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 Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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, 3-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Luo (CN 212133293 U).
Regarding claim 1, Luo discloses a flying apparatus comprising: an airframe (Device of fig. 1); at least one rotor (5) attached to the airframe (Device of fig. 1); and an engine (81) to supply a driving force to rotate (the engine element 81 provides for rotation of the propeller 56 of rotor assembly element 5) the at least one rotor (5); wherein the airframe (Device of fig. 1) includes a framed main body (7, 10, 73, 74, 91, 701) including a plurality of pipes (each of elements 7, 10, 73, 74, 91, 701 are pipes); and the engine (81) is supported by at least one engine mount (75, 753) attached to at least one of the plurality of pipes (73, 74).
Regarding claim 3, Luo discloses wherein the at least one engine mount (75, 753) is attached to the at least one of the plurality of pipes (73, 74) provided on at least one side (both sides, Fig. 8) of the engine (81); and the engine (81) is suspended from the at least one of the plurality of pipes (73, 74) provided on the at least one side (both sides, Fig. 8) of the engine (81) and is supported by the framed main body (7, 10, 73, 74, 91, 701) via the at least one engine mount (75, 753).
Regarding claim 4, Luo discloses wherein: the engine (81) includes an engine main body (8) and an oil pan (87) provided below the engine main body (8); and the oil pan (87) is suspended together with the engine main body (8) from the at least one of the plurality of pipes (each of elements 7, 10, 73, 74, 91, 701 are pipes).
Regarding claim 5, Luo discloses wherein the framed main body (7, 10, 73, 74, 91, 701) includes a first pipe (73) provided on a first side (first side at element 73, Fig. 7) of the engine (81), and a second pipe (74) provided on a second side (second side at element 74, Fig. 7) of the engine (81) opposite the first side (Fig. 7); the at least one engine mount (75, 753) includes a first engine mount (75, 753 on first pipe element 73) attached to the first pipe (73) and a second engine mount (75, 753 on second pipe element 74) attached to the second pipe (74); and the engine (81) is supported by the first engine mount (75, 753 on first pipe element 73) and the second engine mount (75, 753 on second pipe element 74).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Luo (CN 212133293 U) in view of Odawara (JP 2008169946 A).
Regarding claim 2, Luo discloses the invention substantially as set forth above, but fails to disclose wherein a position of the at least one engine mount is adjustable along an axial direction of the at least one of the plurality of pipes.
However, Odawara discloses a similar frame structure (Fig. 1) that allows for a position (via sliding rail 5 and brackets 6, 51) of the at least one mount (6, 51) is adjustable along an axial direction (Fig. 1) of the at least one of the plurality of pipes (4, 5).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention/application, to modify Luo, by making a position of the at least one engine mount is adjustable along an axial direction of the at least one of the plurality of pipes, as taught by Odawara, for the purpose of providing a positional or repositionable mounting structure for the device.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Luo (CN 212133293 U) in view of Ljung (CN 110869281 A).
Regarding claim 6, Luo discloses wherein: the at least one rotor (5) includes a first-side rotor (left side element 5) provided on the first side (left side of engine element 81) of the engine (81) and a second-side rotor (right side element 5) provided on the second side (right side of engine element 81) of the engine (81) in a planar view (Figs. 1, 9), but does not expressly disclose the engine includes a first output shaft to supply a driving force to the first-side rotor and a second output shaft to supply a driving force to the second-side rotor; and the first pipe and the second pipe extend parallel or substantially parallel to the first output shaft and the second output shaft in a planar view.
However, Ljung discloses a similar device Figs. 1-2b, 8) having an engine (3) includes a first output shaft (element 5 left of element 3) to supply a driving force (rotational force) to the first-side rotor (2) and a second output shaft (element 5 right of element 3) to supply a driving force (rotational force) to the second-side rotor (2); and the first pipe (9) and the second pipe (9) extend parallel or substantially parallel (6b) to the first output shaft (5) and the second output shaft (5) in a planar view (Fig. 8).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention/application, to modify Luo, by making the engine include a first output shaft to supply a driving force to the first-side rotor and a second output shaft to supply a driving force to the second-side rotor; and the first pipe and the second pipe extend parallel or substantially parallel to the first output shaft and the second output shaft in a planar view, as taught by Ljung, for the purpose of providing adequate power transmission to each of the rotors on opposite sides.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Examiner lists referenced documents on PTO-892 because the references present other/alternative or conceptual designs similar in scope that illustrate relevant features, which may demonstrate the level of novelty in comparison to Applicant’s inventive submission. The record relates to Applicant’s identified material and Examiner’s discovered references concerning Applicant’s subject matter relevant for a patentability determination.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AARON M RODZIWICZ whose telephone number is (571)272-6611. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 10 am - 6 pm.
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/AARON M RODZIWICZ/ Examiner, Art Unit 3642
/JOSHUA J MICHENER/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3642