DETAILED ACTION
Notice of 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 § 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.
Claim 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Regarding Claim 13: Claim 13 recites the terms “a first Mach number for a first at least one conduit at an outlet of the diffuser is less than a second Mach number for a second at least one conduit at an inlet of the diffuser”, it is not clear if the “at least one conduit” refers to the term “the at least one conduit” previously claimed or other element, yielding indefiniteness. To further advance prosecution and in view of the specification that does not disclose the at least one conduit at the inlet or outlet of the diffuser, or any Mach number of the at least one conduit, as well as Claim 4 the above limitation is interpreted as a first Mach number for an outlet of the diffuser is less than a second Mach number for an inlet of the diffuser.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-6, 9, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Liu (US 6,035,627).
Regarding Claim 1: Liu discloses a gas turbine engine (10; Fig. 1), comprising: a diffuser (see annotated figure ‘627) including at least one conduit (see annotated figure ‘627) in an upstream section (see annotated figure ‘627) of the diffuser; and a compressor (12; Fig. 1), wherein the diffuser defines a primary flowpath (see annotated figure ‘627) through the compressor to provide air flow (see annotated figure ‘627) to a combustor (14; Fig. 1), wherein the at least one conduit defines a secondary flowpath (see annotated figure ‘627) to transport bleed air (see annotated figure ‘627) at a first rate (the air passing through the diffuser has necessarily a first rate) within the diffuser, and wherein a size of the at least one conduit (cross area of the at least one conduit) is based on a pressure of the bleed air of the secondary flowpath (the pressure is the force over the cross sectional area, therefor the size and pressure are based on each other).
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Regarding Claim 2: Liu discloses all the limitations of Claim 1, as stated above, and further discloses at least one passage (passage going through the conduit, see annotated figure ‘627) fluidly coupled to one or more of the at least one conduit, and a downstream sink (32; Fig. 1; see Col. 3 L. 13-22 wherein the bearing 32 and elements coupled thereto absorb bleed air, i.e. represent a sink), wherein the downstream sink defines at least a portion of the secondary flowpath (see annotated figure ‘627).
Regarding Claim 3: Liu discloses all the limitations of Claim 1, as stated above, and further discloses wherein the size of the at least one conduit is based on a ratio between an area of the secondary flowpath and an area of the primary flowpath (the size of the least one conduit i.e. cross section area of the conduit, is necessarily based a ratio of the between cross section area of the conduit and the cross area of the diffuser).
Regarding Claim 4: Liu discloses all the limitations of Claim 1, and further discloses wherein a first Mach number for an outlet (see annotated figure ‘627) of the diffuser is less than a second Mach number for an inlet (see annotated figure ‘627) of the diffuser (due to the fact that the cross sectional area at the inlet of the diffuser is smaller than the cross sectional area at the outlet of the diffuser, the speed of air at the inlet is faster than the speed at the outlet, and thus the Mach number at the outlet is smaller than at the inlet).
Regarding Claim 5: Liu discloses all the limitations of Claim 1, and further discloses a first area (see annotated figure ‘627) corresponds to a cross-sectional area (see annotated figure ‘627) of the at least one conduit, and a second area (see annotated figure ‘627) corresponds to an area (see annotated figure ‘627) of the primary flowpath, and wherein the second area is greater than the first area (see annotated figure ‘627).
Regarding Claim 6: Liu discloses all the limitations of Claim 1, as stated above, and further discloses wherein the compressor is a centrifugal compressor (“centrifugal impeller 22”; Col. 2 L. 52-59) and wherein the bleed air path is located internal to the gas turbine engine (see annotated figure ‘627).
Regarding Claim 9: Liu discloses all the limitations of Claim 1, as stated above, and further discloses the at least one conduit located in the diffuser is a first conduit (see annotated figure ‘627), and wherein the diffuser further includes a second conduit (see annotated figure ‘627).
Regarding Claim 20: Liu discloses a bleed air system (system of Fig. 1) for an aircraft (see Col. 3 L. 44-51 wherein the presence of a bypass duct shows that the engine is used in an aircraft), the bleed air system comprising: a diffuser (see annotated figure ‘627) including at least one conduit (see annotated figure ‘627) in an upstream section (see annotated figure ‘627) of the diffuser; and a compressor (12; Fig. 1), wherein the diffuser defines a primary flowpath (see annotated figure ‘627), through the compressor to provide air (see annotated figure ‘627) to a combustor (14; Fig. 1) via the primary flowpath, wherein the at least one conduit defines a secondary flowpath (see annotated figure ‘627) to transport bleed air at a first rate (the air passing through the diffuser has necessarily a first rate) within the diffuser, wherein the at least one conduit defines at least a portion of the secondary flowpath (see annotated figure ‘627), and wherein a size of the at least one conduit is based on a pressure of bleed air of the secondary flowpath (the pressure is the force over the cross sectional area, therefor the size and pressure are based on each other).
Claims 7-8, and 10-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu (US 6,035,627) in view of Romani (US 6,280,139).
Regarding Claim 7: Liu discloses all the limitations of Claim 1, as stated above, and further discloses the diffuser includes a structure (see annotated figure ‘627) defining the primary flowpath and the at least one conduit positioned in the structure (see annotated figure ‘627), but is silent regarding the structure having a plurality of diffuser vanes and the at least one conduit positioned in at least one diffuser vane of the plurality of diffuser vanes.
However, Romani teaches a diffuser (3; Fig. 1) for a gas turbine engine (“gas turbine” Col. 1 L 1-2) having a structure (structure in Fig. 4 having vanes 25 and pipes 19) having a plurality of diffuser vanes (25; Fig. 4) , at least one conduit (9; Fig. 4) positioned in at least one diffuser vane of the plurality of diffuser vanes (see Fig. 4).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the structure of Liu to have the structure having a plurality of diffuser vanes and the at least one conduit positioned in at least one diffuser vane of the plurality of diffuser vanes, as taught by Romani. Such modification would enable to have vanes to distribute circumferential the air and have the conduit within the vanes to avoid disturbance of air passing around the vanes.
Regarding Claim 8: Liu discloses all the limitations of Claim 1, as stated above, but does not explicitly show the diffuser includes a plurality of pipes defining the primary flowpath, the at least one conduit positioned between respective pipes of the plurality of pipes.
However, Romani teaches a diffuser (3; Fig. 1) for a gas turbine engine (“gas turbine” Col. 1 L 1-2) having a plurality of pipes (19; Fig. 4), at least one conduit (9; Fig. 4) positioned between respective pipes of the plurality of pipes (see Fig. 4).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the diffuser of Liu to have a plurality of pipes defining the primary flowpath, the at least one conduit positioned between respective pipes of the plurality of pipes, as taught by Romani. Such modification would enable to have a plurality of pipes to distribute circumferential the air and have the conduit within the wall between consecutive pipe to avoid disturbance of air passing around the pipes.
Regarding Claim 10: Liu discloses all the limitations of Claim 1, as stated above, and further discloses wherein the diffuser passes bleed air from the primary flowpath through a structure (see annotated figure ‘627), but is silent regarding the structure having at least one diffuser vane.
However, Romani teaches a diffuser (3; Fig. 1) for a gas turbine engine (“gas turbine” Col. 1 L 1-2) having a structure (structure in Fig. 4 having vanes 25 and pipes 19 ) having a plurality of diffuser vanes (25; Fig. 4).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the structure of Liu to have the structure having a plurality of diffuser vanes, as taught by Romani. Such modification would enable to have vanes to distribute circumferential the air.
Regarding Claim 11: A diffuser (see annotated figure ‘627) for routing bleed air (see annotated figure ‘627) within a gas turbine engine (10; Fig. 1), the diffuser comprising: an inner shell (see annotated figure ‘627); an outer shell (see annotated figure ‘627); and a structure (see annotated figure ‘627) between the inner shell and the outer shell forming a primary air flow (see annotated figure ‘627), at least one conduit (see annotated figure ‘627) positioned in the structure (see annotated figure ‘627), the at least one conduit fluidly connected between a cavity (see annotated figure ‘627) positioned on a first side (“forward side”; see annotated figure ‘627) and a downstream sink (32; Fig. 1; see Col. 3 L. 13-22 wherein the bearing 32 and elements coupled thereto absorb bleed air, i.e. represent a sink) a secondary flowpath (see annotated figure ‘627) to transport bleed air (see annotated figure ‘627) at a first rate (the air passing through the diffuser has necessarily a first rate) within the diffuser, and wherein a size of the at least one conduit (cross area of the at least one conduit) is based on a pressure of the bleed air of the secondary flowpath (the pressure is the force over the cross sectional area, therefor the size and pressure are based on each other).
Liu is silent regarding the structure having a plurality of surfaces between the inner shell and the outer shell, the plurality of surfaces defining a plurality of discrete passageways, at least one conduit positioned between respective passageways of the plurality of discrete passageways.
However, Romani teaches a diffuser (3; Fig. 1) for a gas turbine engine (“gas turbine” Col. 1 L 1-2) having an inner shell (11; Fig. 2), an outer shell (4; Fig. 2), and a structure (structure in Fig. 4 forming vanes 25 and pipes 19 ) between the inner shell and the outer shell, at least one conduit (9; Fig. 4) positioned in the structure (see Fig. 4), the structure having a plurality of surfaces (22; Fig. 4) between the inner shell and the outer shell, the plurality of surfaces defining a plurality of discrete passageways (19; Fig. 4), at least one conduit positioned between respective passageways of the plurality of discrete passageways (see Fig. 4 wherein 9 is between a pair of passageways 19).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the structure of Liu to have the structure having a plurality of surfaces between the inner shell and the outer shell, the plurality of surfaces defining a plurality of discrete passageways, at least one conduit positioned between respective passageways of the plurality of discrete passageways. Such modification would enable to have vanes to distribute circumferential the air and have the conduit within the vanes to avoid disturbance of air passing around the vanes.
Regarding Claim 12: Liu in view of Romani teaches all the limitations of Claim 11, as stated above, and Liu further discloses wherein the size of the at least one conduit is based on a ratio between an area of the secondary flowpath and an area of the primary flowpath (the size of the least one conduit i.e. cross section area of the conduit, is necessarily based a ratio of the between cross section area of the conduit and the cross area of the diffuser), and wherein the secondary flowpath is defined by the at least one conduit (see annotated figure ‘627).
Regarding Claim 13: Liu in view of Romani teaches all the limitations of Claim 11, as stated above, and Liu further discloses a first Mach number at an outlet (see annotated figure ‘627) of the diffuser is less than a second Mach number at an inlet (see annotated figure ‘627) of the diffuser (due to the fact that the cross sectional area at the inlet of the diffuser is smaller than the cross sectional area at the outlet of the diffuser, the speed of air at the inlet is faster than the speed at the outlet, and thus the Mach number at the outlet is smaller than at the inlet).
Regarding Claim 14: Liu in view of Romani teaches all the limitations of Claim 11, as stated above, and Liu further discloses a first area (see annotated figure ‘627) corresponds to a cross-sectional area (see annotated figure ‘627) of the at least one conduit, and a second area (see annotated figure ‘627) corresponds to an area (see annotated figure ‘627) of the primary flowpath, and wherein the second area is greater than the first area (see annotated figure ‘627).
Regarding Claim 16: Liu in view of Romani teaches all the limitations of Claim 11, as stated above, and Liu further discloses wherein the at least one conduit located in the diffuser is a first conduit (see annotated figure ‘627), and wherein the first conduit is located in an upstream portion of the diffuser (see annotated figure ‘627).
Regarding Claim 17: Liu in view of Romani teaches all the limitations of Claim 11, as stated above, and Liu further discloses wherein the plurality of discrete passageways (see annotated figure ‘627) provide a primary flowpath (see annotated figure ‘627) supplying air to a combustor (14; Fig. 1).
Regarding Claim 18: Liu in view of Romani teaches all the limitations of Claim 11, as stated above, and Romani further teaches wherein the plurality of surfaces is a plurality of diffuser vanes (25; Fig. 4), the at least one conduit positioned in at least one of the plurality of diffuser vanes (see Fig. 4).
Regarding Claim 19: Liu in view of Romani teaches all the limitations of Claim 11, as stated above, and Romani further teaches the plurality of surfaces is a plurality of pipes (19; Fig. 4), the at least one conduit positioned between respective pipes of the plurality of pipes (see Fig. 4).
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu (US 6,035,627) in view of Romani (US 6,280,139), and further in view of Klasing (US 2011/0265490).
Regarding Claim 15: Liu and Romani teach all the limitations of Claim 11, as stated above, but is silent regarding wherein a shape of a cross-section of one or more of the at least one conduit is one of circular, elliptical, and rectangular.
However, Klasing teaches a gas turbine (10; Fig. 1) having at least one conduit (44; Fig. 1) to carry bleed air (2; Fig. 1) wherein the at least one conduit is one of circular, elliptical, and rectangular ([0023]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the shape of the least one conduit of Liu to have wherein a shape of a cross-section of one or more of the at least one conduit is one of circular, elliptical, and rectangular. Such modification would enable to have a cross-section shape that limit head loss, is common, and easily manufactural.
Contact Information
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Please see notice of references cited. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RODOLPHE ANDRE CHABREYRIE whose telephone number is (571)272-3482. The examiner can normally be reached on 8:30-18:30. 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, Steven Crabb can be reached on (571) 270-5095. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/RODOLPHE ANDRE CHABREYRIE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3761
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