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 .
Drawings
Figures 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 need to be rotated in an upward direction.
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)(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, 6, 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Tsai et al. (US 2020/0233287 A1; Tsai).
As of claim 1, Tsai teaches a cooling device 100A [fig 3A] comprising: a rotator 70 (wavelength conversion device) [fig 3A] [0030] including: a heat generation portion to generate heat (the heat generated by the wavelength conversion device 70 is transferred to the second heat exchange element 112 via the first heat exchange element 111 and the third heat exchange element 113 for heat dissipation) [0032]; and a rotation axis (shown with fig 3A below) around which the heat generation portion rotates [fig 3A]; multiple heat receiving fins 111, 113 (heat sink fins) [0033] each having a heat receiving face (of cooling elements 121, 122 where heat sinks 111, 113 sits) [fig 3A] extending in an axial direction of the rotation axis of the rotator (shown with fig 3A below); and a storage case 60 (closed housing) [fig 3A] [0031] storing the rotator 70 [fig 3A] and the multiple heat receiving fins 111, 113 [fig 3A], wherein the multiple heat receiving fins 111, 113 [fig 3A] are: on an inner face of the storage case [fig 3A]; and arrayed in an array direction orthogonal to the axial direction (shown with fig 3A below).
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As of claim 2, Tsai teaches an airflow generator 141 (fans) [fig 3B] [0031] in the storage case 60 [fig 3B] to blow air to the multiple heat receiving fins 111, 113 [fig 3B].
As of claim 3, Tsai teaches the airflow generator 141 [fig 3B] is adjacent to the multiple heat receiving fins 111, 113 [fig 3B].
As of claim 6, Tsai teaches the airflow generator 141 [fig 3B] is fixed to the inner face of the storage case 60 [fig 3B] on which the multiple heat receiving fins 111, 113 [fig 3B] are disposed.
As of claim 12, Tsai teaches a storage case cooler 141 [fig 3B] to blow cool air to the storage case 60 [fig 3B].
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.
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 non-obviousness.
Claims 4-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsai et al. (US 2020/0233287 A1; Tsai) in view of Dai et al. (US 2014/0092368 A1; Dai).
As of claims 4-5, Tsai teaches the invention as cited above except for the airflow generator intakes the air in an intake direction and exhausts the air in an exhaust direction parallel to the intake direction and airflow generator intakes the air in an intake direction and exhausts the air in an exhaust direction orthogonal to the intake direction.
Dai teaches a projecting apparatus 400 [fig 5] having the airflow generator 480 [fig 5] intakes the air in an intake direction 427 [fig 5] and exhausts the air in an exhaust direction 426 [fig 5] parallel to the intake direction (the second fan set 480 drives the cold air to enter the chassis 420 via the first air inlet 427 and the second air inlet 428 to generate the second air flow) [0050] and airflow generator 460 [fig 5] intakes the air in an intake direction 427, 428 [fig 5] and exhausts the air in an exhaust direction 425 [fig 5] orthogonal to the intake direction (the first fan set 460 drives the cold air to enter the chassis 420 via the first air inlet 427 to generate the first air flow, the first air flow is guided toward the first air outlet 425) [fig 5].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the airflow generator intakes the air in an intake direction and exhausts the air in an exhaust direction parallel to the intake direction and airflow generator intakes the air in an intake direction and exhausts the air in an exhaust direction orthogonal to the intake direction as taught by Dai to the cooling device as disclosed by Tsai to have a projecting apparatus having favorable heat dissipation efficiency (Dai; [0003]).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsai et al. (US 2020/0233287 A1; Tsai) in view of FUKUDA (US 2017/0277027 A1).
As of claim 7, Tsai teaches the invention as cited above except for a duct to: hold the airflow generator; and cover at least a portion of the multiple heat receiving fins.
FUKUDA teaches a cooling device 1 [fig 3] having a duct 50 [fig 3] [0023] to: hold the airflow generator 20 (fans) [fig 3] [0023]; and cover at least a portion of the multiple heat receiving fins 35 [fig 3] [0023].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a duct to: hold the airflow generator; and cover at least a portion of the multiple heat receiving fins as taught by FUKUDA to the cooling device as disclosed by Tsai to provide a cooling device and a projection display device capable of improving the cooling performance of a heat source (FUKUDA; [0007]).
Claims 8-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsai et al. (US 2020/0233287 A1; Tsai) in view of CHIKAYAMA et al. (US 2017/0192346 A1; CHIKAYAMA).
As of claim 8, Tsai teaches the invention as cited above except for multiple heat dissipation fins on an outer face of the storage case, wherein the storage case has a wall having the outer face and the inner face opposite to the outer face.
CHIKAYAMA teaches a phosphor wheel cooling device 100 [fig 6] having multiple heat dissipation fins 142i [fig 6] [0062] on an outer face of the storage case 101A [fig 6] [0055], wherein the storage case 101A [fig 6] has a wall having the outer face (towards 142i) [fig 6] and the inner face (inner wall of 101A) [fig 6] opposite to the outer face (towards 142i) [fig 6].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have multiple heat dissipation fins on an outer face of the storage case, wherein the storage case has a wall having the outer face and the inner face opposite to the outer face as taught by CHIKAYAMA to the cooling device as disclosed by Tsai to provide a cooling device capable of appropriately cooling down a disc-shaped wheel hermetically enclosed in an enclosure (CHIKAYAMA; [0008]).
As of claim 9, Tsai teaches an outer airflow generator 142 (second fan) [fig 4] [0039] to blow air to the multiple heat dissipation fins 111, 113 [fig 4].
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsai et al. (US 2020/0233287 A1; Tsai) in view of Lin et al. (US 2022/0100066 A1; Lin).
Tsai teaches the invention as cited above except for a light emitter in the storage case to emit light; and a cooler to dissipate heat generated from the light emitter to an outside of the storage case.
Lin teaches a projector 100a [fig 1] having a light emitter ((light emitting diode (LED) and laser diode (LD)) [0020] in the storage case H2 [fig 1] to emit light; and a cooler 120 (fan) [fig 1] [0021] to dissipate heat generated from the light emitter 150 [fig 1] to an outside of the storage case H2 [fig 1].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a light emitter in the storage case to emit light; and a cooler to dissipate heat generated from the light emitter to an outside of the storage case as taught by Lin to the cooling device as disclosed by Tsai to provide a projector exhibiting favorable heat dissipation efficiency (Lin; [0005]).
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsai et al. (US 2020/0233287 A1; Tsai) in view of KOBAYASHI et al. (US 2017/0293211 A1; KOBAYASHI).
Tsai teaches the invention as cited above except for a motor to rotate the rotation axis to rotate the rotator; and a motor cooler to dissipate heat generated from the motor to an outside of the storage case.
KOBAYASHI teaches a phosphor wheel 100 [fig 5] having a motor 40 [fig 5] [0076] to rotate the rotation axis to rotate the rotator 40a (rotator) [fig 5] [0076]; and a motor cooler 150 (heat dissipation structure unit) [fig 5] [0074] to dissipate heat generated from the motor 40 [fig 5] to an outside of the storage case 80 (ventilation duct) [fig 5] [0097].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a motor to rotate the rotation axis to rotate the rotator; and a motor cooler to dissipate heat generated from the motor to an outside of the storage case as taught by KOBAYASHI to the cooling device as disclosed by Tsai to improve the efficiency of heat dissipation from the phosphor wheel while suppressing the air resistance and noise of the phosphor wheel (KOBAYASHI; [0013]).
Claims 13-15, 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsai et al. (US 2020/0233287 A1; Tsai) in view of KADOTANI (US 2022/0413373 A1).
As of claim 13-15, Tsai teaches the invention as cited above except for a light source device comprising: a light source to emit a light beam; a rotator including a heat generation portion; a storage case storing the light source and the rotator; and the cooling device to cool an inside of the storage case; the heat generation portion is a light receiving portion to receive the light beam emitted from the light source to generate heat and the light receiving portion includes a phosphor portion.
KADOTANI teaches a light source device 40 [fig 2] comprising: a light source 402 (plurality of solid-state light sources) [fig 2] [0053] to emit a light beam; a rotator 6 (phosphor wheel) [fig 2] [0050] including a heat generation portion 61 (phosphor layer) [fig 2] [0100]; a storage case CA, Ca1 [fig 2] storing the light source 402 [fig 2] and the rotator 6 [fig 2]; and the cooling device FN [fig 2] to cool an inside of the storage case [0103]; the heat generation portion 61 [fig 2] is a light receiving portion to receive the light beam emitted from the light source 402 [fig 2] to generate heat [0100] and the light receiving portion 61 [fig 2] includes a phosphor portion [0080].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a light source device comprising: a light source to emit a light beam; a rotator including a heat generation portion; a storage case storing the light source and the rotator; and the cooling device to cool an inside of the storage case; the heat generation portion is a light receiving portion to receive the light beam emitted from the light source to generate heat and the light receiving portion includes a phosphor portion as taught by KADOTANI to the cooling device as disclosed by Tsai to improve the cooling efficiency while reducing the increase in the size of the light source apparatus (KADOTANI; [0008]).
As of claim 20, Tsai teaches the invention as cited above except for the image projection apparatus comprising: the light source device; a light homogenizer to homogenize the light beam emitted from the light source device; an image display element to modify the light beam emitted from the light homogenizer and to form an image; and a projection optical system to magnify the image and project the image to a projection face.
KADOTANI teaches having a projection apparatus 1 [fig 1] comprising: light source device 4 [fig 1]; a light homogenizer 31 [fig 1] [0036] to homogenize the light beam emitted from the light source device 4 [fig 1]; an image display element 343 [fig 1] [0040] to modify the light beam emitted from the light homogenizer 31 [fig 1] [0036] and to form an image [0040]; and a projection optical system 36 [fig 1] [0043] to magnify the image and project the image to a projection face [0043].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the image projection apparatus comprising: the light source device; a light homogenizer to homogenize the light beam emitted from the light source device; an image display element to modify the light beam emitted from the light homogenizer and to form an image; and a projection optical system to magnify the image and project the image to a projection face as taught by KADOTANI to the cooling device as disclosed by Tsai to homogenize the light outputted from the light source apparatus (KADOTANI; [0036]).
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsai et al. (US 2020/0233287 A1; Tsai) in view of KADOTANI (US 2022/0413373 A1) and further in view of AKETA et al. (US 2021/0344883 A1; AKETA).
Tsai in view of KADOTANI teaches the invention as cited above except for the rotator has a wheel made of a material having a thermal conductivity higher than a thermal conductivity of the heat generation portion.
AKETA teaches a phosphor wheel 1 [fig 1] having a wheel 2 (substrate) [fig 1] [0024] made of a material (metallic material) [0024] having a thermal conductivity higher than a thermal conductivity of the heat generation portion 3 (phosphor) [fig 1] [0024].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the rotator has a wheel made of a material having a thermal conductivity higher than a thermal conductivity of the heat generation portion as taught by AKETA to the cooling device as disclosed by Tsai in view of KADOTANI to provide a color conversion element that is capable of improving the conversion efficiency (AKETA; [0005]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 17-19 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.
As of claim 17, the closest prior art Tsai et al. (US 2020/0233287 A1; Tsai) teaches a projection device 50 includes a closed housing 60, a wavelength conversion device 70 and a heat dissipation module 100. For ease of description, FIG. 1 only shows a portion of the projection device 50 and shows the closed housing 60 in a perspective manner to display the components inside it. The projection device 50 of the present embodiment is configured to project an image screen to a projection target. Specifically, the projection device 50 may further include an architecture such as an illumination system, an optomechanical module or the like, the illumination system includes a light source to enable the illumination system to provide an illumination beam to the optomechanical module, the optomechanical module includes at least one light valve to convert the illumination beam into an image beam with image information, and the image beam is finally converted by a projection lens into a projection beam to be projected to the projection target such as a screen, a wall surface or the like. FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B are respectively a schematic top view and a schematic side view of a heat dissipation module for a projection device according to another embodiment of the disclosure. Referring to FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, a projection device 50A of the present embodiment is similar to the projection device 50 of FIG. 1. Tsai does not anticipate or render obvious, alone or in combination, a first heat generation portion; and a first rotation axis around which the first heat generation portion rotates; and a second rotator including: a second heat generation portion; and a second rotation axis around which the second heat generation portion rotates, the second rotation axis perpendicular to the first rotation axis of the first rotator, and the storage case stores the first rotator and the second rotator.
As of claim 18, the closest prior art Tsai et al. (US 2020/0233287 A1; Tsai) teaches a projection device 50 includes a closed housing 60, a wavelength conversion device 70 and a heat dissipation module 100. For ease of description, FIG. 1 only shows a portion of the projection device 50 and shows the closed housing 60 in a perspective manner to display the components inside it. The projection device 50 of the present embodiment is configured to project an image screen to a projection target. Specifically, the projection device 50 may further include an architecture such as an illumination system, an optomechanical module or the like, the illumination system includes a light source to enable the illumination system to provide an illumination beam to the optomechanical module, the optomechanical module includes at least one light valve to convert the illumination beam into an image beam with image information, and the image beam is finally converted by a projection lens into a projection beam to be projected to the projection target such as a screen, a wall surface or the like. FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B are respectively a schematic top view and a schematic side view of a heat dissipation module for a projection device according to another embodiment of the disclosure. Referring to FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, a projection device 50A of the present embodiment is similar to the projection device 50 of FIG. 1. Tsai does not anticipate or render obvious, alone or in combination, a first heat generation portion; and a first rotation axis around which the first heat generation portion rotates; and a second rotator including: a second heat generation portion; and a second rotation axis around which the second heat generation portion rotates, the second rotation axis parallel to the first rotation axis of the first rotator, and the storage case stores the first rotator and the second rotator.
As of claim 19, the closest prior art Tsai et al. (US 2020/0233287 A1; Tsai) teaches a projection device 50 includes a closed housing 60, a wavelength conversion device 70 and a heat dissipation module 100. For ease of description, FIG. 1 only shows a portion of the projection device 50 and shows the closed housing 60 in a perspective manner to display the components inside it. The projection device 50 of the present embodiment is configured to project an image screen to a projection target. Specifically, the projection device 50 may further include an architecture such as an illumination system, an optomechanical module or the like, the illumination system includes a light source to enable the illumination system to provide an illumination beam to the optomechanical module, the optomechanical module includes at least one light valve to convert the illumination beam into an image beam with image information, and the image beam is finally converted by a projection lens into a projection beam to be projected to the projection target such as a screen, a wall surface or the like. FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B are respectively a schematic top view and a schematic side view of a heat dissipation module for a projection device according to another embodiment of the disclosure. Referring to FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, a projection device 50A of the present embodiment is similar to the projection device 50 of FIG. 1. Tsai does not anticipate or render obvious, alone or in combination, first multiple heat receiving fins each having a first heat receiving face parallel to the first rotation axis of the first rotator; and second multiple heat receiving fins each having a second heat receiving face parallel to the second rotation axis of the second rotator, the first multiple heat receiving fins are disposed on an inner face of the storage case parallel to the first rotation axis of the first rotator, and the second multiple heat receiving fins are disposed on an inner face of the storage case parallel to the second rotation axis of the second rotator.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
- Prior Art TSUJI et al. (US 20230110462 A1) teaches a phosphor wheel unit which includes a phosphor wheel that converts incident light into fluorescent light and emits the fluorescent light, a first heat exchanger having a plurality of fin members that is arranged and an airflow inlet surface through which an airflow generated by rotation of the phosphor wheel partially or entirely flows in, and a regulating member that regulates a direction of the airflow. The direction of the airflow regulated by the regulating member and a direction perpendicular to a rotation shaft of the phosphor wheel form an angle of between 0 degrees and 45 degrees on a surface perpendicular to an extending direction of a base material of the phosphor wheel. The airflow inlet surface is disposed intercepting the direction of the airflow regulated by the regulating member. The first heat exchanger cools a gas forming the airflow and the cooled gas returns to the phosphor wheel;
- Prior Art NISHI et al. (US 20220316661 A1) teaches a light source apparatus which includes: a supporting substrate including a phosphor layer on one surface; a driver that causes the supporting substrate to be rotationally driven; a first supporting member that is opposed to another surface opposite to the one surface of the supporting substrate; a plurality of first heat dissipation members each having heat dissipation performance different from each other depending on a distance from the phosphor layer, the plurality of first heat dissipation members being provided concentrically on the other surface of the supporting substrate; and a plurality of second heat dissipation members provided concentrically on a surface, of the first supporting member, that is opposed to the supporting substrate, the plurality of second heat dissipation members being disposed alternately with the plurality of first heat dissipation members.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SULTAN U. CHOWDHURY whose telephone number is (571)270-3336. The examiner can normally be reached on 5:30 AM-5:30 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Minh-Toan Ton can be reached on 571-272-2303. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SULTAN CHOWDHURY/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2882