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 .
Response to Amendment
Applicant's arguments filed 9/22/2025 with regard to amended claim 1 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant has amended claim 1 to include the limitations of previously rejected claim 11 and base claim 6. Regarding previous claim 11 and currently amended claim 1, Applicant argues that a rational connector would render the probe of Rondeau unsatisfactory (p. 12, “Remarks”, 9/22/2025). Examiner respectfully disagrees. Rondeau explicitly states, “It is to be understood that the various preferred embodiments of the present invention have been depicted and described with reference to a bayonet-type of engagement mechanism, whereas it is well known that other types of engagement mechanisms, such as threaded engagement mechanisms, exist, and can easily be substituted therefor.” (Col. 11, lines 30-35). A threaded engagement mechanism is a rotational relationship, e.g. a nut and bolt, or a bottle with a screw top.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 18-20 have been considered but are moot because the amendment to the claim changed the scope of the claim, thus resulting in a new ground of rejection.
However, Applicant’s arguments regarding claim 18 also apply to claim 13 and will be addressed. Applicant has not acknowledged the portion of the rejection that refers to Figs. 13 and 19, which show the alignment slots that are present but not shown in Fig. 20. These slots are the first connector grooves, as claimed.
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) 1-3, 5, 7-10, 12-15, and 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 5,548,674 Rondeau (herein “Rondeau”, cited on PTO-892 6/20/2025).
Regarding claim 1, Rondeau discloses in Figs. 20-24 (wherein probe 300 connects to connector 400), an optical system, comprising:
a first conduit including a first optics line (Fig. 20, 302 in 304) and a first fluid passage (space inside 304) extending longitudinally along the first optics line (shown in Figs. 20 and 22);
a second conduit including a second optics line (Fig. 20, 402 in 420) and a second fluid passage (space inside 420) extending longitudinally along the second optics line (shown in Figs 23); and
a conduit coupler (308/408) removably connecting the first conduit (304) to the second conduit (420) at an interface within the conduit coupler (308/408), the first optics line (302) optically coupled to the second optics line (402) at the interface, and the first fluid passage fluidly coupled with the second fluid passage (through ports 350 and 450) at the interface (col. 9, lines 50 – col. 10, line 31);
wherein the conduit coupler includes a first connector (308 and associated parts) and a second connector (408 and associated parts) longitudinally adjacent the first connector (308);
the first optics line (302) is mated with the first connector (308), and the first connector includes a first port (350) fluidly coupled with the first fluid passage (col. 9, lines 40-43);
the second optics line (402) is mated with the second connector (408), and the second connector includes a second port (450) fluidly coupled with the second fluid passage; and
the first fluid passage is fluidly coupled to the second fluid passage sequentially through the first port and the second port (col. 10, lines 15-31).
Regarding claim 1, Rondeau discloses a bayonet-type connection rather than first connector and the second connector are rotationally fixed within the conduit coupler (col. 10, lines 25-31). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to fix the connectors in any removable fashion that is known, including rotational, press-fit, bayonet-type, etc.
Regarding claim 2, Rondeau discloses in Figs. 20-24, the first optics (302) line comprises a plurality of first optical fibers (col. 3, lines 22-45);
the second optics line (402) comprises a plurality of second optical fibers (col. 3, lines 22-45); and
each of the plurality of first optical fibers is optically coupled to a respective one of the plurality of second optical fibers at the interface (col. 9, lines 50 – col. 10, line 31).
Regarding claim 3, Rondeau discloses in Figs. 20-24, the conduit coupler (308/408) is configured to align an end of each of the plurality of first optical fibers to an end of the respective one of the plurality of second optical fibers at the interface (col. 3, lines 22-45; col. 9, lines 50 – col. 10, line 31).
Regarding claim 5, Rondeau discloses in Figs. 20-24, the first fluid passage circumscribes the first optics line (302); and the second fluid passage circumscribes the second optics line (402) (col. 9, lines 50 – col. 10, line 31).
Regarding claim 7, Rondeau discloses in Figs. 20-24, the first port is one of a plurality of first ports (350) in the first connector (308) and fluidly coupled with the first fluid passage;
the second port (450) is one of a plurality of second ports (450) in the second connector (408) and fluidly coupled with the second fluid passage (450); and
the conduit coupler is configured to align each of the plurality of first ports (350) with a respective one of the plurality of second ports (450) at the interface (col. 10, lines 15-31).
Regarding claim 8, Rondeau discloses in Figs. 20-24, the first optics line (302) projects longitudinally into a first bore (342) of the first connector (308), and the plurality of first ports (350) are arranged circumferentially about the first bore (342); and
the second optics line (402) projects longitudinally into a second bore (through 440) of the second connector (408), and the plurality of second ports (450) are arranged circumferentially about the second bore.
Regarding claim 9, Rondeau discloses in Figs. 20-24, the first conduit further includes a first fluid tube (304) forming an outer periphery of the first fluid passage, the first optics line (302) projects longitudinally out of the first fluid tube (304) and into a first bore (342) of the first connector (308), and the first fluid tube projects longitudinally into a first counterbore of the first connector (308); and
the second conduit further includes a second fluid tube (422) forming an outer periphery of the second fluid passage, the second optics line (402) projects longitudinally out of the second fluid tube and into a second bore of the second connector (shown in Fig. 23), and the second fluid tube projects longitudinally into a second counterbore of the second connector (col. 10, lines 15-31).
Regarding claim 10, Rondeau discloses in Figs. 20-24, the first conduit is bonded to the first connector; and the second conduit is bonded to the second conduit (col. 3, lines 22-45; col. 9, lines 50-53; col. 10, lines 15-31).
Regarding claim 12, Rondeau discloses in Figs. 20-24, the conduit coupler further includes a seal element (460) engaged with and longitudinally between the first connector and the second connector (col. 10, lines 25-31).
Regarding claim 13, Rondeau discloses in Figs. 20-24, the first connector (308) includes a first connector groove (alignment slots, not pictured in fig. 20, but are present, see fig. 19 and fig. 13 slots 100 and 102);
the second connector (408) includes a second connector groove (410); and
the conduit coupler further includes a key (pins 311 and alignment features mating alignment slots) arranged in the first connector groove and the second connector groove (col. 9, lines 59-64).
Regarding claims 14 and 20, Rondeau discloses in Figs. 20-24 (wherein probe 300 connects to connector 400), an optical system, comprising:
a first conduit including a first optics line (Fig. 20, 302 in 304) and a first fluid passage (space inside 304) extending longitudinally and circumferentially along the first optics line (shown in Figs. 20 and 22);
a second conduit including a second optics line (Fig. 23, 402 in 404) and a second fluid passage (space inside 420/422) extending longitudinally and circumferentially along the second optics line (shown in Figs. 23 and 25); and the conduit coupler optically coupling the first optics line to the second optics line at an interface and the conduit coupler fluidly coupling the first fluid passage to the second fluid passage at the interface (col. 9, lines 50-53; col. 10, lines 25-31).
Rondeau expressly teaches a bayonet-type coupling but also acknowledges additional coupling options such as a threaded connection (col. 11, lines 27-36). Connector portion 408 could be threaded on the inside and connector portion 308 could be threaded on the outside, instead of using a bayonet-type connection.
In this case, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to fix the connectors with a threaded relationship, since Rondeau acknowledges that this is an acceptable alternative.
The Examiner notes that the limitation in claim 20, “the first optics line and the second optics line are configured to transfer information regarding one or more operational parameters of a rotor of a gas turbine engine from a first device to a second device” is an intended use type limitation. A recitation of the intended use of the claimed invention must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim. See In re Casey, 152 USPQ 235 (CCPA 1967) and In re Otto, 136 USPQ 458, 459 (CCPA 1963).
Regarding claim 15, Rondeau discloses in Figs. 20-24, further comprising: an optical probe comprising one of the first optics line or the second optics line (see fig. 11 showing lines); and a fluid source fluidly coupled to the optical probe through at least one of the first fluid passage or the second fluid passage (col. 10, lines 15-31).
Regarding claim 18, Rondeau discloses in Figs. 20-24 (wherein probe 300 connects to connector 400), an optical system, comprising:
a first conduit including a first optics line (Fig. 20, 302 in 304) and a first fluid passage (space inside 304);
a second conduit including a second optics line (Fig. 23, 402 in 404) and a second fluid passage (space inside 420/422); and
a conduit coupler (308/408) configured to optically couple the first optics line (302) to the second optics line (402), and the first fluid passage fluidly coupled with the second fluid passage and the conduit coupler including a first connector (308) and a second connector (408); (col. 9, line 50 – col. 10, line 31);
the first connector (308) including a first bore (342) and a first port (350) radially outboard of the first bore, the first optics line (302) received in the first bore (342), and the first port (350) fluidly coupled with the first fluid passage (col. 9, lines 21-49); and
the second connector (408) including a second bore (through 440) and a second port (450) radially outboard of the second bore, the second optics line (402) received in the second bore, and the second port (450) fluidly coupled with the second fluid passage and aligned with the first port (col. 9, lines 50-53; col. 10, lines 15-31);
wherein the first connector (308) includes a first connector groove (alignment slots, not pictured in fig. 20, but are present, see fig. 19 and fig. 13 slots 100 and 102);
the second connector (408) includes a second connector groove (410); and
the conduit coupler further includes a key (pins 311 and alignment features mating alignment slots) arranged in the first connector groove and the second connector groove (col. 9, lines 59-64).
Regarding claim 19, Rondeau discloses the conduit coupler further includes a seal element (460) engaged with and longitudinally between the first connector and the second connector (col. 10, lines 25-31).
Claim(s) 4, 16, and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 5,548,674 Rondeau (herein “Rondeau”, cited on PTO-892 6/20/2025) in view of US 4,015,894 Rocton (herein “Rocton”, cited on the IDS of 10/04/2024).
Regarding claim 4, Rondeau discloses an optical cable which generally is provided with a sheath or protective jacket. Rocton discloses a fiber optic cable connector having sheaths (9, 12) around said cables so as to allow for lateral connection of the cables without damaging the cables (col. 2, lines 11-24).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to include the sheaths taught by Rocton such that the system of Rondeau would have a first optical sheath circumscribing and extending longitudinally along the plurality of first optical fibers, and the first optical sheath is between the plurality of first optical fibers and the first fluid passage; and the second optics line further comprising a second optical sheath circumscribing and extending longitudinally along the plurality of second optical fibers, and the second optical sheath is between the plurality of second optical fibers and the second fluid passage. Including the sheaths of Rocton in the device of Rondeau would ensure a secure and stable connection while still allowing for being removably connected as claimed.
Regarding claims 16 and 17, Rondeau discloses a fiber optic probe, but is silent as to specifically a light source and sensor. These parts are generally understood to be necessary functioning parts of an optical fiber probe. Rocton explicitly discloses a light source and a sensor (col. 1, lines 7-11). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to include the light source and sensor taught by Rocton such that the system of Rondeau would function as a probe.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARY A EL-SHAMMAA whose telephone number is (571)272-2469. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm (flexible schedule).
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/MARY A EL-SHAMMAA/Examiner, Art Unit 2874
/THOMAS A HOLLWEG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2874