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 .
Response to Arguments
Regarding the status of the claims, Claims 1, 3-21 are pending. Claims 4-5, 7-12 and 17-20 have been withdrawn. Claim 21 is newly added. Claim 2 has been canceled.
Applicant's arguments filed 11/13/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding Stevens et al. (US 20200025041, hereinafter: “Stevens”), the Applicant’s position is the Stevens does not disclose the structural member (98) is not an integral with the airfoil and disposed on an outer radial side of the airfoil and does not disclose an internal passage radially extending within the structural member. The Examiner has fully considered the Applicant’s position; however, respectfully disagrees. Stevens discloses that the vane ring 68, comprising airfoils 72, are connected to the engine case structure by the first vane support 98 [0037]. Therefore, the structure 98 and the airfoil 72 are integral parts of the assembly and the structure 98 is integral with the airfoil 72. An assembly can be composed of multiple parts which are connected directly or indirectly to each other and are integral parts of said assembly. The current presentation of the claim does not define that the structural member is integral to the airfoil such that they are one-piece component. Thus, the structure 98 of Stevens is integral with the airfoil 72 as claimed. In addition, the internal passage as shown in annotated Figure 2 of Stevens extends in radially within the structural member 98 as claimed. At least for the reasons as discussed above, Stevens discloses the current presentation of Claims 1 and 21.
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, 3, 6, and 13-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Stevens et al. (US 20200025041, hereinafter: “Stevens”).
In reference to Claim 1
Stevens discloses:
A stator vane, comprising:
an airfoil (72); and
a structural member (98) integral with the airfoil and disposed on an outer radial side of the airfoil, the structural member having a forward surface (forward surface of 98, Fig. 2), an internal passage (as shown in annotated Figure 2 of Stevens) radially extending within the structural member and in fluid communication with the airfoil, and a multi-access cooling air feed passage (114, 124);
wherein the multi-access cooling air feed passage includes a primary aperture (124) in fluid communication with the internal passage and a plurality of secondary passages (114) each configured to provide a fluid passage (passage of 114) into the primary aperture, wherein the primary aperture extends along a primary aperture centerline (“E”, Fig. 4), and each said secondary passage of the plurality of secondary passages extends in a direction that diverges from the primary aperture centerline (Fig. 4) [0030-0044] (Fig. 1-6).
In reference to Claim 3
Stevens discloses:
The stator vane of claim 1, wherein the primary aperture (124) includes a metering portion (MP) (see narrow portion of 124, Fig. 4) having a MP cross-sectional area (as shown in annotated Figure 4 of Stevens) disposed perpendicular to the primary aperture centerline, and a forward portion (FP) (as shown in annotated Figure 4 of Stevens) having a FP cross-sectional area disposed perpendicular to the primary aperture centerline, and each said secondary passage of the plurality of secondary passages has a cross-sectional area, and wherein a sum of the cross-sectional areas of the plurality of secondary passages and the FP cross-sectional area is greater than the MP cross-sectional area (Fig. 4; as shown in annotated Figure 4 of Stevens).
In reference to Claim 6
Stevens discloses:
The stator vane of claim 1, wherein the primary aperture includes a metering portion (as shown in annotated Figure 4 of Stevens) having a cross-sectional area disposed perpendicular to the primary aperture centerline, and each said secondary passage of the plurality of secondary passages has a cross-sectional area and a sum of the cross-sectional areas of the plurality of secondary passages is greater than the cross-sectional area of the metering portion (Fig. 4; as shown in annotated Figure 4 of Stevens).
In reference to Claim 13
Stevens discloses:
The stator vane of claim 1, further comprising:
an aperture (aperture of 98 which structure 110 is disposed in) disposed in the forward surface of the structural member (98), the aperture in fluid communication with the primary aperture; and a plug (110) received within the aperture, the plug having a body (112) and a cap (120) , wherein the body extends axially between a first axial end and a second axial end (as shown in annotated Figure 4 of Stevens), and includes an outer radial surface (outer surface of 110, Fig. 4), a central bore (central bore of 110) that extends axially, and a plurality of port apertures (114); wherein the plurality of port apertures extend between the outer radial surface of the plug and the central bore; and wherein the plug is disposed such that at least a portion of each port aperture of the plurality of port apertures extends beyond the forward surface;
wherein a number of the plurality of port apertures is four (114 as shown in Fig. 4; [0041]) and the plurality of port apertures are disposed circumferentially about the plug and spaced equidistant from each other (Fig. 3).
In reference to Claim 14
Stevens discloses:
The stator vane of claim 13, wherein the body of the plug has an outer radial surface (outer radial surface of 112) that is disposed at a plug body outer radial diameter (outer radial diameter of 112), and the cap (120) has an outer radial diameter (outer diameter of 120), and the cap outer radial diameter is greater than the plug body outer radial diameter (Fig. 4).
In reference to Claim 15
Stevens discloses:
The stator vane of claim 13, wherein the plurality of secondary passages (114) includes a first secondary passage (one passage 114) defined by a first port aperture of the plurality of port apertures, and a second secondary passage (second passage 114) defined by a second port aperture of the plurality of port apertures (Fig. 4).
In reference to Claim 16
Stevens discloses:
The stator vane of claim 15, wherein the primary aperture includes a metering portion (124; as shown in annotated Figure 4 of Stevens) having a cross-sectional area disposed perpendicular to the primary aperture centerline, the first port aperture has a first port aperture cross-sectional area (cross-section of 114), and the second port aperture has a second port aperture cross-sectional area (cross-section of a second 114), and a sum of the first port aperture cross-sectional area and the second port aperture cross-sectional area is greater than the cross-sectional area of the metering portion. (Fig. 4).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim 21 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stevens et al. (US 20200025041, hereinafter: “Stevens”).
In reference to Claim 21
Stevens discloses:
A turbine section (28) of an aircraft system, the turbine section comprising: a blade outer air seal (BOAS) assembly (62, 64); and a stator vane (72) disposed –forward- of the BOAS assembly, stator vane (74) disposed aft of the BOAS assembly, the stator vane comprises: an airfoil (72 airfoil); and a structural member (98) attached to the airfoil, the structural member having a forward surface (forward surface of 98, Fig. 2), an internal passage (as shown in annotated Figure 2 of Stevens) in fluid communication with the airfoil, and a multi-access cooling air feed passage (114, 124);
wherein the multi-access cooling air feed passage includes a primary aperture (124) in fluid communication with the internal passage and a plurality of secondary passages (114) each configured to provide a fluid passage (passage of 114) into the primary aperture, wherein the primary aperture extends along a primary aperture centerline (“E”, Fig. 4), and each said secondary passage of the plurality of secondary passages extends in a direction that diverges from the primary aperture centerline. (Fig. 4) [0030-0044] (Fig. 1-6).
Stevens also discloses that the structural member (98) and the associated components can be applied in any order [0047] and other engine sections [0034].
Thus, 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 aft stator vane assembly (74, 99) located aft of the BOAS of Stevens by constructing it to have features of the aft support structure (98) and its associated components as taught by Stevens for the purpose of providing a metering flow apertures to separate debris.
PNG
media_image1.png
849
643
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Figure 1: Annotated Figure 2 of Stevens.
PNG
media_image2.png
644
907
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Figure 2: Annotated Figure 4 of Stevens.
Conclusion
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AYE SU MON HTAY whose telephone number is (571)270-5958. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9:00am-3:00pm PST.
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, Nathan Wiehe can be reached at 571-272-8648. 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.
/AYE S HTAY/Examiner, Art Unit 3745
/NATHANIEL E WIEHE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3745