DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. 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
2. Claims 5-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 8/7/2026.
3. Applicant’s election without traverse of Species 2 in the reply filed on 8/7/2026 is acknowledged.
Specification
4. The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: The specification recites “first wear liner 416” ([0050], line 11), which should be changed to --first wear liner 412--.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Claim(s) 1-2 and 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bourlier et al (US 11,125,289).
Alternative limitations are written in italics and are not rejected.
As per claim 1, Bourlier et al discloses a friction disk (100) comprising:
a friction disk core (102), wherein the friction disk core comprises at least one of a void (110) through a full thickness of the friction disk core or a first recess in a first face of the friction disk core and a second recess of a second face of the friction disk core;
a first wear liner (104A) located over a first surface of the friction disk core, wherein the first wear liner comprises a raised portion (116A) and a non-raised portion (114A); and
a second wear liner (104B) located over a second surface of the friction disk core, wherein the second wear liner comprises a raised portion (116B) and a non-raised portion (114B), where the raised portion of the first wear liner is configured to fit within the at least one of the void (116A, Fig. 2B) or the first recess on the first face of the friction disk core and wherein the raised portion of the second wear liner is configured to fit within the at least one of the void (116B, Fig. 2B) or the second recess on the second face of the friction disk core.
As per claim 2, Bourlier et al discloses the friction disk of claim 1, wherein the friction disk core comprises the void (110), wherein the raised portion of the first wear liner mates with the raised portion of the second wear liner within the void in the friction disk core (116A, 116B, Fig. 2B), wherein the non-raised portion of the first wear liner mates with non-void area of the first face of the friction disk core (114A, 124A, Fig. 2B), and wherein the non-raised portion of the second wear liner mates with non-void area of the second face of the friction disk core (114B, 124B, Fig. 2B).
As per claim 4, Bourlier et al discloses the friction disk of claim 2, wherein the void in the friction disk core is formed from an inner circumferential edge of the friction disk core radially outward through the full thickness of the friction disk core (110, Fig. 2C).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
8. 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.
9. Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bourlier et al (US 11,125,289) in view of Main et al (US 5,769,185).
As per claim 3, Bourlier et al discloses the friction disk of claim 2, wherein the raised portion of the first wear liner that mates with the raised portion of the second wear liner within the void in the friction disk core are coupled together using a rivet (108), but does not disclose also using a C-clip.
Main et al discloses carbon brake disc structures wherein the raised portion of the first wear liner that mates with the raised portion of the second wear liner within the void in the friction disk core are coupled together using a C-clip (28). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the multi-layered brake disk of Bourlier et al by fastening C-clips along the periphery as taught by Main et al in order to reinforce the disk assembly.
Conclusion
10. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Brakes and/or friction disks
Wang (US 9,791,008).
Bunker et al (WO 00/09902).
Hyde et al (US 5,779,006).
East et al (US 4,747,476).
Chin et al (US 4,276,969).
Diederichs (DE 2822379).
Kraft (US 3,209,876).
11. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEPHEN M BOWES whose telephone number is (571)270-0460. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm.
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STEPHEN M. BOWES IV
Examiner
Art Unit 3616
/STEPHEN M BOWES/Examiner, Art Unit 3616
/BRADLEY T KING/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3616
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