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 § 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.
Claims 1, 3, 4, 8, 10-14, 16, 17, 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Campbell (US 2014/0085822).Re claim 1: Campbell discloses An electronic cooling system (700’ in fig. 11), comprising: an enclosure (702 in fig. 11) in which an electronic component (721 in fig. 11) is removably housed, the electronic component comprising a data storage device (para. 0059); a non-conductive liquid (730 in fig. 11; para. 0067) that immerses or wets the electronic component (fig. 11); and a foam heat sink (1100 in fig. 11; para. 0086, 0088) attached to a heat emitting surface of the electronic component (surface of the 1101’s in fig. 11), the foam heat sink immersed or wetted by the non-conductive liquid (fig. 11) and providing a heat transfer path between the electronic component and the non-conductive liquid (the 1100’s provide a heat transfer path between the 1101’s and 730 in fig. 11), a porosity of the foam heat sink increasing a coolant heat absorption rate from the heat emitting surface to the non-conductive liquid (the pores of 1100 increase the coolant heat absorption rate from the surfaces of the 1101’s to 730 in fig. 11).Re claim 17: Campbell discloses A method of cooling a data storage device (para. 0059) removably housed in an enclosure (702 in fig. 11), the method comprising: immersing or wetting an electronic component (721 in fig. 11) with a non-conductive liquid (730 in fig. 11); immersing or wetting a foam heat sink (1100 in fig. 11; para. 0086, 0088) attached to a heat emitting surface of the electronic component (surface of the 1101’s in fig. 11); and transferring heat from the electronic component to the non-conductive liquid via the foam heat sink (heat is transferred from 721 to 730 via 1100 in fig. 11), a porosity of the foam heat sink increasing a coolant heat absorption rate from the heat emitting surface to the non-conductive liquid (the pores of 1100 increase the coolant heat absorption rate from the surfaces of the 1101’s to 730 in fig. 11).Re claim 3: Campbell discloses wherein the foam comprises a metal foam (para. 0088).Re claim 4: Campbell discloses wherein the non-conductive liquid evaporates as it removes heat from one or both of the foam heat sink and the electronic component (para. 0089).Re claim 8: Campbell discloses wherein the electronic cooling system comprises a two-phase immersion cooling system (para. 0089).Re claim 10: Campbell discloses further comprising a second foam heat sink (a second 1100 in fig. 11) attached to a wall (701 in fig. 11) of the enclosure, the second foam heat sink providing a second heat transfer path between the electronic component and the non-conductive liquid (the second 1100 provides a second heat transfer path between 1101 and 730 in fig. 11).Re claim 11: Campbell discloses wherein the non-conductive liquid is a dielectric liquid (para. 0067).Re claim 12: Campbell discloses wherein the data storage device comprises a random access memory module (para. 0059).Re claim 13: Campbell discloses wherein the data storage device comprises a solid state drive (para. 0059).Re claim 14: Campbell discloses wherein the data storage device comprises a hard disk drive (para. 0002).
Re claim 16: Campbell discloses wherein the foam heat sink is comprised of an open cell foam (para. 0089 states that 1100 can wick dielectric fluid, therefore it must be open celled).Re claim 19: Campbell discloses wherein immersing or wetting the electronic component (1101 in fig. 11) and the foam heat sink (1100 in fig. 11) comprises immersing the electronic component and the metal foam heat sink (fig. 11), and wherein transferring heat from the electronic component to the non-conductive liquid comprises a phase change of the non-conductive liquid to a gas (para. 0089).
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.
Claims 2, 5, 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Campbell (US 2014/0085822).Re claim 2: Campbell discloses wherein the foam comprises material with compatibility to the non-conductive liquid (1100 is compatible with 730 in fig. 11). Campbell does not explicitly disclose wherein the foam has a thermal conductivity of at least 15 W m-1 K-1. However, it would obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the electronic cooling system of Campbell wherein the foam has a thermal conductivity of at least 15 W m-1 K-1, in order to ensure that the foam acts as a heat spreader rather than a heat trap, since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effected variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980).Re claim 5: The modified Campbell discloses wherein, the foam heat sink elevates an evaporation rate of the non-conductive liquid (1100 elevates the evaporation rate of 730 in fig. 11).Re claim 6: The modified Campbell discloses wherein the foam heat sink inhibits formation of a gas barrier on the heat emitting surface (1100 inhibits formation of a gas barrier on the surface of 1101 because the foam physically breaks up coalescing vapor bubbles and uses capillary wicking to constantly pull liquid toward the hot surface which prevents the formation of the gas barrier).
Claims 7, 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Campbell (US 2014/0085822) in view of Campbell (US 2014/0085823).Re claim 7: Campbell (US 2014/0085822) does not explicitly disclose wherein the electronic cooling system comprises a single-phase immersion cooling system. Campbell (US 2014/0085823) discloses wherein the electronic cooling system comprises a single-phase immersion cooling system (620 in fig. 7; para. 0038). Thus it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the electronic cooling system of Campbell (US 2014/0085822) wherein the electronic cooling system comprises a single-phase immersion cooling system as taught by Campbell (US 2014/0085823), in order to have lower fluid costs and complexity.Re claim 20: Campbell (US 2014/0085822) does not explicitly disclose wherein immersing or wetting the electronic component and the foam heat sink comprises immersing the electronic component and the foam heat sink, and wherein transferring heat from the electronic component to the non-conductive liquid comprises forced or natural convection. Campbell (US 2014/0085823) disclose wherein immersing or wetting the electronic component and the foam heat sink comprises immersing the electronic component and the foam heat sink (711 and 712 are immersed in fig. 8B, 8C), and wherein transferring heat from the electronic component to the non-conductive liquid comprises forced or natural convection (para. 0042). Thus it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the electronic cooling system of Campbell (US 2014/0085822) wherein immersing or wetting the electronic component and the foam heat sink comprises immersing the electronic component and the foam heat sink, and wherein transferring heat from the electronic component to the non-conductive liquid comprises forced or natural convection as taught by Campbell (US 2014/0085823), in order to have lower fluid costs and complexity.
Claims 9, 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Campbell (US 2014/0085822) in view of Amos (US 2021/0321535).Re claim 9: Campbell does not explicitly disclose further comprising a plurality of spray nozzles, wherein each spray nozzle is configured to dispense the non-conductive liquid in a direction of the electronic component housed in the enclosure. Amos further comprising a plurality of spray nozzles (2’s in fig. 2; para. 0124), wherein each spray nozzle is configured to dispense the non-conductive liquid (para. 0124) in a direction of the electronic component (12 in fig. 2) housed in the enclosure (110 in fig. 2). Thus it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the electronic cooling system of Campbell further comprising a plurality of spray nozzles, wherein each spray nozzle is configured to dispense the non-conductive liquid in a direction of the electronic component housed in the enclosure as taught by Amos, in order to have direct targeting of hot spots.Re claim 18: Campbell does not explicitly disclose wherein immersing or wetting the electronic component and the foam heat sink comprises spraying the non-conductive liquid in a direction of the electronic component. Amos discloses wherein immersing or wetting the electronic component (10 in fig. 2; para. 0124) and the foam heat sink (para. 0189) comprises spraying the non-conductive liquid in a direction of the electronic component (para. 0019). Thus it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the electronic cooling system of Campbell wherein immersing or wetting the electronic component and the foam heat sink comprises spraying the non-conductive liquid in a direction of the electronic component as taught by Amos, in order to have direct targeting of hot spots.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Campbell (US 2014/0085822) in view of Liu (US 2022/0240365).Re claim 15: Campbell does not explicitly disclose wherein the foam heat sink is comprised of a closed cell foam. Liu discloses wherein the foam heat sink is comprised of a closed cell foam (para. 0027). Thus it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the electronic cooling system of Campbell wherein the foam heat sink is comprised of a closed cell foam as taught by Liu, in order for the foam to have more rigidity.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 2017/0326489 – is considered pertinent because this reference describes a filter for immersion cooling apparatus.
US 8,289,710 – is considered pertinent because this reference describes liquid cooling systems for server application.
US 2023/0254994 – is considered pertinent because this reference describes application interface for metal foam cooling of vehicle electronics.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZHENGFU J FENG whose telephone number is (571) 272-2949. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday, 900am-530pm EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/ docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ZHENGFU J FENG/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2835 March 6, 2026