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 § 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1, 3, 5 , 21-24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Heydari US 2022/0151114 Al in view of in view of Jakob-Bamberg et al. US 6,918,217 B2 and Shahar US 2020/0071938 Al.
Re claim 1, Heydari teach a module in a modular system for cooling Information Technology (IT),the module comprising: an IT unit (202 with 208) on a floor (230) of the module, comprising: one or more networking components (208); and a rack manifold (214A, B) configured to fluidly couple one or more cooling lines (annotated fig) to the one or more networking components (fig 2) to simultaneously distribute cooling fluid to each of the one or more networking components, wherein: distributing cooling fluid comprises circulating cooling fluid from a cool side of the rack manifold (241a) to the each of the one or more networking components and from each of the one or more networking components to a hot side (214b) of the rack manifold; the cool side of the rack manifold comprises a plurality of inlets; the hot side of the rack manifold comprises a plurality of outlets (fig 2 noting inlets and outlets to each 208); and each of the one or more networking components is coupled to one of the plurality of inlets and one of the plurality of outlets (fig 2); the one or more cooling lines in a space beneath the floor that are configured to provide liquid cooling to the IT unit by removing heat from cooling fluid received from the plurality of outlets of the rack manifold (fig 2),;
an opening disposed along the floor, wherein the rack manifold is positioned above the floor and along the opening such that the opening is configured to allow the one or more cooling lines to access the plurality of inlets and the plurality of outlets of the rack manifold from beneath the floor (noting an opening is naturally disclosed to achieve the fluid traveling from 250 to rack manifold.
Heydari, fail to explicitly teach shock isolation in the space beneath the floor.
Shahar teach and shock isolation in the space beneath the floor for the one or more cooling lines (in between 101 and 102 various equipment for shock isolation, para 47, para 509, fig 4, also showing equipment in between 404 and 416) to provide support in raised floor systems.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to include in the space beneath the floor as taught by Shahar in the Heydari invention in order to advantageously allow for utilizing a multiplicity of vertical members, each one of them being a vertical stiff element connecting cabinets to the structural floor which withstands compression and tension forces .
Heydari, as modified, fail to explicitly teach panel details.
Jakob-Bamberg et al. teach wherein the floor comprises at least one removable floor panel to provide construction with large spaces (13, col 6).
When combined, Heydari, as modified, teach wherein the at least one removable floor panel is positioned on a hot aisle side of the module (noting aisles are naturally present in a center with at least one large rack unit between the unit and the walls, and “hot” aisle is considered a name with no additional structural details, also noting that “a hot aisle side” is broad and can be any side of the entire rack, or the aisle adjacent the 214a rack manifold).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to include panel details as taught by Jakob-Bamberg et al. in the Heydari, as modified, invention in order to advantageously allow for conventionally sized space to be utilized to accommodate large numbers of cables, such as power, data and/or communication cables, and this space also is used to accommodate or define ducts for the HVAC system .
Additionally noting that for clarity, the recitation ““to simultaneously distribute cooling fluid to each of the one or more networking components” ” has been considered a recitation of intended use. It has been held that the recitation with respect to the matter in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the claimed structural limitations. See MPEP 2114. In the instant case, the prior art meets all of the structural limitations, and is therefore capable of performing the claimed recitations set forth above. Furthermore, the examiner notes that the inclusion of material or article worked upon by a structure being claimed does not impart patentability to the claims. See MPEP 2115. Finally, the intended fluid used in the apparatus to perform the intended function does not affect the patentability of the apparatus, since the apparatus is capable of using said intended fluid. See MPEP 2144.07.
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Re claim 3, Shahar teach wherein the module further comprises: one or more shock isolation components (see the rejection of claim 1) that provide shock isolation to the IT unit, wherein the one or more shock isolation components are disposed between the floor and an absolute bottom of the module (404 and 416) to provide support in raised floor systems.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to include in the space beneath the floor as taught by Shahar in the Heydari, as modified, invention in order to advantageously allow for utilizing a multiplicity of vertical members, each one of them being a vertical stiff element connecting cabinets to the structural floor which withstands compression and tension forces.
Re claim 5, Heydari teach wherein, wherein the opening is positioned on a hot aisle side of the module (see the rejection of claim 1, noting the opening is on the aisle for 214a, figs).
Re claim 21, Heydari, as modified, discloses the claimed invention except for wherein a height between the at least one removeable floor panel and the floor of the module is less than or equal to 18 inches. It would have been an obvious matter of design choice to wherein a height between the at least one removeable floor panel and the floor of the module is less than or equal to 18 inches, since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the size of the component. A change in size is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. See MPEP 2144.04, section IV, part A.
Re claim 22, Heydari teach wherein the one or more cooling lines are disposed along walls of the space (noting that all lines are disposed along other structure as a whole).
Re claim 23, Heydari teach wherein the one or more cooling lines are disposed in the space beneath the floor on the hot aisle side of the module (noting that all lines are disposed along other structure as a whole, see the rejection of claim 1).
Re claim 24, Heydari, as modified, teach the one or more cooling lines are fluidly coupled to a fluid network (250, 268 Heydari), wherein the fluid network is disposed in the space beneath the at least one removable floor panel on the hot aisle side of the module (noting in instant combination “the at least one removable floor panel” modifies 230 of Heydari and the absolute floor is beneath the space in which 250 of Heydari occupies).
Claim(s) 4, 13, 25-30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Heydari US 2022/0151114 Al in view of in view of Jakob-Bamberg et al. US 6,918,217 B2 and Shahar US 2020/0071938 Al and SAITO US20180363994A1.
Re claim 4, Heydari, as modified, fail to explicitly teach one or more leak detection devices.
SAITO teach one or more leak detection devices (22, L, 33, 34, noting the tank makes it apparent that a leak is present, fig 4) disposed in the space beneath the floor and along a portion of the absolute bottom of the module (32, 31), wherein the portion is positioned below the one or more cooling lines (15, 17) and leakage containment (L, 35) to route leakage away from the device.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to include one or more leak detection devices as taught by SAITO in the Heydari , as modified, invention in order to advantageously allow for a detection and holding apparatus for leaking equipment.
Re claim 13, Heydari teach a module cooling Information Technology (IT), the module comprising: one or more IT units (202 with 208) on a floor (230) of the module, wherein each of the one or more IT units comprises: networking components (208); and a rack manifold (214A, B) configured to fluidly couple one or more cooling lines to each networking component of each of the one or more IT units and to distribute cooling liquid to each networking component of each of the one or more IT units (fig 2), wherein: distributing cooling liquid comprises directing cooling fluid from a cool side of each rack manifold to each networking component and from each networking component to a hot side of each rack manifold (214a, b , see the rejection of claim 1); the cool side of each rack manifold comprises a plurality of inlets; the hot side of each rack manifold comprises a plurality of outlets; and each networking component of each of the one or more IT units is coupled to one of the plurality of inlets and one of the plurality of outlets; the one or more cooling lines in a space beneath the floor that provides liquid cooling to the one or more IT units by removing heat from cooling fluid received from the plurality of outlets of each hot side of each rack manifold, and an opening, wherein each rack manifold is positioned above the floor and along the opening such that the opening is configured to allow the one or more cooling lines to access the plurality of inlets and the plurality of outlets of each rack manifold of the one or more IT units (see the rejection of claim 1, figs).
Heydari, fail to explicitly teach shock isolation in the space beneath the floor.
Shahar teach one or more shock isolation components disposed in the space beneath the floor for the one or more cooling lines, wherein the one or more shock isolation components are disposed between the floor and an absolute bottom of the module, wherein the one or more shock isolation components provide shock isolation to the one or more IT units (in between 101 and 102 various equipment for shock isolation, para 47, para 509, fig 4, also showing equipment in between 404 and 416) to provide support in raised floor systems.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to include in the space beneath the floor as taught by Shahar in the Heydari invention in order to advantageously allow for utilizing a multiplicity of vertical members, each one of them being a vertical stiff element connecting cabinets to the structural floor which withstands compression and tension forces .
Heydari, as modified, fail to explicitly teach panel details.
Jakob-Bamberg et al. teach the floor comprises a plurality of removable floor panels to provide construction with large spaces (13, col 6).
When combined, Heydari, as modified, teach and an opening; and the opening and the plurality of removable floor panels (noting the secondary reference modified 230 of the primary reference; see the rejection of claim 1) are positioned on a hot aisle side of the module.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to include panel details as taught by Jakob-Bamberg et al. in the Heydari, as modified, invention in order to advantageously allow for conventionally sized space to be utilized to accommodate large numbers of cables, such as power, data and/or communication cables, and this space also is used to accommodate or define ducts for the HVAC system .
Heydari, as modified, fail to explicitly teach one or more leak detection devices.
SAITO teach one or more leak detection devices (22, L, 33, 34, noting the tank makes it apparent that a leak is present, fig 4) disposed in the space beneath the floor and along a portion of the absolute bottom of the module (32, 31, in the instant combination and noting “along” is broad”), wherein the portion is positioned below the one or more cooling lines (15, 17) and leakage containment (L, 35) to route leakage away from the device.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to include one or more leak detection devices as taught by SAITO in the Heydari, as modified, invention in order to advantageously allow for a detection and holding apparatus for leaking equipment.
Re claim 25, Heydari , as modified, discloses the claimed invention except for wherein a height between the at least one removeable floor panel and the floor of the module is less than or equal to 18 inches. It would have been an obvious matter of design choice to wherein a height between the at least one removeable floor panel and the floor of the module is less than or equal to 18 inches, since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the size of the component. A change in size is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. See MPEP 2144.04, section IV, part A.
Re claim 26, Heydari teach wherein the one or more cooling lines are disposed along walls of the space (noting that all lines are disposed along other structure as a whole).
Re claim 27, Heydari teach wherein the one or more cooling lines are disposed in the space beneath the floor on the hot aisle side of the module (noting that all lines are disposed along other structure as a whole, see the rejection of claims 1, 13; figs).
Re claim 28, Heydari teach the one or more cooling lines are fluidly coupled to a fluid network, wherein the fluid network is disposed in the space beneath the at least one removable floor panel on the hot aisle side of the module (in the instant combination, col 12 lines 7-14; see the rejection of claim 24).
Re claim 29, Heydari teach a module cooling Information Technology (IT), the module comprising: one or more IT units (202 with 208) on a floor (230) of the module, wherein each of the one or more IT units comprises: networking components (208); and a rack manifold (214A, B) configured to fluidly couple one or more cooling lines to each networking component of each of the one or more IT units and to distribute cooling liquid to each networking component of each of the one or more IT units (fig 2), wherein: distributing cooling liquid comprises directing cooling fluid from a cool side of each rack manifold to each networking component and from each networking component to a hot side of each rack manifold (214a, b , see the rejection of claim 1); the cool side of each rack manifold comprises a plurality of inlets; the hot side of each rack manifold comprises a plurality of outlets; and each networking component of each of the one or more IT units is coupled to one of the plurality of inlets and one of the plurality of outlets; the one or more cooling lines in a space beneath the floor that provides liquid cooling to the one or more IT units by removing heat from cooling fluid received from the plurality of outlets of each hot side of each rack manifold, and an opening, wherein each rack manifold is positioned above the floor and along the opening such that the opening is configured to allow the one or more cooling lines to access the plurality of inlets and the plurality of outlets of each rack manifold of the one or more IT units (see the rejection of claim 1, figs).
Heydari, fail to explicitly teach shock isolation in the space beneath the floor.
Shahar teach one or more shock isolation components disposed in the space beneath the floor for the one or more cooling lines, wherein the one or more shock isolation components are disposed between the floor and an absolute bottom of the module, wherein the one or more shock isolation components provide shock isolation to the one or more IT units (in between 101 and 102 various equipment for shock isolation, para 47, para 509, fig 4, also showing equipment in between 404 and 416) to provide support in raised floor systems.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to include in the space beneath the floor as taught by Shahar in the Heydari invention in order to advantageously allow for utilizing a multiplicity of vertical members, each one of them being a vertical stiff element connecting cabinets to the structural floor which withstands compression and tension forces .
Heydari, as modified, fail to explicitly teach panel details.
Jakob-Bamberg et al. teach the floor comprises a plurality of removable floor panels to provide construction with large spaces (13, col 6).
When combined, Heydari, as modified, teach and an opening; and the opening and the plurality of removable floor panels (noting the secondary reference modified 230 of the primary reference; see the rejection of claim 1) are positioned on a hot aisle side of the module.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to include panel details as taught by Jakob-Bamberg et al. in the Heydari, as modified, invention in order to advantageously allow for conventionally sized space to be utilized to accommodate large numbers of cables, such as power, data and/or communication cables, and this space also is used to accommodate or define ducts for the HVAC system .
Heydari, as modified, fail to explicitly teach one or more leak detection devices.
SAITO teach one or more leak detection devices (22, L, 33, 34, noting the tank makes it apparent that a leak is present, fig 4) disposed in the space beneath the floor and along a portion of the absolute bottom of the module (32, 31, in the instant combination and noting “along” is broad”), wherein the portion is positioned below the one or more cooling lines (15, 17) and leakage containment (L, 35) to route leakage away from the device.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to include one or more leak detection devices as taught by SAITO in the Heydari, as modified, invention in order to advantageously allow for a detection and holding apparatus for leaking equipment.
Heydari, as modified, discloses the claimed invention except for wherein a height between the at least one removeable floor panel and the floor of the module is less than or equal to 18 inches. It would have been an obvious matter of design choice to wherein a height between the at least one removeable floor panel and the floor of the module is less than or equal to 18 inches, since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the size of the component. A change in size is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. See MPEP 2144.04, section IV, part A.
Re claim 30, Heydari teach wherein the one or more cooling lines are fluidly coupled to a fluid network, wherein the fluid network is disposed in the space beneath the plurality of removable floor panels on the hot aisle side of the module (in the instant combination; see the rejection of claims 1, 13, 24, 28).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 7/23/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 13, 29 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.
Applicant argues the claims dependent on the independent claim(s) are allowable based upon their dependence from an independent claim. Examiner respectfully disagrees. The arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 13, 29 have been addressed above. Thus, the rejections are proper and remain.
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.
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/GORDON A JONES/ Examiner, Art Unit 3763
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