DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claim 25 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends. The entirety of claim 25 is found verbatim within claim 1, from which it depends. Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-2, 4, 7-10, 21-24, 27, and 29-30 are rejected under USC 103 as being unpatentable over Lewis (US 2016/0076820) in view of Roper (US 9,835,383).
Regarding claims 1 and 7-8, Lewis teaches top and bottom casings (310, 315) each comprising a polymer layer (Para. [0004]) encapsulated (hermetically sealed) within another layer (preferably copper; Para. [0004]); the top and bottom casings are hermetically sealed to each other (Para. [0014]-[0015]); a non-tubular wick region (e.g. 710, 715, Figs. 18b and 18c) is disposed between the top and bottom casings (Figs. 18b 18c), the wick has top and bottom layers which are parallel with the top and bottom casings (see annotated figure below and Fig. 18b) with the sides of the wick region capped (see annotated figure below) with a cap so that a meniscus does not form and proceed underneath the cap (no meniscus can proceed underneath the cap itself as it directly abuts 815); a working fluid (abstract) is disposed between the casings.
Lewis does not specify whether the wall is impermeable or not.
Roper teaches that it is old and well-known in the art to form walls that separate different portions of a capillary structure from porous materials (172) formed of sintered micro-nano particles (Col. 18:16) which resist vapor bubble passage (Col. 18:15-20) in order to prevent blockage of an arterial region with vapor bubbles (Col. 18:29-36).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to form the wall of Lewis from porous material extending the entire length of the arterial regions, as taught by Roper, in order to resist bubble ingress into the arterial regions.
Regarding claim 21, Lewis teaches a thermal management plane comprising: top and bottom casings (310, 315) each comprising a polymer layer (Para. [0004]) encapsulated (hermetically sealed) within another layer (preferably copper; Para. [0004]) bondable with copper (copper is bondable to itself); the top and bottom casings are hermetically sealed to each other (Para. [0014]-[0015]); a non- tubular wick region (e.g. 710, 715, Figs. 18b and 18c) is disposed between the top and bottom casings (Figs. 18b 18c), the wick has top and bottom layers which are parallel with the top and bottom casings (see annotated figure below and Fig. 18b) with the sides of the wick region capped (see annotated figure below) with a cap so that a meniscus does not form and proceed underneath the cap (no meniscus can proceed underneath the cap as it directly abuts 815); a working fluid (abstract) is disposed between the casings. Lewis does not specify whether the wall is impermeable or not.
Roper teaches that it is old and well-known in the art to form walls that separate different portions of a capillary structure from porous materials (172) formed of sintered micro-nano particles (Col. 18:16)) which resist vapor bubble passage (Col. 18:15-20) in order to prevent blockage of an arterial region with vapor bubbles (Col. 18:29-36).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to form the wall of Lewis from porous material extending the entire length of the arterial regions (arterial regions 710 in Lewis), as taught by Roper, in order to resist bubble ingress into the arterial regions.
Lewis further teaches that: the copper hermetic seal occurs at a temperature between 170 and 300 C (e.g. copper soldering temperatures; see Para. [0043]), per claims 2 and 22; the non-copper layer of the top casing comprises a polymer encapsulated with copper (see Para. [0004]), per claims 4, 23, and 24; the sealed top and bottom casings form an isolated vacuum cavity (Para. [0068]), per claims 9 and 29; the thermal management plane may have a thickness less than 200 microns (Para. [0060]), per claims 10 and 30; the cap is configured to restrict a meniscus from forming and proceeding underneath the cap (no meniscus can proceed underneath the cap as it directly abuts 815), per claim 27
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Claims 1-2, 4, 6, 9-10, 24, 26, 27, and 29-30 are rejected under USC 103 as being unpatentable over Lewis (US 2016/0076820) in view of Hou (US 2007/0107878).
Regarding claims 1 and 6, Lewis teaches top and bottom casings (310, 315) each comprising a polymer layer (Para. [0004]) encapsulated (hermetically sealed) within another layer (preferably copper; Para. [0004]); the top and bottom casings are hermetically sealed to each other (Para. [0014]-[0015]); a non-tubular wick region (e.g. 710, 715, Figs. 18b and 18c) is disposed between the top and bottom casings (Figs. 18b 18c), the wick has top and bottom layers which are parallel with the top and bottom casings (see annotated figure below and Fig. 18b) with the sides of the wick region capped (see annotated figure below) with a cap so that a meniscus does not form and proceed underneath the cap (no meniscus can proceed underneath the cap itself as it directly abuts 815); a working fluid (abstract) is disposed between the casings.
Lewis does not specify whether the wall is impermeable or not. Hou teaches that it is old and well-known to form an impermeable barrier (300) between wicking layers and open arterial spaces (800, 700) in order to separate the flows therein along the entire adiabatic region.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill to form the wall of Lewis from an impermeable material along the entire adiabatic region, as taught by Hou, to ensure separation of the flows on either side.
Lewis further teaches that: the copper hermetic seal occurs at a temperature between 170 and 300 C (e.g. copper soldering temperatures; see Para. [0043]), per claims 2; the non-copper layer of the top casing comprises a polymer encapsulated with copper (see Para. [0004]), per claims 4; the sealed top and bottom casings form an isolated vacuum cavity (Para. [0068]), per claims 9 and 29; the thermal management plane may have a thickness less than 200 microns (Para. [0060]), per claims 10 and 30; the cap is configured to restrict a meniscus from forming and proceeding underneath the cap (no meniscus can proceed underneath the cap as it directly abuts 815), per claim 27.
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Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 8/8/25 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding the applicant’s arguments about a meniscus proceeding underneath the cap of Lewis, the cap directly abuts element 815 and thus a meniscus cannot proceed underneath it. The only limitation provided as to the structure of the cap is that a meniscus does not proceed under the layer. As the elements 835 directly abut the layer 815, a meniscus which forms against the layer 835 will not be capable of proceeding underneath it. If the applicant desires the claim to cover further structural details of the caps, they are invited to recite such details in the claims.
It is noted that the applicant’s claim recites that the sides are capped with a cap to prevent the meniscus from proceeding under the cap. The applicant’s disclosure teaches “caps” at the top of the structure (3110) which are in turn ‘capped’ by a separate structure (3130 or 3205) to prevent a meniscus from forming along a pillar (3120) and then proceeding under the caps (3110).
The applicant’s arguments appear to be based in the disclosure, not the claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Devon Lane whose telephone number is (571)270-1858. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th, 9-4.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jerry-Daryl Fletcher can be reached at 571.270.5054. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DEVON LANE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763
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