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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of Group I and claims 1-10 in the reply filed on 11/26/2025 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that Group II is simply a variant of the elected liquid-cooled transformer of Group I, Group III is the same col-plate and pumping architecture, and the search for Group I would inherently cover Group II and III. This is not found persuasive because the enclosure filled with liquid of group II and the pumping system of Group III each has different classification and or require different search strategy. If the applicant believes that the Groups I-III are not patentably distinct, the applicant has to admit on the record that the three Groups are obvious variant over each other, which will allow the examiner to use a 103 rejection to render obvious the claims that belong to the non-elected Groups. Furthermore, under the requirements of unity of inventions, Groups I-IV lack unity of invention, as stated in the Office action dated 09/06/2025, and applicant does not appear to dispute that.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed 02/13/2025 fails to comply with 37 CFR 1.98(a)(2), which requires a legible copy of each cited foreign patent document; each non-patent literature publication or that portion which caused it to be listed; and all other information or that portion which caused it to be listed. It has been placed in the application file, but the information referred to therein has not been considered.
A legible copy of JP 2013-539873 has not been received.
Drawings
The drawings received on 09/30/2022 are acceptable.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 7 recites the limitation "the transformer elements" and “the two coil components” in lines 3-4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purpose, “each surface in contact with a different one of the transformer elements from among the core and the two coil components” is interpreted as first surface or second surface is in contact with the core and the other of the first surface or second surface is in contact with one of the plurality of coil components, or a meaning to this effect.
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. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Salomaki (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2012/0139683 A1).
With respect to claim 1, 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 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]).
PNG
media_image1.png
360
499
media_image1.png
Greyscale
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 transformer elements from among the core and the two 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 at least three different transformer elements from among the core, the first coil component, and the second coil component (para. [0061]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. A list of pertinent prior art is attached in form PTO-892.
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.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Shawki S. Ismail can be reached at 571-272-3985. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/MANG TIN BIK LIAN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837