DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Information Disclosure Statement(s)
The Information Disclosure Statement(s) filed on March 24, 2023, November 11, 2023, and November 10, 2024 were considered by the Examiner.
Drawings
1. The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the feature “wherein the plurality of straight ribs on the bottom surface of the cooling plate body is arranged at an angle of 0 to 90 degrees relative to a flow direction of coolant” from claims 4, 8 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered. Presently, no figure shows the angle formed between the straight ribs and the flow direction of coolant.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
2. The drawings are further objected to because in Figures 1-18 every line, number, and letter is not sufficiently dense and dark, and uniformly thick and well-defined, and further each figure must be labeled with “FIG.” rather than “Figure.” Accordingly, the drawings are not in compliance with 37 CFR. 1.84(l) and 37 CFR. 1.84(u). Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) and 37 CFR. 1.84 are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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) 1-5, 7-9, 11-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US20190189548A1 (“Ohashi”) in view of US20110297361A1 (“Carbone”).
RE: Claim 1, Ohashi discloses A heat dissipation structure of a cooling plate for a power semiconductor module (1 in FIG. 1), comprising: a power chip (3; 1 is a power module including semiconductor element 3, [0032]; therefore 3 is considered a power chip), a first solder layer (layer 2 is formed of solder, [0042]), a copper-clad ceramic substrate (combination of 11, 12; 11 is a ceramic substrate, [0034]; 12 is formed by bonding Cu to a surface of 11, [0035]; therefore, the combination of 11, 12 is a ceramic substrate cladded by Cu, i.e., a copper-clad ceramic substrate), a second solder layer (layer 32 is formed of solder, [0043]) and a cooling plate body (30) which are arranged in a sequence from top to bottom.
Ohashi does not explicitly disclose the heat dissipation structure further comprises a straight rib mechanism and a pin rib mechanism, the straight rib mechanism is arranged on a bottom surface of the cooling plate body, and the pin rib mechanism is arranged on a surface of the straight rib mechanism.
However, Ohashi discloses The heat sink 30 dissipates the heat from the aforementioned power module substrate 10, [0043].
In the same field of endeavor, Carbone discloses a heat dissipation structure (heat sink 500 in FIG. 5, [0052]) comprising a straight rib mechanism (504) and a pin rib mechanism (502), the straight rib mechanism is arranged on a bottom surface of the cooling plate body (FIG. 5 shows the straight rib mechanism 504 on a bottom surface of 501), and the pin rib mechanism is arranged on a surface of the straight rib mechanism (Carbone discloses struts 504 are positioned between the bottom surfaces of the fins 502 and the heat source surface 501. In this way, the struts 504 not only provide structural integrity to fins 502 by holding them altogether, but may also function as thermal contacts between fins 502 and the heat source surface 501, [0052]; Accordingly, 502 are on at least one surface of 504).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to substitute the heat sink 30 with the heat sink 500 from Carbone as both function as heat sinks for dissipating heat, and the results of the substitution would have been predictable, see MPEP 2143.
Carbone further discloses heat sinks are commonly used in conjunction with computer processors, heat engines, and many other electronic devices, [0003].
Carbone further discloses There are numerous ways to connect fins of a heat sink with struts. Those that have been shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 are only exemplary embodiments. Any other suitable strut-mesh pattern, which may hold fins together and/or minimize the fins' in-plane rigidity, may be used, [0053].
FIG. 6C of Carbone shows all struts 604 parallel to each other.
It would have been further obvious to modify the configuration of struts 504 and fins 502 so that the struts 504 are all parallel to each other as taught in FIG. 6C of Carbone as this would have been obvious to try since such configuration is one solution for the configuration of the struts 504 and fins 502 identified by Carbone and this would have had a reasonable expectation of success, see MPEP 2143. As a result, the struts 504, fins 502 would match the configuration of the struts 604, fins 602 in FIG. 6C of Carbone.
RE: Claim 2, Ohashi in view of Carbone discloses The heat dissipation structure of a cooling plate for a power semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein the straight rib mechanism comprises a plurality of straight ribs (As modified, 504 matches the configuration of 604 in FIG. 6C of Carbone) arranged on the bottom surface of the cooling plate body (As modified, 504 would still be arranged on the bottom surface of 501 as shown in FIG. 5 of Carbone), and each of the plurality of straight ribs has a cross-section that is triangular, convex arc-shaped or concave arc-shaped (Carbone discloses 504 are struts, [0052]; struts have a cross-sectional shape of a triangle, [0062]).
RE: Claim 3, Ohashi in view of Carbone discloses The heat dissipation structure of a cooling plate for a power semiconductor module according to claim 2, wherein the arrangement of the plurality of straight ribs on the bottom surface of the cooling plate body is of no gaps or is spaced (As modified, 504 would be spaced as shown for 604 in FIG. 6C of Carbone).
RE: Claim 4, Ohashi in view of Carbone discloses The heat dissipation structure of a cooling plate for a power semiconductor module according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of straight ribs on the bottom surface of the cooling plate body is arranged at an angle of 0 to 90 degrees relative to a flow direction of coolant (Carbone discloses A pin-fin array has an ominidirectional structure that permits cooling medium, e.g., air, to enter the array from every direction regardless of the direction of the incoming air, [0049]; Accordingly, Carbone discloses a flow direction of coolant; At any flow direction, the straight ribs 504/604 would form an angle of 0 to 90 degrees relative to the flow direction; For example, if the flow direction was in the y-direction of FIG. 6C, the angle would be 90 degrees; If the flow direction was in the x-direction, the angle would be 0 degrees; If the flow direction was in the z-direction (into/out of the page in FIG. 6C), the angle would be 90 degrees).
RE: Claim 5, Ohashi in view of Carbone discloses The heat dissipation structure of a cooling plate for a power semiconductor module according to claim 4, wherein the pin rib mechanism comprises a plurality of pin ribs (502 in FIG. 5 of Carbone; As modified, 502 and 504 would be in the configuration of FIG. 6C of Carbone) arranged on rib bases, rib tops or side surfaces of the plurality of straight ribs (As modified, 504 are triangular, therefore each strut 504 would have three side surfaces, and the plurality of fins 502 would be on side surfaces of the plurality of 504), and each of the plurality of pin ribs has a cross-section that is circular, elliptical or polygonal (Carbone discloses 502 are fins, [0052]; the cross-sectional shape of a fin may be circular, polygonal, [0051]).
RE: Claim 7, Ohashi in view of Carbone discloses The heat dissipation structure of a cooling plate for a power semiconductor module according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of pin ribs is arranged in at least one row between adjacent rib bases or adjacent rib tops of the plurality of straight ribs (As shown in Annotated FIG. 6C from Carbone below, fins 602 are arranged in at least one row of 602, 604 between adjacent rib bases of struts 604; As modified, fins 502 would be arranged in at least one row of 502, 504 between adjacent rib bases of struts 504; bottom portions of 504 adjacent to 501 in FIG. 5C of Carbone would correspond to the claimed rib bases).
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(Annotated FIG. 6C of Carbone)
RE: Claim 12, Ohashi in view of Carbone discloses The heat dissipation structure of a cooling plate for a power semiconductor module according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of pin ribs is arranged in at least one row between adjacent rib bases or adjacent rib tops of the plurality of straight ribs (As shown in Annotated FIG. 6C from Carbone below, fins 602 are arranged in at least one row of 602, 604 between adjacent rib bases of struts 604; As modified, fins 502 would be arranged in at least one row of 502, 504 between adjacent rib bases of struts 504; bottom portions of 504 adjacent to 501 in FIG. 5C of Carbone would correspond to the claimed rib bases).
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RE: Claim 8, Ohashi in view of Carbone discloses The heat dissipation structure of a cooling plate for a power semiconductor module according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of straight ribs on the bottom surface of the cooling plate body is arranged at an angle of 0 to 90 degrees relative to a flow direction of coolant (Carbone discloses A pin-fin array has an ominidirectional structure that permits cooling medium, e.g., air, to enter the array from every direction regardless of the direction of the incoming air, [0049]; Accordingly, Carbone discloses a flow direction of coolant; At any flow direction, the straight ribs 504/604 would form an angle of 0 to 90 degrees relative to the flow direction; For example, if the flow direction was in the y-direction of FIG. 6C, the angle would be 90 degrees; If the flow direction was in the x-direction, the angle would be 0 degrees; If the flow direction was in the z-direction (into the page in FIG. 6C), the angle would be 90 degrees).
RE: Claim 9, Ohashi in view of Carbone discloses The heat dissipation structure of a cooling plate for a power semiconductor module according to claim 8, wherein the pin rib mechanism comprises a plurality of pin ribs (502 in FIG. 5 of Carbone; As modified, 502 and 504 would be in the configuration of FIG. 6C of Carbone) arranged on rib bases, rib tops or side surfaces of the plurality of straight ribs (As modified, 504 are triangular, therefore each strut 504 would have three side surfaces, and the plurality of fins 502 would be on side surfaces of the plurality of 504), and each of the plurality of pin ribs is circular, elliptical or polygonal in cross-section (Carbone discloses 502 are fins, [0052]; the cross-sectional shape of a fin may be circular, polygonal, [0051]).
RE: Claim 11, Ohashi in view of Carbone discloses The heat dissipation structure of a cooling plate for a power semiconductor module according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of pin ribs is arranged in at least one row between adjacent rib bases or adjacent rib tops of the plurality of straight ribs (As shown in Annotated FIG. 6C from Carbone below, fins 602 are arranged in at least one row of 602, 604 between adjacent rib bases of struts 604; As modified, fins 502 would be arranged in at least one row of 502, 504 between adjacent rib bases of struts 504; bottom portions of 504 adjacent to 501 in FIG. 5C of Carbone would correspond to the claimed rib bases).
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RE: Claim 13, Ohashi in view of Carbone discloses The heat dissipation structure of a cooling plate for a power semiconductor module according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of pin ribs is arranged in at least one row between adjacent rib bases or adjacent rib tops of the plurality of straight rib (As shown in Annotated FIG. 6C from Carbone below, fins 602 are arranged in at least one row of 602, 604 between adjacent rib bases of struts 604; As modified, fins 502 would be arranged in at least one row of 502, 504 between adjacent rib bases of struts 504; bottom portions of 504 adjacent to 501 in FIG. 5C of Carbone would correspond to the claimed rib bases).
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(Annotated FIG. 6C of Carbone)
Claims 6, 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ohashi in view of Carbone as applied to claim 5 or 9, and further in view of US20210215433A1 (“Takabayashi”).
RE: Claim 6, Ohashi in view of Carbone does not explicitly disclose The heat dissipation structure of a cooling plate of a power semiconductor module according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of pin ribs is arranged in a straight line along the flow direction of the coolant; or the plurality of pin ribs are staggered along the flow direction of the coolant.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Takabayashi discloses in FIG. 1, branch pipes 14 connected and supported by headers 13, [0036].
Takabayashi further discloses In the above-described embodiments, the cooling air flows in the Y-axis direction, that is, in the horizontal direction. However, the cooling air may flow in the Z-axis direction, that is, the vertical direction. When the exothermic element 31 is cooled by natural air cooling, the cooling air flows in the Z-axis direction. As illustrated in FIGS. 22 and 23, a cooling device 6 according to Embodiment 6 includes branch pipes 21 instead of the branch pipes 14. The structure of the cooling device 6, other than the branch pipes 21, is the same as that of the cooling device 1. Also, positions at which the branch pipes 21 are arranged are the same as the positions at which the branch pipes 14 are arranged in Embodiment 1, [0060].
Takabayashi further discloses Also, since the branch pipes 21 are attached to the header 13 similarly to Embodiment 1, the temperature difference in the exothermic body 31 can be reduced, [0060].
Takabayashi therefore discloses a plurality of straight ribs (13) on the bottom surface of the cooling plate body (11) is arranged at an angle of 0 to 90 degrees relative to a flow direction of coolant (As cooling air would flow in the z-axis direction as shown in FIG. 1, the headers 13 would be arranged at an angle of 90 degrees relative to a flow direction of coolant).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide an air coolant flow such that the struts 504 are arranged at an angle of 90 degrees relative to a flow direction of the air coolant as taught by Takabayashi in order to reduce temperature differences and more uniformly cool the semiconductor element 3 in Ohashi. As a result, Ohashi in view of Carbone, in view of Takabayashi discloses:
The heat dissipation structure of a cooling plate of a power semiconductor module according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of pin ribs is arranged in a straight line along the flow direction of the coolant (As modified, the flow direction of the coolant would be at a 90 degree angle relative to struts 504/604 which is in the y-direction in FIG. 6C of Carbone; In FIG. 6C of Carbone, fins 502/602 are arranged in a straight line along the y-direction); or the plurality of pin ribs are staggered along the flow direction of the coolant (this limitation is considered optional due to the presence of “or” in this claim).
RE: Claim 10, Ohashi in view of Carbone does not explicitly disclose The heat dissipation structure of a cooling plate of a power semiconductor module according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of pin ribs is arranged in a straight line along the flow direction of the coolant; or the plurality of pin ribs are staggered along the flow direction of the coolant.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Takabayashi discloses in FIG. 1, branch pipes 14 connected and supported by headers 13, [0036].
Takabayashi further discloses In the above-described embodiments, the cooling air flows in the Y-axis direction, that is, in the horizontal direction. However, the cooling air may flow in the Z-axis direction, that is, the vertical direction. When the exothermic element 31 is cooled by natural air cooling, the cooling air flows in the Z-axis direction. As illustrated in FIGS. 22 and 23, a cooling device 6 according to Embodiment 6 includes branch pipes 21 instead of the branch pipes 14. The structure of the cooling device 6, other than the branch pipes 21, is the same as that of the cooling device 1. Also, positions at which the branch pipes 21 are arranged are the same as the positions at which the branch pipes 14 are arranged in Embodiment 1, [0060].
Takabayashi further discloses Also, since the branch pipes 21 are attached to the header 13 similarly to Embodiment 1, the temperature difference in the exothermic body 31 can be reduced, [0060].
Takabayashi therefore discloses a plurality of straight ribs (13) on the bottom surface of the cooling plate body (11) is arranged at an angle of 0 to 90 degrees relative to a flow direction of coolant (As cooling air would flow in the z-axis direction as shown in FIG. 1, the headers 13 would be arranged at an angle of 90 degrees relative to a flow direction of coolant).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide an air coolant flow such that the struts 504 are arranged at an angle of 90 degrees relative to a flow direction of the air coolant as taught by Takabayashi in order to reduce temperature differences and more uniformly cool the semiconductor element 3 in Ohashi. As a result, Ohashi in view of Carbone, in view of Takabayashi discloses:
The heat dissipation structure of a cooling plate of a power semiconductor module according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of pin ribs is arranged in a straight line along the flow direction of the coolant (As modified, the flow direction of the coolant would be at a 90 degree angle relative to struts 504/604 which is in the y-direction in FIG. 6C of Carbone; In FIG. 6C of Carbone, fins 502/602 are arranged in a straight line along the y-direction); or the plurality of pin ribs are staggered along the flow direction of the coolant (this limitation is considered optional due to the presence of “or” in this claim).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL ANGUIANO whose telephone number is (703)756-1226. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Brent Fairbanks can be reached at (408) 918-7532. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MICHAEL ANGUIANO/Examiner, Art Unit 2899
/Brent A. Fairbanks/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2899