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 .
Status of the Application
Claims 1-9 are pending and have been examined in this application. As of the date of this application, the Information Disclosure Statement(s) (IDS) filed on 07/15/2024, 12/18/2025, and 05/19/2026 has/have been taken into account.
Response to Amendment
In the amendment dated 06/09/2026, the following has occurred: Claims 1 and 7 have been amended; Claims 10-17 have been canceled; No claims have been added. The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-9 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Additionally, the amendment has overcome the objections and 112 rejections set forth in the previous action.
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 1-7 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Henderson (US 11,247,787) in view of Ke et al. (CN 102059549).
In regards to Claim 1, Henderson discloses an inner compressor casing suspension device for lifting an inner compressor casing-inner diffuser casing assembly with an outer compressor casing removed, comprising: a support frame (Henderson: Fig. 1-2; 101a, 101b, 102a-d, 103a-d, 104a-d, 108, 112a-112d); and a rotationally capable lifting assembly (Henderson: Fig. 2A-2C; 201 / 210 / 220) supported by the support frame; wherein the inner compressor casing-inner diffuser casing assembly cabable of being lifted by the rotationally capable lifting assembly.
Henderson fails to disclose an X-Y linear slide configured to maneuver along an X-axis and a Y-axis; a support frame positioned on the X-Y linear slide; wherein the inner compressor casing-inner diffuser casing assembly capable of being maneuvered on the X-Y linear slide. However Ke teaches an X-Y linear slide (Ke: Fig. 1; 3, 4) configured to maneuver along an X-axis and a Y-axis; a support frame (Ke: Fig. 1; 2) positioned on the X-Y linear slide; wherein the inner compressor casing-inner diffuser casing assembly capable of being maneuvered on the X-Y linear slide.
Henderson and Ke are analogous because they are from the same field of endeavor or a similar problem solving area e.g. equipment supports; adjustably supporting turbine casings. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to place the frame of Henderson on the slide of Ke, with a reasonable expectation of success, in order to provide a means of positioning the engine support frame with a high degree of precision during assembly or dissasembly along the X, Y, and Z axes, thereby removing the need for additional vehicles while still enabling the frame to be positoned at ground level for other uses (Ke: [0019] – [0025]), additionally it should be noted that such a modification will not prevent the support frame of Henderson from having any of its disclosed functions as it is a modification of what the frame is positioned on.
In regards to Claim 2, Henderson discloses the inner compressor casing suspension device of claim 1, wherein the rotationally capable lifting assembly comprises a swivel lift eye or a swivel lift hook (Henderson: Fig. 2A-2C; 201 / 210 / 220).
In regards to Claim 3, Henderson discloses the inner compressor casing suspension device of claim 2, wherein the rotationally capable lifting assembly comprises a thread rod connected to the swivel lift eye or the swivel lift hook (Henderson: Fig. 2A-2C; 201 / 210 / 220; Col. 3, Ln. 20-31) and extending through the support frame (Henderson: Fig. 1-2; 101a, 101b, 108, 112a-112d).
In regards to Claim 4, Henderson discloses the inner compressor casing suspension device of claim 3, wherein the support frame (Henderson: Fig. 1-2; 101a, 101b, 108, 112a-112d) comprises a threaded hole (Henderson: Fig. 1-2; 112a-112d; threaded hole of turnbuckle) for mating with the threaded rod.
In regards to Claim 5, Henderson discloses the inner compressor casing suspension device of claim 1, further comprising a C-clamp (Henderson: Fig. 2A-2C; 202-204 / 211-212 / 221-223) attached to the rotationally capable lifting assembly.
In regards to Claim 6, Henderson discloses the inner compressor casing suspension device of claim 5, wherein the C- clamp comprises a substantial "C"-shaped frame (Henderson: Fig. 2A-2C; 202-204 / 211-212 / 221-223).
In regards to Claim 7, Henderson discloses the inner compressor casing suspension device of claim 5, wherein the C-clamp (Henderson: Fig. 2A-2C; 202-204 / 211-212 / 221-223) comprises a pin (Henderson: Fig. 2A-2C; 204 / 223) configured to extend through a flange of an inner compressor casing of the inner compressor casing inner diffuser casing assembly.
In regards to Claim 9, Henderson discloses the inner compressor casing suspension device of claim 5, wherein the C- clamp comprises a hook (Henderson: Fig. 2A-2C; 211-212).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Henderson (US 11,247,787) in view of Ke et al. (CN 102059549) as applied to claim 7 above, and further in view of Coles (US 2002/0110406).
In regards to Claim 8, Henderson, as modified, teaches the inner compressor casing suspension device of claim 7, but fails to disclose a pin comprises a tapered pin. However, Coles teaches a pin (Coles: Fig. 1; 18) that comprises a tapered pin.
Henderson and Coles are analogous because they are from the same field of endeavor or a similar problem solving area e.g. equipment supports. 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 pin in Henderson with the tapered pin from Coles, with a reasonable expectation of success, in order to provide a pin structure that allows for easy insertion of the pin into aligned holes, thereby improving the assembly process (Cole: [0034]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892 for cited references.
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 Taylor Morris whose telephone number is (571)272-6367. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 10AM-6PM PST / 1PM-9PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jonathan Liu can be reached at (571) 272-8227. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Taylor Morris/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3631
