104) extending from the hub, the first rotor configured to rotate as wind engages the at least one blade, wherein the second rotor is configured to rotate in an opposed direction to a direction of rotation of the first rotor [0034].
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teaching of the second rotor as disclosed by Bridwell to the wind turbine disclosed by Qin et al.
One would have been motivated to do so to generate additional power.
Claims 50-51 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 201078308 Y to Qin et al. in view of US 20120038157 A1 to Skala.
Regarding claims 50-51, Qin et al. discloses a wind turbine as described above.
However, it fails to disclose the limitations from claims 50-51.
Skala teaches:
a brake configured to apply a braking force to the first rotor to resist rotation of the first rotor and in dependence on a rate of rotation of the first rotor [0058].
the brake comprises an electrical brake, and wherein power generated by a rotor hub generator is used to power the electrical brake [0067].
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teaching of the electrical brake as disclosed by Skala to the wind turbine disclosed by Qin et al.
One would have been motivated to do so to control the speed of the blades.
Claim 52 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 201078308 Y to Qin et al. in view of US 8657572 B2 to Presz, Jr. et al.
Regarding claim 52, Qin et al. discloses a system comprising:
a wind turbine (Fig. 2);
wherein the wind turbine comprises:
a first rotor (5) comprising a hub (1) and at least one blade (2) extending from the hub, the first rotor configured to rotate as wind engages the at least one blade;
a frame (9) configured to at least partially receive the first rotor therein; and
a first generator configured to generate electrical power from rotation of the first rotor, the first generator comprising at least one magnet (7) and a conductor coil (14),
wherein one of the at least one magnet and conductor coil is coupled to the first rotor and configured to rotate therewith (magnet 7 is coupled to rotor ring 6), and the other one of the at least one magnet and the conductor coil is fixed relative to the frame (coil 14 fixed to frame at 13), such that rotation of the first rotor causes relative movement between the conductor coil and the at least one magnet.
However, it fails to disclose a collection tray; and at least one outlet configured to direct air collected by the collection tray.
Presz, Jr. et al. teaches a collection tray (Fig. 5: 230); and at least one outlet (234) configured to direct air collected by the collection tray.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teaching of the collection tray as disclosed by Presz, Jr. et al. to the system disclosed by Qin et al.
One would have been motivated to do so to enhance fluid dynamic performance and reduce aerodynamic noise. Refer to Presz, Jr. et al., column 9, lines 24-31.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VIET P NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-9457. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 12-8.
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/VIET P NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834