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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 1/21/2026 has been entered.
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 18 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 18 recites “within a housing surrounding the precursor vessel”; however, the claims have not required the presence of a housing and as such it is unclear if this claim is requiring the presence of the housing, or only reciting what the temperature is based on for location. For the purpose of examination, as long as it is shown to be obvious to set the temperature of the precursor, the limitation is met and no housing is required.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
“Thermoelectric cooling device” is not interpreted under 35 USC 112(f) as a thermoelectric cooling device is a term that is understood to have a specific structure present.
Precursory delivery system and precursor cooling assembly is not interpreted under 35 USC 112(f) as sufficient structure is provided.
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) 1-6, 9-13, 15-17, 19-20, 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Carlson (US PG Pub 20180163307), hereinafter referred to as Carlson and further in view of Adldinger et al. (US PG Pub 20140338366), hereinafter referred to as Adldinger and further in view of Zhang (US PG Pub 20200268064), hereinafter referred to as Zhang and Miura et al. (US PG Pub 20200254845), hereinafter referred to as Miura and Sawaguchi et al. (US PG Pub 20090114373), hereinafter referred to as Sawaguchi.
With respect to claim 1, Carlson (Figure 3A/B) teaches a precursor vessel cooling assembly comprising:
a precursor vessel (canister 210a, which contains precursor, paragraphs 30, 37-38);
a thermoelectric cooling device comprising a first surface and a second surface (thermoelectric module 354a, which has a surface connected to 356a and a surface connected to 352a, paragraphs 40, 42), the first surface in thermal contact with a surface of the precursor vessel (356a is thermally connected to the bottom of the canister 210, paragraph 41 and transfers heat to the fluid delivery module using the thermoelectric module, which means the first surface connected to 356a is in thermal contact with the precursor vessel);
and a fluid-cooled plate in thermal contact with the second surface (352a is a plate which receives fluid which would cool it, paragraph 40), the fluid-cooled plate comprising a conduit and a cooling fluid therein (temperature control channels 358a provide a fluid for cooling which would be conduits, paragraph 40),
a controller (controller 370, paragraph 43).
Carlson does not teach the plate is a body which has the conduit and cooling fluid therein where there is a lid comprising a ridge configured to be inserted into the conduit.
Sawaguchi (Figures 1-9) teaches the formation of a heat exchanger where the body of the heat exchanger has a conduit formed by walls (511, 512, 513) which forms what can be seen to be a serpentine flow conduit (521a-d with turns 522a-c) from an inlet (53) to an outlet 54) (paragraphs 65-67), where the upper case is formed with fin portions (3) which are inserted into the recess of the lower case (paragraph 68). The device being cooled sits on the upper case (see Figure 10, 1).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have provided the fluid cooled plate of Carlson (352a) in the configuration as taught by Sawaguchi where there is a main body with a serpentine pathway formed by walls and inlet and outlet and an upper case portion which has fins which insert into the pathway since it has been shown that combining prior art elements to yield predictable results is obvious whereby providing the fins (at least one or all of which can be considered a ridge) from an upper case (which is a lid), which is on the thermoelectric device side of the heat plate, into the conduit through which the fluid passes would provide what is common knowledge in the art of increasing the heat transfer with the fluid in the conduit thus providing more efficient heat exchange and increased heat transfer performance between the thermoelectric module and the plate. As the configuration as modified has the same construction as the claimed invention it can be considered a plate.
Carlson does not teach a pump to adjust a flowrate of the cooling fluid.
Adldinger teaches (Figure 7) that to provide cooling to a cold plate connected to a thermoelectric device used for cooling a receptacle a pump (270) is used to pass the liquid through a loop (paragraph 53).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have provide a pump to pass the fluid to the plate (352a) of Carlson based on the teaching of Adldinger since it has been shown that combining prior art elements to yield predictable results is obvious whereby providing a pump would provide the predictable result that would be common knowledge in the art of ensuring the proper flow rate for the cooling fluid to the plates was maintained. Raising the pressure is an adjustment.
Carlson does not teach wherein the controller receives an input corresponding to a temperature of a precursor within the precursor vessel.
Zhang teaches that for a thermoelectric device used for providing heat transfer to a water tank, that a sensor is used to monitor the temperature of the water which is provided to the controller and a controller controls the current direction and magnitude of the thermoelectric cooler to obtain a constant temperature (paragraph 68).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have used the controller of Carlson to have used a sensor to provide a temperature of the precursor to monitor the temperature of the precursor which provides the temperature to the controller (an input) based on the teaching of Zhang since it has been shown that combining prior art elements to yield predictable results is obvious whereby monitoring the precursor temperature would provide efficiency to the cooling system by being able to adjust the cooling when necessary to maintain the desired temperature.
Carlson as modified does not teach the controller an output to the pump to adjust a flowrate of the cooling fluid based on the temperature of the precursor.
Miura teaches that in a cooling loop a pump can be provided and a controller can adjust the amount of cold heat supplied from the refrigeration cycle by adjusting the flow rate of the cooling water (paragraph 237). Further, Miura (Figure 18) teaches that the controller can adjust the flow rate of the cooling water (in circuit 40) based on how much cooling is needed for the heat exchanger that the cooling water is cooling which is based on the temperature of what is being cooled by the cooling water which is based on a measured temperature (paragraph 171-176, paragraph 114).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have in the heat exchanger system of Carlson as modified when providing a pump which delivers cooling fluid to the plate to have provided based on a temperature measurement for the precursor (which is the temperature input to the controller) to have provide signal to the pump to adjust the flow rate of the cooling fluid to the plate since it has been shown that combining prior art elements to yield predictable results is obvious whereby providing the pump and providing the ability to adjust the pump flow rate would provide what is common knowledge in the art of increasing the efficiency of the heat exchange cycle by being able to have the pump responsive to the cooling needs of the cycle.
With respect to claim 2, Carlson as modified teaches wherein the pump is configured to circulate the cooling fluid through the conduit (as modified this would be the circulation that happens).
With respect to claim 3, Carlson teaches further comprising a first cooling fluid line coupled to the fluid-cooled plate (362a delivers the fluid to the plate).
While it appears that Carlson may teach a heat exchanger (heat exchanging system 360 likely includes a heat exchanger), this is not explicit in Carlson and as such it is considered that Carlson does not explicitly teach a heat exchanger such that the first cooling fluid line is coupled between the fluid-cooled plate and the heat exchanger.
Adldinger teaches (Figure 7) that to provide cooling to a cold plate connected to a thermoelectric device used for cooling a receptacle that a fluid heated by the cold plate is circulated through a loop which passes through conduits of a heat exchanger (280) which cools the fluid using a fan before cycling the fluid back to the to the plate (paragraphs 53).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have based on the teaching of Adldinger provided a heat exchanger cooled by a fan in a loop as the heat exchange system of Carlson whereby fluid that is heated by the cold plate (from 362b) passes to a heat exchanger cooled by a fan and is recycled back (via 362a) to the plate (352a) since it has been shown that combining prior art elements to yield predictable results is obvious whereby providing the heat exchanger system with a heat exchanger cooled by a fan would allow the warmed fluid to be cooled and returned back to the plate which would allow for what is common knowledge in the art of conserving the refrigerant. This would result in the inlet line (362a) being a fluid line between the heat exchanger and the plate.
With respect to claim 4, Carlson as modified teaches wherein the heat exchanger comprises a fan (as modified the heat exchanger includes a fan).
With respect to claim 5, Carlson as modified does not teach wherein the heat exchanger comprises an outer surface comprising one or more cooling fins.
The Examiner takes official notice that it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed for the heat exchanger of Carlson as modified to have had one or more cooling fins in order to increase the heat exchanger efficiency through the increase in surface area. Applicant has not timely traversed this official notice and as such it is considered admitted prior art.
With respect to claim 6, Carlson as modified teaches wherein the heat exchanger comprises a cooling fluid channel (as modified the heat exchanger has conduits through which the fluid pass).
With respect to claim 9, Carlson does not teach wherein the controller receives provides an output to the thermoelectric cooling device to adjust a current through the thermoelectric cooling device.
Zhang teaches that for a thermoelectric device used for providing heat transfer to a water tank, that a sensor is used to monitor the temperature of the water which is provided to the controller and a controller controls the current direction and magnitude of the thermoelectric cooler to obtain a constant temperature (paragraph 68).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have used the controller of Carlson to have used a sensor to provide a temperature of the precursor to monitor the temperature of the precursor which provides the temperature to the controller (an input) and to have provided a signal to the thermoelectric module (an output) based on the teaching of Zhang to have maintained the temperature of the precursor as desired since it has been shown that combining prior art elements to yield predictable results is obvious whereby receiving a control signal corresponding to the temperature of the precursor and providing a control signal to adjust the current to the thermoelectric module would provide what is common knowledge in the art of allowing for maintaining the temperature of the precursor at a desired temperature with temperature control to prevent the precursor from getting to a non-desired temperature.
With respect to claim 10, Carlson as modified does not teach wherein the controller provides an output to control a speed of the fan.
Zhang teaches that for a thermoelectric device used for providing heat transfer to a water tank, that a sensor is used to monitor the temperature of the water which is provided to the controller and a controller controls the current direction and magnitude of the thermoelectric cooler (paragraph 68). Zhang also teaches that a fan used to cool the fluid passed to thermoelectric cooler is has the rotational speed controlled by the controller (paragraphs 71-72).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have used provided a fan to cool the fluid of Carlson being passed to the thermoelectric module and to have used the controller of Carlson to have used a sensor to provide a temperature of the precursor to monitor the temperature of the precursor which provides the temperature to the controller (an input) and to have provided a signal to control the fan speed (an output) based on the teaching of Zhang whereby providing the controller with the ability to receive an input based on the temperature of the precursor and providing the ability to control the fan speed based on an output of the controller would provide for what is common knowledge in the art of a more efficient heat exchange system that is able to respond to changes need in the heat transfer provided in the system.
With respect to claim 11, Carlson as modified teaches further comprising a housing (320, paragraph 37), wherein the precursor vessel and the thermoelectric cooling device are within the housing (the temperature control system and the canister which includes 210 and 354a are in the housing, paragraph 37-38), and wherein the heat exchanger is exterior of the housing (the heat exchanger system as modified 360 which includes the heat exchanger is outside the housing, as seen in the figure).
With respect to claim 12, Carlson teaches wherein the fluid-cooled plate comprises one or more of aluminum, and stainless steel (the plate 354a is aluminum or stainless steel, paragraph 40).
With respect to claim 13, Carlson (Figure 3A/3B) teaches a method of cooling a precursor within a precursor vessel, the method comprising:
providing a precursor vessel containing a precursor therein (canister 210a, which contains precursor, paragraphs 30, 37-38);
cooling the precursor within the precursor vessel using a thermoelectric cooling device comprising a first surface and a second surface, the first surface in thermal contact with a surface of the precursor vessel (thermoelectric module 354a, which has a surface connected to 356a, which can be considered the first surface and a surface connected to 352a is used to transfer heat via the heat spreader from the canister to the fluid delivery module, paragraphs 40-42);
and using a fluid-cooled plate in thermal contact with the second surface (the surface connected 356a is the second surface, and 356a is a plate cooled by a fluid, paragraph 40), removing heat from the thermoelectric cooling device (as heat is transferred from 356a to 354a to the plate of 352a, the fluid moving in 352a would remove heat from 354a) by circulating a cooling fluid within the fluid-cooled plate (fluid is delivered to the temperature control channels of 356a via 362a and removed via 362b, paragraph 40 and thus circulated).
Carlson does not teach the plate is a body which has the conduit and cooling fluid therein where there is a lid comprising a ridge configured to be inserted into the conduit.
Sawaguchi (Figures 1-9) teaches the formation of a heat exchanger where the body of the heat exchanger has a conduit formed by walls (511, 512, 513) which forms what can be seen to be a serpentine flow conduit (521a-d with turns 522a-c) from an inlet (53) to an outlet 54) (paragraphs 65-67), where the upper case is formed with fin portions (3) which are inserted into the recess of the lower case (paragraph 68). The device being cooled sits on the upper case (see Figure 10, 1).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have provided the fluid cooled plate of Carlson (352a) in the configuration as taught by Sawaguchi where there is a main body with a serpentine pathway formed by walls and inlet and outlet and an upper case portion which has fins which insert into the pathway since it has been shown that combining prior art elements to yield predictable results is obvious whereby providing the fins (at least one or all of which can be considered a ridge) from an upper case (which is a lid), which is on the thermoelectric device side of the heat plate, into the conduit through which the fluid passes would provide what is common knowledge in the art of increasing the heat transfer with the fluid in the conduit thus providing more efficient heat exchange and increased heat transfer performance between the thermoelectric module and the plate. As the configuration as modified has the same construction as the claimed invention it can be considered a plate.
Carlson does not teach measuring a temperature of the precursor.
Zhang teaches that for a thermoelectric device used for providing heat transfer to a water tank, that a sensor is used to monitor the temperature of the water which is provided to the controller and a controller controls the current direction and magnitude of the thermoelectric cooler to obtain a constant temperature (paragraph 68).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have used the controller of Carlson to have used a sensor to provide a temperature measurement of the precursor which provides the temperature to the controller (an input) based on the teaching of Zhang since it has been shown that combining prior art elements to yield predictable results is obvious whereby monitoring the precursor temperature would provide efficiency to the cooling system by being able to adjust the cooling when necessary to maintain the desired temperature.
Carlson does not teach a pump for the cooling fluid.
Adldinger teaches (Figure 7) that to provide cooling to a cold plate connected to a thermoelectric device used for cooling a receptacle a pump (270) is used to pass the liquid through a loop (paragraph 53).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have provide a pump to pass the fluid to the plate (352a) of Carlson based on the teaching of Adldinger since it has been shown that combining prior art elements to yield predictable results is obvious whereby providing a pump would provide the predictable result that would be common knowledge in the art of ensuring the proper flow rate for the cooling fluid to the plates was maintained. Raising the pressure is an adjustment.
Carlson as modified does not teach adjusting, by the pump, a flowrate of the cooling fluid based on the measured temperature.
Miura teaches that in a cooling loop a pump can be provided and a controller can adjust the amount of cold heat supplied from the refrigeration cycle by adjusting the flow rate of the cooling water (paragraph 237). Further, Miura (Figure 18) teaches that the controller can adjust the flow rate of the cooling water (in circuit 40) based on how much cooling is needed for the heat exchanger that the cooling water is cooling which is based on the temperature of what is being cooled by the cooling water which is based on a measured temperature (paragraph 171-176, paragraph 114).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have in the heat exchanger system of Carlson as modified when providing a pump which delivers cooling fluid to the plate to have provided based on a temperature measurement for the precursor (which is the temperature input to the controller) to have provide signal to the pump to adjust the flow rate of the cooling fluid to the plate since it has been shown that combining prior art elements to yield predictable results is obvious whereby providing the pump and providing the ability to adjust the pump flow rate would provide what is common knowledge in the art of increasing the efficiency of the heat exchange cycle by being able to have the pump responsive to the cooling needs of the cycle.
With respect to claim 15, Carlson as modified does not teach controlling current through the thermoelectric cooling device based on the measured temperature.
Zhang teaches that for a thermoelectric device used for providing heat transfer to a water tank, that a sensor is used to monitor the temperature of the water which is provided to the controller and a controller controls the current direction and magnitude of the thermoelectric cooler to obtain a constant temperature (paragraph 68).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have when measuring the temperature in Carlson to have to have provided a signal to control the current to the thermoelectric module (an output) based on the teaching of Zhang to have maintained the temperature of the precursor as desired since it has been shown that combining prior art elements to yield predictable results is obvious whereby receiving a control signal corresponding to the temperature of the precursor and providing a control signal to adjust the current to the thermoelectric module would provide what is common knowledge in the art of allowing for maintaining the temperature of the precursor at a desired temperature with temperature control to prevent the precursor from getting to a non-desired temperature.
With respect to claim 16, Carlson as modified does not teach further comprising using a heat exchanger to remove heat from the cooling fluid circulated through the fluid-cooled plate. Carlson does teach a cooling fluid passing through the plate (paragraph 40) but not a heat exchanger that removes heat from that fluid.
Adldinger teaches (Figure 7) that to provide cooling to a cold plate connected to a thermoelectric device used for cooling a receptacle that a fluid heated by the cold plate is circulated through a loop which passes through conduits of a heat exchanger (280) which cools the fluid using a fan before cycling the fluid back to the to the plate (paragraphs 53).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have based on the teaching of Adldinger provided a heat exchanger cooled by a fan in a loop as the heat exchange system of Carlson whereby fluid that is heated by the cold plate (from 362b) passes to a heat exchanger cooled by a fan and is recycled back (via 362a) to the plate (352a) since it has been shown that combining prior art elements to yield predictable results is obvious whereby providing the heat exchanger system with a heat exchanger cooled by a fan would allow the warmed fluid to be cooled and returned back to the plate which would allow for what is common knowledge in the art of conserving the refrigerant.
With respect to claim 17, Carlson as modified does teaches wherein the heat exchanger comprise a fan (as modified there is a fan).
Carlson as modified does not teach the method further comprising controlling a fan speed of the heat exchanger.
Zhang teaches that for a thermoelectric device used for providing heat transfer to a water tank that the speed that the speed of the cooling fan can be controlled by a controller (paragraph 72).
Therefore it would been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have based on the teaching of Zhang to have in Carlson as controlled the speed of the fan since it has been shown that combining prior art elements to yield predictable results is obvious whereby providing control to the speed of the fan would provide what would be common knowledge in the art of providing increased heat exchanger efficiency by being able to adjust the fan speed to match the desired heat exchanger conditions.
With respect to claim 19, Carlson modified teaches a reactor system (Figure 3A/B, F4) comprising:
a reaction chamber (402 is a process chamber where chemical vapor deposition takes place, paragraph 45, which is a reaction)
a precursor delivery system coupled to the reaction chamber (precursor is removed and delivered outside the system via outlet 200 which 210 is a part of to the process chamber, paragraph 46, which connection would be 200a/b and 210a/b when used with Figure 3), the precursor delivery system comprising at least one precursor vessel cooling assembly, the precursor vessel cooling assembly comprising:
a precursor vessel (canister 210a);
a thermoelectric cooling device comprising a first surface and a second surface, the first surface in thermal contact with a surface of the precursor vessel (thermoelectric module 354a, which has a surface connected to 356a, which can be considered the first surface and a surface connected to 352a is used to transfer heat via the heat spreader from the canister to the fluid delivery module, paragraphs 40-42);
a fluid-cooled plate in thermal contact with the second surface (the surface connected 356a is the second surface, and 356a is a plate cooled by a fluid, paragraph 40), the fluid-cooled plate comprising a conduit and a cooling fluid therein (temperature control channels 358a provide a fluid for cooling which would be conduits, paragraph 40),
a cooling fluid line coupled to the fluid-cooled plate (362a delivers the fluid to the plate).
Carlson does not teach the plate is a body which has the conduit and cooling fluid therein where there is a lid comprising a ridge configured to be inserted into the conduit.
Sawaguchi (Figures 1-9) teaches the formation of a heat exchanger where the body of the heat exchanger has a conduit formed by walls (511, 512, 513) which forms what can be seen to be a serpentine flow conduit (521a-d with turns 522a-c) from an inlet (53) to an outlet 54) (paragraphs 65-67), where the upper case is formed with fin portions (3) which are inserted into the recess of the lower case (paragraph 68). The device being cooled sits on the upper case (see Figure 10, 1).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have provided the fluid cooled plate of Carlson (352a) in the configuration as taught by Sawaguchi where there is a main body with a serpentine pathway formed by walls and inlet and outlet and an upper case portion which has fins which insert into the pathway since it has been shown that combining prior art elements to yield predictable results is obvious whereby providing the fins (at least one or all of which can be considered a ridge) from an upper case (which is a lid), which is on the thermoelectric device side of the heat plate, into the conduit through which the fluid passes would provide what is common knowledge in the art of increasing the heat transfer with the fluid in the conduit thus providing more efficient heat exchange and increased heat transfer performance between the thermoelectric module and the plate. As the configuration as modified has the same construction as the claimed invention it can be considered a plate.
Carlson teaches a heat exchanger system but does not teach a pump to circulate the cooling fluid through the conduit; a heat exchanger; and the cooling fluid line coupled between the fluid-cooled plate and the heat exchanger.
Adldinger teaches (Figure 7) that to provide cooling to a cold plate connected to a thermoelectric device used for cooling a receptacle that a fluid heated by the cold plate is circulated through a loop via a pump which passes through conduits of a heat exchanger (280) which cools the fluid using a fan before cycling the fluid back to the to the plate (paragraphs 53).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have based on the teaching of Adldinger provided a heat exchanger cooled by a fan in a loop as the heat exchange system of Carlson whereby fluid that is heated by the cold plate (from 362b) passes to a heat exchanger cooled by a fan and is recycled back (via 362a) to the plate (352a) since it has been shown that combining prior art elements to yield predictable results is obvious whereby providing the heat exchanger system with a heat exchanger cooled by a fan would allow the warmed fluid to be cooled and returned back to the plate which would allow for what is common knowledge in the art of conserving the refrigerant. This would result in the inlet line (362a) being a fluid line between the heat exchanger and the plate.
Carlson does not teach wherein the controller receives an input corresponding to a temperature of a precursor within the precursor vessel.
Zhang teaches that for a thermoelectric device used for providing heat transfer to a water tank, that a sensor is used to monitor the temperature of the water which is provided to the controller and a controller controls the current direction and magnitude of the thermoelectric cooler to obtain a constant temperature (paragraph 68).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have used the controller of Carlson to have used a sensor to provide a temperature of the precursor to monitor the temperature of the precursor which provides the temperature to the controller (an input) based on the teaching of Zhang since it has been shown that combining prior art elements to yield predictable results is obvious whereby monitoring the precursor temperature would provide efficiency to the cooling system by being able to adjust the cooling when necessary to maintain the desired temperature.
Carlson as modified does not teach the controller an output to the pump to adjust a flowrate of the cooling fluid based on the temperature of the precursor.
Miura teaches that in a cooling loop a pump can be provided and a controller can adjust the amount of cold heat supplied from the refrigeration cycle by adjusting the flow rate of the cooling water (paragraph 237). Further, Miura (Figure 18) teaches that the controller can adjust the flow rate of the cooling water (in circuit 40) based on how much cooling is needed for the heat exchanger that the cooling water is cooling which is based on the temperature of what is being cooled by the cooling water which is based on a measured temperature (paragraph 171-176, paragraph 114).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have in the heat exchanger system of Carlson as modified when providing a pump which delivers cooling fluid to the plate to have provided based on a temperature measurement for the precursor (which is the temperature input to the controller) to have provide signal to the pump to adjust the flow rate of the cooling fluid to the plate since it has been shown that combining prior art elements to yield predictable results is obvious whereby providing the pump and providing the ability to adjust the pump flow rate would provide what is common knowledge in the art of increasing the efficiency of the heat exchange cycle by being able to have the pump responsive to the cooling needs of the cycle.
With respect to claim 20, Carlson as modified teaches further comprising a housing surrounding the precursor vessel cooling assembly and wherein the heat exchanger exterior of the housing (the temperature control system and the canister which includes 210 and 354a are in the housing, paragraph 37-38 and the heat exchanger system as modified which includes the heat exchanger is outside of the housing that includes the precursor vessel assembly).
With respect to claim 22, Carlson as modified teaches wherein the conduit forms serpentine path (as modified in claim 1 the conduit is a serpentine path).
Claim(s) 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Carlson/Adldinger/Zhang/Miura/Sawaguchi and further in view of Jurcik et al. (US G Pub 20060121192), hereinafter referred to as Jurcik.
With respect to claim 18, Carlson does not teach wherein a temperature of the precursor is controlled to a temperature of about 5 *C to about 10 *C below a temperature within a housing surrounding the precursor vessel.
Jurcik teaches that in a precursor reservoir the heat transfer means can reduce the temperature of the precursor to a temperature below ambient where ambient is 15 to 35 degrees and the temperature it is cooled to is 16 degrees (paragraph 34) in order to phase change the precursor and reduce the loss of precursor entrained in a carrier gas which is vented (paragraph 34).
As such, the temperature to which the precursor is cooled to is a result effective variable, used to phase change and reduce loss of the precursor during storage in the reservoir. Further, it appears that one of ordinary skill in the art would have had a reasonable expectation of success in modifying Carlson to have ta temperature within the claimed range, as it involves only adjusting the dimension of a component (temperature of the precursor) disclosed to require adjustment. Therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified Carlson to have had a temperature of the precursor is controlled to a temperature of about 5 *C to about 10 *C below a temperature within a housing surrounding the precursor vessel as a matter of routine optimization since it has been held that “where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation." In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955).
Claim(s) 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Carlson/Adldinger/Zhang/Miura/Sawaguchi and further in view of Wedemeyer et al. (US Patent No. 4512758), hereinafter referred to as Wedemeyer.
With respect to claim 21, Carlson as modified does not teach wherein the first surface is in direct thermal contact with the surface of the precursor vessel.
Wedemeyer teaches that a thermoelectric device can be in direct low thermal resistance contact with a bottom of a vessel to provide efficient transfer of heat with the compartment (Column 1, lines 59-65).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed for the thermoelectric device of Calrosn to have been in direct low resistance contact (which is direct thermal contact) with the first surface of the precursor vessel (which would be instead of the heat spreader) based on the teaching of Wedemeyer whereas providing this connection would allow for an efficient transfer of heat with respect to the compartment.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see page 7, filed 1/21/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1, 13, 19 under 35 USC 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Sawaguchi. While Carlson does not teach the plate as claimed, Sawaguchi clearly shows that using such a configuration for providing a cooling plate is obvious.
Conclusion
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/BRIAN M KING/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763
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