Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 19/009,320

BI-ADJUSTABLE COUPLING INTERFACE BETWEEN BOUNDARY FACES

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Jan 03, 2025
Priority
Jan 04, 2024 — EU 24150424.0
Examiner
STERLING, AMY JO
Art Unit
3631
Tech Center
3600 — Transportation & Electronic Commerce
Assignee
Airbus Operations GmbH
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
76%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
7m
Est. Remaining
87%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 76% — above average
76%
Career Allowance Rate
1305 granted / 1705 resolved
+24.5% vs TC avg
Moderate +11% lift
Without
With
+10.6%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Fast prosecutor
2y 1m
Avg Prosecution
30 currently pending
Career history
1722
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§103
64.2%
+24.2% vs TC avg
§102
30.8%
-9.2% vs TC avg
§112
3.3%
-36.7% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1705 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
CTNF 19/009,320 CTNF 79039 Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. DETAILED ACTION This is a Non-final Office Action for application number 19/009,320 BI-ADJUSTABLE COUPLING INTERFACE BETWEEN BOUNDARY FACES filed on 1/3/2025. Claims 1-15 are pending. Election/Restrictions 08-06 AIA Claim s 8-15 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected election/species , there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 6/2/2026 . Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement submitted on 1/3/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement has been considered by the examiner. Claim Objections 07-29-01 AIA Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: Appropriate correction is required. Claim 1, line 10 recites, “the at least aligner” and it should be changed to “the at least one aligner”. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15 AIA Claim s 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by United States Patent No. 12,071,974 to Griffin et al . With regards to claim 1, the patent to Griffin et al. discloses a device having at least one connector (18); and at least one aligner (100), wherein the at least one connector comprises a primary fastening region at a first end configured to be fastened to one of a first plurality of mounting points at the support structure (10), and a secondary fastening region at a second end configured to be fastened to one of a second plurality of mounting points at the building component (12), wherein the at least one aligner is arranged between the first end and the second end; and wherein the at least one aligner is configured to align the at least one connector in an oriented manner according to an alignment value for bringing the building component and the support structure in an alignment arrangement; and wherein the at least one aligner provides an adjustment in at least two spatial directions. (See Col. 9, lines 45 and 46, “the spherical bushing 150 can rotate in at least two directions relative to an axis defined by the inner eccentric bushing 130”). With regards to claim 2, Griffin et al. teaches wherein the at least one aligner is further configured to orient the at least one connector by a plurality of alignment elements (110, 130, 150); and wherein the plurality of alignment elements is configured for abutting in a form-fitting manner to a mounting area at the first and the second plurality of mounting points to provide an adjustment of the at least one connector. (See Figures 3A and 3B) With regards to claim 3, Griffin et al. teaches wherein the plurality of alignment elements have at least one x-direction alignment element (110); and at least one y-direction alignment element (150), and at least one z-direction alignment element (150), wherein the at least one x-direction alignment element is configured to render a length of the at least connector between pairing points; and wherein the at least one y-, z-direction alignment elements are configured to adjust a y- and z-position of the at least one connector, respectively, with respect to one of the first and the second plurality of mounting points. (See Figures 5A-5F) With regards to claim 4, Griffin et al. teaches wherein the plurality of alignment elements (100) comprises at least one of: excentre elements (eccentric bushing is excentre), extendable bolt elements, and trusswork members. With regards to claim 5, Griffin et al. teaches wherein y, z direction alignment elements are provided as a double excentre assembly from excentre elements that provide a form-fitting connection between the first and the second plurality of mounting points and the at least one connector; wherein the at least one connector is configured to comprise the x-direction alignment element as an extendable bolt element; wherein the x-extendable bolt element provides for a sticked tolerance adjustment between the first and the second plurality of mounting points; and wherein at least one excentre element of the double excentre assembly conforms with the at least one connector at a maximum extendable length. (See Figures 5A-5F) Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim s 6 and 7 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. With regards to claim 6, the prior art does not teach wherein the at least one aligner provides an adjustment of the alignment arrangement, wherein the support structure comprises a primary structure subject to aerodynamic loads and the building component comprises a secondary structure. With regards to claim 7, the prior art does not teach wherein the at least one aligner further comprises insulation elements; and wherein the insulation elements are configured to provide a form-fitting electric insulation between the building component and the support structure. Cited References PN 11,788,273 to Niehaus et al. shows an adjustment device PN 10,125,800 to Dominguez teaches an adjustment device PN 9,359,756 to Hardy teaches an adjustment device Conclusion 07-100 AIA Any inquiry concerning this communication should be directed to Amy J. Sterling at telephone number 571-272-6823 or to Supervisor Jonathan Liu at 571-272-8227 if the examiner cannot be reached. The examiner can normally be reached (Mon-Fri 8am-5:00pm). The fax machine number for the Technology center is 571-273-8300 (formal amendments), informal amendments or communications 571-273-6823. Any inquiry of a general nature or relating to the status of this application should be directed to the Technology Center receptionist at 571-272-3600 . Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /AMY J. STERLING/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3631 6/11/26 Application/Control Number: 19/009,320 Page 2 Art Unit: 3631 Application/Control Number: 19/009,320 Page 3 Art Unit: 3631 Application/Control Number: 19/009,320 Page 4 Art Unit: 3631 Application/Control Number: 19/009,320 Page 5 Art Unit: 3631 Application/Control Number: 19/009,320 Page 6 Art Unit: 3631
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Jan 03, 2025
Application Filed
Jun 16, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
76%
Grant Probability
87%
With Interview (+10.6%)
2y 1m (~7m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1705 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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