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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. Upon further search and consideration, a second non-final rejection is being made.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/22/2025 has been considered by the examiner.
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 2-8, 14, 16-17 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 14 recites: "the device is for locking an actuator comprising two half-shells". With the manner in which the claim language is currently written, it is unclear whether the "actuator" comprises two half-shells or "the device".
Claim 14, recites “an actuator” in line 4 and line 9. It is unclear whether these are different actuators or the same actuator.
The dependent claims are indefinite because they depend from indefinite claim 14.
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.
Claim(s) 14, 2, 3, 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Vance (US 6393880).
Vance discloses:
14. (Currently amended) A method for manufacturing and/or equipping an aircraft, comprising: placing a device on the aircraft (locking sleeve 10 is placed on the aircraft actuator 12, see Fig. 5),
wherein the device is for locking an actuator (12 is an actuator because it actuates aircraft components) comprising two half-shells (16, 18) that are pivotable relative to one another between an open position and a locking position (see Figs. 2-4, fig. 2 is closed locking position, Fig. 4 is open position), which are configured in such a way that, in the locking position, the two half-shells are in abutment with each other at their end faces facing each other (see Fig. 2, end faces of half shells are in abutment with each other), wherein the device is a locking sleeve (10 is a locking sleeve), and
wherein placing the device on the aircraft comprises placing the device on an actuator of the aircraft (see Fig. 5, locking sleeve is placed on the actuator 12 of the aircraft).
2. (Currently amended) The method according to claim 14, wherein the device does not have a bayonet lock, and wherein the device has a tongue-and- groove connection (34, 36; absent further limitations pertaining to what this “tongue-and-groove connection” requires, the device of Vance is interpreted to have the tongues 34,36 that engage with the open space grooves to form a closed connection, Col. 4 lines 1-31).
3. (Currently amended) The method according to claim 14, wherein the device comprises at least one fixing element by means of which the two half-shells can be fixed to each other in the locking position (Col. 4 lines 1-31 discloses locking the two half-shells together via a fixing element).
6. (Currently amended) The method according to claim 14, wherein the device further comprises an anti-rotation means comprising at least one preloaded latch (38, absent further limitations pertaining to “preloaded”, the pin 38 is formed onto the device 10 and is therefore preloaded into the assembly) which is configured to engage in a corresponding recess of a housing (housing of 12) in order to prevent the device from twisting relative to the housing.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 4-5, 7-8, 16-17 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include 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: The prior art does not appear to disclose nor render obvious the limitations of claims 4-5, 7-8 or 16-17 in combination with their base claim limitations.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Shafer (US 2007/0017263) discloses cylinder support tool including tow split halves and a hinge; discloses hydraulic/pneumatic piston and cylinder assembly for raising and lowering structures, can set the cylinder to a desired locked position for servicing but can become unlocked on its own due to a loos in hydraulic pressure and cause injury to the operator during servicing. The cylinder support tool addresses this issue.
Hunt et al. (US 6874338), Witchey (US 7337636) discloses a locking sleeve with two half shells and a hinge that locks a piston rod of a hydraulic cylinder assembly in the extended position for anti-theft purposes
Ashton et al. (US 2621004) discloses locking an aircraft landing gear actuator in the extended position via a locking sleeve that is not shown.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Dustin T Nguyen whose telephone number is (571)270-0163. The examiner can normally be reached M - F: 8:00am - 4:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nathaniel E. Wiehe can be reached at (571) 272-8648. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DUSTIN T NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3745 June 25, 2026
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