DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Status of Claims
Claims 1-3, 5-11 are pending.
Claim 4 is cancelled.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 12/2/25 has been entered.
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 1-3, 5-9 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.
Re claim 1, claim 1 recites, “the at least one stiffener” in line10. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claims. It appears this language is intended to recite, “the at least one added stiffener” and will be interpreted as such.
Claims 2-3, 5-9 are rejected as being dependent on a rejected claim.
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) 1-2, 7, 10-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over McCoskey, JR et al (“McCoskey”) (US 2004/0035979) in view of Victorazzo (US 2014/0186586).
Re claim 1, McCoskey discloses an isogrid structure (10; see [0046]) comprising:
a single panel (10) having triangular pockets ([0046] disclosing isogrid pockets);
at least one added stiffener (20) having a first side (left side of 20) and a second side (right side of 20);
wherein the added stiffener (20) is attached to the single panel (10); and
wherein the adjacent triangular pockets ([0046]; 42) from the single panel (10) are disposed on both the first side (left side of 20) and the second side (right side of 20) of the at least one added stiffener (20),
wherein the triangular pockets ([0046]; 42) are formed partly from ribs (18);
wherein the at least one stiffener (20) forms one side (Fig. 1) of the triangular pockets ([0046]; 42); and
wherein the at least one added stiffener (20) has a longitudinal axis (of 20) that spans a length (of 10) of the single panel (10) and the triangular pockets ([0046]; 42) are spaced along (Fig. 1) the longitudinal axis (Fig. 1),
but fails to disclose at least one pad-up formed along an edge of adjacent triangular pockets, the added stiffener attached on the at least one pad-up.
However, Victorazzo discloses at least one pad-up (52) formed along an edge (of the pockets between 12 and 14) of adjacent triangular pockets (between 12 and 14; per the above), the added stiffener (14) attached on (Fig. 3B-3E) the at least one pad-up (62).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the isogrid structure of McCoskey with at least one pad-up formed along an edge of adjacent triangular pockets, the added stiffener attached on the at least one pad-up as disclosed by Victorazzo in order to reinforce the connection at the attachment location to manage high stress, improve damage tolerance without incurring a weight penalty of increasing the thickness of the entire structure, as is the normal and logical manner of use of a pad-up, and as pad-ups are very well-known and common in the art.
Re claim 2, McCoskey as modified discloses the isogrid structure of claim 1, but fails to disclose wherein the at least one added stiffener comprises at least one mouse hole which forms a tunnel for two of the adjacent triangular pockets of the single panel to pass beneath the added stiffener.
However, Victorazzo discloses wherein the at least one added stiffener (14) comprises at least one mouse hole (20a) which forms a tunnel (20a) for two of the adjacent triangular pockets (via the above, per 12) of the single panel (16a) to pass beneath (Fig. 3E) the added stiffener (14).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the isogrid structure of McCoskey wherein the at least one added stiffener comprises at least one mouse hole which forms a tunnel for two of the adjacent triangular pockets of the single panel to pass beneath the added stiffener as disclosed by Victorazzo in order to add modularity to the structure for smaller items for shipping and transportation, and to allow for the features passing therethrough to have increased strength and rigidity as compared to segmented features.
Re claim 7, McCoskey as modified discloses the isogrid structure of claim 1, wherein the at least one added stiffener (20) is tapered along a length (Claim 10) of the at least one added stiffener (20).
Re claim 10, McCoskey discloses an isogrid structure (10; see [0046]) comprising:
a single panel (10) having adjacent triangular pockets ([0046] disclosing isogrid pockets), the adjacent triangular pockets ([0046]; 42) are formed from ribs (18); and
at least one added stiffener (20) attached to the single panel (10); and
wherein one side (of 42; [0046]) of the adjacent triangular pockets (42; [0046]) is formed by the at least one added stiffener (20), so that a triangular pocket structure ([0046]) is maintained throughout the single panel (10),
but fails to disclose at least one pad-up formed along an edge of adjacent triangular pockets, the added stiffener attached on the at least one pad-up, wherein the at least one pad-up is along one side of the adjacent triangular pockets formed from ribs and wherein the at least one pad-up extends an entire length from a topmost edge to a bottommost edge of the single panel.
However, Victorazzo discloses at least one pad-up (52) formed along an edge (of the pockets between 12 and 14) of adjacent triangular pockets (between 12 and 14; per the above), the added stiffener (14) attached on (Fig. 3B-3E) the at least one pad-up (62), wherein the at least one pad-up (62) is along one side (Fig. 3B) of the adjacent triangular pockets (between 12 and 14; per the above) formed from ribs (12) and wherein the at least one pad-up (62) extends an entire length (Fig. 3B) from a topmost edge (top edge of 16) to a bottommost edge (bottom edge of 16) of the single panel (16).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the isogrid structure of McCoskey with at least one pad-up formed along an edge of adjacent triangular pockets, the added stiffener attached on the at least one pad-up, wherein the at least one pad-up is along one side of the adjacent triangular pockets formed from ribs and wherein the at least one pad-up extends an entire length from a topmost edge to a bottommost edge of the single panel as disclosed by Victorazzo in order to reinforce the connection at the attachment location to manage high stress, improve damage tolerance without incurring a weight penalty of increasing the thickness of the entire structure, as is the normal and logical manner of use of a pad-up, and as pad-ups are very well-known and common in the art.
Re claim 11, McCoskey discloses an isogrid structure (10; see [0046]) comprising:
a single panel (10) having adjacent triangular pockets ([0046] disclosing isogrid pockets), the adjacent triangular pockets ([0046]; 42) are formed from ribs (18); and
at least one added stiffener (20) attached to the single panel (10); and
wherein one side (of 42; [0046]) of the adjacent triangular pockets (42; [0046]) is formed by the at least one added stiffener (20), so that a triangular pocket structure ([0046]) is maintained throughout the single panel (10),
wherein the at least one added stiffener (20) is tapered along an entire length (Claim 10) of the at least one added stiffener (20) from a topmost edge (longitudinal center of 10) to a bottommost edge (side edges of 1) of the single panel (10),
but fails to disclose at least one pad-up formed along a side of adjacent triangular pockets, the added stiffener attached on the at least one pad-up.
However, Victorazzo discloses at least one pad-up (52) formed along a side (of the pockets between 12 and 14) of adjacent triangular pockets (between 12 and 14; per the above), the added stiffener (14) attached on (Fig. 3B-3E) the at least one pad-up (62).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the isogrid structure of McCoskey with at least one pad-up formed along a side of adjacent triangular pockets, the added stiffener attached on the at least one pad-up as disclosed by Victorazzo in order to reinforce the connection at the attachment location to manage high stress, improve damage tolerance without incurring a weight penalty of increasing the thickness of the entire structure, as is the normal and logical manner of use of a pad-up, and as pad-ups are very well-known and common in the art.
Claim(s) 3, 5-6, 8-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over McCoskey, JR et al (“McCoskey”) (US 2004/0035979) in view of Victorazzo (US 2014/0186586) and Kunichi et al (“Kunichi”) (US 2009/0314892).
Re claim 3, McCoskey as modified discloses the isogrid structure of claim 2, but fails to disclose wherein said at least one mouse hole is edged to provide reinforcement.
However, Kunichi discloses wherein said at least one mouse hole (21d) is edged (21n) to provide reinforcement ([0030]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the isogrid structure of McCoskey wherein said at least one mouse hole is edged to provide reinforcement as disclosed by Kunichi in order to reduce the chance of cracking at the mouse hole.
Re claim 5, McCoskey as modified discloses the isogrid structure of claim 1, but fails to disclose wherein the at least one added stiffener has a bottom flange.
However, Kunichi discloses wherein the at least one added stiffener (21) has a bottom flange (21f).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the isogrid structure of McCoskey wherein the at least one added stiffener has a bottom flange as disclosed by Kunichi in order to provide a flange for mounting ([0029]) or to increase the strength and rigidity of the added stiffener.
Re claim 6, McCoskey as modified discloses the isogrid structure of claim 5, but fails to disclose wherein the bottom flange is thicker than the pad-up formed along the edge of the adjacent triangular pockets of the single panel.
However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the isogrid structure of McCoskey wherein the bottom flange is thicker than the pad-up formed along the edge of the adjacent triangular pockets of the single panel in order to increase the rigidity and strength along the edge at the bottom flange. In addition, a change in size is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Rose, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955).
Re claim 8, McCoskey as modified discloses the isogrid structure of claim 5, Kunichi discloses wherein the bottom flange (21f) of the at least one added stiffener (21) comprises a fastener (27) for attaching the at least one added stiffener (21) to the single panel (20), but fails to disclose the fastener as at least one of glue, welding, or bolts.
However, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the isogrid structure of McCoskey with disclose the fastener as at least one of glue, welding, or bolts (instead of rivets 27) in order to provide superior strength, a seamless appearance, and provide leak proof seal (such as by adhesion or welding). In addition, it has been held that simple substitution of one known element for another to obtain predictable results is within the level of ordinary skill in the art. See MPEP 2143(B).
Re claim 9, McCoskey as modified discloses the isogrid structure of claim 5, Victorazzo discloses wherein the at least one pad-up (62) has a thickness (Fig. 3B), Kunichi discloses the bottom flange (21f) has a thickness (Fig. 4), and McCoskey discloses the triangular pockets ([0046]; 42) have a thickness (Fig. 5), but fails to disclose wherein the thickness of the bottom flange is equal to or greater than the thickness of the at least one pad-up plus the thickness of the triangular pockets.
However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the isogrid structure of McCoskey wherein the thickness of the bottom flange is equal to or greater than the thickness of the at least one pad-up plus the thickness of the triangular pockets in order to increase the rigidity and strength along the edge at the bottom flange. In addition, a change in size is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Rose, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO 892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KYLE WALRAED-SULLIVAN whose telephone number is (571)272-8838. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:30am - 5:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Brian Mattei can be reached at (571)270-3238. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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KYLE WALRAED-SULLIVAN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3635
/KYLE J. WALRAED-SULLIVAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3635