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 Objections
Claim 1 was previously objected to. Applicant has successfully addressed these issues in the amendments filed on 12/18/2025. Accordingly, the objections to the claims have been withdrawn.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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(s) 1, 3-9, and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP 4275118 (hereby referred to as 118) in view of GB 2423787 (hereby referred to as 787).
Regarding claim 1, 118 discloses:
A latching mechanism (fig 1) for an aircraft galley (latch mechanism is configured to be used on doors including aircraft galleys), the aircraft galley comprising a door (g) and a frame (b), the latching mechanism comprising: a latch bolt (7) movable between a retracted position (fig 3) and an extended position (fig 2); an actuator (6a) comprising a contact element (15), the actuator configured to maintain the latch bolt in the retracted position (fig 3), the actuator configured to move the latch bolt to the extended position responsive to closing the door in the frame (movement from fig 3 to fig 1); an actuating arm (11) connecting the latch bolt to the contact element (via 12); wherein the latch bolt is receivable by a latch striker (opening 7c enters in fig 1) to latch the door when the door is closed and the latch bolt is in the extended position (fig 1).
118 does not explicitly disclose:
An additional latch bolt; an additional actuating arm connecting the additional latch bolt to the contact element, wherein the actuator is configured to move the latch bolt and the additional latch bolt to the extended position in response to a depressive force being exerted on the contact element by the frame responsive to the door being closed , and wherein the actuating arm and the additional actuating arm are on opposing sides of the contact element.
However, 787 teaches that it is well known in the art for: a latching mechanism to comprise additional latch bolts (top and bottom 3 seen in fig 1. As per the combination of providing an additional latch bolt, it would require an additional actuating arm), wherein the actuator is configured to move the latch bolt and the additional latch bolt to the extended position in response to a depressive force being exerted on the contact element by the frame when (15 is depressed, 6a is able to extend 7 into the striker) responsive to the door being closed (as per the combination, the actuator is connected to both the latch bolt and the additional latch bolt as taught by 787), and wherein the actuating arm and the additional actuating arm are on opposing sides of the contact element (fig 1 of 787). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of 787 into 118 at least because doing so would provide additional security for latching the door via the additional latch bolt.
Regarding claim 3, 118 in view of 787 discloses:
The latching mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the contact element is configured to contact the aircraft galley on closing the door (via 16 contacting Bp in fig 1) to cause the actuator to move the latch bolt to the extended position (movement between fig 3 and 1).
Regarding claim 4, 118 in view of 787 discloses:
The latching mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a bias element (9), the bias element configured to bias the latch bolt towards the extended position (see fig 1).
Regarding claim 5, 118 in view of 787 discloses:
The latching mechanism according to claim 4, wherein the actuator comprises a pin (12) to maintain the latch bolt in the retracted position, the actuator configured to retract the pin (via 15) to permit movement of the latch bolt to the extended position (see movement between figs 3 and 1).
Regarding claim 6, 118 in view of 787 discloses:
A latching mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the actuator comprises: a first actuating surface (right surface of 6a) connected to the pin (via 7); the actuating arm (11); and a second actuating surface (surface of 15 that contacts 11) connected to the actuating arm, the second actuating surface configured to contact the first actuating surface (via 11 and 7), wherein the first actuating surface and the second actuating surface are angled such that the movement of the actuating arm causes movement of the pin to retract the pin (see movement between fig 1 and 3, movement of 6 allows 15 to move up, and for 12 to retract).
Regarding claim 7, 118 in view of 787 discloses:
The latching mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the latch bolt is configured to be mounted to the door (fig 2).
Regarding claim 8, 118 in view of 787 discloses:
The latching mechanism according to claim 7, wherein the latch bolt is configured to extend above the door when the latch bolt is in the extended position (fig 6, 7 is above the top (left end as seen in fig 6) of the door).
Regarding claim 9, 118 in view of 787 discloses:
The latching mechanism according to claim 1 and comprising the latch striker (fig 7).
Regarding claim 13, 118 in view of 787 discloses:
The latching mechanism according to claim 1 and comprising an opening mechanism (6), the opening mechanism configured to return the latch bolt from the extended position to the retracted position to open the door (see figs 3 and 1).
Claim(s) 14-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP 4275118 (hereby referred to as 118) in view of GB 2423787 (hereby referred to as 787), and in further view of US 20200248907 (hereby referred to as 907).
Regarding claim 14, 118 in view of 787 discloses:
A door, a frame and the latching mechanism according to claim 1.
118 does not explicitly disclose: The aircraft galley comprising the door, the frame and the latching mechanism according to claim 1.
However, 907 teaches that it is well known in the art for a latching mechanism to be used in an aircraft galley. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of 907 into 118 at least because doing so would provide added utility by using the mechanism in desired situations.
Regarding claim 15, 118 (in view of 787 and 907) discloses:
The aircraft galley according to claim 14, wherein the latching mechanism comprises a secondary latch (118, 120; 907) for maintaining a trolley in the aircraft galley (the mechanism is configured to be utilized to maintain a trolley in the aircraft galley), wherein the latch striker is mounted to the frame above the secondary latch (fig 3 of 907).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of 907 into 118 at least because doing so would provide additional security for latching the door.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/18/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Regarding Applicant’s arguments that the latch bolt does not extend in response to a depressive force being exerted on the contact element by the frame responsive to the door being closed, Examiner respectfully disagrees. While the force exerted by the frame does not directly contact the contact element, when the door is closed, the frame exerts a depressive episode that depresses 15 via 14. Therefore, rejection is maintained.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 Yahya Sidky whose telephone number is (571)272-6237. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 8:30-4:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christine Mills can be reached at (571) 272-8322. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Y.S./Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3675
/CHRISTINE M MILLS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3675
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