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 Amendment
Pursuant to the applicant’s response filed 23 February 2026, the amendments to the claims have been entered into the application. By this amendment, claims 9, 14, 20-29, & 34-39 are cancelled, claim 40 has been added, and claims 1-8, 10-13, 15-19, 30-33, & 40 are currently pending in the application. The rejections have been updated to reflect the changes to the claims.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Claim(s) 1-8, 10-13, 15, 17-19, 30-31, and 40 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being clearly anticipated by U.S. Patent 3,196,746 issued to Dahl (Dahl).
Regarding claim 1, Dahl discloses an explosive bolt system (See Figure 1, clearly illustrated), comprising: an explosive bolt (1), comprising a shank having a first longitudinal end, an opposed second longitudinal end and a longitudinal axis (Contains elements 5 & 6, see at least Figure 1, clearly illustrated), the explosive bolt being configured for securing two elements together between said first longitudinal end and said second longitudinal end (3); the shank including an internal chamber (Contains elements 5 & 6, see at least Figure 1, clearly illustrated) accommodating a first layer of a high density first secondary explosive material (6), and further accommodating a second layer of a low density second secondary explosive material in arming communication with the first layer (5); and an initiator device (10) positioned with respect to the explosive bolt such that the initiator device is in arming communication with the explosive bolt (See at least Figure 1, clearly illustrated).
Regarding claim 2, Dahl further discloses wherein the initiator device has a propagation axis, and comprises a booster secondary explosive element material operatively connected to an initiator secondary explosive material via a command chord (10, See at least Figure 1, clearly illustrated, and Col. 4 Lines 28-46).
Regarding claim 3, Dahl further discloses wherein the initiator device is positioned with respect to the explosive bolt such that the initiator secondary explosive material is in arming communication with the explosive bolt (See at least Figure 1, clearly illustrated).
Regarding claim 4, Dahl further discloses wherein the initiator device is positioned with respect to the explosive bolt such that the initiator secondary explosive material is in arming communication with the internal chamber (See at least Figure 1, clearly illustrated).
Regarding claim 5, Dahl further discloses wherein the initiator device is positioned with respect to the explosive bolt such that the initiator secondary explosive material is in arming communication with the second layer (See at least Figure 1, clearly illustrated).
Regarding claim 6, Dahl further discloses wherein the first layer is longitudinally juxtaposed with the second layer along said longitudinal axis (See at least Figure 1, clearly illustrated).
Regarding claim 7, Dahl further discloses wherein said first layer has a first axial length along said longitudinal axis (6), wherein said second layer has a second axial length along said longitudinal axis (5), and wherein said first axial length is shorter than said second axial length (See at least Figure 1, clearly illustrated).
Regarding claim 8, Dahl further discloses including one of the following: wherein the first layer is accommodated in a first chamber portion of the internal chamber and comprises a first quantity of said high density first secondary explosive material, and wherein the second layer is accommodated in a second chamber portion of the internal chamber and comprises a second quantity of said low density second secondary explosive material; or wherein the first layer is accommodated in a first chamber portion of the internal chamber and comprises a first quantity of said high density first secondary explosive material, and wherein the second layer is accommodated in a second chamber portion of the internal chamber and comprises a second quantity of said low density second secondary explosive material, and, wherein said first quantity is about the same as said second quantity (See at least Figure 1, clearly illustrated).
Regarding claim 10, Dahl further discloses wherein said first secondary explosive material comprises a first density, and wherein said second secondary explosive material comprises a second density, wherein said first density is about 1.6 g/cm3 ± 0.05 g/cm3, and wherein said second density is about 1.4 g/cm3 ± 0.05 g/cm3 (See at least Col. 3 Line 58-Col. 4 Line 7).
Regarding claim 11, Dahl further discloses wherein each one of said first secondary explosive material and said second secondary explosive material includes any one of nitroaromatics and nitramines (See at least Col. 3 Line 58-Col. 4 Line 7).
Regarding claim 12, Dahl further discloses wherein each one of said first secondary explosive material and said second secondary explosive material complies at least with the US Department of Defense Design Criteria Standard, Safety Criteria for Fuze Design, designated MIL-STD-131 (See at least Col. 3 Line 58-Col. 4 Line 7).
Regarding claim 13, Dahl further discloses including one of the following: wherein said first secondary explosive material and said second secondary explosive material are the same secondary explosive material, or wherein said first secondary explosive material and said second secondary explosive material are different secondary explosive materials with respect to one another (See at least Col. 3 Line 58-Col. 4 Line 7).
Regarding claim 15, Dahl further discloses wherein each one of said explosive bolt and said initiator device is devoid of primary explosive materials (See at least Figure 1, clearly illustrated and See at least Col. 3 Line 58-Col. 4 Line 46).
Regarding claim 17, Dahl further discloses wherein said second layer is in abutting contact with the first layer (See at least Figure 1, clearly illustrated).
Regarding claim 18, Dahl discloses an explosive bolt comprising a shank having a first longitudinal and an opposed second longitudinal end and a longitudinal axis, the explosive bolt being configured for securing two elements together between said first longitudinal end and said second longitudinal end; the shank including an internal chamber accommodating a first layer of a high density first secondary explosive material, and further accommodating a second layer of a low density second secondary explosive material in abutting contact with the first layer (Limitations previously addressed, see rejections above).
Regarding claim 19, Dahl further discloses including at least one of the following: wherein said first layer has a first axial length along said longitudinal axis, wherein said second layer has a second axial length along said longitudinal axis, and wherein said first axial length is shorter than said second axial length; wherein the first layer is accommodated in a first chamber portion of the internal chamber and comprises a first quantity of said high density first secondary explosive material, and wherein the second layer is accommodated in a second chamber portion of the internal chamber and comprises a second quantity of said low density second secondary explosive material, or wherein the first layer is accommodated in a first chamber portion of the internal chamber and comprises a first quantity of said high density first secondary explosive material, and wherein the second layer is accommodated in a second chamber portion of the internal chamber and comprises a second quantity of said low density second secondary explosive material and wherein said first quantity is about the same as said second quantity; wherein said first secondary explosive material comprises a first density, and wherein said second secondary explosive material comprises a second density, wherein said first density is about 1.6 g/cm3s0.05 g/cm3, and wherein said second density is about 1.4 g/cm3s0.05 g/cm3;- wherein each one of said first secondary explosive material and said second secondary explosive material includes any one of nitroaromatics and nitramines; wherein each one of said first secondary explosive material and said second secondary explosive material complies at least with the US Department of Defense Design Criteria Standard, Safety Criteria for Fuze Design, designated MIL-STD-131; wherein said first secondary explosive material and said second secondary explosive material are the same secondary explosive material, or wherein said first secondary explosive material and said second secondary explosive material are different secondary explosive materials with respect to one another; wherein said explosive bolt is devoid of primary explosive materials; wherein said second layer is in abutting contact with the first layer; or wherein said explosive bolt is configured for being actuated via an initiator device positioned with respect to the explosive bolt such that the initiator device is in arming communication with the explosive bolt (Limitations previously addressed, see rejections above).
Regarding claim 30, Dahl discloses a connection system for selectively engaging two elements to one another, the connection system comprising: an explosive bolt system as defined in claim 1, wherein one longitudinal end of the explosive bolt is coupled to one of said elements, and another longitudinal end of the bolt is coupled to the other one of said elements; a detonator and safe and arm device, operatively coupled to the explosive bolt system (See at least Figure 1, clearly illustrated, and Col. 3-4).
Regarding claim 31, Dahl discloses a method for selectively engaging two elements to one another, the method comprising:(a) providing an explosive bolt system as defined in claim 1; (b) coupling one longitudinal end of the explosive bolt to one of said elements, and coupling another longitudinal end of the bolt to the other one of said elements; (c) operatively coupling a detonator and safe and arm device to the explosive bolt system (See at least Figure 1, clearly illustrated, and Col. 3-4).
Regarding claim 40, Dahl discloses an explosive bolt, comprising: a shank having a first longitudinal end and an opposed second longitudinal end and a longitudinal axis, the explosive bolt being configured for securing two elements together between said first longitudinal end and said second longitudinal end; wherein the shank includes an internal chamber accommodating a first layer of a high density first secondary explosive material wherein the first secondary explosive material is provided at a first density, and further accommodating a second layer of a low density second secondary explosive material wherein the second secondary explosive material is provided at a second density, the second layer being in abutting contact with the first layer, and wherein the first density is greater than the second density (Limitations previously addressed, see rejection provided above).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 16 and 32-33 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The closest prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to disclose the collective limitations of claims 16 and 32.
Response to Arguments
In response to the applicant’s arguments that Dahl does not disclose that both layers are made from a secondary explosive material, the examiner offers the following: The examiner has reviewed the applicant’s specification and particularly Page 14 Lines 14-21 and notes that the description of the elements provided are not specific or limiting definitions of the claimed elements; therefore, the claimed limitations would not be narrowly interpreted as indicated by the applicant. Since the definitions provided by the applicant in the specification are non-limiting and the claimed elements are not narrowed by additional requirements, the limitation of a first layer of a secondary explosive material and a second layer of a secondary explosive material can be broadly interpreted as utilized by the examiner. The rejections are deemed proper and maintained by the examiner.
No other arguments have been provided by the applicant.
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 JONATHAN C WEBER whose telephone number is (571)270-5377. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8AM-5PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Troy Chambers can be reached at 571-272-6874. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Jonathan C Weber/Primary Examiner,
Art Unit 3641
JONATHAN C. WEBER
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3641