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 1-17 are pending and Claims 1-9 have been examined in this application. This communication is the first action on the merits. As of the date of this application, the Information Disclosure Statement(s) (IDS) filed on 07/15/2024 and 12/18/2025 has/have been taken into account.
Election/Restriction
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species 2 in the reply filed on 02/23/2026 (see interview summary) is acknowledged.
Claims 10-17 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.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 02/23/2026.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites “wherein the inner compressor casing-inner diffuser casing assembly is maneuvered on the linear slide and lifted by the rotationally capable lifting assembly” and claim 7 recites “wherein an inner compressor casing of the inner compressor casing-inner diffuser casing assembly comprises a flange”, however the preamble of claim 1 appears to indicate that only the suspension device is being recited and not the device and an inner diffuser casing.
Claims 2-6 and 8-9 are rejected as being dependent on, and failing to cure the deficiencies of, rejected claims 1 and 7.
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.
Claims 1-6 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Henderson (US 11,247,787).
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 linear slide (Henderson: Fig. 1-2; 102a-d, 103a-d, 104a-d); a support frame (Henderson: Fig. 1-2; 101a, 101b, 108, 112a-112d) positioned on the linear slide; 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 is maneuvered on the linear slide and lifted by the rotationally capable lifting assembly.
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 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 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.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Henderson (US 11,247,787) in view of Kohn et al. (US 2017/0166331).
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 / 221-223) comprises a pin (Henderson: Fig. 2A-2C; 204 / 223) that is configured to extend through a flange.
Henderson fails to explicitly disclose an inner compressor casing of the inner compressor casing-inner diffuser casing assembly comprises a flange. However, Kohn teaches an inner compressor casing of the inner compressor casing-inner diffuser casing assembly comprises a flange (Kohn: Fig, 4; [0067]).
Henderson and Kohn 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 secure the clamp in Henderson to a flange as taught by Kohn, with a reasonable expectation of success, in order to provide a device that is able to connect to casings that have mounting points that are integrated with the structure of the casing (Kohn: [0067]; Henderson: Col. 1, Ln. 50-52).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Henderson (US 11,247,787) in view of Kohn et al. (US 2017/0166331) 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
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