DETAILED ACTION
This is a first Non-Final Office Action on the merits in response to the application filed 02/12/24. Claims 1-20 are currently pending yet all are rejected as detailed below. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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.
Akitsu
Claim(s) 1-9 and 17-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Akitsu (U.S. Patent No. 4,958,860). Akitsu is directed to a vibro-isolating joint. See Abstract.
Claim 1: Akitsu discloses an apparatus [Fig. 1] to be coupled to an aviation system [note: intended use], the apparatus including: a panel (1); a frame (2); and an isolator (3) coupling the panel and the frame, the isolator including: a first flange (top of 3) including: a first side (top of 3 abutting 1) coupled to the panel; and a second side (top of 3 not abutting 1) opposite the first side; a second flange (bottom of 3) including: a third side (bottom of 3 abutting 2) coupled to the frame; and a fourth side (bottom of 3 not abutting 2) opposite the third side; and a flexible bellows (middle of 3) positioned between the first flange and the second flange, the flexible bellows including: a first end coupled to the second side; and a second end coupled to the fourth side. See Fig. 1.
Claim 2: Akitsu discloses that the flexible bellows includes at least 2 convolutions. See Fig. 1.
Claim 3: Akitsu discloses that the panel is at least one of a window or an electrical panel. See Fig. 1 (electric).
Claim 4: Akitsu discloses that the panel is a first panel, and further including a multi-panel assembly including: the first panel; and a second panel coupled to the first panel. See Fig. 2 (multiple flanges).
Claim 5: Akitsu discloses that the first panel is disposed in a first plane, and the second panel is disposed in a second plane different than the first plane. See Fig. 2 (planes chosen accordingly).
Claim 6: Akitsu discloses that the first panel and the second panel define an interior perimeter, the first flange coupled to the interior perimeter. See Fig. 2.
Claim 7: Akitsu discloses that the frame includes: a plate coupled to the second flange of the isolator; and a lip extending from the plate. See Fig. 1 (radial interior of 2).
Claim 8: Akitsu discloses that the flexible bellows, the first flange, and the second flange are integral. See Fig. 1.
Claim 9: Akitsu discloses that the flexible bellows seals an exterior volume of the panel from an interior volume of the frame. See Fig. 1.
Claim 17: Akitsu discloses a flexible isolator [Fig. 1] to couple and isolate a panel (1) and a frame (2), the flexible isolator including: a first flange (top of 3) including: a first portion (top of 3 on inner side of 1) disposed in a first plane; a second portion (top of 3 on top of 1) disposed in a second plane different than the first plane; and a joint (top of 3 on upper radially-inner edge) disposed between the first portion and the second portion; a second flange (bottom of 3); and a flexible bellows (middle of 3) extending between the first flange and the second flange. See Fig. 1.
Claim 18: Akitsu discloses that the joint is a first joint, the first portion includes a corner (top of 3 on lower radially-inner edge) disposed within the first plane and the flexible bellows includes: a first crest on a first side of the corner; a second crest on the first side of the corner; a third crest on a second side of the corner; a second joint disposed at the corner, the second joint including: a first edge portion (bend of 3) extending between the first crest and the third crest; and a second edge portion (another bend of 3) extending between the second crest and the third crest. See Fig. 1.
Claim 19: Akitsu discloses that the corner is a first corner and the flexible bellows further includes: a fourth crest on a third side of a second corner (at bottom of 3 on 2); and a fifth crest on a fourth side of the second corner, the fourth crest contiguous with the fifth crest. See Fig. 1.
Claim 20: Akitsu discloses that the joint defines an internal angle of less than 180 degrees. See Fig. 1.
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.
Akitsu in view of Larry
Claim(s) 10-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Akitsu in view of Larry (U.S. Patent No. 4,213,202). Larry is directed to a shock distributing panel. See Abstract.
Claims 10-12: Akitsu is relied upon as in claim 1 above but does not disclose a “spring” adjacent the corner/end, extending between the ends of the isolator and in an opening of the bellows. Larry discloses an isolator/bellows (16), with a spring (11) located inside, extending from end to end. See Fig. 3. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to include a spring to provide additional damping effects, as well as providing stability for the bellows. This is further obvious in light of the reinforcing rings (13) that are used on the bellows (3) in the Akitsu isolator. See Fig. 1.
Nichols in view of Akitsu
Claim(s) 13-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nichols (U.S. Patent No. 3,049,321) in view Akitsu. Nichols is directed to an aircraft. See Abstract.
Claim 13: Nichols discloses an aviation system [Fig. 1] comprising: a powerplant (16); a panel (7, 8); a structure (1, 2); and an isolator [see col. 1, line 65 (seals between door and cabin/hull)] to isolate the panel from the powerplant, the isolator disposed between the panel and the structure. See Fig. 1.
Nichols discloses all the limitations of this claim except for the specific structure of the isolator. Akitsu discloses a first flange (top of 3) coupled to the panel (1); a second flange (bottom of 3) coupled to the structure (2); and a flexible bellows (middle of 3) having a first end extending from the first flange and a second end extending from the second flange. See Fig. 1. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to use an isolator-type seal for the Nichols doors (7, 8) given that the engine (16) and rotor (18) will inevitably provide vibratory forces that need to be damped to ensure the functionality, integrity, longevity and noise reduction of the doors/panels.
Claim 14: Nichols discloses that the panel is a first panel, and further including a multi-panel assembly including: the first panel (7); and a second panel (8) joined to the first panel via a joint. See Fig. 1.
Claim 15: Nichols discloses that the first panel is positioned at an angle relative to the second panel. See Fig. 1 (curved cabin/hull).
Claim 16: Akitsu discloses that the joint is a first joint and the isolator includes a second joint abutting the first joint. See Fig. 1 (various bends of 3).
Conclusion
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VISHAL SAHNI
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3657
/VISHAL R SAHNI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3616 July 23, 2026
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