Appeal No. 96-2477
Application 08/345,292
and (4) an engine fuel compartment 54 in the propulsion module or
flight component A, as called for in claim 16.
Dependent claim 3 calls for the engines of the propulsion
unit to be adapted to drive the propellers about rotation axes in
substantial alignment with one another. In that, as explained
above in our discussion of claims 1, 7, 13 and 18, we believe the
artisan would have readily appreciated that tandem engines
aligned along a common axis, as taught by Henrichsen and Sanders,
have certain advantages, such as, the redundant safety provided
by dual engines with reduced off-axial mass and thrust, we will
sustain the § 103 rejection of claim 3.
We reach an opposite conclusion with respect to claims 4, 5
and 17. Dependent claim 4 calls for the fuel compartment to be
centered fore-and-aft in the propulsion module. Dependent claim
17 sets forth the step of centering the fuel compartment fore-
and-aft relative to the wing means of the propulsion unit. In
rejecting these claims, the examiner states that “Hall
specifically has a fuel compartment in the module in the
centerline thereof” (answer, page 5). However, the fuel
compartment 54 of Hall is located forward of the attachment
fitting 60 (Figure 4), which attachment fitting 60 is located at
the forward edge of the wings (Figure 6). Thus, the fuel
10
Page: Previous 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007