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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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 –
(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.
Claim(s) 17, 22 and 25-28 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Moline et al (US# 2023/0175566).
Moline et al disclose all the limitations of the instant claim including; a brake component 25, wherein the brake component is a brake piston, piston bushing, insulator assembly 25, piston cap, pin retainer or a wall of a piston cavity, the brake component comprising: a composite material, the composite material comprising a matrix and reinforcements embedded in and supported by the matrix, wherein the matrix is a glass-ceramic matrix [0058].
Regarding claim 22, the brake component is a unitary part (Fig. 4), made out of the composite material [0058].
Regarding claim 25, the brake component is an aircraft brake component [0001].
Regarding claim 26, Moline et al disclose a braking system (Fig. 1) comprising: one or more brake components 25 as claimed in claim 17.
Regarding claim 27, Moline et al disclose an aircraft braking system (Fig. 1) comprising: one or more brake components as claimed in claim 17.
Regarding claim 28, Molines et al disclose an aircraft [0001] comprising: one or more brake components 25 as claimed in claim 17.
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, 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 18-21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over in view of Moline et al (US# 2023/0175566) in view of Minford et al (US# 5122226) or Prewo et al (US# 4738902).
Moline et al disclose all the limitations of the instant claim with exception to the disclosure of the details of the glass-ceramic matrix. Minford et al and Prewo et al both disclose glass-ceramic matrix compositions. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the composition of Minford et al or Prewo et al for the glass-ceramic matrix of Moline et al as an obvious means of providing a suitable insulating material which yields the predictable results of limiting heat transfer through parts of the brake.
Regarding claim 18, Prewo et al teach the glass-ceramic matrix is formed from controlled crystallization of glass into a polycrystalline material. Col. 5, lines 22-26.
Regarding claims 19-20, Minford et al teach silicon carbide fibers, carbon (graphite) and aluminum oxide fibers (col. 3, lines 5-20) and Prewo et al teach silicon carbide fibers (col. 2, lines 15-19).
Regarding claim 21, Minford et al teach the fiber reinforcements provide a fiber volume fraction of the composite material of between 20% and 60% (col. 3, lines 26-33) which overlaps the claimed range of 30% to 70% and Prewo et al teach the fiber reinforcements provide a fiber volume fraction of the composite material of between 15% and 70% (col. 6, lines 11-13) which overlaps the claimed range of 30% to 70%.
Claim 18-28 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over in view of Yanagi (US# 4449447) in view of Minford et al (US# 5122226) or Prewo et al (US# 4738902).
Yanagi discloses a brake component 1-5, wherein the brake component is a brake piston 1-5, piston bushing, insulator assembly, piston cap 5, pin retainer or a wall of a piston cavity. Yanagi lack the disclosure of the brake component comprising: a composite material comprising a matrix and reinforcements embedded in and supported by the matrix, wherein the matrix is a glass-ceramic matrix. Yanagi discloses a heat-resistant, ceramic material. Minford et al and Prewo et al both disclose ceramic materials and further teach specific glass-ceramic matrix compositions. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the composition of Minford et al or Prewo et al for the ceramic of Yanagi et al as an obvious means of providing a suitable insulating material which yields the predictable results of limiting heat transfer through parts of the brake.
Regarding claim 18, Prewo et al teach the glass-ceramic matrix is formed from controlled crystallization of glass into a polycrystalline material. Col. 5, lines 22-26.
Regarding claims 19-20, Minford et al teach silicon carbide fibers, carbon (graphite) and aluminum oxide fibers {col. 3, lines 5-20) and Prewo et al teach silicon carbide fibers (col. 2, lines 15-19).
Regarding claim 21, Minford et al teach the fiber reinforcements provide a fiber volume fraction of the composite material of between 20% and 60% (col. 3, lines 26-33) which overlaps the claimed range of 30% to 70% and Prewo et al teach the fiber reinforcements provide a fiber volume fraction of the composite material of between 15% and 70% (col. 6, lines 11-13) which overlaps the claimed range of 30% to 70%.
Regarding claim 22, the brake component 5 is a unitary part (Fig. 2-4), made out of the composite material [0058].
Regarding claim 23, the composite material comprises an external layer 5 providing an external surface of the brake component 1.
Regarding claim 24, the brake component 1-5 is a brake piston.
Regarding claims 25 and 27-28, Yanagi further lack the disclosure of the brake component being an aircraft brake component (claim 25), an aircraft braking system (claim 27) or and aircraft (claim 28) having on or more of the brake components. It further would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the brake piston of Yanagi in an aircraft/aircraft braking system to protect the brake components from excessive heat in an aircraft environment, thereby increasing the utility of the piston.
Regarding claim 26, Yanagi disclose a braking system (disk brake, abstract) comprising: one or more brake components 1-5 as claimed in claim 17.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRADLEY T KING whose telephone number is (571)272-7117. The examiner can normally be reached 10:30-5:00 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Robert Siconolfi can be reached at 571 272-7124. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/BRADLEY T KING/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3616
BTK
Prosecution Insights