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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Drawings
1. The drawings are objected to because
a. element 350p & 350b in fig.3A & 3B is not disclosed in the specification.
b. element 650x in fig.6A & 6B is not disclosed in the specification. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
2. Claim 7 is objected to because of the following informalities:
a. Per claim 7, line 1 change “where in” to – wherein--.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
3. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends. The limitations of claim 18 are the same as claim 1. Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
4. In the event that 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 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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 12 & 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kawase et al. US9362219.
Per claim 1 Kawase et al. teaches a power card assembly (see fig.6) comprising: an integrated circuit (6, see fig.1); an emitter (2) in thermal communication with the integrated circuit (see fig.1 & 6); and an overmold (1 & 15, see fig.6) covering at least a portion of each of the integrated circuit and the emitter (see fig.6) and including at least one cavity (16) structured to receive therein at least a portion of a gasket (17; col.4, line 26-33) structured to form a fluid-tight seal between the overmold and the gasket when the gasket is pressurized against the overmold (see fig.1 & 6).
Per claim 2 Kawase et al. teaches the power card assembly of claim 1, wherein the emitter (2) includes a base portion (2b) and a coolant fluid-receiving cavity array (3) in thermal communication with the base portion (see fig.1 & 6).
Per claim 3 Kawase et al. teaches the power card assembly of claim 2, wherein the coolant fluid-receiving cavity array (3) includes a plurality of spaced-apart projections extending from the base portion (see fig.1 & 6).
Per claim 12 Kawase et al. teaches the power card assembly of claim 1, wherein the overmold is structured to secure the emitter in position with respect to the integrated circuit (see fig.1 & 6).
Per claim 18 Kawase et al. teaches the power card assembly of claim 1, wherein the overmold (1 & 15, see fig.6) includes at least one cavity (16) structured to receive therein at least a portion of a gasket (17) structured to form a fluid-tight seal between the overmold and the gasket when the gasket is pressurized against the overmold (see fig.1 & 6).
Claim(s) 13-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Miyamoto US2011/0304039.
Per claim 13 Miyamoto teaches a power card assembly (1 & 5, see fig.5) comprising: an integrated circuit (2, see fig.5); and an emitter (23 & 51) in thermal communication with the integrated circuit ([0026]), the emitter including a base portion (23, see fig.5) and a coolant fluid-receiving cavity array (51) in thermal communication with the base portion (see fig.5).
Per claim 14 Miyamoto teaches the power card assembly of claim 13, wherein the coolant fluid-receiving cavity array (51) comprises a plurality of spaced-apart projections extending from the base portion (see fig.5).
Per claim 15 Miyamoto teaches the power card assembly of claim 13, wherein the emitter (23 & 51, see fig.5) further includes a cover (5) attached to the base portion (23, see fig.5, “attached via 9”), the cover and the base portion combining to define an enclosure into which the coolant fluid-receiving cavity array extends (see fig.5).
Per claim 16 Miyamoto teaches the power card assembly of claim 15, wherein the cover (5) includes: at least one wall structured (see fig.5) to define a cavity (50; [0051]); and at least one passage extending through the at least one wall and structured to enable fluid communication between the cavity and an exterior of the cavity (see fig.5; [0027]).
Per claim 17 Miyamoto teaches the power card assembly of claim 13, further comprising an overmold (3; [0038], [0041] & [0044] see fig.5, “Examiner asserts that the mold 3 is an overmold over the components because it is an insulating resin material that is used to cover the mold of the component within it, thus being an overmold over the components”) covering at least a portion of the emitter and the integrated circuit (see fig.5), the overmold being structured to secure the emitter in position with respect to the integrated circuit (see fig.5).
Claim(s) 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Olsen et al. US2020/0187385.
Per claim 19 Olsen et al. teaches a method of cooling an integrated circuit, comprising steps of: securing an emitter (200; [0059]) in thermal communication with the integrated circuit ([0050]-[0052]), the emitter defining an enclosure (see fig.4, 6a-7, & 9a-10e), the emitter including a coolant fluid-receiving cavity array (211, see fig.6a & 9a-10e) positioned inside the enclosure and structured to receive heat communicated from the integrated circuit ([0064]-[0065]), the emitter including a coolant fluid-receiving cavity array positioned inside the enclosure (see fig.4, 6a-7 & 9a-10e), a first passage structured to enable fluid communication into the enclosure, and a second passage structured to enable fluid communication out of the enclosure (see fig.6a-7); and generating a flow of coolant fluid into the enclosure through first passage ([0064]-[0065]), through at least a portion of the coolant fluid-receiving cavity array to the second passage, and out of the enclosure through the second passage, to extract heat from the emitter ([0061], [0064]-[0065],[0072], see fig.6a-7).
Per claim 20 Olsen et al. teaches method of claim 19, wherein the enclosure includes a cover and a base portion, and wherein the cover, the base portion, and the coolant fluid-receiving cavity array are formed integrally as a single piece (see fig.6a).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
5. 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) 4-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kawase et al. US9362219 in view of Hoffman et al. US2009/0145581.
Per claim 4 Kawase et al. teaches the power card assembly of claim 3,
Kawase et al. does not explicitly teach wherein the projections of the plurality of spaced-apart projections have elliptical cross-sectional shapes.
Hoffman et al. however discloses wherein the projections of a plurality of spaced-apart projections have elliptical cross-sectional shapes (see fig.5-6).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have an elliptical cross-sectional shape as taught by Hoffman et al. in the power card assembly of Kawase et al., because it allows reduced drag on the fluid flowing through it, while also allowing enhanced maneuverability of the fluid through the fins.
Per claim 5 Kawase et al. in view of Hoffman et al. teaches the power card assembly of claim 4, wherein end portions of adjacent projections of a row of projections (3) are structured to intersect so as to form a continuous wall extending along the row at the projection end portions (see fig.1 & 6), and wherein coolant fluid flow passages are formed between the wall, non-enlarged parts of the projections, and the base portion (see fig.1 & 6).
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kawase et al. US9362219.
Per claim 6 Kawase et al. discloses substantially all the limitations of the claim(s) except for the power card assembly of claim 2, wherein the coolant fluid-receiving cavity array comprises a porous Triply-Periodic-Minimal-Surface lattice structure.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to make the coolant fluid-receiving cavity array comprise a porous Triply-Periodic-Minimal-Surface lattice structure, because of its smooth, improved mechanical and thermal performance properties, 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; see also Ballas Liquidating Co. v. Allied Indus. of Kansas, Inc. (DC Kans) 205 USPQ 331.
Allowable Subject matter
6. Claims 7-11 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.
Claim 7, includes allowable subject matter because of the power card assembly of claim 2, where in the emitter further includes a cover attached to the base portion, the cover and the base portion combining to define an enclosure into which the coolant fluid-receiving cavity array extends.
Claims 8-11 depends on claim 7, therefore allowable for the same reason.
Email Communication
7. Applicant is encouraged to authorize the Examiner to communicate via email by filing form PTO/SB/439 either via USPS, Central Fax, or EFS-Web. See MPEP 502.01, 502, 502.05.
Conclusion
8. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Hoffman et al. US2009/0145581 discloses a non-linear fin heat sink, comprising: a base; a plurality of fins disposed on an upper surface of the base, wherein each fin has a cross-sectional fin longitudinal dimension and a cross-sectional fin transverse dimension, and the fins are arranged in a plurality of longitudinal rows and a plurality of transverse rows.
Truessel et al. US2024/0120255 discloses a power semiconductor module, with at least one semiconductor chip being connected to a cooling structure, at least two power terminals being in electrical contact to the at least one semiconductor chip, and a housing for the power semiconductor chip and the at least two power terminals.
Applicants are directed to consider additional pertinent prior are included on the Notice of References Cited (PTOL 892) attached herewith. The Examiner has pointed out particular references contained in the prior art of record within the body of this action for the convenience of the Applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply. Applicant, in preparing the response, should consider fully the entire reference as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL A MATEY whose telephone number is (571)270-5648. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8-5 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 at 5712723740. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MICHAEL A MATEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2835