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 .
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)(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) 2-7, and 11-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being unpatentable by Long et al. (US 2022/0127011 A1).
Re Claim 2: Long teaches An electric aircraft, comprising (see para 0002, 0022, 0025): a fuselage (see 110 fig.1A, 1B para 0026); two fixed wings mounted on opposite sides of the fuselage (see 120, 125 fig.1A, 1B para 0026-0027); a first set of electric propulsion units (EPUs) and a second set of EPUs disposed on one side of the fuselage, wherein the first set is disposed forward of the second set (see fwd and behind each wing fig.1A, 1B para 0026); a third set of EPUs and a fourth set of EPUs disposed on another side of the fuselage, wherein the third set is disposed forward of the fourth set (see mirror arrangements fig.1A, 1B para 0026);; and a plurality of battery packs (see 220(1-6) fig.2 para 0030);, wherein each battery pack of the plurality of battery packs is configured to power at least: a portion of at least one EPU of the first set of EPUs and a portion of at least one EPU of the fourth set of EPUs, or a portion of at least one EPU of the second set of EPUs and a portion of at least one EPU of the third set of EPUs (see balanced pairs (1, 12), (6, 7) etc., primary/redundant = portions fig.1A, 1B para 0030-0035);, wherein each battery pack is configured to power a respective portion of an EPU via a different dedicated electric power bus (see 205, 215 fig.8,9 para 0030-0036); and wherein at least two battery packs of the plurality of battery packs are connected to a common bus via at least one of a contactor or a fuse (see 805(1-10), 215 fig.8-9 para 0036, 0047-0049).
Re Claim 3: Long teaches invention set forth above, long further teaches wherein the common bus connects positive terminals of the at least two battery packs (see 215, 220, 205, 805 fig.2, 8 and 9 0036-0037, 0048-0049, see fused common bus and islanding).
Re Claim 4: Long teaches invention set forth above, long further teaches wherein the at least two battery packs are configured to power different EPUs (see 220(1-6), 105 (1-12), fig,2 para 0031-0035, different packs feed different EPUs)
Re Claim 5: Long teaches invention set forth above, long further teaches wherein the different EPUs are of different sets of EPUs (see 220(1-6), 105 (1-12), fig,2 para 0031-0035)
Re Claim 6: Long teaches invention set forth above, long further teaches wherein the at least two battery packs are configured to power different portions of one of the EPUs (see 220(1-6), 105 (1-12), fig,2 para 0031-0035, 105(1 and 7) can be powered by 220(1) or 220(6)).
Re Claim 7: Long teaches invention set forth above, long further teaches wherein the portion of at least one EPU is a partial motor (see 230/240, 105 para 0032).
Re Claim11: Long teaches invention set forth above, long further teaches wherein each dedicated electric power bus is electrically isolated from another dedicated electric power bus (see isolated power dist. circuit 205 fig. 7, 9 para 0030, 0046, 0049).
Re Claim 12: Long teaches invention set forth above, long further teaches wherein no two battery packs of the plurality of battery packs power a same portion of any EPU of the aircraft (see 230, 240 fig.2 para 0032).
Re Claim 13: Long teaches invention set forth above, long further teaches wherein each EPU of the first set of EPUs and each EPU of the fourth set of EPUs is powered by only one of the at least two battery packs (see primary only embodiment without redundant circuits, 205, 215, 220,105 fig.7 para 0046-0047).
Re Claim 14: Long teaches invention set forth above, long further teaches wherein each of the second set of EPUs and each EPU of the third set of EPUs is powered by only one of the at least two battery packs (see primary only embodiment without redundant circuits, 205, 215, 220,105 fig.7 para 0046-0047).
Re Claim 15: Long teaches invention set forth above, long further teaches wherein the first set of EPUs and the third set of EPUs are configured to provide lift (see VTOL, 105 fig.1A 0025, 0029).
Re Claim 16: Long teaches invention set forth above, long further teaches wherein the second set of EPUs and the fourth set of EPUs are configured to provide lift (see VTOL, 105 fig.1A 0025, 0029).
Re Claim 17: Long teaches invention set forth above, long further teaches wherein the first set of EPUs and the third set of EPUs are tiltable between vertical lift and forward propulsion configurations (see tilting electronic propulsion 105(1-12), fig.1A-1B 0025-0027).
Re Claim 18: Long teaches invention set forth above, long further teaches wherein the second set of EPUs and the fourth set of EPUs are tiltable between vertical lift and forward propulsion configurations (see tilting disclosure 105, fig.1A-1B 0025-0027).
Re Claim 19: Long teaches invention set forth above, long further teaches wherein each set of EPUs includes three EPUs (see three booms per side, 115, fig.1A-1B 0026).
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(s) 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Long et al. (US 2022/0127011 A1) in view of Bevirt et al. (US 2020/0010187 A12).
Re Claim 8: Long teaches invention set forth above, long further teaches wherein at least one of the plurality of battery packs is configured to power at least: a portion of one EPU of the first set of EPUs and a portion of one EPU of the fourth set of EPUs, (see 205, 215, 105, 225/235, 2302340 fig.2 para 0031-0035),
Long doesn’t expressly teach both EPUs disposed farthest from the fuselage relative to their respective sets.
In an analogous art Bevirt teaches both EPUs disposed farthest from the fuselage relative to their respective sets (see, wingtip, mid-span, outboard 207, 206, 31 fig. 1A-1H, 2A-2C, para 0029-0036).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one the ordinary skilled in the art at the time of invention to use the inboard, mid space and wingtip propulsion units of Bevirt in the invention of Long to improve thirst symmetry, fault tolerance and aircraft stability.
Re Claim 9: Long teaches invention set forth above, long further teaches wherein at least one of the plurality of battery packs is configured to power at least: a portion of one EPU of the first set of EPUs and a portion of one EPU of the fourth set of EPUs, (see wingtip, mid-span, 225/235/230/240 130 fig. 1A-1B, 2 para 0029-0035).
Long doesn’t expressly teach both EPUs disposed nearest to the fuselage relative to their respective sets.
In an analogous art Bevirt teaches both EPUs disposed nearest to the fuselage relative to their respective sets (see Hover geometry 206 between root and tip 207 fig. 1A-1H, 2A-2C, para 0029-0036).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one the ordinary skilled in the art at the time of invention to use the inboard, mid space and wingtip propulsion units of Bevirt in the invention of Long to improve thirst symmetry, fault tolerance and aircraft stability.
Re Claim 10: Long teaches invention set forth above, long further teaches wherein at least one of the plurality of battery packs is configured to power at least:(i) a portion of one EPU that is in the first set of EPUs and is (see 225/235/230/240 205 fig. 1A-1B, 2 para 0031 -0035).
Long doesn’t expressly teach arranged between a nearest-from-the-fuselage disposed EPU and a farthest-from-the-fuselage disposed EPU in the first (fourth, second and third respectively) set of EPUs
In an analogous art Bevirt teaches both EPUs disposed nearest to the fuselage relative to their respective sets (see 207, 206 fig. 1A-1H, 2A-2C, para 0029-0036).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one the ordinary skilled in the art at the time of invention to use the inboard, mid space and wingtip propulsion units of Bevirt in the invention of Long to improve thirst symmetry, fault tolerance and aircraft stability.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Aqeel H Bukhari whose telephone number is (571)272-4382. The examiner can normally be reached M-F (9am to 5pm).
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/AQEEL H BUKHARI/Examiner, Art Unit 2836
/REXFORD N BARNIE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2836