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
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, 2, 7, 8, 11, 13 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jiao [CN 110931213 A].
Regarding claim 1, Jiao discloses a heat dissipation structure for a reactor (Fig. 1), comprising:
a housing (10, page 3 of translation, Fig. 1);
a reactor body (e.g., body casing 27, page 3, Fig. 1); and
one or more heat dissipation pipes (e.g., pipes 23 on body 27, page 4 of translation, Fig. 1); wherein
the one or more heat dissipation pipes 23 are disposed in a cavity (e.g., 14) of the housing 10 and are connected to the housing 10 in a leak-tight manner, a closed cavity (e.g., cavity 14) is formed by the one or more heat dissipation pipes 23 and the housing 10, the reactor body (e.g., body casing 27) is disposed in the closed cavity, and at least one inner fan (e.g., 31, page 4, Fig. 1) is disposed in the closed cavity (e.g., cavity 29 which is connected to and part of the cavity 14 within the housing 10).
Regarding claim 2, Jiao discloses wherein each of pipe openings (e.g., openings of pipes 23) at both ends of the one or more heat dissipation pipes 23 extends beyond the housing 10 (e.g., beyond a portion of housing 10 into chambers 11, 43, page 4, Fig. 1), and the one or more heat dissipation pipes 23 are used for cooling medium to flow through (e.g., through cooling pipes 20).
Regarding claim 7, Jiao discloses the heat dissipation structure further comprising: an outer fan (e.g., 18, page 4, Fig. 1) and an air duct (e.g., 30 as part of blowing mechanism 56) disposed outside the housing 10, wherein an air outlet (e.g., 16) of the outer fan 18 and an inlet (e.g., 44, page 4, Fig. 1) of the one or more heat dissipation pipes 20/23 are communicated through the air duct (e.g., air duct 30 of blowing mechanism 56 communicated with cooling mechanism 57 which drives the cooling fluid through the heat dissipation pipes 20/23) or an air inlet (e.g., pipeline 19) of the outer fan (e.g., 18) and an outlet (e.g., 13, pages 4-5, Fig. 1) of the one or more heat dissipation pipes 20/23 are communicated through the air duct 30 (e.g., air duct 30 of blowing mechanism 56 communicated with cooling mechanism 57 which drives the cooling fluid through the heat dissipation pipes 20/23, pages 4-5).
Regarding claim 8, Jiao discloses wherein one end of the air duct (e.g., inner end of air duct 30) is connected to the outer fan 18 in a leak-tight manner (e.g., connected through cavities 29 and 14), the other end of the air duct (e.g., outer end of 30) is connected to the housing 10 in a leak-tight manner, and the air duct (e.g., 30 with the cavity 29) covers the periphery of the one or more heat dissipation pipes (e.g. 20/23) (see pages 4-5, Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 11, Jiao discloses wherein the one or more heat dissipation pipes (e.g., 23) are arranged in rows (e.g., pipes 23 are vertically and horizontally arranged, see Fig. 1), and the heat dissipation pipes in any two rows are sequentially arranged along an airflow direction (e.g., air flow in cavity 14, see Fig. 1), wherein in the heat dissipation pipes in adjacent rows (e.g., one vertically arranged row and one horizontally arranged row), the heat dissipation pipes in one row and the heat dissipation pipes in the other row are alternatively arranged (e.g., from left to right direction, based on Fig. 1, vertically arranged row of heat dissipation pipe 23 and horizontally arranged row of heat dissipation pipe 23 are alternatively arranged, see Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 13, Jiao discloses wherein the housing 10 is in a shape of a rectangular solid (see Fig. 1, page 3 of translation), and an axial direction of the one or more heat dissipation pipes 23 is parallel to a width direction of the housing 10 (e.g., depth of housing 10).
Regarding claim 14, Jiao discloses wherein the one or more heat dissipation pipes (e.g., 20/23) are fixedly connected to the housing 10 (e.g., inlet portion 44 and outlet portion 13 of heat dissipation pipe 23 are fixedly connected to the housing 10, pages 4-5, Fig. 1)
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) 3-6 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jiao in view of Geldner et al. [DE 102008029187 A1] (provided in IDS).
Regarding claim 3, Jiao discloses the instant claimed invention discussed above except for further comprising:
one or more heat dissipation fins disposed in the closed cavity, which are disposed to at least one of the one or more heat dissipation pipes.
Geldner discloses one or more heat dissipation fins (e.g., 24, Abstract, Fig. 2) disposed in a closed cavity, which are disposed to at least one of the one or more heat dissipation pipes (e.g. 16).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the heat dissipation pipes to have fins as taught by Geldner to the heat dissipation pipes of Jiao to provide additional cooling mechanism to accelerate heat dissipation of the reactor enclosed in the housing.
Regarding claim 4, Jiao in view of Geldner discloses the instant claimed invention discussed above except for the at least one of the one or more heat dissipation fins is disposed at only one of the one or more heat dissipation pipes.
However, Geldner discloses wherein the at least one of the one or more heat dissipation fins (e.g., 24) is disposed at the one or more heat dissipation pipes 16 (see Fig. 2). In combining the use of fin (24) of Geldner with the heat dissipation pipes of the reactor structure of Jiao, heat dissipation fins could be disposed at only one of the one or more heat dissipation pipes 23 of Jiao.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have only one heat dissipating pipe 23 of the reactor of Jiao to have the fin, if the heat dissipating pipe is the first one approach by the air blown by the cooling fan to minimize production cost by not having all of heat dissipation pipes disposed with fins.
Regarding claim 5, Geldner discloses wherein the at least one of the one or more heat dissipation fins (e.g., 24) is disposed at at least two of the one or more heat dissipation pipes 16 (see Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 6, Geldner discloses wherein at least two heat dissipation fins 24 (see Fig. 2) are disposed at the at least one of the one or more heat dissipation pipes 16, and are sequentially arranged along an axial direction of the at least one heat dissipation pipe 16 or sequentially arranged along a circumferential direction of the at least one heat dissipation pipe 16 (see Figure 2).
Regarding claim 12, Jiao discloses the instant claimed invention discussed above except for wherein the one or more heat dissipation fins are provided in groups, and any two groups of the heat dissipation fins are sequentially arranged in an airflow direction, wherein in adjacent two groups of the heat dissipation fins, the heat dissipation fins in one group and the heat dissipation fins in the other group are alternatively arranged.
However, Geldner discloses one or more heat dissipation fins (e.g., 24, Abstract, Fig. 2) which are disposed to at least one of the one or more heat dissipation pipes (e.g. 16). In combining the heat dissipation fins 24 of Geldner to the heat dissipating pipe of Jiao, one or more heat dissipation fins 24 are provided in groups (e.g., a group of heat dissipating pipes in vertical row and a group of heat dissipating pipes in horizontal row of Jiao, see Fig. 1), and any two groups of the heat dissipation fins are sequentially arranged in an airflow direction, wherein in adjacent two groups of the heat dissipation fins, the heat dissipation fins in one group and the heat dissipation fins in the other group are alternatively arranged (e.g., from right to left direction of the airflow, based on Fig. 1, vertically arranged row of heat dissipation pipe 23 and horizontally arranged row of heat dissipation pipe 23 are alternatively arranged, see Fig. 1).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the heat dissipation pipes to have heat dissipation fins provided in groups, and any two groups are sequentially arranged in an airflow direction and the groups be alternatively arranged, as discussed above, to provide additional cooling mechanism to accelerate heat dissipation of the reactor enclosed in the housing.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jiao in view of Takai [JP 2019033176 A].
Regarding claim 10, Jiao discloses the instant claimed invention discussed above except for wherein a number of the at least one inner fan is two, and two inner fans are disposed at two ends of the housing respectively, one of the two inner fans is disposed on one side of the reactor body and the other inner fan is disposed on the other side of the reactor body.
Takai discloses wherein a number of at least one inner fan (e.g., fans 14, page 3 of translation, Fig. 1, 2) is two, one of the two inner fans 14 is disposed on one side of the reactor body (e.g., comprising core 10, winding 12) and the other inner fan 14 is disposed on the other side of the reactor body.
However, Takai further discloses that the locations of the fans 14 may be rearranged in manner as many as the installation allows (see page 3 of translation). Therefore, the two inner fans 14, may be disposed at two ends of the housing respectively, one of the two inner fans 14 may disposed on one side of the reactor body (e.g., comprising core 10, winding 12) and the other inner fan 14 disposed on the other side of the reactor body.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have two inner fans disposed at two ends of the housing respectively, one of the two inner fans disposed on one side of the reactor body and the other inner fan disposed on the other side of the reactor body as taught by Takai to the reactor structure of Jiao to provide the reactor device with good cooling medium circulation of its heat dissipation structure.
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jiao in view of Inaba [JP 2013074062 A].
Regarding claim 15, Jiao discloses the instant claimed invention discussed above except for wherein the one or more heat dissipation pipes are welded to the housing or fixed to the housing through a flange.
Inaba discloses heat dissipation pipes (e.g., 5, page 10, Fig. 3) are welded to housing 4.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have heat dissipation pipes welded to the housing as taught by Inaba to the reactor structure of Jiao to maintain a good contact of the heat dissipation pipes to effectively achieve an efficient cooling of the reactor.
Claim(s) 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jiao in view of Li et al. [CN 108962553 A].
Regarding claim 16, Jiao discloses the instant claimed invention discussed above except for wherein potting sealant is provided in the housing.
Li discloses potting sealant (e.g., 3, page 3 of translation, Fig. 1) is provided in housing (e.g., 1).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use potting sealant provided in the housing as taught by Li to the reactor of Jiao to ensure mechanical strength of the device and further help in heat dissipation.
Claim(s) 17 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jiao in view of Luo et al. [CN 111312472 A].
Regarding claim 17, Jiao discloses the instant claimed invention discussed above except for an inverter comprising a heat dissipation structure for the reactor.
Luo discloses an inverter (e.g., 20, page 5 of translation, Fig. 1-7) a heat dissipation structure (e.g., comprising cooling pipes 12, 15) for a reactor (shown in Fig. 1, 2).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have an inverter with the heat dissipation structure for the reactor as taught by Luo to the heat dissipation structure for the reactor of Jiao to provide an integrated unit which benefits for the same cooling structure to miniaturize the structural device and minimize production cost.
Regarding claim 18, Luo discloses housing 2 (Fig. 2) is fixed to one side of an inverter main body housing (e.g., housing for inverter unit 20, see Fig. 2, 7).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 16 December 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The Applicant argues that the fan 31 in the reference Jiao of the Office Action is not equivalent to be the inner fan in amended claim 1 of the present application, and the space between cavities 29 and 14 in Jiao is not considered to be equivalent to be the closed cavity. The Applicant believes that there is no closed cavity between cavities 29 and 14 in Jiao and the fan 31 is completely accommodated in cavity 29 in Jiao.
The Examiner disagrees. Jiao teaches a closed cavity (e.g., cavity 14, see annotated Fig. 1) wherein one or more heat dissipation pipes 23 are disposed within housing 10. Reactor body (e.g., body casing 27) is disposed in the closed cavity 14. An inner fan (e.g., 31, page 4, annotated Fig. 1) is disposed in the closed cavity. That is the inner fan 31 is disposed within cavity 29 which is connected to and part of the cavity 14 within the housing 10 (see annotated Fig. 1 of Jiao). Fan 31, which is in cavity 29, is used to cool down the reactor by blowing air directly to the reactor, which is in cavity 14, passing through dust filter 28. There should be space continuity between cavity 29 into cavity 14. Therefore, the inner fan 31 is disposed in the closed cavity.
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Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 JOSELITO SASIS BAISA whose telephone number is (571)272-7132. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 8AM to 4PM.
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/J.S.B/ Examiner, Art Unit 2837
/SHAWKI S ISMAIL/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2837