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 .
Status of the Claims
This is a non-final rejection in response to the communication filed 04/14/2026. Claims 1-29 are currently pending.
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.
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 1-29 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.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "a portion of one or more of which" in 13-14. It is unclear if reference is being made to the “one or more metal sheets” in line 13. It appears the limitation should read --a portion of the one or more metal sheets--.
Claim 2 recites the limitation "the cross-sectional area of the metal section" in line 1-2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claims 2-29 are indefinite based on their dependency on claim 1.
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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 8, 10, 12-13, 25-28 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US Patent Application Publication 2012/0148404 to Quell et al. (Quell).
In Reference to Claim 1
Quell discloses a wind turbine blade (Fig. 1, 5 for instance) having a root end (at 6 for instance), a tip end (at 41 for instance), a leading edge (top edge of bottom left blade for instance) and a trailing edge (bottom edge of bottom left blade for instance), the blade extending in a spanwise direction from the root end to the tip end (from 6 to 41 for instance), the blade comprising a tubular root portion (tubular of 6 as seen in figure 2 for instance) having a proximal end defining the root end of the blade (Fig. 10, at 19 for instance), and a distal end located at a spanwise distance from the proximal end (right end in figure 10 for instance), wherein the root portion comprises:
a metal section (Fig. 11, 32 and 20 at left for instance) which extends from the proximal end of the root portion (from left end for instance) towards the distal end of the root portion (towards right end for instance);
a fibre composite section (31 at right for instance) which extends from the distal end of the root portion (from right end for instance) towards the proximal end of the root portion (towards left end for instance); and
a transition section (middle portion of 40 for instance) which extends between the metal section and the fibre composite section (between left and right sections for instance),
wherein the metal section (at left for instance) comprises one or more metal sheets (32 for instance), a portion of one or more of which extend beyond the metal section into the transition section (of 32 from left portion to middle portion for instance), wherein the portion of the one or more metal sheets located in the transition section is encapsulated within fibre composite material (of 31 for instance , see ¶ [0064], glass fibers for instance) which is continuous with fibre composite material of the fibre composite section (as seen in figure 11 at middle to right side), wherein the metal section is connectable to a pitch bearing of a wind turbine hub (via 13 for instance, see also ¶ [0010]).
In Reference to Claim 2
Quell discloses the wind turbine blade of claim 1, wherein the cross-section area of the metal section in a direction normal to a spanwise extending axis of the metal section comprises at least 90% metal (cross-section as seen in figure 11 for instance, 100% with metal pin 20 for instance, see also ¶ [0011], the pin made of metal).
In Reference to Claim 3
Quell discloses the wind turbine blade of claim 1, wherein the one or more metal sheets (Fig. 11, 32 for instance) are thin in relation to their spanwise dimension (of 32 as seen for instance) in a direction parallel to the spanwise extending axis of the metal section (view as seen in figure 11 for instance) such that the thickness of the one or more metal sheets is no greater than 25% of the spanwise dimension (of 1 of 32 for instance which is clearly less than 25% of its length, the length of the top 31 being 20 times its thickness for instance).
In Reference to Claim 4
Quell discloses the wind turbine blade of claim 1, wherein the portion of the one or more metal sheets (Fig. 11, of 32 for instance) located in the transition section (in the middle portion of 40 for instance) tapers towards the fibre composite section (tapers towards right side for instance).
In Reference to Claim 8
Quell discloses the wind turbine blade of claim 1, wherein the metal section comprises a plurality of layers of metal sheets arranged one on top of another (Fig. 11, metal layers 32 for instance).
In Reference to Claim 10
Quell discloses the wind turbine blade of claim 8, wherein a portion of some or all of the layers of metal sheet extend beyond the metal section into the transition section (portions of 32 in middle portion of 40 for instance, see figure 11).
In Reference to Claim 12
Quell discloses the wind turbine blade of claim 10, wherein each portion of the layers of metal sheet (Fig. 11, 32 for instance) which extend into the transition section (middle portion of 40 for instance) extend into the transition section by an amount different to a neighbouring portion of metal sheet (of the plurality of 32 as seen in figure 11 for instance).
In Reference to Claim 13
Quell discloses the wind turbine blade of claim 1, wherein the fibre composite section (Fig. 11, 31 for instance) tapers towards the distal end of the tubular root portion (towards right portion for instance).
In Reference to Claim 25
Quell discloses the wind turbine blade of claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional area of the metal section in a direction normal to a spanwise extending axis of the metal section comprises at least 95% metal (cross-section as seen in figure 11 for instance, 100% with metal pin 20 for instance, see also ¶ [0011] the pin made of metal).
In Reference to Claim 26
Quell discloses the wind turbine blade of claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional area of the metal section in a direction normal to a spanwise extending axis of the metal section comprises at least 99% metal (cross-section as seen in figure 11 for instance, 100% with metal pin 20 for instance, see also ¶ [0011] the made of metal).
In Reference to Claim 27
Quell discloses the wind turbine blade of claim 1, wherein the one or more metal sheets (Fig. 11, 32 for instance) are thin in relation to their spanwise dimension (of 32 as seen for instance) in a direction parallel to the spanwise extending axis of the metal section (view as seen in figure 11 for instance) such that the thickness of the one or more metal sheets is no greater than 10% of the spanwise dimension (of 1 of 32 for instance which is clearly less than 10% of its length, the length of the bottom 31 being more than 100 times its thickness for instance).
In Reference to Claim 28
Quell discloses the wind turbine blade of claim 1, wherein the one or more metal sheets (Fig. 11, 32 for instance) are thin in relation to their spanwise dimension (of 32 as seen for instance) in a direction parallel to the spanwise extending axis of the metal section (view as seen in figure 11 for instance) such that the thickness of the one or more metal sheets is no greater than 1% of the spanwise dimension (of 1 of 32 for instance is clearly less than 1% of its length, the length of the bottom 31 being more than 100 times its thickness for instance).
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(s) 5-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by US Patent Application Publication 2012/0148404 to Quell et al. (Quell) in view of US Patent Application Publication 2017/0138342 to Hoffmann (Hoffmann).
In Reference to Claim 5
Quell discloses the wind turbine blade of claim 1, except, "... wherein the portion of the one or more metal sheets located in the transition section comprises a plurality of radially extending formations with respect to the spanwise extending axis of the metal section ....”
Hoffmann is related to a wind turbine blade root end (Fig. 1, of 108 at 200 for instance) with a root portion having a metal section (Fig. 12, 210 for instance, see also ¶ [0047]), as the claimed invention, and teaches wherein a portion of the metal section in a transition section (212 for instance) comprises a plurality of radially extending formations (230 for instance) with respect to the spanwise extending axis of the metal section (of 210 for instance).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide in the system of Quell wherein the portion of the one or more metal sheets located in the transition section (of Quell) comprises a plurality of radially extending formations (as taught by Hoffmann) with respect to the spanwise extending axis of the metal section (of Quell), so as to use an art known technique (of using radially extending portions in root section of wind turbine blades as taught by Hoffmann) into the system of Quell and predictably form the root portion of the wind turbine blade.
In Reference to Claim 6
Quell, as modified by Hoffmann, discloses the wind turbine blade of claim 5, wherein the radially extending formations (230, as taught by Hoffmann) comprise a plurality of projections located on the surface (as taught by Hoffmann) of the portion of the one or more metal sheets located in the transition section (of Quell as modified).
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by US Patent Application Publication 2012/0148404 to Quell et al. (Quell) in view of US Patent Application Publication 2009/0324420 to Arocena De La Rua et al. (Arocena De La Rua).
In Reference to Claim 11
Quell discloses the wind turbine blade of claim 10, except, "... wherein each portion of the layers of metal sheet which extend into the transition section extend into the transition section by the same amount ....”
Arocena De La Rua is related to a wind turbine blade root portion (see ¶ [0002]), as the claimed invention, and teaches wherein each portion of layers of a metal portion (Fig. 1, of 3 for instance) which extend into a transition section (section of 1 with 3 for instance) extend into the transition section by the same amount (as seen of 3 for instance).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide in the system of Quell wherein each portion of the layers of metal sheet (of Quell) which extend into the transition section (of Quell) extend into the transition section by the same amount (as taught by Arocena De La Rua), so as to use an art known technique (of the extension root forming portions of a wind turbine blade as taught by Arocena De La Rua) into the system of Quell and predictably form the root portion of the blade.
Claim(s) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by US Patent Application Publication 2012/0148404 to Quell et al. (Quell) in view of US Patent Application Publication 2007/0154317 to Cairo (Cairo) and in view of US Patent Application Publication 2019/0331091 to Bech (Bech).
In Reference to Claim 14
Quell discloses the wind turbine blade of claim 1, except, "... comprising a plurality of bolt holes which extend radially with respect to the spanwise extending axis of the metal section through the metal section from an inner circumferential surface of the metal section to an outer circumferential surface of the metal section ....”
Cairo is related to a wind turbine blade root portion (abstract), as the claimed invention, and teaches the root portion comprising a plurality of bolt holes (Fig. 2, 212 for instance) which extend radially with respect to a spanwise extending axis (118 for instance) of a metal section (204 for instance, see also ¶ [0024]) through the metal section (through 210 of 204 for instance) from an inner surface of the metal section to an outer surface of the metal section (of 210 for instance).
Bech is related to a wind turbine blade root portion (abstract), as the claimed invention, and teaches a plurality of holes (Fig. 2, 56 for instance) which extend radially with respect to a spanwise extending axis a connection section (26 for instance) through the connection section from an inner circumferential surface of the connection section to an outer circumferential surface of the connection section (of 56 from within 20 to outside of 20 for instance).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide in the system of Quell to comprise a plurality of bolt holes which extend radially with respect to the spanwise extending axis of the metal section (as taught by Cairo) through the metal section (of Quell) from an inner circumferential surface (as taught by Bech) of the metal section (of Quell) to an outer circumferential surface (as taught by Bech) of the metal section (of Quell), so as to use an art known technique (of an attachment configuration of a root portion of wind turbine blade, including having a radial extension, as taught by Cairo and Bech) into the system of Quell and predictably connect the blade of the wind turbine to the hub.
Claim(s) 15-17, 19, 24 and 29 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by US Patent Application Publication 2012/0148404 to Quell et al. (Quell) in view of EP 2 677 170 to Shindo et al. (Shindo).
In Reference to Claim 15
Quell discloses an assembly for a wind turbine (as seen in figure 1 for instance) comprising: a wind turbine blade (5 for instance) according to claim 1; and having a pitch bearing connected to the metal section of the wind turbine blade (Figs. 10-11, left section for instance, see also ¶ [0010]), but does not explicitly teach “... an inner or outer ring of a pitch bearing connected to the metal section of the wind turbine blade, wherein a circumferential surface of the inner or outer ring is in contact with a circumferential surface of the metal section of the wind turbine blade ....”
Shindo is related to a wind turbine blade root portion (abstract), as the claimed invention, and teaches an inner or outer ring of a pitch bearing (Fig. 6, 103A or 103B for instance) connected to a metal section of the wind turbine blade (12 and 14 for instance, see also ¶ [0031] and [0033]), wherein a circumferential surface of the inner or outer ring (right surface of 103B adjacent 12 for instance) is in contact with a circumferential surface of the metal section of the wind turbine blade (left surface of 12 adjacent 103B for instance, see also figure 3).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide in the system of Quell wherein an inner or outer ring of a pitch bearing (as taught by Shindo) is connected to the metal section of the wind turbine blade (of Quell), and wherein a circumferential surface of the inner or outer ring is in contact with a circumferential surface of the metal section of the wind turbine blade (as taught by Shindo), so as to use an art known technique (of the connection of root portions of wind turbine blades to pitch bearings as taught by Shindo) into the system of Quell and predictably connect blade to the wind turbine.
In Reference to Claim 16
Quell, as modified by Shindo, discloses the assembly of claim 15, wherein the inner or outer ring (Shindo, 103A or 103B for instance) comprises one or more parts connected together (Shindo, of 103A and of 103B connected together for instance).
In Reference to Claim 17
Quell, as modified by Shindo, discloses the assembly of claim 15, wherein the metal section is connected to the inner or outer ring by a friction connection (as taught by Shindo, connection by bolt for instance).
In Reference to Claim 19
Quell, as modified by Shindo, discloses the assembly of claim 15, comprising a plurality of bolts which extend through the metal section into the inner or outer ring (as taught by Shindo, Fig. 6, 108 through inner ring 103B for instance, and into 12, see also figure 3).
In Reference to Claim 24
Quell discloses a wind turbine (Fig. 1, 1 for instance) comprising: a hub (4 for instance); a pitch bearing connected to the hub (¶ [0010]); and a plurality of wind turbine blades according to claim 1 (5 for instance), but does not explicitly teach “... connected to an inner or outer ring of the pitch bearing via a circumferential surface of the metal section ....”
Shindo is related to a wind turbine blade root portion (abstract), as the claimed invention, and teaches a wind turbine blade (Fig. 1, 1 for instance) connected to an inner or outer ring of a pitch bearing (Fig. 6, connected to 103B for instance) via a circumferential surface of a metal section (left portion of 12 adjacent 103B for instance, see also figure 3).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide in the system of Quell wherein the plurality of wind turbine blades (of Quell) is connected to an inner or outer ring (as taught by Shindo) of the pitch bearing (of Quell) via a circumferential surface of the metal section (as taught by Shindo), so as to use an art known technique (of the connection of root portions of wind turbine blades to pitch bearings as taught by Shindo) into the system of Quell and predictably connect blade to the wind turbine.
In Reference to Claim 29
Quell, as modified by Shindo, discloses a wind turbine comprising: a hub (Quell Fig. 1, 4 for instance); a pitch bearing connected to the hub (Quell, see ¶ [0010]); and a plurality of assemblies according to claim 15 operably engaged with the inner or outer ring of the pitch bearing (as further taught by Shindo for instance, the engagement of 103B as seen in figure 6).
Claim(s) 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by US Patent Application Publication 2012/0148404 to Quell et al. (Quell) in view of EP 2 677 170 to Shindo et al. (Shindo) as applied to claim 17 above, and further in view of CN106762391 to Su et al. (Su, and based on English Machine Translation).
In Reference to Claim 18
Quell, as modified by Shindo, discloses the assembly of claim 17, except, "... wherein the metal section is connected to the inner or outer ring by a shrink fit connection ....”
Su is related to a bearing for a wind turbine blade (¶ [0038]), as the claimed invention, and teaches wherein an outer ring of the bearing is connected to the root of a wind turbine blade (Fig. 2, 141 for instance) by a shrink fit connection (Fig. 8, 42 for instance, and connected by interference fit, see ¶ [0062]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide in the system of Quell wherein the metal section (of Quell) is connected to the inner or outer ring by a shrink fit connection (outer ring of a bearing for instance, as taught by Su), so as to use an art known technique (of the connections of a bearing to a root of a rotor blade as taught by Su) into the system of Quell and predictably mount a rotor blade to be rotatable.
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by US Patent Application Publication 2012/0148404 to Quell et al. (Quell) in view of EP 2 677 170 to Shindo et al. (Shindo) as applied to claim 19 above, and further in view of US Patent Application Publication 2007/0154317 to Cairo (Cairo).
In Reference to Claim 20
Quell, as modified by Shindo, discloses the assembly of claim 19, except, "... wherein the bolts extend radially with respect to the spanwise extending axis of the metal section ....”
Cairo is related to a wind turbine blade root portion (abstract), as the claimed invention, and teaches wherein bolts (Fig. 2, which extend through 212 for instance, not shown) extend radially with respect to a spanwise extending axis (118 for instance) of a metal section (204 for instance).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide in the system of Quell wherein the bolts (of Quell, used to connect the root portion of the blade for instance) extend radially with respect to the spanwise extending axis of the metal section (as taught by Cairo), so as to use an art known technique (of an attachment configuration of a root portion of wind turbine blade as taught by Cairo) into the system of Quell and predictably connect the blade of the wind turbine to the hub.
Claim(s) 21-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by US Patent Application Publication 2012/0148404 to Quell et al. (Quell) in view of EP 2 677 170 to Shindo et al. (Shindo) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of WO 2014195357 to Stammler (Stammler, and based on English Machine Translation).
In Reference to Claim 21
Quell, as modified by Shindo, discloses the assembly of claim 15, except, "... wherein the inner or outer ring comprises an annular groove within which the metal section is received ....”
Stammler is related to the connection of a root section of a rotor blade to a bearing (abstract), as the claimed invention, and teaches wherein an outer ring (Fig. 3a, 7 of bearing 5 for instance) comprises an annular groove (of 7 for instance, not labeled) within which a root section (of 2 for instance) is received (as seen in figure 3a).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide in the system of Quell wherein the inner or outer ring (of the bearing of Quell for instance) comprises an annular groove (as taught by Stammler) within which the metal section (of Quell) is received (as taught by Stammler), so as to use an art known technique (of the connection of a root section of a rotor blade to a bearing as taught by Stammler) into the system of Quell and predictably connect the rotor blade to a bearing of the system.
In Reference to Claim 22
Quell, as modified by Shindo, discloses the assembly of claim 15, except, "... wherein the circumferential surface of the inner or outer ring comprises surface formations which engage with complementary surface formations located on the circumferential surface of the metal section ....”
Stammler is related to the connection of a root section of a rotor blade to a bearing (abstract), as the claimed invention, and teaches wherein a circumferential surface of an outer ring (Fig. 3a, of 7 of bearing 5 for instance) comprises surface formations (of 7 for instance, not labeled) which engage with complementary surface formations located on a circumferential surface of a root section (of 2 for instance, as matching to 7 for instance).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide in the system of Quell wherein the circumferential surface of the inner or outer ring comprises surface formations (as taught by Stammler) which engage with complementary surface formations (as taught by Stammler) located on the circumferential surface of the metal section (of Quell), so as to use an art known technique (of the connection of a root section of a rotor blade to a bearing as taught by Stammler) into the system of Quell and predictably connect the rotor blade to a bearing of the system.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7, 9 and 23 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The claims in the application are deemed to be directed to an nonobvious improvement over the prior art.
Regarding claim 7 for instance, the prior art teaches the wind turbine blade of claim 1, but does not teach or make obvious wherein the metal section comprises a continuous spiral of metal sheet material curved to form a plurality of layers of metal sheet material.
Regarding claim 9 the prior art teaches the wind turbine blade of claim 8, but does not teach or make obvious wherein each layer of metal sheet comprises formations which engage with complementary formations located on an adjacent layer of metal sheet.
Regarding claim 23, the prior art Shindo, as modifying of Quell, teaches the assembly of claim 15, wherein the inner or outer ring comprises a proximal end defining a hubwards end of the ring (Fig. 6, left end of 103A or 103B for instance), and a distal end located at a spanwise distance from the proximal end (right end of 103A or 103B for instance), wherein the ring comprises: a hubwards section (left section of 103A or 103B for instance) which extends from the proximal end of the ring towards the distal end of the ring (from left end to right end for instance); and a bladewards section( right section of 103A or 103B for instance) which extends from the distal end of the ring towards the proximal end of the ring (from right end towards left end for instance); and wherein the hubwards section of the ring (left section of 103A or 103B for instance) is configured to operably engage the inner or outer ring of a pitch bearing (to engage the other of 103B or 103A for instance); but the prior art, alone or in combination, does not teach or make obvious wherein the circumferential surface of the ring in contact with the circumferential surface of the metal section is located entirely in the bladewards section of the ring.
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure, as cited in the Notice of References Cited, are cited to show wind turbine root portion connection configurations and root portions having metal and fibre portions.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WAYNE A LAMBERT whose telephone number is (571)270-3516. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 9 am - 7 pm.
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, Nathaniel E Wiehe can be reached at (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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/WAYNE A LAMBERT/Examiner, Art Unit 3745
/NATHANIEL E WIEHE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3745
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