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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wu et al. (CN212543377 U -- claim mapping is done on its corresponding US publication Wu et al. -- US 2023/0014262).
Regarding claim 1, Wu shows a wireless charging device (figs. 1-7) comprising a housing (1), a transmit coil (201), and a heat dissipation assembly (3), wherein the housing (1) is provided with a panel (101A), and the transmit coil (201) is disposed in the housing (1), and is located on a side of the panel (101A);
the housing (1) is configured to place an electronic device (8) to be charged (¶0001), and make the electronic device (8) have a distance (501) from the panel (101A); and the housing (1) is provided with an air vent (see 103) located under the panel (101A); and
the heat dissipation assembly (i.e. 3) comprises:
a semiconductor refrigeration chip (61) comprising a cold end (611) and a hot end (612), wherein the hot end is disposed on the housing (1; ¶s0078-0079); and
a fan (3), disposed in the housing (1 in fig. 1c), and air blown by the fan (3) passes through the cold end (611; ¶0079: last line; air flow arrows fig. 1a) and is blown out from the air vent (104, 402).
Regarding claim 2, Wu shows the wireless charging device (figs. 1-7), wherein the heat dissipation assembly further comprises another fan (62; ¶0081) and a first thermally conductive member (fig. 1a: element 7, ¶0044), the first thermally conductive member (7) is disposed on a side that is of the transmit coil (201) and that is away from the panel (101A), the another fan (62) is disposed on the housing (1), and the another fan (62) blows air (air flow arrow through 7 due to fan 62) to the first thermally conductive member (7).
Regarding claim 3, Wu shows: wherein the first thermally conductive member (7 in fig. 1a) is obliquely disposed above (viewing from the thermal member 7) the another fan (62), and the another fan (62) blows air from an upper side (an upper side of the charger on fig. 1a).
35 USC 103 rejection
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.
Claims 11-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu et al. (CN212543377 U -- claim mapping is done on Wu et al. -- US 2023/0014262) in view of Lu et al. (US 2019/0247923).
Regarding claim 11, Wu shows: wherein the wireless charging device (figs. 1-7) further comprises a second thermally conductive member (i.e. 101B in fig. 1a; ¶0068), the transmit coil (201) and the semiconductor refrigeration chip (61).
Wu differs from the clamed invention in that it does not show the second thermally conductive member is disposed between the transmit coil and the semiconductor refrigeration chip.
Lu teaches a second thermally conductive member (one of units 5 in Lu’s fig. 2) being disposed between a transmit coil (32 or 3) and a semiconductor refrigeration chip (one of refrigeration chips 9).
Hence, the concept of providing a thermal conductive member to improve heat dissipation for the transmit coil is well taught by Wu (¶0015), including providing a refrigeration chip. Therefore, it would have been obvious for one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the application to provide a semiconductor refrigeration chip on one side of Wu’s thermal conductive member as taught by Lu, this can rapidly dissipate heat on the thermal conductive member when it is placed against the transmit coil, and in turn to improve the heating issue on both the front and rear surfaces of the charging unit (Wu ¶0018).
Regarding claim 12, the combination of Wu and Lu shows: wherein the heat dissipation assembly further comprises a third thermally conductive member [Wu, ¶0068, any one layer of 101A, 101B, 101A in fig. 1b; Lu: fig. 2, similar temperature control unit 5 (or thermally conductive member) having three layers 51, 52, 53 ) and the third thermally conductive member is disposed between the semiconductor refrigeration chip and the first thermally conductive member (see also comments on claim 11).
Regarding claim 13, the combination of Wu and Lu shows: wherein the second thermally conductive member (Wu: such as one of 101A, 101B and 101A in fig. 1a) or the third thermally conductive member (Wu: one of 101A, 101B and 101A in fig. 1a) is a thermally conductive structure made of a thermally conductive material that is deformable under pressure (Wu ¶0068; at least Wu’s 101A are plastic which is known to be deformable under pressure).
Claims 4-6, 8-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu (CN 212543377 U; claim mapping is done on US 2023/0014262) in view of Lu et al. (US 20190247923) and Li et al. (US 2021/0127477).
Regarding claim 4, Wu shows: the wireless charging device (figs. 1-7), wherein the heat dissipation assembly comprises one semiconductor refrigeration chip (613 in fig. 7), the transmit coil (201) and the first thermally conductive member (7), the cold end (611) and the hot end (612).
Wu differs from the claimed invention in that it does not show another semiconductor refrigeration chip disposed between the transmit coil and the first thermally conductive member, the cold end faces the transmit coil, and the hot end faces the first thermally conductive member.
However, Lu, in a heating and refrigerating device, teaches multiple semiconductor refrigeration chips (¶0026: cooling chips 9; fig. 2) for independently controlling regions of a work platform (¶0028). Noted that the concept of installing a semiconductor refrigeration chip to assist in cooling the charging device is well taught by Wu. It would have been obvious for one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the application to modify Wu with additional refrigeration chips as taught by Lu if it is found that one refrigeration chip is insufficient to cool the charging device, or if it is desirable to control deferent regions of the charging device independently as taught by Lu (¶0028).
In addition, although Wu doesn’t explicitly mention that the cold end of the refrigeration device faces the transmit coil, and the hot end faces the first thermally conductive member. This arrangement is shown by Li, wherein a cold end (71 on Li’s fig. 2) of a refrigeration chip (70) faces a coil (coil 20 on module 20-40), and the hot end (72) faces a thermally conductive member (80). This arrangement should be understood or obvious for one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the application because the coil side generates heat as shown by Wu and Li, so the cold end should face the coil side, and the hot end would face (away from the coil) the thermal conductive member, for the purpose of the refrigeration chip(s) to function as dissipating heat and controlling the temperature of the device (Li’s abstract).
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Wu, Lu and Li shows: a first cavity (see Wu: combined cavities for 3 and 62) and a second cavity (combined cavities for 2, 7, 61) are disposed in the housing (fig. 1a), and the second cavity (combined cavities for 2, 7, 61) is located above the first cavity (at least cavity for 3);
the fan (Wu: 3) and the another fan (62) are disposed in the first cavity (combined cavities for 3 and 62); and
the transmit coil (Wu: 2), the semiconductor refrigeration chip (61), and the first thermally conductive member (7) are sequentially disposed in the second cavity (combined cavities for 2, 7, 61).
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Wu, Lu and Li shows: wherein the first cavity (see Wu: combined cavities for 3 and 62) comprises a first segment (segment/cavity for 3) and a second segment (segment/cavity for 62), the second segment (segment/cavity for 62) extends upward along a curve (right side of 103) from the first segment (segment/cavity for 3) to the air vent (104), the fan (3) is located in the first segment (segment/cavity for 3), and the semiconductor refrigeration chip (61; see 61 adjacent to coil 2 in fig. 6a and the location of coil 2 in fig. 1a) is located in the second segment (segment/cavity for 62).
Regarding claim 8, Wu shows: a wireless charging device (see Wu: figs. 1-7), comprising a housing (1 in fig. 1c), a transmit coil (201 in fig. 1a), and a heat dissipation assembly (3), wherein the housing (1) is provided with a panel (101), and the heat dissipation assembly (3) comprises:
a semiconductor refrigeration chip (Wu: 61) comprising a cold end (611) and a hot end (612);
a first thermally conductive member (7), wherein the panel (101), the transmit coil (201), the semiconductor refrigeration chip (61), and the first thermally conductive member (7) are sequentially stacked, the cold end (611), and the hot end (612); and
a fan (3), disposed in the housing (1), wherein the first thermally conductive member (7) is obliquely disposed above the fan (3).
Wu differs from the claimed invention in that it doesn’t explicitly show that the panel (101), the transmit coil (201), the semiconductor refrigeration chip (61), and the first thermally conductive member (7) are sequentially stacked, the cold end (611) faces the transmit coil, and the hot end (612) faces the first thermally conductive member.
Li, in a module capable of dissipating heat (fig. 2), shows a panel (housing 20), a transmission coil (¶0014: voice coil), a semiconductor refrigeration chip (70), and a first thermally conductive member (80) are sequentially stacked, the cold end (71) faces the transmit coil (¶0014: voice coil, and the hot end (72) faces the first thermally conductive member (80).
In addition, Lu teaches providing multi refrigeration chips for independently cooling different regions of a device.
Hence, if it is found that certain regions of Wu’s charger have excessive heating problem, it would have been obvious for one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the application to modify Wu by the arrangement of Li because that’s where the heat is generated and the refrigeration chip assists in dissipating the heat (Li abstract). In addition, when additional refrigeration chips as taught by Lu are placed on Wu depending on different regions of the Wu device, this improves the independent temperature control on different regions of the device (Lu ¶0028).
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Wu, Li and Lu shows: wherein a first cavity (Wu: cavity for 3) and a second cavity (cavity 62) are disposed in the housing (1), and the second cavity (cavity 62) s located above the first cavity (cavity for 3);
the fan (3) is located in the first cavity; and
the transmit coil (Wu: coil 201; Li: ¶0014 voice coil), the semiconductor refrigeration chip (Wu: refrigeration chip 61), and the first thermally conductive member (Wu: thermal conductive member 7; Li: thermal conductive member 80) are sequentially (see Li’s stack and explanation above) disposed in the second cavity (Wu: cavity below 62 in fig. 1a).
Claims 7 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu (CN 212543377 U; claim mapping is done on US 2023/0014262) in view of Lu et al. (US 20190247923), Li et al. (US 2021/0127477) and further in view of Jeong et al. (US 20210161034).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Wu, Lu and Li shows: the wireless charging device (see Wu: Fig. 1a) further comprises a circuit board (203 in fig. 1a), the housing (1 in fig. 1c) is further provided with a third cavity (4, 103) and an air exhaust vent (401, air path arrows between 8 and 101a in fig. 1a) )that communicate with each other, and the third cavity (4) communicates with both the first cavity (cavity for 3) and the second cavity (cavity for 62); and the third cavity (4, 103, air path arrows between 402 and 104) is located above (i.e. air path arrows between 8 and 101a) the first cavity (cavity for 3), and is located on a side (i.e. air path arrows between 8 and 101a) of the second cavity (cavity for 62).
The circuit board (Wu: i.e. 203) is disposed on the housing (1), and is located in the third cavity (4, 103, air path arrows between 402 and 104) and air blown (air path arrows in fig. 1a) by the another fan (62) can be blown to the first thermally conductive member (7) and the circuit board (203), and is discharged from the air exhaust vent (104).
Noted that the circuit board (i.e. wireless charging module 2) is electrically connected to the transmit coil (201), the fan (3) and the another fan (62) [note: Wu is a charger, both coil 201, the fan 3 and the another fan 62 are electrical components which are required to be electrically controlled and connected to the circuit board (i.e. module 2)], the circuit board (i.e. wireless charging module 2) is disposed on the housing (1), and is located in the third cavity (air arrows between 3 and 62), and air blown by the fan (3) can be blown to the first thermally conductive member (7) and the circuit board (i.e. wireless charging module 2), and is discharged from the air exhaust vent (104).
However, if it is unclear whether Wu’s circuit board (i.e. wireless charging module 2) is electrically connected to the transmit coil (201), the fan (3) and another fan (62). Jeong, in a charging device, shows a circuit board (¶0065; fig. 2: circuit board 270) is electrically connected to the transmit coil (241 or 242), the fan and another fan (250, 260). Hence, it would have been obvious for one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the application to connect Wu’s transmit coil (201), the fan (3) and the another fan (62) onto Wu’s circuit board as taught by Jeong, it is simply required in order to operate and control these electrical components to function as a charger (Jeong ¶0065).
Regarding claim 10, the combination of Wu, Li and Lu shows: wherein the wireless charging device (Wu: figs. 1-7) further comprises a circuit board (i.e. wireless charging module 2), the housing (1) is further provided with a third cavity (4) and an air exhaust vent (104) that communicate with each other, and the third cavity (4) communicates with both the first cavity (cavity for 3) and the second cavity (cavity for 62) ; and the third cavity (4) is located above (air arrows) the first cavity, and is located on a side (air arrow) of the second cavity (cavity for 62); and
the circuit board (i.e. wireless charging module 2) is electrically connected to the transmit coil (201) and the fan (3) [note: Wu is a charger, both coil 201 and fan 3 are electrical components which are required to be electrically controlled and connected to the circuit board (i.e. module 2)], the circuit board (i.e. wireless charging module 2) is disposed on the housing (1), and is located in the third cavity (air arrows between 3 and 62), and air blown by the fan (3) can be blown to the first thermally conductive member (7) and the circuit board (i.e. wireless charging module 2), and is discharged from the air exhaust vent (104).
However, if it is unclear whether Wu’s circuit board (i.e. wireless charging module 2) is electrically connected to the transmit coil (201) and the fan (3). Jeong, in a charging device, shows a circuit board (¶0065; fig. 2: circuit board 270) is electrically connected to the transmit coil (241 or 242) and the fan (250 or 260). Hence, it would have been obvious for one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the application to connect Wu’s transmit coil and the fan onto Wu’s circuit board as taught by Jeong, it is simply required in order to operate and control these electrical components to function as a charger (Jeong ¶0065).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JACK CHIANG whose telephone number is (571)272-7483. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday – Friday from 8am to 6pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kiesha Bryant, can be reached at telephone number 571-272-3606. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from Patent Center. Status information for published applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Patent Center to authorized users only. Should you have questions about access to the USPTO patent electronic filing system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free).
Examiner interviews are available via a variety of formats. See MPEP § 713.01. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) Form at https://www.uspto.gov/InterviewPractice.
/JACK CHIANG/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2851
Prosecution Insights