Office Action 1: Non-Final Rejection (2024-09-23)
Rejection types: 102 - Lack of Novelty, 103 - Obviousness

CLAIMS:
What is claimed is:

1\. A pneumatic actuator, comprising:
a housing;
an actuator shaft disposed within the housing and configured to actuate between a first
position and a second position; and
a single bushing located within the housing between the housing and the actuator shaft, wherein the single bushing is configured to support the actuator shaft without the actuator shaft being supported at a second location while allowing actuator motion under set operating conditions.

2\. The actuator of claim 1, wherein the actuator shaft includes a pneumatic cup at a first end, and a drive connection assembly at a second end.

3\. The actuator of claim 2, wherein the bushing includes a length to diameter ratio of greater than 1.

4\. The actuator of claim 3, wherein the length to diameter ratio is between 2 and 3.

5\. The actuator of claim 4, wherein an inner diameter of the bushing is the same or about the same as an outer diameter of the actuator shaft.

6\. The actuator of claim 5, wherein the bushing has a length of about a third of the shaft length.
7\. The actuator of claim 6, further comprising a slotted crank assembly having a slot and connected to the connection assembly at the slot.
8\. The actuator of claim 7, wherein a length of an inner diameter of the bushing that contacts the actuator shaft defined by x2 - x1, solved for using the actuator force equation: SVG {EMBED HERE} 0.65 5.32
where FACT is actuator force, wherein FCR is crank force, p1 is a first friction coefficient of the bushing, 2 is a second friction coefficient of the bushing, D1 is a first inner diameter of the bushing, D2 is a second inner diameter of the bushing, a is the crank angle, x1 is a distance from
a crank point to a first contact point, and x2 is a distance from a crank point to a second contact point.
9\. The actuator of claim 8, wherein the actuator force FACT is constrained to be within an operating force range of the actuator shaft, 1= 2, and Di = D2 which equal an outer diameter of the actuator shaft, such that x2 - xi is determinable to result in actuator shaft motion in operation.

10\. An aircraft pneumatic system, comprising:
a pneumatic actuator, comprising:
a housing;
an actuator shaft disposed within the housing and configured to actuate between a first position and a second position; and a single bushing located within the housing between the housing and the actuator shaft, wherein the single bushing is configured to support the actuator shaft without the actuator shaft being supported at a second location while allowing actuator motion under set operating conditions.

11\. The actuator of claim 10, wherein the actuator shaft includes a pneumatic cup at a first end, and a drive connection assembly at a second end.

12\. The actuator of claim 11, wherein the bushing includes a length to diameter ratio of greater than 1.

13\. The actuator of claim 12, wherein the length to diameter ratio is between 2 and 3.

14\. The actuator of claim 13, wherein an inner diameter of the bushing is the same or about the same as an outer diameter of the actuator shaft.

15\. The actuator of claim 14, wherein the bushing has a length of about a third of the shaft length.

16\. The actuator of claim 15, further comprising a slotted crank assembly having a slot and connected to the connection assembly at the slot.
17\. The actuator of claim 16, wherein a length of an inner diameter of the bushing that contacts the actuator shaft defined by x2 - x1, solved for using the actuator force equation: SVG {EMBED HERE} 0.65 5.32
where FACT is actuator force, wherein FCR is crank force, p1 is a first friction coefficient of the
bushing, 2 is a second friction coefficient of the bushing, D1 is a first inner diameter of the bushing, D2 is a second inner diameter of the bushing, a is the crank angle, x1 is a distance from a crank point to a first contact point, and x2 is a distance from a crank point to a second contact point.

18\. The actuator of claim 17, wherein the actuator force FACT is constrained to be within an operating force range of the actuator shaft, 1= 2, and Di = D2 which equal an outer diameter of the actuator shaft, such that x2 - xi is determinable to result in actuator shaft motion in operation.

19\. A method, comprising:
constructing a pneumatic actuator to have a single bushing for an actuator shaft that actuates a slotted crank.

20\. The method of claim 19, further comprising selecting dimensions of the bushing to allow actuation of the actuator shaft under a set operating actuator force. 15 16 17 18 131152724v.1 5 10 15 20

OFFICE 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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA  35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA  35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA  to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) 1-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Kagiya (JP 2000249107).
Kagiya discloses the limitations in the claims below:
1, 10. A pneumatic actuator (See fig. 2-3), comprising: a housing 11; an actuator shaft 13 disposed within the housing and configured to actuate between a first position and a second position (Fig. 2-3); and a single bushing 17 located within the housing between the housing and the actuator shaft, wherein the single bushing is configured to support the actuator shaft 13 without the actuator shaft being supported at a second location while allowing actuator motion under set operating conditions, the actuator actuates a crank (Fig. 5 23a, 23b, 23c).
2, 11. The actuator of claim 1, wherein the actuator shaft includes a pneumatic cup at a first end, and a drive connection assembly at a second end (12b with 12 and the connection drive at left end of 13 – Fig. 2).
3-4, 12-13. The actuator of claim 2, wherein the bushing includes a length to diameter ratio of greater than 1, wherein the length to diameter ratio is between 2 and 3. (Clearly shown in Fig. 1).
5, 14. The actuator of claim 4, wherein an inner diameter of the bushing is the same or about the same as an outer diameter of the actuator shaft (Clearly shown Fig. 1 and 2).
6, 15. The actuator of claim 5, wherein the bushing has a length of about a third of the shaft length (shown in Fig. 2).
7, 16. The rejection applied above to the limitations regarding a slotted crank shaft in claim 19 are applied mutatis mutandis to the limitations in claim 7 and 16.
8-9, 17-18. The actuator of claim 7, (The feature of the formula of claim 8 and 17 to be solved for and defining the length x2-x1 of an inner diameter of the bushing between two contact points by the actuator shaft when actuating by the actuator to force a crank to achieve a required crank force, is merely a known formula resulting from the equilibrium of moments by the respective forces and geometric properties and layout of the actuator shaft, bushing and slotted crank mechanism).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA  35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA  35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA  to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kagiya (JP 2000249107).
19-20.Kagiya discloses A pneumatic actuator (See fig. 2-3), comprising: a housing 11; an actuator shaft 13 disposed within the housing and configured to actuate between a first position and a second position (Fig. 2-3); and a single bushing 17 located within the housing between the housing and the actuator shaft, wherein the single bushing is configured to support the actuator shaft 13 without the actuator shaft being supported at a second location while allowing actuator motion under set operating conditions, the actuator actuates a crank (Fig. 5 23a, 23b, 23c) further comprising selecting dimensions of the bushing to allow actuation of the actuator shaft under a set operating actuator force (inherent in the operation of the actuator).
Although Kagiya does not specifically disclose a slotted crank to be driven, It would have been obvious design choice for one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention and with a reasonable expectation of success to us an obvious variant of the crank shaft to an equivalent mechanism to drive rotary motion from linear motion, since it has been held that broadly providing an equivalent means which accomplishes the same result involves only routine skill in the art. In this case it would have been obvious in order to provide a reduced weight shaft.
Conclusion

APPLICANT REBUTTAL: REMARKS
In the Office Action dated September 23, 2024, claims 1-20 are pending. The Office Action rejected claims 1-18 under 35 U.S.C. §102(a)(1) for allegedly being anticipated by Kagiya (JP2000249107). Claims 19-20 were rejected under 35 U.S.C. §103 for allegedly being unpatentable over Kagiya.
Claims 3, 19, and 20 are canceled, thereby rendering moot the rejection of those claims under § 103. Independent claims 1 and 10 are currently amended and reasons are presented to overcome the rejection of the claims under § 102(a)(1). New claims 21 and 22 have been added and are supported at least by FIGS. 1-2 of the specification. New claims 21 and 22 do not include new matter. Claims 1-2, 4-18, and 21-22 are in condition for allowance.
Rej
ections Claims 1-2 and 4-18 under 35 U.S.C.
2(a
)(
Claims 1-2 and 4-18 are novel over Kagiya under §102(a)(1) because Kagiya does not disclose all of the features of independent claims 1 and 10 as currently amended. Independent claim 1, as currently amended, recites (emphasis added):
A pneumatic actuator, comprising:
a housing forming both a crank cavity and an actuator cavity;
an actuator shaft disposed within the housing and configured to actuate between a first position and a second position; a bushing located within the housing between the housing and the actuator shaft,
wherein the bushing is between the crank cavity and the actuator cavity,
and wherein the bushing is configured to support the actuator shaft without the actuator shaft being supported at a second location while allowing actuator motion under set operating conditions, wherein the bushing comprises a length to diameter ratio greater than 1; a shaft seal between the housing and the actuator shaft, wherein the shaft seal is between the crank cavity and the actuator cavity; a pneumatic cup connected to a first end of the actuator shaft, wherein the pneumatic cup is within the actuator cavity; and a drive connection assembly connected to a second end of the actuator shaft, wherein the
drive connection assembly is within the crank cavity.
Amended claim 1 is supported by at least FIGS. 1 and 2 and page 12, lines 11-20 of the specification and does not include new matter. Amended claim 10 also includes features similar to the above emphasized features of claim 1.
Kagiya does not include a pneumatic actuator with "a housing forming both a crank cavity and an actuator cavity" and a "bushing is between the crank cavity and the actuator cavity." Rather, Kagiya discloses an actuator 10 with a casing 11 forming a single chamber F. Since Kagiya does not disclose all of the features of independent claims 1 and 10, as currently amended, independent claims 1 and 10 are novel and patentable over Kagiya. The rejections of independent claims 1 and 10 under § 102(a)(1) should accordingly be withdrawn. Notification to that effect is respectfully requested.
Claims 2 and 4-9 depend from independent claim 1 and include all of the features of that base claim. Claims 11-18 depend from independent claim 10 and include all of the features of that base claim. Claims 2, 4-9, and 11-18 are novel over Kagiya for at least the same reasons as claims 1 and 10. The rejection of claims 2, 4-9, and 11-18 under §102(a)(1) should be similarly withdrawn. Notification to that effect is respectfully requested.
Summary of Examiner Interview
An Applicant-initiated interview occurred on February 19, 2025 between Examiner Benedik and Boyd Black (the attorney of record). The above-presented amendments were discussed and Examiner Benedik agreed that the amendments overcome Kagiya under § 102(a)(1).
CONCLUSION

NEXT OFFICE 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 .
Reasons for Allowance
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: See Interview summary.
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

CITED REFERENCE SUMMARIES: Ref JP2016017618A: Claims:
A diaphragm that divides the inside of the casing into a negative pressure chamber and an atmospheric pressure chamber; A metal operating shaft having one side connected to the diaphragm and the other side extending out of the casing through the atmospheric pressure chamber and being displaceable in an axial direction according to deformation of the diaphragm; A resin shaft guide for slidably guiding the operating shaft; A metal housing for housing the shaft guide inside; Comprising On one side of the operating shaft and located in the atmospheric pressure chamber, a flange portion extending in the outer diameter direction is provided, The shaft guide is provided with a resin-made protruding portion that protrudes inward from the accommodating portion to the atmospheric pressure chamber, In a state where the operating shaft is most displaced to the atmospheric pressure chamber side, the flange portion and the protruding portion are in contact with each other. An actuator characterized by that.
The protruding portion is formed integrally with the main body portion of the shaft guide, and protrudes inward of the atmospheric pressure chamber through a through hole formed in the housing portion. The actuator according to claim 1.
Ref JP2000249107A: Claims:
A bellows-type piston having a bellows-like end connected to one end of the casing is provided inside a pressure transmission chamber formed of a cylindrical casing, and one end of the bellows-type piston is a pressure-receiving surface of the bellows-type piston. In the bellows type actuator having a drive rod that is fixed to the other end and protrudes from the one end of the casing and slides back and forth in the axial direction, the bellows type actuator is provided at a position of the side portion at an intermediate position in the axial direction. A bellows type actuator provided with a side support member having a support portion connected from the inside and a guide portion slidingly contacting the drive rod.
The bellows-type actuator according to claim 1, wherein the guide portion of the side support member is formed in a cylindrical shape that slides on the drive rod.
An exhaust passage of an engine is branched via a flow path switching valve to provide a plurality of branch exhaust passages, a DPF is provided in each of the branch exhaust passages, and a flow rate adjustment for adjusting an exhaust gas flow rate. A bypass passage provided with a valve, wherein the DPF device communicates between the branch exhaust passages upstream of the DPF, wherein the bellows type actuator according to claim 1 or 2 is configured to drive the flow control valve. A DPF device provided with a communication passage that communicates the pressure transmission chamber of the bellows type actuator with an exhaust passage upstream of the flow path switching valve.