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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of species A and D in the reply filed on 3/20/2026 is acknowledged.
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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 55 and 56 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 55 recites “the respective first bracket and the respective second bracket” in line 7. Similar language is recited in line 11. This language implies that more than one first/second bracket was previously claimed, whereas only one of each was previously identified. Similarly, line 8 recites “the respective panel element pair”, but only one panel element pair was previously identified. Claim 56 is recited due to its dependence on claim 55.
Several lines of claim 56 recites “each respective said linear motion to rotary motion converter”. This language implies that more than one converter was previously claimed, when claim 55 only recited one. Similarly, the claim alludes to “the respective first bracket”, “the respective second bracket”. The claim also recites “a respective said datum linear displacement”, which implies more than one datum linear displacement was identified. The claim also recites “the respective pivot axis”, which implies more than one pivot axis was identified. The examiner notes that each of the distinct optional clauses recites “a respective rotary element”; while the phrase does not itself render the claim indefinite, it may be necessary to amend these phrases to preserve clarity.
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.
Claim(s) 38, 45, 51-54, 57, and 58 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by 3,525,483 to Alstyne.
Regarding claims 38, 45, and 51-54, Alstyne teaches a space vehicle comprising a panel system (Abstract) comprising
A first plurality of panel elements 12 (C2/L68-C3/L4; all of the Figs. and the entirety of DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT describes the actuator, certain illustrative passages are referred to in particular)
A deployment system for pivotably deploying the deployment system for pivotably deploying a first plurality of panel elements 12 between a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration
wherein adjacent pairs of the first plurality of panel elements 12 (such as 26a, 26b) are pivotably mounted to one another about a respective panel element pair pivot axis (coincident with 30b, C3/L5-33), the deployment system comprising
A second plurality of actuators 32/28 (Figs. 2-5, C3/L45-53)
An actuation cable 58 (C4/L18-34)
A drive unit 40 (C3/L69-C4/L17)
Wherein
At least one actuator (such as 32b/28b) is associated with each respective pair of panel elements (26a, 26b), each actuator comprising a first bracket (hinge 28b, shown in greater detail in Fig. 7, comprises two “hinge plate portions” 29 that each read on a bracket, C3/L34-44), a second bracket and a linear motion to rotary motion converter 32 (C3/L45-53), the first bracket being configured for being fixedly mounted to one panel element of the pair (the right element 29 of Fig. 7 is mounted to 26a, for instance), the second bracket being configured for being fixedly mounted to another panel element of the pair (the left element 29 is mounted to 26b), the respective first bracket and the respective second bracket being pivotably mounted with respect with respect to one another about an actuator pivot axis co-axial with the respective panel element pair pivot axis (coincident with 30b), and wherein the linear motion to rotary motion converter is configured for pivoting the respective first bracket with respect to the respect second bracket responsive to a predetermined linear datum linear displacement being applied to the linear motion to rotary motion converter (cable 58 travels along the linear path from 32b to 32c, see C3-C6)
The actuation cable 58 being serially coupled to each actuator of the second plurality of actuators 32/28 (cable 58 specifically is coupled to 32c, 32b, 32a in order), the actuation cable configured for being displaced linearly with respect to the plurality of actuators at least between a first cable position (best seen in Fig. 1), corresponding to the stowed configuration, and a second cable position (Fig. 2), corresponding to the deployed configuration, responsive to operation of the drive unit 40, such as to apply at least a corresponding datum linear displacement to the respective linear motion to rotary motion converter of each actuator
The drive unit 40 being configured for selectively displacing the actuation cable 58 at least between the first cable position and the second cable position.
Per claim 45, Alstyne teaches the limitations of claim 38. All the actuators 32b/28b of the second plurality of actuators are configured for pivoting simultaneously responsive to a predetermined datum linear displacement being applied to all the respective linear motion to rotary motion converters 32 (compare Figs. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 in order, C4/L66-71).
Per claim 51, Alstyne teaches the limitations of claim 38. A locking arrangement 30/54/56 is coupled to the actuation cable 58 (Fig. 6), wherein the locking arrangement is configured for maintaining the plurality of panels elements 12 locked in the stowed configuration at least until the drive unit 40 is activated (C3/L69-C4/L17).
Per claim 53, Alstyne teaches the limitations of claim 52. The panel elements 12 are solar panels (C3/L5-9), at least one panel element (such as 26b) is configured for being pivotally mounted to a structure which is a space vehicle (C2/L66-67).
Regarding claims 57 and 58, Alstyne teaches a method for deploying a panel system (all of the Figs. and the entirety of DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT describes the actuator, certain illustrative passages are referred to in particular), the method comprising
Providing a first plurality of panel elements 12 and a deployment system for pivotably deploying the first plurality of panel elements between a stowed configuration (Fig. 1) and a deployed configuration (Fig. 2), wherein adjacent pairs of the panel elements 12 (such as 26a, 26b) are pivotably mounted to one another about a respective pivot axis (coincident with 30b), the deployment system being defined in claim 38 (see details and citations provide din the rejection of claim 38 above)
Operating the deployment system to cause the panel system to transition the first plurality of panel elements 12 between the stowed configuration and the deployed configuration.
Per claim 58, Alstyne teaches the limitations of claim 57. The panel elements 12 are solar panels (C3/L5-9), at least one panel element (such as 26b) is configured for being pivotably mounted to a structure which is a space vehicle (C2/L66-67).
Claim(s) 55 and 56 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 4,788,746 to Idler (included in Applicant’s 10/9/2024 IDS).
Regarding claims 55 and 56, Idler teaches an actuator for a deployment system (C2/L61-66; the entirety of DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT describes the actuator, certain illustrative passages are referred to in particular) comprising
A first bracket 4 (Figs. 1, 2, C2/L66-C3/L3)
A second bracket 6
A linear motion to rotary motion converter (comprising elements shown in Figs. 3, 4, C3/L51-55, C4/L15-23, C4/L33-44, C5/L-26)
Wherein the first bracket 4 being configured to being fixedly mounted to a panel element 11 (Fig. 2, C4/L3-6), the second bracket 6 being configured for being fixedly mounted to another panel element 9 (C3/L26-30), the first bracket and the second bracket being pivotally mounted with respect to one another about an actuator pivot axis co-axial with the panel element pair pivot axis (C3/L39-40, C6/L34-39)
Wherein the linear motion to rotary motion converter is configured for pivoting the first bracket 4 with respect to the second bracket 6 responsive to a predetermined datum linear displacement being applied to the linear motion to rotary motion converter (C4/L53-C5/L10), and wherein the linear motion to rotary motion converter is configured for being coupled to an actuation cable 53.
Per claim 56, Idler teaches the limitations of claim 55. Each linear motion to rotary motion converter comprises a linearly movable shaft element 16, configured to being coupled to the actuation cable 53 (C3/L11-18).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 39-43 and 47-50 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 Ryan S Cannon whose telephone number is (571)270-7186. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 8:30am-5:30pm PST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jeffrey Barton can be reached at (571) 272-1307. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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Ryan S. Cannon
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1726
/RYAN S CANNON/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1726
Prosecution Insights