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 Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 - 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Heeter et al (US 2023/0193783).
With regards to claim 1, Heeter teaches a system for assembling a fan case of a gas turbine engine (Abstract), the system comprising:
At least one adhesive layer adapted to contact an inner surface of a fan case barrel of the fan case (paragraph 94)
An annular structure adapted to be disposed within the fan case barrel proximal to the inner surface of the fan case barrel, where the annular structure defines a first annular surface adapted to face the inner surface of the fan case barrel and a second annular surface radially opposite to the first annular surface (Figure 5 item 5)
At least one liner adapted to be removably coupled to the annular structure at the first annular surface of the annular structure, where, based on a push force applied on the at least one liner, the at least one liner is adapted to detach from the annular structure and is pushed towards the inner surface of the fan case barrel to adhesively bond the at least one liner with the fan case barrel via the at least one adhesive layer (Figure 5 item 61).
With regards to claim 2, the teachings of Heeter are presented above. Additionally, Heeter teaches that the system further comprises a pressure strip removably coupled to the at least one liner, the at least one adhesive layer and the fan case barrel, where the pressure strip is adapted to fully enclose the at least one adhesive layer (Figure 5 item 62).
With regards to claim 3, the teachings of Heeter are presented above. Additionally, Heeter teaches that the pressure strip includes at least one of a butyl rubber, a platinum cured rubber, a silicone based rubber and a peroxide cured rubber (paragraph 101).
With regards to claim 4, the teachings of Heeter are presented above. Additionally, Heeter teaches that the system further comprises a pressure applicator adapted to apply a uniform pressure on the second annular surface of the annular structure to adhesively bond the at least one liner with the fan case barrel via the at least one adhesive layer (Figure 9 item 72).
With regards to claim 5, the teachings of Heeter are presented above. Additionally, Heeter teaches that the pressure applicator includes one or more clamps, one or more actuators or an inflatable ring (Figure 9 item 72).
With regards to claims 6 and 7, the teachings of Heeter are presented above. Additionally, Heeter teaches that the system further comprising one or more first coupling elements adapted to removably couple the at least one liner to the annular structure, the coupling elements includes a mechanical fastener or a coupling feature extending from the first annular surface of the annular structure (Figure 9 item 72).
With regards to claim 8, the teachings of Heeter are presented above. Additionally, Heeter teaches that the system comprises a detachment device adapted to apply the push force to detach the at least one liner from the annular structure (paragraphs 114 – 116).
With regards to claim 9, the teachings of Heeter are presented above. Additionally, Heeter teaches that the detachment device includes one or more clamps, one or more actuators or an inflatable ring (paragraphs 114 – 116).
With regards to claims 10 and 11, the teachings of Heeter are presented above. Additionally, Heeter teaches that the system further comprising one or more second coupling elements adapted to removably couple the annular structure to the fan case barrel that includes a mechanical fastener (Figure 9 item 81).
With regards to claim 12, the tea chings of Heeter are presented above. Additionally, Heeter teaches that the at least one adhesive layer includes a plurality of adhesive layer that are circumferentially spaced apart from each other, where the at least one liner includes a plurality of liners are adapted to be removably coupled to the annular structure and are circumferentially spaced apart from each other, and where, upon application of the push force on each of the plurality of liners, each of the plurality of liners detaches from the annular structure and is pushed towards the inner surface of the fan case barrel to adhesively bond each of the plurality of liners with the fan case barrel to adhesively bond each of the plurality of liners with the fan case barrel via a corresponding adhesive layer from the plurality of adhesive layers (paragraph 108).
With regards to claim 13, the teachings of Heeter are presented above. Additionally, Heeter teaches that when each of the plurality of liners is removably coupled to the annular structure, each of the plurality of liners is disposed in a first position, and where, in the first position, each liner from the plurality of liners is circumferentially spaced apart from an adjacent liner from the plurality of liners by a first gap (paragraph 108).
With regards to claim 14, the teachings of Heeter are presented above. Additionally, Heeter teaches that upon detachment of each of the plurality of liners from the annular structure, each of the plurality of liners is disposed in a second position, where, in the second position, each liner from the plurality of liners is circumferentially spaced apart from the adjacent liner from the plurality of liners by a second gap, and where the second gap is greater than the first gap (paragraph 108).
With regards to claim 15, Heeter discloses a method for assembling a fan case of a gas turbine engine (Abstract), comprising:
Providing an annular structure, where the annular structure defines a first annular surface and a second annular surface radially opposite to he first annular surface (Figure 5 item 5)
Removably coupling at least one liner to the annular structure at the first annular surface of the annular structure (Figure 5 item 61)
Disposing the annular structure within a fan case barrel of the fan case, where the annular structure is disposed proximal to an inner surface of the fan case barrel, such that the first annular surface of the annular structure faces the inner surface of the fan case barrel (as seen in Figure 5 item 5)
Disposing at least one adhesive layer between the at least one liner and the inner surface of the fan case barrel, where the at least one adhesive layer is adapted to adhesively bond the at least one liner with the fan case barrel (paragraph 94)
Applying a push force on the at least one liner to detach the at least one liner from the annular structure (paragraphs 109 and 112)
Pressing the at least one liner towards the inner surface of eth fan case barrel to adhesively bond the at least one liner with the fan case barrel upon application of the push force on the at least one liner (as seen in Figure 9 by way of the fasteners items 72 and 81).
With regards to claim 16, the teachings of Heeter are presented above. Additionally, Heeter teaches that the method further comprising removably coupling a pressure strip to the at least one liner, the at least one adhesive layer, and the fan case barrel, where the pressure strip is adapted to fully enclose the at least one adhesive layer (Figure 5 item 62).
With regards to claim 17, the teachings of Heeter are presented above. Additionally, Heeter teaches applying, via a pressure applicator, a uniform pressure on the second annular surface of the annular structure to adhesively bond the at least one liner with the fan case barrel via the at least one adhesive layer (Figure 9 item 72).
With regards to claim 18, the teachings of Heeter are presented above. Additionally, Heeter teaches the step of removably coupling the at least one liner to the annular structure at the first annular surface of the annular structure further includes removably coupling, via one or more first coupling elements, the at least one liner to the annular structure (Figure 9 item 72).
With regards to claim 19, the teachings of Heeter are presented above. Additionally, Heeter teaches that the step of applying the push force further includes applying, via a detachment device, the push force to detach the at least one liner from the annular structure (paragraphs 114 – 116).
With regards to claim 20, the teachings of Heeter are presented above. Additionally, Heeter teaches removably coupling, via one or more second coupling elements, the annular structure to the fan case barrel (Figure 9 item 81).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSHEL RIVERA whose telephone number is (571)270-7655. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 12pm - 8pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Orlando can be reached at (571) 270-5038. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JOSHEL RIVERA/Examiner, Art Unit 1746
/MICHAEL N ORLANDO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1746
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