DETAILED ACTION
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 Objections
Claims 5 and 15 are objected to because of the following informalities: the limitation “centre” should be “center”. Appropriate correction is required.
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 12-20 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.
Regarding claim 12, the limitation “a rear rail” at line 31 renders the claim indefinite because its unclear whether this is the rear rail claimed at line 3 or not.
Claim 20 contains the same defect at line 39.
Claims dependent thereon are rejected for the same reasons.
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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 7, 10-13, 16-17, 19, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mulcaire US 2019/0218924 in view of Wada US 2022/0025773
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Regarding claim 1, Mulcaire discloses a cooling ring, see for example fig. 3, for a combustor system having an inner wall 48, an outer wall 46 spaced apart from the inner wall, and one or more discharge nozzles 66 disposed downstream of the inner wall, the cooling ring comprising:
an inner surface, labeled inner surface, at least partially facing the inner wall and extending circumferentially about a central axis, see fig. 2, the imaginary line running through the combustor central to swirler 56, of the cooling ring;
an outer surface, labeled outer surface, radially spaced apart from the inner surface and facing away from the inner wall;
an upstream portion, the portion of the cooling ring to the left of line a, extending along a first axis, the imaginary line running along the length of the outer wall, and disposed adjacent to the outer wall, the outer wall and the cooling ring are integrally formed and thus the upstream portion is downstream and adjacent to the outer wall, wherein the upstream portion abuts an outer downstream edge of the outer wall, as discussed previously the upstream portion is integral to the outer wall and thus abuts a downstream edge of the outer wall;
a downstream portion, the portion to the right of line b, spaced apart from the upstream portion and extending along a second axis that is obliquely inclined to the first axis by a first inclination angle, referring to the annotated fig. 3 above, the first axis and the second axis are shown going through the respective portions claimed and the first inclination axis is the angle between the two axes, wherein the downstream portion extends beyond an inner downstream edge of the inner wall with respect to the second axis, the downstream portion extends beyond the terminal edge/inner downstream edge, and goes into the nozzle assembly structure; and
a middle portion, the portion between lines a and b, connecting the upstream portion to the downstream portion, the middle portion, the upstream portion, and the downstream portion together forming the inner surface and the outer surface the portions form the cooling ring which have the inner and outer surfaces, the middle portion comprising:
a first inner surface portion, the portion to the left of line c, adjacent to the upstream portion and partly forming the inner surface, wherein the first inner surface portion extends along the first axis and faces the inner wall, the portion to the left of c is parallel and concentric with the outer wall and thus extends along the first axis and faces the inner wall, and wherein the first inner surface portion supports a rear rail, labeled rear rail of the inner wall, the rear rail abuts the first inner surface portion; a second inner surface portion, the portion to the right of line c, partly forming the inner surface, wherein the second inner surface portion extends from the first inner surface portion to the downstream portion along a third axis that is inclined to the first axis by a second inclination angle greater than the first inclination angle, the second inclination axis is labeled in the annotated fig. 3 above, showing the first axis and the third axis, the third axis goes through the second inner surface portion, the second inclination angle is shown larger than the first inclination angle as shown in the annotated drawings above;
an inner surface edge, labeled inner surface edge, formed at an intersection between the first inner surface portion and the second inner surface portion;
an outer surface portion, labeled outer surface portion, partly forming the outer surface and extending between the upstream portion and the downstream portion, the outer surface portion is between the upstream and downstream portions;
and a plurality of second apertures 98 circumferentially spaced apart from each other with respect to the central axis and extending through the middle portion, see para. [0068] stating a row of cooling apertures is provided, wherein each second aperture from the plurality of second apertures extends from the second inner surface portion to the outer surface portion along a second aperture axis, the second aperture extends to the right of line c on the inner surface and goes to the outer surface portion on the outer surface, and wherein each second aperture is configured to supply the cooling fluid to the one or more discharge nozzles, the cooling apertures 98 direct cooling air to the nozzles 66 as discussed in para. [0068]. Mulcaire does not disclose a plurality of first apertures circumferentially spaced apart from each other with respect to the central axis and extending through the middle portion, wherein each first aperture from the plurality of first apertures extends from the first inner surface portion to the outer surface portion along a first aperture axis, wherein each first aperture is disposed between the rear rail of the inner wall and the inner surface edge with respect to the first axis, and wherein each first aperture is configured to supply a cooling fluid to a cavity defined between the inner wall and the cooling ring downstream of the rear rail of the inner wall or each second aperture is spaced apart from each first aperture and a second aperture axis that is incline to the first aperture axis by a third inclination angle.
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Referring to fig. 13, Wada teaches a plurality of first apertures 24 circumferentially spaced apart from each other with respect to the central axis and extending through the middle portion, see fig. 14, the holes 24 are circumferentially spaced about the liner, wherein each first aperture from the plurality of first apertures extends from the first inner surface portion to the outer surface portion along a first aperture axis, the first aperture axis is the dotted line at about 25.
It would have been obvious to an ordinary skilled worker to include an additional cooling hole 24 taught by Wada into the liner of Mulcaire upstream and adjacent to the cooling hole 96 which is analogous to the cooling hole 12 of Wada, as taught by Wada, in order to provide cooling so as to lower the temperature of the liner component. See para. [0008]. When integrated into the system of Mulcaire, the cooling hole 24 would result in each first aperture is disposed between the rear rail of the inner wall and the inner surface edge with respect to the first axis, the cooling hole 24 is shown to be adjacent to and upstream of the analogous cooling hole 96 of Mulcaire which would place the cooling hole between the inner surface edge and the rear rail, and wherein each first aperture is configured to supply a cooling fluid to a cavity defined between the inner wall and the cooling ring downstream of the rear rail of the inner wall, the cooling hole would be oriented to supply air to the space between the trailing edge of the inner wall and the outer wall, i.e. the claimed cavity or each second aperture is spaced apart from each first aperture and a second aperture axis that is incline to the first aperture axis by a third inclination angle, the first and second apertures are both inclined with respect to each other and to the first axis as claimed, see fig. 13 showing the angles of the two cooling holes.
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Regarding claim 2, Mulcaire, in view of Wada, discloses the plurality of first apertures and the plurality of second apertures are staggered from each other, such that each first aperture is circumferentially disposed between a pair of adjacent second apertures from the plurality of second apertures with respect to the central axis. Referring to fig. 14, Wada shows that the first apertures 24 are interspersed from the second apertures 28 which are thus circumferentially disposed between each other. See para. [0069] and annotated figure above.
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Regarding claim 7, Mulcaire, in view of Wada, discloses each second aperture comprises a second aperture upstream edge b disposed proximal to the inner surface edge, a second aperture downstream edge e disposed distal to the inner surface edge, a second inner upstream point a formed at an intersection between the second aperture upstream edge and the second inner surface portion, a second inner downstream point f formed at an intersection between the second aperture downstream edge d and the second inner surface portion, and a second outer upstream point c formed at an intersection between the second aperture upstream edge and the outer surface portion.
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Regarding claim 10, Mulcaire, in view of Wada, the outer surface comprises a rounded interface, labeled rounded portion, extending from the outer surface portion to the upstream portion, wherein the rounded interface comprises an interface upstream edge f disposed adjacent to the upstream portion and an interface downstream edge g disposed adjacent to the outer surface portion. For the purposes of claim 10, referring to the embodiment of fig. 4, Mulcaire shows a substantially similar embodiment to that of fig 3, where the analogous structure is interpreted as the same in fig. 4.
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Regarding claim 11, Mulcaire, in view of Wada, discloses each first aperture comprises a first aperture downstream edge d disposed proximal to the inner surface edge, a first aperture upstream edge a disposed distal to the inner surface edge, a first inner upstream point b formed at an intersection between the first aperture upstream edge and the first inner surface portion, and a first inner downstream point c formed at an intersection between the first aperture downstream edge and the first inner surface portion.
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Regarding claim 12, referring to claim 1 above, Mulcaire, in view of Wada, discloses all elements as discussed in claim 1 above are incorporated herein, including a combustor system 15 for a gas turbine engine 10, the combustor system 15 comprising: an inner wall 48v comprising at least one row of combustor tiles 48C, 48B, 48A, a rear rail extending radially outwards, an inner downstream edge spaced apart from the rear rail, and an annular rear lip extending between the rear rail and the inner downstream edge along a lip axis, the lip axis is the imaginary line that extends along the length of the inner wall through the lip;
an outer wall spaced apart from the inner wall, the outer wall comprising an outer downstream edge;
one or more discharge nozzles disposed downstream of the inner wall;
and
a cooling ring connected to the outer wall, the cooling ring comprising:
an inner surface at least partially facing the inner wall and extending circumferentially about a central axis of the cooling ring;
an outer surface radially spaced apart from the inner surface and facing away from the inner wall;
an upstream portion extending along a first axis and disposed adjacent to the outer wall, wherein the upstream portion abuts an outer downstream edge of the outer wall;
a downstream portion spaced apart from the upstream portion and extending along a second axis that is obliquely inclined to the first axis by a first inclination angle, wherein the downstream portion extends beyond an inner downstream edge of the inner wall with respect to the second axis; and
a middle portion connecting the upstream portion to the downstream portion, the middle portion, the upstream portion, and the downstream portion together forming the inner surface and the outer surface, the middle portion comprising:
a first inner surface portion adjacent to the upstream portion and partly forming the inner surface, wherein the first inner surface portion extends along the first axis and faces the inner wall, wherein the first inner surface portion supports a rear rail of the inner wall, and wherein the annular rear lip and the first inner surface portion define a cavity therebetween, the annular rear lip forms the cavity, labeled above between the first inner surface portion and the annular rear lip;
a second inner surface portion partly forming the inner surface, wherein the second inner surface portion extends from the first inner surface portion to the downstream portion along a third axis that is inclined to the first axis by a second inclination angle greater than the first inclination angle;
an inner surface edge formed at an intersection between the first inner surface portion and the second inner surface portion;
an outer surface portion partly forming the outer surface and extending between the upstream portion and the downstream portion;
a plurality of first apertures circumferentially spaced apart from each other with respect to the central axis and extending through the middle portion, wherein each first aperture from the plurality of first apertures extends from the first inner surface portion to the outer surface portion along a first aperture axis, wherein each first aperture is disposed between the rear rail of the inner wall and the inner surface edge with respect to the first axis, and wherein each first aperture is configured to supply a cooling fluid to a cavity between the annular rear lip and the first inner surface portion; and
a plurality of second apertures circumferentially spaced apart from each other with respect to the central axis and extending through the middle portion, wherein each second aperture from the plurality of second apertures extends from the second inner surface portion to the outer surface portion along a second aperture axis that is inclined to the first aperture axis by a third inclination angle, and wherein each second aperture is spaced apart from each first aperture and is configured to supply the cooling fluid to the one or more discharge nozzles.
Regarding claim 13, referring to claim 2, Mulcaire, in view of Wada, discloses all elements.
Regarding claim 16, Mulcaire, in view of Wada, discloses all elements referring to claim 7 above.
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Regarding claim 17, Mulcaire, in view of Wada, discloses each discharge nozzle from the one or more discharge nozzles comprises a birdmouth cavity that at least partially receives the downstream portion of the cooling ring therein, the birdmouth cavity receives the portion of the downstream portion labeled 76.
Regarding claim 19, Mulcaire, in view of Wada, discloses all elements as discussed in claim 11 above.
Regarding claim 20, Mulcaire, in view of Wada, discloses all elements as discussed in claims 1 and 12 where the common elements recited are discussed in claim 1 and 12 above incorporated herein, where Mulcaire further discloses a compressor 13, 14, see fig. 1, a turbine 16, 17, 18, see fig. 1, disposed downstream of the compressor and a combustor system 15 configured to receive compressed air from the compressor and provide combustion products to the turbine, see para. [0058].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-6, 8-9, 14-15, 18 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:
Regarding claim 3, the limitation “each second aperture has a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter” in combination with the remaining elements is not taught or fairly suggested in the prior art of record. While different cooling hole sizes are known in the art, the prior art does not appear to teach or fairly suggest the claimed diameter sizing or acknowledge the benefit of the diameter sizing claimed.
Regarding claim 5, the prior art does not teach or fairly suggest “a central axial distance between the ring downstream edge and the center of each second aperture measured along the second axis is from 14.32-14.36 mm” in combination with the remaining elements.
Regarding claim 6, the limitation “an angle… from 48-52 degrees” as recited in combination with the remaining elements is not taught or fairly suggested in the prior art. The prior art appears to be silent to the relative angles.
Regarding claim 8, the limitation “a downstream axial distance between the upstream boundary and the second inner downstream point of each second aperture measured along the second axis is 0.732 mm” in combination with the remaining elements is not taught or fairly suggested in the prior art of record. The Closest prior art of record, Mulcaire, is silent at best.
Regarding claim 9, the limitation “an inner distance between the inner surface edge and the second inner upstream point of each second aperture measured along the third axis is from .7 mm to 1.27 mm” is not taught or fairly suggested in the prior art of record. Mulcaire is silent to the dimensions of the claimed structure.
Claims 14-15 recite similar limitations discussed above.
Regarding claim 18, the limitation “the lip overhang length is at most 8.4 mm” is not taught or fairly suggested in combination with the remaining elements. Mulcaire is silent to the dimensions of the structure. It is further noted the claims recite a specific length of the rear lip where the first cooling apertures are respectively recited adjacent thereto to provide cooling. The prior art of record does not appear to discuss the claimed length with respect to the cooling necessarily provided by the first apertures.
Claims dependent thereon are objected to for the same reasons.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The Examiner notes that cooling of combustor structure adjacent to the turbine inlet is very well known, if not, necessary. See Ambrogi US 5,598,697; Jopp US 2015/0300645; Propheter-Hinckley US 2019/0107006; Alkabie US 2007/0095067.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GERALD LUTHER SUNG whose telephone number is (571)270-3765. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5 PST.
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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/GERALD L SUNG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3741