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 .
This is the first office action in response to Claims filed on 08/25/2025.
Claims 1-20 are pending.
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 9-10; and 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Terwilliger (US 2023/0258130).
Regarding Claim 9: Terwilliger discloses a gas turbine engine (20; Fig. 1) comprising: a core air passage (see annotated figure ‘130) for air flow (see annotated figure ‘130) to therethrough in an airflow direction (see annotated figure ‘130); a combustor (502; Fig. 5) located in the core air passage and fluidly coupled to a hydrogen fuel source (508; Fig. 5) to receive hydrogen fuel ([0059]) and to combust the hydrogen fuel producing combustion gases including water vapor ( water extracted to 524); a steam line (see annotated figure ‘130) fluidly coupled to the core air passage at a position downstream of the combustor relative to the airflow direction to receive a portion (see annotated figure ‘130) of the combustion gases; a water vapor condenser (see annotated figure ‘130) fluidly connected to the steam line to receive the combustion gases, the water vapor condenser including a heat sink (522 or 508; Fig. 5) to extract heat from the combustion gases and to condense the water vapor of the combustion gases (see 524; Fig. 5); and at least one nozzle (see annotated figure ‘130) fluidly coupled to the water vapor condenser to receive condensed water (see arrow from 524 to9 502; Fig. 5), the at least one nozzle being positioned to inject the condensed water into the core air passage (see Fig. 5 wherein water in injected into 502).
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Regarding Claim 10: Terwilliger discloses all the limitations of Claim 9, as stated above, and further discloses wherein the at least one nozzle is positioned to inject the condensed water into the combustor (see Fig. 5).
Regarding Claim 16: Terwilliger discloses all the limitations of Claim 9, as stated above, and further discloses a fuel system (system from 508 to 502; Fig. 5) comprising: a fuel tank (508; Fig. 5), the fuel tank being the hydrogen fuel source containing the hydrogen fuel in a liquid state ([0059]); a fuel delivery assembly (assembly connecting 508 to 502; Fig. 5) fluidly connecting the fuel tank with the combustor to provide the hydrogen fuel to the combustor; and a vaporizer (see annotated ‘130 ;Fig. 5) in fluid communication with the fuel delivery assembly, the vaporizer being thermally connected to a heat source (522, exhaust gases; Fig. 5) to heat the hydrogen fuel flowing through the vaporizer, wherein the water vapor condenser is in fluid communication with the fuel delivery assembly (see 520; Fig. 5), and the hydrogen fuel being the heat sink (see 520; Fig. 5).
Regarding Claim 17: Terwilliger discloses all the limitations of Claim 16, as stated above, and further discloses wherein the water vapor condenser is positioned upstream of the vaporizer (see annotated figure ‘130).
Regarding Claim 18: Terwilliger discloses all the limitations of Claim 9, as stated above, and further discloses a turbine (504; Fig. 5) located in the core air passage downstream of the combustor, the steam line fluidly coupled to the core air passage at a position (see annotated figure ‘130) downstream of the turbine.
Regarding Claim 19: Terwilliger discloses all the limitations of Claim 18, as stated above, and further discloses a core air heat exchanger (504; Fig. 5) located in the core air passage downstream of the turbine, the steam line fluidly coupled to the core air passage at a position (see annotated figure ‘130) downstream of the core air heat exchanger.
Regarding Claim 20: Terwilliger discloses all the limitations of Claim 19, as stated above, and further discloses a fuel system (system from 508 to 502; Fig. 5) including: a fuel tank (508; Fig. 5), the fuel tank being the hydrogen fuel source containing the hydrogen fuel in a liquid state ([0059]); a fuel delivery assembly (assembly connected 508 to 502; Fig. 5) fluidly connecting the fuel tank with the combustor to provide the hydrogen fuel to the combustor; and a vaporizer (see annotated figure ‘130) in fluid communication with the fuel delivery assembly, the vaporizer being thermally connected to the core air heat exchanger (see how 524 and 520 are thermally connected via the exhaust gases; Fig. 5) to heat the hydrogen fuel flowing through the vaporizer (the hydrogen is heated by the exhaust gases; see annotated figure ‘130).
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.
Claims 1-2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Terwilliger (US 2023/0258130) in view of Carousso (US 1,703,612).
Regarding Claim 1: Terwilliger discloses a gas turbine engine (20; Fig. 1) comprising: a core air passage (see annotated figure ‘130) for air (see annotated figure ‘130) to flow therethrough in an airflow direction (see annotated figure ‘130), the air including oxygen (air includes oxygen); a combustor (502; Fig. 5) located in the core air passage and fluidly coupled to a hydrogen fuel source (508; Fig. 5) to receive hydrogen fuel ([0059]) and to combust the hydrogen fuel producing combustion gases (see annotated figure ‘130) including water vapor (water extracted to 524); a steam line (see annotated figure ‘130) fluidly coupled to the core air passage at a position (see annotated figure ‘130) downstream of the combustor relative to the airflow direction to receive a portion of the combustion gases (see annotated figure ‘130); an external surface (external surfaces of wings, lips, nacelle of the aircraft, “Abstract”) of an aircraft (“aircraft”, Abstract), the external surface having air flow over the external surface as the aircraft operates (airflow over wings, lips, nacelle ); and a conduit fluidly coupled to the steam line (see annotated figure ‘130) to receive the combustion gases and to have the combustion gases flow therethrough.
Terwilliger is silent regarding the conduit being thermally coupled to the external surface to heat the external surface as the combustion gases flow through the conduit.
However, Carousso teaches an aircraft (aircraft Fig. 1) having a steam line (line 15; Fig. 1 carries exhaust gases with water vapor) fluidly coupled to a core air passage (air passage of engine 11; Fig. 1) at a position (see position of line 15 coming out from 11; Fig. 1) downstream of a combustor chamber (combustion chamber of 11; Fig. 1) to receive a portion of the combustion gases (exhaust gas in 15); and a conduit (conduit passing through 12 and 13; Fig. 1) fluidly coupled to the steam line (see Fig. 1) to receive the combustion gases and to have the combustion gases flow therethrough (see Fig. 1), conduit being thermally coupled to an external surface (surface of wings 12 and 13; Fig. 1) to heat the external surface as the combustion gases flow through the conduit (see Fig. 1).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Terwilliger, to have the conduit being thermally coupled to the external surface to heat the external surface as the combustion gases flow through the conduit, as taught by Carousso. Such a modification would enable to provide an anti-icing system to the aircraft, as recognized by Carousso (see Col. 1 L. 15-28).
Regarding Claim 2: Terwilliger in view of Carousso teaches all the limitations of Claim 1, as stated above, and Carousso further teaches an airfoil (12, 13; Fig. 1) having a leading edge (Col. 1 L. 15-28), the external surface being the leading edge of the airfoil.
Claims 11; and 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Terwilliger (US 2023/0258130) in view of Payling (US 6,467,252).
Regarding Claim 11: Terwilliger discloses all the limitations of Claim 9, as stated above, and further discloses a compressor (44, 52; Fig. 1) located in the core air passage upstream of the combustor (see Fig. 1), but is silent regarding the at least one nozzle being positioned to inject the condensed water upstream of the compressor.
Payling teaches a gas turbine engine (gas turbine of Fig. 3) having a compressor (12, 14; Fig. 3) located in a core air passage (passage from 12,14, 16, 18, 20, 22; Fig. 3) upstream of a combustor (16; Fig. 3), having at least one nozzle (nozzle of 24; Fig. 3) being positioned to inject water (water in 24; Fig. 3) upstream of the compressor (see Fig. 3).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Terwilliger, to have the at least one nozzle being positioned to inject the condensed water upstream of the compressor, as taught by Payling. Such a modification would enable to provide substantially uniform radial and circumferential temperature reductions at the outlet of the high-pressure compressor, as recognized by Payling (see Abstract).
Regarding claim 14: Terwilliger discloses all the limitations of Claim 9, as stated above, and further discloses the core air passage includes an inlet (see annotated figure ‘130) but is silent regarding the at least one nozzle being positioned to inject the condensed water into the inlet.
Payling teaches a gas turbine engine (gas turbine of Fig. 3) having a compressor (12, 14; Fig. 3) located in a core air passage (passage from 12,14, 16, 18, 20, 22; Fig. 3) upstream of a combustor (16; Fig. 3), the core air passage includes an inlet (inlet of 12; Fig. 3), having at least one nozzle (nozzle of 24; Fig. 3) being positioned to inject water (water in 24; Fig. 3) into the inlet (see Fig. 3).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Terwilliger, to have the at least one nozzle being positioned to inject the condensed water into the inlet, as taught by Payling. Such a modification would enable to provide substantially uniform radial and circumferential temperature reductions at the outlet of the high-pressure compressor, as recognized by Payling (see Abstract).
Regarding Claim 15: Terwilliger in view Payling teaches all the limitations of Claim 14, and Payling further teaches a plurality of the at least one nozzle (see Fig. 10), wherein the inlet is annular having a circumferential direction (see Fig. 10), the plurality of the at least one nozzle being arrayed in the circumferential direction of the inlet (see Fig. 10).
Claims 9 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Terwilliger814 (US 2023/0323814) and further in view of Wikipedia (https://web.archive.org/web/20210419014741/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supercritical_carbon_dioxide)
Regarding Claim 9 and 12: Terwilliger814 discloses a gas turbine engine (400; Fig.4) comprising: a core air passage (see annotated figure ‘814) for air flow (see annotated figure ‘814) to therethrough in an airflow direction (see annotated figure ‘814); a combustor (406; Fig. 4) located in the core air passage and fluidly coupled to a hydrogen fuel source (410; Fig. 4) to receive hydrogen fuel and to combust the hydrogen fuel producing combustion gases (see annotated figure ‘814) including water vapor (water extracted and stored in 422; Fig.4); a steam line (line from 420 to 406; Fig. 4) fluidly coupled to the core air passage at a position (see annotated figure ‘814) downstream of the combustor relative to the airflow direction to receive a portion of the combustion gases (see annotated figure ‘814);a water vapor condenser (430; Fig.4) fluidly connected to the steam line to receive the combustion gases (see Fig. 4), the water vapor condenser including a heat sink (436; Fig. 4) to extract heat from the combustion gases and to condense the water vapor of the combustion gases (see Fig. 4); and at least one nozzle (see annotated figure ‘814) fluidly coupled to the water vapor condenser to receive condensed water, the at least one nozzle being positioned to inject the condensed water into the core air passage (see annotated figure ‘814), wherein the heat source is a refrigerant ([0061]), but is silent the refrigerant being a supercritical carbon dioxide.
However, Wikipedia teaches that supercritical carbon dioxide can be used as a refrigerant.
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Terwilliger814, to have the refrigerant being supercritical carbon dioxide, as taught by Wikipedia. Such a modification would enable to provide low carbon solution, as recognized by Wikipedia (see Section “other”).
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Claims 3-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Terwilliger (US 2023/0258130) in view of Carousso (US 1,703,612), and further in view of Digeos (US 2022/0212809)
Regarding Claim 3: Terwilliger in view of Carousso teaches all the limitations of claim 1, as stated above, and is silent regarding a nacelle defining an inlet, the nacelle including a lip having an outer surface, the outer surface of the lip being the external surface.
However, Digeos teaches a nacelle (“nacelle” [0050]) defining an inlet (102; Fig. 1), the nacelle including a lip (102a; Fig. 1) having an outer surface (122; Fig. 2), the outer surface of the lip being the external surface to be heated for anti-icing ([0012]).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Terwilliger in view of Carousso, to have regarding a nacelle defining an inlet, the nacelle including a lip having an outer surface, the outer surface of the lip being the external surface, as taught by Digeos. Such a modification would enable to reduce ice accumulation on the nacelle, as recognized by Digeos ([0012]).
Regarding Claim 4: Terwilliger in view of Carousso and Digeos teaches all the limitations of Claim 3, as stated above, and Digeos further teaches the lip includes a cavity (120; Fig. 2), the cavity being the conduit (see Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 5: Terwilliger in view of Carousso and Digeos teaches all the limitations of Claim 3, as stated above, and Carousso further teaches the conduit is a coil (see Fig. 2) thermally coupled to the outer surface.
Claims 6-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Terwilliger (US 2023/0258130) in view of Carousso (US 1,703,612), and further in view of Prather (US 2016/0097323)
Regarding Claim 6: Terwilliger in view of Carousso teaches all the limitations of Claim 1, as stated above, but is silent regarding a splitter separating an inlet from a bypass airflow passage, the splitter including a lip having an outer surface, the outer surface of the lip being the external surface.
However, Prather teaches a splitter (38; Fig. 1) separating an inlet (inlet through 24; Fig. 1) from a bypass airflow passage (106; Fig. 1), the splitter including a lip (44; Fig. 2) having an outer surface (42; Fig. 2), the outer surface of the lip being the external surface (see Fig. 2).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Terwilliger in view of Carousso, to have a splitter separating an inlet from a bypass airflow passage, the splitter including a lip having an outer surface, the outer surface of the lip being the external surface, as taught by Prather. Such a modification would enable to reduce ice accumulation on the splitter, as recognized by Prather ([0017]).
Regarding Claim 7: Terwilliger in view of Carousso and Prather teaches all the limitations of Claim 6, as stated above, and Prather further teaches the lip includes a cavity (56; Fig. 2), the cavity being the conduit (Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 8: Terwilliger in view of Carousso and Prather teaches all the limitations of Claim 6, as stated above, and Carousso further teaches the conduit is a coil (see Fig. 2) thermally coupled to the outer surface.
Allowable subject matter
Regarding Claim 13: Claim 13 would be allowable if rewritten in independent form.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Prior art fails to teach “an ice protection system, the at least one nozzle being a part of the ice protection system; and a controller configured to activate the ice protection system to discharge the condensed water from the at least one nozzle.” (for Claim 13).
Conclusion
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.
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/RODOLPHE ANDRE CHABREYRIE/Examiner, Art Unit 3741