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DETAILED ACTION
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed 08/19/2024 has been fully considered and is attached hereto.
Claim Objections
Claim 12 objected to because of the following lack of antecedent informalities:
● In Claim 12, Line 2, “a fluid circulation drive member” is changed to read - - the fluid circulation drive member - -.
● In Claim 12, Line 2, “a fluid inlet channel” is changed to read - - the fluid inlet channel - -.
● In Claim 12, Lines 2-3, “a fluid outlet channel” is changed to read - - the fluid outlet channel - -.
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 of this title, 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, 10, 15 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Mizuko (US 2022/0369505) in view of Chiba et al (US 2007/0064397).
Regarding Claim 1, Mizuko (In Figs 1-2) disclose a cooling system (100), used for cooling at least one transceiver module (50), the system (110) comprising:
a heat sink fin (2);
a cooling fluid channel (1A), arranged between the heat sink fin (2) and the at least one transceiver module (50), (Fig 1); and
a cooling fluid drive module (3), connected to the cooling fluid channel (1A), (Fig 1);
wherein the cooling fluid drive module (3) comprises a fluid circulation drive member (CDU, ¶ 59, II. 1-5), a fluid inlet channel (3A), and a fluid outlet channel (3B); an end of the fluid inlet channel (3a) and an end of the fluid outlet channel (3B) are respectively connected to two ends of the cooling fluid channel (1A), and an another end of the fluid inlet channel (1A) and an another end of the fluid outlet channel (3B) are connected to the fluid circulation drive member (CDU, ¶ 59, II. 1-5), (Fig 1), however Mizuko does not disclose a cooling system, used for cooling at least one transceiver module.
Instead, Chiba (In Fig 1) teaches a cooling system (11/12/21/22), used for cooling at least one transceiver module (2), (Fig 1).
It would have been obvious to an ordinary skilled person in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Mizuko with Chiba with a cooling system used for cooling at least one transceiver module to benefit from reducing the temperature by external air cooling to ensure stable operation of the device (Chiba, ¶ 5, II. 9-11).
Regarding Claim 10, Mizuko (In Figs 1-2) disclose a communication apparatus (100), comprising:
a circuit board (30), comprising at least one transceiver module (50); and
a cooling system (110), comprising:
a heat sink fin (2);
a cooling fluid channel (1A), arranged between the heat sink fin (2) and the at least one transceiver module (50); and
a cooling fluid drive module (3), connected to the cooling fluid channel (1A); wherein the cooling fluid drive module (3) comprises a fluid circulation drive member (CDU, ¶ 59, II. 1-5), a fluid inlet channel (3A), and a fluid outlet channel (3B); an end of the fluid inlet channel (3A) and an end of the fluid outlet channel (3B) are respectively connected to two ends of the cooling fluid channel (1A), and an another end of the fluid inlet channel (3A) and an another end of the fluid outlet channel (3B) are connected to the fluid circulation drive member (CDU, ¶ 59, II. 1-5), (Fig 1) however Mizuko does not disclose a cooling system, used for cooling at least one transceiver module.
Instead, Chiba (In Fig 1) teaches a cooling system (11/12/21/22), used for cooling at least one transceiver module (2), (Fig 1).
It would have been obvious to an ordinary skilled person in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Mizuko with Chiba with a cooling system used for cooling at least one transceiver module to benefit from reducing the temperature by external air cooling to ensure stable operation of the device (Chiba, ¶ 5, II. 9-11).
Regarding Claim 15, Mizuko in view of Chiba discloses the limitations of Claim 10, however Mizuko (In Figs 1-2) further discloses wherein the communication apparatus (100) further comprising a housing (housing of 10), (Fig 2) and at least one fan (14), wherein the cooling system (110), the circuit board (30), and the at least one fan (14) are disposed in the housing (housing of 10), (Fig 2), the cooling system (110) and the at least one fan (14) are separately disposed at two corresponding ends of the housing (housing of 10), (Fig 2).
Regarding Claim 18, Mizuko (In Figs 1-2) disclose a cooling system (100), used for cooling a plurality of transceiver modules (50) configured in multi-tiered arrangement (Fig 2), the system (100) comprising:
a plurality of heat sink fins (2);
a plurality of cooling fluid channels (1A); and
a cooling fluid drive module (3), connected to the plurality of cooling fluid channels (1A), (Fig 1);
wherein the plurality of cooling fluid channels (1A) are respectively arranged with the plurality of heat sink fins (2), (Fig 1), and one of the plurality of cooling fluid channels (1A) is sandwiched between one tier of the plurality of transceiver modules (50) and one of the plurality of heat sink fins (2), (Fig 1), however Mizuko does not disclose a cooling system, used for cooling a plurality of transceiver module.
Instead, Chiba (In Fig 1) teaches a cooling system (11/12/21/22), used for cooling a plurality of transceiver module (2), (Fig 1).
It would have been obvious to an ordinary skilled person in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Mizuko with Chiba with a cooling system used for cooling a plurality of transceiver module to benefit from reducing the temperature by external air cooling to ensure stable operation of the device (Chiba, ¶ 5, II. 9-11).
Examiner Notes; it should be mentioned that, the court held that mere duplication of parts has no patentable significance unless a new and unexpected result is produced. See: St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bernis Co., 193: USPQ 8, see: MPEP 214404 section VI.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Mizuko in view of Chiba and further in view of So et al (US 2006/0266501).
Regarding Claim 5, Mizuko in view of Chiba discloses the limitations of Claim 1, however Mizuko as modified does not disclose wherein the heat sink fin is a wavy fin.
Instead, So (In Fig 3) teaches wherein the heat sink fin (56) is a wavy fin (56), (Fig 3).
It would have been obvious to an ordinary skilled person in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Mizuko with Chiba and further with So with the heat sink fin being a wavy fin to benefit from maximizing fluid contact surface area such that heat energy could be transferred efficiently between any one of fluid conduit and each of the other fluid conduit (So, ¶ 8, II. 1-4).
Claims 6 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Mizuko in view of Chiba and further in view of You et al (US 2012/0325447).
Regarding Claim 6, Mizuko in view of Chiba discloses the limitations of Claim 1, however Mizuko as modified does not disclose wherein the cooling fluid channel comprises a hollow flat tube, and a plurality of parallel flow paths are disposed inside the hollow flat tube.
Instead, You (In Fig 7) teaches wherein the cooling fluid channel (720) comprises a hollow flat tube (720), (Fig 7), and a plurality of parallel flow paths (726) are disposed inside the hollow flat tube (720), (Fig 7).
It would have been obvious to an ordinary skilled person in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Mizuko with Chiba and further with You with the cooling fluid channel comprising a hollow flat tube and a plurality of parallel flow paths being disposed inside the hollow flat tube to benefit from properly dissipating significant amount of heat which otherwise would cause damage or deterioration of the performance of the power system (You, ¶ 3, II. 6-11).
Regarding Claim 16, Mizuko in view of Chiba discloses the limitations of Claim 10, however Mizuko as modified does not disclose wherein the cooling fluid channel comprises a hollow flat tube, a plurality of parallel flow paths are disposed inside the flat tube, and the parallel flow paths extend along a side end surface of the circuit board.
Instead, You (In Fig 7) teaches wherein the cooling fluid channel (720) comprises a hollow flat tube (720), (Fig 7), a plurality of parallel flow paths (726) are disposed inside the flat tube (720), (Fig 7), and the parallel flow paths (720) extend along a side end surface of the circuit board (printed circuit board, ¶ 60 II. 8-10), (Fig 7).
It would have been obvious to an ordinary skilled person in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Mizuko with Chiba and further with You with the cooling fluid channel comprising a hollow flat tube and a plurality of parallel flow paths being disposed inside the flat tube and the parallel flow paths extending along a side end surface of the circuit board to benefit from properly dissipating significant amount of heat which otherwise would cause damage or deterioration of the performance of the power system (You, ¶ 3, II. 6-11).
Claims 7 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Mizuko in view of Chiba and further in view of Lunsman et al (US 2017/0135246).
Regarding Claim 7, Mizuko in view of Chiba discloses the limitations of Claim 1, however Mizuko as modified does not disclose wherein a thermal interface material is disposed between the cooling fluid channel and the at least one transceiver module.
Instead, Lunsman (In Fig 4) teaches wherein a thermal interface material (450) is disposed between the cooling fluid channel (440) and the at least one transceiver module (410), (Fig 4).
It would have been obvious to an ordinary skilled person in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Mizuko with Chiba and further with Lunsman with a thermal interface material being disposed between the cooling fluid channel and transceiver module to benefit from transferring heat from electronic component through to the floating heat sink and to the liquid within the liquid cooling tubes through a soft thermal transfer pad (Lunsman, ¶ 7, II. 10-14).
Regarding Claim 17, Mizuko in view of Chiba discloses the limitations of Claim 10, however Mizuko as modified does not disclose wherein a thermal interface material is disposed between the cooling fluid channel and the at least one transceiver module.
Instead, Lunsman (In Fig 4) teaches wherein a thermal interface material (450) is disposed between the cooling fluid channel (440) and the at least one transceiver module (410), (Fig 4).
It would have been obvious to an ordinary skilled person in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Mizuko with Chiba and further with Lunsman with a thermal interface material being disposed between the cooling fluid channel and transceiver module to benefit from transferring heat from electronic component through to the floating heat sink and to the liquid within the liquid cooling tubes through a soft thermal transfer pad (Lunsman, ¶ 7, II. 10-14).
Claims 8 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Mizuko in view of Chiba and further in view of Paul et al (2024/0064944).
Regarding Claim 8, Mizuko in view of Chiba discloses the limitations of Claim 1, however Mizuko as modified does not disclose wherein the cooling system further comprising another cooling fluid channel, wherein the cooling fluid channel and the another cooling fluid channel are separately disposed on two surfaces of the at least one transceiver module; and the fluid inlet channel and the fluid outlet channel are respectively connected to two ends of the another cooling fluid channel.
Instead, where Chiba (In Fig 1) teaches the cooling system (11/12/21/22) for the transceiver module (2), (Fig 1).
It would have been obvious to an ordinary skilled person in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Mizuko with Chiba with the cooling system for the transceiver module to benefit from reducing the temperature by external air cooling to ensure stable operation of the device (Chiba, ¶ 5, II. 9-11).
Instead, Paul (In Fig 1A-2) teaches wherein the cooling system (200) further comprising another cooling fluid channel (155-2), wherein the cooling fluid channel (155-1) and the another cooling fluid channel (155-2) are separately disposed on two surfaces of the at least one transceiver module (200A); and the fluid inlet channel (channels within 122) and the fluid outlet channel (channels 124) are respectively connected to two ends of the another cooling fluid channel (155-2), (Fig 2).
It would have been obvious to an ordinary skilled person in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Mizuko with Chiba and further with Paul with the cooling system further comprising another cooling fluid channel and the cooling fluid channel and the another cooling fluid channel being separately disposed on two surfaces of transceiver module with the fluid inlet channel and the fluid outlet channel being respectively connected to two ends of the another cooling fluid channel to benefit from removing the heat generated in the power electronics module (Paul, ¶ 23, II. 8-11).
Regarding Claim 19, Mizuko in view of Chiba discloses the limitations of Claim 18, however Mizuko as modified does not disclose wherein the plurality of transceiver modules are configured in two tiers, and the plurality of cooling fluid channels are arranged in two corresponding surfaces of the plurality of transceiver modules.
Instead, where Chiba (In Fig 1) teaches the cooling system (11/12/21/22) for the transceiver module (2), (Fig 1).
It would have been obvious to an ordinary skilled person in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Mizuko with Chiba with the cooling system for the transceiver module to benefit from reducing the temperature by external air cooling to ensure stable operation of the device (Chiba, ¶ 5, II. 9-11).
Instead, Paul (In Fig 1A-2) teaches wherein the plurality of transceiver modules (200A) are configured in two tiers (Fig 2), and the plurality of cooling fluid channels (155-1/155-2) are arranged in two corresponding surfaces of the plurality of transceiver modules (200A), (Fig 2).
It would have been obvious to an ordinary skilled person in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Mizuko with Chiba and further with Paul with the plurality of transceiver modules being configured in two tiers and the plurality of cooling fluid channels being arranged in two corresponding surfaces of the plurality of transceiver modules to benefit from removing the heat generated in the power electronics module (Paul, ¶ 23, II. 8-11).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Mizuko in view of Chiba and further in view of Paul and further in view of Wenke (US 4,958,257).
Regarding Claim 9, Mizuko in view of Chiba and further in view of Paul discloses the limitations of Claim 8, however Mizuko as modified does not disclose wherein the cooling system further comprising another heat sink fin, the heat sink fin and the another heat sink fin are wavy fins; wherein the another heat sink fin is disposed on the another cooling fluid channel.
Instead, Paul (In Figs 1A-2) further teaches wherein the cooling system (200) further comprising another heat sink fin (232), wherein the another heat sink fin (232) is disposed on the another cooling fluid channel (155-2), (Fig 2), however Mizuko as modified does not disclose wherein the heat sink fin and the another heat sink fin are wavy fins.
It would have been obvious to an ordinary skilled person in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Mizuko with Chiba and further with Paul with the cooling system further comprising another heat sink fin and the another heat sink fin being disposed on the another cooling fluid channel to benefit from removing the heat generated in the power electronics module (Paul, ¶ 23, II. 8-11), however Mizuko as modified does not disclose wherein the heat sink fin and the another heat sink fin are wavy fins.
Instead Wenke (In Fig 4) teaches the heat sink fin (74) and the another heat sink fin (74) are wavy fins (Fig 4).
It would have been obvious to an ordinary skilled person in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Mizuko with Chiba further with Paul and further with Wenke with the heat sink fin and the another heat sink fin being wavy fins to benefit from more efficient method of heat removal (Wenke, Col 1, II. 14-21).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 11 and 20 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 an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
With respect to Claims 2, 11 and 20, the allowability resides in the overall structure of the device as recited in dependent Claims 2, 11 and 20, and at least in part because Claims 2, 11 and 20 recite, “a cooling fluid return channel; wherein the cooling fluid channel and the cooling fluid return channel are separately disposed on two surfaces of the heat sink fin, and the cooling fluid channel is connected to the fluid outlet channel through the cooling fluid return channel” in Claim 2, “a cooling fluid return channel, wherein the cooling fluid channel and the cooling fluid return channel are separately disposed on upper and lower sides of the heat sink fin and are connected to each other” in Claim 11, and “a plurality of cooling fluid return channels and a cooling fluid supply channel; wherein the plurality of cooling fluid channels and the plurality of cooling fluid return channels are separately disposed on two corresponding surfaces of the plurality of heat sink fins; two ends of each of the plurality of cooling fluid channels are separately connected to the cooling fluid drive module through the plurality of cooling fluid return channels and the cooling fluid supply channel” in Claim 20.
The aforementioned limitations in combination with all remaining limitations of Claims 2, 11 and 20 are believed to render said Claim 2, 11 and 20, and all Claims dependent therefrom (Claims 3-4 and 12-14) patentable over the art of record.
The closest art of record is believed to be that of Mizuko (US 2022/0369505 – hereafter “Mizuko”).
While Mizuko Figs 1-2 teach many of limitations of base Claims 1, 10 and 18 as per rejection of Claims 1, 10 and 18, however neither Mizuko nor any other art of record either alone or in a combination, teach or suggest above-mentioned limitations of Claims 2, 11 and 20.
Any comment considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submission should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance”.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure; Fluid Cooled Enclosure for Circuit Module Apparatus and Methods of Cooling a Conduction Cooled Circuit Module US 2014/0340845, Transceiver Module Cage for use with Modules of Varying Widths US 6,986,679, Method and Apparatus for Efficient Vertical Fluid Delivery for Cooling a Heat Producing Device US 2004/0112571, Power Module Cooling Device US 2024/0431071. Other pertinent art made of record are on form PTO-892 notice of reference cited.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AMIR JALALI whose telephone number is (303)297-4308. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday 8:30am - 5:00pm, Mountain Time. 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.
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/AMIR A JALALI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2835