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 .
Specification
The abstract is objected to because of the following informalities:
The abstract line 1 recites, “Embodiments of the present disclosure provide” which is implied and should be deleted. Similarly in line 7 of the abstract.
Appropriate correction is required.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims.
Therefore, the bearings of claims 3-5, the telescopic connecting member (note nothing is shown to be telescoping in element 301, at best appears to be folding in the figs.) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 1-12 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, “the wing element unit is correspondingly connected to a wing support rod on an aircraft main body”. It is unclear what the claim requires as the preamble recites “for an aircraft” however “connected to” is a positive limitation of the wing support rod and aircraft main body which are not part to the wing element structure. The office suggests –configured to connect to--.
Claims 2-12 are rejected based on their dependency on claim 1.
Claim 3 recites, “a wing leading edge support rod connecting member”. It is unclear if this is the same as the “wing support rod connecting member” of claim 1.
Claim 3 recites, “the first wing element unit support member passes through and is connected to the wing leading edge support rod connecting member”. As best understood applicant’s first wing element unit support member is 15 and 18, it is unclear how these units “pass through” a wing leading edge support rod connecting member understood to be 110. In the figs. the two support rods connect to 110 but do not “pass through” as one unit. Therefor as best understood the claim will be examined as connected to. Claims 4 and 5 are similarly rejected.
Claim 4 recites, “a wing trailing edge support rod connecting member”. It is unclear if this is the same as the “wing support rod connecting member” of claim 1.
Claim 5 recites, “wing middle support rod connecting member”. It is unclear if this is the same as the “wing support rod connecting member” of claim 1.
Claim 6 recites, “the flexible connecting member can telescopically connect adjacent wing element edge members”. It is unclear if telescopic connection is actually required by the claim.
Claim 7 recites, “the first wing rod connecting member”. There is a lack of antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Further it is unclear if this is the same as the “wing support rod connecting member” of claim 1.
Claim 7 recites, “the first wing element unit” and “the second wing element unit”. There is a lack of antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 7 recites, “the second wing rod connecting member”. There is a lack of antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Further it is unclear if this is the same as the “wing support rod connecting member” of claim 1.
Claim 9 recites, “the first leading edge support rod connecting member”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claims. It is unclear if this is the same as the “wing support rod connecting member” of claim 1.
Claim 9 recites, ““the second wing support rod connecting member”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claims. It is unclear if this is the same as the “wing support rod connecting member” of claim 1.
Claim 10 recites, “the wing element structure is sleeved on the wing support rods”. It is unclear if the “sleeve” is the same as “the wing support rod connecting member of claim 1.
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) 1-2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) in view of Tian (CN 109515683, provided herein, see English translation provided herein).
For claim 1, Tian discloses a wing element structure for an aircraft (abstract and figs.), comprising a plurality of wing element units (I, II, III, see fig. 1 for instance), wherein adjacent wing element units are connected by airfoil control units (3, 51) and wing element outer edge connecting members (13), each of the wing element units comprises a plurality of wing element edge members (I, II, III) connected to one another (fig. 1) and a wing support rod connecting member (see hole in fig. 1), and the wing support rod connecting member in the wing element unit is correspondingly connected to a wing support rod on an aircraft main body (clear that a rod will extend through the circular opening in fig. 1 to the aircraft).
For claim 2, Tian discloses wherein the plurality of wing element units comprise a wing element leading edge unit (I) and a wing element trailing edge unit (III), and at least one wing element middle unit (II) is provided between the wing element leading edge unit and the wing element trailing edge unit (see fig. 1).
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(s) 3-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tian in view of Riley (GB 2201384, provided herein).
For claim 3, Tian teaches wherein the wing element leading edge unit comprises a wing element leading edge arc-shaped member, a first wing element edge member, an eighth wing element edge member (see annotated fig. below), and a wing leading edge support rod connecting member (see wing support rod connecting member in annotated fig. below);
a first end of the first wing element edge member and a first end of the eighth wing element edge member are respectively connected to a first end and a second end of the wing element leading edge arc-shaped member (see annotated fig. below);
a second end of the first wing element edge element and a second end of the eighth wing element edge member are respectively connected and connected by a first wing element unit support member (one of the rods 5), and the first wing element unit support member passes through and is connected to the wing leading edge support rod connecting member (5 is connected to the hole in 1 via the skin/wall of the wing element, as best understood).
Tian is silent about connecting element via a first and sixth roller bearing.
Riley teaches connect wing element attached to each other via a roller bearing (see fig. 4, roller bearings 16 attaching slat 1 to wing 3).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to make the wing element of Tian connected via roller bearings, as taught by Riley, with a reasonable expectation of success, in order to allow for relative movement between adjacent wing elements.
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For claim 4, Tian teaches wherein the wing element trailing edge unit comprises a wing element trailing edge wedge-shaped member, a fourth wing element edge member, a fifth wing element edge member (see annotated figs. above) and a wing trailing edge support rod connecting member (see wing support rod connecting member in annotated fig. above);
a first end of the fourth wing element edge member and a first end of the fifth wing element edge member are respectively connected to a first end and a second end of the wing element trailing edge wedge-shaped member (see annotated fig. above);
a second end of the fourth wing element edge member and a second end of the fifth wing element edge member are respectively connected and connected by a third wing element unit support member (one of the rods 5), and the third wing element unit support member passes through and is connected to the wing trailing edge support rod connecting member (5 is connected to the hole in 1 via the skin/wall of the wing element, as best understood).
Tian is silent about connecting element via a third and fourth roller bearing.
Riley teaches connect wing element attached to each other via a roller bearing (see fig. 4, roller bearings 16 attaching slat 1 to wing 3).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to make the wing element of Tian connected via roller bearings, as taught by Riley, with a reasonable expectation of success, in order to allow for relative movement between adjacent wing elements.
For claim 5, Tian further teaches wherein the wing element middle unit comprises a second wing element edge member, a third wing element edge member, a sixth wing element edge member, a seventh wing element edge member (see annotated fig. above), and a wing middle support rod connecting member (see wing support rod connecting member in annotated fig. above);
a first end of the second wing element edge member and a first end of the third wing element edge member are connected; and
a first end of the sixth wing element edge member and a first end of the seventh wing element edge member are connected;
the second rolling bearing and the fifth rolling bearing are connected by a second wing element unit support member (one of the rods 5), and the second wing element unit support member passes through and is connected to the wing middle support rod connecting member (5 is connected to the hole in 1 via the skin/wall of the wing element, as best understood).
Tian is silent about connecting element via a second and fifth roller bearing.
Riley teaches connect wing element attached to each other via a roller bearing (see fig. 4, roller bearings 16 attaching slat 1 to wing 3).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to make the wing element of Tian connected via roller bearings, as taught by Riley, with a reasonable expectation of success, in order to allow for relative movement between adjacent wing elements.
Claim(s) 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tian in view of Pitt et al. (US 8534611).
For claim 6, Tian is silent about wherein the wing element edge members of adjacent wing element units are connected by the wing element outer edge connecting members, each wing element outer edge connecting member comprise a flexible connecting member and a sliding cover plate; the flexible connecting member can telescopically connect adjacent wing element edge members, one end of the sliding cover plate is fixedly connected to an end of one wing element edge member, and the other end of the sliding cover plate is slidably connected to an end of the other adjacent wing element edge member.
Pitt teaches a wing having wing element edge member and outer edge member (810, 812) where the wing element edge members of adjacent wing element units are connected by the wing element outer edge connecting members (802, 818), each wing element outer edge connecting member comprise a flexible connecting member (818) and a sliding cover plate(802); the flexible connecting member can telescopically connect adjacent wing element edge members (as best understood not required or shown in applicant’s figures), one end of the sliding cover plate is fixedly connected to an end of one wing element edge member, and the other end of the sliding cover plate is slidably connected to an end of the other adjacent wing element edge member (see figs. 8-9).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to make the wing of Tian include wing out edge connecting member as detailed above, as taught by Pitt, with a reasonable expectation of success, in order effective connect flexible members and protect the inner wing structure from damage during deformation.
For claim 7, modified Tian teaches wherein each of the airfoil control units comprises
a sliding ring connecting rod, a sliding ring and a sliding rod (see annotated fig. below),
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wherein one end of the sliding ring connecting rod is connected to a side surface of the first wing support rod connecting member of the first wing element unit (see fig. 1, all elements are connected together), and the other end of the sliding ring connecting rod is connected to the sliding ring (see annotated fig. above, connect via sliding rod); the sliding rod is provided on a side surface of the second wing support rod connecting member of the second wing element unit adjacent to the first wing element unit and extends towards the direction of the first wing support rod connecting member (as best understood the rod is provided in the structure, all elements are connected to the wing support rod connecting member annotated above), and the sliding ring is sleeved on the sliding rod and can slide along the sliding rod in a reciprocating manner (see figs.).
Claim(s) 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tian in view of Yang (CN 110466755, hereafter referred to as Yang, see English translation provided herein).
For claim 10, Tian teaches a wing structure, comprising the wing element structure according to claim 1 (see claim 1 above) and a wing support rod, wherein the wing element structure is sleeved on the wing support rod (see fig. 1 of Tian, hole through the wing structure allowing it the be sleeved on a rod).
Tian is silent about wherein a plurality of parallel wing support rods, wherein the wing element structure is sleeved on the wing support rods.
Yang teaches a wing structure (see fig. 13 for instance) wherein a plurality of parallel wing support rods, wherein the wing element structure is sleeved on the wing support rods (rods A7, A63, fig. 13).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to make the wing structure of Tian include a plurality of parallel wing support rods, as taught by Yang, with a reasonable expectation of success, to firmly and securely fit the wing structure to the aircraft.
For claim 11, modified Tian further teaches an aircraft, using the wing structure according to claim 10 (abstract and figs., see claim 10 above).
Claim(s) 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tian in view of Luo (WO 2019/080182, provided herein, see English translation provided herein).
For claim 12, Tian is silent about wherein cross-shaped sliding grooves are provided on an aircraft main body of the aircraft, and the cross-shaped sliding grooves are correspondingly connected to the wing support rods.
Luo teaches an aircraft wing structure (abstract and figs.) including cross shaped sliding grooves (111, see fig. 8) provided on the aircraft main body and the cross-shaped sliding grooves are correspondingly connected to the wing support rods (331, 33, see figs. 1-5, 8).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to make the aircraft of Tian include cross shaped sliding grooves, as taught by Luo, with a reasonable expectation of success, in order to attach the wings to the aircraft main body.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-9 might be allowable if rewritten 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 and to include 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.
The prior art of record is noted as it pertains to deflecting or morphing wing systems.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MAGDALENA TOPOLSKI whose telephone number is (571)270-3568. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Joshua Huson can be reached on 5712705301. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MAGDALENA TOPOLSKI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3642