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
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 1–5, 11–15 and 20 in the reply filed on 01/05/2026 is acknowledged. Claims 6–10 and 16–19 are withdrawn from examination.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 11 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Becks et al. (US PGPub 20140158208 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Becks discloses a deployable drains mast for draining fluids from a propulsion system, the deployable drains mast comprising: a bordered structure (34), the bordered structure comprising: a plurality of exterior walls forming a cavity (where it is inherent that the walls enclose a cavity); at least one drain opening (18) to the cavity located at a first end of the bordered structure, the at least one drain opening (18) configured to receive a drain line (38) from a component of a core compartment of the propulsion system (Para. 4, where the component is a fuselage), the drain line (38) configured to drain a fluid from the component (Para. 4, gray water); and at least one drain exit (10) from the cavity located at a second end of the bordered structure (34) opposite the first end, the at least one drain exit (10) configured to expel the fluid that enters the cavity at the drain opening (18).
Regarding Claim 11, Becks discloses a propulsion system comprising: an inner fixed structure (12); and a deployable drains mast for draining fluids from a propulsion system, the deployable drains mast comprising: a bordered structure (34), the bordered structure comprising: a plurality of exterior walls forming a cavity (where it is inherent that the walls enclose a cavity); at least one drain opening (18) to the cavity located at a first end of the bordered structure, the at least one drain opening (18) configured to receive a drain line (38) from a component of a core compartment of the propulsion system (Para. 4, where the component is a fuselage), the drain line (38) configured to drain a fluid from the component (Para. 4, gray water); and at least one drain exit (10) from the cavity located at a second end of the bordered structure (34) opposite the first end, the at least one drain exit (10) configured to expel the fluid that enters the cavity at the drain opening (18).
Regarding Claim 20, Becks discloses an aircraft (60) comprising: a propulsion system comprising: an inner fixed structure (12); and a deployable drains mast for draining fluids from a propulsion system, the deployable drains mast comprising: a bordered structure (34), the bordered structure comprising: a plurality of exterior walls forming a cavity (where it is inherent that the walls enclose a cavity); at least one drain opening (18) to the cavity located at a first end of the bordered structure, the at least one drain opening (18) configured to receive a drain line (38) from a component of a core compartment of the propulsion system (Para. 4, where the component is a fuselage), the drain line (38) configured to drain a fluid from the component (Para. 4, gray water); and at least one drain exit (10) from the cavity located at a second end of the bordered structure (34) opposite the first end, the at least one drain exit (10) configured to expel the fluid that enters the cavity at the drain opening (18).
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) 2–3 and 12–13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Becks et al. (US PGPub 20140158208 A1) in view of Sheoran et al. (USPN 7600714 B2).
Regarding Claim 2, Becks does not explicitly disclose a set of hinges.
Sheoran teaches a set of hinges (70) in order to rotationally couple the vehicle to the door (Col. 4, Lines 32–33).
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 connection between the vehicle and the drain mast of Becks with a set of hinges as taught by Sheoran in order to open and close the drain mast.
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Figure 1 - Becks Annotated Fig. 3
Per the Becks–Sheoran combination Sheoran’s hinges are located on Becks according to the Becks Annotated Fig. 3.
The Becks–Sheoran combination teaches the set of hinges (Sheoran 70) coupled to an exterior of the bordered structure (Becks 34) at the first end of the bordered structure and configured to couple to an inner fixed structure (Becks 12) of the propulsion system.
Regarding Claim 3, the Becks–Sheoran combination teaches the set of hinges (Sheoran 70) are configured to allow the deployable drains mast (Becks 6) to rotate between an open position and a stowed position (Sheoran Col. 4, Lines 32–38).
Regarding Claim(s) 12, the structural limitation of the apparatus described in the claim is recited in claim(s) 2.
Regarding Claim(s) 13, the structural limitation of the apparatus described in the claim is recited in claim(s) 3.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4–5 and 14–15 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the limitation “the deployable drains mast deploys to the open position via gravity responsive to the propulsion system not running.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Casado et al. (US PGPub 20180050786 A1) discloses fluid exiting a drain mast due to gravity. Diaz et al. (US PGPub 20110120075 A1) discloses a retractable drain mast.
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/Angelisa L. Hicks/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3753