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 .
This is the First Office Action on the merits of Application No. 18/879175, filed on 12/26/2024. Claims 44-58 are still pending in the application.
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) 44-58 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by GB 2561612 to Geraets et al (henceforth referred to as Geraets).
Regarding claims 44-58, Geraets discloses a wind turbine tower elevator carriage comprising:
a carriage body (i.e. Fig. 4a, ref. 29);
a lifting mechanism (i.e. Fig. 3, ref. 33) for raising and lowering the carriage body on a wind turbine tower (i.e. Fig. 6, ref. 3); and
a carriage arm (i.e. Fig. 4b, ref. 51) connected to the carriage body, wherein the carriage arm comprises a lateral bearing assembly (i.e. Fig. 4a, ref. 47) and a bearing arm actuator (i.e. Page 21, line 12: “Actuators adjust the position of the arms 52…”) for engaging the lateral bearing assembly with a first tower rail (i.e. Fig. 4b, ref. 21 on the left) of the wind turbine tower.
Wherein the lateral bearing assembly is configured to receive a second tower rail (i.e. Fig. 4b, ref. 21 on the right) of the wind turbine tower into the lateral bearing assembly.
wherein the lateral bearing assembly comprises a clamping mechanism (i.e. Fig. 4a, ref. 47 and 41 clamps on rail, ref. 21).
Wherein the lateral bearing assembly comprises a sliding bearing (i.e. Page 29, line 20-21: “bearings 41, 47… can be sliding bearings, for example PTFE pads”) and a clamping mechanism (i.e. Fig. 4a, ref. 47 and 41 clamps on rail, ref. 21).
Wherein the lateral bearing assembly is configured to releasably receive the second tower rail (i.e. Claim 14: “means for releasably engaging the rails includes at least one adjustable bearing arranged to selectively engage the rails”).
Wherein the lateral bearing assembly comprises a first bearing member (i.e. Fig. 4a, ref. 47) for engaging against a side of a second tower rail (i.e. Fig. 4a, in this case the underside of ref. 21 on the right) of the wind turbine tower.
Wherein the first bearing member is a bearing pad (i.e. Page 29, line 20-21: “bearings 41, 47… can be sliding bearings, for example PTFE pads”) or a roller.
Wherein the lateral bearing assembly comprises a second bearing member (i.e. Fig. 4a, ref. 41) for engaging with an exterior surface (i.e. Fig. 4a, in this case exterior of the rail directly connected to the tower body is considered integral with the tower body) of a tower body of the wind turbine tower.
Wherein the carriage arm comprises one or more extendible arm members (i.e. Fig. 4b shows at least 4 different arms, ref. 51) for changing a separation between the carriage body and the lateral bearing assembly.
Further comprising: a load bearing part (i.e. Fig. 4a, ref. 53); and
a pivot mechanism (i.e. Page 7, lines 6-11: “means for releasably engaging the rails…An actuator moves the bearing surface into and out of engagement with the rails. The bearing surface can be mounted to a support, such as a pivotable arm”) for pivoting the carriage body with respect to the load bearing part about a substantially vertical axis when the wind turbine tower elevator carriage is mounted onto a side of the wind turbine tower.
Wherein the load bearing part is a clamping mechanism (i.e. Fig. 4a, the rail, ref. 21, is clamped between ref. 53 and 41).
Further comprising: independently operable first and second releasable rail clamps (i.e. Fig. 41a shows clamping mechanisms 41 and 47 on the left and on the right, respectively); and
a lifting mechanism (i.e. Fig. 3, ref. 33) for raising and lowering the carriage body with respect to the first releasable rail clamp.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0369778 to Davis teaches a Nacelle carriage with rollers;
US Patent No. 12,246,949 to Gehring teaches a tower sliding lift;
US Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0150684 to Pendersen et al teaches a tower elevator with arms.
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/DIEM M TRAN/Examiner, Art Unit 3654