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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 2/27/2026 has been entered.
Withdrawn Allowable Subject Matter
After further consideration, the previous indicated allowability of claims 52-53 is withdrawn in view of the Dodworth reference. Rejections based on the Dodworth reference follow.
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.
Claims 41, 42, 45-47, 49, 50, 53 and 54 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Dodworth (WO2016/028359A2) [refer to US equivalent U.S. Pub. No. 2017/0087798]).
Regarding claim 41, Dodworth discloses an apparatus comprising a thermoset facesheet (skin 102/102a and/or skin 104/104a; paragraph [0059-0062]), a thermoplastic core (core 106/106a; paragraph [0044]) comprising a plurality of cells (Figs. 11-12; cells 119; paragraph [0010]), wherein the thermoplastic core and the thermoset facesheet interface at an interface line, and a deformation zone formed along the interface line (Figs. 1-2; paragraphs [0094-0095]; claim 16), wherein the thermoset facesheet is attached to the thermoplastic core without a separate adhesive disposed between the thermoset facesheet and the thermoplastic core (claim 21); and a space (Figs. 11-12, cavities 118/118a) interposed between at least some of the plurality of cells (119), wherein each space comprises a first material (paragraph [0062]).
Regarding claim 42, Dodworth discloses the thermoset facesheet comprising an epoxy resin (paragraphs [0059-0062]).
Regarding claim 45, Dodworth discloses each cell comprising a curved cell wall in a substantially circular tube shape (Figs. 11-12).
Regarding claim 46, Dodworth discloses each cell having a diameter that, when measured at a midplane of each cell, does not vary more than 10 percent within each cell (Figs. 1-4).
Regarding claim 47, Dodworth discloses the plurality of cells (107a) having a longitudinal axis that is perpendicular to a plane of the thermoset facesheet (Figs. 1-4).
Regarding claim 49, Dodworth discloses a second thermoset facesheet attached to the thermoplastic core on an opposite side of the thermoplastic core from the thermoset facesheet (Figs. 1-2; skins 102/102a or 104/104a).
Regarding claim 50, Dodworth discloses comprising a second deformation zone formed along a second interface line, wherein the second thermoset facesheet is attached to, and interfaces with, the thermoplastic core at the second interface line (Figs. 1-2; paragraphs [0094-0095]; claim 16).
Regarding claim 53, Dodworth discloses the first material (paragraph [0062]) comprising a different material as the curved cell wall of the at least some of the plurality of cells (paragraph [0058]).
Regarding claim 54, Dodworth discloses each of the plurality of cells comprising a void (paragraph [0072]).
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.
Claims 43, 48, 51, 52 and 55-60 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dodworth as applied to claim 41 above.
Regarding claim 43, Dodworth teaches the claimed apparatus as shown above, but fails to specifically teach the thermoplastic core comprising polyetherimide. Dodworth teaches any suitable thermoplastic material can be used (paragraph [0058]). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the thermoplastic material of the core in Dodworth to comprise polyetherimide, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. MPEP 2144.07.
Regarding claim 48, Dodworth teaches the claimed apparatus as shown above, but fails to specifically teach a thickness of the cell walls measured at the interface line being greater than at a midplane of the cells.
Dodworth teaches the cell walls can be compressed, bent, softened, at least partially melted, or combinations thereof when combined with the facesheet under heat and pressure (paragraphs [0094-0097]) which is similar to that of the claimed invention. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the cell walls in Dodworth to have a thickness measured at the interface line greater than at a midplane of the cells, since the cells walls can be bent, softened, partially melted or combinations thereof when combined with the face sheet under heat and pressure which would result in an increase in thickness of the cell wall.
Regarding claim 51, Dodworth teaches the claimed apparatus as shown above, but fails to specifically teach a first cell in the thermoplastic core having a different size than a second cell in the thermoplastic core. Dodworth teaches the shapes and sizes of the cells may vary (paragraphs [0054-0055]). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the sizes of the cells in Dodworth to each be different from each other, if so desired, since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the size and/or shape of a component. A change in size and shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art and is therefore obvious. MPEP 2144.04.
Regarding claim 52, Dodworth teaches the claimed apparatus, but fails to specifically teach the first material comprising a same material as the curved cell wall of the at least some of the plurality of cells. Dodworth teaches that the cell walls can be formed from any number of suitable materials or any suitable thermoplastic or thermoset material (paragraph [0058]). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the material of the cell walls to be the same material as the first material in Dodworth, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. MPEP 2144.07.
Regarding claim 55, Dodworth discloses an apparatus comprising a thermoset facesheet (skin 102/102a and/or skin 104/104a; paragraph [0059-0062]), a thermoplastic core (core 106/106a; paragraph [0044]), wherein the thermoplastic core comprises a plurality of cells (107a), each of the cells comprising a cell wall and a void (Figs. 1-4; paragraph [0072]), wherein the thermoplastic core (106/106a) and the thermoset facesheet interface at an interface line (Figs. 1-4), and a deformation zone formed along the interface line (Figs. 1-2; paragraphs [0094-0095]; claim 16), wherein the thermoset facesheet is attached to the thermoplastic core without a separate adhesive disposed between the thermoset facesheet and the thermoplastic core (claim 21), and a space (Figs. 11-12, cavities 118/118a) interposed between at least some of the plurality of cells (119), wherein each space comprises a first material (paragraph [0062]).
Dodworth fails to specifically teach a thickness of the cell walls measured at the interface line being greater than at a midplane of the cell.
Dodworth teaches the cell walls can be compressed, bent, softened, at least partially melted or combinations thereof when combined with the facesheet under heat and pressure (paragraphs [0094-0097]) which is similar to that of the claimed invention. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the cell walls in Dodworth to have a thickness measured at the interface line greater than at a midplane of the cells, since the cells walls can be bent, softened, partially melted or combinations thereof when combined with the face sheet under heat and pressure which would result in an increase in thickness of the cell wall.
Regarding claim 56, Dodworth teaches the cell wall being curved in a substantially circular shape (Figs. 11-12).
Regarding claim 57, Dodworth discloses each cell having a diameter that, when measured at a midplane of each cell, does not vary more than 10 percent within each cell (Figs. 1-4).
Regarding claim 58, Dodworth discloses a second thermoset facesheet attached to the thermoplastic core on an opposite side of the thermoplastic core from the thermoset facesheet (Figs. 1-2; skins 102/102a or 104/104a).
Regarding claim 59, Dodworth discloses comprising a second deformation zone formed along a second interface line, wherein the second thermoset facesheet is attached to, and interfaces with, the thermoplastic core at the second interface line (Figs. 1-2; paragraphs [0094-0095]; claim 16).
Regarding claim 60, Dodworth discloses an apparatus comprising a thermoset facesheet (skin 102/102a; paragraphs [0059-0062]), a second thermoset facesheet (skin 104/104a; paragraphs [0059-0062]) a thermoplastic core (core 106/106a; paragraph [0044]), wherein the thermoplastic core comprises a plurality of cells (107a and 119), each of the cells comprising a cell wall and a void (Figs. 1-4 and 11-12; paragraph [0072]), a longitudinal axis perpendicular to a midplane of the first thermoset facesheet (Figs. 1-4); a space (Figs. 11-12, cavities 118/118a) interposed between at least some of the plurality of cells (119), wherein each space comprises a first material (paragraph [0062]), wherein the first thermoset facesheet is attached to the thermoplastic core without a separate adhesive disposed between the first thermoset facesheet and the thermoplastic core (claim 21), and wherein the second thermoset facesheet is attached to the thermoplastic core without a separate adhesive disposed between the second thermoset facesheet and the thermoplastic core (claim 21).
Dodworth fails to specifically teach a thickness of the cell wall measured at an interface of the first thermoset facesheet or the second thermoset facesheet and the thermoplastic core being greater than at a midplane of the cells.
Dodworth teaches the cell walls can be compressed, bent, softened, at least partially melted or combinations thereof when combined with the facesheet under heat and pressure (paragraphs [0094-0097]) which is similar to that of the claimed invention. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the cell walls in Dodworth to have a thickness measured at an interface of the first thermoset facesheet or the second thermoset facesheet and the thermoplastic core being greater than at a midplane of the cells, since the cells walls can be bent, softened, partially melted or combinations thereof when combined with the face sheet under heat and pressure which would result in an increase in thickness of the cell wall.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed 2/27/2026, with respect to claims 41-43 and 45-60 have been considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection which are presented above.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CATHERINE A SIMONE whose telephone number is (571)272-1501. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8am-4pm.
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CATHERINE A. SIMONE
Examiner
Art Unit 1781
/Catherine A. Simone/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1781