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 .
Notice to Applicant
Claims 1-17 have been examined in this application. This communication is the first action on the merits of these claims.
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 1-4, 6-14, 16-17 are rejected under 35 USC 102(1)(2) as being anticipated by WO 2025/120280 by Escure.
Regarding claim 1, Escure discloses an assembly for an aircraft (assembly 1) comprising:
a turbomachine (turbomachine 10),
a pylon having a forward end (pylon 40) and a mounting system for mounting the turbomachine to the pylon, the turbomachine extending along a longitudinal axis oriented along an X-axis oriented in a direction of a flow generated by the turbomachine, of an orthonormal frame of reference comprising a Z-axis oriented towards the pylon (see Figure 1b),
the turbomachine comprising, along the longitudinal axis, a forward casing (fan casing 29), an intermediate casing (inlet casing 25) and a rear casing (exhaust casing 22),
the mounting system comprising forward mounting means including first suspension means for suspending the turbomachine from the pylon fixed at a level of the forward casing of the turbomachine (connecting rods 30a and 30b) and rear mounting means for mounting the turbomachine to the pylon fixed at the level of the intermediate casing of the turbomachine (thrust absorbing rods 45),
wherein the forward mounting means comprise second suspension means for suspending the turbomachine from the pylon fixed at the level of the intermediate casing (connecting rods 56a, 56b), the first and second suspension means being fixed to the pylon in the same plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (at intermediate structure 50), and
wherein the first suspension means comprise a first forward link rod and a second forward link rod (30a and 30b).
Regarding claims 2 (dependent on claim 1), 11 (dependent on claim 10), Escure discloses the plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis is a plane passing through the intermediate casing (see plane p2 in Figure 3).
Regarding claims 3 (dependent on claim 1), 12 (dependent on claim 10), Escure discloses the first and second suspension means are fixed to the pylon at the forward end of the pylon. Figures 1 and 3 s how links 30 and intermediate structure 52 being fixed to the forward end of pylon 40.
Regarding claims 4 (dependent on claim 1), 14 (dependent on claim 13), Escure discloses the first and second forward link rods each comprise a first end (end 31) and a second end (end 32), each of the first ends and second ends comprising a spherical joint (the machine translation discloses “preferably, the first 31 and second 32 ends of the connecting rod 30 comprise ball joints”).
Regarding claim 6 (dependent on claim 1), Escure discloses the second suspension means comprise a first rear link rod and a second rear link rod (connecting rods 56a and 56b) extending in a YZ plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (see Figure 3).
Regarding claims 7 (dependent on claim 1), 16 (dependent on claim 10), Escure discloses the rear mounting means comprise two load-take-up link rods arranged in a “V” configuration, a vertex of the “V” being oriented rearward and fixed to the pylon (see thrust absorbing rods 45 in Figures 1-3).
Regarding claims 8 (dependent on claim 1), 17 (dependent on claim 10), Escure discloses the mounting system comprises a flexible connection positioned between the rear casing(intermediate structure 49, Escure discloses structure 49 performing the same function as intermediate structure 50, and the hinged connections of structure 50 shown in Figure 4 would comprise a flexible connection that allows for movement between the linkages), formed by at least one of a turbine casing or an exhaust casing (exhaust casing 22), and the pylon and extending in a YZ plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (see Figure 3).
Regarding claim 9 (dependent on claim 1), Escure discloses an aircraft comprising an assembly according to claim 1 (Escure discusses the aircraft throughout).
Regarding claim 10, Escure discloses an assembly for an aircraft (assembly 1) comprising:
a turbomachine (turbomachine 10),
a pylon having a forward end (pylon 40) and a mounting system for mounting the turbomachine to the pylon, the turbomachine extending along a longitudinal axis oriented along an X-axis oriented in a direction of a flow generated by the turbomachine, of an orthonormal frame of reference comprising a Z-axis oriented towards the pylon (see Figure 1b),
the turbomachine comprising, along the longitudinal axis, a forward casing (fan casing 29), an intermediate casing (inlet casing 25) and a rear casing (exhaust casing 22),
the mounting system comprising forward mounting means including first suspension means for suspending the turbomachine from the pylon fixed at a level of the forward casing of the turbomachine (connecting rods 30a and 30b) and rear mounting means for mounting the turbomachine to the pylon fixed at the level of the intermediate casing of the turbomachine (thrust absorbing rods 45),
wherein the forward mounting means comprise second suspension means for suspending the turbomachine from the pylon fixed at the level of the intermediate casing (connecting rods 56a, 56b), the first and second suspension means being fixed to the pylon in the same plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (at intermediate structure 50), and
the second suspension means comprise a first rear link rod and a second rear link rod (connecting rods 56a and 56b) extending in a YZ plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (see Figure 3).
Regarding claim 13 (dependent on claim 10), Escure discloses the first suspension means comprise a first forward link rod and a second forward link rod (connecting rods 30a and 30b).
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 5, 15 are rejected under 35 USC 103 as being obvious over WO 2025/120280 by Escure.
Regarding claims 5 (dependent on claim 1), 15 (dependent on claim 13), Escure does not disclose the first and second forward link rods are arranged in a “V” configuration, a vertex of the “V” being oriented forward. However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to move the connecting points for connecting rods 30a and 30b to different points on the casing as desired, including close to each other so that they form a V with the vertex oriented forward, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL H WANG whose telephone number is (571)272-6554. The examiner can normally be reached 10-6:30.
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MICHAEL H. WANG
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3642
/MICHAEL H WANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3642
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