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 § 102
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, 2, 4-13, 15, 19, 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Korta (US 2022/0377935).Re claim 1: Korta discloses A heat-dissipation structure (10 in fig. 1), comprising: a first substrate (14 in fig. 1) of a first material (fig. 1) comprising a first side (top side of 14 in fig. 1) comprising a first region (central region of 14 in fig. 1); a plurality of fins (16 in fig. 1) of the first material disposed around the first region (fig. 1), each of the plurality of fins extending in a first direction (up direction in fig. 1) orthogonal to the first side of the first substrate (fig. 1) and extending in respective second directions radial from the first region (16’s extend radially away from the central region of 14 in fig. 1); and a second substrate (11 in fig. 1) disposed on the plurality of fins (fig. 2).Re claim 20: Korta discloses A method of a heat-dissipation structure (10 in fig. 1), comprising: disposing, on a first side of a first substrate of a first material (top side of 14 in fig. 1), a plurality of fins (16’s in fig. 1) of the first material around a first region (central region of 14 in fig. 1), each of the plurality of fins extending in a first direction (up direction in fig. 1) orthogonal to the first side (fig. 1) and extending in respective second directions radial from the first region (16’s extend radially away from the central region of 14 in fig. 1); and disposing a second substrate (11 in fig. 1) on the plurality of fins (fig. 2).Re claim 2: Korta discloses further comprising a fan (15 in fig. 1) disposed in the first region between the first substrate and the second substrate (fig. 1).Re claim 4: Korta discloses wherein: the first region comprises a circular region (circular region within 16 in fig. 1); and first ends of the plurality of fins are located along a perimeter of the circular region (the inner ends of the 16’s are located along the perimeter this circular region in fig. 1).Re claim 5: Korta discloses wherein the first ends of the plurality of fins are disposed at a first pitch along the perimeter of the circular region (fig. 1).Re claim 6: Korta discloses wherein at least one of the plurality of fins extends in the respective second direction to a first edge of the first substrate (16’s extend outwards to the bottom left edge of 14 in fig. 1).Re claim 7: Korta discloses wherein: the first substrate is rectangular (14 is rectangular in fig. 1); and at least one of the plurality of fins extends to a second edge parallel to the first edge (16’s also extend outwards to the top right edge in fig. 1).Re claim 8: Korta discloses the first substrate further comprising: a third edge orthogonal to the first edge (top left edge of 14 is orthogonal to the bottom left edge of 14 in fig. 1); and a fourth edge parallel to the third edge (bottom right edge of 14 is parallel to the top left edge of 14 in fig. 1), wherein: at least one of the plurality of fins extends to the third edge (fig. 1); and at least one of the plurality of fins extends to the fourth edge (fig. 1).Re claim 9: Korta discloses wherein each of the plurality of fins extends to a same first height in the first direction from the first side of the first substrate (the 16’s all extend to a same height in the up direction from the top side of 14 in fig. 1).Re claim 10: Korta discloses wherein the fan comprises a center axis (central axis of 15 in fig. 1) extending in the first direction (fig. 1).Re claim 11: Korta discloses the first substrate further comprising at least one fastener region (fastener tabs in fig. 1) configured to receive a fastener (these fastener tabs receive fasteners) to secure the heat-dissipation structure in a package (para. 0005), wherein the plurality of fins is excluded from the at least one fastener region (fig. 1).Re claim 12: Korta discloses comprising a second region (bottom region of 14 in fig. 1) opposite to the first region on a second side of the first substrate (bottom side of 14 in fig. 1) and configured to couple to a heat generating circuit (para. 0005).Re claim 13: Korta discloses wherein the first region is centered at a center of the first substrate (fig. 1).Re claim 15: Korta discloses wherein the plurality of fins are disposed at a radial fin pitch around a center of the first region (fig. 1).Re claim 19: Korta discloses the heat-dissipation structure of claim 1 integrated into a device selected from the group consisting of: a set-top box; an entertainment unit; a navigation device; a communications device; a fixed location data unit; a mobile location data unit; a global positioning system (GPS) device; a mobile phone; a cellular phone; a smartphone; a session initiation protocol (SIP) phone; a tablet; a phablet; a server; a computer; a portable computer; a mobile computing device; a wearable computing device; a desktop computer; a personal digital assistant (PDA); a monitor; a computer monitor; a television; a tuner; a radio; a satellite radio; a music player; a digital music player; a portable music player; a digital video player; a video player; a digital video disc (DVD) player; a portable digital video player; an automobile; and a vehicle component (para. 0005).
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.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Korta (US 2022/0377935) in view of Han (US 2009/0147476).
Re claim 3: Korta discloses does not explicitly disclose wherein the first material comprises a metal. Han discloses wherein the first material comprises a metal (40 in fig. 2 is made of metal; para. 0021). 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 heat-dissipation structure of Korta wherein the first material comprises a metal as taught by Han, in order to increase the thermal conductivity of the first substrate and the fins to be able to remove more heat.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Korta (US 2022/0377935).Re claim 14: Korta does not explicitly disclose wherein a center of the first region is displaced from a center of the first substrate. However, it would obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the heat-dissipation structure of Korta wherein a center of the first region is displaced from a center of the first substrate, in order to target a known hotspot that is off center, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70.
Claims 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Korta (US 2022/0377935).Re claim 16: Korta does not explicitly disclose wherein the radial fin pitch comprises first angle between the respective second directions of adjacent fins of the plurality of fins and the radial fin pitch is in a range between two (2) degrees and three (3) degrees. However, it would be obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the heat-dissipation structure of Korta wherein the radial fin pitch comprises first angle between the respective second directions of adjacent fins of the plurality of fins and the radial fin pitch is in a range between two (2) degrees and three (3) degrees, in order to significantly increase the surface area of the fins to be able to remove more heat, since it has held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8.Re claim 17: Korta does not explicitly disclose wherein the radial fin pitch is 2.5 degrees. However, it would be obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the heat-dissipation structure of Korta wherein the radial fin pitch is 2.5 degrees, in order to significantly increase the surface area of the fins to be able to remove more heat, since it has held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8.Re claim 18: Korta does not explicitly disclose wherein: the plurality of fins comprises one-hundred forty-three (143) fins disposed at the radial fin pitch of 2.5 degrees around the first region. However, it would be obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the heat-dissipation structure of Korta wherein: the plurality of fins comprises one-hundred forty-three (143) fins disposed at the radial fin pitch of 2.5 degrees around the first region, in order to significantly increase the surface area of the fins to be able to remove more heat, since it has held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8. The modified Korta does not explicitly disclose a second fin pitch between a first one of the plurality of fins and a last one of the plurality of fins is five (5) degrees. However, it would be obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the heat-dissipation structure of Korta wherein a second fin pitch between a first one of the plurality of fins and a last one of the plurality of fins is five (5) degrees in order to reduce backpressure and balance airflow, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 2019/0043783 – is considered pertinent because this reference describes a heat transfer device with fins defining air flow channels.
US 2016/0345468 – is considered pertinent because this reference describes a kinetic heat sink with stationary fins.
US 2015/0342091 – is considered pertinent because this reference describes a heat sink and housing for an inverter with such a heat sink.
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/ZHENGFU J FENG/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2835 March 7, 2026