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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of Species VII (Fig. 12), claims 1-4 and 21-32 in the Election filed on 05/04/2026 is acknowledged.
The gist of the traversal is that, allegedly, “there is a de minimus [sic] search and examination burden in addressing each and allegedly distinct Species”, wherein the searches would allegedly “overlap” and would “likely result in similar search results”. Furter, the Applicant went on by stating that “the Office fails to provide additional reasoning and/or support” for the restriction.
Contrary to the Applicant’s conclusory statements, the Office provided sufficient explanation on pp. 2-6 of the Election/Restriction requirement why the restriction between distinct twenty five (25) Species is proper. Each restricted Species is represented by the specific and distinct cold plate/heat sink geometry and design as depicted on the representative Species figures. Furter, it was clearly and explicitly stated in the Election/Restriction requirement: “Should applicant traverse on the ground that the species, or groupings of patentably indistinct species from which election is required, are not patentably distinct, applicant should submit evidence or identify such evidence now of record showing them to be obvious variants or clearly admit on the record that this is the case.”
However, the Applicant has failed to do so. Accordingly, the requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
The non-elected claims 5-8 have been withdrawn from further consideration on the merits. The Office action on the elected claims 1-4 and 21-32 follows.
Drawings
The drawings filed on 04/02/2024 are objected. Figures 1-5 should be designated by a legend such as --Prior Art-- because only that which is old is illustrated. See MPEP § 608.02(g). Corrected drawings in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. The replacement sheet(s) should be labeled “Replacement Sheet” in the page header (as per 37 CFR 1.84(c)) so as not to obstruct any portion of the drawing figures. 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
Claims 21, 23, and 24 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 21 the incorrect clauses are recited on two instances: “liquid flow channel that direct [sic]”. The correct clause should be: “liquid flow channel that directs”.
In claims 23 and 24 is cumbersome and unclear clause is recited: “at least one of the at least one first cooling structure”. Claims 23 and 24 should be streamlined and corrected accordingly.
Appropriate corrections are required. The Office requests Applicant’s cooperation with reviewing the claims and correcting any remaining informalities present in the claims, but not made of record above.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claim 21 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Claim 21 recites the limitations: “at least one converging liquid flow channel that direct [sic] a cooling liquid to flow into the first region of cooling structures; and at least one diverging liquid flow channel that direct [sic] the cooling liquid to flow out of the first region of cooling structures”.
The aforementioned limitations do not have any support in the specification, since in the elected Species of Fig. 12, it’s the [diverging liquid flow channel (1208) that directs the cooling liquid to flow into the first region of cooling structures (1206); and at least one [converging liquid flow channel (1212) that directs the cooling liquid to flow out of the [second region of cooling structures (1204), (pars. [0057]-[0059]).
Accordingly, as best understood, for examination purposes the claim will be interpreted as recited above.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 1-4 and 21-32, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2006/0137860 to Prasher.
Regarding claim 1, Prasher discloses (Fig. 8) a liquid cooled cold plate (800) for removing heat from an electronic apparatus, comprising: a support base (par. [0041]); a first region (820) of cooling structures (802) in thermal contact with the support base for removing heat from a first heat flux region of the electronic apparatus; a second region (822) of cooling structures (804) in thermal contact with the support base for removing heat from a second heat flux region of the electronic apparatus; and liquid flow channels ((806) and between members (804)) for directing a cooling liquid to flow through the first region of cooling structures and the second region of cooling structures, wherein the liquid flow channels have a non-uniform width, (see Fig. 8 depicting channels (806) with sections of reduced width).
Regarding claim 22, Prasher discloses (Fig. 8) a liquid cooled cold plate (800) for removing heat from an electronic apparatus, comprising: a support base (par. [0041]); a first region (820) of at least one first cooling structure (802) in thermal contact with the support base for removing heat from a first heat flux region of the electronic apparatus; a second region (822) of at least one second cooling structure (804) in thermal contact with the support base for removing heat from a second heat flux region of the electronic apparatus, wherein the at least one second cooling structure (804) of the second region (822) is distinct from the at least one first cooling structure (802) of the first region (820); and liquid flow channels ((806) and between members (804)) for directing a cooling liquid to flow through the first region and the second region, respectively (Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 27, Prasher discloses (Fig. 8) a liquid cooled cold plate (800) for removing heat from an electronic apparatus, comprising: a support base (par. [0041]); a plurality of cooling fins (802) in thermal contact with the support base for removing heat from a first heat flux region of the electronic apparatus; a plurality of cooling structures (804) formed adjacent to the plurality of cooling fins, the plurality of cooling structures in thermal contact with the support base for removing heat from a second heat flux region of the electronic apparatus; and liquid flow channels ((806) and between members (804)) for directing a cooling liquid to flow through the plurality of cooling fins (802) and the plurality of cooling structures (804), respectively, (Fig. 8).
Regarding claims 2, 23, 28, and 29, Prasher discloses (Fig. 8) that a plurality of cooling structures/the first region of cooling structures or at least one of the at least one first cooling structure or the at least one second cooling structure includes at least one of: cooling post(s)/cooling rod(s) (804).
Regarding claim 3, Prasher discloses cooling fins (802) in thermal contact with the support base (Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 4, Prasher discloses that at least one of the liquid flow channels (806) includes a liquid throttling zone (see annotated Fig. 8 below depicting channels (806) with sections of reduced width that would throttle the liquid flow).
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Regarding claim 21, as best understood, Prasher discloses (Fig. 8) at least one [diverging liquid flow channel (818) that directs the cooling liquid to flow into the first region (820) of cooling structures (802); and at least one [converging liquid flow channel (812) that directs the cooling liquid to flow out of the [second region (822) of cooling structures (804), (Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 24, Prasher discloses at least one of the at least one first cooling structure or the at least one second cooling structure includes a cooling fin (802) in thermal contact with the support base.
Regarding claims 25 and 31, Prasher discloses that the liquid flow channels (806) are defined between the support base and: the at least one first cooling structure (802) of the first region (820), and the at least one second cooling structure (804) of the second region (822); and the liquid flow channels have a non-uniform width (see Fig. 8 depicting channels (806) with sections of reduced width).
Regarding claim 26, Prasher discloses that the second region (822) of the at least one second cooling structure (804) is formed downstream from the first region (820) of the at least one first cooling structure (802), (Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 30, Prasher discloses that the liquid flow channels (806) are defined between the support base and: the plurality of cooling fins (802), and the plurality of cooling structures (804), (Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 32, Prasher discloses that the plurality of cooling structures (804) are formed downstream of the plurality of cooling fins (802), (Fig. 8).
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Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to Applicant's disclosure, because of the teachings of various liquid cooled electronic devices with heat spreaders and cold plates having liquid channels and/or cooling structures contained therein.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Anatoly Vortman whose telephone number is (571)272-2047. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday, between 10 am and 8:30 pm.
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 N. Gandhi can be reached at 571-272-3740. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Anatoly Vortman/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2841
Prosecution Insights