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
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.
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 1-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)1 and 102(a)2 as being anticipated by MOXON`075, Pub. No.: US 20160083075 A1.0
Regarding claims 1 & 11, MOXON`075 discloses an electrically powered multirotor aircraft that is adapted for vertical take-off and landing ([0020] The propellers may be electrically driven … The aircraft may comprise one or more generator arrangements configured to provide electrical power to one or more propeller motors. & [0056] FIG. 4, “The aircraft 140 is a VTOL (Vertical Takeoff and Landing) or STOVL (short takeoff, vertical landing) aircraft.”), & a method comprising:
a fuselage; at least one aircraft lifting surface which is connected to the fuselage and adapted for providing lift at least during cruise flight of the electrically powered multirotor aircraft ([0035] “FIGS. 1 to 4 show an aircraft 40. The aircraft 40 comprises a fuselage 42, a pair of wings 44 extending therefrom generally normal to the fuselage 42”);
at least one propeller which is connected to the at least one aircraft lifting surface and at least adapted for providing forward and/or lift thrust during cruise flight of the electrically powered multirotor aircraft (0037] A plurality of propulsors in the form of propellers 46 is provided on each wing 44, which provide thrust to drive the aircraft forward.”);
a sensor unit that is configured to generate sensor data that is indicative of flutter of the at least one aircraft lifting surface ([0048] In a third method, the cyclic pitch arrangement 71 can be used to effect vibration damping to prevent unwanted vibrations of the wing 44 such as flutter. One or more vibration sensors 84 could be provided, which are in signal communication with one or more cyclic controllers 80.”);
a flutter reduction unit that is configured to receive the sensor data from the sensor unit and to generate, based on the sensor data, flutter reduction signals ([0048] “the cyclic pitch arrangement 71 can be used to effect vibration damping to prevent unwanted vibrations of the wing 44 such as flutter. One or more vibration sensors 84 could be provided, which are in signal communication with one or more cyclic controllers 80. The vibration sensors 84 could comprise strain gauges provided in the wing, which would provide electrical signals proportional to local wing twist to the cyclic controllers 80”);
a settings adjustment device that is configured to receive the flutter reduction signals and to adjust current settings of the at least one propeller based on the flutter reduction signals to reduce flutter of the at least one aircraft lifting surface ( [0048] “The cyclic controller 80 could therefore comprise a PID controller operating on these signals to control the propeller cyclic to minimize the vibrations. When operated to reduce flutter, signals indicating the direction and magnitude of vibrational movement of the wing 44 are provided by the vibration sensor 84 to the cyclic controller 80. The cyclic controller 80 provides a signal to the actuators 78 to control the propeller blade 72, 74 pitches to effect a torque on the wing as outlined above to counteract the vibrational movement. Consequently, the vibrational movement is damped, thereby reducing vibration of the wing.”).
Regarding claims 2 & 12, MOXON`075 discloses the electrically powered multirotor aircraft of claim 1 & the method of claim 11, wherein the current settings of the at least one propeller are adjusted to control thrust generation of the at least one propeller for flutter reduction (As in claim 1, [0037] A plurality of propulsors in the form of propellers 46 is provided on each wing 44, which provide thrust to drive the aircraft forward.” & [0048] “These signals may be combined with accelerometer data to produce a picture of the velocity and acceleration of the structure local to each propeller. I. ... The cyclic controller 80 could therefore comprise a PID controller operating on these signals to control the propeller cyclic to minimize the vibrations. ... The cyclic controller 80 provides a signal to the actuators 78 to control the propeller blade 72, 74 pitches to effect a torque on the wing as outlined above to counteract the vibrational movement.” & [0068] “on failure of the propeller cyclic controlled flutter alleviation system, the aircraft will not experience flutter for extended periods of time.”).
Regarding claims 3-4 & 13, MOXON`075 discloses the electrically powered multirotor aircraft of claim 1 & the method of claim 11,
(claim 3 & part of claim 13) wherein the settings adjustment device comprises at least one electrical drive unit for driving the at least one propeller, and wherein the electrical drive unit adjusts the current settings of the at least one propeller to control a rotational speed of the at least one propeller for flutter reduction,
(claim 4 & part of claim 13) wherein the settings adjustment device comprises at least one actuator unit associated with the at least one propeller, and wherein the at least one actuator unit adjusts the current settings of the at least one propeller to control a collective blade pitch of the at least one propeller for flutter reduction (As in claim 1, see para.[0038]-[0049], & [0038] “The gas turbine engine 54 drives the electrical power generator to provide electrical power.” & [0039] “The propeller 46 comprises two propeller rotor blades 72, 74 which rotate about a propeller axis X, and are driven by a drive motor 48 via a hub 76.” & [0040] “a pair of blade pitch actuators in the form of electric motors … the blade 74 in the upper position is rotated by the respective motor 78 to be in fine pitch, while the blade 72 in the lower position is rotated by the respective motor 78 to be in course pitch.” & [0041] “The controller 80 is also in signal communication with a blade rotational position sensor, which could comprise the drive motor 48, to thereby sense the rotational position of the blades 72, 74 as they rotate in use.” & [0049] “The cyclic controller 80 provides a signal to the actuators 78 to control the propeller blade 72, 74 pitches”).
Regarding claims 5 & 14, MOXON`075 discloses the electrically powered multirotor aircraft of claim 1 & the method of claim 11, wherein the sensor unit comprises at least one sensor that is mounted to the at least one aircraft lifting surface; and wherein the at least one sensor is configured to measure operating parameters of the at least one aircraft lifting surface ([0048]-[0049 “The vibration sensors 84 could comprise strain gauges provided in the wing, which would provide electrical signals proportional to local wing twist to the cyclic controllers 80. These signals may be combined with accelerometer data to produce a picture of the velocity and acceleration of the structure local to each propeller. In combination, these data could provide the proportional and derivative elements of a PID (proportional-integral-derivative) control system, with the integral element being provided by integrated wing displacement. ... When operated to reduce flutter, signals indicating the direction and magnitude of vibrational movement of the wing 44 are provided by the vibration sensor 84 to the cyclic controller 80.”).
Regarding claims 6 & 15, MOXON`075 discloses the electrically powered multirotor aircraft of claim 5 & the method of claim 14, wherein the operating parameters comprise at least one of a current velocity, acceleration, or strain of the at least one aircraft lifting surface ([0048] “The vibration sensors 84 could comprise strain gauges provided in the wing, which would provide electrical signals proportional to local wing twist to the cyclic controllers 80. These signals may be combined with accelerometer data to produce a picture of the velocity and acceleration of the structure local to each propeller. In combination, these data could provide the proportional and derivative elements of a PID (proportional-integral-derivative) control system, with the integral element being provided by integrated wing displacement.”).
Regarding claim 7, MOXON`075 discloses the electrically powered multirotor aircraft of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional propeller which is connected to the at least one aircraft lifting surface and at least adapted for providing forward and/or lift thrust during cruise flight of the electrically powered multirotor aircraft, wherein an additional settings adjustment device is provided that is configured to receive the flutter reduction signals and to adjust current settings of the at least one additional propeller based on the flutter reduction signals to reduce flutter of the at least one aircraft lifting surface (As in claim 1, see [0037]-[0048] A plurality of propulsors in the form of propellers 46 is provided on each wing 44, which provide thrust to drive the aircraft forward.” & ( [0048] “a PID controller operating on these signals to control the propeller cyclic to minimize the vibrations. When operated to reduce flutter, signals indicating the direction and magnitude ... The cyclic controller 80 provides a signal to the actuators 78 to control the propeller blade 72, 74 pitches to effect a torque on the wing as outlined above to counteract the vibrational movement.”).
Regarding claim 8, MOXON`075 discloses the electrically powered multirotor aircraft of claim 1, further comprising: at least one beam that is attached to the at least one aircraft lifting surface, wherein the at least one propeller is attached to the at least one aircraft lifting surface via the at least one beam ([0058] Such an arrangement in which the whole wing (including wing mounted propulsors) is pivoted between horizontal and vertical positions for vertical takeoff and horizontal flight respectively is known in the art as a “tiltwing” configuration.” & [0067] Cyclic pitch controllable propellers could additionally or alternatively be provided on other aerofoils of the aircraft, such as the vertical tail surface 60 (i.e. rudder) or horizontal tail surface 66. In such cases, twisting of the respective aerofoils to which the cyclically controlled propellers are mounted would caw yaw and pitching movements respectively. Similarly, cyclic pitch propellers could be mounted to a forward canard in a canard configuration aircraft, in which, again, twisting of the canards would cause pitching moments to the aircraft.”).
Regarding claim 9, MOXON`075 discloses the electrically powered multirotor aircraft of claim 1, wherein the at least one aircraft lifting surface is one of a wing or a horizontal stabilizer ([0060] The eVTOL multirotor aircraft 100 may comprise two wings 102, e. g. the first wing 102a and the second wing 102b. Each one of the first wing 102a and the second wing 102b is rigidly attached to or integrated into the fuselage 101a.” & [0061] “the first wing 102a and the second wing 102b... to be attached to the fuselage 101a to form a larger lifting surface traversing the fuselage 101a.”).
Regarding claim 10, MOXON`075 discloses the electrically powered multirotor aircraft of claim 1, wherein the at least one aircraft lifting surface comprises at least one wing; wherein at least one additional aircraft lifting surface is provided, the at least one additional aircraft lifting surface comprising at least one horizontal stabilizer; and wherein the at least one wing is connected to at least one propeller, and wherein the at least one horizontal stabilizer is connected to at least one other propeller ([0035] FIGS. 1 to 4 show an aircraft 40. The aircraft 40 comprises a fuselage 42, a pair of wings 44 extending therefrom generally normal to the fuselage 42, and an empennage located at an aft end of the fuselage 42. The empennage comprises yaw and pitch control surfaces in the form of vertical and horizontal tailplanes 60, 66 respectively” & [0056] “The aircraft comprises a fuselage 142, a pair of wings 144 extending therefrom and an empennage comprising vertical and horizontal control surfaces 160, 166 located at an aft end of the fuselage 142. … The propellers 146 are located ahead of a leading edge 145 of the wing 144 and comprise a plurality of blades” & [0058] “the whole wing (including wing mounted propulsors) is pivoted between horizontal and vertical positions for vertical takeoff and horizontal flight respectively is known in the art as a “tiltwing” configuration.” & [0067] Cyclic pitch controllable propellers could additionally or alternatively be provided on other aerofoils of the aircraft, such as the vertical tail surface 60 (i.e. rudder) or horizontal tail surface 66.”).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See Notice of References Cited.
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/Jalal C CODUROGLU/Examiner, Art Unit 3665