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 .
Applicant’s amendment dated 26 June 2026 has been fully considered.
New rejections based on references from new IDS
After reviewing the amendment, the previous 103 rejections have been withdrawn because it is agreed with applicant that the date of the primary reference does not meet the 35 USC 102(b)(2)(C) exception. However, a new ground of rejections has been made based on a newly reference, US 2024/0077025 (Davies), filed with the IDS dated 26 June 2026. Accordingly, this Office Action has been made FINAL.
35 USC 102 rejections
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) 1-2, 5-10, 12, 15-16, 18-19, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by US 2024/0077025 (Davies).
Regarding independent claim 1, Davies discloses (see the figures 2, 3, 8-11B) an apparatus for an aircraft, comprising: a turbine engine (10); a first electric machine (210, 330) operatively coupled to the turbine engine; a first controller (370) configured to control operation of the first electric machine; a second electric machine (220, 330) operatively coupled to the turbine engine; a second controller (370) configured to control operation of the second electric machine; and a first fluid circuit (340) configured to circulate a first liquid to cool and/or lubricate the first electric machine, the first controller, the second electric machine and the second controller. The paragraphs [352, 362, 406] explicitly explain that the heat is removed from the one or more electric machines (330), and the upstream ancillary systems (370) which are the corresponding "power converters for controlling the electric machines".
Regarding claim 2, Davies discloses that wherein at least one of the first controller is configured upstream of the first electric machine along the first fluid circuit; or the second controller is configured upstream of the second electric machine along the first fluid circuit (paragraphs 352, 363 disclose many electric machines and controllers 370; figure 3 shows the controller 370 is upstream of the electric machine 330).
Regarding claims 5-8, Davies discloses that the cooling circuit 340 in figure 3 shows pump 344, reservoir 346, heat exchanger 351, and paragraphs 352, 363 disclose many electric machines and controllers 370; figure 3 shows the controller 370 is upstream of the electric machine 330.
Regarding claim 9, Davies discloses that wherein the first fluid circuit 340 comprises a heat exchanger 351, and the heat exchanger is arranged along the first fluid circuit at least one of upstream of the first controller 370 and downstream from the first electric machine 330; or upstream of the second controller and downstream of the second electric machine.
Regarding claim 10, Davies discloses that wherein the first fluid circuit comprises a heat exchanger 351, and the heat exchanger comprises a liquid-to-air heat exchanger.
Regarding claim 12, Davies discloses that wherein the first fluid circuit includes: a first heat exchanger 351; a second heat exchanger 410; and a flow regulator 348 configured to selectively direct the first liquid into at least one of the first heat exchanger or the second heat exchanger.
Regarding claim 14, the flow regulator 340 controls the flow to the first electric machine 330.
Regarding claim 15, Davies discloses that wherein the turbine engine comprises a first rotating structure comprising a first bladed rotor 132; and a second rotating structure comprises a second bladed rotor (second rotor 132), the second rotating structure operable to rotate independent of the first rotating structure; the first electric machine 210 operatively coupled to the first rotating structure; and the second electric machine 220 operatively coupled to the second rotating structure (note figure 2).
Regarding claim 16, Davies discloses that wherein the turbine engine comprises a ducted propulsor rotor 132 configured to generate aircraft thrust.
Regarding claim 18, Davies discloses that further comprising a second fluid circuit (note there are many cooling circuits 340) configured to circulate a second liquid to cool and/or lubricate one or more components of the turbine engine, the second fluid circuit fluidly discrete from the first fluid circuit.
Regarding independent claim 19, Davies discloses an apparatus for an aircraft, comprising: an aircraft propulsion system including a propulsor rotor 132, an engine case 200, a first electric machine 210, 330, a second electric machine 220, 330, a first controller 370, a second controller 370, an electrical system 230 and a first fluid circuit 340; the engine case radially next to and circumscribing the propulsor rotor 132; the first controller 370 configured to electrically couple the first electric machine to the electrical system, the first controller further configured to control operation of the first electric machine; the second controller 370 configured to electrically couple the second electric machine to the electrical system, the second controller further configured to control operation of the second electric machine; and the first fluid circuit 340 configured to circulate a first liquid to service the first electric machine, the second electric machine, the first controller and the second controller. The paragraphs [352, 362, 406] explicitly explain that the heat is removed from the one or more electric machines (330), and the upstream ancillary systems (370) which are the corresponding "power converters for controlling the electric machines".
35 USC 103 rejections
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.
Claims 3-4, 11, 13, 17, 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as being unpatentable over U.S. 2024/0077025 (Davies). Davies discloses all the claimed subject matter as set forth above in the rejection of claim 1, but does not disclose: 1) the controllers and the electric machines are in parallel in claims 3-4; 2) liquid/liquid heat exchanger in claim 11; 3) flow regulators between control section legs in claim 13; the specific locations of the controllers in claims 17, 20. However, according to MPEP 2144.05, II. ROUTINE OPTIMIZATION, A) Optimization Within Prior Art Conditions or Through Routine Experimentation, note In re Geisler, 116 F.3d 1465, 43 USPQ2d 1362 (Fed. Cir. 1997); Smith v. Nichols, 88 U.S. 112, 118-19 (1874) (a change in form, proportions, or degree "will not sustain a patent"); In re Williams, 36 F.2d 436, 438 (CCPA 1929) ("It is a settled principle of law that a mere carrying forward of an original patented conception involving only change of form, proportions, or degree, or the substitution of equivalents doing the same thing as the original invention, by substantially the same means, is not such an invention as will sustain a patent, even though the changes of the kind may produce better results than prior inventions."). See also KSR Int’l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 416 (2007) (identifying "the need for caution in granting a patent based on the combination of elements found in the prior art."). The concept of changing the locations of the elements and using different types of heat exchanger in these claims involves only change of locations and/or replacing equivalent elements, or the result of “routine optimization”. It would have been a “routine optimization” to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the claimed invention was filed to mount the elements at various locations and/or use different types of heat exchangers as claimed in Davies or the purpose of achieving equivalent power output based on the specifically elected locations/elements.
Finality
Applicant's submission of an information disclosure statement under 37 CFR 1.97(c) with the timing fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(p) on 26 June 2026 prompted the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 609.04(b). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Conclusions
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the Examiner should be directed to Examiner Nguyen whose telephone number is (571) 272-4861. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday--Thursday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Mark Laurenzi, can be reached on (571) 270-7878.
The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HOANG M NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3746
HOANG NGUYEN
PRIMARY EXAMINER
ART UNIT 3746
Hoang Minh Nguyen
7/22/2026
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