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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, species A1 and B1, claims 1-3, 5-10 and 14-17, in the reply filed on June 8, 2026, is acknowledged. Claims 4, 11-13, 18 and 19 are withdrawn for being directed to a nonelected invention or species. The restriction requirement is deemed proper and made final.
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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 7 recites the limitation "the first chamber" in line 6. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For purposes of examination, this will be interpreted as the resonance chamber of claim 2.
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, 7, 8, 14, 16 and 17 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 extending laterally between and connected to the first sidewall and the second sidewall, and the first corrugated ribbon comprising a plurality of first corrugations arranged in a first longitudinal array (figure 3); and
the second corrugated ribbon 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 (figure 3).
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 7, Runyan teaches that the first corrugated ribbon comprises a first corrugation with one or more first perforations 333;
the second corrugated ribbon comprises a second corrugation with one or more second perforations 333; and
the 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 corrugated ribbon 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 a first peak (figure 3), and the first structure first panel is angularly offset from the first structure second panel by a first angle (figure 3 and page 6, line 30 – page 7, line 3, where a skewed septum 334 would produce different angles on the top and bottom); and
the second corrugated ribbon comprises a second structure first panel (positively sloped section extending from a second corrugation valley to a weld nugget) and a second structure second panel (negatively sloped section extending from a weld nugget to a second corrugation valley) that is connected to the second structure first panel at a second peak (figure 3), 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 3 and page 6, line 30 – page 7, line 3, where a skewed septum 334 would produce different angles on the top and bottom).
Regarding claim 14, Runyan teaches that the first corrugated ribbon comprises a first corrugation (figure 3); and
the second corrugated ribbon comprises a plurality of second corrugations (figure 3), and
the first corrugation overlaps the plurality of second corrugations (figure 3).
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).
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 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO 2014/200499 Runyan et al.
Regarding claim 3, Runyan teaches that the first corrugated ribbon 942 comprises a first corrugation (single valley-peak-valley segment) with a first peak, and the second corrugated ribbon 943 comprises a second corrugation (single valley-peak- valley segment) with a second peak that is aligned with the first peak (figure 9B, where “aligned” is being interpreted as vertical alignment, but other directional alignments are not excluded from the claim).
Please note that while the embodiments in figure 3 and figure 9 together read on the claim, one reading Runyan as a whole would appreciate that different embodiments and different aspects of different embodiments may be combined to arrive at the desired final product even if not explicitly taught by Runyan.
Regarding claim 5, Runyan teaches that the first corrugated ribbon 942 comprises a first corrugation (single valley-peak-valley segment) with a first peak, and the second corrugated ribbon 943 comprises a second corrugation (single valley-peak- valley segment) with a second peak, and the second peak is connected to the first peak (figure 9B).
Please note that while the embodiments in figure 3 and figure 9 together read on the claim, one reading Runyan as a whole would appreciate that different embodiments and different aspects of different embodiments may be combined to arrive at the desired final product even if not explicitly taught by Runyan.
Regarding claim 6, Runyan teaches that the first corrugated ribbon 942 comprises a first corrugation, and the second corrugated ribbon 943 comprises a second corrugation that is nested with the first corrugation (figure 9B).
Please note that while the embodiments in figure 3 and figure 9 together read on the claim, one reading Runyan as a whole would appreciate that different embodiments and different aspects of different embodiments may be combined to arrive at the desired final product even if not explicitly taught by Runyan.
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).
PNG
media_image1.png
194
494
media_image1.png
Greyscale
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.
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).
Please note that while the embodiments in figure 3 and figure 9 together read on the claim, one reading Runyan as a whole would appreciate that different embodiments and different aspects of different embodiments may be combined to arrive at the desired final product even if not explicitly taught by Runyan.
Conclusion
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.
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, Frank Vineis can be reached on 571-270-1547. 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.
/MEGHA M GAITONDE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1781
Prosecution Insights