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 1 is objected to because of the following infirmities: “: coolant;” in line 2 should be changed to “: a coolant”. Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Smith (US 2022/0386515), Kurimoto (US 2003/0194522) and Kodama (US 2021/0130672) and further in view of Yokoi (WO 2023/074686 – see attached translation).Re claim 1: Smith discloses A cooling system (300 in fig. 3) for cooling heat-generating equipment (302 in fig. 3) in an electrified vehicle (para. 0015), the cooling system comprising: coolant (“coolant” in fig. 3); a channel (316 in fig. 3; para. 0032) for the coolant; and a pump (310 in fig. 3) for circulating the coolant in the channel (fig. 3). Smith does not explicitly disclose wherein the channel includes a portion containing nitrile rubber in a channel wall, the coolant includes 95% by mass or more of mineral oil, and an aniline point of the coolant is from 80°C to 105°C. Kurimoto discloses wherein the channel (11 in fig. 1; para. 0050) includes a portion (12 in fig. 1; para. 0058) containing nitrile rubber (para. 0058, 0062) in a channel wall (wall of 11 in fig. 1). 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 cooling system of Smith wherein the channel includes a portion containing nitrile rubber in a channel wall as taught by Kurimoto, in order for it be cost effective and have chemical resilience. The modified Smith does not explicitly disclose the coolant includes 95% by mass or more of mineral oil, and an aniline point of the coolant is from 80°C to 105°C. Kodama discloses the coolant includes 95% by mass or more of mineral oil (para. 0005; table 2, comparative example 3). 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 modified cooling system of Smith wherein the coolant includes 95% by mass or more of mineral oil as taught by Kodama, in order for direct thermal contact with the heat generating equipment to be able to dissipate more heat from it. The further modified Smith does not explicitly disclose an aniline point of the coolant is from 80°C to 105°C. Yokoi discloses an aniline point of the coolant is from 80°C to 105°C (abstract). 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 further modified cooling system of Smith wherein an aniline point of the coolant is from 80°C to 105°C as taught by Yokoi, in order to extend the life of the channel.Re claim 2: The further modified Smith does not explicitly disclose wherein kinematic viscosity of the coolant at 40°C is no greater than 5 mm2/s. Yokoi discloses wherein kinematic viscosity of the coolant at 40°C is no greater than 5 mm2/s (abstract).Re claim 3: The modified Smith does not explicitly disclose wherein the heat-generating equipment is at least one type selected from a group consisting of an inverter, a converter, a generator, a motor, and a battery. Kodama discloses wherein the heat-generating equipment is at least one type selected from a group consisting of an inverter, a converter, a generator, a motor, and a battery (para. 0003).Re claim 4: The modified Smith does not explicitly disclose wherein: the coolant includes an additive; and the additive is at least one type selected from a group consisting of an antifoaming agent, an antioxidant, a rust inhibitor, a pour point depressant, a dispersant, a surfactant, and a flow antistatic agent. Kodama discloses wherein: the coolant includes an additive (para. 0051); and the additive is at least one type selected from a group consisting of an antifoaming agent, an antioxidant, a rust inhibitor, a pour point depressant, a dispersant, a surfactant, and a flow antistatic agent (para. 0051).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 2018/0330906 – is considered pertinent because this reference describes a relay cooling device.
US 2022/0141999 – is considered pertinent because this reference describes a liquid cooled integrated circuit.
US 7,156,195 B2 – is considered pertinent because this reference describes a cooling system for electric motor of vehicle.
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.
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/ZHENGFU J FENG/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2835 February 26, 2026
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