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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1 and 6-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Long et al. (US 2015/0334878 A1) in view of Florez-Larrahondo et al. (US 8,838,286 B2).
Regarding claim 1, Long discloses (figure 1-6) an air-to-liquid cooling system comprising: a cabinet (housing 12) defining a front portion (front 14) and a rear portion (back 16), the cabinet including lateral side panels (at sides 18 and 20) and a front face; a fluid inlet (at inlet of input line 36); a fluid outlet (at outlet from output line 36 where fluid flows into and out of the unit via the input line 36 and output line 38 per paragraph 0036); and a heat exchanger (30) within the cabinet, the heat exchanger being in fluid communication with the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet (per paragraph 0035), and being positioned at an oblique angle relative to the lateral side panels (as seen in figure 2 and clearly seen in figure 3 the heat exchanger 30 extends at an angle relative to the rectangular housing ); a plurality of fan assemblies mounted along the front face (at fans 28), each of the plurality of fan assemblies including a fan and blind mate connectors configured to interface with corresponding blind mate connectors within the cabinet (per paragraph 0034); and including a controller (controller 29), the controller being in electronic communication with the plurality of fan assemblies, and having instructions stored thereon to control a speed of the fans of the plurality of fan assemblies (per paragraph 0034).
However Long does not explicitly disclose a hot-swappable control module mounted along the front face, the hot-swappable control module being positioned vertically above the plurality of fan assemblies.
Florez-Larrahondo discloses (Figure 1-5) a rack cooling system with a fan module on an end of the rack (at fans 108) where the fan module includes a fan controller that is a hot-swappable control module mounted along the front face (at fan controller 508 which may be hot swapped from the back of the rack per Col. 6, line 6-18), the hot-swappable control module being positioned vertically above the plurality of fan assemblies (the controller 508 is above at least some of the fan assemblies at 108).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to have modified the fan controller of Long to be hot swapable as disclosed by Florez-Larrahondo. Doing so would allow for the controller to be hot swapped from the rack in the event of a controller failure as recognized by Florez-Larrahondo (per Col. 6, line 6-18).
Regarding claim 6, Long as modified discloses the claim limitations of claim 1 above and Long further discloses a valve (either valve 52 or valve 50) positioned downstream of the fluid inlet (at input line 36) and upstream of the heat exchanger (30), the valve movable between a fully open position and a fully closed position, wherein, when the valve is in a fully-closed position, a fluid connection between the heat exchanger and the fluid inlet is interrupted (per paragraph 0040).
Regarding claim 7, Long as modified discloses the claim limitations of claim 6 above and Long further discloses the valve (either valve 52 or 50) is in communication with the controller (29), and wherein the controller is configured to provide a signal to the valve to control a position of the valve (per paragraph 0040).
Regarding claim 8, Long as modified discloses the claim limitations of claim 7 above and Long further discloses when the valve (52) is in the fully closed position, the fluid inlet is in direct fluid communication with the fluid outlet (when the fluid is directed fully through the bypass line 48).
Regarding claim 9, Long as modified discloses the claim limitations of claim 8 above and Florez-Larrahondo further discloses a communication between the controller and the plurality of fan assemblies is interrupted, the fans of the fan assemblies continue to rotate at a default speed (fans operate at a maximum speed if the fan controller fails per Col. 7, line 56-59).
Regarding claim 10, Long as modified discloses the claim limitations of claim 1 above and Long further discloses vents are defined in the lateral side panels (as air flows between the two sides and vents between the two sides 18 and 20 are formed ant the front and rear face 14 and 16).
Regarding claim 11, Long as modified discloses the claim limitations of claim 1 above and Long further discloses a plurality of electrical inlets (as electrical inlets is a broad term it could be any electrical connections such as connections to controller 29 which is near the rear/back 16 of the unit as seen in figure 1 and 2) , wherein the fluid inlet, the fluid outlet, and the plurality of electrical inlets are provided in the rear portion of the cabinet (as seen in figure 1-3).
Regarding claim 12, Long as modified discloses the claim limitations of claim 1 above and Long further discloses the cabinet defines a width of about 600 mm (the cooling unit may have a width that is the same as an industry standard width of 24 inches per paragraphs 0046, where industry standard is defined paragraph 0032 as 24 inches and 24 inches is about 600mm).
Regarding claim 13, Long as modified discloses the claim limitations of claim 1 above and Florez-Larrahondo further discloses the hot-swappable control module (508) is one of a plurality of hot-swappable control modules, each hot-swappable control module of the plurality of hot-swappable control modules being mounted along the front face (as seen in figure 1 there are a plurality of controllers 508 associated with the stack of fans 108 along a common face).
Regarding claim 14, Long discloses (figure 1-6) an air-to-liquid cooling system comprising: a cabinet (housing 12) defining a front portion (front 14) and a rear portion (back 16), the cabinet including lateral side panels (at sides 18 and 20) and a front face; a fluid inlet (at inlet of input line 36) ; a fluid outlet (at outlet from output line 36 where fluid flows into and out of the unit via the input line 36 and output line 38 per paragraph 0036); a fluid flow path defined between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet (seen in fig. 4); and a heat exchanger (heat exchanger 30) within the cabinet between the front portion and the rear portion, and being positioned at an oblique angle relative to the lateral side panels (as seen in figure 2 and clearly seen in figure 3 the heat exchanger 30 extends at an angle relative to the rectangular housing); a bypass valve (valve 52) configured to move between a fully open position and a fully closed position, wherein, in the fully open position the heat exchanger (30) is positioned fluidly along the fluid flow path (when fluid flows through the heat exchanger 30), and wherein, in the fully closed position, the heat exchanger is not positioned fluidly along the fluid flow path (when the fluid is directed fully through the bypass line 48 per paragraph 0040); a control module, the control module including a controller (controller 29), the controller being in electronic communication with the bypass valve, and having instructions stored thereon to control a position of the bypass valve (the controller controls the valve 52 per paragraph 0040) and that hot swappable components may have blind mate connectors (per paragraph 0034).
However Long does not explicitly disclose a hot-swappable control module mounted within the front portion, the hot-swappable control module including blind mate connectors and a controller.
Florez-Larrahondo discloses (Figure 1-5) a rack cooling system with a fan module on an end of the rack (at fans 108) where the fan module includes a controller that is a hot-swappable control module mounted along a front portion (at fan controller 508 which may be hot swapped from the back of the rack per Col. 6, line 6-18).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to have modified the controller of Long to be hot swapable as disclosed by Florez-Larrahondo where Long disclose the hot swappable components may have blind mate connectors to allow for easy removal. Doing so would allow for the controller to be hot swapped from the rack in the event of a controller failure as recognized by Florez-Larrahondo (per Col. 6, line 6-18).
Regarding claim 15, Long as modified discloses the claim limitations of claim 14 above however Long does not explicitly disclose the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet comprise a quick-disconnect fitting as long is silent as to any connection between the input line and the output line and the connecting piping. Long does not specify quick connect fittings. Using quick connect fittings in heat transfer fluid systems is notoriously well known in the art. The Examiner hereby takes Official Notice of the notoriously well-known nature of using quick connect fittings in heat transfer fluid system, and it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the instant invention was made to employ quick connect fittings on the input and output lines 36 and 38 of Long.
Claim(s) 2-5 and 16-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Long et al. (US 2015/0334878 A1) in view of Florez-Larrahondo et al. (US 8,838,286 B2) and Rose et al. (US 8,482,917 B2).
Regarding claim 2, Long as modified discloses the claim limitations of claim 1 above and however Long does not explicitly further disclose a plurality of hot-swappable power supply units mounted along the front face.
Rose disclose a cooling system for data center racks where hot swappable fans (22-26) are located on the same face with hot swappable power supplies (21, 27, per Col. 3, line 19-28).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to have modified the face with the fans of Long to include hot swappable power supplies to be hot swapable as disclosed Rose. Doing so would allow for the power supplies to be hot swapped from the rack allowing for replacement in the field without interrupting operation as recognized by Rose (per Col. 3, line 19-28).
Regarding claim 3, Long as modified discloses the claim limitations of claim 2 above and Rose further discloses the plurality of hot-swappable power supply units includes three hot-swappable control units (more than one are disclosed in claim 8 which could include three power supplies).
Regarding claim 4, Long as modified discloses the claim limitations of claim 2 above and Rose further discloses the plurality of power supply units provide an N+1 redundancy of power supply units for the air-to-liquid cooling system ( hot swapping allows for the power supplies to be removed without interrupting the operation of the system and therefore would inherently provide redundancy in the power supplies).
Regarding claim 5, Long as modified discloses the claim limitations of claim 2 above and Long further discloses an axis is defined transverse to the front face, wherein each of the plurality of fan assemblies, the hot-swappable power supply units, and the hot-swappable controller are removable from the cabinet in a direction parallel to the axis (where the hot swappable components are slid out the housing per paragraph 0034, the hot swappable components would be slid along an axis perpendicular to front 14).
Regarding claim 16, Long as modified discloses the claim limitations of claim 14 above and Long further discloses and a plurality of fan assemblies mounted at the front portion (at fans 28), however Long does not explicitly further disclose a plurality of hot-swappable power supply units mounted along the front face.
Rose disclose a cooling system for data center racks where hot swappable fans (22-26) are located on the same face with hot swappable power supplies (21, 27, per Col. 3, line 19-28).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to have modified the face with the fans of Long to include hot swappable power supplies to be hot swapable as disclosed Rose. Doing so would allow for the power supplies to be hot swapped from the rack allowing for replacement in the field without interrupting operation as recognized by Rose (per Col. 3, line 19-28).
Regarding claim 17, Long as modified discloses the claim limitations of claim 16 above and Long further discloses each of the plurality of power supply units and the plurality of fan assemblies include blind mate connections (Long disclose the fans have Blind mate connections where blind mate connections are suitable connections for connecting electronic components per paragraph 0034).
Regarding claim 18, Long as modified discloses the claim limitations of claim 16 above and Long further discloses an axis extends through the front portion and the rear portion (between 14 and 16) , and wherein each of the hot-swappable control module, the plurality of power supply units, and the fan assemblies are configured to be inserted into the front portion in a direction parallel the axis (where the hot swappable components are slid out the housing per paragraph 0034, the hot swappable components would be slid along an axis perpendicular to front 14).
Regarding claim 19, Long as modified discloses the claim limitations of claim 16 above however Long does not explicitly disclose wherein each of the hot-swappable control module, the plurality of power supply units, and the fan assemblies are configured for toolless removal from the cabinet. Using toolless connections to swap put modular components is notoriously well known in the art. The Examiner hereby takes Official Notice of the notoriously well-known nature of removing the hot swappable components with out tools, and it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the instant invention was made to use toolless removal on the hot swappable units. Where Long already discloses the frame of cooling unit itself may be disassembled without tools as thumb screws are known means of assembling the frame itself per paragraph 0033 of Long.
Regarding claim 20, Long discloses (figure 1-6) a method of providing a cooling system within a data center including: providing a cabinet (housing 12) defining a front portion (front 14) and a rear portion (back 16), the cabinet having installed therein a heat exchanger (heat exchanger 30), a fluid inlet (at inlet of input line 36), and a fluid outlet (at outlet from output line 36 where fluid flows into and out of the unit via the input line 36 and output line 38 per paragraph 0036); inserting, in a first direction, a hot-swappable fan assembly into the front portion (fans 28 are hot swappable per paragraph 0034), the hot-swappable fan assembly including a fan (at fans 28); providing, at the fluid inlet (36), a fluid coolant; sensing, at a first sensor, a parameter of the fluid coolant (a sensor at temperature sensors 54 or 58 per paragraph 0043); providing the parameter to the controller (29); and based on the parameter, generating, at the controller, a speed signal for the fan of the hot-swappable fan assembly the speed signal being generated based on the fan speed PID control (per paragraph 0040 and 0043).
However Long does not explicitly disclose inserting in the first direction, a hot-swappable control module into the front portion, the hot-swappable control module including a controller have instructions thereon for implementing a fan speed PID control for controlling a speed of the fan; or inserting, in the first direction, a power supply unit into the front portion.
Florez-Larrahondo discloses (Figure 1-5) a rack cooling system with a fan module on an end of the rack (at fans 108) where the fan module includes a fan controller that is a hot-swappable control module mounted along the front portion (at fan controller 508 which may be hot swapped from the back of the rack per Col. 6, line 6-18) the controller having instructions thereon for implementing a fan speed PID control for controlling a speed of the fan (Per. Col. 7, line 6-35).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to have modified the fan controller of Long to be hot swapable as disclosed by Florez-Larrahondo. Doing so would allow for the controller to be hot swapped from the rack in the event of a controller failure as recognized by Florez-Larrahondo (per Col. 6, line 6-18).
Rose disclose a cooling system for data center racks where hot swappable fans (22-26) are located on the same face with hot swappable power supplies (21, 27, per Col. 3, line 19-28).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to have modified the face with the fans of Long to include hot swappable power supplies to be hot swapable as disclosed Rose. Doing so would allow for the power supplies to be hot swapped from the rack allowing for replacement in the field without interrupting operation as recognized by Rose (per Col. 3, line 19-28).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Heydari (US 20220210955 A1), Franz et al. (US 20200163257 A1), Dorr (US 20070069584 A1), Che et al. (US 10133328 B2), Chuang et al. (US 8861186 B2), Yang (US 8294298 B2) all disclose relevant cooling system structures.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HANS R. WEILAND whose telephone number is (571)272-9847. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 6-3 EST and alternating Fridays.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Len Tran can be reached at 571-272-1184. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HANS R WEILAND/Examiner, Art Unit 3763
/ERIC S RUPPERT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763