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 of the Claims
The status of the claims as filed in the reply dated 2/4/2026 are as follows:
Claims 1 and 13 are amended,
Claims 1-20 are currently pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, and 6-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Drefahl et al. (U.S. Patent No. 4,332,294, “Drefahl”).
Regarding claim 1, Drefahl discloses a heat exchanger assembly of a thermal management system having a thermal fluid member (fig 4), the heat exchanger assembly comprising:
a core section (12) comprising a plurality of heat exchange members (1, 1’); and
a heat exchange manifold comprising:
one or more plenum extensions (13, 14) arranged perpendicular to the plurality of heat exchange members (see annotated fig 4 below) and configured to be in fluid communication with the thermal fluid member, the one or more plenum extensions defining an average plenum inlet hydraulic diameter (DhPlenum_Inlet_Avg), an average plenum exit hydraulic diameter (DhPlenum_Exit_Avg), and an average plenum length (LPlenum_Avg) (see annotated fig 4 below);
a plurality of offtake extensions (see annotated fig 4 below) extending perpendicular from the one or more plenum extensions and in fluid communication with the plurality of heat exchange members, the plurality of offtake extensions defining an average offtake inlet hydraulic diameter (DhOfftake_Inlet_Avg), an average offtake exit hydraulic diameter (DhOfftake_Exit_Avg) and an average offtake length (LOfftake_Avg) (see annotated fig 4 below);
wherein the heat exchange manifold defines a hydraulic diameter relationship (HDR) greater than 0.00275 and less than 378, wherein HDR is equal to:
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As this would result in 1 X 1 X 1 = 1. Since the hydraulic diameters and length are equal to each other.
structures within the heat exchange manifold, separate from the core section
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Regarding claim 2, Drefahl further discloses wherein the heat exchange manifold further comprises one or more ribs (see annotated fig 4 below) extending between adjacent offtake extensions of the plurality of offtake extensions, or between adjacent plenum extensions of the one or more plenum extensions, or both.
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Regarding claim 6, Drefahl further discloses wherein
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is between 0.045 and 23 (as they are equal and thus would be equal to 1).
Regarding claim 7, Drefahl further discloses wherein
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is between 0.25 and 4 (as they are equal and thus would be equal to 1).
Regarding claim 8, Drefahl further discloses wherein
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is between 0.045 and 23 (as they are equal and thus would be equal to 1).
Regarding claim 9, Drefahl further discloses wherein
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is between 0.045 and 23 (as they are equal and thus would be equal to 1).
Regarding claim 10, Drefahl further discloses wherein
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is between 0.02 and 5 (as they are equal and thus would be equal to 1).
Regarding claim 11, Drefahl further discloses wherein
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is between 0.4 and 1.72 (as they are equal and thus would be equal to 1).
Regarding claim 12, Drefahl further discloses wherein each of the plurality of offtake extensions (1, 1’) extends from the one or more plenum extensions (12, 14) in a reference plane (see annotated fig 4 below) of the thermal management system.
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Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claim(s) 3-5 and 13-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Drefahl alone.
Regarding claim 3, Drefahl discloses all previous claim limitations. However, Drefahl does not explicitly disclose wherein the one or more ribs define an average rib thickness (TRib_Avg) wherein the heat exchange manifold defines a rib thickness relationship (RTR) greater than 0.315 and less than 375, wherein RTR is equal to:
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However, Drefahl does discloses optimizing the tube wall thickness (col 4, lines 5-10) which would directly determine the thickness of the ribs (see annotated fig 4 below). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for Drefahl to optimize the tube thickness such that the above equation is met in order to provide the most efficient heat exchange while not allowing for the heat exchanger to rupture.
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Regarding claim 4, it would be further obvious as explained in the rejection of claim 3 above to have
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Regarding claim 5, it would be further obvious as explained in the rejection of claim 3 above to have
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Regarding claim 13, Drefahl discloses a heat exchanger assembly of a thermal management system having a thermal fluid member (fig 4), the heat exchanger assembly comprising:
a core section (12) comprising a plurality of heat exchange members (1, 1’); and
a heat exchange manifold comprising:
one or more plenum extensions (13, 14) arranged perpendicular to the plurality of heat exchange members (see annotated fig 4 below) and configured to be in fluid communication with the thermal fluid member, the one or more plenum extensions defining an average plenum inlet hydraulic diameter (DhPlenum_Inlet_Avg) and an average plenum exit hydraulic diameter (Dh Plenum_Exit_Avg) (see annotated fig 4 below);
a plurality of offtake extensions (see annotated fig 4 below) extending perpendicular from the one or more plenum extensions and in fluid communication with the plurality of heat exchange members, the plurality of offtake extensions defining an average offtake inlet hydraulic diameter (Dh Offtake_Inlet_Avg) and an average offtake exit hydraulic diameter (DhOfftake_Exit_Avg);
one or more ribs (see annotated fig 4 below) extending between adjacent offtake extensions of the plurality of offtake extensions.
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However, Drefahl does not explicitly disclose wherein the one or more ribs define an average rib thickness (TRib_Avg) wherein the heat exchange manifold defines a rib thickness relationship (RTR) greater than 0.315 and less than 375, wherein RTR is equal to:
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However, Drefahl does discloses optimizing the tube wall thickness (col 4, lines 5-10) which would directly determine the thickness of the ribs (see annotated fig 4 below). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for Drefahl to optimize the tube thickness such that the above equation is met in order to provide the most efficient heat exchange while not allowing for the heat exchanger to rupture.
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Regarding claim 14, it would be further obvious as explained in the rejection of claim 3 above to have
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Regarding claim 15, it would be further obvious as explained in the rejection of claim 3 above to have
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Regarding claim 16, Drefahl further discloses wherein the plurality of offtake extensions further defines an average offtake length (LOfftake_Avg), wherein the one or more plenum extensions further defines an average plenum length (LPlenum_Avg) (see annotated fig 4 above).
Regarding claim 17, Drefahl further discloses wherein the heat exchange manifold defines a hydraulic diameter relationship (HDR) greater than 0.00275 and less than 378, wherein HDR is equal to:
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As this would result in 1 X 1 X 1 = 1. Since the hydraulic diameters and length are equal to each other.
Regarding claim 18, Drefahl further discloses wherein
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is between 0.045 and 23 (as they are equal and thus would be equal to 1).
Regarding claim 19, Drefahl further discloses wherein
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is between 0.045 and 23 (as they are equal and thus would be equal to 1).
Regarding claim 20, Drefahl further discloses wherein
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is between 0.02 and 5 (as they are equal and thus would be equal to 1).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 2/4/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues (page 6) that Drefahl does not teach the offtake extensions as described in the present application. Applicant’s offtake extensions are structures within the heat exchange manifold, separate from the core section. The Examiner respectfully disagrees; as shown below the offtake extensions of Drefahl are structures within the heat exchange manifold (13, 14), separate from the core section (12).
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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 HARRY E ARANT whose telephone number is (571)272-1105. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10-6 ET.
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, Jianying Atkisson can be reached at (571)270-7740. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HARRY E ARANT/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763
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