Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application filed at European Patent Office on December 14, 2023. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of the foreign application as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
The document filed December 17, 2024 is a copy of a certified copy and does not satisfy the requirement in 37 CFR 1.55(g) for a certified copy. See MPEP 215(II).
Any questions should be directed to USPTO Patents Ombuds Office at 571—272-5555, (toll free) 888-786-0101 or PatentsOmbudsOffice@uspto.gov.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because at paragraph 0128 the first end 2.7 is misnumbered.
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the enablement requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to enable one skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and/or use the invention.
Claim 1, lines 10-11 recites the limitation, “the first supporting portion is configured for attaching to the aircraft panel or the fuselage section”. However, the specification fails to disclose how the first supporting portion 2.4 is so configured, much less how the first supporting portion 2.4 is actually attached to (or where on) an aircraft panel 10 and/or a fuselage section 20. Note, the first supporting portion 2.4 has to be fixedly attached to an aircraft panel or a fuselage section prior to fastening means 11 being applied. See paragraphs 0155-0156.
Claim 12, lines 11-12 and claim 17, lines 13-14 recite the limitation, “the second supporting portion is configured for attaching to the removable aircraft panel or the fuselage section”. However, the specification fails to disclose how the second supporting portion 3.4 is so configured, much less how the second supporting portion 3.4 is actually attached to (or where on) an aircraft panel 10 and/or a fuselage section 20. Note, the second supporting portion 3.4 has to be fixedly attached to an aircraft panel or a fuselage section prior to fastening means 11 being applied. See paragraphs 0155-0156.
As such, it would not be possible for one of ordinary skill in the art to make or use the claimed invention without undue experimentation. In making this determination the examiner affirms that he has considered the breadth of the claims;
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the nature of the invention;
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the state of the prior art;
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the level of one of ordinary skill;
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the level of predictability in the art;
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the amount of direction provided by the inventor; any
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existence of working examples; and the quantity of experimentation needed to make or use the invention based on the content of the disclosure.
Claims 12-16 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 12 recites the limitation "have a substantially complementary shape and a substantially same inclination as the respective first main contact portion and the first lateral contact portions of the first fitting" in line last. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
Claim(s) 1-6, 9-15 & 17-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by EP 2748065. EP 2748065 discloses (see figures 1-8): a first fitting of a structural joint 244 (paragraph 36 and figure 7), the first fitting 244 being for attachment to a removable aircraft panel 210a or to a fuselage section 114a (paragraph 36 and figure 7) for an aircraft, the first fitting having a body comprising:
a first end (figure 7),
a second end opposed to the first end (figure 7, in correspondence of wall 130b),
a first supporting portion (portion comprised between two equally angled portions 251) and
a protruding first contact portion 250, 251 (see figure 7), both the first supporting portion and the first contact portion 250, 251 extending between the first end and the second end (figure 7), wherein:
the first supporting portion is adapted for being attached to the aircraft panel or to the fuselage section (via elements 246, paragraph 36);
the first contact portion 250, 251 is adapted to contact a complementary portion of a second fitting 242 of the structural joint in an assembled position with the second fitting (As best shown in FIG. 7, the extrusions 242, 244 provide a tongue and groove interlocking feature which transmits bending and shear forces between the adjacent panels. At least one of the extrusions 242, 244 provides at least one groove 248, while the opposing extrusion includes at least one rib or tongue 250, which fits into the corresponding groove, paragraph 37), wherein the first contact portion comprises:
a first main contact portion 250 (tongue, paragraph 37; it is remarked that said contact portion 250 comprises two contact portions 250, see figure 7, and that for the novelty assessment here reported the contact portion comprising two equally angled inclined surfaces 251 is considered), and
two first lateral contact portions 251, each joined to the first main contact portion 250 (figure 7), wherein the first lateral contact portions 251 are arranged laterally with respect to the first main contact portion 250 and are inclined with respect to the first main contact portion (figure 7 and paragraph 38).
EP 2748065 discloses (see figures 1-8): a second fitting 242 (paragraph 36 and figure 7) of a structural joint, the second fitting 242 being for attachment to a removable aircraft panel 210b or to a fuselage section 114b for an aircraft (paragraph 36 and figure 7), the second fitting 242 having a body comprising:
a third end (figure 7),
a fourth end opposed to the third end (figure 7, in correspondence of wall 130a),
a second supporting portion (portion comprised between two equally angled
portions 251) and
a recessed second contact portion 248, 251, both the second supporting portion and the second contact portion 248, 251 extending between the third end and the fourth end (figure 7), wherein:
the second supporting portion is adapted for being attached to the removable
aircraft panel or to the fuselage section (via elements 246, paragraph 36); and
the second contact portion is adapted to contact the first contact portion of the
first fitting in an assembled position with the first fitting 244 (paragraph 37), wherein the second contact portion comprises:
a second main contact portion 248, and
two second lateral contact portions 251, each joined to the second main contact
portion 248, wherein the second lateral contact portions 251 are arranged laterally with respect to the second main contact portion 248 and are inclined with respect to the second main contact portion (paragraph 38 and figure 7).
EP 2748065 discloses (see figures 1-8): an angle greater than 0° (even though from figure 7 it appears that the main contact portion 250 is parallel to the supporting portion, the wording of the claim encompass also the tolerance of parallel surfaces, namely 0,1°, therefore novelty is not acknowledged), two equally inclined contact portions (figure 7), an angle greater than 90° and less than 150° (paragraph 38 in combination with figure 7), at least one web (additional protruding portion 250, 251) formed as a wall (figure 7), at least one opening 252 (paragraph 39), access to the interior (figure 7), sliding means 252 (paragraph 39), an angle greater than 0° (even though from figure 7 it appears that the main contact portion 248 is parallel to the supporting portion, the wording of the claim encompass also the tolerance of parallel surfaces, namely 0,1°, therefore novelty is not acknowledged), two equally inclined contact portions (figure 7), an angle greater than 90° and less than 150° (paragraph 38 in combination with figure 7), a structural joint 242, 244 (paragraphs 37-38 and figure 7), fastening means (paragraph 40, in some embodiments, the beam or beams can be attached to each panel across the interface with no more than two fasteners, thus greatly speeding the installation) and a corresponding opening (implicit feature of paragraph 40), a cover 238 (paragraph 33 and figure 7), a removable aircraft panel 210a, 210b (figure 7 and paragraph 36), a fuselage section 114a, 114b (figure 5) and an aircraft (figure 1).
Claims 1, 3, 9, 12, 14 & 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ehrman, US 3,547,472. At Figs. 4-5, Ehrman shows a first fitting (31, 50) a structural joint, the first fitting for attachment to a removable aircraft panel (57) or to a fuselage section (58) for an aircraft, the first fitting comprising: a body comprising:
a first end (left side in Fig. 4),
a second end (right side in Fig. 4) opposed to the first end,
a first supporting portion (nominally indicated by number 59 in Fig. 5) and
a protruding first contact portion (33, 65), both the first supporting portion and the protruding first contact portion extending between the first end and the second end, wherein:
Fig. 5 shows the first supporting portion is configured for attaching to the aircraft panel or to the fuselage section;
the protruding first contact portion is configured to contact a complementary portion of a second fitting (32, 50a) of the structural joint in an assembled position with the second fitting,
wherein the protruding first contact portion comprises:
a first main contact portion (the surface broken by uppermost recess 53 in Fig. 5), and
two first lateral contact portions (left and right sides of the first contact portion (33, 65), each joined to the first main contact portion, wherein the first lateral contact portions are arranged laterally with respect to the first main contact portion and are symmetrically inclined with respect to the first main contact portion,
wherein the first main contact portion comprises at least one opening (35) for mounting at least one fastening element (55).
At Figs. 4-5, Ehrman shows a second fitting (32, 50a) of a structural joint, the second fitting for attachment to a removable aircraft panel (57) or to a fuselage section (58) for an aircraft, the second fitting comprising: a body comprising:
a third end (left side in Fig. 4),
a fourth end (right side in Fig. 4) opposed to the third end,
a second supporting portion (the surface broken by lowermost recess 53 in Fig. 5) and a recessed second contact portion (60), both the second supporting portion and
the recessed second contact portion extending between the third end and the fourth end,
wherein:
the second supporting portion is configured for being attached to the
removable aircraft panel or to the fuselage section; and
the recessed second contact portion is configured to contact a first contact
portion of a first fitting (31, 50) according in an assembled position with the first fitting, wherein the recessed second contact portion comprises:
a second main contact portion (the surface broken by lowermost recess 52 in Fig. 5), and
two second lateral contact portions (left and right sides of the second contact portion (60), each joined to the second main contact portion, wherein the two second lateral contact portions are each arranged laterally with respect to the second main contact portion and are symmetrically inclined with respect to the second main contact portion,
wherein the second main contact portion and the two second lateral contact portions
have a substantially complementary shape and a substantially same inclination as the
respective first main contact portion and the first lateral contact portions of the first fitting.
At Fig. 5, Ehrman shows the structural joint includes at least one fastening element (55, 56) and the main contact portions of the fittings (50, 50a) include openings for the fastening element.
At Fig. 2, Ehrman shows a cover (nominally indicated by number 23B) to close access to the fittings.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Feder, Perreira and FR 1343168 disclose structural joints.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Greg Binda whose telephone number is (571)272-7077. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30-5:30 et.
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/Greg Binda/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3679
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