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 .
This action is in response to amendment filed 12/9/2025. Currently, claims 1-18 are pending and claims 5, 8-9, 11, 13, 15-16 and 18 are withdrawn.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-4, 7, 10, 12, 14 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kajiura (US Patent No.: 8,120,914) in view of Coteus et al. (US Publication No.: 2019/0200485 hereinafter “Coteus”) and further in view of Kim (US Patent No.: 10,914,532).
With respect to claim 1, Kajiura discloses an attachment for a heat exchange plate (Fig. 1), comprising an attachment base plate extending within a base plane (Fig. 1, based plate 11), having a bottom side and a top side between which a thickness of the attachment base plate extends (Fig. 1, plate 11 has a top and bottom), with a plurality of contact portions extending away from the top side independently from each other (Fig. 1 and 4, contact portions 30 extend from the top of 11), wherein the attachment base plate is of rectangular, elongated outline extending along an attachment longitudinal axis and an attachment lateral axis (Fig. 1, 11 is elongated and rectangular), the attachment including a first shaped plate at least partially defining a first fluid channel (Fig. 1, plate 11 has a fluid channel from 11a to 11b through flaw path between fins 14).
Kajiura does not disclose wherein at least one contact portion has a different longitudinal length than another contact portion, the longitudinal length being measured along the attachment axis.
Coteus teaches multiple contact portions having different lengths for different heat emitting components (Figs. 1 and 3, contact portions for 102 and 104 have different lengths). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified the contact portions of Kajiura to be different lengths as taught by Coteus to be sized properly for different heat emitting components (Para 0013).
Kajiura does not disclose the first fluid channel including a turbulator; wherein the turbulator is subdivided within subconduits of the first fluid channel by a channel wall formed by the first shaped plate.
Kim teaches subconduits formed from plate walls with turbulators within each channel (Col. 3, lines 6-18 and Fig. 7, protrusions 114 create turbulence within each subconduit). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified the plates of Kajiura with subconduits and turbulators within each conduits as taught by Kim to increase surface area and turbulence within the fluid flow path to improve heat exchange efficiency (Col. 4, lines 6-25).
With respect to claim 2, Kajiura, Coteus and Kim teach the attachment according to claim 1 as discussed above. Kajiura also discloses wherein the plurality of contact portions are made of a solid material (Fig. 1, 30 is a solid plate).
With respect to claim 3, Kajiura, Coteus and Kim teach the attachment according to claim 1 as discussed above. Kajiura also discloses wherein the attachment base plate is made of a material of high thermal conductivity (Col. 3, lines 28-40, aluminum or copper).
With respect to claim 4, Kajiura, Coteus and Kim teach the attachment according to claim 1 as discussed above. Kajiura also discloses wherein the plurality of contact portions extend from the top side perpendicularly to the base plane (Figs. 1-2, 30 extends from a top side).
With respect to claim 7, Kajiura, Coteus and Kim teach the attachment according to claim 1 as discussed above. Kajiura also discloses wherein the contact portions are connected to the attachment base plate by means of an adhesive (Col. 3, lines 59-61).
With respect to claim 10, Kajiura, Coteus and Kim teach the attachment according to claim 1 as discussed above. Kajiura also discloses wherein at least one contact portion has a rectangular outline (Fig. 1, 30 is rectangular).
With respect to claim 12, Kajiura, Coteus and Kim teach the attachment according to claim 1 as discussed above. Kajiura also discloses wherein the attachment is made of metal (Col. 3, lines 18-20).
With respect to claim 14, Kajiura, Coteus and Kim teach the attachment according to claim 1 as discussed above. Kajiura also discloses wherein the contact portions have flat top contact surface (Fig. 4, 30 has a flat top).
With respect to claim 17, Kajiura discloses a heat exchanger (Fig. 1) comprising a first fluid channel for a heat exchange fluid, having a channel wall formed by a heat exchange plate (Fig. 1, fluid channel within 10 between plates 11 and 12), an attachment (Fig. 1, 30), including an attachment base plate extending within a base plane (Fig. 1, plate 30 extends within a base plane), having a bottom side and a top side between which a thickness of the attachment base plate extends (Fig. 4 shows 30 vertically extending in a thickness direction), a plurality of contact portions extending away from the top side independently from each other (Fig. 3, multiple contact portions for 90 and 91), wherein the attachment base plate is of rectangular, elongated outline extending along an attachment longitudinal axis and an attachment lateral axis (Fig. 1), wherein the attachment is attached to the channel wall by the bottom side (Fig. 4, 30 can be on both top and bottom), the attachment including a first shaped plate at least partially defining a first fluid channel (Fig. 1, plate 11 has a fluid channel from 11a to 11b through flaw path between fins 14).
Kajiura does not disclose wherein at least one contact portion has a different longitudinal length than another contact portion, the longitudinal length being measured along the attachment axis.
Coteus teaches multiple contact portions having different lengths for different heat emitting components (Figs. 1 and 3, contact portions for 102 and 104 have different lengths). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified the contact portions of Kajiura to be different lengths as taught by Coteus to be sized properly for different heat emitting components (Para 0013).
Kajiura does not disclose the first fluid channel including a turbulator; wherein the turbulator is subdivided within subconduits of the first fluid channel by a channel wall formed by the first shaped plate.
Kim teaches subconduits formed from plate walls with turbulators within each channel (Col. 3, lines 6-18 and Fig. 7, protrusions 114 create turbulence within each subconduit). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified the plates of Kajiura with subconduits and turbulators within each conduits as taught by Kim to increase surface area and turbulence within the fluid flow path to improve heat exchange efficiency (Col. 4, lines 6-25).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kajiura (US Patent No.: 8,120,914) in view of Coteus et al. (US Publication No.: 2019/0200485 hereinafter “Coteus”), Kim (US Patent No.: 10,914,532) and further in view of Nasr Mohamed et al. (WO 2022/192031 hereinafter “Nasar”).
With respect to claim 6, Kajiura, Coteus and Kim teach the attachment according to claim 1 as discussed above. Kajiura does not disclose wherein at least one contact portion extends from the attachment base plate farther than another contact portion.
Nasr teaches contact portions that have different heights (Figs. 1-2, 104 have different heights and contact portions 206 have different heights Para 0048-0049). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified the contact portions of Kajiura with different heights as taught by Nasr to have a desired heat dissipation for different height electronic components with varying electronic performances (Para 0048-0049).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1 and 17 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection with the newly applied reference Kim teaches the newly added claim limitations.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CLAIRE E ROJOHN III whose telephone number is (571)270-5431. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00-5:00 M-F.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Len Tran can be reached at (571)272-1184. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/CLAIRE E ROJOHN III/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763