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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claim Objections
Claim 1 objected to because of the following informalities: “from the bottom end a top end” appears to be in error for “from the bottom end to a top end”. Appropriate correction is required.
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 7 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. “the cover” is indefinite because it is unclear which cover is being referred to.
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) 1-3, 6-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 5431534 (Charbonnel).
Regarding claim 1-3, 6-10, Charbonnel teaches a plug assembly for plugging one or more ports of a gas turbine engine (Fig 2, col 3 l. 26-col 4 l. 15), the plug assembly comprising: a sheath (111) comprising: an inner end (the radially inner end); an outer end located opposite the inner end (the radially outer end); and a sheath through-passage extending from the outer end to the inner end (through-passage 109); a connector body passing through the sheath through-passage (connector body 137, 30, 29), the connector body comprising a rotatable joint (18, 21 and/or 17); a cover operably connected to the connector body via the rotatable joint (cover 14, 13); a biasing mechanism configured to apply a force to the connector body (biasing member 32); and a top housing comprising a bottom end and a connector passageway extending from the bottom end a top end of the top housing (top housing 24 with bottom end inside the passage 109 and top end with a surface 33; connector passageway 27 extends from the bottom end to the top end at 33), wherein the biasing mechanism abuts the bottom end or is located in a cavity at the bottom end (Fig 2), and wherein the connector body passes through the connector passageway (connector body passes through the connector passageway – Fig 2), wherein the connector body further comprises: a lower end (annotated below), the rotatable joint being located at the lower end (as annotated); an upper end located opposite the lower end (annotated below); a connector body flange located between the lower end and the upper end (flange 30), the connector body flange dividing the connector body into: a lower portion located at or proximate the lower end; and an upper portion located at or proximate the upper end (annotated below), wherein the biasing mechanism is located on the upper portion of the connector body (as annotated below), the cover further comprises a first cover (18, 19) and a second cover (13, 14), the second cover overlaps the first cover by a selected portion after the cover is rotated to be about parallel with a radially inward surface of an inner casing of the gas turbine engine (inner casing 1 or 2; the claim does not define the axis of rotation, or what dimension or surface of the cover is parallel to the radially inward surface; for example, the joints 17, 21 allow rotation of the cover and the inner surface of 18 is about parallel to the radially inward surface of casing 2; the inner surface of 13 is about parallel to the radially inward surface of casing 1; the second cover axially overlaps the first cover as shown in Fig 2), the cover further comprises a first cover (18, 19) and a second cover (13, 14), the connector body further comprises a first connector body (137) and a second connector body (29), and the rotatable joint further comprises a first rotatable joint (22) and a second rotatable joint (17), the plug assembly is secured to an outer casing of the gas turbine engine (103), the biasing mechanism is a spring (col 3 l 10-15).
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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(s) 4-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 5431534 (Charbonnel) in view of US 2018/0363561 (Gonyou).
Regarding claims 4-5, Charbonnel teaches an inner casing comprising an inner port (Fig 2; inner casing 1 or 2 with inner ports for 18 or 13) but fails to teach a slider seal housing secured onto a radially outward surface of an inner casing of the gas turbine engine; a slider seal inserted into the slider seal housing, the slider seal housing including a slider seal seat configured to fit the slider seal therein; and a slider seal cover secured to the slider seal housing, the slider seal cover being configured to secure the slider seal in the slider seal housing, wherein the slider seal housing further comprises a slider seal housing through- passage aligned with the inner port, wherein the slider seal further comprises a seal through-passage aligned with the inner port, and wherein the slider seal cover further comprises a cover through-passage aligned with the inner port. However, Gonyou teaches a slider seal housing secured onto a radially outward surface of an inner casing of the gas turbine engine (Fig 4; slider seal housing 402, 408, 410 secured to radially outward surface of casing 304); a slider seal inserted into the slider seal housing (slider seal 414, 418), the slider seal housing including a slider seal seat configured to fit the slider seal therein (seat is surface of 402 upon which the slider seal sits); and a slider seal cover secured to the slider seal housing (cover 420, para 41-45), the slider seal cover being configured to secure the slider seal in the slider seal housing (Fig 4), wherein the slider seal housing further comprises a slider seal housing through- passage aligned with the inner port (Fig 4; slider seal housing through-passage through which 318 is passed is aligned with an inner port in casing 304), wherein the slider seal further comprises a seal through-passage aligned with the inner port (seal through-passage through which 318 passes is aligned with the inner port in the casing 304), and wherein the slider seal cover further comprises a cover through-passage aligned with the inner port (cover through-passage through which 414 and 318 passes is aligned with the inner port; all the through-passages and inner port are aligned in order to pass 318 through the center). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to provide a slider seal housing secured onto a radially outward surface of an inner casing of the gas turbine engine; a slider seal inserted into the slider seal housing, the slider seal housing including a slider seal seat configured to fit the slider seal therein; and a slider seal cover secured to the slider seal housing, the slider seal cover being configured to secure the slider seal in the slider seal housing, wherein the slider seal housing further comprises a slider seal housing through- passage aligned with the inner port, wherein the slider seal further comprises a seal through-passage aligned with the inner port, and wherein the slider seal cover further comprises a cover through-passage aligned with the inner port in order to seal around the plug assembly while also allowing the assembly to move, as taught by Gonyou. It is noted that when applied to Charbonnel, the slider seal assembly would be added around the cover 18 and/or 13 as a substitute for the sealing mechanisms 14 and/or 19.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 2017/0107859 and US 2009/0202340 teaches a plug assembly.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDREW NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-5063. The examiner can normally be reached 8 am - 4 pm, Monday-Friday.
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/ANDREW H NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3741