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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claim Objections
Claim 8 is objected to because of the following informalities: “A gas turbine engine with electrically boosted cooling air system” is apparently in error for “A gas turbine engine with an electrically boosted cooling air system”. Appropriate correction is required.
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 3-5, 19 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.
In claim 3, “a second cooling air supply line” is indefinite because “second” implies a first. However, a first supply line has not been defined. It is unclear if the claim requires a first and a second, or only a second.
In claim 4, “said first cooling air supply line” lacks antecedent basis.
In claim 5, “said second cooling air supply line” lacks antecedent basis.
In claim 19, “the cooling air supply line” is indefinite because “at least one cooling air supply line” was defined. It is unclear if there is a single line or a possible plurality.
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, 6-9, 13-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO97/23715 (Kail) in view of US 10794290 (Snape).
Regarding claim 1-3, 6-7, Kail teaches an cooling air system comprising: a high pressure compressor (Fig 2 or 3; high pressure compressor 4); at least one cooling air supply line coupling the high pressure compressor with at least one of a high pressure turbine and a low pressure turbine (cooling air supply line 12 and 34 or 34’ coupling compressor 4 with a high pressure turbine – construed as the first stage turbine 30 – and a low pressure turbine – construed as any one of the later stages); and a compressor fluidly coupled with the at least one cooling air supply line (compressor/pump 14); wherein the compressor is configured to provide at least one of a pressure increase and a flow rate increase for cooling air supplied from the high pressure compressor (page 4, Fig 2 or 3; compressor 14 increases pressure of cooling air), wherein said at least one cooling air supply line includes a first cooling air supply line fluidly coupled between the high pressure compressor and the high pressure turbine (annotated below), wherein said at least one cooling air supply line includes a second cooling air supply line fluidly coupled between the high pressure compressor and the low pressure turbine (annotated below), wherein said electrically powered centrifugal compressor is configured to provide additional cooling air pressure and cooling air flow rate responsive to a predetermined gas turbine engine demand for cooling air (compressor 14 raises the pressure, and therefore the cooling air flow to deliver a certain amount of air to the turbine; the claim does not define what the “predetermined” demand is, or how it is determined; the amount that is delivered in Kail is construed as meeting the “predetermined” demand because Kail delivers a desired amount to the turbine), wherein said predetermined gas turbine engine demand for cooling air is selected from the group consisting of a power demand above a cruise operation condition; an off-normal engine operation condition, a certification testing engine operation condition; and a gap in cooling air source pressure (a “gap in cooling air source pressure” can be construed as the difference between the pressure at the source – where compressor bleed is extracted from compressor 4 – and the pressure downstream of the boost compressor 14).
Kail fails to teach the compressor being an electrically powered centrifugal compressor. However, Snape teaches a pump raising the pressure of a compressor bleed gas, the pump being an electrically powered centrifugal compressor (Fig 3; col 5 l. 63-col 6 l. 11, col 9 ll. 22-25; electric motor driving compressor 105). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to make the compressor an electrically powered centrifugal compressor, as taught by Snape. It has been held that combining or simple substitution of prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results renders the limitation obvious (see MPEP 2141 (III)). In this case, making the compressor an electrically powered centrifugal compressor, yields predictable results.
Regarding claim 8-9, 13, Kail teaches a gas turbine engine with a cooling air system (Fig 2 or 3) comprising: a high pressure compressor (4); a high pressure turbine (first stage turbine 30); a low pressure turbine (any one of the later stages of turbine 2); a first cooling air supply line fluidly coupled between the high pressure compressor and the high pressure turbine (line 34 coupled to the high pressure turbine and the high pressure compressor); a second cooling air supply line fluidly coupled between the high pressure compressor and the low pressure turbine (annotated below); and a compressor fluidly coupled with at least one of the first cooling air supply line and the second cooling air supply line (compressor/pump 14); wherein the compressor is configured to provide at least one of a pressure increase and a flow rate increase for cooling air supplied from the high pressure compressor (page 4, Fig 2 or 3; compressor 14 increases pressure of cooling air), wherein at least one of the first cooling air supply line and the second cooling air supply line are fluidly coupled with a bleed air source having a pressure below a predetermined value; wherein said electrically powered centrifugal compressor is configured to increase the pressure of the cooling air to the predetermined value (bleed air source is the extraction point at the compressor 4; boost compressor 14 then raises the pressure, and therefore the cooling air flow to deliver a certain amount of cooling air to the turbine; the air pressure is implicitly below a certain value – e.g. the “predetermined value” - prior to flowing through the compressor 14, and then at or above that value after flowing through the compressor 14; the claim does not define what the “predetermined” demand is, or how it is determined; the amount that is delivered in Kail is construed as meeting the “predetermined” value because Kail delivers a desired amount to the turbine), wherein the electrically powered centrifugal compressor is configured to operate during a hot shutdown engine condition to provide ventilation to the gas turbine engine (“a recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus if the prior art apparatus teaches all the structural limitations of the claim" see MPEP 2114 [R-1]; in this case, the claim does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from Kail in view of Snape because Kail in view of Snape teaches the claimed apparatus – e.g. the cooling air supply lines, the electrically powered centrifugal compressor, etc. The limitations “compressor is configured to” do not differentiate the claimed apparatus because Kail’s compressor provides ventilation to the gas turbine engine).
Kail fails to teach the compressor being an electrically powered centrifugal compressor. However, Snape teaches a pump raising the pressure of a compressor bleed gas, the pump being an electrically powered centrifugal compressor (Fig 3; col 5 l. 63-col 6 l. 11, col 9 ll. 22-25; electric motor driving compressor 105). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to make the compressor an electrically powered centrifugal compressor, as taught by Snape. It has been held that combining or simple substitution of prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results renders the limitation obvious (see MPEP 2141 (III)). In this case, making the compressor an electrically powered centrifugal compressor, yields predictable results.
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Regarding claim 14-17, Kail teaches a process for electrically boosting a gas turbine cooling air system (Fig 2 or 3) comprising: fluidly coupling at least one cooling air supply line between a high pressure compressor and at least one of a high pressure turbine and a low pressure turbine (cooling air supply line 12 and 34 coupling compressor 4 with a high pressure turbine – construed as the first stage turbine 30 – and a low pressure turbine – construed as any one of the later stages); fluidly coupling a compressor with the at least one cooling air supply line (compressor 14); providing at least one of a pressure increase and a flow rate increase with the compressor for cooling air supplied from the high pressure compressor (page 4, Fig 2 or 3; compressor 14 increases pressure of cooling air), providing additional cooling air pressure and cooling air flow rate with the electrically powered centrifugal compressor responsive to a predetermined gas turbine engine demand for cooling air (compressor 14 raises the pressure, and therefore the cooling air flow to deliver a certain amount of air to the turbine; the claim does not define what the “predetermined” demand is, or how it is determined; the amount that is delivered in Kail is construed as meeting the “predetermined” demand because Kail delivers a desired amount to the turbine), wherein said predetermined gas turbine engine demand for cooling air is selected from the group consisting of a power demand above a cruise operation condition; an off-normal engine operation condition, a certification testing engine operation condition; and a gap in cooling air source pressure (a “gap in cooling air source pressure” can be construed as the difference between the pressure at the source – where compressor bleed is extracted from compressor 4 – and the pressure downstream of the boost compressor 14), fluidly coupling the at least one cooling air supply line with a bleed air source having a pressure below a predetermined value; and increasing the pressure of the cooling air to the predetermined value employing said electrically powered centrifugal compressor (bleed air source is the extraction point at the compressor 4; boost compressor 14 then raises the pressure, and therefore the cooling air flow to deliver a certain amount of cooling air to the turbine; the air pressure is implicitly below a certain value – e.g. the “predetermined value” - prior to flowing through the compressor 14, and then at or above that value after flowing through the compressor 14; the claim does not define what the “predetermined” demand is, or how it is determined; the amount that is delivered in Kail is construed as meeting the “predetermined” value because Kail delivers a desired amount to the turbine).
Kail fails to teach the compressor being an electrically powered centrifugal compressor. However, Snape teaches a pump raising the pressure of a compressor bleed gas, the pump being an electrically powered centrifugal compressor (Fig 3; col 5 l. 63-col 6 l. 11, col 9 ll. 22-25; electric motor driving compressor 105). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to make the compressor an electrically powered centrifugal compressor, as taught by Snape. It has been held that combining or simple substitution of prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results renders the limitation obvious (see MPEP 2141 (III)). In this case, making the compressor an electrically powered centrifugal compressor, yields predictable results.
Claim(s) 4-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO97/23715 (Kail) in view of US 10794290 (Snape), and further in view of US 2021/0372623 (Kulkarni).
Regarding claim 4-5, Kail in view of Snape fails to teach said first cooling air supply line is fluidly coupled with at least one of the high pressure compressor sixth stage, seventh stage, eighth stage, ninth stage and tenth stage, or wherein said second cooling air supply line is fluidly coupled with at least one of the high pressure compressor second stage, third stage and fourth stage. However, Kulkarni teaches that bleed air may be extracted at different stages of the compressor in order to provide a desired temperature and pressure (para 29, 42). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to make said first cooling air supply line is fluidly coupled with at least one of the high pressure compressor sixth stage, seventh stage, eighth stage, ninth stage and tenth stage, or said second cooling air supply line is fluidly coupled with at least one of the high pressure compressor second stage, third stage and fourth stage in order to provide a desired temperature and pressure, as taught by Kulkarni. It has been held that “where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation”. In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955), MPEP 2144.05 IIA. In this case, Kail in view of Snape teaches extracting compressor air from different locations in the compressor (Fig 3 of Kail) and Kulkarni teaches that the stage of extraction is a results-effective variable, affecting the temperature and pressure of the bleed air. Discovering the optimum or workable locations/stages involves only routine skill in the art.
Claim(s) 7, 10, 16, 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO97/23715 (Kail) in view of US 10794290 (Snape), and further in view of US 2022/0275757 (Rambo).
Regarding claim 7, 16, Kail in view of Snape teaches the claim limitations as discussed above. Rambo is further cited for teaching that demand for cooling air may increase during a power demand above a cruise operation, or an off-normal engine operation condition, or a gap in cooling air source pressure (para 72; “high-power operating mode” is construed as a power demand above a cruise operation, or an off-normal engine operation condition, or a gap in cooling air source pressure). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to make said predetermined gas turbine engine demand for cooling air is selected from the group consisting of a power demand above a cruise operation condition; an off-normal engine operation condition, a certification testing engine operation condition; and a gap in cooling air source pressure in order to provide sufficient cooling during those conditions, as taught by Rambo. It has been held that combining or simple substitution of prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results renders the limitation obvious (see MPEP 2141 (III)). In this case, making said predetermined gas turbine engine demand for cooling air is selected from the group consisting of a power demand above a cruise operation condition; an off-normal engine operation condition, a certification testing engine operation condition; and a gap in cooling air source pressure yields predictable results.
Regarding claim 10, 18, Kail in view of Snape fails to teach wherein the electrically powered centrifugal compressor is configured to adjust cooling air supply pressure and flow rate requirements responsive to changes in turbine sink pressures, said turbine sink pressures being responsive to variable shaft horsepower extractions due to spool and engine load sharing, or adjusting a cooling air supply pressure and a flow rate requirement employing said electrically powered centrifugal compressor responsive to changes in turbine sink pressures, said turbine sink pressures being responsive to variable shaft horsepower extractions due to spool and engine load sharing. However, it has been held that “a recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus if the prior art apparatus teaches all the structural limitations of the claim" (see MPEP 2114 [R-1]). In the case of claim 10, the claim does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from Kail in view of Snape because Kail in view of Snape teaches the claimed apparatus – e.g. the cooling air supply lines, the electrically powered centrifugal compressor, etc. The limitations “compressor is configured to” do not differentiate the claimed apparatus because Kail’s compressor also increases pressure and flow rate. Furthermore, Rambo teaches that cooling air may be increased during certain engine operations (para 72; “high-power operating mode”, which implicitly has a different “turbine sink pressure” than a low power operating condition, due to different engine flow rates and engine and spool loads). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to adjust a cooling air supply pressure and a flow rate requirement employing said electrically powered centrifugal compressor responsive to changes in turbine sink pressures, said turbine sink pressures being responsive to variable shaft horsepower extractions due to spool and engine load sharing, in order to provide a desired amount of cooling during different (e.g. high power) engine operations, as taught by Rambo.
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO97/23715 (Kail) in view of US 10794290 (Snape), and further in view of US 2014/0030067 (Kim).
Regarding claim 11, Kail in view of Snape teaches the electrically powered centrifugal compressor is fluidly coupled with the first cooling air supply line (Kail Fig 2 or 3) but fails to teach another electrically powered centrifugal compressor is fluidly coupled with the second cooling air supply line. However, Kim teaches multiple cooling air supply lines, each provided with a compressor (Fig 2; compressors 222a, 222b, 222c, 222d each respectively coupled to a respective compression stage 250a-250d; see para 85). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to provide another electrically powered centrifugal compressor fluidly coupled with the second cooling air supply line in order to provide cooling to the turbine, as taught by Kim. It has been held that combining or simple substitution of prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results renders the limitation obvious (see MPEP 2141 (III)). In this case, providing another electrically powered centrifugal compressor fluidly coupled with the second cooling air supply line yields predictable results.
Claim(s) 12, 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO97/23715 (Kail) in view of US 10794290 (Snape), and further in view of US 2018/0009536 (Christopherson).
Regarding claim 12, 19, Kail in view of Snape fails to teach said electrically powered centrifugal compressor is configured to be rotated by the cooling air flowing through at least one of the first cooling air supply line and the second cooling air supply line to generate electrical power or generating electrical power employing said electrically powered centrifugal compressor configured to be rotated by the cooling air flowing through the cooling air supply line. However, Christopherson teaches a compressor for bleed air driven by a motor, wherein the motor may also act as a generator (Fig 2, compressor 102, motor 160 may extract power from shaft 106 to generate electrical power; para 36, 40, compressor 102 may act like a turbine). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to make said electrically powered centrifugal compressor is configured to be rotated by the cooling air flowing through at least one of the first cooling air supply line and the second cooling air supply line to generate electrical power or generating electrical power employing said electrically powered centrifugal compressor configured to be rotated by the cooling air flowing through the cooling air supply line in order to generate electrical power, as taught by Christopherson.
Claim(s) 13, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO97/23715 (Kail) in view of US 10794290 (Snape), and further in view of US 2021/0355868 (Yerram) and EP 3486498 (Gomez).
Regarding claim 13, 20, Kail in view of Snape fails to teach the electrically powered centrifugal compressor is configured to operate during a hot shutdown engine condition to provide ventilation to the gas turbine engine or providing ventilation to the gas turbine engine; and operating the electrically powered centrifugal compressor during a hot shutdown engine condition. However, Yerram teaches that a compressor bleed may be operated at maximum flow during an emergency shutdown, and the flow may also be ventilated (para 47), and Gomez teaches that ventilation from a compressor may be provided during shutdown (para 5). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to make the electrically powered centrifugal compressor is configured to operate during a hot shutdown engine condition to provide ventilation to the gas turbine engine or providing ventilation to the gas turbine engine; and operating the electrically powered centrifugal compressor during a hot shutdown engine condition in order to allow stable operation of the engine and reduce possibility of stalling or surging, as taught by Yerram and Gomez.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDREW NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-5063. The examiner can normally be reached 8 am - 4 pm, Monday-Friday.
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/ANDREW H NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3741