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 .
DETAILED ACTION
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Response to Amendment
The Amendment filed 4/21/26 has been entered. Claims 1, 7, and 17 have been amended. Claims 1-20 remain pending in the application.
Applicant’s amendments to the claims have overcome every objection previously set forth in the Non-Final Office Action mailed 1/30/26.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments regarding the 112(f) interpretation of “thermal fluid member” and “heat exchange members” is found persuasive.
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed 4/26/26, with respect to the rejection of claims 1-20 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wilson et al. (U.S. 2019/0024989) have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Wilson as detailed below.
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.
Claims 1-5, and 7-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wilson et al. (U.S. 2019/0024989).
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Re claim 1:
Wilson discloses a gas turbine engine (10, gas turbine engine…a high-bypass turbofan jet engine - Para 31) defining a reference plane (see Figs. 1 and 3 at A and R, and Para 31), the gas turbine engine (10) comprising:
a thermal management system (see Figs. 1-3, at 100, 102, 104, 106, and Para 39) having a thermal fluid member (Para 39 - “…a compressor bleed port 106. In this manner, for example, hot, compressed air may be bled off of HP compressor 24 and passed through heat exchanger assembly 100 where it is cooled by first portion of air 62 flowing through bypass airflow passage 56. The cooled air may then be recirculated into core engine 16 through return lines 104 or used for any other suitable purpose …”) having a flow of thermal fluid (Para 39 - “…compressed air…”) therethrough during operation of the gas turbine engine (10)(see Figs. 1-3 and Para 39) and a heat exchanger assembly (100, heat exchanger assembly - Para 39), the heat exchanger assembly (100) comprising:
a core section (110, heat exchanger core - Para 58) comprising a plurality of heat exchange members (112, heat exchange tubes - Para 58)(see Figs. 3-4, and 7); and
a heat exchange manifold (130, header - Para 61) comprising a first direction pressure vessel (Modified Fig. 6 above - A (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element A as a type of first direction pressure vessel)) in fluid communication with the thermal fluid member (at 106)(see Figs. 1-2 and Modified Fig. 6 and Paras 39 and 68) and a second direction pressure vessel (Modified Fig. 6 above - B (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element)) extending from the first direction pressure vessel (Modified Fig. 6 above - A)(see Modified Fig. 6 above), the first direction pressure vessel (Modified Fig. 6 above - A) and the second direction pressure vessel (Modified Fig. 6 above - B) each extending in the reference plane (see Figs. 1 and 3 at A and R)(see Modified Fig. 6 above), the second direction pressure vessel (Modified Fig. 6 above - B) in fluid communication with the first direction pressure vessel (Modified Fig. 6 above - A) and with at least one of the plurality of heat exchange members (112)(see Modified Fig. 6 above and Fig. 7 and Paras 62 and 68),
wherein the heat exchange manifold (130) defines a housing (Modified Fig. 6 above - C (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element C as a type of housing)) including an inlet (Modified Fig. 6 above - D (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element D as a type of inlet)) in direct fluid communication with the thermal fluid member (at 106)(see Figs. 1-2 and Modified Fig. 6 and Paras 39 and 68) and an outlet (Modified Fig. 6 above - E (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element E as a type of outlet)) in direct fluid communication with the second direction pressure vessel (Modified Fig. 6 above - B)(see Modified Fig. 6 above),
wherein the first direction pressure vessel (Modified Fig. 6 above - A) is between the inlet (Modified Fig. 6 above - D) and the outlet (Modified Fig. 6 above - E) such that the first direction pressure vessel (Modified Fig. 6 above - A) is in direct fluid communication with both of the inlet (Modified Fig. 6 above - D) and the outlet (Modified Fig. 6 above - E) of the housing (Modified Fig. 6 above - C)(see Modified Fig. 6 above).
Re claim 2
Wilson discloses the gas turbine engine (10) of claim 1 (as described above), wherein the second direction pressure vessel (Modified Fig. 6 above - B) is one of a plurality of second direction pressure vessels (132, 136 (each of elements 132 and 136 is a type of second direction pressure vessel as shown in Figs. 5-7 and per description of Para 62)) of the heat exchange manifold (130)(see Figs. 5-7), wherein each of the plurality of second direction pressure vessels (132, 136) extends from the first direction pressure vessel (Modified Fig. 6 above - A) in the reference plane (see Figs. 1 and 3 at A and R)(see Modified Fig. 6 above), is in fluid communication with the first direction pressure vessel (Modified Fig. 6 above - A)(see Modified Fig. 6 above and Fig. 7 and Paras 62 and 68), and is in fluid communication with at least one of the plurality of heat exchange members (112)(see Modified Fig. 6 above and Fig. 7 and Paras 62 and 68).
Re claim 3:
Wilson discloses the gas turbine engine (10) of claim 2 (as described above), wherein the plurality of second direction pressure vessels (132, 136) are further in fluid communication with one another (see Figs. 5-7 and Para 69).
Re claim 4:
Wilson discloses the gas turbine engine (10) of claim 2 (as described above), wherein the heat exchange manifold (130) comprises a plurality of ribs (144, septum - Para 69 (see Fig. 7 and Para 69)) extending between adjacent second direction pressure vessels of the plurality of second direction pressure vessels (132, 136)(see Figs. 5-7 and Para 69).
Re claim 5:
Wilson discloses the gas turbine engine (10) of claim 1 (as described above), wherein the plurality of heat exchange members (112) extend normal to the reference plane (see Figs. 1 and 3 at A and R)(see Figs. 3-4, 5, and 7).
Re claim 7:
Wilson discloses the gas turbine engine (10) of claim 1 (as described above), wherein the thermal fluid member (at 106) is a thermal fluid source (Para 39 - “…a compressor bleed port 106. In this manner, for example, hot, compressed air may be bled off of HP compressor 24 and passed through heat exchanger assembly 100 where it is cooled by first portion of air 62 flowing through bypass airflow passage 56. The cooled air may then be recirculated into core engine 16 through return lines 104 or used for any other suitable purpose …”), and wherein the heat exchange manifold (130) is an inlet heat exchange manifold (116/130, header assembly…supply header - Para 61) configured to receive the flow of thermal fluid (see Figs. 1-6 and Para 61 - “…header assembly 130 may be used to distribute a heat exchange fluid to a plurality of heat exchange tubes in any suitable application. For example, as described herein, header assembly 130 may be supply header 116…”), and wherein the heat exchanger assembly (100) further comprises an outlet heat exchange manifold (118/130, header assembly…return header - Para 61) positioned opposite the core section (110) from the inlet heat exchange manifold (116/130)(see Figs. 3-4).
Re claim 8:
Wilson discloses the gas turbine engine (10) of claim 1 (as described above), wherein the heat exchange manifold (130) is a monolithic component (see Fig. 2, Paras 41 and 61 (element 130 is an element of 100 and element 100 is “to be formed integrally, as a single monolithic component” per Para 41)).
Re claim 9:
Wilson discloses the gas turbine engine (10) of claim 8 (as described above), wherein the heat exchange manifold (130) is formed through additive manufacturing (see Fig. 2, Paras 41 and 61 (element 130 is an element of 100 and element 100 is “formed using an additive-manufacturing process, such as a 3-D printing process” per Para 41)).
Re claim 10:
Wilson discloses the gas turbine engine (10) of claim 1 (as described above), wherein the heat exchange manifold (130) is a high pressure thermal fluid manifold (see Figs. 1-3 and Para 39 - “…compressed air may be bled off of HP compressor 24…” (elements 116/118 are elements 130 per Para 61)).
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Re claim 11:
Wilson discloses the gas turbine engine (10) of claim 1 (as described above), wherein the gas turbine engine (10) defines an axial direction (A, axial direction - Para 31) and a radial direction (R, radial direction - Para 31), wherein the gas turbine engine (10) comprises an annular flowpath (56, bypass airflow passage - Para 34 (see Figs. 1, 3, and Para 39 (element 100 is shown/described in element 56 and is shown annular in Fig. 3))) having an outer circumferential reference line (Modified Fig. 1 above - A (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element A as a type of outer circumferential reference line along direction R at location C along direction A)) along the radial direction (R) at an axial location (Modified Fig. 1 above - C (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element C as a type of axial location along direction A)) along the axial direction (A) and an inner circumferential reference line (Modified Fig. 1 above - B (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element B as a type of inner circumferential reference line along direction R at location C along direction A)) along the radial direction (R) at the axial location (Modified Fig. 1 above - C (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element C as a type of axial location)), and wherein the heat exchange manifold (130) is positioned at least partially between the outer circumferential reference line (Modified Fig. 1 above - A) and the inner circumferential reference line (Modified Fig. 1 above - B)(see Modified Fig. 1 above and Figs. 1-3 and Para 39).
Re claim 12:
Wilson discloses the gas turbine engine (10) of claim 11 (as described above), wherein the gas turbine engine (10) defines a circumferential direction (C, circumferential direction - Para 31)(see Figs.1 and 3), and wherein the plurality of heat exchange members (112) extend through the annular flowpath (56) in the circumferential direction (see Figs. 1-4 and Para 39).
Re claim 13:
Wilson discloses the gas turbine engine (10) of claim 12 (as described above), wherein the annular flowpath (56) is a third stream of the gas turbine engine (10)(see Fig. 1 at elements 58, 56, and 64 and Para 35).
Re claim 14:
Wilson discloses the gas turbine engine (10) of claim 11 (as described above), wherein the gas turbine engine (10) further comprises a strut (52, outlet guide vanes - Para 34) extending through the annular flowpath (56)(see Fig. 1) and having an aerodynamic surface (Modified Fig. 1 above - D (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element D as a type of aerodynamic surface)) exposed to the annular flowpath (56)(see Modified Fig. 1 above), wherein the heat exchange manifold (130) is positioned inward of the aerodynamic surface (Modified Fig. 1 above - D) of the strut (52)(see Modified Fig. 1 above).
Re claim 15:
Wilson discloses the gas turbine engine (10) of claim 1 (as described above), wherein the first direction pressure vessel (Modified Fig. 6 above - A) is a plenum extension (see Modified Fig. 6 at A and element 140 and Para 62), and wherein the second direction pressure vessel (Modified Fig. 6 above - B) is an offtake extension (see Fig. 5-6 and Para 62).
Re claim 16:
Wilson discloses the gas turbine engine (10) of claim 1 (as described above), wherein the gas turbine engine (10) defines a radial direction (R, radial direction - Para 31) and an axial direction (A, axial direction - Para 31), and wherein the reference plane (see Figs. 1 and 3 at A and R) extends in the radial direction (R) and in the axial direction (A)(see Figs. 1 and 3).
Re claim 17:
Wilson discloses a thermal management system (see Figs. 1-3, at 100, 102, 104, 106, and Para 39) defining a reference plane (see Figs. 1 and 3 at A and R, and Para 31), the thermal management system (100, 102, 104, 106) comprising:
a thermal fluid member (106, compressor bleed port - Para 39) having a flow of thermal fluid (Para 39 - “…hot, compressed air…”) therethrough during operation (see Figs. 1 and 3 and Para 39); and
a heat exchanger assembly (100, heat exchanger assembly - Para 39), the heat exchanger assembly (100) comprising:
a core section (110, heat exchanger core - Para 58) comprising a plurality of heat exchange members (112, heat exchange tubes - Para 58)(see Figs. 3-4, and 7); and
a heat exchange manifold (130, header - Para 61) comprising a first direction pressure vessel (Modified Fig. 6 above - A (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element A as a type of first direction pressure vessel)) in fluid communication with the thermal fluid member (at 106)(see Figs. 1-2 and Modified Fig. 6 and Paras 39 and 68) and a second direction pressure vessel (Modified Fig. 6 above - B (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element)) extending from the first direction pressure vessel (Modified Fig. 6 above - A)(see Modified Fig. 6 above), the first direction pressure vessel (Modified Fig. 6 above - A) and the second direction pressure vessel (Modified Fig. 6 above - B) each extending in the reference plane (see Figs. 1 and 3 at A and R)(see Modified Fig. 6 above), the second direction pressure vessel (Modified Fig. 6 above - B) in fluid communication with the first direction pressure vessel (Modified Fig. 6 above - A) and with at least one of the plurality of heat exchange members (112)(see Modified Fig. 6 above and Fig. 7 and Paras 62 and 68),
wherein the heat exchange manifold (130) defines a housing (Modified Fig. 6 above - C (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element C as a type of housing)) including an inlet (Modified Fig. 6 above - D (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element D as a type of inlet)) in direct fluid communication with the thermal fluid member (at 106)(see Figs. 1-2 and Modified Fig. 6 and Paras 39 and 68) and an outlet (Modified Fig. 6 above - E (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element E as a type of outlet)) in direct fluid communication with the second direction pressure vessel (Modified Fig. 6 above - B)(see Modified Fig. 6 above),
wherein the first direction pressure vessel (Modified Fig. 6 above - A) is between the inlet (Modified Fig. 6 above - D) and the outlet (Modified Fig. 6 above - E) such that the first direction pressure vessel (Modified Fig. 6 above - A) is in direct fluid communication with both of the inlet (Modified Fig. 6 above - D) and the outlet (Modified Fig. 6 above - E) of the housing (Modified Fig. 6 above - C)(see Modified Fig. 6 above).
Re claim 18:
Wilson discloses the thermal management system (100, 102, 104, 106) of claim 17 (as described above), wherein the second direction pressure vessel (Modified Fig. 6 above - B) is one of a plurality of second direction pressure vessels (132, 136 (each of elements 132 and 136 is a type of second direction pressure vessel as shown in Figs. 5-7 and per description of Para 62)) of the heat exchange manifold (130)(see Figs. 5-7), wherein each of the plurality of second direction pressure vessels (132, 136) extends from the first direction pressure vessel (Modified Fig. 6 above - A) in the reference plane (see Figs. 1 and 3 at A and R)(see Modified Fig. 6 above), is in fluid communication with the first direction pressure vessel (Modified Fig. 6 above - A)(see Modified Fig. 6 above and Fig. 7 and Paras 62 and 68), and is in fluid communication with at least one of the plurality of heat exchange members (112)(see Modified Fig. 6 above and Fig. 7 and Paras 62 and 68).
Re claim 19:
Wilson discloses the thermal management system (100, 102, 104, 106) of claim 18 (as described above), wherein the plurality of second direction pressure vessels (132, 136) are further in fluid communication with one another (see Figs. 5-7 and Para 69).
Re claim 20:
Wilson discloses the thermal management system (100, 102, 104, 106) of claim 18 (as described above), wherein the heat exchange manifold (130) comprises a plurality of ribs (144, septum - Para 69 (see Fig. 7 and Para 69)) extending between adjacent second direction pressure vessels of the plurality of second direction pressure vessels (132, 136)(see Figs. 5-7 and Para 69).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wilson et al. (U.S. 2019/0024989) in view of Takase (U.S. 2018/0172355).
Re claim 6:
Wilson discloses the gas turbine engine (10) of claim 1 (as described above).
Wilson fails to disclose wherein the first direction pressure vessel is one of a plurality of first direction pressure vessels of the heat exchange manifold, wherein each of the plurality of first direction pressure vessels is in parallel fluid communication with the thermal fluid member.
Takase teaches a heat exchanger assembly (Figs. 1-4) wherein a first direction pressure vessel (6, short pipe - Para 23) is one of a plurality of first direction pressure vessels (see Figs. 1-4) of a heat exchange manifold (4, small tank - Para 23; 6, short pipe - Para 23; 8, header tank - Para 23 (elements 4, 6, 8 are collectively a type of heat exchange manifold as shown)), wherein each of the plurality of first direction pressure vessels (6) is in parallel fluid communication with a thermal fluid member (see Figs. 1-4 at element 8 and Para 48 - “…oil at high temperature flows into the tube 2 of each unit via the header tank 8…”)(see Figs. 1-4).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modeled the heat exchanger assembly of Wilson after that of Takase, thereby making the first direction pressure vessel of Wilson be is one of a plurality of first direction pressure vessels of the heat exchange manifold of Wilson, wherein each of the plurality of first direction pressure vessels is in parallel fluid communication with the thermal fluid member of Wilson, all in the way taught by Takase, for the advantage of being able to make a uniform amount of heat exchange thereby obtaining high performance in the heat exchanger (Takase; Para 25).
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 Loren C Edwards whose telephone number is (571)272-7133. The examiner can normally be reached M-R 6AM-430PM.
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, Mark Laurenzi can be reached at (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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/LOREN C EDWARDS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3746 5/22/26
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