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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: DIMM HEAT SINK SYSTEM AND METHOD COMPRISING ONE OR MORE HEAT BRIDGES AND THERMALLY CONDUCTIVE MEMBERS.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-20 objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 recites “wherein the heat bridges are resilient in order to maintain contact with a pair of adjacent dual inline memory modules (DIMMs) configured in a DIMM array when disposed between the adjacent DIMMs”, to avoid possible antecedent issue, the claim limitations should be changed to read “wherein the one or more heat bridges are resilient in order to maintain contact with a pair of adjacent dual inline memory modules (DIMMs) configured in a DIMM array when disposed between the pair of adjacent DIMMs”.
Claim 6 and 16 recites “the interconnecting members configured to maintain each adjacent pair of DIMM heat sinks a specified distance apart”, to avoid possible antecedent issue, the claim limitations should be changed to read “the one or more interconnecting members configured to maintain each adjacent pair of DIMM heat sinks a specified distance apart”.
Claim 9 and 19 recites “wherein the heat bridges are resilient in order to maintain contact with a plurality of DRAMs configured on each DIMM”, to avoid possible antecedent issue and for clarity, the claim limitations should be changed to read “wherein the one or more heat bridges are resilient in order to maintain contact with a plurality of Dynamic Random Access Memories (DRAMs) configured on each DIMM”.
Claim 10 and 20 recites “a layer of thermal grease or oil disposed between the heat bridges and the DRAMs”, to avoid possible antecedent issue, the claim limitations should be changed to read “a layer of thermal grease or oil disposed between the one or more heat bridges and the DRAMs”.
Claim 11 recites “wherein the heat bridges are resilient in order to maintain contact with the adjacent DIMMs when disposed between the adjacent DIMMs”, to avoid possible antecedent issue, the claim limitations should be changed to read “wherein the one or more heat bridges are resilient in order to maintain contact with the pair of adjacent DIMMs when disposed between the pair of adjacent DIMMs”.
Claim 2-10 are also objected to since they depend on Claim 1 and inherit the
deficiency therein.
Claim 12-20 are also objected to since they depend on Claim 11 and inherit the
deficiency therein.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-7, 9, 11-17, 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by David et al. (US 8,913,384 - hereinafter, "David").
With respect to Claim 1, David teaches (in Figure 15A-15B and 16A)
A dual inline memory module (DIMM) cooling system (see Figure 16A) comprising:
a DIMM heat sink (1500’) comprising:
a thermally conductive member (1505+1530, in column 18, lines 22-29, “This is accommodated, in the embodiment depicted, by providing thermal transfer structure 1500' with a thermal spreader 1505 having thermally conductive spring assemblies 1520, 1521 secured to opposite sides thereof. As illustrated, thermal spreader 1505 comprises a spreader plate with respective recesses or channels in the plate, to accommodate flattened tube sections 1535 of a coolant-carrying tube 1530”); and
one or more heat bridges (1520+1521, in column 17, lines 41-56, “The electronics cards may then be docked in their respective sockets, with spring forces being exerted on the electronics cards by the adjacent thermally conductive spring assemblies. These spring forces are configured to ensure or enhance thermal contact between the thermal transfer structures and the electronics cards. Multiple springs or sections of springs may be employed within the assemblies to facilitate independence of the springs to accommodate, for example, differently sized chips or modules on the side surfaces of the cards. Further, those skilled in the art will note that the above-described C-shaped, dual compression spring, upward-facing, U-shaped compression spring, and downward-facing, U-shaped compression spring, are presented by way of example only, as is the thermal spreader, which in the embodiments of FIGS. 12A-14B, comprises a thermal spreader plate”) configured on opposing sides of the thermally conductive member (1505+1530),
wherein the one or more heat bridges (1520+1521) are resilient in order to maintain contact with a pair of adjacent dual inline memory modules (DIMMs) (electronics cards, in column 5, lines 32-40, “"Electronic component" refers to any heat-generating electronic component of, for example, a computer system or other electronic system requiring cooling. By way of example, an electronic component may comprise one or more integrated circuit dies, and/or other electronic devices to be cooled, such as one or more electronics cards. In one implementation, an electronics card may comprise a plurality of memory modules (such as one or more dual in-line memory modules (DIMMs))”, see Figure 16A) configured in a DIMM array (in column 18, lines 52-54, “In FIG. 16A, a plurality of thermal transfer structures 1630 are divided into two arrays to accommodate two banks of electronics cards (not shown)”, see Figure 16A) when disposed between the pair of adjacent DIMMs (electronics cards).
With respect to Claim 11, David teaches (in Figure 15A-15B and 16A)
An Information Handling System (IHS) (in column 5, lines 15-31, “As used herein, the terms "electronics rack", and "rack unit" are used interchangeably, and unless otherwise specified include any housing, frame, rack, compartment, blade server system, etc., having one or more heat-generating components of a computer system or electronic system, and may be, for example, a stand-alone computer processor having high, mid or low end processing capability. In one embodiment, an electronics rack may comprise a portion of an electronic system, a single electronic system or multiple electronic systems, for example, in one or more sub-housings, blades, books, drawers, nodes, compartments, etc., having one or more heat-generating electronic components disposed therein. An electronic system(s) within an electronics rack may be movable or fixed relative to the electronics rack, with rack-mounted electronic drawers and blades of a blade center system being two examples of electronic systems (or subsystems) of an electronics rack to be cooled”, see Figure 3) comprising:
a pair of adjacent dual inline memory modules (DIMMs) (electronics cards, in column 5, lines 32-40, “"Electronic component" refers to any heat-generating electronic component of, for example, a computer system or other electronic system requiring cooling. By way of example, an electronic component may comprise one or more integrated circuit dies, and/or other electronic devices to be cooled, such as one or more electronics cards. In one implementation, an electronics card may comprise a plurality of memory modules (such as one or more dual in-line memory modules (DIMMs))) configured in a DIMM array (in column 18, lines 52-54, “In FIG. 16A, a plurality of thermal transfer structures 1630 are divided into two arrays to accommodate two banks of electronics cards (not shown)”, see Figure 16A); and
a DIMM heat sink (1500’) comprising:
a thermally conductive member (1505+1530, in column 18, lines 22-29, “This is accommodated, in the embodiment depicted, by providing thermal transfer structure 1500' with a thermal spreader 1505 having thermally conductive spring assemblies 1520, 1521 secured to opposite sides thereof. As illustrated, thermal spreader 1505 comprises a spreader plate with respective recesses or channels in the plate, to accommodate flattened tube sections 1535 of a coolant-carrying tube 1530”); and
one or more heat bridges (1520+1521, in column 17, lines 41-56, “The electronics cards may then be docked in their respective sockets, with spring forces being exerted on the electronics cards by the adjacent thermally conductive spring assemblies. These spring forces are configured to ensure or enhance thermal contact between the thermal transfer structures and the electronics cards. Multiple springs or sections of springs may be employed within the assemblies to facilitate independence of the springs to accommodate, for example, differently sized chips or modules on the side surfaces of the cards. Further, those skilled in the art will note that the above-described C-shaped, dual compression spring, upward-facing, U-shaped compression spring, and downward-facing, U-shaped compression spring, are presented by way of example only, as is the thermal spreader, which in the embodiments of FIGS. 12A-14B, comprises a thermal spreader plate”) configured on opposing sides of the thermally conductive member (1505+1530),
wherein the one or more heat bridges (1520+1521, in column 17, lines 41-56) are resilient in order to maintain contact with the pair of adjacent DIMMs (electronics cards) when disposed between the pair of adjacent DIMMs (electronics cards).
With respect to Claim 2 and 12, David teaches the limitations of Claim 1 and 11 as per above, David further teaches (in Figure 15A-15B and 16A)
wherein the thermally conductive member (1505+1530) comprises a coolant pipe (1530) configured to convey a coolant fluid (coolant, in column 18, lines 19-36, “FIG. 15B depicts an alternate embodiment of a thermal transfer structure 1500', wherein the coolant inlet and outlet manifolds are assumed to be disposed on the same side of the structure, and thus, the same side of the card array. This is accommodated, in the embodiment depicted, by providing thermal transfer structure 1500' with a thermal spreader 1505 having thermally conductive spring assemblies 1520, 1521 secured to opposite sides thereof. As illustrated, thermal spreader 1505 comprises a spreader plate with respective recesses or channels in the plate, to accommodate flattened tube sections 1535 of a coolant-carrying tube 1530. Coolant-carrying tube 1530 includes rounded tube sections 1532 at a common end of the thermal transfer structure 1500' that include a coolant inlet 1533 and a coolant outlet 1534. At an opposite end edge of the thermal transfer structure 1500', a loop or bend 1531 is provided, which allows coolant to enter and exit the coolant-carrying tube 1530 at the same end edge of the thermal transfer structure”).
With respect to Claim 3 and 13, David teaches the limitations of Claim 1 and 11 as per above, David further teaches (in Figure 15A-15B and 16A)
wherein the thermally conductive member (1505+1530) comprises a thermally conductive plate (1505, in column 18, lines 22-29, “This is accommodated, in the embodiment depicted, by providing thermal transfer structure 1500' with a thermal spreader 1505 having thermally conductive spring assemblies 1520, 1521 secured to opposite sides thereof. As illustrated, thermal spreader 1505 comprises a spreader plate with respective recesses or channels in the plate, to accommodate flattened tube sections 1535 of a coolant-carrying tube 1530”).
With respect to Claim 4 and 14, David teaches the limitations of Claim 1 and 11 as per above, David further teaches (in Figure 15A-15B and 16A)
wherein the thermally conductive member (1505+1530) comprises a pair of thermally conductive fins (1520+1521, the heat bridges are directly connected to the thermally conductive member (1505+1530) and can be considered thermally conductive fins of the thermally conductive member (1505+1530)).
With respect to Claim 5 and 15, David teaches the limitations of Claim 1 and 11 as per above, David further teaches (in Figure 15A-15B and 16A)
further comprising a plurality of the DIMM heat sinks (1500’, see Figure 16A) that are configured to be disposed between adjacent ones of three or more DIMMs (electronic cards, see Figure 16A).
With respect to Claim 6 and 16, David teaches the limitations of Claim 5 and 15 as per above, David further teaches (in Figure 15A-15B and 16A)
further comprising one or more interconnecting members (1620+1621+1622) configured between each adjacent DIMM heat sink (1500’), the one or more interconnecting members (1620+1621+1622) configured to maintain each adjacent pair of DIMM heat sinks (1500’) a specified distance apart (see Figure 16A).
With respect to Claim 7 and 17, David teaches the limitations of Claim 1 and 11 as per above, David further teaches (in Figure 15A-15B and 16A)
wherein each heat bridge (1520+1521) comprises at least one of an U-shaped plate (in column 17, lines 41-56, “The electronics cards may then be docked in their respective sockets, with spring forces being exerted on the electronics cards by the adjacent thermally conductive spring assemblies. These spring forces are configured to ensure or enhance thermal contact between the thermal transfer structures and the electronics cards. Multiple springs or sections of springs may be employed within the assemblies to facilitate independence of the springs to accommodate, for example, differently sized chips or modules on the side surfaces of the cards. Further, those skilled in the art will note that the above-described C-shaped, dual compression spring, upward-facing, U-shaped compression spring, and downward-facing, U-shaped compression spring, are presented by way of example only, as is the thermal spreader, which in the embodiments of FIGS. 12A-14B, comprises a thermal spreader plate”, upward-facing or downward-facing U-shaped compression spring) or an O-shaped plate.
With respect to Claim 9 and 19, David teaches the limitations of Claim 1 and 11 as per above, David further teaches (in Figure 15A-15B and 16A)
wherein the one or more heat bridges (1520+1521) are resilient in order to maintain contact with a plurality of Dynamic Random Access Memories (DRAMs) (memory modules, in column 11, lines 44-48, “These first and second surfaces on the different sides of the electronics card may comprise, in one example, surfaces of one or more electronics devices, such as memory modules, mounted on the different sides of the respective electronics card”) configured on each DIMM (electronics cards).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 8, 10, 18, 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over David in view of Ferrer Medina et al. (US 12,432,884 - hereinafter, "Ferrer").
With respect to Claim 8 and 18, David teaches the limitations of Claim 7 and 17 as per above, but fails to specifically teach or suggest the limitations of Claim 8 and 18.
Ferrer, however, teaches (in Figure 4A and in column 8, lines 58-62)
wherein a U-shaped plate (204, see Figure 4A) is made of copper (in column 8, lines 58-62, “The heat transfer device 204 may be made of thin and compliant material like a malleable sheet metal, such as steel or copper, heat conductive plastic sheet that is also elastic, heat conductive laminate materials that combine conductivity with elasticity, and the like”).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time before effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teachings of Ferrer with David, such that a U-shaped plate is made of copper as taught by Ferrer since doing so would increase or effectively maximizes thermal contact area for conductive heat transfer that combines conductivity with elasticity. (in column 8, lines 58-67)
With respect to Claim 10 and 20, David teaches the limitations of Claim 9 and 19 as per above, David further teaches (in Figure 15A-15B and 16A)
the one or more heat bridges (1520+1521) and the DRAMs (memory modules).
David fails to specifically teach or suggest a layer of thermal grease or oil disposed between the one or more heat bridges and the DRAMs
Ferrer, however, teaches (in column 4, lines 58-65) a layer of thermal grease (208, in column 4, lines 58-65, “A thermal interface or pliant gap-filler material 208, such as thermal conductive grease, thermal conductive paste, a thin metal layer, a 3-D thermal conductive plastic fabric, gap pad, and the like may be used between the memory chips 104 and heat spreader device 201 to create a complete thermal path without bubbles, gaps, or non-contact areas, to transfer and distribute heat from the memory chips 104 to the heat spreader device 201”)or oil disposed between a heat spreader device (201) and a memory chip (104).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time before effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teachings of Ferrer with David, such that a layer of thermal grease or oil disposed between a heat spreader device and a memory chip as taught by Ferrer since doing so would create a complete thermal path without bubbles, gaps, or non-contact areas, to transfer and distribute heat from David’s DRAMs. (in column 4, lines 58-65)
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 2023/0209770 to CHEN et al., which teaches a liquid cooling assembly and a liquid cooling apparatus. The liquid cooling assembly includes: two heat conducting plates, configured to perform heat dissipation on a storage module attached to each of the heat conducting plates; a liquid cooling tube, disposed on an end of the each heat conducting plates and configured to perform liquid cooling on the heat conducting plates; and an elastic support, disposed between the two heat conducting plates and configured to apply elastic pressure to the heat conducting plates during attachment between the heat conducting plates and the storage modules, to cause the heat conducting plates to be tightly attached to surfaces of the storage modules, and cause the storage modules to be easily separated from the heat conducting plates after the elastic support is removed from the two heat conducting plates.
US 10,705,578 to Franz et al., which teaches a system for cooling memory modules mounted in parallel on a printed circuit board may include a coolant tube installed in parallel between two of the memory modules, and a heat spreader disposed in parallel between the two memory modules. The heat spreader may include a base having an outer surface thermally coupled to the coolant tube and first and second fins. The first fin has a first spring force toward a first of the two memory modules. The first spring force causes the first fin to provide contact pressure to the first memory module to thermally couple the first fin and the first memory module. The second fin has a second spring force toward a second of the two memory modules. The second spring force causes the second fin to provide contact pressure to the second memory module to thermally couple the second fin and the second memory module.
US 2013/0342987 to Yang et al., which teaches a liquid-cooling block is disposed on a main board such that the liquid-cooling block is adjacent to a memory slot. The liquid-cooling block includes a metal block, metal spring leaves fixed on two sides of the metal block, and a liquid channel that penetrates through the metal block. The metal spring leaves are configured to contact a memory bank in the memory slot and conduct heat that is generated during operation of the memory bank to the metal block.
US 2008/0259567 to Campbell et al., which teaches a conductive heat transport cooling system and method are provided for cooling primary and secondary heat generating components of an electronics system. The cooling system includes a liquid-based cooling subsystem including at least one liquid-cooled cold plate physically coupled to at least one primary heat generating component of the electronics system, and a thermally conductive coolant-carrying tube coupled to and in fluid communication with the at least one liquid-cooled cold plate.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Steven Ngo whose telephone number is (571)272-4295. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30AM - 4:00PM 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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/S.N./Examiner , Art Unit 2841
/Jayprakash N Gandhi/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2841
Prosecution Insights