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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 03/26/2026 has been entered.
Status
This Office Action is in response to the remarks and amendments filed on 03/09/2026. Claims 1 and 3-19 remain pending for consideration on the merits.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112(b)
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 8 is 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.
Regarding Claim 8, the claim recites the limitation "each port portion" in claim 8. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. In claim 7 “a port portion” is introduced which would indicate one port portion, whereas each indicates a plurality of port portions.
Therefore, one skilled in the art would not necessarily have the ability to ascertain the metes and bounds of the particular claim limitation.
Therefore, the claim is indefinite and is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, second paragraph.
For examination purposes, the limitation has been interpreted as - - the plurality of distribution channels for the port portion - - for clarity.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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, 3-8, 13 and 19 are/is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated
By He et al. (US20240017605A1).
Regarding Claim 1, He teaches a cooling medium distribution apparatus [10] comprising:
a valve housing [100] comprising a valve body [340], a plurality of through-holes [110; fig. 6], and a plurality of distribution channels [at least 111-115; fig. 8] communicating with the respective through-holes [110], the plurality of distribution channels [111-115] being configured to allow a cooling medium to be distributed therethrough [0034 “flow channels of the fluid management apparatus”];
a reservoir tank [200] that communicates with the plurality of distribution channels [0026 “communication between the cooling liquid in the pot cavity with the cooling liquid in the flow channel”], the reservoir tank [200] being configured to store or distribute the cooling medium [0024 “liquid storage portion may be called a pot”]; and
a plurality of water pumps [710/720] that communicate with the through-holes [110] and the plurality of distribution channels [111-115], respectively [figs. 6 and 14; see also 0043], the plurality of water pumps [710/720] being configured to distribute the cooling medium [0043 “the fourth flow channel 114 is in communication with the cavity of the second pump 720. The first pump 710 and/or the second pump 720 can provide power for the flowing of the cooling liquid in the thermal management system”] through the plurality of through-holes [110] depending on a rotational position of the valve body [0025 “ the valve core portion 340 can rotate”],
wherein the valve housing [100] is disposed between the valve body [340] and the plurality of water pumps [fig. 4],
wherein the plurality of water pumps [710/720] are disposed side-by-side with respect to each other [fig. 2 clearly 710/20 are side-by-side], and
wherein a mounting surface [fig. 5 shows 130 has a surface for mounting the valve body] of the valve body [340] and a mounting surface [143/144] of the water pumps [710/720] each face toward the valve housing [fig. 5 showing the mounting surface of (130) and (143/144) facing toward (100)].
Regarding Claim 3, He teaches the cooling medium distribution apparatus according to claim 1 and wherein the valve housing [100] comprises a valve mounting portion [130] for receiving the valve body [0025 “340 can rotate around the valve stem 330 by a certain angle. The valve shell 350 includes a second matching portion 353, and the second matching portion 353 is sealed with the second connecting port portion 130”].
Regarding Claim 4, He teaches the cooling medium distribution apparatus according to claim 3 and wherein:
the valve housing [100] is formed such that the valve mounting portion [130] is open to a front [fig. 5 showing (130) open to a front of (100)], whereby the valve body [340] is inserted into the valve mounting portion [130] from the front [Shown in fig. 5], and
a valve actuator [320] is coupled to the front of the valve housing [fig. 4 showing (320) connected to the front of (100)].
Regarding Claim 5, He teaches the cooling medium distribution apparatus according to claim 3 and wherein a sealing portion [400] is provided between an outer circumferential surface of the valve body [Fig. 5] and an inner circumferential surface of the valve mounting portion [Fig. 5], the sealing portion [400] being configured to form a seal between the through-holes [0033 describing (400) having side portion (410) which would form a seal with (110)].
Regarding Claim 6, He teaches the cooling medium distribution apparatus according to claim 5 and wherein a flow hole [401] is formed in the sealing portion [400] at a position corresponding to each of the through- holes [0033 “401 are formed on the side portion 410 of the sealing piece, correspondingly, the passage ports are formed on the main body portion 354, and the flow channel ports are formed on the side wall of the second accommodation portion 110”].
Regarding Claim 7, He teaches the cooling medium distribution apparatus according to claim 1 and wherein the valve housing 100 is provided with a port portion [120] configured to allow the cooling medium to be introduced into or discharged from each of the plurality of distribution channels [fig. 14; see also 0043 and 0024 “120 is in communication with the flow channel 110”].
Regarding Claim 8, He teaches the cooling medium distribution apparatus according to claim 7 and wherein the valve housing [100] is provided therein with a partition [see Image I below; recreated Fig. 8 of He] configured to branch the plurality of distribution channels for the port portion [Image I below ].
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(Image I; recreated Fig. 8 of He)
Regarding Claim 13, He teaches the cooling medium distribution apparatus according to claim 1 and further comprising a heat exchange module [620] mounted to the valve housing [fig. 4; 0043 “620 and the connecting member 100 may be fixed by bolts or by bonding”], the heat exchange module [620] being configured to exchange heat with the cooling medium [0043 clearly describing (620) exchanging heat with the cooling medium].
Regarding Claim 19, He teaches a vehicle [0023 “the present application can be applied to a thermal management system of a vehicle”] comprising the cooling medium distribution apparatus of claim 1 [He; see claim 1].
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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) 9-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over He et al. as applied to claim 1 above and further in view of Gill et al. (US20230235832A1).
Regarding Claim 9, He teaches the cooling medium distribution apparatus according to claim 1 and wherein:
the valve housing [100] comprises a valve mounting portion [130] for receiving the valve body [340], the plurality of through-holes [110] are formed along a circumference of the valve mounting portion [fig. 6].
He does not explicitly teach each of the valve mounting portion and the valve body is divided into a plurality of layers.
However, Gill teaches each of the valve mounting portion [54a corresponding to 130 of He] and the valve body [64a corresponding to 340 of He] is divided into a plurality of layers [Image III below; recreation of Gill fig. 16A].
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of He to have each of the valve mounting portion and the valve body is divided into a plurality of layers in view of the teachings of Gill where the elements could have been combined by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded predictable results,
i.e. secures a cooling medium distribution apparatus with each of the valve mounting portion and the valve body is divided into a plurality of layers which allows for adaptation for different applications having various requirements with regard to the number of flow channels [Gill; 0132].
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(Image III; recreation of Gill fig. 16A)
Regarding Claim 10, modified He teaches the cooling medium distribution apparatus according to claim 9 and Gill teaches wherein the plurality of through-holes [at least 58a-58l corresponding to 110 of He; see also 0121 of Gill] extend through the respective layers [fig. 7a; see further 0073-0075 describing separate layers; see also fig. 5 showing the different layers (levels)], and the plurality of through-holes [at least 58a-58l] is connected to the plurality of distribution channels [88a-88j corresponding to 111-115 of He], respectively [figs. 3, 5 and 7A; see also 0130].
Regarding Claim 11, modified He teaches the cooling medium distribution apparatus according to claim 9 and Gill teaches wherein:
the valve body [64a] is provided with a plurality of channel grooves [0117; 136a-d] formed for each of the layers [figs. 16A-18C showing each formed layer], and
the channel grooves [136a-d] formed at one layer are separated from the channel grooves formed at another layer [figs. 5 and 16A-18C; see also 0074 where the levels are clearly each of the layers and separate the different channel grooves].
Regarding Claim 12, modified He teaches the cooling medium distribution apparatus according to claim 11 and Gill teaches wherein the channel grooves [0117; 136a-d] formed for each of the layers [image III] of the valve body [64a] for each layer are offset in a circumferential direction [image III showing each layer being offset in a circumferential direction].
Claim(s) 14-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over He et al. as applied to claim 1 above and further in view of Lee et al. [(KR102189058B1) hereinafter Lee’058].
Regarding Claim 14, He teaches the cooling medium distribution apparatus according to claim 13 and wherein:
the reservoir tank [200], the heat exchange module [620], the plurality of distribution channels [111-115] and the valve housing [100].
He does not explicitly teach the reservoir tank is partitioned into a first storage space and a second storage space, the heat exchange module is partitioned into a first heat exchange portion and a second heat exchange portion, and the first storage space, the second storage space, the first heat exchange portion, and the second heat exchange portion are communicatively connected to each of the plurality of distribution channels of the valve housing.
However, Lee’058 teaches the reservoir tank [200 corresponds to 200 of He] is partitioned into a first storage space [210; fig. 2] and a second storage space [220; fig. 2], the heat exchange [100; fig. 4 corresponding to 620 of He] module is partitioned into a first heat exchange portion [see Image II below] and a second heat exchange portion [see Image II below], and the first storage space [210], the second storage space [220], the first heat exchange portion [see Image II below], and
the second heat exchange portion [see Image II below] are communicatively connected to each of the plurality of distribution channels of the valve housing [pg. 8; para. 3].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to the apparatus of He to have the heat exchange module is partitioned into a first heat exchange portion and a second heat exchange portion in view of the teachings of Lee’058 a Simple substitution of the heat exchanger of He for the heat exchange module of Lee’058 would give the apparatus the necessary heat exchanger The simple substitution of one known element for another is likely to be obvious when predictable results are yielded
i.e. secures a secures a cooling medium distribution apparatus with a heat exchange module is partitioned into a first heat exchange portion and a second heat exchange portion which reduces cost and efficient packaging [Lee’ 058; 5th paragraph of the 4th pg.].
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( Image II, recreation of Fig. 4; Lee’058)
Regarding Claim 15, modified He teaches the cooling medium distribution apparatus according to claim 14 and He teaches wherein:
a valve mounting portion [130] is disposed in a center of the valve housing [fig. 5 showing (130) in the center of (100)],
a first distribution region [Lee’058; 300; fig. 3] and a second distribution region [Lee’058; 400; fig. 3] are partitioned from the center to one side and another side [Lee’058; fig. 3; see also Image II], and
the plurality of through-holes [110] and the plurality of distribution channels [111-115] are formed in each of the first distribution region and the second distribution region [Lee’058; fig. 3; see also fig. 4].
Regarding Claim 16, modified He teaches the cooling medium distribution apparatus according to claim 15 and Lee’058teaches wherein:
the plurality of water pumps [He; 710/720] are constituted by a first water pump [340] and a second water pump [440], and
the first water pump [340] is mounted in the first distribution region [300] while the second water pump [440] is mounted in the second distribution region [400].
Regarding Claim 17, modified He teaches the cooling medium distribution apparatus according to claim 15 and Lee’058 teaches wherein:
a one of the plurality of distribution channels [212; fig. 2] communicating with the first water pump [340; pg. 6; para. 3] is provided in a center of the first distribution region [pg.6; para. 3; See also figs. 1, 2 & 5 where one of ordinary skill and creativity would conclude that the distribution channel is centered in the second distribution region]; and
two of the plurality of distribution channels communicating with the first storage space and the first heat exchange portion are formed respectively at an upper side and a lower side of the first distribution region [pg. 6 last paragraph to pg. 7 para. 3].
Regarding Claim 18, modified He teaches the cooling medium distribution apparatus according to claim 15 and Lee’058 teaches wherein:
One of the plurality of distribution channel [212; fig. 2] communicating with the second water pump [440; pg.7; para. 4; see also fig. 3] is provided in a center of the second distribution region [pg.6; para. 3; See also figs. 1, 2 & 5 where one of ordinary skill and creativity would conclude that the distribution channel is centered in the second distribution region], and
Two of the plurality of distribution channels communicating with the second storage space and the second heat exchange portion are formed respectively at an upper side and a lower side of the second distribution region [pg. 6 last paragraph to pg. 7 para. 4].
Response to Arguments
Applicants’ arguments filed 03/09/2026, with respect to claim(s) 1 and 3-19 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Adam D Moore whose telephone number is (703)756-1932. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday: 09:00AM-07:00PM (Eastern).
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/ADAM D MOORE/Examiner, Art Unit 3763
/ELIZABETH J MARTIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763
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