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 12/18/2025. Currently, 13-17 have been added, claims 1-17 are pending and claims and claims 7-9 and 11-12 are withdrawn.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 1-6 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu et al. (US Publication No.: 2018/0374777 hereinafter “Yu”) in view of Ma (US Publication No.: 2019/0289752) and further in view of Li et al. (US Publication No.: 2019/0335620 hereinafter “Li”).
With respect to claim 1, Yu discloses a vehicle controller heat dissipation module (Fig. 1, heat dissipation module 100 for a processor Para 0018. Applicants specification defines a vehicle controller as a chipset or processor) comprising: a cover (Fig. 1, 200) configured to cover an upper surface of a vehicle controller (Fig. 1, 200 covers everything inside the housing including chipset); a heat transfer part (Fig. 1, 140) adjacent to a heating element (Fig. 1, 300) in the vehicle controller; a heat pipe disposed in a horizontal direction (Fig. 1, heat pipe 110 is in a horizontal direction X) of the vehicle controller heat dissipation module to be in contact with the heat transfer part to receive heat from the heat transfer part generated by the heating element (Fig. 1, 110 is in contact with 140 and receives heat from 300); a heat dissipation fin in contact with a portion of the heat pipe and configured to emit heat from the heat pipe (Fig. 1, fins 130 are in contact with an end portion of heat pipe 110); a second fan adjacent to the cover and configured to discharge air from inside the vehicle controller to an outside of the vehicle controller (Fig. 1, fan 200 discharges air from inside 200 through the fins 130 and to the outlet 210), wherein the heat transfer part is located between the heating element and the heat pipe to transfer the heat generated by the heating element to the heat pipe (Para 0018, heat pipe 110 is fixed to heat source 300 via heat transfer part 140 directly or indirectly and Fig. 1).
Yu does not disclose a first fan disposed in a side surface of the vehicle controller and configured to introduce air into the vehicle controller and the second fan configured to be disposed above the heat dissipation fin.
Ma teaches using two fans and an air inlet fan on a side of a housing (Fig. 1, inlet fan 1 and outlet fan 4) and arranging a fan above heat dissipation fins (Fig. 4a, fans 22b are vertically arranged above fins on 22a). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified the heat dissipation unit of Yu with an inlet fan and arranging the second fan above the fins as taught by Ma to create a high-pressure airflow from the inlet to the outlet to increase heat transfer (Para 0004) and since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art.
Yu is silent to the heat transfer part is formed of a high thermal conductivity material.
Li teaches a heat transfer part between a heating element and heat pipes that has a high thermal conductivity material (Para 0111-0112 and Fig. 1, heat transfer part 120 between heat pipes 200 and heating element or power-hungry chip as per Para 0112). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified the material of the heat transfer part of Yu to be formed of a high thermal conductivity material as taught by Li to accelerate the rate of heat transfer and thus accelerate the heat dissipation (Para 0111).
With respect to claim 2, Yu, Ma and Li teach the vehicle controller heat dissipation module of claim 1 as discussed above. Yu also discloses wherein the heat dissipation fin is disposed at a side of the heat pipe opposite to a side of the heat pipe where the heat transfer part is disposed (Fig. 1, fins 130 are on an opposite side of 300).
With respect to claim 3, Yu and Ma teach the vehicle controller heat dissipation module of claim 2 as discussed above. Yu also discloses wherein at least a part of the heat pipe is in contact with the cover (Fig. 1 and 2, heat pipe 110 is in contact with 200).
With respect to claim 4, Yu, Ma and Li teach the vehicle controller heat dissipation module of claim 3 as discussed above. Yu also discloses wherein: the heat dissipation fin is disposed to extend from the heat pipe in a vertical direction of the vehicle controller heat dissipation module (Fig. 1, fins 130 are in vertical Z direction); and the heat pipe passes through and is in contact with the heat dissipation fin (Figs. 1-3, heat pipe 110 passes through fins 130 and is in contact with 130).
With respect to claim 5, Yu, Ma and Li teach the vehicle controller heat dissipation module of claim 4 as discussed above. Yu also discloses in the heat dissipation fin, a plurality of heat dissipation plates are disposed to extend from the heat pipe in parallel to one another in the vertical direction (Figs. 1-3, fins are plates 130 in vertical Z direction).
With respect to claim 6, Yu, Ma and Li teach teach the vehicle controller heat dissipation module of claim 5 as discussed above. Yu also discloses wherein lower ends of at least some of the plurality of heat dissipation plates are bent to be non-vertical (Fig. 4a, lower ends of fins 103a are horizontally bent after 134).
With respect to claim 16, Yu, Ma and Li teach the vehicle controller heat dissipation module of claim 1 as discussed above. Li also teaches wherein the heat transfer part and the heat pipe are formed of a same high thermal conductivity material (Para 0110 the thermally conductive material can be a metal with excellent thermal conductivity such as copper). It is old and well known that heat pipes can be made from metal such as copper and would have been obvious to have a heat pipe of copper and a heat transfer part of copper since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu et al. (US Publication No.: 2018/0374777 hereinafter “Yu”) in view of Ma (US Publication No.: 2019/0289752), Li et al. (US Publication No.: 2019/0335620 hereinafter “Li”) and further in view of Lin et al. (US Publication No.: 2014/0116659 hereinafter “Lin”).
With respect to claim 10, Yu, Ma and Li teach the vehicle controller heat dissipation module of claim 4 as discussed above. Yu does not disclose wherein a portion between the heat transfer part and the heat pipe is coated with a gap filler.
Lin teaches adding a thermal conductive adhesive between a heat transfer part and a heat pipe as a gap filler (Para 0015). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified the heat dissipation module of Yu with a gap filler or thermal conductive adhesive as taught by Lin to aid in speeding up the heat transfer between the heat source and heat pipe (Para 0015).
Claims 13 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu et al. (US Publication No.: 2018/0374777 hereinafter “Yu”) in view of Ma (US Publication No.: 2019/0289752), Li et al. (US Publication No.: 2019/0335620 hereinafter “Li”) and further in view of Chang et al. (US Publication No.: 2022/0157781 hereinafter “Chang”).
With respect to claim 13, Yu, Ma and Li teach the vehicle controller heat dissipation module of claim 1 as discussed above. Yu does not disclose wherein at least a part of the heat pipe is in contact with the cover.
Chang teaches a portion of a heat pipe is in contact with a cover (Fig. 2, heat pipe 170 is in contact with cover 130 and Para 0019). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have rearranged the heat pipe of Yu to have a part of the heat pipe in contact with the cover as taught by Change to increase heat dissipation efficiency (Para 0019) and since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves routine skill in the art.
With respect to claim 17, Yu, Ma and Li teach the vehicle controller heat dissipation module of claim 3 as discussed above. Yu does not disclose the cover is formed of a high thermal conductivity material.
Chang teaches a cover is formed of a high thermal conductivity material (Para 0020, cover 130 is of a heat conducting material). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified the material of the cover of Yu to have a high thermal conductivity as taught by Chang to increase the heat dissipation efficiency (Para 0020) and since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu et al. (US Publication No.: 2018/0374777 hereinafter “Yu”) in view of Ma (US Publication No.: 2019/0289752), Li et al. (US Publication No.: 2019/0335620 hereinafter “Li”) and further in view of Ahn (US Publication No.: 2017/0295666).
Yu, Ma and Li teach the vehicle controller heat dissipation module of claim 6 as discussed above. Yu does not disclose the lower ends of at least some of the heat dissipation plates extend substantially perpendicularly from respective upper portions of the heat dissipation plates; and the lower ends of the at least some of the heat dissipation plates are configured to prevent foreign matter and/or moisture entering into the vehicle dissipation module through the second fan from coming into contact with the heating element located under the heat transfer part.
Ahn teaches lower ends of heat dissipation plates extend substantially perpendicularly from upper portions (Figs. 2-3, fins 530 have lower ends of fins that are perpendicular to the upper portion 531). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified the fins of Yu to have lower ends that are substantially perpendicular to an upper portion as taught by Ahn to aid in creating a flow channel to dissipate heat to a desired location (Para 0033-0034).
It is noted that the phrases “configured to prevent foreign matter and/or moisture entering into the vehicle dissipation module through the second fan from coming into contact with the heating element located under the heat transfer part” are statements of intended use and the structure as disclosed by the combined teachings are capable of performing the function. Further, the teachings disclose all of the structural features of the claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 15 is 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 1 have been considered but are moot because the reference Li 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.
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/CLAIRE E ROJOHN III/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763