Office Action 2: Notice of Allowance (2025-08-22)

CLAIMS:
Amendments to the Claims This listing of claims will replace all prior versions, and listings, of claims in the application:SVG {EMBED HERE} 0.1836.543

1\. (Currently amended) A gas turbine engine, comprising:an engine core configured to generate a redline exhaust gas temperature (EGT) in a range of 988 Celsius (°C) to 1120 °C and having a redline core speed (CS) in a range of 306 Hertz to 353 Hertz, the engine core extending along an engine centerline and including:a compressor section;
a combustor; and
a turbine section, the turbine section including a blade assembly rotatable about the engine centerline, the blade assembly comprising:
a platform having an upper surface and a lower surface;
an airfoil extending from the upper surface of the platform, the airfoil having an exterior surface, the exterior surface defining a pressure side and a suction side, the airfoil including a leading-edge and a trailing-edge;
a shank extending from the lower surface, the shank having a base defining a base plane;
a middle inlet passage located within the shank, the middle inlet passage having:
a first cooling conduit portion at a first plane radially spaced 0.0167 meters from the base plane, the first cooling conduit portion having a first cross-sectional area, the first cooling portion defining a first bounding circle, the first cooling portion having:
a first point at a first 12:30 o'clock position on the first bounding circle; and
a second point at a first 1:30 o'clock position on the first bounding circle, the first point and the second point defining a first line;
a second cooling conduit portion at a second plane radially spaced 0.0197 meters from the base plane, the second cooling conduit portion having a second cross-sectional area;SVG {EMBED HERE} 0.1836.543

a third cooling conduit portion at a third plane radially spaced 0.0215 meters from the base plane, the third cooling conduit portion having a third cross-sectional area;
a fourth cooling conduit portion at a fourth plane radially spaced 0.0234 meters from the base plane, the fourth cooling conduit portion having a fourth cross-sectional area;
a fifth cooling conduit portion at a fifth plane radially spaced 0.0245 meters from the base plane, the fifth cooling conduit portion having a fifth cross-sectional area, the fifth cooling portion defining a second bounding circle, the fifthcooling portion having:a third point at a second 12:30 o'clock position on the second bounding circle; and
a fourth point at a third 1:30 o'clock position on the second bounding circle, the third point and the fourth point defining a second line;wherein the middle inlet passage defines a maximum normalized cooling conduit portion area (A\-,.y) between 1.30 and 2.10, At, defined by:Amax = max SVG {EMBED HERE} 0.360.397 2 wherein the first line and the second line define a degree of change of the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth cooling conduit portions along the suction side (DCCPASS) ranging between 21.0 and 33.0 degrees SVG {EMBED HERE} 0.1530.203 and a plurality of cooling conduits located within the airfoil, the plurality of cooling conduits including a quantity (N1) of cooling conduits fed by the middle inlet passage, wherein the quantity is 2, and wherein:25.353< 0.75 \* (SVG {EMBED HERE} 0.243.71149.922 \\SVG {EMBED HERE} 0.1776.543

2\. (Original) The gas turbine engine of claim 1, further including a plurality of inlet passages located within the shank, the plurality of inlet passages including the middle inlet passage.
3\. (Original) The gas turbine engine of claim 2, wherein each of the inlet passages extends between the base and one or more of the plurality of cooling conduits.
4\. (Original) The gas turbine engine of claim 2, wherein the plurality of inlet passages further includes a leading-edge inlet passage and a trailing-edge inlet passage.
5\. (Original) The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the shank is configured as a dovetail.
6\. (Original) The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the blade assembly is a stage one blade assembly of a high pressure turbine of the turbine section.
7\. (Original) The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the quantity (N1) of cooling conduits fed by the middle inlet passage includes:
a forward serpentine cooling conduit in the airfoil; and
an aft serpentine cooling conduit in the airfoil.
8\. (Original) The gas turbine engine of claim 7, wherein the middle inlet passage is fluidly coupled to the forward serpentine cooling conduit and the aft serpentine cooling conduit at a splitter, the splitter including:
a first cooling conduit portion at a sixth plane radially spaced 0.449 meters from the base plane, the first cooling conduit portion associated with the forward serpentine cooling conduit, the first cooling conduit portion having a first major axis; and
a second cooling conduit portion at the sixth plane, the second cooling conduit portion associated with the aft serpentine cooling conduit, the second cooling conduit portion having a second major axis, wherein:SVG {EMBED HERE} 0.1836.543

the first major axis and the second major axis define an L-shape.
9\. (Currently amended) The gas turbine engine of claim 7, wherein the quantity is a first quantity, the forward serpentine cooling conduit defines a second quantity of cooling conduit portions spanning from the pressure surface to suction surface, the cooling conduit portions taken at a sixth plane radially spaced 0.449 meters from the base plane, and the second quantity is three.

10\. (Currently amended) A blade assembly for a gas turbine engine having an engine core configured to generate a redline exhaust gas temperature (EGT) in a range of 988 Celsius (°C) to 1120 °C and having a redline core speed (CS) in a range of 306 Hertz to 353 Hertz, the blade assembly to be connected to the engine core and rotatable about an engine centerline of the engine core, the blade assembly comprising:a platform having an upper surface and a lower surface;
an airfoil extending from the upper surface of the platform, the airfoil defining an exterior surface, the exterior surface defining a pressure side and a suction side, the airfoil including a leading-edge and a trailing-edge;
a shank extending from the lower surface, the shank having a base defining a base plane;
a middle inlet passage located within the shank, the middle inlet passage having:
a first cooling conduit portion at a first plane radially spaced 0.0167 meters from the base plane, ,the first cooling conduit portion having a first cross-sectional area, the first cooling portion defining a first bounding circle, the first cooling portion having:a first point at a first 12:30 o'clock position on the first bounding circle;
and a second point at a first 1:30 o'clock position on the first bounding circle, the first point and the second point defining a first line;
a second cooling conduit portion at a second plane radially spaced 0.0197 meters from the base plane, the second cooling conduit portion having a second cross-sectional area;SVG {EMBED HERE} 0.1836.543SVG {EMBED HERE} 0.0930.323SVG {EMBED HERE} 0.241.867

a third cooling conduit portion at a third plane radially spaced 0.0215 meters from the base plane, the third cooling conduit portion having a third cross-sectional area;
a fourth cooling conduit portion at a fourth plane radially spaced 0.0234 meters from the base plane, the fourth cooling conduit portion having a fourth cross-sectional area;
a fifth cooling conduit portion at a fifth plane radially spaced 0.0245 meters from the base plane, the fifth cooling conduit portion having a fifth cross-sectional area, the fifth cooling portion defining a second bounding circle, the fifthcooling portion having:a third point at a second 12:30 o'clock position on the second bounding circle; and
a fourth point at a third 1:30 o'clock position on the second bounding circle, the third point and the fourth point defining a second line;wherein the middle inlet passage defines a maximum normalized cooling conduit portion area (A,)between 1.30 and 2.10, Amax defined by:Amax max SVG {EMBED HERE} 0.360.40 2 \[\[ein\]\] wherein the first line and the second line define a degree of change of the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth cooling conduit portions along the suction side (DCCPASS) ranging between 21.0 and 33.0 degrees (0); and
a plurality of cooling conduits located within the airfoil, the plurality of cooling conduits including a quantity (N1) of cooling conduits fed by the middle inlet passage, wherein the quantity is 2, and wherein:
25.353< 0.75 \* (DCCPASS (°) 2\*(Redline CS (Hz)922\\2/\\ 1000Hz }

11\. (Original) The blade assembly of claim 10, further including a plurality of inlet passages located within the shank, the plurality of inlet passages including the middle inlet passage.

12\. (Original) The gas turbine engine of claim 11, wherein each of the inlet passages extends between the base and one or more of the plurality of cooling conduits.SVG {EMBED HERE} 0.1776.543

13\. (Original) The gas turbine engine of claim 11, wherein the plurality of inlet passages further includes a leading-edge inlet passage and a trailing-edge inlet passage.

14\. (Original) The blade assembly of claim 10, wherein the shank is configured as a dovetail.

15\. (Original) The blade assembly of claim 10, wherein the blade assembly is a stage one blade assembly of a high pressure turbine of the gas turbine engine.

16\. (Original) The blade assembly of claim 10, wherein the quantity (N1) of cooling conduits fed by the middle inlet passage includes:a forward serpentine cooling conduit in the airfoil; and
an aft serpentine cooling conduit in the airfoil.

17\. (Original) The blade assembly of claim 16, wherein the middle inlet passage is fluidly coupled to the forward serpentine cooling conduit and the aft serpentine cooling conduit at a splitter, the splitter including:a first cooling conduit portion at a sixth plane radially spaced 0.449 meters from the base plane, the first cooling conduit portion associated with the forward serpentine cooling conduit, the first cooling conduit portion having a first major axis; and
a second cooling conduit portion at the sixth plane, the second cooling conduit portion associated with the aft serpentine cooling conduit, the second cooling conduit portion having a second major axis, wherein:
the first major axis and the second major axis define an L-shape.

18\. (Currently amended) The blade assembly of claim 16, wherein the quantity is a first quantity, the forward serpentine cooling conduit defines a second quantity of cooling conduit portions spanning from the pressure surface to suction surface, the cooling conduit portions taken at a sixth plane radially spaced 0.449 meters from the base plane, and the second quantity is three.

OFFICE ACTION:
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 .
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-18 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The Examiner notes the counterpart opinion from the office. The specification at Table 2, pp. 17-18, appears to show the DCCPASS angles and the maximum normalized cooling conduit portion area. Additionally, the counterpart opinion appears to indicate the claimed Amax and DCCPASS angle at the claimed portions is a mere design choice in view of the prior art. However, the prior art does not appear to discuss a basis for the design choice nor the area and the DCCPASS angles being a result effective variable to warrant a rejection. Therefore, the claims remain allowable as indicated previously. The Applicant having corrected all remaining issues, the case should proceed to allowance.
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

APPLICANT REBUTTAL: REMARKS
The office action of June 02, 2025, has been considered. By way of this response, claims 1, 9, 10, and 18 have been amended. No new matter has been added. This application is in condition for allowance, and favorable reconsideration is respectfully requested.
Claim Ob
j
ections
The Office action dated June 02, 2025, objected to claims 1, 9, 10, and 18 as allegedly including informalities. (Office Action dated June 02, 2025, pg. 3). This objection is traversed. However, in the interest of advancing prosecution, claims 1, 9, 10, and 18 have been amended to correct a typographic error. Withdrawal of the objection to claims 1, 9, 10, and 18 is respectfully requested.
CONCLUSION