Appeal No. 2002-2143
Application No. 09/482,038
Attention is directed to the brief (Paper No. 10) and answer
(Paper No. 11) for the respective positions of the appellant and
examiner regarding the merits of this rejection.2
DISCUSSION
Kelly, the examiner’s primary reference, discloses a solar
panel and wind turbine assembly 1 which includes a horizontal
open framework 2, solar panels 3 containing solar cells 4 carried
on the framework, vertical posts 5 supporting the framework above
a surface (e.g., a roof) and vertical wind turbines 6 rotatably
mounted on the vertical posts. Each turbine consists of a vaned
rotor 6a, a fairing hood 6b and a generator housing and drive
assembly 6c. Of particular interest in this appeal is the
relationship between the vane rotors and the vertical posts:
The vaned rotor consists of a top and bottom rotor
disc, along with two intermediate discs, as four
identical rotor discs 6d. The four, or more, discs 6d,
are slotted to retain the flat, thin vertical vanes or
blades 6e, of the vaned rotor 6a.
Since the vaned rotor 6a, is slotted to facilitate
assembly, orbiting ball bearings 6f, must be utilized
to allow the rotor to spin freely on the vertical
support posts 5.
The orbiting ball bearings 6f, at the top and
bottom of the vaned rotor 6a, will be positioned on the
rotor discs 6d, by the bearing 6g.
2 The final rejection (Paper No. 7) contained an additional
rejection under 35 U.S.C. § 112, second paragraph, which was
subsequently withdrawn by the examiner (see page 2 in the
answer).
3
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