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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 11-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 4/10/2026.
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, Species 1A, 2A, 3B and 4A in the reply filed on 4/10/2026 is acknowledged.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Cavaliere et al. [US2020/0406600].
Cavaliere discloses a manufacturing method for manufacturing a welded thermoplastic composite and honeycomb core structure, comprising: generating a thermoplastic composite and honeycomb structure by (paragraph 0028, 0051, 0155): positioning a first thermoplastic composite skin (80) on a support structure (paragraph 0156); positioning a first thermoplastic film (83) over the first thermoplastic composite skin (paragraph 0158); positioning a honeycomb core (60) over the first thermoplastic film (paragraph 0155); positioning a second thermoplastic film (83) over the honeycomb core (paragraph 0158); and positioning a second thermoplastic composite skin (80) over the second thermoplastic film (paragraph 0156); and ultrasonic welding the second thermoplastic composite skin to the honeycomb core (paragraph 0017, 0019).
With respect to claim 2, Cavaliere discloses the ultrasonic welding of the second thermoplastic composite skin to the honeycomb core melts the second thermoplastic film to bond the second thermoplastic composite skin to the honeycomb core (paragraph 0105).
With respect to claim 3, Cavaliere discloses flipping over the thermoplastic composite and honeycomb structure; and ultrasonic welding the first thermoplastic composite skin to the honeycomb core (paragraph 0017, 0019).
With respect to claim 4, Cavaliere discloses the ultrasonic welding of the first thermoplastic composite skin to the honeycomb core melts the first thermoplastic film to bond the first thermoplastic composite skin to the honeycomb core (paragraph 0105). With respect to claim 5, Cavaliere discloses the ultrasonic welding is at least one of ultrasonic spot welding or continuous ultrasonic welding (Cavaliere’s disclosure of ultrasonic welding would necessarily have to be one of spot or continuous welding).
With respect to claim 6, Cavaliere discloses the first thermoplastic composite skin and the second thermoplastic composite skin comprise a thermoplastic matrix and a fiber-reinforcement embedded within the thermoplastic matrix (paragraph 0156).
With respect to claim 7, Cavaliere discloses the thermoplastic matrix comprises a semi-crystalline thermoplastic resin (paragraph 0104).
With respect to claim 8, Cavaliere discloses carbon fibers (paragraph 0100).
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 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cavaliere in view of Fell [US5316604].
Cavaliere discloses a manufacturing method for manufacturing. Applicant is referred to paragraph 5 for a detailed discussion of Cavaliere. Cavaliere discloses a thermoplastic film but does not disclose the film made of polyamide.
Fell discloses a method of joining a honeycomb core to a thermoplastic (column 4, lines 22-64). Fell discloses the thermoplastic and suggests a polyamide (column 3, lines 53-62).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to modify the method of Cavaliere to include a film of polyamide as taught by Fell in order to take advantage of known and suitable materials and to ensure a strong bond between the film and the core.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cavaliere in view of Shen et al. [US2005/0123717].
Cavaliere discloses a manufacturing method for manufacturing. Applicant is referred to paragraph 5 for a detailed discussion of Cavaliere. Cavaliere discloses a honeycomb core but does not disclose a core of aluminum, titanium or flame-resistant high temperature resistant fiber.
Shen discloses a method of joining a honeycomb core to films. Shen discloses the honeycomb core is made of aluminum or Nomex (paragraph 0026).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to modify the method of Cavaliere by using a core of aluminum or Nomex as taught by Shen in order to take advantage of known and suitable materials and to improve the strength or fire resistance of the core material.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL MCNALLY whose telephone number is (571)272-2685. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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, Michael Orlando can be reached at 571-270-5038. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DANIEL MCNALLY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1746
DPM
June 26, 2026
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