DETAILED ACTION
The present office action is in response to claims filed on 06/15/2023. Claims 1 – 26 are pending in the application.
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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 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.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 8, 9, 11, and 15 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 recites “air” in line 13, which should recite “the air” for proper antecedent basis.
Claim 8 recites “plurality of floor panel” in line 3, which should recite “plurality of floor panels” for proper grammar.
Claim 9 recites “plurality of floor panel” in line 2, which should recite “plurality of floor panels” for proper grammar.
Claim 11 recites “plurality of floor panel” in lines 1-2, which should recite “plurality of floor panels” for proper grammar.
Claim 15 recites “air” in line 3, which should recite “the air” for proper antecedent basis.
Claim 15 recites “from the elongate cavities plurality of elongate cavities” in line 10, which should recite “from each elongate cavity” for proper grammar.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claims 7 recites “”the at least one air supply is mounted to at least a portion of the mounting points” in lines 1-2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for “the mounting points in the claim.
Claim 7 depends from Claim 1.
Antecedent basis for “mounting points” is established in Claim 5.
It is unclear if this is an antecedent basis issue or a dependency issue. Because there are two ways to rectify the antecedent basis of “the mounting points”, this yields the claim indefinite.
For purposes of interpretation, the Examiner interprets Claim 7 to depend from Claim 5, this rectifying the antecedent basis issue.
Appropriate action is required.
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 of this title, 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, 6, 8, 12, 14, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schumacher et al. (U.S. Patent No. 5,984,415) in view of Umlauft et al. (U.S. Patent No. 9,067,683).
Regarding Claim 1, Schumacher shows (Figures 1, 2, and 3):
An aircraft cabin floor arrangement with air distribution (as illustrated in Figure 3), comprising:
a plurality of floor panels (21, it is noted each seat row has an associated 21); and
at least one air supply (25); wherein
the at least one air supply (25) is configured for being arranged in (as illustrated in Figure 3) a longitudinal direction (the direction down the length of the aircraft, perpendicular to the seats, as illustrated in Figure 3) of an aircraft (aircraft, title); wherein
the plurality of floor panels (21, it is noted each seat row has an associated 21) are configured for being arranged in (as illustrated in Figure 3) a spanning direction (the direction parallel to the row of seats, which is transverse to the length direction) transverse to the longitudinal direction the direction down the length of the aircraft, perpendicular to the seats, as illustrated in Figure 3) of the aircraft (aircraft, title); wherein
the plurality of floor panels (21, it is noted each seat row has an associated 21) each comprise an elongated cavity (23) aligned with (as illustrated in Figure 3) the spanning direction (the direction parallel to the row of seats, which is transverse to the length direction) of the floor panels (21); wherein
the at least one air supply (25) is fluidly connected to (via 24) the elongate cavity (23) of the floor panels (21) for supplying air (“air feeder lines 23 for feeding fresh air to the air nozzles 17”, Col. 5, lines 17-18) from the at least one air supply (25) to the elongate cavity (23); and wherein
each elongate cavity (23) that is fluidly connected (via 24) is configured to supply the air (“air feeder lines 23 for feeding fresh air to the air nozzles 17”, Col. 5, liens 17-18) to passenger seat areas (via 17, which are disposed in the rear of each seat, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2) in an aircraft cabin (aircraft cabin, title).
However, Schumacher lacks showing each floor panel comprises a plurality of elongated cavities.
In the same field of endeavor of aircrafts, Umlauft teaches (Figures 2 and 4a):
It is known in the aircraft cabin (“aircraft passenger cabin”, Abstract) art for each air section (50) to include a plurality of elongated cavities (56) fluidly connected to (via 54) at least one air supply (30), wherein each individual air outlet (58) has a dedicated (as illustrated in Figure 4a) elongated cavity (56).
Further, “the present invention consists in providing a simple and flexible air supply for air conditioning passenger cabins in aircraft”, Col. 3, lines 20-22.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the single elongated cavity attached to a plurality of air outlets shown by Schumacher to be a plurality of elongated cavities, wherein each elongated cavity feeds a respective air outlet, as taught by Umlauft, to provide a simple and flexible air supply for air conditioning passenger cabins in aircrafts.
Regarding Claim 6, the combination of Schumacher (Figures 1, 2, and 3) and Umlauft (Figures 2 and 4a) teaches:
The at least one air supply (Schumacher: 25) is attached to (Schumacher: via 24, as illustrated in Figure 3) the plurality of floor panels (Schumacher: 21) from below (Schumacher: as illustrated in Figure 3); and wherein
a plurality of air supply passages (Schumacher: 24) is provided in an underside (Schumacher: as illustrated in Figure 3) of the plurality of floor panels (Schumacher: 21) for providing a supply connection (Schumacher: as described in Col. 5, lines 6-23) from the at least one air supply (Schumacher: 25) to the plurality of elongate cavities (Schumacher: 23, as modified in view of Umlauft in Claim 1 above)
Regarding Claim 8, Schumacher further shows (Figures 1, 2, and 3):
The at least one air supply (25) is provided as a longitudinal air duct (as illustrated in Figure 3 and described in Col. 5, lines 6-23) forming an air distribution unit (along with 23 and 24, 25 forms a supply air distribution unit for the aircraft) below (as illustrated in Figure 3) the plurality of floor panels (21).
Regarding Claim 12, Schumacher further shows (Figures 1, 2, and 3):
A floor system (floor system illustrated in Figure 3) for an aircraft cabin (aircraft cabin, title), the floor system comprising:
a first and second row of vertical support members (plurality of 7 on the left row and plurality of 7 on the right row across the aisle) for resting on (as illustrated in Figure 3) a fuselage structure (the floor), wherein the first and second rows of vertical support members plurality of 7 on the left row and plurality of 7 on the right row across the aisle) are spaced apart from each other (the two sets of 7 are spaced apart in the row direction of the aircraft, which is transverse to the length of the aircraft) transverse to the longitudinal direction (the direction down the length of the aircraft, perpendicular to the seats, as illustrated in Figure 3) of the aircraft (aircraft, title); and
a support arrangement (F) carried by (as illustrated in Figure 3) the vertical support members (7) and forming a plurality of floor supports (there are two Fs under the left row of seats and two Fs under the right row of seats across the aisle from the left row), wherein the floor supports there are two Fs under the left row of seats and two Fs under the right row of seats across the aisle from the left row) are provided in (as illustrated in Figure 3) the longitudinal direction (the direction down the length of the aircraft, perpendicular to the seats, as illustrated in Figure 3) along both sides forming a main center section (main center aisle formed between the left row of seats and the right row of seats) therebetween; and
the aircraft cabin floor arrangement according to claim 1 (see the rejection of Claim 1 above), wherein the plurality of floor panels (21) are carried by (as illustrated in Figure 3) the floor supports (there are two Fs under the left row of seats and two Fs under the right row of seats across the aisle from the left row) spanning the main center section (main center aisle formed between the left row of seats and the right row of seats).
Regarding Claim 14, Schumacher further shows (Figures 1, 2, and 3):
An aircraft (aircraft, title) comprising:
a fuselage (the fuselage in which the aircraft cabin is located);
a wing arrangement (it is inherent an aircraft have a wing arrangement) attached to the fuselage (the fuselage in which the aircraft cabin is located);
a propulsion arrangement attached to at least one of the group of fuselage and wing arrangement (it is inherent the aircraft have engines attached to either the fuselage or the wing arrangement); wherein
a cabin floor (the floor of the cabin on which people walk) is provided in the fuselage (the fuselage in which the aircraft cabin is located) for a cabin area (aircraft cabin, title), and wherein
the cabin floor (the floor of the cabin on which people walk) comprises the aircraft cabin floor arrangement according to claim 1 (see rejection of Claim 1 above).
Regarding Claim 15, Schumacher shows (Figures 1, 2, and 3):
A method (method illustrated by air flow arrows in Figures 1 and 2) for supplying air (“air feeder lines 23 for feeding fresh air to the air nozzles 17”, Col. 5, liens 17-18) to an aircraft cabin (aircraft cabin, title), the method comprising the following steps:
supplying the air (“air feeder lines 23 for feeding fresh air to the air nozzles 17”, Col. 5, liens 17-18) with at least one air supply (25) arranged in (as illustrated in Figure 3) a longitudinal direction (the direction down the length of the aircraft, perpendicular to the seats, as illustrated in Figure 3) of an aircraft (aircraft, title);
supplying the air (“air feeder lines 23 for feeding fresh air to the air nozzles 17”, Col. 5, liens 17-18) to an elongate cavity (23) provided in a plurality of floor panels (21, it is noted each seat row has an associated 21), wherein the plurality of floor panels (21, it is noted each seat row has an associated 21) are arranged in (as illustrated in Figure 3) a spanning direction (the direction parallel to the row of seats, which is transverse to the length direction) transverse to the longitudinal direction the direction down the length of the aircraft, perpendicular to the seats, as illustrated in Figure 3) of the aircraft (aircraft, title), wherein the elongate cavities (23) are aligned with (as illustrated in Figure 3) the spanning direction (the direction parallel to the row of seats, which is transverse to the length direction) of the floor panels (21); and wherein
supplying the air (“air feeder lines 23 for feeding fresh air to the air nozzles 17”, Col. 5, liens 17-18) from the elongate cavities (23) to passenger seat areas (via 17, which are disposed in the rear of each seat, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2) in an aircraft cabin (aircraft cabin, title).
However, Schumacher lacks showing each floor panel comprises a plurality of elongated cavities.
In the same field of endeavor of aircrafts, Umlauft teaches (Figures 2 and 4a):
It is known in the aircraft cabin (“aircraft passenger cabin”, Abstract) art for each air section (50) to include a plurality of elongated cavities (56) fluidly connected to (via 54) at least one air supply (30), wherein each individual air outlet (58) has a dedicated (as illustrated in Figure 4a) elongated cavity (56).
Further, “the present invention consists in providing a simple and flexible air supply for air conditioning passenger cabins in aircraft”, Col. 3, lines 20-22.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the single elongated cavity attached to a plurality of air outlets shown by Schumacher to be a plurality of elongated cavities, wherein each elongated cavity feeds a respective air outlet, as taught by Umlauft, to provide a simple and flexible air supply for air conditioning passenger cabins in aircrafts.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, and 13 are objected to as being dependent on 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.
Regarding Claim 2, the combination of Schumacher and Umlauft teaches the claimed invention except the floor panels of the plurality of floor panels are provided as sandwich panels comprising a top layer and a bottom layer spaced apart by a center layer and wherein the elongate cavities of the plurality of elongate cavities are provided by the center layer.
There is no motivation in prior art to modify Schumacher accordingly.
Claims 3 – 5 and 7 (as interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) above) depend from Claim 2.
Regarding Claim 9, the combination of Schumacher and Umlauft teaches the claimed invention except the at least one air supply is provided by a flexible structure attached to the plurality of floor panels, and wherein the flexible structure is provided as a fabric or foil.
There is no motivation in the prior art to modify Schumacher’s air supply to be made of a flexible fabric or foil.
Claim 10 depends from Claim 9.
Regarding Claim 11, the combination of Schumacher and Umlauft teaches the claimed invention except the plurality of floor panels are provided with air outlet openings in one edge region, the air outlet openings being fluidly connected to one or more elongate cavities from the plurality of elongate cavities.
There is no motivation in the prior art to modify Schumacher’s floor panels accordingly.
Regarding Claim 13, Schumacher further shows (Figures 1, 2, and 3):
The plurality of floor supports (there are two Fs under the left row of seats and two Fs under the right row of seats across the aisle from the left row) further comprises floor supports forming a first and second lateral section (the lateral section formed by the pair of Fs on the left side and the lateral section formed by the pair of Fs on the right side) on both sides (left side and right side) of the main center section (main center aisle formed between the left row of seats and the right row of seats), wherein
the floor system (floor system illustrated in Figure 3) comprises secondary floor panels (the floor panels on top of F on which the seats are attached) at least partly along the first and second lateral section (the lateral section formed by the pair of Fs on the left side and the lateral section formed by the pair of Fs on the right side), and wherein
However, Schumacher lacks showing the second floor panels each comprise a plurality of elongate passages aligned in the longitudinal direction of the aircraft for receiving electric supply lines for passenger seats.
There is no motivation in the prior art to modify Schumacher accordingly.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure and is provided in the Notice of References Cited.
The following prior art teaches related aircraft systems:
Lohmar (U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2022/0242578): see Figure 3
Schroeder et al. (U.S. Patent No. 10,875,619): see Figure 3
Zhang et al. (U.S. Patent No. 9,889,939): see Figure 2
Markwart et al. (U.S. Patent No. 10,308,364): see Figure 4
Ebigt et al. (U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2008/0053126): see Figure 1
Sevin (U.S. Patent No. 2,755,638): see Figure 1
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/DANA K TIGHE/Examiner, Art Unit 3762
/AVINASH A SAVANI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3762
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