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 .
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 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.
Examiner Request
The Examiner made the following request in the Restriction Requirement dated 11/17/25.
The application claims priority to four (4) Chinese applications which have been combined into a single internation application resulting in the instant national stage application. Due to conflicting terms for what appears to be the same element and different reference numbers for what appears to be the same element, can Applicant review the claims, drawings and specification to insure that consistent element names and reference numerals are used throughout. Patent quality is responsibility of both the Applicant and USPTO.
Again, the Examiner is requesting Applicant to review of the instant application. Not only is the scope of the elected claims not clear, but due to conflicts within the application resulting from the combining of four (4) Chinese applications into a single international (WIPO) application, and now into the instant national stage application, the Examiner is unsure of the metes and bounds of the claimed invention(s).
The claimed invention of independent claim 53 appears to be a combination of figs. 1-6 pertaining to an accommodation area 170 and a temperature-and-humidity sensor 160 and figs. 28-34 pertaining to an installation plate 140 and an avoidance hole 141. Is figure 11, a composite drawing showing the combination of figs. 1-6 and 28-34, that supports the combination of the claimed invention(s)?
The Office requests Applicant’s cooperation with reviewing and correcting any other remaining informalities present in the claims, but not made of record in the instant action.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of species election of Group VI (claims 53, 60, 63, 65, and 66) in the reply filed on 12/16/25 is acknowledged.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, “an element” (claim 53, l. 11) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
The drawings are objected to because:
in fig. 2, the temperature-and-humidity sensors should “160” (not “150”); \
in fig. 8, “320” at enter of curly bracket should be “300”; and
figs. 33 and 34 depict “a heat dissipation plate 130”. These figures show limit convert plate 131, heat dissipation convert plate 1311, discharge groove 1313, and block 1314 on a lower surface of heat dissipation plate 130. Claim 63 requires a bottom of the discharge groove 1313 (which would be the top surface of limit convert plate 131) is higher than a plane in which a bottom end (lower surface of limit convert plate 131 [now shown in figs. 33 and 34 as upper surface]) of the limit convert plate 131 is arranged, and lower than a top surface (top of heat dissipation convert plate 1311) of the heat dissipation convert plate 131. Figures 33 and 34 be flipped upside down to align with requirements of claim 63?
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because
reference characters "100" and "130" have both been used to designate “heat dissipation plate”/”heat dissipation plate component”;
reference characters "110" and "300" have both been used to designate “box body”;
reference characters "111” and "320" have both been used to designate “box cover”;
reference characters "112" and "310" have both been used to designate “box main body”/”bottom box”, respectively;
reference characters "121" and "1312" have both been used to designate “discharge surface”;
reference characters "130" and "1313" have both been used to designate “heat dissipation plate”;
reference characters "140" and "1314" have both been used to designate “heat dissipation plate”;
reference characters "150" and "131" have both been used to designate “limit convert plate”; and
reference characters "140" and "400" have both been used to designate “installation plate”.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because
reference character “100” has been used to designate “heat dissipation plate” and “electric control box”;
reference character “110” has been used to designate “heat dissipation plate body” and “box body”;
reference numeral “113” has been used to designate “side wall 113” of the box body 110, “side wall 113” of heat dissipation convert plate 1314 and “side plate” if block 1314”;
reference character “120” has been used to designate “heat dissipation convert plate”, ”retaining plate”, “heat dissipation component” and “heat exchange tube”;
reference character “130” has been used to designate “drainage groove” and “heat dissipation plate”/”heat dissipation plate”;
reference character “131” has been used to designate “connector” and “limit convert plate”;
reference character “132” has been used to designate “heat dissipation plate” and “positioning notch”;
reference character “140” has been used to designate “block” and “installation plate”;
reference character “1311” has been used to designate “threaded installation hole” and “heat dissipation convert plate”;
reference character “1312” has been used to designate “first end face” and “drainage surface”;
reference character “1313” has been used to designate “second end face” and “drainage groove”; and
reference character “1314” has been used to designate “anti-rotation units” and “block”.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: “113” relating to side wall of heat dissipation convert plate 1311 and “113” relating to side wall of block 1314.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: “D” (fig. 10).
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
is “box main body 112” and “bottom box 310” the same or different disclosed elements?
is “retaining plate 120” and “installation plate 400” the same or different disclosed elements?
is “discharge groove 1313” and “drainage groove 130” the same or different disclosed elements?
is “avoidance hole” 141 and “limit notch 410” the same or different disclosed elements?
is “accommodation area 170” and “discharge groove 1313” the same or different disclosed elements?
Para. [0104] describes “FIG. 25 is a top view of the heat dissipation plate”, however fig. 25 cannot represent a top view of the heat dissipation plate 121 as shown in fig. 22 because elements 1211 and 1221 are on a lower surface of the heat dissipation plate 121 (other place(s) of the specification have to be corrected as well); and
Para. [0111] describes “FIG. 32 is a front view of heat dissipation plate”, however fig. 32 shows a top view of heat dissipation plate 130 as shown in figs. 29 and 30 (other place(s) of the specification have to be corrected as well).
Para. [0112] describes “FIG. 33 is a top view of the heat dissipation plate”, however fig. 33 cannot represent a top view of the heat dissipation plate 130 as shown in fig. 28 which provides the orientation for claim 63 of the instant application (other place(s) of the specification have to be corrected as well).
Appropriate correction is required.
A substitute specification excluding the claims is required pursuant to 37 CFR 1.125(a) because the Examiner believes that the extensive number of the amendments needed render it difficult to consider the application and/or to arrange the papers for printing or copying, 37 CFR 1.125.
A substitute specification must not contain new matter. The substitute specification must be submitted with markings showing all the changes relative to the immediate prior version of the specification of record. The text of any added subject matter must be shown by underlining the added text. The text of any deleted matter must be shown by strike-through except that double brackets placed before and after the deleted characters may be used to show deletion of five or fewer consecutive characters. The text of any deleted subject matter must be shown by being placed within double brackets if strike-through cannot be easily perceived. An accompanying clean version (without markings) and a statement that the substitute specification contains no new matter must also be supplied. Numbering the paragraphs of the specification of record is not considered a change that must be shown.
Claim Objections
Claims 53, 60, 63, 65, and 66 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 53, line 23, “discharge water” should be “discharge the water” having antecedence in “discharge water” of line 17;
Claim 53, line 24, “corresponding” should be “corresponding to”;
Claim 53, line 27, “the other” lacks antecedent basis and should be “and another” (adding “and” because preceding last limitation in the claim);
Claim 60, line 11, “the lowest one” lacks antecedent basis and should be “a lowest one”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 53, 60, 63, 65, and 66 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.
Claim 53, line 4 requires “at least two heat dissipation convert plates” and lines 5-6 requires “at least two adjacently arranged heat dissipation convert plates.” Since “at least two adjacently arranged heat dissipation convert plates” does not have antecedence in “at least two heat dissipation convert plates”, are these two separate elements being claimed?
Claim 53, lines 4-9 requires “an accommodation area is defined between at least two adjacently arranged heat dissipation convert plates; the accommodation area is provided with a temperature-and-humidity sensor, and a detection end of the temperature-and-humidity sensor is no higher than a surface of the heat dissipation convert plate facing away from the heat dissipation plate body.” Since the detection end of the temperature-and-humidity sensor is between at least two adjacently arranged heat dissipation convert plates, which surface of the at least two adjacently arranged heat dissipation convert plates is the “surface” referred to? The Examiner understands that at least two adjacently arranged heat dissipation convert plates would each have “a surface”, which surface is the claimed referring to?
Claim 53, lines 8-9 requires “a surface of the heat dissipation convert plate” and lines 15-16 requires “the heat dissipation convert plate . . . comes into contact with the element to be heat dissipated.” Does the surface of the heat dissipation convert plate comes into contact with the element to be heat dissipated?
Claim 53, lines 8-9 (and other places), which does “the heat dissipation convert plate” (which is singular) have antecedence in “at least two heat dissipation convert plates” of line 4 and/or “at least two adjacently arranged heat dissipation convert plates” of lines 5-6 (both of which are plural)?
Claim 53, lines 13-14 requires “a heat dissipation convert plate” and line 4 requires “ “at least two heat dissipation convert plates”, lines 5-6 requires “at least two adjacently arranged heat dissipation convert plates” and line 8 requires “the heat dissipation convert plate.” Is “a heat dissipation convert plate” the same or different from heat dissipation convert plate(s) of lines 4, 5-6, and/or 8?
Claim 53, lines 14-15 requires “an area of the installation plate corresponding to the heat dissipation convert plate is provided with an avoidance hole.” Is “an area” is the installation plate to be interpreted as a region of the installation plate rather than an area relating to a characteristic relating to an entire surface area of the installation plate?
Claim 53, lines 17-18 requires “the heat dissipation convert plate has a drainage surface configured to discharge water that flows to the drainage surface out of the heat dissipation convert plate” (emphasis added). How does water flow out of the heat dissipation convert plate where “the heat dissipation convert plate” is an elongated block that based on the disclosure appears to be a solid elongated block?
Claim 53, line 22-23 requires “a discharge groove” and lines 4-5 require “an accommodation area.” The Examiner believes based upon the disclosure that these two claimed elements are in fact the same element. See Double inclusion, MPEP 2173.05(o).
Claim 53, line 23, does “two discharge grooves” have antecedence in “both sides . . . are provided with a discharge groove” of lines 22-23?
Claim 53, lines 24 requires “an area of the heat dissipation plate.” Is “an area” is the installation plate to be interpreted as a region of the heat dissipation plate rather than an area relating to a characteristic relating to an entire surface area of the heat dissipation plate?
Claim 60, lines 5, 8, and 10 require “the discharge groove.” Does “the discharge groove” (which is singular) have antecedence in “the two discharge grooves” (which is plural) of line 23 which in turn has antecedence in “both sides . . . are provided with a discharge groove” of lines 22-23?
Claim 60, line 6 requires “at least two dissipation convert plates.” Are these “at least two dissipation convert plates” an additional element to “at least two heat dissipation convert plates” of claim 53, line 4 and/or “at least two adjacently arranged heat dissipation convert plates” of claim 53, lines 5-6, or “the heat dissipation convert plate” of claim 53, lines 8-9?
Claim 60, line 7, does “the at least two heat dissipation convert plates” have antecedence in “at least two heat dissipation convert plates” of lines 6-7, claim 53, line 4, or both?
Claim 60, line 9 requires “two adjacent heat dissipation convert plates” which does not have antecedence in either of “at least two heat dissipation convert plates” of claim 53, line 4 and/or “at least two adjacently arranged heat dissipation convert plates” of claim 53, lines 5-6. Are these additional heat dissipation convert plates being claimed?
m. Claim 60, line 10 requires “an adjacent heat dissipation convert plate” which does not have antecedence in any of “at least two heat dissipation convert plates” of claim 53, line 4, “at least two adjacently arranged heat dissipation convert plates” of claim 53, lines 5-6, and/or “a heat dissipation convert plate: of claim 53, lines 13-14. Are these additional heat dissipation convert plates being claimed? and
n. Claim 63, line 3 requires “a bottom end” of the limit convert plate 131. Is the “bottom end” the lower surface of 131 when figs. 33 and 34 are flipped upside down?
Allowable Subject Matter
The Examiner is not including any indication of allowable subject matter due to the claim issues raised in the instant action, above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 2011/0133349 discloses a temperature-and-humidity sensor (30) in a discharge path.
CN 216352004 discloses a control box a temperature-and-humidity sensor (14,15) for monitoring the temperature-and-humidity inside the control box.
US 2024/0093888 discloses a related application.
CN 115707212 is a publication relating to figs. 1-11 of the instant application.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT J HOFFBERG whose telephone number is (571) 272-2761. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon - Fri 9 AM - 5 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jayprakash Gandhi can be reached on (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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RJH 12/29/2025
/ROBERT J HOFFBERG/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2835