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 .
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) 10, 15, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by (Steinke 2017/0049009).
Regarding Claim 10; Steinke discloses a heat dissipation module (as constituted by a chassis-20 as a standalone chassis or which may be supported in a rack, and further defining a coolant circuit 80-Fig.’s 3-5, comprising: a pump assembly having a sub inlet and a sub outlet (as constituted by in/out sub lines 44, 46 to/from pump 48—as depicted by Fig. 3); a plurality of heat exchange assemblies, each having an inlet and an outlet (as depicted by Fig. 2 whereas heat exchange assemblies defined by respective CDU’s-40, each including a heat exchanger-50 comprise inlets/outlets at quick connect fittings 64); and a sub manifold assembly, comprising a first sub pipeline and a second sub pipeline (as depicted by Fig.’s 2 and 5--whereas manifold(s) 60, 62 define an assembly comprising a first and second sub pipeline(s) including 61, and 63), wherein the first sub pipeline is connected to the sub outlet of the pump assembly (whereas the first sub pipeline 61 couples the sub outlet 46 of the pump—as depicted by Fig. 3) and the inlet of each of the plurality of heat exchange assemblies (whereas the first sub pipeline 61 which fluidly couples the inlet of the heat exchange assemblies where 63 couples to a quick connect fitting 64 of the CDU—as depicted by Fig.’s 2-3, and 5; Note: connected does not denote direct coupling and does not exclude fluid connectivity), and the second sub pipeline is connected to the outlet of each of the plurality of heat exchange assemblies and the sub inlet of the pump assembly (whereas the second sub pipeline 62 is fluidly coupled to outlet of each of the respective heat exchange assemblies at 64 and 46, then circulates through 60, 66, through the servers to 65 of the second sub pipeline —as depicted by Fig.’s 2-5; Note: connected does not denote direct coupling and does not exclude fluid connectivity); wherein the heat dissipation module is configured to be accommodated in a rack (whereas the module 20 is disposed in a rack-10—as depicted by Fig.’s 1-4), and the plurality of heat exchange assemblies are removably disposed in the rack and are separate from a plurality of servers in the rack (whereas each the heat exchange assemblies defined by 40 is removable from the rack--as depicted by Fig. 2, and each server-30 is separate from each of the heat exchange assemblies-40).
Claim(s) 16-18, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by (Campbell 2011/0317367).
Regarding Claim 16; Campbell discloses a server system (as constituted by 300-Fig. 3 includes electronic subsystems-510—para. 0054, wherein each of the subsystems define a server unit—as further set forth by para. 0021, Note: as also defined by blade 310), comprising: a rack (501, Note: as otherwise defined by 200), having an accommodation space and an inner bottom surface located at a bottom of the accommodation space (whereas an interior space of 300 defines an accommodation space, and where 320 is disposed on an inner bottom surface as—as depicted by Fig. 3); a plurality of servers, disposed in the accommodation space (as already set forth by each 310 disposed within the interior space of the rack—as depicted by Fig. 3); and a heat dissipation module (as constituted by the liquid to liquid heat exchanger of 320), comprising: a pump assembly (as constituted by a pump included within 320—as set forth by para. 0037), disposed in the accommodation space and communicating with the plurality of servers (whereas 340 receives heat from the servers-310 via 342 and thermally communicates rejects heat via 341 and moving liquid coolant through 330 with pump—as set forth by para. 0037); and a plurality of heat exchange assemblies, removably disposed in the accommodation space and communicating with the pump assembly (as set forth by para.’s 0037-0039 whereas each 340 is a movable chassis-level manifold subassembly at least in-part via quick connect couplings flexible hoses and hingedly mounted door and comprises a heat exchanger coupled via a manifold 330 and transferring heat to 320 by moving the liquid coolant with the pump--as depicted by Fig. 3); wherein heights of the plurality of servers, the pump assembly and the plurality of heat exchange assemblies relative to the inner bottom surface are different from one another (as depicted by Fig. 3—whereas 310, 320, and 340 depict different heights).
Regarding Claim 17; Campbell discloses the server system according to claim 16, wherein the plurality of heat exchange assemblies are located between the plurality of servers and the pump assembly (whereas the each 340 is located in the fluid path between the servers and the pump).
Regarding Claim 18; Campbell discloses the server system according to claim 17, wherein the pump assembly is located closer to the inner bottom surface than the plurality of heat exchange assemblies and the plurality of servers (as depicted by Fig. 3).
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.
Claim(s) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over (Campbell 2011/0317367) in view (Schaap 20240164057).
Regarding Claim 14; Campbell discloses the heat dissipation module according to claim 10, except, further comprising two pressure sensors, wherein the two pressure sensors are respectively disposed at the sub outlet and the sub inlet of the pump assembly. However, Schaap discloses two pressure sensors, wherein the two pressure sensors are respectively disposed at the sub outlet and the sub inlet of the pump assembly (whereas the abstract discloses a CDU comprises an RPU; and as set forth by para.’s 0047—whereas pump cassettes comprises sensor packages for suction and supply pressure), and thus it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the suction and supply sensor packages, respectively at the sub in/outs since it was known in the art that enhanced data for pressure parameters may be detected to achieve variable automated control.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11-13, 15, and 19-20, are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding Claim 11; the heat dissipation module according to claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of heat exchange assemblies comprises a casing, a heat exchanger and a plurality of fans; in each of the plurality of heat exchange assemblies, the heat exchanger and the plurality of fans are located in the casing, the inlet and the outlet are located at one side of the heat exchanger, and the plurality of fans are located at another side of the heat exchanger located opposite to the inlet and the outlet.
Regarding Claim 15; Steinke discloses the heat dissipation module according to claim 10, wherein the pump assembly comprises a casing and at least two pump units, and the at least two pump units are removably disposed in the casing.
Regarding Claim 19; the server system according to claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of heat exchange assemblies comprises a casing, a heat exchanger and a plurality of fans; in each of the plurality of heat exchange assemblies, the heat exchanger and the plurality of fans are located in the casing, the heat exchanger has an inlet and an outlet which are located at one side of the heat exchanger, and the plurality of fans are located at another side of the heat exchanger located opposite to the inlet and the outlet.
Claims 1-9, are herein deemed as allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: whereas an inventive structure is defined by a combination of bolded features of which the combination of underlined features cannot be found in the prior art of record.
Regarding Claim 1; a server system, comprising: a rack; a plurality of servers, disposed in the rack and each having an inlet and an outlet; and a heat dissipation module, comprising: a pump assembly, disposed in the rack and having a main inlet, a sub inlet, a main outlet and a sub outlet; a main manifold assembly, comprising a first main pipeline and a second main pipeline, wherein the first main pipeline is connected to the main outlet of the pump assembly and the inlet of each of the plurality of servers, and the second main pipeline is connected to the outlet of each of the plurality of servers and the main inlet of the pump assembly; a plurality of heat exchange assemblies, removably disposed in the rack and each having an inlet and an outlet; and a sub manifold assembly, comprising a first sub pipeline and a second sub pipeline, wherein the first sub pipeline is connected to the sub outlet of the pump assembly and the inlet of each of the plurality of heat exchange assemblies, and the second sub pipeline is connected to the outlet of each of the plurality of heat exchange assemblies and the sub inlet of the pump assembly.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 10, and 15 have been considered but are moot; whereas new rejection(s) are herein presented to read on the amended claim language.
Applicant's arguments filed 11/28/25 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Regarding Claim 16; the applicant argues on page 12 that “the heat exchange assemblies, removably disposed in the accommodation space”, and further states that Campbell -para.0028 recites that “each movable chassis-level manifold assembly is coupled to the electronics rack to reciprocate vertically (as indicated by arrows 302). As an initial matter, it is hereby noted that the applicant has only selectively noted the vertical movement without proper context, wherein para. 0038 actually discloses each movable chassis-level manifold assembly is coupled to the electronics rack to reciprocate vertically (as indicated by arrows 302) adjacent to an associated electronic system chassis to facilitate the removal of individual blades, without impacting cooling of adjacent blades; and para. 0040 further discloses flexible tubes 343, 344 are sized and provided with sufficient flexibility to allow the associated movable chassis-level manifold assembly 340 to reciprocate within a designed extent of travel, as illustrated by arrows 302, and thus the vertical movement is deemed to be considered relative to removing the servers without undesired impact, damage, force on the flexible tubes when the heat exchange assemblies are in place. Further, the applicant has not asserted any particular structures by which “removably disposed” is deemed to necessitate only one operable function; whereas the claim does not provide any corresponding structures by which to define one plausible claim construction which comprises structures to actually accomplish a function of i.e. removed from the rack, displaced within the rack, and/or i.e. removably disposed to couple/uncouple fluid communication between server and the pump assembly. The office hereby notes that “removably disposed” may be interpreted to read on more than one plausible claim construction and does not wholly include or exclude any one particular structure or subsequent function thereof. The office notes that Merriam webster defines “removably” as: capable of being removed, displaced, transferred, dismissed, or eradicated. Likewise, Campbell discloses respective quick connect couplings may be employed to couple the rack-level inlet/outlet manifolds to each movable chassis-level manifold assembly 340, using for example appropriately sized, flexible rack-level tubing. Para. 0039 discloses the vertical manifolds have 5 ports to connect the heat exchange assemblies, as depicted by Fig. 3. The office otherwise notes that the applicant has not asserted any actual structures to limit the manner by which the assemblies are removably disposed; whereas the claim does not assert any openings in the rack for removal, a door for removal, any rails or slots for movement and/or any manual or automated means to denote movement, force or actuation thereof etc. As such, movable chassis-level manifold assemblies 340 which couples by quick connect couplings and connects to ports of vertical manifolds in a door—para.’s 0037 or 0039 denotes a capability for being removably disposed, and further couples by quick connect couplings to a server blade—as above-mentioned, and thus the assemblies are capable of being removably connected in the interior of the rack, and capable of being removably connected/disconnected from the interior of rack and/or capable of being displaced within the interior of the rack; whereas even reciprocating vertically reads on the being capable of being displaced. The office also notes that para. 0033 discloses a liquid cooling apparatus is readily adaptable to use with any housing, wherein para. 0037 discloses the liquid cooling apparatus-315 is shown to include the heat exchange assemblies-340—as depicted by Fig. 3, and thus 340 is adaptable for use in the rack and constitutes a capability of being removably disposed in the rack. Campbell does not otherwise present any disclosure which discuss permanently mounting or fastening the heat exchange assemblies in any irremovable manner within the rack etc. As such, the applicant has failed to limit the assertion to necessitate only one plausible claim construction with structural features to actually accomplish the alleged function, as intended. Campbell is hereby deemed as capable of accomplishing the alleged function in atleast one manner as above-mentioned to be removed, coupled/uncoupled, or displaced.
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 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 COURTNEY SMITH whose telephone number is (571)272-9094. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5p.
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/COURTNEY L SMITH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2835