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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: reference # 67 is in paragraph 0042 of the specification but is not in the figures. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: reference # 41 & 71 in figures 2 & 3 are not in the specification. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
Claim 12 is 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.
Claim 12 recites the limitation "the second drive arm" in claim 12, line 9. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For compact prosecution, the Examiner is interpreting "the second drive arm" in claim 12, line 9, as -- a second drive arm --.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-16 are allowed. However, 112 issues need to be resolved.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 1,
The prior art does not disclose or suggest the claimed “wherein the rigid portion is mounted to the first link element rotatably about a second axis of rotation, the drive unit comprises a rotary actuator mounted to the main wing and having at least one drive arm rotatably driven about a drive axis and drivingly engaging the first link element, one of the drive arm and the first link element comprises at least one groove and the other one of the drive arm and the first link element comprises at least one spigot drivingly engaging the groove” in combination with the remaining claim elements as set forth in claim 1.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The reference Schlipf et al. (Pub No. US 2022/0388629 A1) discloses an aircraft a wing, a leading edge high lift assembly, a main wing, the leading edge high lift assembly comprising a high lift body and a connection assembly connecting the high lift body to the main wing in such a way that the high lift body is movable relative to the main wing between a stowed position and a deployed position, wherein the connection assembly comprises a linkage including a first link element that is mounted to the high lift body and that is mounted to the main wing rotatably about a first axis of rotation, wherein the main wing comprises an upper skin panel and a lower skin panel, wherein the upper skin panel has a leading edge portion, wherein the high lift body comprises a rigid portion wherein the rigid portion is mounted to the first link element, wherein the connection assembly comprises a drive unit mounted to the main wing and coupled to the first link element for driving the first link element for rotation about the first axis of rotation, wherein the rigid portion is mounted to the first link element, the drive unit comprises a rotary actuator mounted to the main wing and having at least one drive arm rotatably driven about a drive axis and drivingly engaging the first link element, one of the drive arm and the first link element comprises at least one groove and the other one of the drive arm and the first link element comprises at least one spigot drivingly engaging the groove; wherein the spigot or the groove is provided at a lateral side of the first link element or at an additional holder structure comprised by the first link element; wherein the spigot engages the groove with a predefined play; wherein the groove is formed as a slot extending in a radial direction with respect to the drive axis; wherein the groove is open at an outer end of the drive arm; and wherein the connection assembly is a first connection assembly and the leading edge high lift assembly comprises a second connection assembly connecting the high lift body to the main wing in a position spaced apart from the first connection assembly, wherein the first connection assembly and the second connection assembly are coupled by a sync arrangement for synchronized movement between the stowed position and the deployed position.
The reference Gartelmann (Pub No. US 2022/0306277 A1) discloses an aircraft a wing, a leading edge high lift assembly, a main wing, the leading edge high lift assembly comprising a high lift body and a connection assembly connecting the high lift body to the main wing in such a way that the high lift body is movable relative to the main wing between a stowed position and a deployed position, wherein the connection assembly comprises a linkage including a first link element that is mounted to the high lift body and that is mounted to the main wing rotatably about a first axis of rotation, wherein the main wing comprises an upper skin panel and a lower skin panel, wherein the upper skin panel has a leading edge portion, wherein the high lift body comprises a rigid portion and a flexible skin portion, wherein the rigid portion is mounted to the first link element, wherein the flexible skin portion is connected to the leading edge portion of the upper skin panel of the main wing and is connected to the rigid portion of the high lift body, and wherein the flexible skin portion is configured to be deformed between a stowed deformation state and a deployed deformation state, when the high lift body is moved between the stowed position and the deployed position.
The reference Schlipf et al. (Pub No. US 2025/0206437 A1) & Schlipf et al. (US Patent No. 12,539,959 B2) each have the same Assignee and 1 common Inventor with the Instant Application and each disclose similar structure as the reference Schlipf et al. (Pub No. US 2022/0388629 A1) cited above and additionally disclose a groove with a curved form.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RODNEY ANDREW BONNETTE whose telephone number is (571)270-7556. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 6:30 am - 5:00 pm.
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/RODNEY A BONNETTE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3647