DETAILED ACTION
The RCE Amendment filed 3/6/2026 has been entered. Claims 1-15 remain pending in the application.
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 –
(b) the invention was patented or described in a printed publication in this or a foreign country or in public use or on sale in this country, more than one year prior to the date of application for patent in the United States.
Claims 1-2,4-5,7,14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(b) as being anticipated by US Patent 8314505 to McLoughlin.
As to claim 1, McLoughlin discloses A turbomachine for a hybrid aircraft (Fig 1), comprising: a gas generator including a compressor section (18 alt 16), a combustion chamber (20), and a turbine section (22, alt 24) mounted on a generator shaft (26, alt 28), a free turbine (32) mounted on a turbine shaft (34,34A) and driven in rotation by a gas stream generated by the gas generator (Fig 1), a main rotor comprising a propeller (14), and a reversible electric machine (36, Col 3, Line 30-35), wherein the turbine shaft is concentric with and passes through the generator shaft (Fig 1, 34A,26), the turbine shaft being longer than and separate from the generator shaft (Fig 1, 34A,26), and extending axially between a first end engaged with the electric machine upstream of the gas generator (Fig 1, 34A,36), and a second end engaged with the main rotor downstream of the gas generator (Fig 1, 34A,34,14).
As to claim 2, McLoughlin discloses the gas generator comprises a compressor (18) and an air inlet (at 50) configured to supply the compressor section with fresh air, the first end of the turbine shaft engaged with the electric machine being disposed adjacent to the air inlet (Fig 1).
As to claim 4, McLoughlin discloses wherein the second end of the turbine shaft s engaged with the main rotor downstream of the combustion chamber (Fig 1, 34a,34,14).
As to claim 5, McLoughlin discloses wherein the electric machine is in direct engagement with the first end of the turbine shaft, so as to rotate at a same speed as the turbine shaft (Fig 1).
As to claim 7, McLoughlin discloses wherein the electric machine is configured to be coupled to the generator shaft so as to rotate the gas generator during a start-up phase of the turbomachine, and is configured to be coupled to the turbine shaft after the start-up phase in order to generate electric power (Col 4, line 10-25).
As to claim 14, McLoughlin discloses A hybrid aircraft comprising a turbomachine according to claim 1 (As rejected claim 1 above, Col 1 Line 15-35).
As to claim 15, McLoughlin discloses the generator shaft is free of engagement with the electric machine (36 free of engagement with 26).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103(a) 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims under 35 U.S.C. 103(a), the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned at the time any inventions covered therein were made absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and invention dates of each claim that was not commonly owned at the time a later invention was made in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 103(c) and potential 35 U.S.C. 102(e), (f) or (g) prior art under 35 U.S.C. 103(a).
Claims 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over US Patent 8314505 to McLoughlin as applied to claim 1 above in view of US Patent 11718408 to Pekovic.
As to claim 3, McLoughlin does not expressly disclose the second end of the turbine shaft is engaged with the main rotor via a mechanical reducer disposed between the free turbine and the main rotor.
Pekovic discloses the turbine shaft (14) is engaged with the main rotor (11) via a mechanical reducer (12) disposed between the free turbine and the main rotor (Fig 1).
At the time of invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify McLoughlin to include the second end of the turbine shaft is engaged with the main rotor via a mechanical reducer disposed between the free turbine and the main rotor using the teachings of Pekovic to allow the propeller to be driven at any desired suitable speed (Pekovic Col 2 Line 57-67).
Claims 6,8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over US Patent 8314505 to McLoughlin as applied to claim 1,7 above in view of US Publication 20100133832 to Butt.
As to claim 6, McLoughlin does not expressly disclose wherein the electric machine is engaged with the first end of the turbine shaft via a speed adaptation reducer.
Butt discloses wherein the electric machine (30) is engaged with the first end of the turbine shaft (34) via a speed adaptation reducer (36a,b,c Fig 2).
At the time of invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify McLoughlin to include wherein the electric machine is engaged with the first end of the turbine shaft via a speed adaptation reducer using the teachings of Butt so as to adjust the speed supplied to various components from the free turbine to avoid overpower and to control power to other systems.
As to claim 8, McLoughlin discloses wherein the electric machine is coupled to the generator shaft via a first clutch configured to transmit a rotational torque from the electric machine, and is coupled to the turbine shaft via a second clutch configured to transmit a rotational torque to the electric machine (Abs).
While McLoughlin does not disclose that these are freewheel clutches, Butt disclose how equivalent clutches are freewheel clutches (Par 0026), and at the time of invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use freewheel clutches to prevent counterrotation of the free turbine and counter rotation of the generator during startup preventing undesirable power loss and reverse of component intended direction.
Claims 9-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent 8314505 to McLoughlin as applied to claim 1 above in view of US Patent 10590842 to Ullyott.
As to claim 9, McLoughlin does not expressly disclose wherein the electric machine is a first reversible electric machine, the turbomachine further comprising a second reversible electric machine engaged with the generator shaft, and configured to exchange electric power with the first reversible electric machine.
Ullyott discloses wherein the electric machine (14&114) is a first reversible electric machine (114 applied to a turbine support shaft), the turbomachine further comprising a second reversible electric machine (14 applied to generator engine) engaged with the generator shaft, and configured to exchange electric power with the first reversible electric machine (Col 13, Line 1-17).
At the time of invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify McLoughlin to include wherein the electric machine is a first reversible electric machine, the turbomachine further comprising a second reversible electric machine engaged with the generator shaft (either 26 or 28), and configured to exchange electric power with the first reversible electric machine such that the reversible electric machine of McLoughlin (36) is two separate devices applied to shafts (34A, 26 or 28) and which exchange electrical power as taught in Ullyott so as to allow a more versatile and consistent use and reclamation of rotational energy while optimizing individual rotation speeds of the generator and turbine shafts (Ullyott : Col 13, Line 1-17).
As to claim 10, the modified McLoughlin discloses the first electric machine is configured to operate in a generator mode to be driven in rotation by the turbine shaft so as to generate electric power, or in motor mode to deliver power to the turbine shaft (Col 2, line 21-61)(Ullyott: Col 13, Line 1-17).
As to claim 11, the modified McLoughlin discloses the second electric machine is configured to be coupled to the generator shaft via a first deactivatable coupling means, and to be coupled to the turbine shaft via a second deactivatable coupling means (as modified in view of Ullyott using couplings as disclosed McLoughlin: Abs).
Claims 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over US Patent 8314505 to McLoughlin as applied to claim 11 above in view of US Publication 20100133832 to Butt.
As to claim 12, McLoughlin discloses wherein the electric machine is coupled to the generator shaft via a first clutch configured to transmit a rotational torque from the electric machine, and is coupled to the turbine shaft via a second clutch configured to transmit a rotational torque to the electric machine (Abs).
While McLoughlin does not disclose that these are freewheel clutches, Butt disclose how equivalent clutches are freewheel clutches (Par 0026), and at the time of invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art for McLoughlin to include at least one of the first and second deactivatable coupling means is a freewheel, the first deactivatable coupling means being configured to be activated when the second electric machine rotates in a first direction of rotation, and the second deactivatable coupling means being configured to be activated when the second electric machine rotates in a second direction of rotation opposite to the first direction of rotation using the teachings of McLoughlin and Butt to use freewheel clutches to prevent counterrotation of the free turbine and counter rotation of the generator during startup preventing undesirable power loss and reverse of component intended direction.
Claims 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent 8314505 to McLoughlin as applied to claim 1 above in view of US Patent 10180080 to Munevar.
As to claim 13, McLoughlin does not expressly disclose a rotor brake movable between a braking position, preventing the rotation of the main rotor, and a free position allowing the rotation of the main rotor, the rotor brake being disposed upstream of the gas generator.
Munevar discloses applying a brake to a generator/motor such that rotor brake movable between a braking position, preventing the rotation of the main rotor, and a free position allowing the rotation of the main rotor (Col 5 line 64-Col 6 Line 11).
At the time of invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify McLoughlin to include how the motor generator 36 includes a rotor brake movable between a braking position, preventing the rotation of the main rotor, and a free position allowing the rotation of the main rotor, the rotor brake being disposed upstream of the gas generator using the teachings of Muneva to prevent the propeller from free rotating during various modes such as taxing as known in the art where it could be dangerous.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JESSE SAMUEL BOGUE whose telephone number is (571)270-1406. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8:00-5:00.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Mark Laurenzi can be reached on 571-270-7878. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JESSE S BOGUE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3746