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 .
Status
The filing on 03/20/2026 amended claim 1. Claims 1, 2, 4, and 6-13 are pending and rejected.
Claim Rejections - AIA 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 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
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 of this title, 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 1, 2, 4, 6-10 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin (US 20150029472 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Lin teaches a cooling device (Fig. 1 and 2) comprising: a pressure feeding unit (140) configured to feed a cooling medium for cooling a member (120); a flow channel (110) configured to guide the cooling medium to the member (120), the flow channel (110) including a first flow channel (first portion of 110), a second flow channel (second portion of 110), a bent portion that connects the first flow channel (first portion of 110) and the second flow channel (second portion of 110); and a heat sink unit (130) disposed in the bent portion in the flow channel (110) and configured to cool the cooling medium, wherein an inflow portion of the first flow channel (first portion of 110) from which the cooling medium flows into the heat sink unit (130) includes an outer circumferential side of the bent portion, and wherein in a projection onto a projection surface which is a surface perpendicular to a first direction which is a flowing direction of the cooling medium in the first flow channel (first portion of 110), a projection area of the heat sink unit (130) is larger than a projection area of the inflow portion (Fig. 2); and wherein the first flow channel includes a throttling portion which extends to a position adjacent the heat sink unit (130) and which gradually reduces a cross sectional area of the first flow channel to make the cooling medium flow into the heat sink unit (130). Lin further teaches the heat sink unit (130) comprises a base part and a fin part including fins extending outwardly from the base part, wherein the cooling medium flows past the throttling portion and toward the base part of the heat sink unit (130).
Lin does not explicitly teach the fins extend in a direction away from the outer circumferential surface and perpendicular to the first direction.
Having the fins extending in a direction away from the outer circumferential surface and perpendicular to the first direction does not change the principle of operation in anyway.
Rearrangement of parts without changing the principle of operation is prima facie obvious. In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950).
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Regarding claim 2, Lin further teaches the heat sink unit (130) comprises a base part and a fin part protruding from the base part, and wherein in a projection onto the projection surface, the fin part protrudes toward a side of a second direction, which is a direction in which the cooling medium flows in the second flow channel (second portion of 110), of a portion from which the cooling medium flows into the heat sink unit (130) in the flow channel (110; Fig. 1 and 2).
Regarding claim 4, Lin further teaches a projection area on the projection surface of the heat sink unit (130) is larger than a cross sectional area of the first flow channel (first portion of 110) in a cross section perpendicular to the first direction (Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 6, Lin further teaches the heat sink unit (130) comprises a base part and a fin part protruding from the base part, and wherein the base part is disposed in an outer circumferential surface of the flow channel (110) which faces the first direction.
Regarding claim 7, Lin further teaches the cooling medium circulates in the flow channel (110).
Regarding claim 8, Lin further teaches the heat sink unit (130), the pressure feeding unit (140) and the member (120) are arranged in this order along a direction in which the cooling medium flows in the flow channel (110) by the pressure feeding unit (140).
Regarding claim 9, Lin further teaches a thermoelectric conversion element disposed in the heat sink unit (130) so as to be able to transfer heat ([0032]).
Regarding claim 10, Lin further teaches the cooling medium comprises an air.
Regarding claim 13, Lin teaches an optical apparatus comprising a cooling device, wherein the cooling device comprises: a pressure feeding unit (140) configured to feed a cooling medium for cooling a member (120); a flow channel (110) configured to guide the cooling medium to the member (120), the flow channel (110) including a first flow channel (first portion of 110), a second flow channel (second portion of 110), a bent portion that connects the first flow channel (first portion of 110) and the second flow channel (second portion of 110); and a heat sink unit (130) disposed in the bent portion in the flow channel (110) and configured to cool the cooling medium, wherein an inflow portion of the first flow channel (first portion of 110) from which the cooling medium flows into the heat sink unit (130) includes an outer circumferential side of the bent portion, and wherein in a projection onto a projection surface which is a surface perpendicular to a first direction which is a flowing direction of the cooling medium in the first flow channel (first portion of 110), a projection area of the heat sink unit (130) is larger than a projection area of the inflow portion; and wherein the first flow channel includes a throttling portion which extends to a position adjacent the heat sink unit (130) and which gradually reduces a cross sectional area of the first flow channel to make the cooling medium flow into the heat sink unit (130). Lin further teaches the heat sink unit (130) comprises a base part and a fin part including fins extending outwardly from the base part, wherein the cooling medium flows past the throttling portion and toward the base part of the heat sink unit (130).
Lin does not explicitly teach the fins extend in a direction away from the outer circumferential surface and perpendicular to the first direction.
Having the fins extending in a direction away from the outer circumferential surface and perpendicular to the first direction does not change the principle of operation in anyway.
Rearrangement of parts without changing the principle of operation is prima facie obvious. In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950).
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin in view of Usuda (US 20160299414 A1).
Regarding claim 11, Lin does not teach the cooling medium comprises a liquid.
Usuda teaches using liquid as cooling medium in addition to air (Fig. 4; [0054]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skills in the art at the time of the invention to combine Lin with Usuda; because it improves cooling efficiency.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin in view of Kobayashi (US 20180066835 A1).
Regarding claim 12, Lin teaches a projection display apparatus having a cooling device configured to cool at least one of the light source, the illumination optical system, the color separating and combining unit and the projection lens, wherein the cooling device comprises: a pressure feeding unit (140) configured to feed a cooling medium for cooling a member (120); a flow channel (110) configured to guide the cooling medium to the member (120), the flow channel (110) including; a first flow channel (first portion of 110), a second flow channel (second portion of 110), a bent portion that connects the first flow channel (first portion of 110) and the second flow channel (second portion of 110); and a heat sink unit (130) disposed in the bent portion in the flow channel (110) and configured to cool the cooling medium, wherein an inflow portion of the first flow channel (first portion of 110) from which the cooling medium flows into the heat sink unit (130) includes an outer circumferential side of the bent portion, and wherein in a projection onto a projection surface which is a surface perpendicular to a first direction which is a flowing direction of the cooling medium in the first flow channel (first portion of 110), a projection area of the heat sink unit (130) is larger than a projection area of the inflow portion (Fig. 1 and 2); and wherein the first flow channel includes a throttling portion which extends to a position adjacent the heat sink unit (130) and which gradually reduces a cross sectional area of the first flow channel to make the cooling medium flow into the heat sink unit (130). Lin further teaches the heat sink unit (130) comprises a base part and a fin part including fins extending outwardly from the base part, wherein the cooling medium flows past the throttling portion and toward the base part of the heat sink unit (130).
Lin does not explicitly teach the fins extend in a direction away from the outer circumferential surface and perpendicular to the first direction.
Having the fins extending in a direction away from the outer circumferential surface and perpendicular to the first direction does not change the principle of operation in anyway.
Rearrangement of parts without changing the principle of operation is prima facie obvious. In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950).
Furthermore, Lin does not explicitly teach the exact components of projection display apparatus as claimed.
Kobayashi teaches the projection display apparatus comprises: a light source (100); an illumination optical system (430, 440, 450) configured to generate illumination light from a light emitted from the light source (100); a color separating and combining unit (540) that is an optical system configured to generate a projection image from the illumination light; and a projection lens (600) that projects the projection image.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skills in the art at the time of the invention to combine Lin with Kobayashi; because it allows using a 3-panel projection system to improve image quality.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments with respect to claim 1 have been fully considered but are found not persuasive; hence the rejection/s of all pending claims are maintained.
Regarding claim 1, applicant/s argue,
Lin however, does not teach or suggest a cooling device wherein the heat sink unit comprises a base part and a fin part including fins extending outwardly from the base part, the fins extend in a direction away from the outer circumferential surface and perpendicular to the first direction, and the cooling medium flows past the throttling portion and toward the base part of the heat sink unit. (Remarks; p. 8).
Examiner respectfully disagrees. Lin explicitly and clearly teaches the cooling medium flows past the throttling portion and toward the base part of the heat sink unit (130, see the annotated Fig. 1 above).
With respect to the orientation of the fins in relation tot the circumferential surface and the first direction, having the fins extending in a direction away from the outer circumferential surface and perpendicular to the first direction does not change the principle of operation in anyway. Rearrangement of parts without changing the principle of operation is prima facie obvious. In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950).
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 extension fee 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 BAO-LUAN Q LE whose telephone number is (571)270-5362. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday; 9:00AM-5:00PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Minh-Toan Ton can be reached on (571) 272 230303. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2882
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