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 § 102
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-4, 12-14, 16, 18, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1,2) as being anticipated by Devitt et al. US 2005/0073673 A1.
Devitt discloses:
Claim 1- a housing (212); a translating component (240) configured to translate relative to the housing; and a spherical joint (210) coupled to the housing and oriented parallel to a longitudinal axis of the translating component, wherein the translating component is configured to translate with respect to the spherical joint and the housing (the device is capable of this function).
Claim 2- wherein the spherical joint includes a hollow channel (fig. 4), and the translating component is at least partially disposed within the hollow channel (fig. 4), wherein the translating component is configured to translate through the hollow channel when the linear actuator operates (the device is capable of this function).
Claim 3- wherein the longitudinal axis of the translating component is a first longitudinal axis, wherein the hollow channel has a second longitudinal axis, and the first longitudinal axis is parallel to the second longitudinal axis (fig. 4).
Claim 4- wherein a portion of the housing (212) is disposed within the hollow channel, and the translating component is at least partially disposed within the portion of the housing within the hollow channel (fig. 4).
Claim 12- wherein the spherical joint includes: a bracket configured to couple to a first structure (unnumbered outmost component of spherical bearing 210); an outer race (unnumbered outer race of spherical bearing 210) coupled to the bracket; and an inner race (unnumbered inner race of spherical bearing 21) disposed within the outer race and coupled to the housing, the inner race having a spherical shape with a hollow channel (fig. 4), wherein a portion of the housing is disposed within the hollow channel (fig. 4), and the translating component is at least partially disposed within the portion of the housing within the hollow channel (fig. 4).
Claim 13- wherein the inner race is configured to rotate within the outer race such that the spherical joint is configured to passively adjust position in response to external forces (the device is capable of this function).
Claim 14- wherein the inner race has at least two degrees of rotational freedom (the bearing is spherical with at least 2 degrees of freedom).
Claim 16- wherein the linear actuator has a stroke-to- length ratio equal to or less than 1.2 to 1 (the device is capable of this function).
Claim 18- a linear actuator including: a housing (212); a translating component (240) configured to translate relative to the housing; and a spherical joint (210) coupled to the housing and oriented parallel to a longitudinal axis of the translating component, wherein the translating component is configured to translate with respect to the spherical joint (the device is capable of this function) and the housing; a first structure (206) coupled to the housing by the spherical joint; and a second structure (304) coupled to the translating component, wherein the translating component is configured to cause the second structure to move relative to the first structure when the translating component is actuated (the device is capable of this function).
Claim 20- wherein the spherical joint is configured to passively adjust in response to a position change or an angle change of the first structure or the second structure, thereby maintaining internal alignment of the linear actuator (the device is capable of this function).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-7, 8-11, 15, 17, and 19 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art neither discloses nor renders obvious the claimed combinations including:
a coupler coupled to a first end of the translating component, wherein the translating component is configured to translate with respect to the spherical joint and the housing, and wherein the spherical joint and the housing are positioned between the first end and a second end of the translating component provided opposite from the first end.
wherein the translating component is configured to translate relative to the spherical joint, the housing, the driving component, and the electric motor, and wherein the spherical joint, the housing, the driving component, and the electric motor are configured to maintain fixed positions relative to one another.
a driving component coupled to the housing and provided around the translating component, and configured to cause the translating component to translate; and an electric motor provided within the housing and configured to operate the driving component.
a driving component coupled to the housing and provided around the translating component, wherein the translating component is coaxial with the driving component.
a notch and a tab configured to restrict the inner race from rotating about the longitudinal axis of the translating component.
An aircraft comprising a tiltable propulsion system coupled to the linear actuator of claim 1.
wherein the first structure is a support structure of an aircraft, the second structure is a tiltable propulsion system of the aircraft, and the translating component is configured to cause the tiltable propulsion system to tilt when the translating component is actuated
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 20240246670 A1 discloses a similar device.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TERENCE BOES whose telephone number is (571)272-4898. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10-6:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Minnah Seoh can be reached at (571) 270-7778. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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TERENCE BOES
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3618
/TERENCE BOES/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3618