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
Claims 1-14 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 22 June 2026.
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.
Claim(s) 15-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Walker et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication 2008/0131656). Regarding Claims 15-17, Walker et al., hereafter “Walker,” show that it is known to have an assembly (Abstract) comprising a base component (element 27); a pair of axially elongated legs coupled to the base component to define a channel between the axially elongated legs (elements 29); a first joint component coupled to the base component (element 13); and a second joint component coupled to an inner surface of the channel between the axially elongated legs (element 39), wherein the base component, the pair of axially elongated legs, the first joint component and the second joint component each comprises an oriented ply stack, where each ply in the oriented ply stack comprises aligned continuous fibers, and wherein at least one ply in the oriented ply stack comprises stitching fibers, wherein the stitching fibers hold together the aligned continuous fibers of the at least one ply (0007, 0018-0021, fibers bond/stitch elements together).
Regarding Claim 18, Walker shows the assembly of claim 17 above, including one which further comprises fillers positioned in spaces between the base component and the pair of axially elongated legs (element 37).
Regarding Claim 19, Koon shows the assembly of claim 18 above, including one wherein each ply stack and the fillers comprise a resin composition that is infused to each of the oriented ply stack and the fillers (0019, 0021).
Regarding Claim 20, Walker shows the assembly of claim 19, including one further comprising a through-thickness mechanical fastener, where the mechanical fastener binds the first joint component to the base component (Figure 2, element 25).
Claim(s) 15-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Koon et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication 2024/0198625).
The applied reference has a common Assignee and Inventor with the instant application. Based upon the earlier effectively filed date of the reference, it constitutes prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2). This rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) might be overcome by: (1) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(a) that the subject matter disclosed in the reference was obtained directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor of this application and is thus not prior art in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(A); (2) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(b) of a prior public disclosure under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(B) if the same invention is not being claimed; or (3) a statement pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) establishing that, not later than the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the subject matter disclosed in the reference and the claimed invention were either owned by the same person or subject to an obligation of assignment to the same person or subject to a joint research agreement.
Regarding Claims 15-17, Koon et al., hereafter “Koon,” show that it is known to have a pi-joint assembly (Abstract) comprising a base component (element 12); a pair of axially elongated legs coupled to the base component to define a channel between the axially elongated legs (element 14, 16); a first joint component coupled to the base component (Figure 4, element 50); and a second joint component coupled to an inner surface of the channel between the axially elongated legs (Figure 4, element 52), wherein the base component, the pair of axially elongated legs, the first joint component and the second joint component each comprises an oriented ply stack, where each ply in the oriented ply stack comprises aligned continuous fibers, and wherein at least one ply in the oriented ply stack comprises stitching fibers, wherein the stitching fibers hold together the aligned continuous fibers of the at least one ply (0031-0034: continuous and discontinuous fibers are known to be used in various configurations in pi-joint assemblies to provide mechanical performance, e.g. “hold together”).
Regarding Claim 18, Koon shows the assembly of claim 17 above, including one which further comprises fillers positioned in spaces between the base component and the pair of axially elongated legs (Figure 1, element 26).
Regarding Claim 19, Koon shows the assembly of claim 18 above, including one wherein each ply stack and the fillers comprise a resin composition that is infused to each of the oriented ply stack and the fillers (Figure 1, element 28: adhesive).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MONICA HUSON whose telephone number is (571)272-1198. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8a-4p.
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MONICA ANNE HUSON
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1742
/MONICA A HUSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1742
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