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 without traverse of Species C, Fig. 8c claims 1-12 and 16-20 in the reply filed on 11/24/2025 is acknowledged.
Claims 13-15 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 11/24/2025.
The applicant asserts that claim 8 reads on Species C, however, the Examiner deems claim 8 not readable on Species C because Species C has two series fins, not one series fin as claimed. Claim 8 stands withdrawn from consideration
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claims 1-7, 9 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sonoda (US Patent No.: 4,274,482).
With respect to claim 1, Sonoda discloses a heat exchanger (Fig. 3) comprising: a plurality of fins defining a flow path for a refrigerant to flow (Fig. 3, 30 creates flow paths), each fin having an opening located in an upper portion thereof and an opening located in a lower portion thereof to allow the refrigerant to flow (Fig. 3, opening at upper portion 26 and lower portion 24), each fin having a flow path portion therein to allow the refrigerant to flow (Fig. 3, flow path portion in 28), the plurality of fins being arranged at intervals in one direction (Fig. 3, 28); and an upper header provided at the upper portion of the plurality of fins (Fig. 3, upper header 26), and a lower header provided at the lower portion of the plurality of fins (Fig. 3, lower header 24), each header being in communication with the flow path portion (Fig. 3), wherein at least one fin, among the plurality of fins, is configured such that at least one of the opening in the upper portion and the opening in the lower portion is closed (Fig. 3, partitions 40 at upper and lower portions close the opening 14).
With respect to claim 2, Sonoda discloses the heat exchanger of claim 1 as discussed above. Sonoda also discloses wherein each header is defined by the openings of adjacent fins (Fig. 3, openings 14), of the plurality of fins, being coupled to one another in a successive manner(Fig. 3, 14 are fluidly coupled to one another).
With respect to claim 3, Sonoda discloses the heat exchanger of claim 2 as discussed above. Sonoda also discloses wherein each of the plurality of fins further comprises a fin collar to surround a corresponding one of the openings (Fig. 3, openings 14 have a collar), the fin collar protruding a predetermined thickness (Fig. 3, fin collar on 14 protrudes through the thickness of the opening), and wherein each header is defined by fin collars of the adjacent fins being coupled to one another in a successive manner (Fig. 3).
With respect to claim 4, Sonoda discloses the heat exchanger of claim 3 as discussed above. Sonoda also discloses wherein the plurality of fins comprises at least two types of fins among a basic fin in which the opening in the upper portion and the opening in the lower portion are both open (Fig. 3, 30 with openings 14), a series flow fin in which only one of the opening in the upper portion and the opening in the lower portion is open (Fig. 3, series flow fin with partition 40), and a closed fin in which the opening in the upper portion and the opening in the lower portion are both closed (This third type of fin is not required since the limitation calls for at least two types of fins. Further, this third type of fin is not elected in the restriction and is not shown in the elected figure 8c).
With respect to claim 5, Sonoda discloses the heat exchanger of claim 4 as discussed above. Sonoda also discloses wherein the series flow fin is configured to change a flow of the refrigerant from a parallel flow to a series flow to thereby extend a length of the flow path for the refrigerant (Fig. 3, partition 40 changes the flow and extends a length of the flow path).
With respect to claim 6, Sonoda discloses the heat exchanger of claim 5 as discussed above. Sonoda also discloses wherein the series flow fin is disposed in a zone within the heat exchanger where refrigerant stagnation occurs (Fig. 3, 40 is in the middle zone where refrigeration stagnation is possible depending upon fluid flow rates etc).
With respect to claim 7, Sonoda discloses the heat exchanger of claim 6 as discussed above. Sonoda also discloses wherein the closed fin defines an end plate of the heat exchanger (Fig. 3, closed fins 34 define an end plate of the heat exchanger).
With respect to claim 9, Sonoda discloses the heat exchanger of claim 4 as discussed above. Sonoda also discloses wherein a position of the series flow fin in the plurality of fins is selected depending on a role of the heat exchanger (Col. 2, lines 6-10 and Col. 5, lines 47-Col. 6 line 45).
With respect to claim 20, Sonoda discloses a heat exchanger (Fig. 3) comprising: a plurality of fins provided therein with a flow path through which a refrigerant is configured to flow (Fig. 3, refrigerant flows through fins 30), the plurality of fins being arranged at intervals in one direction (Fig. 3); and an upper header provided at an upper portion of the plurality of fins (Fig. 3, upper header 26), and a lower header provided at a lower portion of the plurality of fins (Fig. 3, lower header 24), each header being in communication with the flow path (Fig. 3), wherein each of the plurality of fins has an opening in the upper portion and the lower portion thereof (Fig. 3, opening in 30 for 26 and 24), and wherein each header is defined by the openings of adjacent fins, of the plurality of fins, being coupled to one another in a successive manner (Fig. 3).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 10-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sonoda (US Patent No.: 4,274,482).
With respect to claim 10, Sonoda discloses the heat exchanger of claim 9 as discussed above. Sonoda discloses the heat exchanger is operated as an evaporator (Col. 3, lines 17-19) but not as a condenser. Sonoda does not disclose the flow path for the refrigerant is provided such that the flow of refrigerant is directed from top to bottom at an inlet of the heat exchanger and an outlet of the heat exchanger.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have reversed the fluid flow of the evaporator to be a condenser and to have the flow path of the fluid flow from top to the bottom since it is old and well known that reversing the refrigerant flow essentially turns the evaporator coil into a condenser coil (and vice versa) to switch from cooling to heating (or vice versa) depending upon a desired intended use for the heat exchanger.
With respect to claim 11, Sonoda teaches the heat exchanger of claim 10 as discussed above. Sonoda also teaches when the heat exchanger is operated as the condenser or reversed flow, the series flow fin is disposed such that, in the flow path for the refrigerant, a section where refrigerant flows from top to bottom is greater than a section where refrigerant flows from bottom to top (Fig. 3, reverse fluid flow from 38 to 36 acting as a condenser has a section in 26 to 24 is greater than fluid flow from 24 to 26).
With respect to claim 12, Sonoda teaches the heat exchanger of claim 11 as discussed above. Sonoda also teaches when the heat exchanger is operated as the condenser, at least two series flow fins are disposed such that a portion of the flow path for the refrigerant flows from bottom to top (Fig. 3, reverse fluid flow from 38 to 36 acting as a condenser has 40 in 24 that creates a flow path for the fluid to flow from bottom 24 to top 26).
Claims 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sonoda (US Patent No.: 4,274,482) in view of Burgers et al. (US Patent No.: 6,889,758 hereinafter “Burgers”).
With respect to claim 16, Sonoda discloses the heat exchanger of claim 1 as discussed above. Sonoda does not disclose wherein each fin includes: a first panel having a plurality of first grooves protruding outward from the first panel and extending in a direction inclined with respect to a longitudinal direction of the first panel, the plurality of first grooves being arranged along the longitudinal direction of the first panel, and a second panel coupled to the first panel, the second panel having a plurality of second grooves protruding outward from the second panel and extending in a direction intersecting the plurality of first grooves while being inclined with respect to a longitudinal direction of the second panel, the plurality of second grooves being arranged along the longitudinal direction of the second panel to face the plurality of first grooves to thereby define the flow path portion.
Burgers teaches panels that have grooves protruding outward and extend in a direction inclined with a longitudinal direction of the panel (Figs. 8-9, panels 32a and 30a have grooves 48) and a second panel coupled to the first panel (Fig. 8, two panels 30a and 32a), the second panel having a plurality of second grooves protruding outward from the second panel and extending in a direction intersecting the plurality of first grooves while being inclined with respect to a longitudinal direction of the second panel (Fig. 9, grooves 34 on second panel 30a) the plurality of second grooves being arranged along the longitudinal direction of the second panel to face the plurality of first grooves to thereby define the flow path portion (Fig. 6 shows the flow path between the two grooves on the panels). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified the panels of Sonoda with the grooves as taught by Burgers to increase the fluid flow path which increases heat transfer (Col. 1, lines 57-60).
With respect to claim 17, Sonoda and Burgers teach the heat exchanger of claim 16 as discussed above. Burgers also teaches wherein each fin includes a fin collar to surround a corresponding one of the openings, each fin collar including: a first fin collar on the first panel; and a second fin collar on the second panel (Figs. 4-5, fin collars 54 and 56). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified both fins of Sonoda with a collar as taught by Burgers to aid in stacking the fins together (Col. 4, lines 58-67).
With respect to claim 18, Sonoda and Burgers teach the heat exchanger of claim 17 as discussed above. Burgers also teaches wherein the first panel comprises a first bending section where the first grooves are bent in a first direction with respect to an air flow direction, and wherein the second panel comprises a second bending section where the second grooves are bent in a second direction opposite to the first direction at a position corresponding to the first bending section (Fig. 9, panel 32a has bending section 44 and second panel 30a has a bending section 34 that is opposite of 44 to create a flow path as shown in figure 6).
With respect to claim 19, Sonoda discloses the heat exchanger of claim 18 as discussed above. Sonoda also discloses wherein the first bending section and the second bending section are arranged parallel to a longitudinal direction of the fin (Fig. 6 and 9, bending section on 44 and 34 are parallel to a longitudinal direction).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CLAIRE E ROJOHN III whose telephone number is (571)270-5431. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00-5:00 M-F.
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/CLAIRE E ROJOHN III/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763