DETAILED ACTION
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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 8, 10, 11, 13 and 14 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 8 recites the limitation "the central axis" in lines 11-12. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claims dependent thereon are rejected for the same reasons.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 15, 17, 19 and 20 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
The closest prior art1 US Patent 4,809,497 (Schuh) in view of US Patent 3,333,762 (Vrana) as evidenced by US Patent 5,131,142 (Brasz) and US Patent 3,743,436 (O'Connor) does not teach in combination with the other claim limitations:
In the independent claim 1, a centrifugal compressor comprising: the aerodynamic sleeve has a varying axial width in a direction along the central axis between two diffuser pipes. The closest teaching reference found in the updated search that included searches across F04d and USPC 415 was Pub. No. US 20030235497 (Meng). Meng teaches (see figs. 1-2 and par. 25) a centrifugal compressor 10 and further teaches varying axial width (of a diffuser sleeve 13 and “pipes” 11) in a direction along a central axis (at 26) (of an impeller 12). The width between two opposite arrows varies wherein the width is along the direction of the central axis wherein the central axis extends through the center of the sleeve 13. However the width “between” the diffuser pipes 11 is not taught by Meng.
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Independent claim 15 is allowed for similar reasons. Dependent claims 3, 4, 6, 7, 17, 19 and 20 are allowed at least by virtue of their respective dependency upon an allowable base claim. Other related art regarding the missing limitation is: US 20230111022, US 3778186 and US 3768919. Applicant streamlined invention shown in fig. 4 reduces aerodynamic losses as discussed in applicant pars. 36-37. In addition the reduced width portion reduces amount of material resulting in fuel savings regarding aircraft applications.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s 103 arguments, see pages 6-7, filed 06/22/2026, with respect to the independent claims have been fully considered and are persuasive. The prior art rejections of such claims have been withdrawn.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARC J AMAR whose telephone number is (571)272-9948. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00-6:00.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Devon Kramer can be reached at (571) 272-7118. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MARC AMAR/Examiner, Art Unit 3741 /DEVON C KRAMER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3741
1 This was cited in the non-final office action 103 section mailed 03/27/2026.
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