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 .
Reply Under 37 CFR 1.111
The submission of the reply filed on 01/06/2026 to the non-final Office action of 11/26/2025 is acknowledged. The Office action on the currently pending claims 1-2, 4-8, 10-15, and 17-20 follows.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claims 1-2, 5-8, 10-11, 14-15, and 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Curtis (US 20230026424) in view of Curtis (US 20230025254) (Referred to as Curtis’254), or alternatively over Curtis (US 20230026424) in view of Hom (US 20070227708) and in further view of Curtis (US 20230025254) (Referred to as Curtis’254).
Regarding claim 1, Curtis discloses (Fig.4):
A node unit, comprising: a base plate (402); at least one function module (See Fig.4), comprising; a heat-generating element ([0027]: "a CPU of IHS 400"), a heat-dissipating structure (404), and a pump (406), wherein the heat-generating element ([0027]) is disposed on the base plate (402) (Heat-Generating Element disposed on Base Plate: See Fig.4 and [0027]: 406 is disposed on 402, and thus the heat-generating element is also disposed on 402 since 406 is on the heat-generating element), the heat-dissipating structure (404) is disposed on the heat-generating element ([0027]: "Cold plate 404 is disposed on one or more of these components to be cooled, such as a CPU of IHS 400, as illustrated"), and the pump (406) is disposed on the heat-dissipating structure (404); and a non-conductive coolant ([0019] and [0027]: "As used herein, the term ‘immersion fluid’ includes a liquid coolant that may be any non-conductive liquid" and "an immersion fluid"- the term "immersion fluid" means non-conductive fluid), in which the base plate (402) and the at least one function module (See Fig.4) are immersed (Base Plate and at Least One Function Module Immersed: [0027]), wherein the pump (406) is configured to drive the non-conductive coolant ([0019] and [0027]) to flow into the heat-dissipating structure (404) and discharge from the heat-dissipating structure (404) (Fig.4 and [0027]: "Immersible immersion fluid pump 406 is in fluid flow communication with the respective cold plate and directs flow of immersion fluid, drawn from within the immersion cooling tank, to and through respective cold plate 404"- fluid enters 404 via 406, and then leaves 404 via 408), wherein the pump (406) has a first opening (Fig.4 and [0027]: the outlet of the pump 406 that communicates with the inlet of its corresponding 404 will define the "first opening”), the heat-dissipating structure (404) has a second opening (Fig.4 and [0027]: the inlet of 404 that communicates with the outlet of its corresponding 406 will define the “second opening”), the first opening is directly connected to the second opening (Fig.4 and [0027]: the immersion coolant flows directly from 406 to 404 with nothing between them, which means that the first opening has to be directly connected to the second opening), the non-conductive coolant is adapted for flowing from the pump (406) into the heat-dissipating structure (404) through the first opening and the second opening (Fig.4 and [0027]: “Immersible immersion fluid pump 406 is in fluid flow communication with the respective cold plate and directs flow of immersion fluid, drawn from within the immersion cooling tank, to and through respective cold plate 404”- the immersion coolant flows from 406 to 404, and thus flows through the first opening and the second opening).
Alternatively, Hom teaches (Fig.1):
The first opening (See Figure Below) is directly connected to the second opening (170).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the pertinent arts before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the above teaching of Hom to modify the device of Curtis such that the first opening is directly connected to the second opening, as claimed, in order to provide an optimal flow path from the pump to the heat-dissipating structure since having the first opening be directly connected to the second opening allows direct fluid communication between the pump and the heat-dissipating structure, and thus allowing for a more efficient flow path to cool to heat-generating element.
However, Curtis (alone, or as modified by Hom) does not disclose:
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The heat-dissipating structure has a fifth opening, and the non-conductive coolant flows into the heat-dissipating structure through the fifth opening simultaneously.
Curtis’254 however teaches (Fig.8):
The heat-dissipating structure (800) has being a ducted cold plate ([0031]) with an opening (806), and the non-conductive coolant ([0022] and [0031]: “As used herein, the term ‘immersion fluid’ includes a liquid coolant that may be any non-conductive liquid” and “open to immersion fluid”- the immersion fluid flowing through 800 is a non-conductive coolant that flows into 800 via 806) flows into the heat-dissipating structure (800) through the opening (806).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the pertinent arts before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the above teaching of Curtis’254 to modify the device of Curtis (alone, or as modified by Hom) such that the heat-dissipating structure also includes an opening in the front to form a ducted cold plate so that the front opening defines a fifth opening so that the heat-dissipating structure has a second opening and fifth opening (i.e., as mapped above, the outlet of 406 is the “first opening”, the inlet of 404 is the “second opening”, the inlet of 406 can define a third opening, and the outlet of 404 can define a fourth opening, which means that the front opening of the ducted cold plate taught by Curtis’254 can define the fifth opening when modified into Curtis), and such that the non-conductive coolant flows into the heat-dissipating structure through the fifth opening simultaneously, as claimed, in order to further improve the overall heat dissipation capabilities (i.e., the non-conductive coolant can now enter the heat-dissipating structure through via the pump, and simultaneously directly enter the heat-dissipating structure via the fifth opening, and thus increasing the overall heat dissipation area for improved cooling since there are more points of entry for the non-conductive coolant to cool the heat-generating component).
Regarding claim 7 Curtis discloses (Fig.4):
An electronic device, comprising: a device body ([0027]: "an immersion cooling tank"- the tank defines the "device body"); at least one node unit (400), disposed on the device body ([0027]) and have a base plate (402) and at least one function module (See Fig.4), wherein the at least one function module (See Fig.4) comprises a heat-generating element ([0027]: "a CPU of IHS 400"), a heat-dissipating structure (404), and a pump (406), the heat-generating element ([0027]) is disposed on the base plate (402) (Heat-Generating Element disposed on Base Plate: See Fig.4 and [0027]: 406 is disposed on 402, and thus the heat-generating element is also disposed on 402 since 406 is on the heat-generating element), the heat-dissipating structure (404) is disposed on the heat-generating element ([0027]: "Cold plate 404 is disposed on one or more of these components to be cooled, such as a CPU of IHS 400, as illustrated"), and the pump (406) is disposed on the heat-dissipating structure (404); and a non-conductive coolant ([0019] and [0027]: "As used herein, the term ‘immersion fluid’ includes a liquid coolant that may be any non-conductive liquid" and "an immersion fluid"- the term "immersion fluid" means non-conductive fluid), in which the device body (402) and the at least one node unit (See Fig.4) are immersed (Base Plate and at Least One Function Module Immersed: [0027]), wherein the pump (406) is configured to drive the non-conductive coolant ([0019] and [0027]) to flow into the heat-dissipating structure (404) and discharge from the heat-dissipating structure (404) (Fig.4 and [0027]: "Immersible immersion fluid pump 406 is in fluid flow communication with the respective cold plate and directs flow of immersion fluid, drawn from within the immersion cooling tank, to and through respective cold plate 404"- fluid enters 404 via 406, and then leaves 404 via 408), wherein the pump (406) has a first opening (Fig.4 and [0027]: the outlet of the pump 406 that communicates with the inlet of its corresponding 404 will define the "first opening”), the heat-dissipating structure (404) has a second opening (Fig.4 and [0027]: the inlet of 404 that communicates with the outlet of its corresponding 406 will define the “second opening”), the first opening is directly connected to the second opening (Fig.4 and [0027]: the immersion coolant flows directly from 406 to 404 with nothing between them, which means that the first opening has to be directly connected to the second opening), the non-conductive coolant is adapted for flowing from the pump (406) into the heat-dissipating structure (404) through the first opening and second opening (Fig.4 and [0027]: “Immersible immersion fluid pump 406 is in fluid flow communication with the respective cold plate and directs flow of immersion fluid, drawn from within the immersion cooling tank, to and through respective cold plate 404”- the immersion coolant flows from 406 to 404, and thus flows through the first opening and the second opening).
Alternatively, Hom teaches (Fig.1):
The first opening (See Figure of Claim 1) is directly connected to the second opening (170).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the pertinent arts before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the above teaching of Hom to modify the device of Curtis such that the first opening is directly connected to the second opening, as claimed, in order to provide an optimal flow path from the pump to the heat-dissipating structure since having the first opening be directly connected to the second opening allows direct fluid communication between the pump and the heat-dissipating structure, and thus allowing for a more efficient flow path to cool to heat-generating element.
However, Curtis (alone, or as modified by Hom) does not disclose:
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The heat-dissipating structure has a second opening and a fifth opening, and the non-conductive coolant flows into the heat-dissipating structure through the fifth opening simultaneously.
Curtis’254 however teaches (Fig.8):
The heat-dissipating structure (800) has being a ducted cold plate ([0031]) with an opening (806), and the non-conductive coolant ([0022] and [0031]: “As used herein, the term ‘immersion fluid’ includes a liquid coolant that may be any non-conductive liquid” and “open to immersion fluid”- the immersion fluid flowing through 800 is a non-conductive coolant that flows into 800 via 806) flows into the heat-dissipating structure (800) through the opening (806).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the pertinent arts before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the above teaching of Curtis’254 to modify the device of Curtis (alone, or as modified by Hom) such that the heat-dissipating structure also includes an opening in the front to form a ducted cold plate so that the front opening defines a fifth opening so that the heat-dissipating structure has a second opening and fifth opening (i.e., as mapped above, the outlet of 406 is the “first opening”, the inlet of 404 is the “second opening”, the inlet of 406 can define a third opening, and the outlet of 404 can define a fourth opening, which means that the front opening of the ducted cold plate taught by Curtis’254 can define the fifth opening when modified into Curtis), and such that the non-conductive coolant flows into the heat-dissipating structure through the fifth opening simultaneously, as claimed, in order to further improve the overall heat dissipation capabilities (i.e., the non-conductive coolant can now enter the heat-dissipating structure through via the pump, and simultaneously directly enter the heat-dissipating structure via the fifth opening, and thus increasing the overall heat dissipation area for improved cooling since there are more points of entry for the non-conductive coolant to cool the heat-generating component).
Regarding claim 14, Curtis discloses (Fig.4):
An immersion cooling type equipment, comprising: a tank ([0027]: "an immersion cooling tank"); an electronic device (400), disposed in the tank ([0027]) and comprising: a device body (402); and at least one node unit (See Fig.4: the components placed in 402 will define the "at least one node unit"), disposed on the device body (402) and has at least one function module (See Fig.4), wherein the at least one function module (See Fig.4) comprises a heat-generating element ([0027]: "a CPU of IHS 400"), a heat-dissipating structure (404), and a pump (406), the heat-dissipating structure (404) is disposed on the heat-generating element ([0027]: "Cold plate 404 is disposed on one or more of these components to be cooled, such as a CPU of IHS 400, as illustrated"), and the pump (406) is disposed on the heat-dissipating structure (404); and a non-conductive coolant ([0019] and [0027]: "As used herein, the term ‘immersion fluid’ includes a liquid coolant that may be any non-conductive liquid" and "an immersion fluid"- the term "immersion fluid" means non-conductive fluid), accommodated in the tank ([0027]: "an immersion cooling tank"), wherein the electronic device (400) is immersed in the non-conductive coolant ([0019] and [0027]) (Electronic Device Immersed in Non-Conductive Coolant: [0027]), and the pump (406) is configured to drive the non-conductive coolant ([0019] and [0027]) to flow into the heat-dissipating structure (404) and discharge from the heat-dissipating structure (404) (Fig.4 and [0027]: "Immersible immersion fluid pump 406 is in fluid flow communication with the respective cold plate and directs flow of immersion fluid, drawn from within the immersion cooling tank, to and through respective cold plate 404"- fluid enters 404 via 406, and then leaves 404 via 408), wherein the pump (406) has a first opening (Fig.4 and [0027]: the outlet of the pump 406 that communicates with the inlet of its corresponding 404 will define the "first opening”), the heat-dissipating structure (404) has a second opening (Fig.4 and [0027]: the inlet of 404 that communicates with the outlet of its corresponding 406 will define the “second opening”), the first opening is directly connected to the second opening (Fig.4 and [0027]: the immersion coolant flows directly from 406 to 404 with nothing between them, which means that the first opening has to be directly connected to the second opening), the non-conductive coolant is adapted for flowing from the pump (406) into the heat-dissipating structure (404) through the first opening and the second opening (Fig.4 and [0027]: “Immersible immersion fluid pump 406 is in fluid flow communication with the respective cold plate and directs flow of immersion fluid, drawn from within the immersion cooling tank, to and through respective cold plate 404”- the immersion coolant flows from 406 to 404, and thus flows through the first opening and the second opening).
Alternatively, Hom teaches (Fig.1):
The first opening (See Figure of Claim 1 above) is directly connected to the second opening (170).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the pertinent arts before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the above teaching of Hom to modify the device of Curtis such that the first opening is directly connected to the second opening, as claimed, in order to provide an optimal flow path from the pump to the heat-dissipating structure since having the first opening be directly connected to the second opening allows direct fluid communication between the pump and the heat-dissipating structure, and thus allowing for a more efficient flow path to cool to heat-generating element.
However, Curtis (alone, or as modified by Hom) does not explicitly disclose:
A base plate, the heat-generating element is disposed on the base plate.
However, Curtis presents another embodiment that teaches (Fig.7):
A base plate ([0030]: "a motherboard"- the motherboard will define the "base plate"), the heat-generating element (702) is disposed on the base plate ([0030]) (See Fig.7 and [0030]: the motherboard/base plate supports the CPU(s) 702).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the pertinent arts before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the additional embodiment of Curtis to modify the primary embodiment of Curtis (alone, or as modified by Hom) such that it has a base plate that is disposed on the device body so that the device body has a base plate and the at least one function module, and such that the heat-generating element is disposed on the base plate, as claimed, in order to provide a structure that can provide structural support, power, and electrical connectivity for the heat-generating element as taught by Curtis ([0030]).
However, the above combination would still fail to teach:
The heat-dissipating structure has a fifth opening, and the non-conductive coolant flows into the heat-dissipating structure through the fifth opening simultaneously.
Curtis’254 however teaches (Fig.8):
The heat-dissipating structure (800) has being a ducted cold plate ([0031]) with an opening (806), and the non-conductive coolant ([0022] and [0031]: “As used herein, the term ‘immersion fluid’ includes a liquid coolant that may be any non-conductive liquid” and “open to immersion fluid”- the immersion fluid flowing through 800 is a non-conductive coolant that flows into 800 via 806) flows into the heat-dissipating structure (800) through the opening (806).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the pertinent arts before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the above teaching of Curtis’254 to further modify the device of modified Curtis such that the heat-dissipating structure also includes an opening in the front to form a ducted cold plate so that the front opening defines a fifth opening so that the heat-dissipating structure has a second opening and fifth opening (i.e., as mapped above, the outlet of 406 is the “first opening”, the inlet of 404 is the “second opening”, the inlet of 406 can define a third opening, and the outlet of 404 can define a fourth opening, which means that the front opening of the ducted cold plate taught by Curtis’254 can define the fifth opening when modified into Curtis), and such that the non-conductive coolant flows into the heat-dissipating structure through the fifth opening simultaneously, as claimed, in order to further improve the overall heat dissipation capabilities (i.e., the non-conductive coolant can now enter the heat-dissipating structure through via the pump, and simultaneously directly enter the heat-dissipating structure via the fifth opening, and thus increasing the overall heat dissipation area for improved cooling since there are more points of entry for the non-conductive coolant to cool the heat-generating component).
Regarding claims 2, 8, and 15, Curtis further discloses:
Wherein the heat-dissipating structure (404) has a top surface (Fig.4: surface of 404 in contact with 406) and a bottom surface (Fig.4: surface of 404 in contact with the CPU/heat-generating element) opposite to each other, the bottom surface (Fig.4: surface of 404 in contact with the CPU/heat-generating element) contacts the heat-generating element ([0027]), and the pump (406) is disposed on the top surface (Fig.4: surface of 404 in contact with 406).
Regarding claims 5, 10, and 17, Curtis further discloses:
Wherein the heat-dissipating structure (404) is a cooling plate ([0027]: "Cold plate 404") or a heat dissipation fin set.
Regarding claims 6, 11, and 18, Curtis further discloses:
(Claim 6) Wherein the heat-generating element ([0027]: "a CPU of IHS 400") is a processor ([0027]).
(Claims 11 and 18) Wherein the heat-generating element ([0027]: "a CPU of IHS 400") is a processor ([0027]), and the electronic device (See Fig.4) is a server ([0004], [0027], and [0029]: an IHS can be a server).
Claims 4, 12, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Curtis (US 20230026424) and Curtis (US 20230025254) (Referred to as Curtis’254) or alternatively over Curtis (US 20230026424), Hom (US 20070227708), and Curtis (US 20230025254) (Referred to as Curtis’254) as applied to claims 1, 7, and 14 above, and further in view of Horng (US 20220264768).
Regarding claims 4, 12, and 19, Curtis further discloses:
(Claim 4): Wherein an amount of the at least one function module (See Fig.4) is two (Fig.4: there are two 404's and 406's, and thus two function modules).
(Claim 12): An amount of the at least one function module (See Fig.4) is two (Fig.4: there are two 404's and 406's, and thus two function modules).
(Claim 19): An amount of the at least one function module (See Fig.4) is two (Fig.4: there are two 404's and 406's, and thus two function modules).
However, modified Curtis does not teach:
(Claim 4): At least one pipe, and the at least one pipe is connected to a heat-dissipating structure of one function module and a heat-dissipating structure of another function module.
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(Claims 12 and 19): Wherein the at least one node unit further comprises at least one pipe, and the at least one pipe is connected to a heat-dissipating structure of one function module and a heat-dissipating structure of another function module.
Horng however teaches (Fig.3):
At least one pipe (See Figure Below), wherein an amount of the at least one function module (See Figure Below) is two (See Figure Below), and the at least one pipe is connected to a heat-dissipating structure (44- See Figure Below) of one function module and a heat-dissipating structure of another function module (44- See Figure Below).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the pertinent arts before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the above teaching of Horng to further modify the device of modified Curtis such that the at least one node comprises at least one pipe that connects a heat-dissipating structure of one function module and a heat-dissipating structure of another function module, as respectively claimed in claims 4, 12, and 19, in order to further simplify the cooling loop (i.e., as opposed to having to branched cooling paths, a single cooling path can be used to cool both function modules, and thus simplifying the overall cooling loop).
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Curtis (US 20230026424) and Curtis (US 20230025254) (Referred to as Curtis’254) or alternatively over Curtis (US 20230026424), Hom (US 20070227708), and Curtis (US 20230025254) (Referred to as Curtis’254) as applied to claim 7 above, and further in view of Zhao (US 20250169029).
Regarding claim 13, modified Curtis does not teach:
A partition plate, wherein an amount of the at least one node unit is two, and the partition plate is disposed between the two node units.
Zhao however teaches (Fig.1):
A partition plate (1), wherein an amount of the at least one node unit is two (See Figure Below), and the partition plate is disposed between the two node units (See Figure Below).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the pertinent arts before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the above teaching of Zhao to further modify the device of modified Curtis such that it has a partition plate and such that it has two node units that are separated by the partition plate that is disposed between the two nodes, as claimed, in order to further optimize the computing capacity due to the increased number of node units while also better ensuring that the heat of one node unit does not spread onto the second node unit due to the partition plate being provided between the two node units.
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Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Curtis (US 20230026424) and Curtis (US 20230025254) (Referred to as Curtis’254) or alternatively over Curtis (US 20230026424), Hom (US 20070227708), and Curtis (US 20230025254) (Referred to as Curtis’254) as applied to claim 14 above, and further in view of Wu (US 20100027213).
Regarding claim 20, modified Curtis does not teach:
Wherein the electronic device further comprises a partition plate, an amount of the at least one node unit is two, and the partition plate is disposed between the two node units.
Edmunds however teaches (Fig.1):
An amount of the at least one node unit is two (See Figure Below).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the pertinent arts before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the above teaching of Edmunds to further modify the device of modified Curtis such that the amount of the at least one node unit is two, as claimed, in order to further optimize the computing capabilities due to the increased number of nodes present in the electronic device in a space efficient manner (i.e., one electronic device can hold two nodes as opposed to providing one electronic device per one node).
However, the above combination would still fail to teach:
Wherein the electronic device further comprises a partition plate, and the partition plate is disposed between the two node units.
Wu however teaches (Figs.1-3):
Wherein the electronic device (100) further comprises a partition plate (132), and the partition plate (132) is disposed between the two node units (See Figure Below).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the pertinent arts before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the above teaching of Wu to further modify the device of modified Curtis such that the electronic device includes a partition plate that is disposed between the two node units, as claimed, in order to provide a better alignment means for the two node units (i.e., providing the partition plate in the electronic device can provide a better visual indicator as to how to align and arrange each of the node units within the electronic device) while also better ensuring the heat does not spread from one node unit to the other node unit due to the partition being provided between the two node units.
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Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments of 01/06/2026 have been fully considered, but have been found unpersuasive. Regarding Applicant’s arguments made to independent claim 1, Applicant traverses the rejection and states that the claim is non-obvious over Curtis (US 20230026424) and Curtis (US 20230025254) (hereinafter referred to as Curtis’254). Specifically regarding Curtis’254, Applicant contests that “although the bottom 806 (which is compared to the fifth opening of the present application) of shroud 804 is an opening, however, after the shroud 804 is assembled to the heatsink 802, the bottom 806 is covered by the heatsink 802 and there is only one opening which is fitting 808 remained”, and thus Curtis’254 only discloses “open opening to deliver the immersion fluid” and that “even if the person skilled in the art combines Curtis’254 and Curtis, the person skilled in the art would only disclose one opening which is the second opening of the present application and would not be able to disclose another opening which the fifth opening of the present application”.
Referring to figure 8 of Curtis’254, Curtis’254 teaches an inlet opening (806) that is formed on a side surface of the duct/shroud (804). The fact that the inlet opening (806) is covered by the (802) does not change the fact that the inlet opening (806) is still an opening since that is how the immersion fluid flows through the immersion cooling apparatus (800) as taught in paragraph [0031] of Curtis’254. Using the teaching of Curtis’254, one of ordinary skill in the pertinent arts could have reasonably combined Curtis and Curtis’254 so that the cold plate (404) of Curtis has an opening on a side lateral face, as taught by Curtis’254, to define the claimed “fifth opening”. While the Office understands Applicant’s position, the Office asserts that the combination proposed by Applicant is not the only combination that one of ordinary skill in the pertinent arts before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would make in light of the disclosures of Curtis and Curtis’254. In other words, while Applicant is correct in saying that one of ordinary skill in the art could combine Curtis and Curtis’254 as proposed by Applicant, Applicant is incorrect is concluding that Applicant’s described combination is the only combination one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would make, especially since Curtis’254 clearly teaches providing an inlet area that is in an area that is different from the inlet area of Curtis (i.e., based on the disclosure of Curtis and Curtis’254, one of ordinary skill in the art could come up with a variety of ways to combine to arrive at the claimed device). Therefore, while none of the references in isolation teach each and every single limitation, the Office asserts that the combination properly obviates the claimed device as claimed in claim 1.
The Office also notes that providing cold plates with a plurality of inlets is well known in the art (see references in the conclusion section of the Office action), and thus providing further evidence that the previous rejection is proper since the combination does not utilize impermissible hindsight and/or undo experimentation, and is within the skills of one of ordinary skill in the art in order to achieve the predictable result of increasing the heat dissipation area for improved cooling, as outlined in the non-final Office action of 11/26/2025. For all of the reasons provided above, Applicant’s argument is believed to be in error.
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Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 20220418156: teaches a cold plate that has a first inlet at a top surface and a second inlet at a side surface of the cold plate.
GB 2560337: teaches a cooling plate that utilizes a plurality of inlets.
US 20090205810: teaches a cooling plate that utilizes a plurality of inlets.
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 STEPHEN S SUL whose telephone number is (571)270-1243. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jayprakash Gandhi can be reached at (571) 272-3740. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/STEPHEN S SUL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2835