CTNF 18/636,413 CTNF 81676 Detailed Action Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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 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. Claim Objections 07-29-01 AIA Claim s 10, 15, 16, and 20 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 10, line 2, “including” should be “further including”; Claim 15, line 4, ”the lower plates including” should be ”the lower plates include”; Claim 16, line 2, “an upper base” should be “an upper bridge base”; Claim 16, line 3, “the upper base” should be “the upper bridge base”; Claim 16, line 8, “an lower base” should be “an upper lower base”; Claim 16, line 9, “the lower base” should be “the upper lower base”; Claim 20, lines 10-11, “the upward opening forces” lacks antecedent basis, and should be “the upward forces” having antecedence in “upward forces” of claim 17, line 43; and Claim 20, lines 13-14, “the downward opening forces” lacks antecedent basis, and should be “the downward forces” having antecedence in “downward forces” of claim 17, line 47 . Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 07-30-02 AIA The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b): (b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph: The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention. 07-34-01 Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. Claim 7, line 2 recites the limitation "the upper and lower open limit slots” which lacks antecedent basis. Did Applicant intend “the upper and lower open limit spars” which has antecedence in claim 1. Clean copy of Claim Set This is a clean copy of the claim set which the Examiner believes incorporates all the changes of the Examiner’s amendment within the Notice of Allowance dated 3/13/26. The line numbers of claims cited within the instant action are cited to the clean set of the claims listed below. 1. A thermal bridge comprising: an upper bridge assembly including a plurality of upper plates arranged in an upper plate stack, each upper plate of the plurality of upper plates being segmented including: an upper forward segment at a front end of the upper plate, and an upper rearward segment at a rear end of the upper plate, each upper plate having an upper seam between the upper forward segment and the upper rearward segment, each upper plate having sides between the front end and the rear end, and each upper plate having an inner end and an outer end; a lower bridge assembly including a plurality of lower plates arranged in a lower plate stack, each lower plate of the plurality of lower plates being segmented including: a lower forward segment at a front end of the lower plate, and a lower rearward segment at a rear end of the lower plate, each lower plate having a lower seam between the lower forward segment and the lower rearward segment, each lower plate having sides between the front end and the rear end, each lower plate having an inner end and an outer end, the outer ends of the lower plates configured to face and thermally couple to an electrical component, and the sides of some of the lower plates facing the sides of some of the upper plates to thermally interface the lower plates with the upper plates; at least one spring element positioned between the upper bridge assembly and the lower bridge assembly, each at least one spring element including: an upper spring member engaging the upper plates to bias the upper plates with an upward opening force generally away from the lower plates, and a lower spring member engaging the lower plates to bias the lower plates with a downward opening force generally away from the upper plates; and a bridge frame supporting the upper plates in the upper plate stack and supporting the lower plates in the lower plate stack, the bridge frame including: an upper open limit spar engaging the upper plates at the upper seam to limit spreading apart of the upper plates from the lower plates against the upward opening force of the at least one spring element, and a lower open limit spar engaging the lower plates at the lower seam to limit spreading apart of the lower plates from the upper plates against the downward opening force of the at least one spring element. 2. The thermal bridge of claim 1, wherein the upper forward segment and the upper rearward segment include upper slots receiving the upper open limit spar, and the lower forward segment and the lower rearward segment include lower slots receiving the lower open limit spar. 3. The thermal bridge of claim 2, wherein the upper slots are open to the upper seam, the lower slots being open to the lower seam. 4. The thermal bridge of claim 2, wherein the upper slots are oversized relative to the upper open limit spar forming a clearance gap sized to allow floating movement of the upper forward segment and the upper rearward segment in the upper slots to allow compression and expansion of the upper plates relative to the lower plates, and the lower slots being oversized relative to the lower open limit spar forming a clearance gap sized to allow floating movement of the lower forward segment and the lower rearward segment in the lower slots to allow compression and expansion of the lower plates relative to the upper plates. 5. The thermal bridge of claim 1, wherein the bridge frame includes: a first side rail at a first side of the thermal bridge, and a second side rail at a second side of the thermal bridge, the upper and lower open limit spars extending between the first and second side rails. 6. The thermal bridge of claim 1, wherein the first and second side rails include slots receiving the upper and lower open limit spars. 7. The thermal bridge of claim 1, wherein one of the at least one spring element is aligned with the upper and lower open limit slots at the upper and lower seams. 8. The thermal bridge of claim 1, wherein the upper open limit spar limits movement of the upper forward segments relative to the upper rearward segments, and the lower open limit spar limits movement of the lower forward section segments relative to the lower rearward segments. 9. The thermal bridge of claim 1, wherein the bridge frame includes: a front rail; a rear rail; a first side rail extending between the front and rear rails, the front rail supporting the upper and lower forward segments; and a second side rail extending between the front and rear rails, the rear rail supporting the upper and lower rearward segments. 10. The thermal bridge of claim 9, wherein the at least one spring element including: a front spring element between the upper and lower forward segments proximate to the front rail, and a rear spring element between the upper and lower rearward segments proximate to the rear rail. 11. The thermal bridge of claim 1, wherein one of the at least one spring element is positioned at the upper seam and the lower seam, the one of the at least one spring element including: forward spring members engaging the upper forward segments and the lower forward segments to bias the upper forward segments and the lower forward segments away from each other with the upward and downward opening forces, and rearward spring members engaging the upper rearward segments and the lower rearward segments to bias the upper rearward segments and the lower rearward segments away from each other with the upward and downward opening forces. 12. The thermal bridge of claim 1, wherein the upper open limit spar and the lower open limit spar contain vertical movement of the upper plates and the lower plates in a predetermined confined space. 13. The thermal bridge of claim 1, wherein the upper bridge assembly includes an upper thermal interface configured to be thermally coupled to a heat transfer device, the upper plates and the lower plates being movable relative to each other, the upper plates being movable relative to the electrical component, and the lower plates being movable relative to the heat transfer device. 14. The thermal bridge of claim 1, wherein: some of the upper plates include upper overlapping regions, some of the lower plates include lower overlapping regions, and the upper bridge assembly and the lower bridge assembly being internested such that the upper overlapping regions thermally interface with the lower overlapping regions to thermally couple the upper plates and the lower plates. 15. The thermal bridge of claim 1, wherein: the upper plates include upper bridge plates and upper spacer plates between the upper bridge plates, the lower plates including lower bridge plates and lower spacer plates between the lower bridge plates, the upper bridge plates being aligned with the lower spacer plates, and the lower bridge plates being aligned with the upper spacer plates. 16. The thermal bridge of claim 15, wherein: each upper bridge plate of the upper bridge plates includes an upper base and upper overlapping regions extending from the upper base at the inner end of the upper bridge plate; each upper spacer plate of the upper spacer plates including an upper spacer base and upper pockets formed in the upper spacer base at the inner end of the upper spacer plate; each lower bridge plate of the lower bridge plates includes a lower base and lower overlapping regions extending from the lower base at the inner end of the lower bridge plate; each lower spacer plate of the lower spacer plates including a lower spacer base and lower pockets formed in the lower spacer base at the inner end of the lower spacer bridge plate; the upper overlapping regions of the upper bridge plates being aligned with and configured to be received in the lower pockets of the associated lower spacer plates; the lower overlapping regions of the lower bridge plates being aligned with and configured to be received in the upper pockets of the associated upper spacer plates; and the upper bridge assembly and the lower bridge assembly being internested such that the upper overlapping regions thermally interface with the lower overlapping regions to thermally couple the upper plates and the lower plates. 17. A thermal bridge comprising: an upper bridge assembly including a plurality of upper plates arranged in an upper plate stack, each upper plate of the plurality of upper plates being segmented including: an upper forward segment at a front end of the upper plate, and an upper rearward segment at a rear end of the upper plate, each upper plate having an upper seam between the upper forward segment and the upper rearward segment, each upper plate having sides between the front end and the rear end, and each upper plate having an inner end and an outer end; a lower bridge assembly including a plurality of lower plates arranged in a lower plate stack, each lower plate of the plurality of lower plates being segmented including: a lower forward segment at a front end of the lower plate, and a lower rearward segment at a rear end of the lower plate, each lower plate having a lower seam between the lower forward segment and the lower rearward segment, each lower plate having sides between the front end and the rear end, each lower plate having an inner end and an outer end, the outer ends of the lower plates configured to face and thermally couple to an electrical component, and the sides of some of the lower plates facing the sides of some of the upper plates to thermally interface the lower plates with the upper plates; a spring element positioned between the upper bridge assembly and the lower bridge assembly at the upper seam and the lower seam, the spring element including: forward spring members engaging the upper forward segments and the lower forward segments to bias the upper forward segments and the lower forward segments away from each other with opposing forward opening forces, and rearward spring members engaging the upper rearward segments and the lower rearward segments to bias the upper rearward segments and the lower rearward segments away from each other with opposing rearward opening forces; and a bridge frame supporting the upper plates in the upper plate stack and supporting the lower plates in the lower plate stack to limit spreading apart of the upper and lower plates from each other against the opposing forward and rearward opening forces of the spring element, the bridge frame includes: an upper open limit spar engaging the upper plates at the upper seam to limit spreading apart of the upper plates from the lower plates against upward forces of the opposing forward and rearward opening forces of the spring element, and a lower open limit spar engaging the lower plates at the lower seam to limit spreading apart of the lower plates from the upper plates against downward forces of the opposing forward and rearward opening forces of the spring element. 18. Cancelled 19. The thermal bridge of claim 17, wherein: the upper forward segment and the upper rearward segment include upper slots open to the upper seam receiving the upper open limit spar, and the lower forward segment and the lower rearward segment include lower slots open to the lower seam receiving the lower open limit spar. 20. The thermal bridge of claim 17, wherein the bridge frame includes: a front rail, the front rail supporting the upper and lower forward segments; a rear rail, the rear rail supporting the upper and lower rearward segments; a first side rail extending between the front and rear rails; a second side rail extending between the front and rear rails; the upper open limit spar between the first and second side rails, and the lower open limit spar between the first and second side rails, the upper open limit spar engaging the upper plates at the upper seam to limit spreading apart of the upper plates from the lower plates against the upward opening forces of the spring element, and the lower open limit spar engaging the lower plates at the lower seam to limit spreading apart of the lower plates from the upper plates against the downward opening forces of the spring element. 21. A thermal bridge comprising: an upper bridge assembly including a plurality of upper plates arranged in an upper plate stack, each upper plate of the plurality of upper plates being segmented including: an upper forward segment at a front end of the upper plate, and an upper rearward segment at a rear end of the upper plate, each upper plate having an upper seam between the upper forward segment and the upper rearward segment, each upper plate having sides between the front end and the rear end, and each upper plate having an inner end and an outer end; a lower bridge assembly including a plurality of lower plates arranged in a lower plate stack, each lower plate of the plurality of lower plates being segmented including: a lower forward segment at a front end of the lower plate, and a lower rearward segment at a rear end of the lower plate, each lower plate having a lower seam between the lower forward segment and the lower rearward segment, each lower plate having sides between the front end and the rear end, each lower plate having an inner end and an outer end, the outer ends of the lower plates configured to face and thermally couple to an electrical component, and the sides of some of the lower plates facing the sides of some of the upper plates to thermally interface the lower plates with the upper plates; a spring element positioned between the upper bridge assembly and the lower bridge assembly at the upper seam and the lower seam, the spring element including: an upper spring member engaging the upper plates to bias the upper plates with an upward opening force generally away from the lower plates, and a lower spring member engaging the lower plates to bias the lower plates with a downward opening force generally away from the upper plates; and a bridge frame supporting the upper plates in the upper plate stack and supporting the lower plates in the lower plate stack, the bridge frame including: an upper open limit spar aligned with the spring element at the upper seam, the upper open limit spar engaging the upper plates at the upper seam to limit spreading apart of the upper plates from the lower plates against the upward opening force of the spring element, and a lower open limit spar aligned with the spring element at the upper seam and the lower seam, the lower open limit spar engaging the lower plates at the lower seam to limit spreading apart of the lower plates from the upper plates against the downward opening force of the spring element. REASONS FOR ALLOWANCE Claims 1-9, 11-14, 17, 19, and 21 are allowed due to the current applicant amendments and reasons indicating allowable subject matter set forth in the previous office action (Notice of Allowance dated 3/13/26). Claims 10, 15, 16, and 20 will allowable once the claim objections and the 35 U.S.C. 112(b) rejection are addressed. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT J HOFFBERG whose telephone number is (571) 272-2761. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon - Fri 9 AM - 5 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 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. RJH 6/13/2026 /ROBERT J HOFFBERG/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841 Application/Control Number: 18/636,413 Page 2 Art Unit: 2841 Application/Control Number: 18/636,413 Page 3 Art Unit: 2841 Application/Control Number: 18/636,413 Page 4 Art Unit: 2841 Application/Control Number: 18/636,413 Page 5 Art Unit: 2841 Application/Control Number: 18/636,413 Page 6 Art Unit: 2841 Application/Control Number: 18/636,413 Page 7 Art Unit: 2841 Application/Control Number: 18/636,413 Page 8 Art Unit: 2841 Application/Control Number: 18/636,413 Page 9 Art Unit: 2841 Application/Control Number: 18/636,413 Page 10 Art Unit: 2841 Application/Control Number: 18/636,413 Page 11 Art Unit: 2841 Application/Control Number: 18/636,413 Page 12 Art Unit: 2841 Application/Control Number: 18/636,413 Page 13 Art Unit: 2841 Application/Control Number: 18/636,413 Page 14 Art Unit: 2841 Application/Control Number: 18/636,413 Page 15 Art Unit: 2841 Application/Control Number: 18/636,413 Page 16 Art Unit: 2841 Application/Control Number: 18/636,413 Page 17 Art Unit: 2841
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