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 .
Response to Amendment
This action is in response to Amendments made on 2/2/2026, in which: claim 1 is amended, claims 2, 5-9, 11-14 remain as filed originally and claims 3-4, 10 are cancelled.
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 1-2, 5, 7, 11-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bardwell (EP 2049394 B1) in view of Schaefer (US 11966671).
Regarding claim 1, Bardwell discloses a flow body for an aircraft, comprising: a front skin (24) having an outer surface (outer surface of element 24) configured to be contacted by an ambient flow, and an inner surface (inner surface of element 24) opposite the outer surface (outer surface of element 24), at least one rib (52) arranged inside the flow body (14) and having a first side (front at element 24) and a second side (aft opposite element 24), wherein the at least one rib (52) comprises two independent flanges (54), wherein the two independent flanges (54) extend from a common junction section (junction of each flange element 54 at element 52, Figs. 6-8), which is arranged between the first side (front at element 24) and the second side (aft opposite element 24), to the first side (front at element 24), wherein the two independent flanges (54) diverge towards the first side (front at element 24), and wherein each of the two independent flanges (54) comprises an attachment strap (58) at the first side (front at element 24) for attaching the respective flange (54) to the front skin (24), wherein the respective attachment strap (58) has a shape (Fig. 7) corresponding to the shape (Fig. 7) of the inner surface (inner surface of element 24) of the front skin (24), but does not expressly disclose wherein the flanges are curved in an outward direction, or wherein the at least one rib is made from two sheet metal components that are joined together in a connection region between the junction section and the second side.
However, Schaefer discloses a similar aircraft structure (10) having flanges (portions of elements 12, 14 that extend from the junction and curve outward and attach to skin element 16) that are curved in an outward direction (Fig. 1A), or wherein the at least one rib (12, 14) is made from two sheet metal (Column 6 line 35, composite metal) components (first sheet element 12, second sheet element 14) that are joined together in a connection region (the portion of element 12 and 14 that is joined together) between the junction section (portion where elements 12 and 14 mate) and the second side (side extending away from the flange portion and skin element 16)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention/application, to modify Barwell, by making the flanges are curved in an outward direction, or wherein the at least one rib is made from two sheet metal components that are joined together in a connection region between the junction section and the second side, as taught by Schaefer, for the purpose of strengthening and stiffening the structural framework of the aircraft.
Regarding claim 2, Bardwell discloses wherein the attachment straps (58) each comprise a bonding surface (the surface of element 58 facing the skin element 24, Fig. 7) facing the inner surface (inner surface of element 24) of the front skin (24), and wherein the bonding surfaces (the surface of element 58 facing the skin element 24, Fig. 7) of the attachment straps (58) are materially bonded ([0037] adhesive and/or attachment means such as bolts or rivets could be used) to the inner surface (inner surface of element 24) of the front skin (24).
Regarding claim 5, Bardwell discloses wherein the at least one rib (52) further comprises a substantially flat web section (Figs. 7, 8, 9) between the junction section (junction of each flange element 54 at element 52, Figs. 6-8) and a second end (aft opposite element 24).
Regarding claim 7, Bardwell discloses wherein the two flanges (54) enclose a transition region (forward of junction of each flange element 54 at element 52, fig. 8) adjacent to the junction section (junction of each flange element 54 at element 52, Figs. 6-8) and facing the front skin (24), and wherein the transition region (forward of junction of each flange element 54 at element 52, fig. 8) is rounded and substantially free of kinks (Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 11, Bardwell discloses a wing (12) for an aircraft (10), comprising at least one flow body (14) according to according to claim 1 arranged in a leading-edge region (Figs. 1-2) of the wing (12).
Regarding claim 12, Bardwell discloses wherein the at least one flow body (14) is movably arranged ([0004] element 14 is a wing slat) on a fixed wing body of the wing (12).
Regarding claim 13, Bardwell discloses an aircraft (10) having at least one wing (12) according to claim 11.
Regarding claim 14, Bardwell discloses an aircraft (10) having at least one flow body (14) according to claim 1.
Claims 6, 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bardwell (EP 2049394 B1) and Schaefer (US 11966671) in view of Graham (GB 2552207).
Regarding claims 6, 8, Bardwell discloses the invention substantially as set forth above, but does not expressly disclose wherein the at least one rib comprises a collar extending transversely away from the rib, and wherein the collar is arranged on or adjacent to the junction section and wherein a common web section is arranged between the junction section and the collar.
However, Graham discloses a similar structure (Figs. 6C-10) with at least one rib (14) having a collar (18) extending transversely away from the rib (14), and wherein the collar (18) is arranged on or adjacent to the junction section (junction of elements 10a and 10b at element 16) and wherein a common web section (16) is arranged between the junction section (junction of elements 10a and 10b at element 16) and the collar (18).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention/application, to modify Bardwell, by adding a collar extending transversely away from the rib, and wherein the collar is arranged on or adjacent to the junction section and wherein a common web section is arranged between the junction section and the collar, as taught by Graham, for the purpose of providing a device with added or improved structural strength.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bardwell (EP 2049394 B1) and Schaefer (US 11966671) in view of Overbergh (WO 2005070762).
Regarding claim 9, Bardwell discloses the invention substantially as set forth above, but does not expressly disclose a load introduction rib having at least one coupling element at the second side.
However, Overbergh discloses a similar structure (16) having a load introduction rib (36) having at least one coupling element (aperture extending through element 36, Fig. 3) at the second side (aft end of element 36, Fig. 3).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention/application, to modify Bardwell, by adding a load introduction rib having at least one coupling element at the second side, as taught by Overbergh, for the purpose of providing a stiffened structure that is capable of transferring the load of the movable surface.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-2, 5-9, 11-14 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.
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.
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/AARON M RODZIWICZ/Examiner, Art Unit 3642 /JOSHUA J MICHENER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3642