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 .
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) 1-6 and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bauer (US 5,282,546).
Regarding claim 1, Bauer discloses a system comprising: a housing (14; fig. 2); a membrane (30) disposed within the housing (14) and configured to separate the housing (14) into a lower area and an upper area (at least a lower section of layer 30 separates outer tank 14 into upper and lower areas; fig. 2), the membrane (30) formed of a material that dissolves when exposed to a flammable liquid (layer 30 is formed of a material that dissolves when exposed to gasoline; c. 4, ll. 32-35); and at least one sensor disposed within the lower area of the housing (14), the sensor configured to detect a presence of a liquid collected in a pool area (at a lower end of monitor tube 32) corresponding to a bottom surface inside the housing (a sensor disposed at a lower end of outer tank 14 detects a presence of a liquid collected in a pool area of membrane 34; c. 6, ll. 17-23 and 30-33).
Regarding claim 2, Bauer discloses wherein the material (30) comprises polystyrene or polypropylene (polystyrene; c. 4, ll. 35-37).
Regarding claim 3, Bauer discloses wherein the housing (14; fig. 2) includes an upper wall (40) that includes one or more input holes (24, 26) passing through the upper wall (40), the input holes (24, 26) positioned above the membrane (holes in fittings 24 and 26 pass through top wall 40 and are positioned above layer 30; fig. 2).
Regarding claim 4, Bauer discloses wherein the housing (14) includes one or more side walls (side portion of top wall 40) having one or more exit holes (26) provided to allow non-flammable liquid to exit the housing (when used to store a variety of liquids, such as non-volatile liquids, the hole in outlet fitting 26 would non-flammable liquid to exit outer tank 14; c. 3, ll. 42-46).
Regarding claim 5, Bauer discloses further comprising a bracket (32) disposed within the housing (14) and configured to hold the sensor in a fixed position within the lower area of the housing (some bracket or support means is required to hold the sensor in a positioned at a lowermost end of monitor tube 32; c. 6, ll. 30-33).
Regarding claim 6, Bauer discloses wherein the sensor is installed at a location such that a space of a predetermined size exists between a liquid sensing element of the sensor and the bottom surface inside the housing (the sensor disposed in the lowermost position of monitor tube 32 has some predetermined distance from a bottom surface of outer tank 14 at which leaked liquid is collected; c. 6, ll. 22-24 and 30-33).
Regarding claim 8, Bauer discloses further comprising: a wired or wireless transmitter coupled to the sensor and configured to enable communication between the sensor and another device (at least a portion of the sensor is a wired or wireless transmitter that couples to sensor to a controller to activate a leak alarm; c. 6, ll. 30-33).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bauer (US 5,282,546) in view of Lagarejo Lloreda et al. (US 2024/0077174 A1).
Regarding claim 7, Bauer discloses the invention as set forth above with regard to claim 1.
Bauer is silent on a Peltier plate.
Lagarejo Lloreda et al. teaches a leak detection sensor system (2, 4) having a Peltier plate (Peltier cells; ¶ [0032]) disposed within a housing (2, 4) and configured to power the sensor (Peltier cells power the sensors, microcontroller, and LoraWan communication protocol; ¶ [0032]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the apparatus of Bauer with the Peltier power generation of Lagarejo Lloreda et al. to reduce energy costs by utilizing thermal differentials to power a sensor system (Lagarejo Lloreda et al., ¶ [0032]).
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bauer (US 5,282,546) in view of Scarborough et al. (US 2020/0248580 A1).
Regarding claim 9, Bauer discloses the invention as set forth above with regard to claim 1.
Bauer is silent on fire suppression.
Scarborough et al. teaches a leak detection system (358) in an aircraft engine (rupture sensing elements 358 are disposed on, in, and adjacent to engine 200 and detect fluid leaking into various zones of engine 200; ¶ [0025], figs. 3A and 3B), including at least one fire suppression pack disposed within a housing (release of extinguishment; ¶ [0030]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the apparatus of Bauer with the fire suppression pack of Scarborough et al. for increased safety by providing a means to suppress fire during a fuel leak.
Claim(s) 10-15, 17, 19, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Scarborough et al. (US 2020/0248580 A1) in view of Bauer (US 5,282,546).
Regarding claim 10, Scarborough et al. discloses a system comprising: an aircraft engine (200; figs. 2A and 2B); and one or more leak detection systems (358) disposed on, in, or adjacent to the aircraft engine (rupture sensing elements 358 are disposed on, in, and adjacent to engine 200 and detect fluid leaking into various zones of engine 200; ¶ [0025], figs. 3A and 3B), each of the one or more leak detection systems (358) comprising: a housing (a monitored duct or conduit; ¶ [0024]).
Regarding claim 17, Scarborough et al. discloses further comprising: a wired or wireless transmitter (352) coupled to the sensor (358) and configured to enable communication between the sensor (358) and another device (rupture detection line 352 is a wired transmitter coupled between rupture detection element 358 and rupture detection processor 362; fig. 3B and ¶ [0027]).
Regarding claim 18, Scarborough et al. discloses further comprising: at least one fire suppression pack disposed within the housing (release of extinguishment; ¶ [0030]).
Regarding claim 19, Scarborough et al. discloses wherein the aircraft engine (200) and the one or more leak detection systems (358) are disposed within a nacelle (rupture sensing elements 358 are disposed within nacelle 202; figs. 2 and 3).
Regarding claim 20, Scarborough et al. discloses wherein the one or more leak detection systems (358) are installed on or adjacent to an oil or fuel line that forms part of the aircraft engine (rupture sensing elements 358 are installed adjacent to a fuel line supplying fuel to a combustor of core engine 204; ¶ [0024]).
Scarborough et al. is silent on the particular structure of the leak detection systems.
Bauer teaches a system comprising: a housing (14; fig. 2); a membrane (30) disposed within the housing (14) and configured to separate the housing (14) into a lower area and an upper area (at least a lower section of layer 30 separates outer tank 14 into upper and lower areas; fig. 2), the membrane (30) formed of a material that dissolves when exposed to a flammable liquid (layer 30 is formed of a material that dissolves when exposed to gasoline; c. 4, ll. 32-35); and at least one sensor disposed within the lower area of the housing (14), the sensor configured to detect a presence of a liquid collected in a pool area (at a lower end of monitor tube 32) corresponding to a bottom surface inside the housing (a sensor disposed at a lower end of outer tank 14 detects a presence of a liquid collected in a pool area of membrane 34; c. 6, ll. 17-23 and 30-33).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the apparatus of Scarborough et al. with the membrane leak detector of Bauer to provide reliable and efficient leak detection of flammable liquids (Bauer, c. 1, ll. 12-14). In modifying the apparatus of Scarborough et al. with that of Bauer, one of ordinary skill would have known to dispose the dissolvable membrane and leak sensor of Bauer at potential fuel leak points of Scarborough et al., such as along a fuel line.
Regarding claims 11-15, Scarborough et al. discloses the invention as set forth above with regard to claim 10.
Scarborough et al. is silent on the additional structural details of the membrane leak detection system.
Bauer teaches the material (30) comprises polystyrene or polypropylene (polystyrene; c. 4, ll. 35-37); wherein the housing (14; fig. 2) includes an upper wall (40) that includes one or more input holes (24, 26) passing through the upper wall (40), the input holes (24, 26) positioned above the membrane (holes in fittings 24 and 26 pass through top wall 40 and are positioned above layer 30; fig. 2); wherein the housing (14) includes one or more side walls (side portion of top wall 40) having one or more exit holes (26) provided to allow non-flammable liquid to exit the housing (when used to store a variety of liquids, such as non-volatile liquids, the hole in outlet fitting 26 would non-flammable liquid to exit outer tank 14; c. 3, ll. 42-46); further comprising a bracket (32) disposed within the housing (14) and configured to hold the sensor in a fixed position within the lower area of the housing (some bracket or support means is required to hold the sensor in a positioned at a lowermost end of monitor tube 32; c. 6, ll. 30-33); wherein the sensor is installed at a location such that a space of a predetermined size exists between a liquid sensing element of the sensor and the bottom surface inside the housing (the sensor disposed in the lowermost position of monitor tube 32 has some predetermined distance from a bottom surface of outer tank 14 at which leaked liquid is collected; c. 6, ll. 22-24 and 30-33).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the apparatus of Scarborough et al. with the membrane leak detector of Bauer to provide reliable and efficient leak detection of flammable liquids (Bauer, c. 1, ll. 12-14).
Claim(s) 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Scarborough et al. (US 2020/0248580 A1) in view of Bauer (US 5,282,546), and further in view of Lagarejo Lloreda et al. (US 2024/0077174 A1).
Regarding claim 16, Scarborough et al. in view of Bauer disclose the invention as set forth above with regard to claim 10.
Scarborough et al. in view of Bauer are silent on a Peltier plate.
Lagarejo Lloreda et al. teaches a leak detection sensor system (2, 4) having a Peltier plate (Peltier cells; ¶ [0032]) disposed within a housing (2, 4) and configured to power the sensor (Peltier cells power the sensors, microcontroller, and LoraWan communication protocol; ¶ [0032]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the apparatus of Scarborough et al. in view of Bauer with the Peltier power generation of Lagarejo Lloreda et al. to reduce energy costs by utilizing thermal differentials to power a sensor system (Lagarejo Lloreda et al., ¶ [0032]).
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Hopenfeld (US 5,200,615) is cited for a leak detection system (fig. 1) with a dissolvable membrane (106) and a sensor (98) at a lower area of a housing that detects a presence of a liquid collected at a pool area (fig. 6).
Bosich (US 4,922,232) is cited for disclosing a leak detection system with a membrane (26a) that dissolves when in contact with gasoline, and a leak sensor (46, 48).
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Erika J. Villaluna whose telephone number is (571)272-8348. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 9:00 am - 5:30 pm.
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, Stephanie Bloss can be reached at (571) 272-3555. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ERIKA J. VILLALUNA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852