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 of Group I (i.e., claim(s) 1-11) without traverse in the reply filed on 03/26/2026 is acknowledged. Claim(s) 12-20 is/are withdrawn as being drawn to nonelected Group II. Accordingly, claim(s) 1-11 is/are examined herein.
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.
Claim(s) 1-11 is/are 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 1 recites the limitation “applying a first tension to the fibrous preform via the first rotary tensioner as the fibrous preform is moved to conform to the forming tool” which is indefinite. Based on the engineering concept of force analysis, it is unclear to the examiner how a single first rotary tensioner is able to apply a tension while the fibrous preform is moved to conform to the forming tool. A person of ordinary skill the art would have recognized that at least two opposite ends of the fibrous preform need to be under tension in opposite directions to achieve the claimed function/result. In fact, the limitation is inconsistent with Applicant’s disclosure. Applicant’s disclosed invention requires at least two opposite rotary tensioners to achieve the claimed function/result (See [0050] and Figs. 1A-C of Applicant’s published application). See MPEP § 2173.03. Claim 1 has been examined below as best understood.
Claim(s) 2-11 is/are rejected as being dependent from claim 1 and therefor including all the limitation thereof.
Claim 11 recites the limitation “reacting the first tension through the forming tool” which is indefinite. The claimed language states a function/result obtained without setting forth well-defined boundaries of the invention. It is unclear to the Examiner how the claimed invention reacts the first tension through the forming tool. Applicant’s disclosure fails to described how the claimed result/function is achieved. See MPEP § 2173.05 (g). Claim 11 cannot be evaluated with respect to prior art at this time as the examiner cannot reasonably apprised of the scope of the claimed invention and cannot make a proper comparison between claim 11 and the prior art due to the 112 (b) issue explained above.
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) 1-8 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lebrun (US 20030146543).
Regarding claims 1-8 and 10, Lebrun discloses a method for forming a fibrous preform (method for molding thermoformable material sheet which is a fibrous preform: P0002, 0081), comprising:
disposing the fibrous preform over a forming tool (disposing the sheet over a female forming tool 20: P0073-0074, 0081, 0088, Fig. 2 and Fig. 5);
coupling a first side of the fibrous preform to a first rotary tensioner (clamping sides of the sheet to a clamping system; P0074, Fig. 5; wherein the clamping system includes identical clamping supports 201: P0088-0089, Fig. 5; wherein each clamping support 201 includes a winding device 220 which reads on the claimed and disclosed rotary tensioner: 0095, Fig. 6-7; clamping a 1st side of the sheet to annotated 201R: Annotated Fig. 5 below);
moving the fibrous preform to conform to the forming tool (moving the sheet to conform to the female forming tool 20 by moving/stamping a male forming tool 1 towards 20: P0073, 0077);
moving the first side of the fibrous preform with respect to the forming tool in response to moving the fibrous preform to conform to the forming tool (moving the periphery/sides of the sheet with respect to female forming tool 20 due to the moving of the sheet to conform to the forming tool to avoid wrinkles: P0035, 0074, 0081, 0088);
applying a first tension (T1) to the fibrous preform via the first rotary tensioner (201R) as the fibrous preform is moved to conform to the forming tool (P0035, 0042, 0088-0089; annotated T1: Annotated Fig. 5 below);
coupling a second side of the fibrous preform to a second rotary tensioner (clamping sides of the sheet to a clamping system; P0074, Fig. 5; wherein the clamping system includes identical clamping supports 201: P0088-0089, annotated Fig. 5; wherein each clamping support 201 includes a winding device 220 which reads on the claimed and disclosed rotary tensioner: P0088-0089, 0095, Fig. 6-7; clamping a 2nd side of the sheet to 201L: Annotated Fig. 5 below);
moving the second side of the fibrous preform with respect to the forming tool in response to moving the fibrous preform to conform to the forming tool (moving the periphery/sides of the sheet with respect to female forming tool 20 due to the moving of the sheet to conform to the forming tool to avoid wrinkles: P0035, 0074, 0081, 0088);
applying a second tension (T2) to the fibrous preform via the second rotary tensioner (201L) as the fibrous preform is moved to conform to the forming tool (P0035, 0042, 0089; annotated T2: Annotated Fig. 5 below);
clamping the first side of the fibrous preform with a first clamp (annotated 1st clamp: Annotated Fig. 5 below), wherein the first rotary tensioner applies the first tension to the fibrous preform via the first clamp (the clamping system includes identical clamping supports 201, wherein each clamping support 201 includes a clamp and a respective winding device 220 applying the respective tension: 0095, Fig. 6-7, and Annotated Fig. 5 below);
clamping the second side of the fibrous preform with a second clamp (annotated 2nd clamp: Annotated Fig. 5 below), wherein the second rotary tensioner applies the second tension to the fibrous preform via the second clamp (the clamping system includes identical clamping supports 201, wherein each clamping support 201 includes a clamp and a respective winding device 220 applying the respective tension: 0095, Fig. 6-7, and Annotated Fig. 5 below);
rotating the first rotary tensioner in response to the first side of the fibrous preform moving with respect to the forming tool (P0035, 0074, 0081, 0088-0089, 0095);
wherein moving the fibrous preform to conform to the forming tool comprises pushing the fibrous preform at least partially into a die recess (21) of the forming tool (P0073, 0077, Fig. 2);
varying the first tension with the first rotary tensioner, wherein the first rotary tensioner comprises a rotary actuator (P0095, Fig. 7);
wherein the first tension is a constant tension, and the first rotary tensioner comprises a constant tension pulley (P0095, Fig. 6); and
reacting the first tension through a frame (250) separate from the forming tool (P0088, Fig. 5; the support frame 250 is spaced apart from forming tool 20 and is expected to transfer tension forces from the rotary tensioners independently of the forming tool 20: Fig. 5 and [0051] of Applicant’s published application).
PNG
media_image1.png
572
543
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Claim(s) 1, 3, 5 and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Werntges (US 20210339483).
Regarding claims 1, 3, 5 and 8, Werntges discloses a method for forming a fibrous preform (P0001, 0081), comprising:
disposing the fibrous preform over a forming tool (disposing consolidated laminate sheet 104 over mold 102: P0063, Fig. 1);
coupling a first side of the fibrous preform to a first rotary tensioner (coupling a left/right side 190 of 104 to a rotary tensioner comprising elements 116 +106 + 108: P0065, 0053, 0056-0057, Fig. 1);
moving the fibrous preform to conform to the forming tool (P0065, Figs. 1-3);
moving the first side of the fibrous preform with respect to the forming tool in response to moving the fibrous preform to conform to the forming tool (P0024, Figs. 1-3);
applying a first tension to the fibrous preform via the first rotary tensioner as the fibrous preform is moved to conform to the forming tool (P0014, 0056-0057, Figs. 1-3);
clamping the first side of the fibrous preform with a first clamp (P0053, Fig. 1), wherein the first rotary tensioner applies the first tension to the fibrous preform via the first clamp (P0053, 0056-0057, Figs. 1-3);
rotating the first rotary tensioner in response to the first side of the fibrous preform moving with respect to the forming tool (P0024, 0056-0057, Figs. 1-3); and
wherein the first tension is a constant tension (P0057, Figs. 1-3), and the first rotary tensioner comprises a constant tension pulley (P0054-0055, 0057).
PNG
media_image2.png
338
499
media_image2.png
Greyscale
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lebrun (US 20030146543) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Robins (US 20190016069).
Regarding claim 9, Lebrun fails to disclose disposing the fibrous preform over the forming tool comprises placing the fibrous preform onto a first preform support coupled to a first side of the forming tool and a second preform support coupled to a second side of the forming tool.
In the same field of endeavor, methods for forming a fibrous preform, Robins discloses the technique of disposing a fibrous preform (composite charge 500) over a forming tool (202) by placing the fibrous preform onto a first preform support (left 436) coupled to a first side (left side 212) of the forming tool (202) and a second preform support (right 436) coupled to a second side (right side 212) of the forming tool for the benefit(s) of reducing or preventing the occurrence of wrinkling or buckling along the inside corners of the fibrous preform (P0049, 0056, 0070, Fig. 20-24). Robins further discloses the techniques of mounting rotary tensioner (302) to the forming tool or to a separate frame (P0053, Fig. 4) and applying a tension via the rotary tensioner (302) while forming/conforming the fibrous preform on the forming tool (P0059).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the method of Lebrun in view of Robins by disposing the fibrous preform over the forming tool by placing the fibrous preform onto a first preform support coupled to a first side of the forming tool and a second preform support coupled to a second side of the forming tool for yielding the predictable benefit of reducing or preventing the occurrence of wrinkling or buckling along the inside corners of the composite charge as suggested by Robins. See MPEP §§ 2143 I C, 2143 I G, and/or 2144 II.
Conclusion
Additional prior art made of record and not relied upon that is considered to be pertinent to
Applicant’s disclosure:
Razeghi (WO 2023166038 A1) discloses a relevant method including the steps of tensioning opposing sides of a fibrous preform (211) via rotary tensioners (223) while conforming it to a forming tool (mold assembly 200: Abstract, [0002], [0034], [0040], Figs. 3-5 and accompanying text). Razeghi further discloses the technique of mounting the rotary tensioners (223) to the forming tool ([0034], Figs. 3-5).
Nosrat (DE 102012021738 – FOR of record) discloses a relevant method including the steps of tensioning opposing sides of a fibrous preform (7) via rotary tensioners (31, 25, 21, and 17) while conforming it to a forming tool ([0009-0013], Fig. 4 and accompanying text).
Liebau (DE 102012010497 – FOR of record) discloses a relevant method including the step/technique of tensioning opposing sides of a fibrous preform (10) via rotary tensioners (2, 3, 4, and 5) while conforming it to a forming tool (Fig. 12 and accompanying text).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JERZI H MORENO HERNANDEZ whose telephone number is (571)272-0625. The examiner can normally be reached 1:00-10:00 PM PT.
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, Galen Hauth can be reached at 571-270-5516. 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.
JERZI H. MORENO HERNANDEZ
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1743
/JERZI H MORENO HERNANDEZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1743
Prosecution Insights