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. 19/022786, filed on 01/15/2025. Claims 1-17 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 5-6, 11-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by US Patent No. 6,357,549 to Brennan et al (henceforth referred to as Brennan).
Regarding claims 1, 5-6, 11-17, Brennan discloses a wind turbine tower elevator (i.e. Fig. 1) with tower belt comprising:
a first tower rail (i.e. Fig. 5, ref. 40 on the left);
a second tower rail (i.e. Fig. 5, ref. 40 on the right);
an elevator (i.e. Fig. 3A, ref. 10);
a first jacking system (i.e. Fig. 3, ref. 42a);
a second jacking system (i.e. Column 12, lines 57-58: “second lift cylinders… 42b);
a first locking system (i.e. Fig. 5, ref. 48a);
a second locking system (i.e. Fig. 5, ref. 48b);
a multi-section belt (i.e. Mark up of Fig. 5);
the elevator comprising a main platform (i.e. Fig. 6 and 7, ref. 90) and an enclosure (i.e. Fig. 5, ref. 18a, 18b, 26, 28 and Fig. 3, ref. 12);
the multi section belt comprising a first belt end and a second belt end (i.e. Mark up of Fig. 5);
the first tower rail and the second tower rail being mounted parallel and offset to each other (i.e. Fig. 1, ref. 40 and Fig. 5, ref. 40 on the left and right);
the main platform being connected onto the enclosure (i.e. Fig. 2);
the main platform and the enclosure being positioned adjacent to the first tower rail and the second tower rail (i.e. Fig. 5, ref. 18a, 18b, 28, 26 relative to ref. 40);
the first jacking system (i.e. Fig. 3, ref. 42a), the second jacking system (i.e. Column 12, lines 57-58: “second lift cylinders… 42b), the first locking system and the second locking system (i.e. Fig. 5, ref. 48a, 48b) being integrated into the enclosure (i.e. Fig. 5, ref. 18a, 18b, 26, 28 and Fig. 3, ref. 12);
the enclosure being slidably mounted to the first tower rail by the first jacking system and the first locking system;
the enclosure being slidably mounted to the second tower rail by the second jacking system and the second locking system;
the first belt end and the second belt end being positioned adjacent to the main platform (i.e. Mark up of Fig. 5);
the first belt end being laterally connected to the enclosure (i.e. Mark up of Fig. 5); and
the second belt end being laterally connected to the enclosure, opposite the first belt end (i.e. Mark up of Fig. 5).
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Comprising: the first tower rail and the second tower rail each comprising a rail body and a plurality of jacking slots (i.e. Fig. 3, ref. 70 and Column 5, lines 45-46:“a series of pin receiving holes 70 spaced along the length of the guide rails 40 at predetermined intervals”);
the rail body of the first tower rail and the rail body of the second tower rail being mounted parallel and offset to each other (i.e. Fig. 1, ref. 40 and Fig. 5, ref. 40 on the left and right);
the plurality of jacking slots traversing into the rail body; and
the plurality of jacking slots being evenly distributed along the rail body (i.e. Column 5, lines 45-46:“a series of pin receiving holes 70 spaced along the length of the guide rails 40 at predetermined intervals”).
Comprising: the enclosure comprising a rear panel (i.e. Fig. 3, ref. 38);
the main platform being positioned perpendicular to the rear panel (i.e. Fig. 3, perpendicular to ref. 20a); and
the rear panel being positioned adjacent to the first tower rail and the second tower rail (i.e. Fig. 3, ref. 40).
Comprising: at least one first roller (i.e. Fig. 3, ref. 52)
at least a second roller (i.e. not shown but rollers corresponding to and opposite ref. 52 in Fig. 3);
the first roller being mounted to a rear panel of the enclosure (i.e. via Fig. 3, ref. 34, 36);
the second roller being mounted the rear panel of the enclosure (i.e. not shown but similar to first roller mount);
the first roller being adjacently positioned to the first tower rail (i.e. Fig. 3, ref. 40); and
the second roller being adjacently positioned to the second tower rail (i.e. not shown but similar and opposite to first roller).
Comprising: a first upper guide plate (i.e. Fig. 3, ref. 55);
a second upper guide plate (i.e. not shown but described in Column 6, line 6: “first and second slide assemblies 55”);
the first upper guide plate being externally connected to the enclosure;
the first upper guide plate being positioned adjacent to a top panel of the enclosure (i.e. Fig. 3, ref. 18a);
the second upper guide plate being externally connected to the enclosure, opposite of the first upper guide plate (i.e. not referenced but seen in Fig. 5 at ref. 48b);
the second upper guide plate being positioned adjacent to the top panel (i.e. not referenced but opposite of ref. 55 shown in Fig. 3);
the first upper guide plate being slidably engaged (i.e. Fig. 3, via ref. 54) with the first tower rail (i.e. Fig. 3, ref. 40);
the second upper guide plate being slidably engaged with the second tower rail (i.e. Fig. 5, ref. 40 on the right).
Comprising: a first lower guide plate (i.e. Fig. 3, ref. 58);
a second lower guide plate (i.e. Column 5, line 67: “lower flanges 58”);
the first lower guide plate being externally connected to the enclosure;
the first lower guide plate being positioned adjacent to a bottom panel of the enclosure (i.e. Fig. 3, ref. 32);
the second lower guide plate being externally connected to the enclosure, opposite of the first lower guide plate (i.e. not shown but lower plate corresponds to opposite ref. 58 in Fig. 3);
the second lower guide plate being positioned adjacent to the bottom panel;
the first lower guide plate being slidably engaged (i.e. via Fig. 3, ref. 52) with the first tower rail (i.e. Fig. 3, ref. 40);
the second lower guide plate being slidably engaged with the second tower rail (i.e. not shown but lower plate corresponds to opposite of ref. 58 in Fig. 3).
Comprising: at least one conveyor system (i.e. Fig. 7, ref. 90, 92);
the conveyor system being connected onto the main platform; and
the second conveyor system (i.e. Fig. 3, ref. 92) and the enclosure (i.e. Fig. 3, ref. 12) being oppositely positioned of each other about the main platform (i.e. Fig. 3, ref. 20a).
Comprising: a single blade support system (i.e. Fig. 20, ref. 116); and
the single blade support system being slidably connected onto the main platform through the conveyor system (i.e. via ref. 90).
Comprising: a double blade support system (i.e. Fig. 19, ref. 16);
the double blade support system being hingedly connected onto a front end (i.e. Column 17, lines 65-66: “the lower end of the rotor blade 124 is able to be rotated about a pivot point formed by the guide (not shown)”) of the main platform; and
the front end and a rear panel of the enclosure being oppositely positioned of each other.
Comprising: a nacelle support system (i.e. Fig. 13);
the nacelle support system being hingedly connected onto a rear end of the main platform (i.e. Column 17, lines 65-66: “a pivot point formed by the guide (not shown)”); and
the rear end and the rear panel of the enclosure being positioned adjacent to each other (i.e. Fig. 13, ref. 90 is “near” ref. 40 where the rear panel is located).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-4, 7-10 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
US Patent No. 2016/0369778 to Davis teaches an elevator for a turbine tower but does not teach a multi section belt;
US Patent No. 8,353,141 to Berg teaches an elevator for a turbine tower with a belt;
US Patent No. 6,505,785 to Willis et al teaches an elevator for a turbine tower with a belt;
US Patent No. 7,442,009 to Arel teaches an elevator for a turbine tower with a belt;
US Patent No. 6,614,125 to Willis et al teaches an elevator for a turbine tower but does not teach a multi section belt;
DE 19741988 to Peiter teaches an elevator for a turbine tower with a belt;
CN 114104999 to Li et al teaches an elevator for a turbine tower without a belt;
EP 2246561 to Jonsson et al teaches an elevator for a turbine tower without a belt.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DIEM M TRAN whose telephone number is (571)270-7825. The examiner can normally be reached M 9-5, W-F 10-2.
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/DIEM M TRAN/Examiner, Art Unit 3654