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 .
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: control device in claims 1 and 9.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof. The Examiner finds a converter controller as the corresponding structure for the control device.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
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 1-14 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 wherein the wind turbine comprises power sockets which are arranged and electrically connected internally at a grid side of the frequency converter. The language is unclear as it lacks a clear structural reference to define the internal relationship (internally of what structure?) The term grid side is also not clearly defined in the claim.
Claims 2-8 are also rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) by virtue of their dependency on claim 1.
Claim 9 also contains the same indefinite language of claim 1.
Claims 10-14 are also rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) by virtue of their dependency on claim 1.
Claim 7 recites “the locking hole” without a proper antecedent basis.
Claim 8 recites “the circumferential edge” without a proper antecedent basis. For purposes of this examination, claim 8 is interpreted to depend on claim 7.
Claim 11 recites “preferably temporarily arranged on a helicopter platform of the wind turbine.” It is unclear if the preferable language is limiting the scope or not.
Claim 12 recites “wherein the wind turbine comprises a plurality of blades, and each blade is mounted or dismounted to or from the rotor substantially with the same blade longitudinal orientation, preferably a horizontal orientation of the blade. The term “substantially” in claim 12 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “substantially” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. It is also unclear if the preferable language is limiting the claim scope of not.
Claim 14, which is a method claim, only contains structural limitations. It is unclear what method, step or process is being claimed in claim 14.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-14 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) 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:
Claim 1 contains allowable subject matter wherein the power connector comprises power sockets which are arranged and electrically connected internally at a grid side of the frequency converter and configured to connect the generator to a grid during operation of the wind turbine and wherein the power sockets are disconnected from the grid and connected to power lines of the external power source during mounting or dismounting the blades.
In the closest prior art, Palau (U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2020/0072195) teaches a device for assisting to mount or dismount at least one rotor blade (7; figure 1) to or from a rotor (5) of a wind turbine (1), the device comprising: an external power source (power source may be a fuel generator, a battery or an electrical grid; paragraph [0032]); a generator (4) of the wind turbine, the generator comprising a frequency converter and being mechanically connected to the rotor (auxiliary converter 40 driving the rotor hub to rotate; paragraph [0034]) and electrically connected to the external power source through the frequency converter for supplying power to the generator to rotate the rotor (power delivered from the power source; paragraph [0034]); and a control device which is configured to control the generator to rotate the rotor to a predetermined position (auxiliary converter controller controlling the angular position of the hub; paragraph [0037]), where the blade is to be mounted or dismounted to or from the rotor (as shown; figure 7); wherein the wind turbine comprises power sockets which are arranged and electrically connected internally at a grid side of the frequency converter and configured to connect the generator to a grid (when power source is the electrical grid, power side 41 would be the grid side of auxiliary converter 40 connected to generator 10; figure 4; paragraph [0044]). Palau does not explicitly teach wherein the power connector comprises power sockets which are arranged and electrically connected internally at a grid side of the frequency converter and configured to connect the generator to a grid during operation of the wind turbine and wherein the power sockets are disconnected from the grid and connected to power lines of the external power source during mounting or dismounting the blades. In contrast to the claimed invention requiring disconnection between the grid and the generator, if the grid was used as the power source for the auxiliary converter, it would require connection between the grid and the generator because the grid is used as the power source for motorizing the wind turbine generator (paragraph [0068]). Therefore, Palau teaches away from the claimed invention.
In another prior art, Fujii (U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2013/0328309) teaches a matrix converter that bidirectionally convert electrical power between a generator and the power grid (paragraph [0029]). However, Fujii also fails to teach the allowable subject matter.
No relevant prior art of record sufficiently teaches the allowable subject matter in such a way that it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the prior arts to create the claimed invention.
Claims 2-8 also contain allowable subject matter by virtue of their dependency on claim 1.
Claim 9 contains the same allowable subject matter of claim 1.
Claims 10-14 also contain allowable subject matter by virtue of their dependency on claim 9.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Tirumalai (U.S. Patent No. 8,646,177) teaches using an actuator on the generator to rotate the hub for installation.
In a non-prior art, Alberts (WIPO Publication WO 2025/153401) teaches using power converter to rotate the generator as a motor.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SANG K KIM whose telephone number is (571)272-1324. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 5:00 pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Courtney Heinle can be reached at (571)270-3508. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SANG K KIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3745
