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 .
Response to Amendments
The amendment filed 30th June 2026 has been entered. Claims 1-20 remain pending in the application. Applicant’s amendments to the claims have overcome each and every objection and 112(b) rejections previously set forth in the Non-Final Office Action mailed 30th March 2026.
Claim Objections
Claims 14-18 and 20 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claims 14-18 and 20 line 1, “…, the aircraft section further comprising:” should read “…wherein the aircraft section further comprises:”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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(s) 1-10 and 12-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Applicant Admitted Prior Art (AAPR) in view of Alps et al. (US 2019/0063046).
Regarding claim 1, AAPR (figure 1) teaches an aircraft section comprising:
a plurality of water consumers/ consumer equipment (clearly seen in figure 1);
a plurality of buffer tanks (21s) supplying water to the plurality of water consumers/ consumer equipment (clearly seen in figure 1) (Para 0048);
a high-pressure water system (10) to convey water to the plurality of buffer tanks (21s) under a pressure higher than a pressure required for a water consumer/consumer equipment of the plurality of water consumers/water consumer units (Para 0048-0049; high pressure water system conveys water to buffer tanks via pumps (12, 14) whereas buffer tanks (12) conveys water to a water consumer/consumer equipment without pumps), the aircraft sections comprising:
a monument/lavatory encasing a dedicated three-dimensional space, wherein the monument/lavatory includes, in the dedicated space, at least one water consumer/consumer equipment of the plurality of water consumers/consumer equipment(clearly seen in figure 1);
a buffer region/region occupied by buffer tanks (21s) including at least one of the plurality of buffer tanks (21s) storing a water supply for the at least one water consumer/consumer equipment of the monument/lavatory (Para 0048), and
but it is silent about the aircraft section wherein the buffer region does not intersect with the dedicated three-dimensional space of the monument.
Alps et al. ‘046 teaches (figures 1-2) an aircraft (10) comprising a fresh-water supply system (20) arranged in the aircraft fuselage (12) wherein the fresh-water supply system (20) has a fresh-water provision unit (20) comprising fresh-water tank (42) arranged in the underfloor region (16) and water extraction units/water consumers arranged in the cabin region (14) (Para 0034-0037; fresh-water provision unit and water extraction units/water consumers are separate).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified AAPR to incorporate the teachings of Alps et al. ‘046 to configure the aircraft section wherein the buffer region does not intersect with the dedicated three-dimensional space of the monument.
One of ordinary skill in art would recognize that doing so would enhance efficiency during maintenance by providing separate and easy access to both the monument and buffer tank.
Regarding claim 2, modified AAPR (figure 1) teaches the aircraft section further comprising:
a cabin floor, on which the monument is disposed;
wherein the buffer region is located underneath the cabin floor (as modified by Alps et al. ‘046).
Regarding claim 3, modified AAPR (figure 1) teaches the aircraft section further comprising:
a floor structure;
wherein a height of the buffer region corresponds at most to a height of the floor structure (as modified by Alps et al. ‘046; buffer region is arranged in an underfloor region).
Regarding claim 4, modified AAPR (figure 1) teaches the aircraft section further comprising:
a buffer holding assembly mounted to the floor structure/partition (18);
wherein the at least one of the plurality of buffer tanks is on the buffer holding assembly (as modified by Alps et al. ‘046; Para 0037; assembly of water line network (26) mounted to the partition (18) which holds water tank (42) is a buffer holding assembly).
Regarding claim 5, modified AAPR (figure 1) teaches the aircraft section further comprising:
an aircraft door in an outer skin of the aircraft (aircraft has a door in an outer skin of the aircraft);
wherein the buffer region is adjacent to the aircraft door (buffer region is at a fixed distance from the aircraft door).
Regarding claim 6, modified AAPR (figure 1) teaches the aircraft section further comprising:
a pressure cabin component defining a pressurized cabin of the aircraft (cabin of an aircraft is pressurized; aircraft outer skin enclosing cabin and bulkhead comprises pressure cabin component as they enclose pressurized cabin);
wherein the buffer region is between the monument and the pressure cabin component (as modified by Alps et al. 046; buffer tank is separate and outside of the monument).
Regarding claim 7, modified AAPR (figure 1) teaches the aircraft section wherein the pressure cabin component is an outer skin of the aircraft or a pressure bulkhead in an aft region of the aircraft (aircraft outer skin enclosing cabin and bulkhead enclose pressurized cabin, thus are pressure cabin component).
Regarding claim 8, modified AAPR (figure 1) teaches the aircraft section further comprising:
a buffer holder mounted to an exterior of the monument;
wherein the at least one of the plurality of buffer tanks (21) is on the buffer holder (buffer tank is connected/mounted to the monument/lavatory via buffer holder/structure mounting/coupling buffer tank (21) to the monument/lavatory (clearly seen in figure 1); buffer tanks are arranged and supported externally (as modified by Alps et al. ‘046).
Regarding claim 9, modified AAPR (figure 1) teaches the aircraft section further comprising:
a controller (42) configured to control the high-pressure water distribution system (Para 0049)
but it is silent about the aircraft section further comprising:
a water conveying device conveying water from the at least one of the plurality of buffer tanks to the at least one water consumer; and
a controller configured to control the water conveying device.
Alps et al. ‘046 teaches (figures 1-2) an aircraft (10) comprising a fresh-water supply system (20) wherein a water pump/water conveying device (44) pumps the fresh water into the water line network (26) such that said freshwater flows under pressure to the water extraction units (24) (Para 0034-0037).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified AAPR to incorporate the teachings of Alps et al. ‘046 to configure the aircraft section further comprising:
a water conveying device conveying water from the at least one of the plurality of buffer tanks to the at least one water consumer; and
a controller configured to control the water conveying device.
One of ordinary skill in art would recognize that doing so would supply water to the water consumer.
Regarding claim 10, modified AAPR (figure 1) teaches the aircraft section wherein the controller is configured to operate the water conveying device/pump continuously to supply water to the at least one water consumer having a predefined pressure level (as modified by Alps et al. ‘046; pump pumps the fresh water into the water line network such that said freshwater flows under pressure; water consumer has a predefined pressure level).
Regarding claim 12, modified AAPR (figure 1) teaches the aircraft section further comprising:
at least one additional monument/galley (21) each including one or more further water consumers/consumer equipment,
wherein all water consumers/consumer equipment of the at least one additional monument/galley receive water from the at least one of the plurality of buffer tanks of the buffer region (clearly seen in figure 1) (Para 0048-0049).
Regarding claim 13, modified AAPR (figure 1) teaches the aircraft, comprising:
at least one of the aircraft section of claim 1 (aircraft section is a part of the aircraft).
Regarding claim 14, modified AAPR (figure 1) teaches the aircraft, wherein the aircraft section further comprises:
a cabin floor, on which the monument is disposed;
wherein the buffer region is located underneath the cabin floor (as modified by Alps et al. ‘046).
Regarding claim 15, modified AAPR (figure 1) teaches the aircraft, wherein the aircraft section further comprises:
a floor structure,
wherein a height of the buffer region corresponds at most to a height of the floor structure (as modified by Alps et al. ‘046; buffer region is arranged in an underfloor region).
Regarding claim 16, modified AAPR (figure 1) teaches the aircraft, wherein the aircraft section further comprises:
a buffer holding assembly mounted to the floor structure/partition (18),
wherein the at least one of the plurality of buffer tanks is on the buffer holding assembly (as modified by Alps et al. ‘046; Para 0037; assembly of water line network (26) mounted to the partition (18) which holds water tank (42) is a buffer holding assembly).
Regarding claim 17, modified AAPR (figure 1) teaches the aircraft, wherein the aircraft section further comprises:
an aircraft door in an outer skin of the aircraft (aircraft has a door in an outer skin of the aircraft),
wherein the buffer region is adjacent to the aircraft door (buffer region is at a fixed distance from the aircraft door).
Regarding claim 18, modified AAPR (figure 1) teaches the aircraft, wherein the aircraft section further comprises:
a pressure cabin component defining a pressurized cabin of the aircraft (cabin of an aircraft is pressurized; aircraft outer skin enclosing cabin and bulkhead comprises pressure cabin component as they enclose pressurized cabin),
wherein the buffer region is between the monument and the pressure cabin component (as modified by Alps et al. 046; buffer tank is separate and outside of the monument).
Regarding claim 19, modified AAPR (figure 1) teaches the aircraft wherein the pressure cabin component is an outer skin of the aircraft or a pressure bulkhead in an aft region of the aircraft (aircraft outer skin enclosing cabin and bulkhead enclose pressurized cabin, thus are pressure cabin component).
Regarding claim 20, modified AAPR (figure 1) teaches the aircraft wherein the aircraft section further comprises:
a controller (42) configured to control the high-pressure water distribution system (Para 0049)
but it is silent about the aircraft wherein the aircraft section further comprises:
a water conveying device conveying water from the at least one of the plurality of buffer tanks to the at least one water consumer; and
a controller configured to control the water conveying device.
Alps et al. ‘046 teaches (figures 1-2) an aircraft (10) comprising a fresh-water supply system (20) wherein a water pump/water conveying device (44) pumps the fresh water into the water line network (26) such that said freshwater flows under pressure to the water extraction units (24) (Para 0034-0037).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified AAPR to incorporate the teachings of Alps et al. ‘046 to configure the aircraft wherein the aircraft section further comprises:
a water conveying device conveying water from the at least one of the plurality of buffer tanks to the at least one water consumer; and
a controller configured to control the water conveying device.
One of ordinary skill in art would recognize that doing so would supply water to the water consumer.
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Applicant Admitted Prior Art (AAPR) and Alps et al. (US 2019/0063046) as applied to claim 9 above, and further in view of Jordan (US 2007/0251238).
Regarding claim 11, modified AAPR (figure 1) teaches the aircraft section further comprising:
at least one water pipe/water line connecting the water conveying device/pump and the at least one water consumer/consumer equipment (as modified by Alps et al. ‘046)
but it is silent about the aircraft section further comprising:
a pressure equalizing reservoir fluidly connected to the at least one water pipe and configured to compensate fluctuations of a pressure of the water in the at least one water pipe.
Jordan ‘238 teaches (figure 1) a use of an accumulator/pressure equalizing reservoir (108) to maintain a constant water pressure in the main water pipe (102) (Para 0030).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified AAPR to incorporate the teachings of Jordan ‘238 to configure the aircraft section further comprising:
a pressure equalizing reservoir fluidly connected to the at least one water pipe and configured to compensate fluctuations of a pressure of the water in the at least one water pipe.
One of ordinary skill in art would recognize that doing so would maintain a constant water pressure (Para 0030).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 30th June 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to applicant's argument with respect to Alps et al. (US 2019/0063046), the test for obviousness is not whether the features of a secondary reference may be bodily incorporated into the structure of the primary reference; nor is it that the claimed invention must be expressly suggested in any one or all of the references. Rather, the test is what the combined teachings of the references would have suggested to those of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981). The examiner agrees that Alps et al. ‘046 teaches centrally located water storage tanks beneath the cabin floor, however, the teaching of the Alps et al. ‘046 to put a fresh-water tank/buffer tank (20) and water extraction unit/water consumer apart from each other such that the fresh-water tank/buffer tank doesn’t occupy/overlap region around/surrounding the water extraction unit/water consumer is considered to modify Applicant Admitted Prior Art (AAPR) which would result in the buffer tank of AAPR to be positioned outside/exterior of the monument/lavatory/region surrounding the consumer equipment. Fresh-water tank (20) of Alps et al. ‘046 is analogous to buffer tank of AAPR as they directly supply water to water extraction unit and consumer equipment respectively.
With respect to applicant’s argument with respect to claim 4, see pages 8-9, since the assembly of water line network (26) mounted to the partition (18) is connected to and provide support to water tank (42) it is at least a holding assembly of the water tank.
With respect to applicant’s argument with respect to claim 8, see pages 11-12, since the buffer tank is mounted outside/exterior of the monument, buffer holder supporting the buffer tank is also mounted outside/exterior of the monument.
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 ASHESH DANGOL whose telephone number is (303)297-4455. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 0730-0530 MT.
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, Joshua J Michener can be reached at (571) 272-1467. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ASHESH DANGOL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3642
Prosecution Insights