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 .
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) 1, 6-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and (a)(2) as being anticipated by West (US 20180346137 A1).
Regarding claim 1, West teaches a structure for transferring a lateral load of an engine pylon to a wing of an aircraft, wherein the aircraft defines a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, comprising: a first component (see annotated Figure 4) having a first base portion and a flange oriented generally longitudinally and extending outward from the first base portion (see annotated Figure 4), wherein the first base portion is attached to or made integral with one of the wing and the engine pylon (Figures 2-5); a second component having a second base portion (see annotated Figure 4), a first raised portion extending outward from the second base portion toward the first base portion to a first height (see annotated Figure 4), a second raised portion extending outward from the second base portion toward the first base portion to a second height (see annotated Figure 4) and being laterally spaced apart from the first raised portion (Figures 2-5), and a wall portion extending outward from the second base portion between the first and second raised portions to a third height (see annotated Figure 4) that is less than either of the first and second heights with the wall portion terminating at a wall portion end (Figures 2-5), wherein the second base portion is attached to or made integral with the other of the wing and the engine pylon (Figure 2-5); and a bushing (elements 24) having a base plate (see annotated Figure 4) with laterally opposed first and second base plate ends (left and right sides of base plate), a first arm (see annotated Figure 4) extending from the first base plate end (70), and a second arm (see annotated Figure 4) extending from the second base plate end (68); wherein the bushing is disposed with the base plate in contact with the wall portion end (Figures 4-5) and with the first and second arms extending toward the first base portion (Figures 2-5); and wherein at least part of the first flange is disposed between the first and second arms (Figures 2-5), such that the engine pylon is substantially restrained against lateral movement with respect to the wing (Figures 2-5 inasmuch as applicant has claimed).
Annotated Figure 4
PNG
media_image1.png
859
614
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 6, West teaches the invention in claim 1, wherein the wall portion has a front face and a rear face (Figures 4-5), and wherein the bushing includes one or both of: a first tang extending outward from the base plate toward the second base portion and being disposed in contact with the front face (Figures 4-5); and a second tang extending outward from the base plate toward the second base portion and being disposed in contact with the rear face (Figures 4-5).
Regarding claim 7, West teaches the invention in claim 1, further comprising: a second flange extending outward from the first base portion and running generally parallel with the first flange (Figure 4), thereby defining an interflange gap between the first and second flanges (Figure 4); wherein the first raised portion is disposed within the interflange gap (Figure 4).
Regarding claim 8, West teaches the invention in claim 7, wherein a thickness of the first raised portion is less than a width of the interflange gap (Figure 4).
Regarding claim 9, West teaches the invention in claim 1, wherein the first and second arms are generally parallel with each other, and wherein the first and second raised portions are generally parallel with each other (Figure 4).
Regarding claim 10, West teaches the invention in claim 1, wherein the wall portion is attached to or made integral with the first and second raised portions (Figure 4).
Regarding claim 11, West teaches a structure for transferring a lateral load of an engine pylon to a wing of an aircraft, wherein the aircraft defines a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, comprising: a first component having a first base portion (see annotated Figure 4) and a first flange extending outward from the first base portion (see annotated Figure 4); a second component having a second base portion (see annotated Figure 4), a first raised portion extending outward from the second base portion to a first height (see annotated Figure 4), a second raised portion extending outward from the second base portion to a second height (see annotated Figure 4) and being laterally spaced apart from the first raised portion (Figures 2-5), and a wall portion (see annotated Figure 4) extending outward from the second base portion (see annotated Figure 4) between the first and second raised portions to a third height that is less than either of the first and second heights (Figures 2-5) with the wall portion terminating at a wall portion end (see annotated Figure 4); and a bushing (elements 24) having a base plate (see annotated Figure 4) with laterally opposed first and second base plate ends (left and right sides of the base plate), a first arm (see annotated Figure 4) extending from the first base plate end, and a second arm extending from the second base plate end (see annotated Figure 4); wherein the first component, the second component and the bushing are configured to be assembled in an assembled state (Figures 2-5) in which: the first flange is oriented generally longitudinally (Figure 2-5); the bushing is disposed with the base plate in contact with the wall portion end (Figures 2-5) and with the first and second arms extending toward the first base portion (Figures 2-5); and at least part of the first flange is disposed between the first and second arms (Figure 4), such that the first and second components are substantially restrained against lateral movement with respect to each other (Figures 2-5).
Regarding claim 12, West teaches the invention in claim 11, wherein the first base portion is attached to or made integral with one of the wing and the engine pylon (Figures 2-5), and wherein the second base portion is attached to or made integral with the other of the wing and the engine pylon (Figures 2-5).
Regarding claim 13, West teaches the invention in claim 12, wherein in the assembled state, the engine pylon is substantially restrained against lateral movement with respect to the wing (Figures 2-5).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 15-20 are allowed.
Claims 2-5, and 14 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JUSTIN MICHAEL HESTON whose telephone number is (571)272-3099. The examiner can normally be reached Mondays and Wednesdays: 0500-1300, Tuesdays 0500-1400, Thursdays and Fridays by appointment only..
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Timothy D Collins can be reached at 571-272-6886. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JUSTIN MICHAEL HESTON/Examiner, Art Unit 3644