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 .
This is the first Office action responsive to application 18859351 filed 10/23/2024. Claims 1-11 are pending.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: 48 (para. [0080]).
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-11 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding Claim 1, the following amendments are suggested:
A collector
[[-]] an internal cavity [[(54)]] comprising a first space [[(54A)]] for collecting the drained liquid and a second space [[(54B)]] for transferring the collected drained liquid to a recovery outlet [[(30)]], the internal cavity extending longitudinally in a first direction [[(Z)]] between a first end closed off by a bottom wall [[(16)]] of the collector and a second end closed off by a cover [[(14)]] of the collector;
[[-]] at least one inlet [[(44)]] for the drained liquid, in fluid communication with the first space [[(54A)]]; and
[[-]] at least one recovery outlet [[(30)]], in fluid communication with the second space [[(54B)]];
wherein the first space [[(54A)]] and the second space [[(54B)]] are separated from each other by a liquid-tight partition, being arranged in the liquid-tight partition and configured to restrict passage of the collected drained liquid from the first space to the second space, the drained liquid passage restriction means comprising at least one orifice [[(58A)]], and
wherein the drained liquid passage restriction means is mounted so as to be removed from the collector [[(10)]] by moving the drained liquid passage restriction means along the first direction away from the bottom wall [[(16)]] of the collector towards the cover [[(14)]] of the collector.
Regarding Claim 2, the following amendments are suggested:
The collector [[(10)]] according to claim 1, wherein the liquid-tight partition [[(56)]] forms a tube [[(60)]] mounted so as to be removed from the collector [[(10)]] by moving the tube along the first direction away from the bottom wall [[(16)]] of the collector [[(10)]] towards the cover [[(14)]] of the collector.
Regarding Claim 3, the following amendments are suggested:
The collector [[(10)]] according to claim 2, wherein the tube [[(60)]] comprises a first end part [[(60A)]] directly connected to the bottom wall [[(16)]] of the collector and a second end part [[(60B)]] connected to the cover [[(14)]] of the collector.
Regarding Claim 4, the following amendments are suggested:
The collector [[(10)]] according to claim 3, wherein the drained liquid passage restriction means [[(58)]] is comprised in the first end part [[(60A)]] of the tube, at a height located above [[the]] a level of an inner face [[(20)]] of the bottom wall [[(16)]] of the collector.
Regarding Claim 5, the following amendments are suggested:
The collector [[(10)]] according to claim 3, wherein the first end part [[(60A)]] of the tube comprises an insertion portion [[(62)]] inserted into a housing in the bottom wall [[(16)]] of the collector.
Regarding Claim 6, the following amendments are suggested:
The collector [[(10)]] according to claim 5, wherein the first end part [[(60A)]] comprises a stop member [[(68)]] on the bottom wall
Regarding Claim 7, the following amendments are suggested:
The collector [[(10)]] according to claim 5, wherein the insertion portion [[(62)]] of the first end part of the tube [[(60)]] comprises an annular groove [[(64)]] in which is mounted a ring gasket [[(66)]] that rests against an annular surface facing the housing.
Regarding Claim 8, the following amendments are suggested:
The collector [[(10)]] according to claim 3, wherein the second end part [[(60B)]] of the tube comprises at least one pressure-balancing orifice [[(70)]] which traverses the tube between the first space [[(54A)]] and the second space [[(54B)]] of the internal cavity [[(54)]].
Regarding Claim 9, the following amendments are suggested:
The collector [[(10)]] according to claim 3, wherein the second end part [[(60B)]] comprises a connecting pin [[(72)]] for connecting the tube to the cover [[(14)]] of the collector.
Regarding Claim 10, the following amendments are suggested:
The collector [[(10)]] according to claim 9, wherein the cover [[(14)]] of the collector comprises a cap [[(74)]] having a shape that is complementary to [[the]] a shape of the connecting pin
Regarding Claim 11, the following amendments are suggested:
A turbine .
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-2 & 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Maffre 20200164998.
Regarding Independent Claim 1, Maffre teaches a collector (Fig. 16) for a drained liquid (see Title) for an aircraft turbine engine (Figs. 1-2), the collector comprising:
an internal cavity (40/48) comprising a first space (40) for collecting the drained liquid and a second space (48) for transferring the collected liquid to a recovery outlet (64), the internal cavity extending longitudinally in a first direction between a first end closed off by a bottom wall (bottom wall 60) of the collector and a second end closed off by a cover (cover 42) of the collector;
at least one inlet (hole in 42) for the drained liquid, in fluid communication with the first space (40); and
at least one recovery outlet (64), in fluid communication with the second space (48);
wherein the first space and the second space are separated from each other by a liquid-tight partition (52 is liquid-tight in the same manner as the disclosed partition, with an orifice 50 for draining liquid and a limited number of apertures 62 adjacent the cover 42) in which is arranged a drained liquid passage restriction means (50) which restricts the passage of the drained liquid from the first space to the second space (50 restricts passage from 40 to 48 to some extent), the passage restriction means comprising at least one orifice (orifice 50), and
wherein the drained liquid passage restriction means is mounted so that it may be removed from the collector by moving the drained liquid passage restriction means along the first direction, in the directional sense that extends from the bottom wall of the collector towards the cover of the collector (50 can be removed by removing 52 in a direction away from bottom wall 60).
Regarding Dependent Claim 2, Maffre further teaches the partition forms a tube (52 forms a frustoconical tube) mounted so that it may be removed from the collector by moving the tube along the first direction, in the directional sense that extends from the bottom wall of the collector towards the cover of the collector (52 is removed by moving away from 60).
Regarding Dependent Claim 11, Maffre further teaches a turbine engine (Fig. 2), such as a turbojet or turboprop engine (these are exemplary and not required by the claim), comprising at least one collector according to claim 1 (see rejection of claim 1 above, the collector of Fig. 16 is on duct 22; para. [0047]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 3 is 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding Dependent Claim 3, the prior art fails to teach, in combination with the remaining limitations of the claim, the tube comprises a first end part directly connected to the bottom wall of the collector and a second end part connected to the cover of the collector.
The closest prior art is Maffre, as discussed for claim 2 above. Maffre further teaches the tube comprises a first and part and a second end part, the second end part connected to the cover (second end part is at 52.1 and is connected to cover 42 via flange 56). Maffre’s first end part is not directly connected to the bottom wall 60. If Maffre’s collector ends were reversed as compared to the interpretation provided in the rejection of claim 1 above such that the tube first end is connected directly to the bottom wall (i.e. the cover being wall 60 and the bottom wall being 42 with 52 directly connected to 42 via flange 56, the restriction means would not be mounted so as to be removed along the first direction away from the bottom wall since the wall 60 would prevent such removal).
Additional relevant art is Camboulives 4373421, which teaches an apparatus with similar structure (Fig. 2) with cavity 53, inlet 73, recovery outlet 2, liquid-tight partition 62 having an orifice 62a. Camboulives, however, teaches the liquid-tight partition 62 and the orifice defined therein is brazed to the bottom wall 58 (Col. 4, ll. 56-61). Applicant’s claimed invention is directed to the removability of the drained liquid passage restriction means (i.e. the orifice in the liquid-tight partition), with Applicant’s specification disclosing the particular advantage of this removable mounting such that the liquid passage restriction means can be extracted “for easy cleaning as well as for checking it regularly for clogging” (para. [15]). Camboulives’s configuration with the liquid-tight partition being brazed in the holes in the bottom wall does not permit this, aside from the fact that the restriction means cannot be removed merely by moving it along the first direction, as Camboulives would require debrazing in order for the restriction means to be removed along the first direction. One of ordinary skill in the art, in view of Applicant’s disclosure, would not consider Camboulives’s restriction means to be “mounted so that it may be removed from the collector by moving the drained liquid passage restriction means along the first direction [away] from the bottom wall” as claimed by Applicant.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SCOTT J WALTHOUR whose telephone number is (571)272-4999. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Eastern.
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, Devon Kramer can be reached at 571-272-7118. 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.
/SCOTT J WALTHOUR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3741
Prosecution Insights