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 Objections
Claim 10 is objected to because of the following informalities: the first and second electrical supply lines are recited as being on “said suction side”. However, the specification indicates that one of the electrical supply lines is on “the pressure side” (assuming antecedent basis). Appropriate correction is required.
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 5-8 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 5 recites the limitation "said first edge of said first layer" in lines 2-3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 6 recites the limitation “said second edge of said first layer” in line 2. However, “a second edge” of the first layer is only introduced in claim 2, which is not in the dependency chain of claim 6. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 7 depends upon claim 4 and recites the limitation “said third edge of said first layer” and “said fourth edge of said first layer”. However, a “third edge” and a “fourth edge” of said first layer are only introduced in claim 3, which is not in the dependency chain of claim 7. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 8 depends upon claim 4 and recites “said second edge of said second layer”, “said third edge of said second layer”, and “said fourth edge of said second layer”. However, a “second edge” of the second layer is only introduced in claim 6, and “third edge” and “fourth edge” of the second layer are only introduced in claim 7. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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.
Claims 1-7 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) or 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Cao van Truong (US 11542920).
Regarding claim 1, Cao van Truong discloses a wind turbine rotor blade comprising: a blade root (111), a blade tip (121), a leading edge (131), a trailing edge (141), a suction side (15), a pressure side (16), and a heatable surface area including at least one electrical heating element (20); wherein said heatable surface area covers a section of said leading edge and has a first edge facing said blade tip (Col. 5, Lines 20-35), a second edge facing said blade root (root facing end of 20 in the mid-board region 182), a third edge arranged on said suction side (20 has a defined chordwise extent on the suction side, creating a third edge), and a fourth edge arranged on said pressure side (20 has a defined chordwise extent on the pressure side creating a fourth edge); and, a first layer of an electrically insulating material (30), wherein said first layer is smaller than said heatable surface area (20 spans both regions and the shield covers only the outboard region, the shield is smaller than the heatable surface area) and is arranged on top of said at least one electrical heating element along said leading edge (Col. 3, Lines 18-25) and such that said first layer extends beyond said first edge of said heatable surface area (30 extends beyond the tip-facing edge of 20 toward the blade tip, directly meeting the requirement that the first layer extends beyond the first edge of the heatable surface area).
Regarding claim 2, Cao van Truong discloses the wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 1 above. Cao van Truong further discloses said first layer has a second edge facing said blade root (root-facing edge of 30 at the boundary of outboard region 183); and, at least a section of said second edge of said first layer is arranged on top of said heatable surface area in a distance from said second edge of said heatable surface area (root facing edge of 30 terminates at the outboard region boundary which is on top of the element 20; the shield’s root-facing edge is therefore at a distance from the root facing edge of 20).
Regarding claim 3, Cao van Truong discloses the wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 1 above. Cao van Truong further discloses at least one of: said first layer has a third edge on said suction side, at least a section of said third edge of said first layer is arranged on top of said heatable surface area at a distance from said third edge of said heatable surface area (Col. 2, Lines 30-35; less than 100%, suction side edge of the shield is inset from the heating mat suction side edge); and, said first layer has a fourth edge on said pressure side, at least a section of said fourth edge of said first layer is arranged on top of said heatable surface area at a distance from said fourth edge of said heatable surface area (same rationale with respect to the suction side above, but applied to the pressure side; coverage is less than 100% in the outboard region).
Regarding claims 4-5, Cao van Truong discloses the wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 1 above. Cao van Truong further discloses a second layer of an electrically insulating material (34 as an example); and, said second layer being smaller than said heatable surface area and being arranged on top of said at least one electrical heating element along said leading edge and such that said second layer extends beyond said first edge of said heatable surface area, wherein a first edge of said second layer in a longitudinal direction is arranged between said first edge of said heatable surface area and said first edge of said first layer (see Figures 7 and 9 which have further layers of electrically insulating material that can be divided into distinct layers and portions, combined with Figures 5-6 which shows the protective shield extends past the heating mat toward the blade tip and covers at least part of the leading edge, thereby extending beyond the heating mat tip facing edge; additionally, with 34 is narrower than 31 and does not extend to the full extent).
Regarding claims 6-7, Cao van Truong discloses the wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 4 above. Cao van Truong further discloses said second layer has a second edge facing said blade root (34 as an example covers leading edge and has a root-facing edge where it terminates); and, at least a section of said second edge of said second layer is arranged within a surface covered by said first layer and at a distance from said second edge of said first layer (34 arranged on top of the other shield, and terminates within the footprint of the other shield; see Figure 9); wherein at least one of: said second layer has a third edge on said suction side, at least a section of said third edge of said second layer is arranged within a surface covered by said first layer and at a predetermined distance from said third edge of said first layer (34 is narrower than 31 on the suction side, suction side edge of 34 terminates within the area covered by 31); and, said second layer has a fourth edge on said pressure side, wherein at least a section of said fourth edge of said second layer is arranged within a surface covered by said first layer and at a distance from said fourth edge of said first layer (34 is narrower than 31 on the pressure side, pressure side edge of 34 terminates within the area covered by 31).
Regarding claim 12, Regarding claims 6-7, Cao van Truong discloses the wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 1 above. Cao van Truong further discloses a lightning receptor arranged at said blade tip (200); and, said first edge of said heatable surface area being arranged at a distance in a range of 1 meter to 4 meters from said blade tip (Col. 3, lines 1-5 and Col. 5, Lines 30-35; “a few meters before” encompasses values within 1-4 meters).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cao van Truong (US 11542920).
Cao van Truong discloses the wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 4 above. Cao van Truong further discloses a first insulating layer (30/31) and a second insulating layer (example of 34), each smaller than the heatable surface area and extending beyond the tip-facing edge. The second layer is arranged within the footprint of the first layer.
Cao van Truong fails to teach a third layer of an electrically insulating material, wherein said third layer is smaller than said heatable surface area and is arranged on top of said at least one electrical heating element along said leading edge and such that said third layer extends beyond said first edge of said heatable surface area; said third layer being arranged at least one of: a first edge of said third layer in a longitudinal direction is arranged between said first edge of said heatable surface area and a first edge of said second layer; said third layer has a second edge facing said blade root; and, at least a section of said second edge of said third layer is arranged within a surface covered by said second layer and at a distance from said second edge of said second layer; said third layer has a third edge on said suction side, at least a section of said third edge of said third layer is arranged within a surface covered by said second layer and at a predetermined distance from said third edge of said second layer; and, said third layer has a fourth edge on said pressure side, wherein at least a section of said fourth edge of said third layer is arranged within a surface covered by said second layer and at a distance from said fourth edge of said second layer.
Claim 8 requires a third insulating layer arranged relative to the second layer in the same manner as the second layer is arranged relative to the first layer. Cao van Truong teaches the principle of stacking insulating layers with graduated coverage (Figure 9) with thickness reduction at overlapping areas to maintain constant combined thickness (Col. 4, Lines 1-7). Adding a third layer following the same staggering principle is a mere duplication of the already-taught two-layer arrangement. Because the outboard leading edge region as thew highest lightning risk, providing more insulation layers provides an increase in protection, and a third layer adds redundancy and graduated insulation thickness near the blade tip. There is a reasonable expectation of success because Cao van Truong already teaches reduced thickness at overlap zones to maintain constant combined thickness, and a third layer utilizing the same aforementioned technique is duplication. Mere duplication of parts has no patentable significance unless a new and unexpected result is produced, and adding the third layer produces the predictable result of additional lightning protection at the tip. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the blade of Cao van Truong such that a third layer of an electrically insulating material, wherein said third layer is smaller than said heatable surface area and is arranged on top of said at least one electrical heating element along said leading edge and such that said third layer extends beyond said first edge of said heatable surface area; said third layer being arranged at least one of: a first edge of said third layer in a longitudinal direction is arranged between said first edge of said heatable surface area and a first edge of said second layer; said third layer has a second edge facing said blade root; and, at least a section of said second edge of said third layer is arranged within a surface covered by said second layer and at a distance from said second edge of said second layer; said third layer has a third edge on said suction side, at least a section of said third edge of said third layer is arranged within a surface covered by said second layer and at a predetermined distance from said third edge of said second layer; and, said third layer has a fourth edge on said pressure side, wherein at least a section of said fourth edge of said third layer is arranged within a surface covered by said second layer and at a distance from said fourth edge of said second layer for the purposes of providing additional graduated insulation in the region nearest the blade tip where lightning risk is the greatest.
Claims 9-11 and 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cao van Truong (US 11542920) in view of Lipka (EP 2843228).
Regarding claim 9;
Cao van Truong discloses the wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 1 above. Cao van Truong further discloses the heating element (20) covered by electrically insulating protective shield (30). Cao van Truong further discloses the principle that exposed conductive heating material attracts lightning strikes (Col. 1, Lines 52-58).
Cao van Truong fails to teach said at least one electrical heating element includes a plurality of electrical heating elements arranged in a row along said leading edge; each of said plurality of electrical heating elements has a first edge facing said blade tip and a second edge facing said blade root; and, the wind turbine rotor blade further comprising at least one strip of an electrically insulating material arranged on top of the first edge of one of said plurality of electrical heating elements and on top of the second edge of an adjacent one of said plurality of electrical heating elements.
Lipka teaches a wind turbine rotor blade with an electrical heating element, including a plurality of heating elements in a row along the leading edge (elements 34; Figure 2). The heating elements are arranged in successive spanwise positions along the blade, forming a row along the leading edge. Each has a first edge facing the blade tip and a second edge facing the blade root (first edge 42, second edge 44).
Lipka teaches that segmenting a heating element system into multiple individual elements provides engineering benefit that are independent of lightning protection considerations. Specifically, Lipka teaches that at each radial position a heating element tuned to the local heating power demand can be used, thereby providing practical thermal management and maintenance advantages that motivate the segmented design. Cao van Truong teaches that conductive heating material on a blade surface creates “a preferred attachment area for a lightning leader”, and that a solution is to cover the conductive surface with an electrically insulating heat shield. When the heating system is segmented into multiple elements per Lipka, the boundaries between adjacent elements present exposed conductive edges. A person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that element boundaries are subject to the same risk and would apply the same known technique at those boundaries. The strip form factor follows from the geometry that the exposed area at a junction is a narrow band spanning the chordwise width of the element, and thereby the insulating materially takes the form of a strip bridging the tip-facing edge of one element and the root facing edge of the next.
It therefore would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the at before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the blade of Cao van Truong such that at least one electrical heating element includes a plurality of electrical heating elements arranged in a row along said leading edge; each of said plurality of electrical heating elements has a first edge facing said blade tip and a second edge facing said blade root; and, the wind turbine rotor blade further comprising at least one strip of an electrically insulating material arranged on top of the first edge of one of said plurality of electrical heating elements and on top of the second edge of an adjacent one of said plurality of electrical heating elements as taught by Lipka for the purposes of enabling zone-tuned heating power at different blade radii and modular replacement of damaged elements, and to apply insulating strips on top of the first edge of one element and the second edge of the adjacent element for the purposes of protecting the exposed conductive junctions from lightning attachment utilizing the same insulating technique of Cao van Truong applied to a singular heating mat surface.
Regarding claim 10;
Cao van Truong discloses the wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 1 above.
Cao van Truong fails to teach said at least one electrical heating element includes a plurality of electrical heating elements arranged in a row along said leading edge; each of said plurality of electrical heating elements has a first connecting section connected to a first electrical supply line on said suction side and a second connecting section connected to a second electrical supply line on said pressure side; and, the wind turbine rotor blade further comprising at least one strip of an electrically insulating material arranged on top of at least one of said first connecting section and said second connecting section.
Lipka teaches a wind turbine rotor blade with an electrical heating element, including a plurality of heating elements in a row along the leading edge (elements 34; Figure 2). The heating elements are arranged in successive spanwise positions along the blade, forming a row along the leading edge. Each has a first edge facing the blade tip and a second edge facing the blade root (first edge 42, second edge 44). Lipka further teaches portions of the heating conductor extending beyond the heating surface area to connection points (36) with a first supply line (30, pressure side) and a second supply line (32, suction side). These extend beyond the heating surface area to the supply line connection points and constitute connecting sections.
Lipka teaches that segmenting a heating element system into multiple individual elements provides engineering benefit that are independent of lightning protection considerations. Specifically, Lipka teaches that at each radial position a heating element tuned to the local heating power demand can be used, thereby providing practical thermal management and maintenance advantages that motivate the segmented design. Lipka further includes the required connection section and electrical supply lines to the respective pressure/suction side surfaces of the respective heating element areas. Cao van Truong teaches that conductive heating material on a blade surface creates “a preferred attachment area for a lightning leader”, and that a solution is to cover the conductive surface with an electrically insulating heat shield. When the heating system is segmented into multiple elements per Lipka, the boundaries between adjacent elements present exposed conductive edges. A person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that element boundaries are subject to the same risk and would apply the same known technique at those boundaries. The strip form factor follows from the geometry that the exposed area at a junction is a narrow band spanning the chordwise width of the element, and thereby the insulating materially takes the form of a strip bridging the tip-facing edge of one element and the root facing edge of the next.
It therefore would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the at before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the blade of Cao van Truong such that at least one electrical heating element includes a plurality of electrical heating elements arranged in a row along said leading edge; each of said plurality of electrical heating elements has a first connecting section connected to a first electrical supply line on said suction side and a second connecting section connected to a second electrical supply line on said pressure side; and, the wind turbine rotor blade further comprising at least one strip of an electrically insulating material arranged on top of at least one of said first connecting section and said second connecting section as taught by Lipka for the purposes of enabling zone-tuned heating power at different blade radii and modular replacement of damaged elements, and to apply insulating strips on top of the first edge of one element and the second edge of the adjacent element for the purposes of protecting the exposed conductive junctions from lightning attachment utilizing the same insulating technique of Cao van Truong applied to a singular heating mat surface.
Regarding claim 11, Cao van Truong as modified by Lipka teaches the wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 10 above. Cao van Truong as modified by Lipka further teaches at least one of: said first electrical supply line is arranged between said trailing edge and said third edge of said heatable surface area, said at least one strip of electrically insulating material arranged on top of said first connecting section extends from said third edge of said heatable surface area to said first electrical supply line or beyond; and, said second electrical supply line is arranged between said trailing edge and said fourth edge of said heatable surface area, said at least one strip of electrically insulating material arranged on top of said second connecting section extends from said fourth edge of said heatable surface area to said second electrical supply line or beyond (Lipka teaches supply lines on each side of the blade Paragraphs 35 and 40 which describes the supply lines on each side of the blade, and that they run along the blade between the trailing edge and the heatable surface area edges on their respective sides. The connecting sections extend from the heatable surface area to the supply lines, and as a result of the combination the insulating strips covering these connecting sections would extend from the heatable surface area edge to the supply line or beyond since the combination includes the application of insulating material for exposed conductive material).
Regarding claims 15-16;
Cao van Truong discloses the wind turbine blade according to claim 1 above.
Cao van Truong fails to teach said at least one electrical heating element includes a heating conductor fastened to a carrier layer of the wind turbine rotor blade, and said heating conductor includes a metal heating wire or a bundle of carbon fibers.
Lipka teaches a wind turbine rotor blade with a heating element arrangement, including a heating conductor (carbon fiber bundle 38) fastened to a carrier layer (58; see Paragraph 40). The heating conductor includes a metal heating wire or a bundle of carbon fibers (Paragraph 10).
Because Cao van Truong and Lipka are both directed to a wind turbine blade with an electrical heating element, it therefore would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the wind turbine blade of Cao van Truong such that said at least one electrical heating element includes a heating conductor fastened to a carrier layer of the wind turbine rotor blade, and said heating conductor includes a metal heating wire or a bundle of carbon fibers as taught by Lipka for the purposes of providing a heating element construction that is reliably integrated into the blade shell during manufacturing.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cao van Truong (US 11542920) in view of Bech (US 10156226).
Cao van Truong discloses the wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 1 above.
Cao van Truong fails to teach at least one additional lightning receptor arranged at least one of: between said trailing edge and said third edge of said heatable surface area; and, between said trailing edge and said fourth edge of said heatable surface area.
Bech teaches a wind turbine blade lightning protection system with an additional receptor between the trailing edge on the side of the blade (side receptors 154, 156 on windward and leeward face of the blade).
The side receptors of Bech are positioned on the pressure/suction side surfaces of the blade on the trailing edge side of the spar. The heating element of Cao van Truong includes the third/fourth edges on the suction/pressure sides. Because both Bech and Cao van Truong teach a wind turbine blade with lightning protection, and because Bech teaches a plurality of lightning receptors positioned on the the surface of the blade, it therefore would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the wind turbine blade of Cao van Truong such that at least one additional lightning receptor arranged at least one of: between said trailing edge and said third edge of said heatable surface area; and, between said trailing edge and said fourth edge of said heatable surface area as taught by Bech for the purposes of providing lighting strike interception coverage at intermediate spanwise positions; as a result of the combination because of where Bech teaches the lighting receptor positioning with the heating element of Cao van Truong, the receptors are positioned between the trailing edge and chordwise edges of the heatable surface area.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cao van Truong (US 11542920) in view of Loewe (US 9482208).
Cao van Truong discloses the wind turbine blade according to claim 1 above.
Cao van Truong fails to teach said insulating material includes glass fibers.
Loewe teaches a wind turbine blade with an electrical heating element (24, 30) and electrically insulating material including glass fibers (insulating layer 38, glass fiber reinforced plastics).
Because Cao van Truong is directed to a heating element for a wind turbine blade with insulating material, and because Loewe is directed to the same field of endeavor of a wind turbine blade with a heating element and insulating material, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the blade of Cao van Truong such that said insulating material includes glass fibers as taught by Loewe for the purposes of providing structural reinforcement to a lightweight insulating layer while maintaining its electrical insulation properties.
Conclusion
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/JUSTIN D SEABE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3745
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