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 .
This Office Action is in response to applicant’s amendment filed on 8/20/25.
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.
Claim 6 is 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 6 requires the following:
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At the instant, the limitation is indefinite. Here is the invention:
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As seen, and as defined in claim 1, the 1st cowl door defines a 1st outer end, and the 2nd cowl door defines the 2nd outer end. Then, how the light is directed between these outer ends?
Therefore, in order to continue with the examination, the limitation will be interpreted as the light being directed to the 1st outer end. Correction is required.
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) 1-8, 10-17, 19 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over FR 3007390 to Bulin et al (Bulin) in view of WO 2017144042 to Bendel and US Pat No 9,624,693 to Vanderwall et al (Vanderwall).
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Regarding claim 1, Bulin discloses a cowl assembly for an aircraft propulsion system, that comprises a fixed cowl portion (12) and 1st and 2nd cowl doors (30).
Each of the cowl doors includes an exterior side and an interior side, the exterior side and the interior side are extending between and to an inner end (at 34) and an outer end (at 36).
The cowl doors are pivotably mounted to the fixed cowl portion at the inner end, between an open position and a closed position.
The assembly also comprises a latch system including at least one latch assembly (40, 40’, 40”). The at least one latch assembly includes a first latch assembly portion and a second latch assembly portion (42, 44).
The first latch assembly portion is disposed on the first cowl door at the outer end and the second latch assembly portion is disposed on the second cowl door at the outer end. The first latch assembly portion and the second latch assembly portion are cooperatively configurable in a latched condition of the at least one latch assembly or an unlatched condition of the at least one latch assembly.
Bulin fails to disclose that the assembly further comprises a latch indicator light assembly that is disposed on the interior side at the outer end of one of the doors and that when is energized, indicates unlatched position and when is deenergized indicates latched position. Bulin discloses that the assembly comprises an indicator assembly that is present away (in the cockpit of the aircraft) that can be visual or sound.
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Bendel taches that it is well known in the art to provide a door assembly with a latch indicator light assembly that is disposed on an interior side of the door (1, 19 or 24), so that it directs a latch indicator light (6, 8, 20 or 25) to an exterior of the door assembly from the interior side of the assembly (the light assembly is inside the door, and the light is directed to the exterior from the inside). The light is directed to the exterior when the door is in an unlatched position.
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Vanderwall teaches that it is well known in the art to provide a light indicator (318a) that when is energized, indicates unlatched position and when is deenergized indicates latched position (col 9 line 40).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the assembly described by Bulin with a light indicator next to the latch assembly, as taught by Bendel, in order to allow the user next to the cow assembly to check the status of the doors, right away.
Furthermore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to define the light indicator unlatch/latch position by means of current, as taught y Vanderwall, in order to provide a specific way to let the user know what is the position of the door.
As to claims 2 and 16, Bulin discloses that the first latch assembly portion includes a latch pin (42) and the second latch portion includes a hook (44), the hook engaged with the latch pin in the latched condition.
As to claims 3 and 12, Bulin discloses that each of the at least one latch assembly further includes a proximity sensor (72) disposed at the first latch assembly portion, the proximity sensor configured to detect a presence of the hook engaged with the latch pin to identify the latched condition or the unlatched condition.
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As to claims 4 and 17, Bulin discloses that latch system further includes a controller (92) in signal communication with the proximity sensor of each of the at least one latch assembly and the indicator. The controller includes a processor in communication with a non-transitory memory storing instructions (at 94).
Bulin, as modified by Bendel and Vanderwall will teach that the assembly is configured to 1) identify the latched condition or the unlatched condition of each of the at least one latch assembly based on a proximity sensor signal from the proximity sensor of each of the respective at least one latch assembly; and 2) control the latch indicator light assembly to energize the latch indicator light assembly with one or more of the at least one latch assembly in the unlatched condition.
As to claims 5 and 6, Bulin discloses that the first interior side and the second interior side surround and form a cowl cavity of the cowl assembly.
Bendel teaches that the energized latch indicator light assembly (6, 8, 20 or 25) is configured to be mounted on the door so as to be directed away from the cavity to an exterior of the cowl assembly.
As to claims 7, 8, 19 and 20, Bendel teaches that the light indicator (at least 6 and 25) that is configured to direct the latch indicator light onto a projection surface (floor 7, 26) vertically below the latch system and laterally displaced from the latch system.
As to claim 10, Bulin discloses thar the at least one latch assembly includes a plurality of latch assemblies (40, 40’, 40”).
As to claim 11, Vanderwall teaches that the latch indicator light can be a red light.
As to claim 13, Bulin discloses that the proximity sensor (72) is an inductive sensor.
As to claim 14, Bulin discloses that the first latch assembly portion includes a first housing (50), the first housing including a first body side and a second body side, the first body side and the second body side forming a slot for the first latch assembly portion. The proximity sensor (72) is mounted on the first housing at the second body side.
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As to claim 15, Bulin discloses that the second body side can form a sensor aperture disposed coincident with the slot and the proximity sensor (72) can be disposed at the sensor aperture.
Claim(s) 9 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over FR 3007390 to Bulin et al (Bulin) in view of WO 2017144042 to Bendel, US Pat No 9,624,693 to Vanderwall et al (Vanderwall) and further in view of DE 102019100830 to Schulte.
Bulin discloses that the latch system is disposed at a bottom vertical position of the cowl assembly.
However, Bulin, as modified by Bendel and Vanderwall, fails to disclose that the energized latch indicator light assembly is configured to displaying a warning message.
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Schulte teaches that it is well known in the art to provide a light indicator (11, 12) that is configured to direct the latch indicator light onto a projection surface (floor) vertically below the latch system and laterally displaced from the latch system, displaying a warning message (13).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the light indicator assembly described by Bulin, as modified by Bendel and Vanderwall, to direct a light into a projection surface, as taught by Schulte, in order to provide a bigger message to the user.
Response to Arguments
With respect to the drawing objection in view of the 112 2nd paragraph rejection, the current amendment provisionally overcomes the previous issue.
However, in view of the current amendment and remarks, a rejection to claim 6 has been made.
As seen in the drawings, the light 120 is actually directed toward the exterior of the cowl assembly, through the 1st outer end; not between the 1st and 2nd outer ends.
With respect to the prior art rejection, the current amendment overcomes the previous rejection. However, a new rejection has been made on the record.
Therefore, applicant’s arguments have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
At the instant, it is the examiner’s position that Bendel teaches that it is well known in the art to provide a light assembly positioned at an inside of a door, and when in an unlatched position (door open), a light is directed from the inside toward the exterior to allow the user that the door is open or unlatched.
Prosecution has been closed.
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 CARLOS LUGO whose telephone number is (571)272-7058. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-6pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kristina Fulton can be reached at (571)272-7376. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Carlos Lugo/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3675
October 1, 2025