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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election of Species B, i in the reply filed on 11/22/2025 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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.
Claims 1-18 are 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 1, the recitation “the heat-exchanging plates disposed between the two collecting tanks are arranged side by side and non-parallelly to each other” is unclear. Specifically, in every disclosed embodiment, including the elected embodiment, the heat-exchanging plates extend parallel to one another (see longitudinal direction 202), and thus the claims directly contradict the disclosure (MPEP 2173.03). It appears that the elements that extend “non-parallelly” to one another refers to either a specific surface of the plate or a direction that corresponds to the width of the plates, as seen in at least Fig. 4-5.
Regarding claims 7-8, the recitation “the joint tube” is unclear, as multiple joint tubes are previously recited. Further it is unclear in what manner the “tube” is “perpendicularly” or “parallelly” oriented with respect to the longitudinal direction of the plates, as the tubes are three dimensional objects, with no reference axes provided.
Regarding claim 10, the recitation “wherein two heat-exchanging plates of each pair of heat-exchanging plates are disposed side by side and non-parallelly to each other” is unclear. Specifically, in every disclosed embodiment, including the elected embodiment, the heat-exchanging plates extend parallel to one another (see longitudinal direction 202), and thus the claims directly contradict the disclosure (MPEP 2173.03). It appears that the elements that extend “non-parallelly” to one another refers to either a specific surface of the plate or a direction that corresponds to the width of the plates, as seen in at least Fig. 4-5.
Claims 2-9, and 11-18 are rejected for their dependency.
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) 1-5 and 7-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by Mascianica (DE102016116326A1).
Regarding claim 1, Mascianica discloses a liquid cooling device (Fig. 1-6), comprising: at least two collecting tanks (end plates 204 with cavities 250), spaced from each other, and each of the collecting tanks comprising a joint tube (inlet 240 and outlet 242); and at least one pair of heat-exchanging plates (bar 208 with channel 228; channel 234), each of the heat-exchanging plates being in an elongated shape, wherein the collecting tanks are connected serially by the heat-exchanging plates, and each of the heat-exchanging plates comprises a channel (interior channel of 234) disposed therein and extended along a longitudinal direction thereof, wherein the channel in each of the heat-exchanging plates communicates with the collecting tanks connected to two ends of the heat-exchanging plate, respectively, the heat-exchanging plates disposed between the two collecting tanks are arranged side by side and non-parallelly to each other, and the multiple channels of the heat-exchanging plates disposed between the two collecting tanks are arranged longitudinally parallel to each other.
Regarding claim 2, Mascianica discloses the limitations of claim 1, and Mascianica further discloses each of the collecting tanks (end plates 204 with cavities 250) comprises a main body and a cover (portion thereof with connection to 242/240), the cover is assembled on the main body, the joint tube is disposed on the cover, and another one of the main body is connected to one of the heat-exchanging plates (bar 208 with channel 228; channel 234), correspondingly.
Regarding claim 3, Mascianica discloses the limitations of claim 2, and Mascianica further discloses each of the collecting tanks (end plates 204 with cavities 250) comprises a plurality of slots (see slots into which bar 208 with channel 228; channel 234 are inserted) for the heat-exchanging plates to be inserted correspondingly, and the slots are arranged non-parallelly to each other.
Regarding claim 4, Mascianica discloses the limitations of claim 3, and Mascianica further discloses wherein two of the slots are arranged perpendicularly to each other (see perpendicular angle thereof).
Regarding claim 5, Mascianica discloses the limitations of claim 1, and Mascianica further discloses the two heat-exchanging plates are overall perpendicular to each other (see perpendicular angle thereof).
Regarding claim 7, Mascianica discloses the limitations of claim 1, and Mascianica further discloses the joint tube (inlet 240 and outlet 242) is arranged parallelly (see axial direction thereof) to the longitudinal direction of each of the heat-exchanging plates (bar 208 with channel 228; channel 234).
Regarding claim 8, Mascianica discloses the limitations of claim 1, and Mascianica further discloses wherein the joint tube (inlet 240 and outlet 242) is arranged perpendicularly (see radial direction thereof) to the longitudinal direction of each of the heat-exchanging plates (bar 208 with channel 228; channel 234).
Regarding claim 9, Mascianica discloses the limitations of claim 1, and Mascianica further discloses each of the heat-exchanging plates comprises a heat-exchanging surface, an inner included angle defined between two heat- exchanging surfaces of the two heat-exchanging plates disposed side by side is less than 180 degrees (see two perpendicular surfaces thereof).
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) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mascianica (DE102016116326A1) in view of Haussmann (US20130189558A1).
Regarding claim 6, Mascianica teaches the limitations of claim 1, and Mascianica does not teach each of the channels comprises a plurality of branch pipes extended along the longitudinal direction of the heat-exchanging plate, the branch pipes are disposed side by side, and two ends of each of the branch pipes are connected to the collecting tanks correspondingly.
Haussmann teaches (see Fig. 1) wherein each of the channels comprises a plurality of branch pipes (20) extended along the longitudinal direction of the heat-exchanging plate (12), the branch pipes are disposed side by side, and two ends of each of the branch pipes are connected to the collecting tanks (34) correspondingly.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Mascianica to include the branch pipes of Haussmann, in order to improve mechanical stability (¶[0033]).
Claim(s) 10-14 and 16-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu (CN110112499A) in view of Mascianica (DE102016116326A1).
Regarding claim 10, Xu teaches a liquid cooling device (see Fig. 4), comprising: a collecting tank (collecting pipe 9), comprising a joint tube (6); and two pairs of heat-exchanging plates (plates 10), connected to two sides of the collecting tank, respectively, one end of each the heat-exchanging plate connected to the collecting tank, each of the heat-exchanging plates comprising a channel disposed therein and extended along a longitudinal direction thereof, and the channel in each of the heat-exchanging plates communicating with the collecting tank, and multiple channels of each pair of heat-exchanging plates are arranged longitudinally parallel to each other.
Xu does not teach wherein two heat-exchanging plates of each pair of heat-exchanging plates are disposed side by side and non-parallelly to each other.
Mascianica teaches wherein two heat-exchanging plates of each pair of heat-exchanging plates are disposed side by side and non-parallelly to each other (bar 208 with channel 228; channel 234).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Xu to include the non-parallel plates of Mascianica, in order to contact a horizontal and vertical surface of the heat transfer element (Page 2).
Regarding claim 11, Xu as modified teaches the limitations of claim 10, and Xu further teaches the collecting tank comprises a main body (central portion of 9) and a pair of covers (left and right surfaces of 9), the pair of covers are assembled at two sides of the main body, the joint tube is arranged on the main body, and the covers are connected to the heat-exchanging plates correspondingly.
Regarding claim 12, Xu as modified teaches the limitations of claim 11, and Xu further teaches each of the covers comprises a pair of slots (see slots into which 10 are inserted) for the heat-exchanging plates to be insert therein correspondingly, and the pair of slots on each of the covers are arranged non-parallelly to each other (as modified above).
Regarding claim 13, Xu as modified teaches the limitations of claim 12, and Xu further teaches the pair of slots on each of the covers are arranged perpendicularly to each other (as modified above).
Regarding claim 14, Xu as modified teaches the limitations of claim 10, and Xu further teaches the two heat-exchanging plates of each pair of heat-exchanging plates are arranged perpendicularly to each other (as modified above).
Regarding claim 16, Xu as modified teaches the limitations of claim 10, and Xu further teaches wherein the joint tube (6, axial direction thereof) is arranged perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of each of the heat-exchanging plates.
Regarding claim 17, Xu as modified teaches the limitations of claim 10, and Xu further teaches wherein another end of each of the heat- exchanging plates (10) of at least one pair of heat-exchanging plates is connected to another collecting tank (7 & 8)
Regarding claim 18, Xu as modified teaches the limitations of claim 10, and Xu further teaches each of the heat-exchanging plates comprises a heat-exchanging surface, an inner included angle defined between two heat- exchanging surfaces of the two heat-exchanging plates disposed side by side is less than 180 degrees (see two perpendicular surfaces thereof, as modified above).
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu (CN110112499A) in view of Mascianica (DE102016116326A1) and Haussmann (US20130189558A1).
Regarding claim 15, Xu as modified teaches the limitations of claim 10, and Xu does not teach each of the channels comprises a plurality of branch pipes extended along the longitudinal direction of the heat-exchanging plate, the branch pipes are disposed side by side, and two ends of each of the branch pipes are connected to the collecting tanks correspondingly.
Haussmann teaches (see Fig. 1) wherein each of the channels comprises a plurality of branch pipes (20) extended along the longitudinal direction of the heat-exchanging plate (12), the branch pipes are disposed side by side, and two ends of each of the branch pipes are connected to the collecting tanks (34) correspondingly.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Xu to include the branch pipes of Haussmann, in order to improve mechanical stability (¶[0033]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERIC S RUPPERT whose telephone number is (571)272-9911. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8 am - 4 pm.
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/ERIC S RUPPERT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763