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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3, 7, 17, 27, 31-32 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by Yu (CN105636411A).
Regarding claim 1, Yu discloses an apparatus (see Fig. 1a-1e), comprising: a cold plate (finished product in 1 e) comprising a base and a cover (metal plates 1); a bonding material (solder layer 6) wherein the bonding material is between the base and the cover of the cold plate and bonds the base to the cover; and fluidic channels (via grooves 2) within the cold plate, the fluidic channels having a protective material (polymer mask material 5) thereon such that when a liquid coolant flows through the fluidic channels the protective material is between the liquid coolant and the cold plate, wherein the protective material is capable of preventing reaction between the liquid coolant and the cold plate, wherein the base and the cover have protective material thereon, wherein the protective material is a polymeric material, and wherein the bonding material forms a seal (see seal formed by 6 between 5) between the protective material that is on the cold plate cover and the protective material that is on the cold plate base.
Regarding claim 3, Yu discloses the limitations of claim 1, and Yu further discloses the bonding material (solder 6) between the base and the cover has a melting point temperature that is less than a temperature at which the protective material (polymeric mask 5) will delaminate from the cold plate (as evidenced by final state 1 e).
Regarding claim 7, Yu discloses the limitations of claim 1, and Yu further discloses the protective material (5) is coated on the cold plate.
Regarding claim 27, Yu discloses the limitations of claim 1, and Yu further discloses the polymeric material (5) is a sealant.
Regarding claim 17, Yu discloses a method (see process of Fig. 1 a-e), comprising: depositing a protective material (5) on a surface area of a first cold plate component (plate 1), the surface area of the first cold plate component comprising one or more fluidic channels (via grooves 2) to be within a cold plate formed with the first cold plate component and a second cold plate component (other plate 1), a liquid coolant to flow through the fluidic channels wherein the protective material is a polymeric material (polymer mask material 5); and, forming the cold plate by attaching the first cold plate component to the second cold plate component by melting a bonding material (solder 6) between the first cold plate component and the second cold plate component, wherein the bonding material has a melting point temperature that is less than a temperature at which the protective material will delaminate from the first cold plate component, wherein the melting the bonding material forms a seal (see seal formed by 6 between 5) between the protective material and a surface of the second cold plate component, and wherein the bonding material is between the protective material and the second cold plate component.
Regarding claim 31, Yu discloses the limitations of claim 17, and Yu further discloses the polymeric material (5) is a sealant.
Regarding claim 32, Yu discloses the limitations of claim 17, and Yu further discloses the depositing comprises spraying (spray – Page 5).
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.
Claim(s) 9, 11, 15, 24, 29 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gao (US10225958) in view of Yu (CN105636411A).
Regarding claim 9, Gao teaches a data center (see Fig. 1-4), comprising: multiple computing systems (servers 208) mechanically integrated into multiple racks (server racks 200/202) and communicatively coupled to one another by way of at least one network, the data center comprising a cooling system (400), wherein, at least one of the computing systems comprises a package for a semiconductor chip (packaged processors Col. 1, lines 14-15) that includes at least one of a processor and an accelerator, the package in thermal contact with a cold plate (cold plates 210), the cooling system comprising pumping equipment (224/407) and cooling equipment (404) fluidically coupled downstream from the cold plate to receive warmed liquid coolant from the cold plate, the cold plate (210) fluidically coupled downstream from the pumping equipment and cooling equipment to received cooled liquid coolant.
Gao does not teach a cold plate comprising a base, a cover, and fluidic channels within the cold plate, wherein the fluidic channels have a protective material thereon such that when a liquid coolant flows through the fluidic channels the protective material is between the liquid coolant and the cold plate, wherein the base and the cover have protective material thereon, wherein the protective material is a polymeric material, and wherein the cold plate comprises a bonding material that forms a seal between the protective material of the cold plate cover and the protective material of the cold plate base.
Yu teaches a cold plate (finished product in 1c) comprising a base and a cover (metal plates 1); a bonding material (solder layer 6) wherein the bonding material is between the base and the cover of the cold plate and bonds the base to the cover; and fluidic channels (via grooves 2) within the cold plate, the fluidic channels having a protective material (polymer mask material 5) thereon such that when a liquid coolant flows through the fluidic channels the protective material is between the liquid coolant and the cold plate, wherein the protective material is capable of preventing reaction between the liquid coolant and the cold plate, wherein the base and the cover have protective material thereon, wherein the protective material is a polymeric material, and wherein the bonding material forms a seal (see seal formed by 6 between 5) between the protective material that is on the cold plate cover and the protective material that is on the cold plate base.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Gao to include the cold plate with protective material as taught by Yu, in order to provide a cold plate with high reliability and heat exchange effect (Page 3).
Regarding claim 11, Gao as modified teaches the limitations of claim 9, and Yu further teaches the bonding material (solder 6) has a melting point temperature that is less than a temperature at which the protective material (polymeric mask 5) will delaminate from the cold plate.
Regarding claim 15, Gao as modified teaches the limitations of claim 9, and Yu further teaches the protective material (5) is coated on the cold plate.
Regarding claim 24, Gao as modified teaches the limitations of claim 9, and Yu further teaches the bonding material (solder 6) is a solder material.
Regarding claim 29, Gao as modified teaches the limitations of claim 9, and Yu further teaches the polymeric material (5) is a sealant.
Claim(s) 4, 18, 26, 30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu (CN105636411A) in view of Ono (US20190162483A1).
Regarding claims 4, 18, 26, 30, Yu teaches the limitations of claims 1/17, and Yu does not teach the cold plate comprises copper or aluminum or the first cold plate component comprises copper or aluminum.
Ono teaches the cold plate comprises copper or aluminum or the first cold plate component comprises copper or aluminum (¶[0038]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Yu to include the aluminum or copper material of Ono, in order to provide a metal with high conductivity (¶[0038]).
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu (CN105636411A) in view of Tigwell (GB2442484).
Regarding claim 8, Yu teaches the limitations of claim 1, and Yu does not teach the polymeric protective material is an epoxy.
Tigwell teaches the polymeric protective material is an epoxy (page 5).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Yu to include wherein the material is an epoxy, as it has been held obvious to provide a simple substitution of one known element for another to obtain predictable results (see MPEP 2143).
Claim(s) 12, 28 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gao (US10225958) in view of Yu (CN105636411A) and Ono (US20190162483A1).
Regarding claims 12/18, Gao teaches the limitations of claim 9, and Gao does not teach the cold plate comprises copper or aluminum.
Ono teaches the cold plate comprises copper or aluminum or the first cold plate component comprises copper or aluminum (¶[0038]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Gao to include the aluminum or copper material of Ono, in order to provide a metal with high conductivity (¶[0038]).
Claim(s) 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gao (US10225958) in view of Yu (CN105636411A) and Tigwell (GB2442484).
Regarding claim 16, Gao teaches the limitations of claim 9, and Gao does not teach the polymeric protective material is an epoxy.
Tigwell teaches the polymeric protective material is an epoxy (page 5).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Gao to include wherein the material is an epoxy, as it has been held obvious to provide a simple substitution of one known element for another to obtain predictable results (see MPEP 2143).
Claim(s) 21-23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu (CN105636411A) in view of Harris (US20110011920).
Regarding claims 21-23, Yu teaches the limitations of claim 1, and Yu does not teach the bonding material is a material comprising copper and phosphorous.
Harris teaches the bonding material is a material comprising copper and phosphorous (see abstract).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Gao to include the brazing material of Harris, in order to provide a strong and ductile brazing material (¶[0031]).
Claim(s) 25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gao (US10225958) in view of Yu (CN105636411A) and Harris (US20110011920).
Regarding claim 25, Gao as modified teaches the limitations of claim 9, and Gao as modified does not teach the bonding material is a material comprising copper and phosphorous.
Harris teaches the bonding material is a material comprising copper and phosphorous (see abstract).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Gao to include the brazing material of Harris, in order to provide a strong and ductile brazing material (¶[0031]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claim(s) have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERIC S RUPPERT whose telephone number is (571)272-9911. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8 am - 4 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Len Tran can be reached at 571-272-1184. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ERIC S RUPPERT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763