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 amendment filed 9/9/2025 is noted. The amendment to claims 1 specifying “providing an aircraft component” overcomes the rejection under 35 USC 102 over Wang (US 2016/0221255), since such must provide a component from an aircraft. Upon further consideration, a new rejection of claim 18 is provided below.
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.
Claim(s) 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wang (US 2016/0221255).
Regarding claim 18, Wang teaches a method, comprising: arranging a first thermoplastic composite body (workpiece 106, which may be a thermoplastic composite) on a rigid support structure (supporting structure 102), the first thermoplastic composite body 106 contacting the rigid support structure 102 (Fig. 5, 9; [0064, 0066-0071, 0109, 0122]); arranging a second thermoplastic composite body (workpiece 104, which may also be a thermoplastic composite) on the first thermoplastic composite body 106, the second thermoplastic composite body 104 contacting the first thermoplastic composite body 106 (Fig. 5; [0064, 0066-0071]); arranging energy transmission material (membrane 502) on the second thermoplastic composite body 104, wherein the first thermoplastic composite body 106 and the second thermoplastic composite body 104 are disposed between the rigid support structure 102 and the energy transmission material 502 (Fig. 5, 9; [0057, 0109, 0122]); and ultrasonic welding the second thermoplastic composite body 104 to the first thermoplastic composite body 106 using an ultrasonic horn 504, wherein the energy transmission material 502 is arranged between the second thermoplastic composite body 104 and the ultrasonic horn 504 (Fig. 6-8; [0059, 0078, 0092-0094]) and further comprising lifting the energy transmission material 502 off of the second thermoplastic composite body 104 following the ultrasonic welding (Fig. 7-8; [0094-0096]). Wang further teaches that such components can be used in various parts, such as air ducts and lamps (0004). Air ducts and lamps are capable of use in an aircraft. Applicant has not claimed any specific structure, so as to differentiate over the prior art. The intended use thus does not distinguish over Wang.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-14, 16, 17, 19 and 20 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art of Wang fails to teach the actual providing of an aircraft component in the ultrasonic method disclosed therein, along with the providing of the energy transmission material.
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/PHILIP C TUCKER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1745