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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 1-10 and 15 in the reply filed on 27 February 2026 is acknowledged.
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.
Claims 1 and 4-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2018/0162102 (hereinafter “Stickler”).Regarding claim 1 Stickler teaches a laminate structure (structural component) 100A/B/C/D/E for aircraft applications comprising an aluminum layer (substrate) 102A/B/C/D/E having an inner surface and a glass composite layer (protection ply) 104A/B/C/D/E configured to prevent galvanic corrosion due to the interaction between the aluminum layer (substrate) and a carbon composite layer (avoiding a destruction of a corrosion protection of the substrate) (paragraphs [0004], [0005], [0050], [0051] and [0061]; claims 1 and 7; and Figures 1A-1E). Stickler teaches the glass composite layer (protection ply) is materially bonded to the inner surface of the aluminum layer (substrate) (paragraphs [0064] and [0088]; and Figures 1A-1E).Regarding claims 4 and 5 In addition, Stickler teaches the glass composite layer (protection ply) comprises a composite material, where the composite material is a glass fiber reinforced fabric prepreg (abstract; and paragraphs [0052], [0083] and [0088]).Regarding claim 6 In addition, Stickler teaches the glass composite layer (composite material of the protection ply) comprises a unidirectional glass fiber reinforced prepreg (paragraphs [0081] and [0083]).Regarding claim 7 In addition, Stickler teaches the resin of the glass composite layer binds the glass fibers (paragraph [0083]), which corresponds to an adhesive film. Alternatively or in addition, Stickler also teaches the surfaces of the aluminum layer (substrate) may undergo surface preparation, such as priming with BR corrosion-inhibiting binder (epoxy film), where such surface preparation may enhance bonding between the aluminum layer(s) 102A/B/C/D/E and other layers (including the adjacent aforementioned glass composite layer (protection ply) 104A/B/C/D/E) (paragraph [0064] and Figures 1A-1E), which corresponds to the composite material comprises an epoxy film. Regarding claim 8 In addition, Stickler teaches the surfaces of the aluminum layer (substrate) may undergo surface preparation, such as priming with BR corrosion-inhibiting binder, where such surface preparation may enhance bonding between the aluminum layer(s) 102A/B/C/D/E and other layers (including the adjacent aforementioned glass composite layer (protection ply) 104A/B/C/D/E) (paragraph [0064] and Figures 1A-1E), which corresponds to a primer layer which is disposed on the protection ply.Regarding claim 9 In addition, Stickler teaches the aluminum layer (substrate) 102B comprises a laminate having a plurality of aluminum sublayers (metal layers) 102B1, 102B2, 102B3, 102B4 (paragraph [0110] and Figure 1B). Stickler also teaches the surfaces of the aluminum layer (substrate) may undergo surface preparation which enhances bonding between the aluminum layer(s) and other layers (paragraph [0064]). Stickler teaches the use of adhesive layers to improve bonding between associated aluminum layers (paragraphs [0089] – [0090], [0138] – [0142]), which corresponds to an adhesive layer placed between and bonded to the metal layers.Regarding claim 10 In addition, Stickler teaches an adhesive layer (applying a material bond) applied to bond the inner surface of the aluminum layer (one of the metal layers of the substrate) to the glass composite layer (protection ply) (paragraphs [0089] – [0090]).
Claims 1 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2019/0119472 (hereinafter “Kinlen”).Regarding claims 1 and 15 Kinlen teaches a metal substrate (substrate having an inner surface) with a composition (protection ply) applied thereon, where the composition provides corrosion inhibition of the metal substrate (avoiding destruction of a corrosion protection of the substrate) (paragraph [0015] and claims 1-8). Kinlen teaches the metal substrate is an aircraft component (structural component for an aircraft or spacecraft fuselage) (paragraphs [0015] and [0017]). Kinlen teaches the composition (protection ply) is materially bonded to the metal substrate (inner surface of the substrate) (paragraph [0017]). Kinlen teaches the metal substrate and composition structure is included in a vehicle component, where the vehicle component includes a fuel tank of an aircraft (aircraft or spacecraft comprising a fuselage having the structural component installed in a fuel tank area of the fuselage) (claims 10-11 and paragraph [0019]).
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.
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.
Claims 2 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stickler as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of United States Patent Number 5,698,316 (hereinafter “Kuras”).Regarding claims 2 and 3 The limitations for claim 1 have been set forth above. In addition, Stickler does not explicitly teach structure parts installed on the substrate, wherein the protection ply extends at least in sections between the structure parts, where the structure parts are configured as a stringer, a frame, or both. Kuras teaches an aircraft construction comprising a graphite epoxy composite panel and an aluminum internal frame, where a layer of fiber glass (protection ply) 18 is provided therebetween to prevent corrosion (column 4, line 19 through column 5, line 9). Kuras teaches the graphite epoxy composite panel 14 and the aluminum internal frame 12 are attached using K-coated titanium fasteners 20 (column 5, lines 5-9). Kuras teaches the fiber glass (protection ply) 18 extends at least in sections between the fasteners 20 and frame 12 (combination of the frame 12 and fasteners 20 correspond to structure parts, where the structure parts are configured as a stringer, a frame, or both) (Figure 1). Kuras teaches the frame member supports the graphite epoxy composite panel (column 4, lines 3-6). Stickler and Kuras are analogous inventions in the field of aircraft composite materials. It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the time of the invention to attach the laminate structure (structural component) of Stickler with the aluminum internal frame and fasteners of Kuras to provide a supporting means for Stickler’s laminate structure (structural component).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRIAN HANDVILLE whose telephone number is (571)272-5074. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Thursday, from 9 am to 4 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Veronica Ewald can be reached at (571) 272-8519. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BRIAN HANDVILLE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1783
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