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 .
DETAILED ACTION
The applicant’s amendment/remarks dated 03/05/2026 has been received, entered, and fully considered. Claims 1-3 and 10-12 are amended. Claims 13-16 area cancelled.
In light of the applicant’s amendment to the claims/arguments, the previous non-final office action has been withdrawn.
Claims 1-12 are currently pending and are under examination.
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, 3-6, and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pacchione et al. (US 2014/0087143) in view of Vorel et al. (doc. “AlMgSc alloy 5028 status of maturation”) and further view of Kabliman et al. (doc. “Development of Al–Mg–Sc Thin Foils for Fiber-Reinforced Metal Laminates”) and
Regarding claims 1 and 3, Pacchione discloses a fiber metal laminate comprising metal layers formed with an AlMg or AlMgSc Alloy one or more synthetic layers of a thermoplastic material with embedded reinforcing fibers (glass, carbon or Zylon fibers (para. [0056], [0070]).
Kabliman confirms that Al-Mg-Sc foils were already being developed specifically for aeronautical fiber metal laminates (FML), reinforcing the readiness of the material system at the time of the invention (page 1-2).
Vorel in the same field of endeavor of storing cryogenic liquids teaches an AlMgSc alloy 5028 cryogenic fuel tank (Fig. 9 (a), 9(b))(Alloy 5028 is a low-density high strength aluminum alloy on AlMg basis with additions of Sc; page 1) and AlMgSc alloy 5024 (page 1) used for a storage tank for liquified gas or for liquid hydrogen(i.e. cryogenic tanks; “liquid hydrogen” , page 8).
A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention would have been motivated to replace the cryogenic Al-Mg-Sc tank shell of Vorel tank with the fiber metal laminate (FML) construction of Pacchione with great expectation of success because FML Al-Mg-Sc metal layers as suggested in Kabliman while adding fiber reinforced thermoplastic layers further reduce weight, improve damage tolerance and fatigue performance as well as offer better thermal compatibility all of which are highly desirable for cryogenic hydrogen tanks in aircraft or spacecraft.
Regarding claim 4, modified Pacchione discloses a storage tank wherein the thermoplastic matrix is formed with at least one of a polyphenylene sulfide or a polyimide or a polyaryletherketone (para. [0055], [0149]).
Regarding claim 5, modified Pacchione discloses a storage tank wherein the thermoplastic matrix is formed with at least one of a polyetheretherketone, a polyetherketoneketone and a polyetherketone (para. [0055], [0149]).
Regarding claim 6, modified Pacchione discloses a storage tank wherein the reinforcing fibers comprise glass fibers (glass fibers (para. [0056], [0070]) and/or carbon fibers (carbon (para. [0056], [0070]).
Regarding claim 10, modified Pacchione discloses a storage tank wherein an innermost layer of the fiber metal laminate from which the vessel wall is formed, which forms an inner side of the vessel wall, is a metal layer formed with the AlMgSc alloy (Pacchione, para. [0015]: ‘…the first assembly component 11 and the second assembly component 12 are produced from an aluminum magnesium scandium alloy, also known as AlMgSc alloy for short., Fig. 5), and wherein further, an outermost layer of the fiber metal laminate, which forms an outer side of the vessel wall, is a metal layer formed with the AlMgSc alloy (Pacchione, para. [0015]: ‘…the first assembly component 11 and the second assembly component 12 are produced from an aluminum magnesium scandium alloy, also known as AlMgSc alloy for short. 5).
Claim(s) 2 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over modified Pacchione et al. (US 2014/0087143) in view of Heiko et al. (EP4169702), and further view of Edie et al. (doc. “THERMOPLASTIC COATING OF CARBON FIBERS”).
Regarding Claims 2 and 12, modified Pacchione lacks, but Heiko teaches fiber metal laminate (FML)further comprises carbon nanotubes and/or graphene particles (para. [0010], [0017], [0021].
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the FML disclosed in modified Pacchione with the car carbon nanotubes and/or graphene particles taught in Heiko with a reasonable expectation of success because it provides superior Interlaminar and interfacial strength, enhances impact and damage tolerance, exceptional fatigue tolerance.
modified Pacchione is silent, but Edie in the same field of endeavor teaches reinforcing fibers are coated with an electrically insulating coating before being embedded in the thermoplastic matrix (abstract, page 2, slurry coating…polymer slurry; LaRC-TPI high-performance thermoplastic polyimide is an excellent electrical insulator).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to coat the reinforcing fibers of modified Pacchione with an electrically insulating coating before being embedded in the thermoplastic matrix as taught in Edie with a reasonable expectation of success because it provides a uniform and flexible prepeg, improve thermal management, prevent electrical discharges, and protect against unwanted current.
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over modified Pacchione et al. (US 2014/0087143) in view of Edie et al. (doc. “THERMOPLASTIC COATING OF CARBON FIBERS”).
Regarding Claim 7, modified Pacchione discloses a fiber metal laminate comprising metal layers formed with an AlMg or AlMgSc Alloy one or more synthetic layers of a thermoplastic material with embedded reinforcing fibers (glass, carbon or Zylon fibers (para. [0056], [0070]).
modified Pacchione is silent, Edie in the same field of endeavor teaches reinforcing fibers are coated with an electrically insulating coating before being embedded in the thermoplastic matrix (abstract, page 2, slurry coating…polymer slurry; LaRC-TPI high-performance thermoplastic polyimide is an excellent electrical insulator; see epoxies/epoxy resin on pages 4-5).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to coat the electrically insulating epoxy resin disclosed in modified Pacchione onto the reinforcing fibers before being embedded in the thermoplastic matrix as taught in Edie with a reasonable expectation of success because it provides a uniform and flexible prepeg, improve thermal management, prevent electrical discharges, and protect against unwanted current.
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over modified Pacchione et al. (US 2014/0087143) in view of Yangen et al. (CN107880494) (see attached English translation).
Regarding Claim 8, modified Pacchione discloses a storage tank for liquified gas or for liquid hydrogen with reinforced carbon fibers(see rejection 1 above).
modified Pacchione is silent, Yangen in the same field of endeavor teaches a fiber metal laminate (claim 16; para. [0005] ) comprises carbon nanotubes and/or graphene particles (para. [0005], [0024]), wherein the carbon nanotubes and/or graphene particles are dispersed in the thermoplastic matrix of at least one of the synthetic layers (para. [0005], [0024]) or of a sublayer thereof or are dispersed in the thermoplastic matrix in a portion of one of the synthetic layers or of a sublayer thereof in a thickness direction of the fiber metal laminate or are provided in a form of a layer between at least one of the synthetic layers or a sublayer thereof and an adjacent layer or adjacent sublayer.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the carbon fibers disclosed in modified Pacchione with the carbon nanotubes and/or graphene particles as taught in Yangen with a reasonable expectation of success because it provides better mechanical strength, flexibility, elasticity, and enhanced electrical & thermal conductivity.
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over modified Pacchione et al. (US 2014/0087143) in view of Labordus et al. (US 2004/0151921).
Regarding claim 9, modified Pacchione is silent, Labordus in the same field of endeavor teaches a fiber metal laminate wherein the laminate comprises at least one weld seam or a butt weld seam (6, Fig. 1) wherein two portions of the fiber metal laminate are joined at the weld seam (abstract).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the vessel walls disclosed in modified Pacchione with the weld seam or a butt weld seam connection as taught in Labordus with a reasonable expectation of success because it provides a strong connection between two fiber metal laminate walls of the vessel.
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over modified Pacchione et al. (US 2014/0087143) in view of Orchard (US 2023/0143288).
Regarding Claim 11, modified Pacchione discloses a cryogenic structure/storage tank with an application in an aerospace fields(see rejection of claim 1 above).
modified Pacchione is silent, but Orchard in the same field of endeavor teaches an aircraft (para. [0053]) or spacecraft comprising the storage tank (100, para. [0053]) for liquified gas according to claim 1 as well as a hydrogen-based propulsion system configured to be supplied with hydrogen at least from the storage tank (para. [0053]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the storage tank disclosed in modified Pacchione on an aircraft for supplying liquified gas/hydrogen-based propulsion as taught in Orchard with a reasonable expectation of success because it provides a safe and long-range fuel storage for the aircraft.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Qiao et al (CN104648696) teaches a space metal propellant storage tank whose entire shell is formed from an Al-Mg-Sc alloy (specifically 5B70). The reference teach the use of Al-Mg-Sc for a lightweight propellant tank in an aerospace environment precisely because of its high specific strength, good weldability and corrosion resistance (para. [0007], [0011], [0012], “…the shell 1 is made entirely of aluminum-magnesium-scandium alloy…”).
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Assres H. Woldemaryam
Primary Examiner (Aeronautics and Astronautics)
Art Unit 3642
/ASSRES H WOLDEMARYAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3642
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