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 .
Cited Figures
Please note that the rejection below refers to both figures 3 and 9. The reference as a whole shows that figure 3 and figure 9 are of the same embodiment, but figure 9 is showing the steps during manufacture. The rejection below will refer to figures 3 and 9 based on which figure shows the correlation to the claim most clearly. It is important for Applicant to note that these figures are different stages of production for the same embodiment.
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.
Claims 1, 2, 5-8, 14-17 and 20-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by WO 2014/200499 Runyan et al.
Regarding claim 1, Runyan teaches an acoustic panel (page 1, lines 22-25), comprising:
a perforated 322 first skin 320;
a second skin 310; and
a cellular core 330 vertically between and connected to the perforated first skin and the second skin (figure 3), the cellular core including a first corrugated ribbon (top corrugation), a second corrugated ribbon (bottom corrugation), a first sidewall (leftmost sidewall) and a second sidewall (rightmost sidewall) (figure 3),
the first corrugated ribbon 942 extending laterally between and connected to the first sidewall and the second sidewall, the first corrugated ribbon comprising a plurality of first corrugations arranged in a first longitudinal array, and a first of the plurality of first corrugations comprising a first peak (single valley-peak-valley segment, figure 9B); and
the second corrugated ribbon 943 extending laterally between and connected to the first sidewall and the second sidewall, and the second corrugated ribbon comprising a plurality of second corrugations arranged in a second longitudinal array that longitudinally overlaps the first corrugated ribbon, and a first of the plurality of second corrugations comprising a second peak (single valley-peak-valley segment, figure 9B), and
the first plurality of first corrugations extending in a first vertical direction to the first peak, the first of the plurality of second corrugations extending the first vertical direction to the second peak, and the second peak longitudinally aligned with the first peak (figure 9B).
Regarding claim 2, Runyan teaches that
the cellular core is configured with a resonance chamber 330 (page 5, lines 5-8),
the resonance chamber comprises a first cavity (topmost), a second cavity (middle, above and below septum 334), and a third cavity (bottommost, figure 3),
the first corrugated ribbon is vertically between and partially forms the first cavity and the second cavity (figure 3), and
the second corrugated ribbon is vertically between and partially forms the second cavity and the third cavity (figure 3).
Regarding claim 5, Runyan teaches that the second peak is connected to the first peak (figure 9B).
Regarding claim 6, Runyan teaches that the first of the plurality of second corrugations 943 is nested with the first of the plurality of first corrugations 942 (figure 9B).
Regarding claim 7, Runyan teaches that the first of the plurality of first corrugations comprises one or more first perforations 333 (figure 3);
the first of the plurality of second corrugations comprises one or more second perforations 333 (figure 3); and
a first chamber extends from the perforated first skin 320, through the one or more first perforations and the one or more second perforations, to the second skin 310 (figure 3).
Regarding claim 8, Runyan teaches that the first of the plurality of first corrugations further comprises a first structure first panel (positively sloped section extending from a weld nugget to a first corrugation peak) and a first structure second panel (negatively sloped section extending from a first corrugation peak to a weld nugget) that is connected to the first structure first panel at the first peak (figure 9B), and the first structure first panel is angularly offset from the first structure second panel by a first angle (figure 9B); and
the first of the plurality of second corrugations further comprises a second structure first panel (positively sloped section extending from a weld nugget to a second corrugation peak) and a second structure second panel (negatively sloped section extending from a second corrugation peak to a weld nugget) that is connected to the second structure first panel at the second peak (figure 9B), and the second structure first panel is angularly offset from the second structure second panel by a second angle that is different than the first angle (figure 9B).
Regarding claim 14, Runyan teaches that the first of the plurality of first corrugations longitudinally overlaps the first of the plurality of second corrugations and a second of the plurality of second corrugations (figure 3, overlapping half of the first and half of the second).
Regarding claim 15, Runyan teaches that the core further includes a third corrugated ribbon 945; and
the first chamber extends from the perforated first skin 941, through the first corrugated ribbon 942, the second corrugated ribbon 943, and the third corrugated ribbon 945 to the second skin 947 (figure 9B).
Regarding claim 16, Runyan teaches that the core further includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall (vertical walls, figure 3);
a first chamber extends laterally between the first sidewall and the second sidewall (figure 3);
the first corrugated ribbon and the second corrugated ribbon are each connected to and extends laterally between the first sidewall and the second sidewall (figure 3).
Regarding claim 17, Runyan teaches that at least the perforated first skin, the second skin and the core form a component of an aircraft propulsion system (page 2, lines 25-28).
Regarding claim 20, Runyan teaches all of the limitations above with respect to claims 1 and 14.
Regarding claim 21, Runyan teaches that the plurality of first corrugations extends vertically between a first side and a second side, and the portion of the first corrugated ribbon is vertically between the first side and the second side (figure 3).
Regarding claim 22, Runyan teaches that the first corrugated ribbon comprises a first peak, and the first corrugated ribbon extends in a first vertical direction to the first peak (figure 9B); and
the second corrugated ribbon comprises a second peak, the second corrugated ribbon extends in the first vertical direction to the second peak, and the second peak is longitudinally aligned with the first peak (figure 9B).
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 9 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO 2014/200499 Runyan et al.
Regarding claims 9 and 10, Runyan teaches that all panels of both first and second ribbons are configured as septums (page 5, lines 5-8 and figure 3, where “septum” has been defined by the instant specification as a panel with perforations, while “baffle” has been defined by the instant specification as a panel without perforations). Runyan does not explicitly teach any of these central ribbons as baffles. However, Runyan does teach that the perforations affect attenuation (page 5, lines 9-17, copied below).
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Based on this teaching, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to alter the number, size and shape of the perforations, including removing them entirely to form a baffle, in each panel as seen fit to arrive at the desired attenuation characteristic.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed September 22, 2026, have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that Runyan does not disclose longitudinally aligned peaks. However, this is taught in figure 9B. In the partially formed product, first and second peaks are longitudinally aligned and nested.
New claim 20 teaches the overlapping features in figure 3 as discussed above.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Megha M Gaitonde whose telephone number is (571)270-3598. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30 am to 5 pm.
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/MEGHA M GAITONDE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1781
