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 document is responsive to applicant’s Election/Restriction response dated 4/2/2026.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Invention I, claims 1-10, in the reply filed on 4/2/2026 is acknowledged.
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 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.
Claims 1, 2, and 5-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bryant et al. (US PG Pub 2022/0380019).
Regarding claim 1, Bryant discloses:
An assembly comprising: a fuel stringer duct (20); a bulkhead (70); and a bulkhead retainer (see figs 11, 12, ref 90), wherein the bulkhead is positioned in an internal channel of the fuel stringer duct to block a flow of fluid along the internal channel (see figs 11, 12), wherein the bulkhead comprises a gasket (74) sealing a gap between a body of the bulkhead and internal surfaces of walls defining the internal channel of the fuel stringer duct (see fig 12), wherein the fuel stringer duct comprises a wall formed with a first opening (see fig 12), wherein the bulkhead retainer comprises a cover portion (head of fastener 90 as shown in fig 12) and a retainer portion (threaded portion of 90), wherein the cover portion is fastened to an outer surface of the wall of the fuel stringer duct such that the cover portion covers the first opening in the wall (see fig 12), wherein the retainer portion extends from the cover portion, through the first opening in the wall, and into the internal channel of the fuel stringer duct (see fig 12); and wherein the retainer portion is configured to abut, with a body of the bulkhead, to prevent movement of the bulkhead along the internal channel of the fuel stringer duct beyond the retainer portion (see paragraph 0081).
Regarding claim 2, Bryant discloses:
The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the body of the bulkhead is formed with a pocket (threaded hole that receives 90) and the retainer portion of the bulkhead retainer is received in the pocket (see fig 12).
Regarding claim 5, Bryant discloses:
The assembly according to claim 1, wherein internal dimensions of the retainer pocket are larger than external dimensions of the retainer portion (see fig 12).
Regarding claim 6, Bryant discloses:
The assembly according to claim 1, wherein there is a second opening (see fig 11, ref 47) through a thickness of the wall of the fuel stringer duct and the second opening is dimensioned such that the bulkhead is configured to be passed through the second opening and into the internal channel of the fuel stringer duct.
Regarding claim 7, Bryant discloses:
The assembly according to claim 6, wherein the gasket of the bulkhead is at a position along the fuel stringer duct between the first opening and the second opening (see fig 11).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 4, and 8-10 are 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure is found in the Notice of Reference Cited (PTO-892).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RICHARD G DAVIS whose telephone number is (571)270-5005. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs 8am-6:00pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Timothy Collins can be reached on 571-272-6886. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/RICHARD G DAVIS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3644
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