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 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, 11, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun (US 8,737,060 B2) in view of Hou (US 6,163,453).Re claim 1: Sun discloses a computing system (computer system; figs. 1–2) comprising at least one computing device (computer case 10) comprising a first device outlet configured to provide a first airflow (fan 90 attached to rear plate 15 corresponding to air outlets 151; figs. 1–2; para. [0013], [0016]+) and a second device outlet configured to provide a second airflow (power supply fan attached to power supply 80 corresponding to ventilation hole 153; figs. 1–2; para. [0013], [0016]). Sun does not explicitly disclose at least one airflow shroud coupled to each computing device, each airflow shroud comprising at least one airflow shroud inlet configured to receive the first airflow from the first device outlet and the second airflow from the second device outlet, and an airflow shroud outlet configured to provide a combined airflow from the first airflow and the second airflow directed away from the at least one computing device. Hou discloses an airflow shroud (fan duct 10; fig. 1) comprising at least one airflow shroud inlet configured to receive a first airflow from a first device outlet and a second airflow from a second device outlet (second opening 24 in top wall 14 proximate a first heat-generating component, and third opening 26 in rear wall 16 proximate a second heat-generating component, air flowing into the fan duct 10 via openings 24 and 26; fig. 1), and an airflow shroud outlet configured to provide a combined airflow from the first airflow and the second airflow directed away from the computing device (first opening 22 in front wall 12 aligned with fan 30, the heated air expelled out of the fan duct 10 via first opening 22 to an exterior of the computer; 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 provide the computing system of Sun with an airflow shroud having at least one inlet receiving the first and second airflows from the first and second device outlets and an outlet providing the combined airflow away from the computing device, as taught by Hou, in order to organize and direct the exhaust airflows from both device outlets into a single managed exhaust stream for improved heat removal without requiring an additional fan.Re claim 11: Sun discloses at least one computing device (10 in fig. 1) having a first device outlet configured to provide a first airflow (fan 90 attached to rear plate 15 corresponding to air outlets 151; figs. 1–2; para. [0013], [0016]) and a second device outlet configured to provide a second airflow (power supply fan attached to power supply 80 corresponding to ventilation hole 153; figs. 1–2; para. [0013], [0016]). Sun does not explicitly disclose an airflow shroud comprising at least one airflow shroud inlet configured to receive the first airflow from the first device outlet and the second airflow from the second device outlet, and an airflow shroud outlet configured to provide a combined airflow from the first airflow and the second airflow away from the at least one computing device. Hou discloses an airflow shroud (fan duct 10; fig. 1) comprising at least one airflow shroud inlet configured to receive a first airflow from a first device outlet and a second airflow from a second device outlet (second opening 24 and third opening 26 of fan duct 10; fig. 1), and an airflow shroud outlet configured to provide a combined airflow away from the computing device (first opening 22 aligned with fan 30, the heated air expelled to an exterior of the computer; fig. 1). The motivation to combine is the same as set forth above with respect to claim 1.Re claim 18: Hou further discloses wherein the at least one airflow shroud inlet comprises a first airflow shroud inlet configured to receive the first airflow (second opening 24 in top wall 14; fig. 1) and a second airflow shroud inlet configured to receive the second airflow (third opening 26 in rear wall 16; fig. 1). The motivation to combine is the same as set forth above with respect to claims 1 and 11.
Claims 2-4, 7, and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun (US 8,737,060 B2) in view of Hou (US 6,163,453) and further in view of Simmons (US 2020/0033837 A1).Re claim 2: Sun in view of Hou does not explicitly disclose wherein the at least one computing device comprises a plurality of cryptocurrency mining devices. Simmons discloses a computing system comprising a plurality of cryptocurrency mining devices (plurality of miners 20 disposed on rack assembly 18 within data center 10; figs. 2, 20; para. [0076], [0084]), each miner comprising a housing and at least one cooling fan providing an airflow exhausted from the miner (miner housing 4 with cooling fan 6; fig. 1; para. [0003], [0091]). Thus it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply the dual-outlet computing device cooling arrangement of Sun (as modified by the airflow shroud of Hou) to a plurality of cryptocurrency mining devices, as taught by Simmons, in order to manage and direct the substantial heat output of a plurality of high-power cryptocurrency miners in a data center environment.Re claim 3: Simmons further discloses wherein a first airflow rate of the first airflow is higher than a second airflow rate of the second airflow (front fan operating at 6000 rpm providing about 210 CFM and rear fan operating at 4300 rpm providing about 175 CFM; para. [0004]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the first and second device outlets of Sun (as modified) with differing airflow rates, as taught by Simmons, in order to tailor the cooling capacity at each device outlet to the differing thermal loads.Re claim 4: Sun further discloses wherein the at least one computing device comprises a first fan configured to provide the first airflow (fan 90 attached to rear plate 15 corresponding to air outlets 151; para. [0013]) and a second fan configured to provide the second airflow (power supply fan attached to power supply 80 corresponding to ventilation hole 153; para. [0013]).Re claim 7: Hou further discloses wherein the at least one airflow shroud inlet comprises a first airflow shroud inlet configured to receive the first airflow (second opening 24 in top wall 14; fig. 1) and a second airflow shroud inlet configured to receive the second airflow (third opening 26 in rear wall 16; fig. 1). The motivation to combine is the same as set forth above with respect to claims 1 and 2.Re claim 10: Simmons further discloses an airflow barrier (barrier wall 22a, 22b; fig. 4; para. [0076], [0085]) comprising a device side (relatively cool front section 24 side, on which the miners are disposed; figs. 9, 20; para. [0085], [0091]), a ventilation side opposite the device side (relatively warm rear section 26 side; figs. 14, 16; para. [0085], [0091]), and at least one opening therethrough (plurality of openings 25, each in communication with a back end 4b of a miner housing 4; figs. 26, 33; para. [0085]), wherein the at least one computing device is disposed on the device side of the airflow barrier (miners 20 disposed so as to draw relatively cool air from front section 24; figs. 9, 20; para. [0085], [0091]), and wherein the airflow shroud outlet is further configured to provide the combined airflow through the at least one opening to the ventilation side (air exhausted from each miner 20 passing through opening 25 into relatively warm rear section 26; figs. 16, 33; para. [0085], [0091]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to dispose the computing device(s) of Sun (as modified by Hou) on the device side of the barrier wall of Simmons such that the airflow shroud outlet directs the combined airflow through an opening 25 to the ventilation side, in order to separate the relatively cool intake air from the relatively warm exhaust air and thereby prevent the warm exhaust from recirculating back to the device intakes (Simmons, para. [0091]).
Claims 5 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun (US 8,737,060 B2) in view of Hou (US 6,163,453) and Simmons (US 2020/0033837 A1), and further in view of Nelson (US 7,724,521 B2).
Re claim 5: Sun in view of Hou and Simmons does not explicitly disclose wherein the first airflow through the first device outlet causes a pressure drop proximate the second device outlet to increase an airflow rate of the second airflow through the second device outlet. Nelson discloses a fan-assisted cooling unit (fan assisted cooling unit 210 comprising fan shroud 215, fan 220, and Venturi chamber 222 formed from wall 225; figs. 2A–2D) wherein a first airflow causes a pressure drop proximate a second airflow path to increase an airflow rate of the second airflow (ambient airflow 245, drawn over the top of wall 225, is directed across the heated airflow 240 emerging from convective openings 140 of heatsink/backplane 105, generating an increased airflow in heated airflow 240 by a Venturi effect, analogized to air flowing over the top of an open straw; figs. 2B–2D). Thus it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the airflow shroud of Sun in view of Hou and Simmons such that the first airflow from the first device outlet induces a Venturi-effect pressure drop proximate the second device outlet to increase the airflow rate of the second airflow, as taught by Nelson, in order to enhance the rate of heat removal from the computing device by augmenting the lower-rate airflow.Re claim 6: Sun in view of Hou, Simmons, and Nelson discloses wherein the pressure drop is configured to inhibit a backflow of air through the second device outlet into the computing device (the Venturi draw established by airflow 245 across wall 225 produces a continuous directional suction that pulls heated airflow 240 out through convective openings 140, the directional pumping action thereby opposing reverse flow into the enclosure through those openings; figs. 2C–2D). The motivation to combine is the same as set forth above with respect to claim 5.
Claims 16 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun (US 8,737,060 B2) in view of Hou (US 6,163,453) and further in view of Nelson (US 7,724,521 B2).Re claim 16: Sun in view of Hou does not explicitly disclose wherein the airflow shroud is further configured to receive the first airflow such that a pressure proximate the second device outlet drops to increase an airflow rate of the second airflow through the second device outlet. Nelson discloses a fan-assisted cooling unit (fan assisted cooling unit 210 comprising fan shroud 215, fan 220, and Venturi chamber 222 formed from wall 225; figs. 2A–2D) configured to receive a first airflow such that a pressure proximate a second airflow path drops to increase the airflow rate of the second airflow (ambient airflow 245, drawn over the top of wall 225, is directed across the heated airflow 240 emerging from convective openings 140 of heatsink/backplane 105, generating an increased airflow in heated airflow 240 by a Venturi effect; figs. 2B–2D). Thus it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the airflow shroud of Sun in view of Hou such that the first airflow induces a Venturi-effect pressure drop proximate the second device outlet to increase the airflow rate of the second airflow, as taught by Nelson, in order to enhance the rate of heat removal from the computing device by augmenting the lower-rate airflow.Re claim 17: Sun in view of Hou and Nelson discloses wherein the pressure drop is configured to inhibit a backflow of air through the second device outlet into the computing device (the Venturi draw established by airflow 245 across wall 225 produces a continuous directional suction that pulls heated airflow 240 out through convective openings 140, the directional pumping action thereby opposing reverse flow into the enclosure through those openings; figs. 2C–2D). The motivation to combine is the same as set forth above with respect to claim 16.
Claims 12, 13, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun (US 8,737,060 B2) in view of Hou (US 6,163,453) and further in view of Ta (US 6,483,701 B1).
Re claim 12: Sun in view of Hou does not explicitly disclose a plurality of clips configured to secure the airflow shroud to the at least one computing device to matingly engage the at least one airflow shroud inlet to the first device outlet and the second device outlet. Ta discloses a fan shroud (fan shroud 100; figs. 1, 5) secured to a computing device (rack 502 of electronic device 500, e.g., a computer system; figs. 5, 8, 9) by a plurality of clips (first and second hook-like locking features 116A, 116B in the shape of downward-facing hooks, each defining a notch 122; figs. 1, 3) configured to secure the shroud to the device and matingly position the shroud over the device fan outlet(s) (hook-like locking features 116A, 116B inserted through fan shroud mounting apertures 506A, 506B of fan plate 504 and seated around fan plate 504, whereby faceplate 102 is moved adjacent to and secures fans 602A, 602B within fan support blocks 510A, 510B; figs. 5–9). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the airflow shroud of Sun in view of Hou with a plurality of clips configured to secure the shroud to the computing device and matingly engage the shroud inlet(s) over the device outlets, as taught by Ta, in order to provide a tool-less, readily removable mounting that reliably aligns and retains the shroud over the device fan outlets without modification to the device.Re claim 13: Ta further discloses wherein the plurality of clips are configured to engage a housing of the at least one computing device (hook-like locking features 116A, 116B seated around fan plate 504 of rack 502, and locking flanges 150A, 150B coupled to CPU panels 520A, 520B of rack 502; figs. 5, 8, 9).Re claim 15: Ta further discloses wherein the plurality of clips are unitary with a body of the airflow shroud (fan shroud 100 being integral — a single piece of cold-rolled carbon strip steel stamped and bent to form the faceplate 102, spacer panels 110A/110B, hook-like locking features 116A/116B, top plate 130, and locking flanges 150A/150B as one piece; fig. 1). The unitary molded-body construction is further supported by Hou (fan duct 10 formed by plastic injection molding; Hou fig. 1).
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun (US 8,737,060 B2) in view of Hou (US 6,163,453), Ta (US 6,483,701 B1), and further in view of McAnally (US 5,788,566).Re claim 14: Sun in view of Hou and Ta discloses the plurality of clips engaging the computing device as set forth above with respect to claims 12 and 13, but does not expressly disclose wherein the plurality of clips are configured to engage at least one fan guard disposed over the first device outlet and the second device outlet. McAnally discloses a computer (computer 10 with enclosure 12; fig. 1) having a fan/finger guard assembly (assembly 20; fig. 2) that includes a fan guard disposed over a fan outlet (finger guard 26 having arcuate slots and covering the fan rotor 24; fig. 2) and a plurality of clips configured to engage the fan guard (locking posts 28a–28d extending from the finger guard 26 and locking posts 32a–32d extending from the mounting frame 30, the posts having teeth that engage one another within openings 25a–25d of the fan housing 22 so as to lock the finger guard 26 and the fan housing 22 to the mounting frame 30; figs. 2, 3A), the assembly further including mounting hooks 34a–34d and a snap finger 38 for attaching the frame 30 to the enclosure wall 16 (fig. 2). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the plurality of clips of Sun in view of Hou and Ta to engage at least one fan guard disposed over the first and second device outlets, as taught by McAnally, in order to secure the shroud together with a protective finger guard covering the fan rotor in a compact, integrated, tool-less locking arrangement that prevents accidental contact with the rotating fan blades while minimizing parts and assembly space.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8, 9, 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art of record, alone or in combination, fails to teach or suggest a first airflow shroud inlet defining a first inlet plane and a second airflow shroud inlet defining a second inlet plane upstream of the first inlet plane (claims 8 and 19), and the generation of a pressure drop between the second airflow shroud inlet and the first inlet plane to increase the airflow rate of the second airflow and inhibit backflow (claim 9), in combination with the remaining limitations of the respective base and intervening claims. The closest prior art, Nelson (US 7,724,521 B2), discloses a two-inlet Venturi chamber but arranges its inlets in a perpendicular cross-flow relationship, wherein the airflow from the second inlet is directed across the airflow from the first inlet, rather than defining two inlet planes staggered along a common flow axis with the second inlet plane upstream of the first inlet plane as claimed.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 2008/0180903 (Cooling high performance computer systems) — a computer chassis generating separate front and rear airflows through the chassis, pertinent to multi-fan airflow management in a computing device.
US 7,885,062 (Computer chassis with partitions for improved airflow) — internal partitions and ducting directing fan airflow within a computer chassis.
US 8,182,217 (Mechanical fan sub-shroud attachment feature, molded plastic snap feature) — a two-piece fan shroud that snaps together via integral retention features.
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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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, JAYPRAKASH 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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/ZHENGFU J FENG/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2835 May 28, 2026
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