DETAILED ACTION
Election/Restrictions
Claims 16-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 05/19/2026. The arguments are not persuasive because the other invention requires more searching outside of the current search.
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) 1-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bastian (US 7825554 B2). Bastian discloses:
1. (Original) A vehicle (300), comprising:
a body (302) having an opening and an axis (through middle of Fig. 10) through the opening;
a stator (12) within the opening of the body;
a first rotor (14) magnetically coupled to the stator at a first position and configured to rotate about an axis, the first rotor comprising a plurality of first blades having a first length; and
a second rotor (16) magnetically coupled to the stator at a second position spaced from the first position, the second rotor comprising a plurality of second blades having a second length, the second rotor configured to rotate about the axis, the second length less than the first length.
2. (Original) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
the plurality of first blades and the plurality of second blades respectively have centers of pressure (inherent) at or in front of respective centers of rotation about the axis.
3. (Original) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
respective inner ends of the plurality of first blades are outward from a point at least one third of a distance from the axis to respective outer edges of the plurality of first blades;
and respective inner ends of the plurality of second blades are outward from a point at least one third of a distance from the axis to respective outer edges of the plurality of second blades (compare lengths in Figs. 12 and 13).
4. (Original) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
respective inner ends of the plurality of first blades are positioned along a first plane that is perpendicular to the axis;
respective inner ends of the plurality of second blades are positioned along a second plane that is perpendicular to the axis; and
the first plane is spaced apart from the second plane by a spacing (“vertically separated by a distance of about 18 inches”; Col 16 Line 35).
5. (Original) The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a housing positioned within the opening, the stator configured to pivot about the housing; and
wherein the first rotor is laterally positioned in relation to the second rotor (compare lengths in Figs. 12 and 13).
6. (Original) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
the plurality of first blades and the plurality of second blades are to rotate in a same direction around the axis, and a number of the plurality of first blades equals a number of the plurality of second blades; and
the plurality of first blades and the plurality of second blades are to rotate in a different direction around the axis, and a number of the plurality of first blades is different from a number of the plurality of second blades (counter rotating).
7. (Original) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the stator comprises a plurality of first stator magnets positioned on first side of a plane and a plurality of second stator magnets positioned on a second side of the plane, the second side opposite the first side (see magnets in Fig. 2).
8. (Original) The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the plurality of first stator magnets are magnetically coupled to the first rotor and the plurality of second stator magnets are magnetically coupled to the second rotor (see magnets in Fig. 2).
9. (Original) The vehicle of claim 7, further comprising a housing fixedly coupled to the body via an elongated member; and
wherein the plurality of first stator magnets and the plurality of second stator magnets are arranged between (i) the housing and (ii) the first rotor and the second rotor (see magnets in Fig. 2).
10. (Original) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:
the plurality of first blades are configured to pivot relative to the first rotor and the plurality of second blades are configured to pivot relative to the second rotor ((i.e., the pitch of each rotor blade 318 is adjusted in unison”; Col 16 line 42).
Claims 11 – 15 are rejected using the same basis as above.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRIAN M O'HARA whose telephone number is (571)270-5224. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9AM - 5PM eastern.
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/BRIAN M O'HARA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3642
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