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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) were filed on 08/20/2025 and 01/28/2026. The submissions are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
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) 1-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nait Atmane (US Patent No: 10,480,351).
Regarding Claim 1: Nait Atmane discloses an overlap holder (Figure 6) for a segmented liner (Figure 2, No. 44) of a turbomachine exhaust diffuser (Figure 1, No. 36), comprising a main plate (60) with a first face (bottom face of plate 60) and a second face (top face of plate 60) opposite the first face (Figure 6), and wherein the main plate has a first end and a second end opposite the first end (Figure 3); a spacer (79) with a respective first face and a respective second face opposite the first face of the spacer (Figure 6), wherein the spacer engages the first face of the main plate (Figure 6); a top plate (78) with a respective first face and a respective second face opposite the first face of the top plate (Figure 6), wherein the first face of the top plate engages the second face of the main plate (Figure 6); and a fastener (102, 106) at each of the first end and the second end of the main plate (Figure 3), each fastener extending through respective holes (104) in the spacer, the main plate, and the top plate (Figure 6), the respective fastener holding the spacer, the main plate, and the top plate in mutual engagement to secure a first segment of the segmented liner to an adjacent second segment of the segmented liner (Figures 3 & 6).
Regarding Claim 2: Nait Atmane discloses the overlap holder of Claim 1, further comprising a tab washer (108) adjacent the top plate at each fastener (Figure 6), the tab washer engaging the top plate and a respective end of the fastener adjacent the top plate (Figure 6), thereby preventing rotation of each respective fastener relative to the top plate.
Regarding Claim 3: Nait Atmane discloses the overlap holder of Claim 2, further comprising a weld securing each tab washer to the respective fastener (Column 6, Lines 52-57).
Regarding Claim 4: Nait Atmane discloses the overlap holder of Claim 3, wherein each fastener is a bolt (102; Column 6, Line 41) with a head at a first end and a nut (106; Column 6, Lines 40-41) at a second end opposite the first end of the bolt, and the weld securing each tab washer to the respective fastener is between the tab washer and the respective nut (Column 6, Lines 52-57).
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.
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.
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nait Atmane in view of De Sousa (US Patent No: 9,399,952).
Regarding Claim 5: Nait Atmane discloses the overlap holder of Claim 1; however, Nait Atmane fails to disclose a weld securing the top plate to the main plate.
De Sousa teaches a turbomachine exhaust system (Figure 3) comprising a top plate (3) welded to a main plate (5) (Column 5, Lines 23-25).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to make the top plate of Nait Atmane welded to the main plate, as taught by De Sousa. Welding is a known technique in gas turbine engine components, and welding is being used to connect similar devices (two plates in an exhaust section of a gas turbine engine) in the same way. Therefore, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to make the top plate of Nait Atmane welded to the main plate, as taught by De Sousa.
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nait Atmane in view of Auzelyte (US Publication No: 2013/0091864).
Regarding Claim 9: Nait Atmane discloses the overlap holder of Claim 1; however, Nait Atmane fails to disclose a vertical plate disposed along a length of the main plate, the spacer, and the top plate between the fasteners, wherein the vertical plate extends through the main plate, the spacer, and the top plate via respective lengthwise slots formed through the main plate, the spacer, and the top plate.
Auzelyte teaches a vertical plate (Figure 4, No. 42) disposed along a length of a main plate (39a-b), a spacer (22), and a top plate (24) between fasteners (Figure 3, No. 34a-b), wherein the vertical plate extends through the main plate, the spacer, and the top plate via respective lengthwise slots formed through the main plate, the spacer, and the top plate (Figure 4).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to make the overlap holder of Nait Atmane with a vertical plate, as taught by Auzelyte, for the purpose of ensuring against exposure of the plates and spacer to radiant heat (Paragraph [0010], Lines 2-4).
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nait Atmane and Auzelyte as applied to claim 9 above, and further in view of De Sousa.
Regarding Claim 10: Nait Atmane, as modified by Auzelyte, discloses the overlap holder of Claim 9; however, Nait Atmane fails to disclose a weld between the vertical plate and at least one of the top plate, the tab washer, or the spacer.
De Sousa teaches a turbomachine exhaust system (Figure 3) comprising a first plate (3) welded to a second plate (5) (Column 5, Lines 23-25).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to make a weld between the vertical plate and at least one of the top plate, the tab washer, or the spacer of the overlap holder of Nait Atmane, as modified by Auzelyte, as taught by De Sousa. Welding is a known technique in gas turbine engine components, and welding is being used to connect similar devices (two plates in an exhaust section of a gas turbine engine) in the same way. Therefore, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to make a weld between the vertical plate and at least one of the top plate, the tab washer, or the spacer of the overlap holder of Nait Atmane, as modified by Auzelyte, as taught by De Sousa.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-8 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including 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 fails to disclose an overlap holder as claimed in Claim 1, wherein main plate is sized to engage an upper tongue of the first segment of the segmented liner, wherein the upper tongue is configured to overlie a lower tongue of the adjacent second segment of the segmented liner, and an end of each fastener is configured to engage the lower tongue such that, when assembled, the main plate and the respective end of each fastener bias the upper tongue and the lower tongue toward each other. Nait Atmane discloses an overlap holder for a segmented liner, the holder having a main plate; however, Nait Atmane fails to disclose said main plate being sized to engage an upper tongue of a first segment of the segmented liner. Poccia (US Patent No: 6,807,803) discloses a segmented liner for a turbomachine exhaust section (Figures 2-4); however Poccia fails to disclose an overlap holder comprising a main plate or upper tongue as claimed. The prior art fails to disclose an overlap holder as claimed; therefore, Claims 6-8 contain allowable subject matter.
Claims 11-20 are allowed. The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The prior art fails to disclose a segmented liner for an exhaust diffuser of a turbomachine, the segmented liner comprising a plurality of liner segments collectively defining an inner surface of the exhaust diffuser and including a first segment having an upper tongue at a first radial distance from a rotational axis of the turbomachine and a second segment having a lower tongue at a second radial distance that is larger than the first radial distance such that the upper tongue overlies the lower tongue; and an overlap holder coupling the first segment to the second segment, the overlap holder comprising a main plate with a first face and a second face opposite the first face, wherein the main plate has a first end and a second end opposite the first end, and wherein the first face of the main plate engages the upper tongue; a spacer with a respective first face and a respective second face opposite the first face of the spacer, wherein the first face of the spacer engages the lower tongue, and the second face of the spacer engages the first face of the main plate; a top plate with a respective first face and a respective second face opposite the first face of the top plate, wherein the first face of the top plate engages the second face of the main plate; and a fastener at each of the first end and the second end of the main plate, each fastener extending through respective holes in the spacer, the main plate, and the top plate, the respective fastener holding the spacer, the main plate, and the top plate in mutual engagement, wherein the spacer and the upper tongue define a gap therebetween in at least the circumferential direction. Nait Atmane discloses a segmented liner for a turbomachine exhaust diffuser; however, Nait Atmane fails to disclose the liner comprising a first segment having an upper tongue at a first radial distance from a turbomachine rotational axis and a second segment having a lower tongue at a second radial distance that is larger than the first radial distance such that the upper tongue overlies the lower tongue. Poccia discloses a segmented liner for a turbomachine exhaust section (Figures 2-4); however Poccia fails to disclose the liner having upper and lower tongues as claimed. The prior art fails to disclose a segmented liner as claimed; therefore, Claims 11-20 are allowed.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL L SEHN whose telephone number is (571)270-3564. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30 AM-6 PM, every other Friday off.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Courtney Heinle can be reached at 571-270-3508. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MICHAEL L SEHN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3745
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