Appeal No. 99-1962
Application 08/671,463
11. In a combustor for a gas turbine engine, a fuel
nozzle guide comprising:
(a) an annular bushing [52] sized for receiving a
fuel nozzle, said bushing having a first end and
a second end, said first end being connected to
means for securing said fuel nozzle guide within
said combustor;
(b) a flange [54] extending radially from said
second end of said bushing, said flange having a
proximal portion spaced proximal to said
bushing, and a distal portion spaced distal from
said bushing; and
(c) a plurality of radially extending ribs [66]
disposed about said distal portion of said
flange, each of said ribs having leading ends
[68] and trailing ends [70], said trailing ends
being arcuate in shape, wherein said arcuate
trailing ends facilitates [sic] a reduction in
film cooling air vortices as film cooling air
passes between said ribs.
The sole reference of record relied upon by the examiner
as evidence of obviousness is:
Butler 5,463,864 Nov. 7, 1995
Claims 1-3, 6-8 and 11-13 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C.
§ 103 as being unpatentable over Butler. The examiner
explains the rejection on page 5 of the answer as follows:
Butler discloses fuel nozzle support structure
substantially similar to the present invention.
With reference to Figures 2 and 3, attention is
called to fuel nozzle support bushing 105, retainer
125, and heat shield 110. As in the case of the
-3-
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007