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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, claims 1-15, in the reply filed on 11/05/2025 is acknowledged.
Claims 16-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 11/05/2025.
Claim Objections
Claims 1 and 15 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 1 line 8, “coupled to a the frame” should be changed to “coupled to the frame”. Appropriate correction is required.
In claim 1 line 12, “the first sight and second sights” should be changed to “the first sight and second sight”.
In claim 15 line 2, “is” should be removed.
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 6, 8, 12 and 13 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 6 contains the limitation “wherein the sphere is sixty inches in diameter”. There is no antecedent basis for the term “the sphere” in claim 6 and claim 1, from which claim 6 depends does not set forth “a sphere”. It is unclear what “the sphere” is referring to. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 8 contains the limitation “wherein the panel has eight spokes”. It is unclear if the eight spokes in claim 8 includes the spoke set forth in claim 1 or if the eight spokes are in addition to the spoke set forth in claim 1. Appropriate clarification and/or correction is required.
Claim 12 contains the limitation “wherein at least one of the wheels of the target area and at least one of the wheels of the panel is a motorized wheel”. Claim 1 from which claim 12 depends, does not provide antecedent basis for “the wheels of the target area” and “the wheels of the panel”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 13 is additionally rejected as being dependent on a rejected base claim and including all of the limitations thereof.
Claim 13 further contains the limitation “the motorized wheels” which does not have proper antecedent basis. Claim 12, from which claim 13 depends, contains the limitation “at least one of the wheels of the panel is a motorized wheel”. Thus, claim 12 has antecedent basis for “the at least one motorized wheel”, not “the motorized wheels”. Appropriate correction is required.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-5, 7, 9-11 and 14-15 are objected to as being dependent upon an objected base claim.
Claims 1-15 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the objections and rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The closest prior art is Edling (US 5,191,875), Inagaki (US 4,913,130) and Smith (US 4,179,612).
Edling (US 5,191,875) discloses a solar concentrator in Figure 1 comprising:
a frame (40) coupled to a base (70) (column 4 lines 43-45);
a lens mount (frame 12 and pan 20) mechanically coupled to an upper portion of the frame by a pivot mount (24, 44) to enable the lens mount (20) to rotate relative to the frame (40) (column 4 lines 26-30);
a lens (14) affixed to the lens mount (frame 12 and pan 20) (column 3 lines 37-51 and column 3 lines 61-63);
a panel (72), wherein the panel comprises a spoke (74) extending from an edge of the panel to a central point of the panel (76), wherein the panel is oriented horizontally and rotationally coupled to the frame (40) (column 4 lines 43-62); and
a target area (tubes 26) (column 5 lines 1-12).
Edling does not disclose that the frame is coupled to an actuator to adjust a height of the frame relative to the base; the target area slidably coupled to the spoke; and a shadow frame chaser comprised of a first optical sight and a second optical sight, wherein the first optical sight is oriented parallel to and higher than the second optical sight, wherein the first sight and second sights are rectangular protrusions that extend outward from the lens mount.
Inagaki (US 4,913,130) discloses a solar concentrator in Figure 1 comprising:
a frame (pillars 13 and 14) coupled to an device capable of adjusting a height of the frame relative to a base (18) (column 3 lines 28-65);
a lens mount (lens frame 12) mechanically coupled to an upper portion of the frame (pillars 13 and 14) by a hinge (15, 16) to enable the lens mount (12) to rotate relative to the frame (column 2 line 66-column 3 line 9);
a lens (11) affixed to the lens mount (12) (column 2 lines 64-65); and
a target area (36) (column 4 lines 34-35).
Inagaki does not disclose a panel, wherein the panel comprises a spoke extending from an edge of the panel to a central point of the panel, wherein the panel is oriented horizontally and rotationally coupled to the frame; the target area slidably coupled to the spoke; and a shadow frame chaser comprised of a first optical sight and a second optical sight, wherein the first optical sight is oriented parallel to and higher than the second optical sight, wherein the first sight and second sights are rectangular protrusions that extend outward from the lens mount.
Smith (US 4,179,612) discloses a solar tracker in Figures 1 and 2 comprising a shadow frame chaser (shadow unit 20) comprised of a first optical sight and a second optical sight (left and right sides of panel 127), wherein the first optical sight is oriented parallel to and higher than the second optical sight (one side of the panel will be higher depending on the tilt of the device), wherein the first sight and second sight are rectangular protrusions that extend outward from a tracking mount (Figure 2 and column 2 lines 30-65).
Smith does not disclose a frame coupled to an actuator to adjust a height of the frame relative to a base; a lens mount mechanically coupled to an upper portion of the frame by a hinge to enable the lens mount to rotate relative to the frame; a lens affixed to the lens mount; a panel, wherein the panel comprises a spoke extending from an edge of the panel to a central point of the panel, wherein the panel is oriented horizontally and rotationally coupled to a the frame; and a target area slidably coupled to the spoke.
None of the prior art, alone or in combination, discloses, suggests or renders obvious the limitation “a target area, slidably coupled to the spoke” in combination with the other claim limitations.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LINDSEY A BUCK whose telephone number is (571)270-1234. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5:30pm.
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/LINDSEY A BUCK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1728