DETAILED ACTION
This action is in response to applicant’s amendment received on 12/18/2025. The finality of the Office Action mailed by Examiner Davis Hwu in 10/08/2025 is withdrawn. The following new grounds of rejection below are formulated. Since this new rejection did not result from a newly added limitation to the claims, this Office Action is being made non-final to afford the applicant the opportunity to respond to the grounds of rejection.
Claims 1-20 are pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102:
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-3 and 11-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Desiano et al. (US 2015/0296659, herein “Desiano”).
Regarding claim 1, Desiano discloses:
a cooling system (101) (fig. 1) [par. 0025] comprising:
an electronic device (110/140) [par. 0025]; and
a liquid cooling device (100) comprising:
a casing (100) (fig. 1);
a first inlet disposed on the casing (100) and connected to the electronic device (110/140) (see annotated fig. 1-DESIANO, page 3);
a first outlet disposed on the casing (100) and connected to the electronic device (110/140) (see annotated fig. 1-DESIANO, page 3);
a second inlet disposed on the casing (100) (see annotated fig. 1-DESIANO, page 3);
a second outlet disposed on the casing (100) (see annotated fig. 1-DESIANO, page 3);
a first tank (113) disposed in the casing (100) (see annotated fig. 1-DESIANO, page 3);
a first pump (115) disposed in the casing (100) (see annotated fig. 1-DESIANO, page 3); and
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a heat exchanger (114) disposed in the casing (100) (see annotated fig. 1-DESIANO, above);
wherein the first inlet, the heat exchanger (114), the first pump (115), the first tank (113) and the first outlet form a first cooling loop in the casing (100) (see annotated fig. 1-DESIANO, above);
the second inlet, the heat exchanger (114) and the second outlet form a second cooling loop in the casing (100), and
the heat exchanger (114) is located between the first cooling loop and the second cooling loop (see annotated fig. 1-DESIANO, above).
Regarding claim 2, Desiano discloses:
the first tank (113) being connected to the first outlet,
the first pump (115) being connected to the first tank (113),
the heat exchanger (114) being connected to the first pump (115) and the first inlet, and
the heat exchanger (114) being connected to the second inlet and the second outlet (it is noted, all components 113, 114, 115 and inlet/outlets are fluidly connected) (see annotated fig. 1-DESIANO, above).
Regarding claim 3, Desiano discloses:
a cooling distribution unit (facility for supplying water) [par. 0025], wherein the cooling distribution unit is located outside the casing (100) [par. 0025], and the second inlet and the second outlet are connected to the cooling distribution unit (facility for supplying water of par. 0025) (see annotated fig. 1-DESIANO, page 3).
Regarding claim 11, Desiano discloses:
a liquid cooling device (100) (fig. 1) comprising:
a casing (100) (fig. 1);
a first inlet disposed on the casing (100) (see annotated fig. 1-DESIANO, page 3);
a first outlet disposed on the casing (100) (see annotated fig. 1-DESIANO, page 3);
a second inlet disposed on the casing (100) (see annotated fig. 1-DESIANO, page 3);
a second outlet disposed on the casing (100) (see annotated fig. 1-DESIANO, page 3);
a first tank (113) disposed in the casing (100) (see annotated fig. 1-DESIANO, page 3);
a first pump (115) disposed in the casing (100) (see annotated fig. 1-DESIANO, page 3); and
a heat exchanger (114) disposed in the casing (100) (see annotated fig. 1-DESIANO, page 3);
wherein the first inlet, the heat exchanger (114), the first pump (115), the first tank (113) and the first outlet form a first cooling loop in the casing (100) (see annotated fig. 1-DESIANO, page 3);
the second inlet, the heat exchanger (114) and the second outlet form a second cooling loop in the casing (100) (see annotated fig. 1-DESIANO, page 3); and
the heat exchanger (114) is located between the first cooling loop and the second cooling loop (see annotated fig. 1-DESIANO, page 3);
Regarding claim 12, Desiano discloses:
the first tank (113) being connected to the first outlet,
the first pump (115) being connected to the first tank (113),
the heat exchanger (114) being connected to the first pump (115) and the first inlet, and
the heat exchanger (114) being connected to the second inlet and the second outlet (it is noted, all components 113, 114, 115 and inlet/outlets are fluidly connected) (see annotated fig. 1-DESIANO, above).
Regarding claim 13, Desiano discloses:
the first inlet and the first outlet being connected to an electronic device (110/140) (see annotated fig. 1-DESIANO, page 3),
the second inlet and the second outlet being connected to a cooling distribution unit (facility for supplying water) [par. 0025] (see annotated fig. 1-DESIANO, page 3), and
the electronic device (110/140) and the cooling distribution unit (facility for supplying water of par. 0025) being located outside the casing (100) (see annotated fig. 1-DESIANO, page 3).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103:
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 4-6, 9, 14-16 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Desiano.
Regarding claim 4, Desiano discloses:
a cooling liquid in the first cooling loop being different from a cooling liquid in the second cooling loop (per par. 0021, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have the cooling liquid in the first cooling loop being different from a cooling liquid in the second cooling loop, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416. Further, Desiano alludes to the option of having one or more of the coolants may comprise a brine, a fluorocarbon liquid, a hydrofluoroether liquid, a liquid metal, or other similar coolant, or refrigerant, par. 0021].
Regarding claim 5, Desiano discloses, as it applies to claim 4, above:
the cooling liquid in the first cooling loop being a dielectric liquid (fluorocarbon liquid), and the cooling liquid in the second cooling loop is water (water) [par. 0021].
Regarding claim 6, Desiano discloses:
a cooling distribution unit (facility for supplying water) [par. 0025],
wherein the cooling distribution unit (facility for supplying water of par. 0025) is located outside the casing (100) (see annotated fig. 1-DESIANO, below),
the second inlet and the second outlet being connected to the cooling distribution unit (facility for supplying water of par. 0025) (see annotated fig. 1-DESIANO, below),
a cooling liquid in the first cooling loop being a dielectric liquid, and a cooling liquid in the second cooling loop being water (per par. 0021, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have the cooling liquid in the first cooling loop being different from a cooling liquid in the second cooling loop, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416. Further, Desiano alludes to the option of having one or more of the coolants may comprise a brine, a fluorocarbon liquid, a hydrofluoroether liquid, a liquid metal, or other similar coolant, or refrigerant, par. 0021].
Regarding claim 9, Desiano does not disclose:
the liquid cooling device (fig. 1) further comprising an another heat exchanger, and the another heat exchanger is stacked and communicates with the heat exchanger.
However, dividing an existing heat exchanger (Desiano, 14) into two stacked heat exchangers that communicate to each other would be an obvious matter of design choice for the purpose of, for instance, optimizing the available are to install the exchangers according to the user’s needs. Further, it has been held that constructing a formerly integral structure in various elements involves only routine skill in the art. Nerwin v. Erlichman, 168 USPQ 177, 179. Furthermore, Applicant does not disclose any criticality or what the purpose is on having a single or a divided heat exchanger located between the loops and it appears to be a design choice preference.
Regarding claim 14, Desiano discloses:
a cooling liquid in the first cooling loop being different from a cooling liquid in the second cooling loop (per par. 0021, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have the cooling liquid in the first cooling loop being different from a cooling liquid in the second cooling loop, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416. Further, Desiano alludes to the option of having one or more of the coolants may comprise a brine, a fluorocarbon liquid, a hydrofluoroether liquid, a liquid metal, or other similar coolant, or refrigerant, par. 0021].
Regarding claim 15, Desiano discloses, as it applies to claim 14, above:
the cooling liquid in the first cooling loop being a dielectric liquid (fluorocarbon liquid), and the cooling liquid in the second cooling loop is water (water) [par. 0021].
Regarding claim 16, Desiano discloses:
the first inlet and the first outlet being connected to an electronic device (110/140) (see annotated fig. 1-DESIANO, page 3),
the second inlet and the second outlet being connected to a cooling distribution unit (facility for supplying water) [par. 0025] (see annotated fig. 1-DESIANO, page 3),
the electronic device (110/140) and the cooling distribution unit (facility for supplying water of par. 0025) being located outside the casing (100) (see annotated fig. 1-DESIANO, page 3),
a cooling liquid in the first cooling loop being a dielectric liquid, and a cooling liquid in the second cooling loop being water (per par. 0021, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have the cooling liquid in the first cooling loop being different from a cooling liquid in the second cooling loop, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416. Further, Desiano alludes to the option of having one or more of the coolants may comprise a brine, a fluorocarbon liquid, a hydrofluoroether liquid, a liquid metal, or other similar coolant, or refrigerant, par. 0021].
Regarding claim 19, Desiano does not disclose:
the liquid cooling device (fig. 1) further comprising an another heat exchanger, and the another heat exchanger is stacked and communicates with the heat exchanger.
However, dividing an existing heat exchanger (Desiano, 14) into two stacked heat exchangers that communicate to each other would be an obvious matter of design choice for the purpose of, for instance, optimizing the available are to install the exchangers according to the user’s needs. Further, it has been held that constructing a formerly integral structure in various elements involves only routine skill in the art. Nerwin v. Erlichman, 168 USPQ 177, 179. Furthermore, Applicant does not disclose any criticality or what the purpose is on having a single or a divided heat exchanger located between the loops and it appears to be a design choice preference.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-8, 10, 17-18 and 20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/18/2025 have been fully considered but they do not apply to the new grounds of rejection.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GUSTAVO A HINCAPIE SERNA whose telephone number is (571)272-6018. The examiner can normally be reached 9am-5:30pm.
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/GUSTAVO A HINCAPIE SERNA/Examiner, Art Unit 3763
/JENNA M MARONEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763
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