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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 05/06/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that Salomaki does not teach “cold plate that is at least one of physically inserted and sandwiched between, and in surface contact with and thermally coupled with at least one of the core and a coil component of the plurality of coil components” as amended claim 1. Applicant asserts that in Salomaki, the cooling ducts and pipes are integrated into the core and winding structures, not positioned between at least one of the core and a coil component of the plurality of coil components. Therefore, the cold plate is not inserted or sandwiched between the core and or coil component. Applicant further states that any surface contact in Salomaki happens between internal layers of the an integrated core or winding structure, not between a separate cold plate and at least one of the core and a coil component of the plurality of coil components.
After careful consideration without passion or prejudice, the argument is not found persuasive, respectfully. As seen in annotated Fig. 15 below, the cold plate 16a is disposed between winding elements 23a and 23b, and it (the cold plate 16a) is in physical contact with winding elements 23a and 23b. Specifically, the upper surface of the cold plate 16a is in surface contact with the lower surface of the winding element 23a, and the lower surface of the cold plate 16a is in surface contact with the upper surface of winding element 23b. In the finished product, the cold plate 16a is clearly sandwiched between the winding elements 23a and 23b regardless of the method of production. The patentability of a product does not depend on its method of production. If the product in the product-by-process claim is the same as or obvious from a product of the prior art, the claim is unpatentable even though the prior product was made by a different process. In re Thorpe, 227 USPQ 964,966. When the cold plate 16a is in surface contact with the winding elements 23a and 23b, the cold plate is thermally coupled with the winding elements. Accordingly, Salomaki still teaches “a cold plate that is at least one of physically inserted and sandwiched between, and in surface contact with and thermally coupled with at least one of the core and a coil component of the plurality of coil components” as amended claim 1.
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Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 05/05/2026 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claims 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Salomaki (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2012/0139683 A1).
With respect to claim 1, best understood in view of 35 USC 112(b) rejection, Salomaki teaches a liquid cooled transformer (FIGs. 12-15) comprising:
a plurality of coil components 3 (annotated FIG. 15) each for conducting an electric current;
a core 1 configured to convey a magnetic flux between the plurality of coil components;
a cold plate 16 that is at least one of physically inserted and sandwiched between, and in surface contact with and thermally coupled with at least one of the core and a coil component (any one of coil component 15) of the plurality of coil components;
wherein the cold plate comprises a coolant channel 22 configured to convey a liquid coolant (“cooling liquid” para. [0061]) within the cold plate (paras. [0060]-[0062]).
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With respect to claim 2, Salomaki teaches the liquid cooled transformer (100) of claim 1, wherein the cold plate comprises a non-ferrous metal (e.g. “aluminium”) (para. [0060]).
With respect to claim 3, Salomaki teaches the liquid cooled transformer (100) of claim 1, wherein the cold plate comprises two or more coolant ports 22 for inflow and outflow of the liquid coolant (para. [0061]).
With respect to claim 4, Salomaki teaches the liquid cooled transformer of claim 1, wherein the coil component comprises:
a continuous electrically conducting material (material of coil component) which is wound, coiled, or surfaced patterned to generate a magnetic flux when an electric current runs through the conducting material; and
a heat-conducting, non-electrically-conducting, non-ferrous coil support material (coil components are insulated from each other with insulators, para. [0057]) configured to substantially contain or embed the electrically conducting material and to conduct heat away from the electrically conducting material (paras. [0057] and [0058]).
With respect to claim 5, Salomaki teaches the liquid cooled transformer (100) of claim 1, wherein:
a first surface (upper or side surface) of the cold plate and a second surface (lower surface of the core or side surface of the coil component) of the at least one of the core and the coil component with which the cold plate is thermally coupled are so mutually shaped as to facilitate extended surface contact and thereby the effective transfer of heat between the second surface at least one of the core and the coil component and the first surface of the cold plate (para. [0062]).
With respect to claim 6, Salomaki teaches the liquid cooled transformer of claim 5, wherein the first surface and the second surface are flat surfaces (para. [0062]).
With respect to claim 7, Salomaki teaches the liquid cooled transformer of claim 1, wherein:
a single cold plate has a first surface (upper surface) and a second opposing surface (lower surface), each surface in contact with a different one of the core and the plurality of coil components (para. [0061]).
With respect to claim 8, Salomaki teaches the liquid cooled transformer (100) of claim 1, wherein:
the cold plate is physically situated between, in physical contact with, and thermally coupled with at least one of:
both the core and one of the coil components; and
both of the coil components (para. [0061]).
With respect to claim 9, Salomaki teaches the liquid cooled transformer of claim 1, further comprising at least two separate cold plates (e.g., top and middle cold plates), where the at least two cold plates are configured and arranged to be in physical contact with and in thermal contact with at least two different non-adjoining transformer elements from among the core, the first coil component, and the second coil component (para. [0061]).
With respect to claim 10, Salomaki teaches the liquid cooled transformer (100) of claim 1, further comprising at least two separate cold plates (e.g., top and middle cold plates), where the at least two cold plates are configured and arranged to be in physical contact with and in thermal contact with the core and at least two coil components 23a and 23b (annotated Fig. 15 in section 2) of the plurality of coil components (para. [0061]).
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 MANGTIN LIAN whose telephone number is (571)270-5729. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 0800-1700.
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/MANG TIN BIK LIAN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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