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 Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: release mechanism in claim 5.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
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)(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) 1-6 and 8-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Beutin (WIPO Publication WO 2024/110717).
As per claim 1, Beutin discloses a propulsion assembly for an aircraft, the propulsion assembly comprising: an engine (10; figure 1); two half-shells (24) arranged one on each side of a longitudinal median plane of the engine, wherein each half-shell comprises an upper bifurcation (22) continued by a semi-cylindrical part (as shown; figure 1), each half-shell being configured to be articulated to a pylon at said upper bifurcation and configured to move between a closed position (as shown; figure 1, 3), in which the half-shell is closely fitted around the engine by way of said semi-cylindrical part that partially surrounds the engine, and an open position, in which the half-shell is away from the engine (as shown; figure 1); and, a fluid circuit (18; figure 3); wherein at least one half-shell is equipped with a cooling circuit (26) connected to the fluid circuit (18), wherein said at least one half-shell comprises a detachable hydraulic interface (30) between the fluid circuit and the cooling circuit (as shown; figures 3-5), the detachable hydraulic interface comprising at least two quick-fit couplings, wherein each of the quick-fit couplings comprises a pair of elements configured for axial fitting of one element of the pair into the other element of the pair (two male-type push-fit fittings 30 intended to fit with a complementary fittings 30’ carried by mast 17; paragraph [0089]), with one element of each pair being fixed on the semi-cylindrical part of the half-shell (as shown; figure 3) and the other element of said pair being integral with the engine (complementary fittings 30’ carried by mast 17; paragraph [0089]), wherein one of the elements of each pair comprises a male element and the other element comprises a female element (as shown; figures 4, 5).
As per claim 2, Beutin discloses the propulsion assembly according to claim 1, and further discloses wherein each male element and each female element comprises a hollow elongate body (as shown; figure 6), wherein the hollow elongate body of each male element comprises a relief (annular groove 30d; figure 6), wherein the hollow elongate body of each female element comprises an opening made for fitting a male element into the female element (fitting 30’ forming an opening to receive the male fitting 30; figures 14, 15) and comprises locking means configured to be released by an operator and configured to engage with a relief of the male element to keep a male element fitted in the female element after the male element has been inserted in the female element further than a predetermined travel when the half-shell is being moved towards the closed position (by engaging O-ring; figures 14, 15; paragraph [0094]; also via locking means 40 engaging finger 46; paragraph [0114]).
As per claim 3, Beutin discloses the propulsion assembly according to claim 2, and further discloses wherein the female elements are all arranged in a fluid distributor/collector, referred to as central distributor/collector, which is hydraulically connected to the fluid circuit and fixed to the engine, and wherein the male elements are all arranged in a fluid distributor/collector, referred to as satellite distributor/collector, which is hydraulically connected to the cooling circuit and fixed to a circular part of the half-shell (at least two male fittings 30 are grouped together on a panel which would form the claimed satellite distributor/collector and female fittings 30’ are also grouped together on a panel which would form the claimed central distributor/collector; figures 22-23).
As per claim 4, Beutin discloses the propulsion assembly according to claim 3, and further discloses wherein the central distributor/collector comprises a parallelepipedal machined block having a face, referred to as contact face, on which the openings of the female elements of the quick-fit couplings are arranged, the female elements being integrally arranged in the block and having fitting axes are orthogonal to said contact face (see annotated figures 22-23 below)
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As per claim 5, Beutin discloses the propulsion assembly according to claim 4, and further discloses wherein the central distributor/collector comprises a release mechanism configured to be manipulated by an operator to release the locking means of the female elements (via locking device 40).
As per claim 6, Beutin discloses the propulsion assembly according to claim 3, and further discloses wherein the satellite distributor/collector comprises a parallelepipedal machined block having a face, referred to as contact face, from which the male elements of the quick-fit couplings project (see annotated figures 22-23 below).
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As per claim 8, Beutin discloses the propulsion assembly according to claim 3, and further discloses wherein the satellite distributor/collector comprises first centering means and the central distributor/collector comprises second centering means, the first and the second centering means configured to engage with one another on passage of the half-shell from the open position to the closed position (fittings 30 and 30’ are cylindrical connectors of mating sizes, i.e., the cylindrical surfaces are inherently self-centering; figures 22, 23).
As per claim 9, Beutin discloses an aircraft comprising: a wing; a pylon fixed to the wing (mast 12 (pylon) attached to a wing; paragraph [0009]), the propulsion assembly according to claim 1 mounted to the pylon, each half-shell being articulated to the pylon at said upper bifurcation so as to pivot between the open position and the closed position (as shown; figure 3).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 7 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:
Claim 7 contains allowable subject matter wherein the satellite distributor/collector is fixed, with play, on the half-shell.
In the closest prior art, Beutin discloses the propulsion assembly according to claim 3. However, Beutin teaches the fitting is connected to the half-shell via a rigid pipe (paragraph [0090]). No relevant prior art of record sufficiently teaches the allowable subject matter in such a way that it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the prior arts to create the claimed invention.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Lee (Korean Patent Document KR 20190071093A) teaches a quick-fit fluid connector that couples a plurality of fluid passages.
Rust (U.S. Patent No. 12,281,587) teaches a cowl having a fluid passage.
Toubiana (U.S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 2025/0067216) teaches a cooling circuit in the nacelle.
Venkataramani (U.S. Patent No. 7,845,159) teaches a nacelle having a plurality of heat pipes connected to a connector.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SANG K KIM whose telephone number is (571)272-1324. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 5:00 pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Courtney Heinle can be reached at (571)270-3508. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SANG K KIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3745