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 .
Specification
The substitute specification filed 11/26/2025 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claims 1-9, 14-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 “a bleed cooling (BC) system defining a first BC inlet in airflow communication with the annular cooling passage at a location between the CP inlet and the CP outlet and a second BC inlet downstream of the first BC inlet and upstream of the CP outlet” is unclear whether the second BC inlet is in airflow communication with the annular cooling passage as there is no relationship defined as to what “a second BC inlet” does. Accordingly, a second BC inlet does not have to be in communication with the annular cooling passage and still read on the claim.
Claims 4-6, 8 “the BC inlet” is indefinite as there are two BC inlets referenced now in claim 1 and it is unclear which of these is being referenced.
Claim 8 “wherein the BC inlet of the bleed cooling system is a first BC inlet of a plurality of BC inlets spaced along a circumferential direction of the gas turbine engine, wherein each of the plurality of BC inlets is in airflow communication with the annular cooling passage at the location between the CP inlet and the CP outlet.” A first BC inlet is unclear because “first BC inlet” language is used in claim 1 and it is unclear whether it is the same element or a different element.
Claim 18 “the BC system comprises a plurality of BC inlets including the first BC inlet and the second BC inlet spaced along a circumferential direction” is unclear whether italicized text references “the first BC inlet and the second BC inlet” or “a plurality of BC inlets.” If the first mentioned option, applicant does not appear to have support for the first BC inlet and the second BC inlet spaced along a circumferential direction [is] spaced along a circumferential direction from each other.
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) 1-9, 14-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Rambo (2019/0128189). Rambo [see annotations of Fig. 3] teaches (1) A gas turbine engine comprising: a fan assembly comprising a fan 38; a turbomachine drivingly coupled to the fan and comprising a compressor section 22, 24, a combustion section 26, and a turbine section 28, 30 arranged in serial flow order and defining in part a working gas flowpath 64, 66, the gas turbine engine defining a bypass passage 56 over the turbomachine, the turbomachine defining an annular cooling passage (CP) 126 extending between a CP inlet 128 and a CP outlet 150, the CP inlet in airflow communication with the working gas flowpath, the bypass passage, or both; an accessory system [not shown in Fig. 3, but in Fig. 2]; a heat exchanger 152 positioned in thermal communication with the annular cooling passage at a location between the CP inlet and the CP outlet, the heat exchanger 152 in thermal communication with the accessory system [shown in Fig. 2, ¶ 0053, 0060]; and a bleed cooling (BC) system 122 defining a first BC inlet [upstream 152] in airflow communication with the annular cooling passage at a location between the CP inlet 128 and the CP outlet 150 and a second BC inlet [130A or radially adjacent 152] downstream of the first BC inlet and upstream of the CP outlet 150; (2) wherein the accessory system is in thermal communication with the accessory system for cooling an oil cooling system [lubrication], a cooled cooling air system [ACC], an electric machine cooling system [e.g. electric generator ¶ 0053], or a combination thereof. (3) wherein the bleed cooling system 122 is a clearance control system 82 [ACC ¶ 0053], an undercowl ventilation cooling system 122, or combination thereof. (4) wherein the BC inlet 130A of the bleed cooling system is located downstream of the CP inlet and upstream of the heat exchanger. (5) wherein the BC inlet of the bleed cooling system is co-located with the heat exchanger 152 [e.g. flow radially about 152 can be considered a BC inlet]. (6) wherein the BC inlet 126 of the bleed cooling system is located downstream of the heat exchanger 152 and upstream of the CP outlet. (7) wherein the bleed cooling system is a first bleed cooling system including the first BC inlet [upstream 152], and wherein the gas turbine engine further comprises: a second bleed cooling system defining the second BC inlet [130A or radially adjacent 152] in airflow communication with the annular cooling passage at a second location between the CP inlet and the CP outlet. (9) wherein the second BC inlet is co-located with the heat exchanger [radially adjacent 152] or located downstream 130A of the heat exchanger and upstream of the CP outlet. (14) wherein the CP inlet 128 is in airflow communication with the working gas flowpath 64, 66. (15) wherein the bleed cooling system further includes a duct assembly 122 in airflow communication with the BC inlet for receiving an airflow from the BC inlet. (16) wherein the bleed cooling system further includes a valve 150 in airflow communication with the duct assembly to modulate an amount of airflow through the duct assembly of the bleed cooling system. (17) … wherein the valve is a variable throughput valve 150. (19) wherein the turbomachine defines an under-cowl area 122, wherein the duct assembly further comprises an axial duct 122 in airflow communication with the plurality of radial ducts, wherein the axial duct 122 extends to the under-cowl area.
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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) 1-7, 9, 14-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rambo (2019/0128189) in view of Suciu et al (2013/0098047). Rambo teaches a broad reading of in claim 1: a first BC inlet in airflow communication with the annular cooling passage at a location between the CP inlet and the CP outlet and a second BC inlet downstream of the first BC inlet and upstream of the CP outlet. (4) wherein the BC inlet of the bleed cooling system is located downstream of the CP inlet and upstream of the heat exchanger. (5) wherein the BC inlet of the bleed cooling system is co-located with the heat exchanger. (6) wherein the BC inlet of the bleed cooling system is located downstream of the heat exchanger and upstream of the CP outlet. (7) wherein the bleed cooling system is a first bleed cooling system including the first BC inlet, and wherein the gas turbine engine further comprises: a second bleed cooling system defining the second BC inlet in airflow communication with the annular cooling passage at a second location between the CP inlet and the CP outlet. (9) wherein the BC inlet of the bleed cooling system is a first BC inlet, wherein the bleed cooling system further defines a second BC inlet co-located with the heat exchanger or located downstream of the heat exchanger and upstream of the CP outlet. (14) wherein the CP inlet is in airflow communication with the working gas flowpath. (15) wherein the bleed cooling system further includes a duct assembly in airflow communication with the first BC inlet and the second BC inlet for receiving an airflow from the first BC inlet and the second BC inlet. (16) wherein the bleed cooling system further includes a valve in airflow communication with the duct assembly to modulate an amount of airflow through the duct assembly of the bleed cooling system. (17) a controller, wherein the valve is a variable throughput valve, and wherein the controller is operably coupled to the variable throughput valve. For a narrower treatment of claim 1 and an alternate treatment of claims 4-7, 9, 14-17, Suciu et al ‘047 is applied.
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Suciu et al ‘047 [see annotations] teach a first BC inlet [see annotations] in airflow communication with the cooling passage 98→74 at a location [see annotations] between the CP inlet 96 and the CP outlet 74 and a second BC inlet [see annotations] downstream of the first BC inlet and upstream of the CP outlet 74. (4) wherein the BC inlet of the bleed cooling system is located downstream of the CP inlet 96 and upstream of the heat exchanger. (5) wherein the BC inlet of the bleed cooling system is co-located with the heat exchanger. (6) wherein the BC inlet of the bleed cooling system is located downstream of the heat exchanger and upstream of the CP outlet 74. (7) wherein the bleed cooling system is a first bleed cooling system including the first BC inlet [see annotations], and wherein the gas turbine engine further comprises: a second bleed cooling system defining the second BC inlet [see annotations] in airflow communication with the annular cooling passage at a second location between the CP inlet 96 and the CP outlet 74. (9) wherein the BC inlet of the bleed cooling system is a first BC inlet [see annotations], wherein the bleed cooling system further defines a second BC inlet [see annotations] co-located with the heat exchanger or located downstream of the heat exchanger and upstream of the CP outlet 74. (14) wherein the CP inlet 96 is in airflow communication with the working gas flowpath. (15) wherein the bleed cooling system further includes a duct assembly in airflow communication with the first BC inlet [see annotations] and the second BC inlet [see annotations] for receiving an airflow from the first BC inlet [see annotations] and the second BC inlet [see annotations]. (16) wherein the bleed cooling system further includes a valve 102 in airflow communication with the duct assembly to modulate an amount of airflow through the duct assembly of the bleed cooling system. (17) a controller 106, wherein the valve is a variable throughput valve 102, and wherein the controller is operably coupled to the variable throughput valve [¶ 0033]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to employ the first BC inlet and second BC inlet, in the manner taught by Suciu et al ‘047, in order to provide a plurality of inlets for using the cooling air from the cooling duct of Rambo, e.g. including adding a first BC inlet upstream, as taught by Suciu et al, of the second BC inlet of Rambo (now considered co-located with or at the outlet of the heat exchanger of Rambo), in order to utilize the BC inlet air for multiple purposes. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to make the second BC inlet of Rambo, co-located with the heat exchanger, as taught by Suciu et al ‘047, as an equivalent location utilized in the art. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to employ a valve, including variable throughput, and controller, as taught by Suciu et al, in order to facilitate control of the flow, including variable flow control, through the bleed cooling bleed system.
Claim(s) 1-9, 14-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rambo (2019/0128189) with or without Suciu et al (2013/0098047), as applied above, and further in view of Simpson et al (2013/0283762) and optionally Kent (4163366). Rambo further teaches (17) … wherein the valve is a variable throughput valve 150. Rambo does not clearly teach a controller that is operably coupled to the variable throughput valve. Simpson et al teach a controller 500 that is operably coupled to the variable throughput valve 112, 114 that is used for cooling air 104, 106 and controls the output thereof [¶ 0026]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to employ a controller that is operably coupled to the variable throughput valve, as taught by Simpson et al, in order to control the output of the to the variable throughput valve(s). Rambo already teach wherein [the] BC inlet is in airflow communication with the annular cooling passage at the location between the CP inlet and the CP outlet but does not teach (8) wherein the BC inlet of the bleed cooling system is a first BC inlet of a plurality of BC inlets spaced along a circumferential direction of the gas turbine engine, wherein each of the plurality of BC inlets is in airflow communication with the annular cooling passage at the location between the CP inlet and the CP outlet; nor wherein the BC system comprises a plurality of BC inlets including the first BC inlet and the second BC inlet spaced along a circumferential direction of the gas turbine engine, wherein the duct assembly comprises a plurality of radial ducts, wherein each radial duct is in airflow communication with a respective BC inlet of the plurality of BC inlets. Simpson et al teach (18) wherein the BC system comprises a plurality of BC inlets 102 spaced along a circumferential direction of the gas turbine engine, wherein the duct assembly comprises a plurality of radial ducts [connected to 102], wherein each radial duct is in airflow communication with a respective BC inlet of the plurality of BC inlets. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to employ make the plurality of BC inlets, including the first BC inlet and second BC inlet, one of a plurality of BC inlets spaced along a circumferential direction of the gas turbine engine, wherein the duct assembly comprises a plurality of radial ducts, wherein each radial duct is in airflow communication with a respective BC inlet of the plurality of BC inlets, as taught by Simpson et al, in order to direct the bleed air to plural regions in the turbine engine and/or to allow for circumferentially spaced inlets to provide the BC air. Once a plurality of circumferential BC inlets are utilized in Rambo, then the prior art teach wherein each of the plurality of BC inlets is in airflow communication with the Rambo’s annular cooling passage at the location between the CP inlet and the CP outlet. Alternately, Kent teaches (8) wherein the BC inlet of the bleed cooling system is a first BC inlet of a plurality of BC inlets 74 spaced along a circumferential direction of the gas turbine engine, wherein each of the plurality of BC inlets is in airflow communication with the annular cooling passage 20; and (18) wherein the BC system comprises a plurality of BC inlets 74 spaced along a circumferential direction of the gas turbine engine, wherein the duct assembly comprises a plurality of radial ducts 80, wherein each radial duct 80 is in airflow communication with a respective BC inlet 74 of the plurality of BC inlets. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to employ a plurality of circumferentially spaced BC inlets, including for the first and second BC inlets, as taught by Kent, in order to facilitate entry of cooling air into the BC bleed air system at multiple locations. As set forth above, Rambo already teach (20) wherein the bleed cooling system is a clearance control system [ACC 82] but do not teach having a shroud cooling assembly, wherein the duct assembly further comprises an axial duct in airflow communication with the plurality of radial ducts, wherein the axial duct extends to the shroud cooling assembly. Simpson et al teach (20) wherein the bleed cooling system is a clearance control system [ACC 104, 106], having a shroud / casing cooling assembly [manifolds 110, 108 are in the turbine casing, which is equivalent term to a shroud], wherein the duct assembly further comprises an axial duct 104, 106 in airflow communication with the plurality of radial ducts [circa 102], wherein the axial duct extends to the shroud cooling assembly 110, 108. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to employ to have the bleed cooling system / clearance control system [ACC 82], of Rambo, have a shroud cooling assembly, wherein the duct assembly further comprises an axial duct in airflow communication with the plurality of radial ducts, wherein the axial duct extends to the shroud cooling assembly, as taught by Simpson et al, as a typical system utilized in the art to facilitate cooling of the turbine shroud and perform the clearance control of the turbine.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 11/26/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant alleges regarding Rambo
“In the rejection of claims 7 and 9, the Office Action generally alleges that Rambo describes a first BC inlet upstream of the heart sink exchanger 152 and a second BC inlet radially adjacent the heat sink exchanger 152. See Office Action, page 4. However, the Office Action does not specifically identify which elements of Rambo constitute the first BC inlet and the second BC inlet now recited in claim 1.”
In rebuttal, the previous treatment of Rambo specifically identified the locations of the first and second BC inlets in the treatment of claims 7 and 9, and these locations remain pertinent to claim 1, which is broader than previous claims 7 and 9. Accordingly, applicant’s arguments fail to persuade. Note that there is nothing required for the first and second BC inlets, at least in claim 1, other than” a first BC inlet in airflow communication with the annular cooling passage at a location between the CP inlet and the CP outlet and a second BC inlet downstream of the first BC inlet and upstream of the CP outlet” Clearly, the first and second BC inlets identified by the Examiner clearly are 1) in airflow communication with the annular cooling passage at a location between the CP inlet and the CP outlet and 2) downstream of the first BC inlet and upstream of the CP outlet. There is no required structure or other requirement that preludes a broad reading of these locations, as previously done and repeated above. Furthermore, to treat this limitation more narrowly, Suciu et al is now also applied.
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.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the Examiner should be directed to TED KIM whose telephone number is 571-272-4829. The Examiner can be reached on regular business hours before 5:00 pm, Monday to Thursday and every other Friday.
The fax number for the organization where this application is assigned is 571-273-8300.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Devon Kramer, can be reached at 571-272-7118 Alternate inquiries to Technology Center 3700 can be made via 571-272-3700.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from Patent Center https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center. Should you have questions on Patent Center, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). General inquiries can also be directed to the Inventors Assistance Center whose telephone number is 800-786-9199. Furthermore, a variety of online resources are available at https://www.uspto.gov/patent
/Ted Kim/
Telephone
571-272-4829
Primary Examiner
Fax
571-273-8300
January 22, 2026