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 1-2 and 14-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yasuda (US 20150016171 A1) in view of Chen (US 20130048244 A1).
As to Claim 1, Yasuda discloses:
An electronic device (traction converter 1000; see Fig. 1) installable on a vehicle (vehicle Fig. 10; 1000 installed on vehicle), the electronic device comprising:
a heat-receiving block (1710) being heat conductive (Par. 0049 “The heat receiving block 1710, which is a component of the cooler 1700, is composed of two aluminum thick plates”) and having a first main surface (bottom side of 1710) to which an electronic component 1500 is attachable (Par. 0049 “The semiconductor element group 1500 is arrayed on the under surface of the heat receiving block 1710”);
a heat transfer member (heat pipes 1720,1730) attached to a second main surface (top side of 1710) of the heat-receiving block 1710 (Par. 0050 “the U-shaped heat pipes 1720 and the L-shaped heat pipes 1730 are joined to the heat receiving block 1710”), the second main surface (top side of 1710) being opposite to the first main surface (bottom side of 1710, opposite of the top side of 1710), the heat transfer member 1720,1730 extending away from the second main surface (top side of 1710) to transfer, in a direction away from the second main surface (top side of 1710), heat transferred from the electronic component (1500) through the heat-receiving block 1710 (heat transferred from components 1500, through 1710 and to heat pipes 1720,1730); and
one or more fins 1750 attached to the heat transfer member 1720,1730 to dissipate heat transferred from the electronic component 1500 through the heat-receiving block 1710 and the heat transfer member 1720,1730 into ambient air (fins 1750 transfer heat from 1720,1730);
a travel or width direction of the vehicle 107 (Par. 0056 “FIG. 10 illustrates a cross-sectional view as viewed in the vehicle running direction”; travel direction is perpendicular to cooling air 1210 direction; wherein direction of cooling air 1210 is width direction of vehicle),
wherein the one or more fins 1750 are three or more fins arranged physically separated in the width direction (1752, 1753, 1754; Par. 0057 “The plural heat radiation fins 1750 are divided in the flow direction of the cooling wind 1210, and the surface area of the heat radiation fins at the up-wind region 1752 and mid-wind region 1753, at which the temperature of the cooling wind 1210 is low, is smaller than that at the down-wind region 1754”), and
wherein a fin of the three or more fins in a middle in the width direction (fin of group 1753) is a plate with a flat main surface facing the heat-receiving block 1710 (fins is flat plate, underside faces top side of 1710), and attached to the heat transfer member 1720,1730 with the flat main surface horizontally located, with the vehicle located horizontally (fins 1750 are connected to heat pipes 1720,1730 and disposed horizontally when vehicle is horizontal).
Yasuda does not disclose:
at least one fin of the one or more fins having at least one ventilation hole to guide the ambient air in the direction away from the second main surface,
wherein the at least one fin of the one or more fins having the at least one ventilation hole has a first region including a middle of the at least one fin having the at least one ventilation hole in a travel direction or a width direction of the vehicle and second regions located across the first region and having a same area as the first region, and a ratio of an opening area of the at least one ventilation hole is higher in the first region than in the second regions, ambient air receiving heat transferred from the at least one fin thereby moves from the second regions to the first region and flows in the direction away from the second main surface of the heat-receiving block through the at least one ventilation hole in the first region, and convection of air enables cooling of the electronic component also when the vehicle is stopped.
However, Chen discloses:
at least one fin (fin 11, see Figs. 2-3) of the one or more fins (fin assembly 10) having at least one ventilation hole (air hole 132) to guide the ambient air in the direction away from the second main surface (top of base 30; corresponds to top side of 1710 of Yasuda),
wherein the at least one fin 11 of the one or more fins 10 having the at least one ventilation hole 132 has a first region including a middle of the at least one fin 11 having the at least one ventilation hole 132 in a travel direction or a width direction of the vehicle (highlighted first region includes 132 in both a length and width direction; corresponds to traveling and width directions of the vehicle of Yasuda) and second regions (highlighted below) located across the first region and having a same area as the first region (highlighted second regions when combined have same area as highlighted first region), and a ratio of an opening area of the at least one ventilation hole 132 is higher in the first region (highlighted below) than in the second regions (hole 132 only in highlighted first region), ambient air receiving heat transferred from the at least one fin 11 thereby moves from the second regions to the first region and flows in the direction away from the second main surface (top of 30) of the heat-receiving block 30 through the at least one ventilation hole 132 in the first region (air in highlighted second region of fins will flow to opening 132 in highlighted first region), and convection of air enables cooling of the electronic component also when the vehicle is stopped (heated air travels upward and a fan is not necessary for cooling, corresponding to a stopped vehicle when no air is forced through the fins);
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in order to provide an opening for airflow through fins (Par. 0013) increasing cooling.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the related art(s) before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Yasuda as further suggested by Chen e.g., providing:
at least one fin of the one or more fins having at least one ventilation hole to guide the ambient air in the direction away from the second main surface,
wherein the at least one fin of the one or more fins having the at least one ventilation hole has a first region including a middle of the at least one fin having the at least one ventilation hole in a travel direction or a width direction of the vehicle and second regions located across the first region and having a same area as the first region, and a ratio of an opening area of the at least one ventilation hole is higher in the first region than in the second regions, ambient air receiving heat transferred from the at least one fin thereby moves from the second regions to the first region and flows in the direction away from the second main surface of the heat-receiving block through the at least one ventilation hole in the first region, and convection of air enables cooling of the electronic component also when the vehicle is stopped;
in order to provide an opening for airflow through fins increasing cooling.
Additionally, all claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined/modified the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination/modification would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. See KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S.___, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
As to Claim 2, the obvious modification of Yasuda in view of Chen discloses:
a housing (structure of 1000 of Yasuda) accommodating the electronic component (1500 of Yasuda) and having an opening (opening in 1140 of Yasuda) in a vertically upper portion thereof (Par. 0051 “between the region at which the heat pipes are provided and the cooler-fixation screw holes 1711 on the top surface of the heat receiving block 1710, a seal material 1760 is provided along the entire circumference. Thereby, the wind-passage bottom plate 1140 and the cooler 1700 are connected such that the air tightness is kept”), the housing being installable on a roof of the vehicle (1000 is capable of being installed on roof of a vehicle),
wherein the heat-receiving block 1710 is attached to the housing with the first main surface (bottom of 1710) closing the opening in the housing (1710 closes opening of 1140 and is sealed via 1760; Yasuda)
As to Claim 14, the obvious modification of Yasuda in view of Chen discloses:
the fin of the three or more fins in the middle in the width direction (fin of 1753) has the at least one ventilation hole (132 of Chen), and fins of the three or more fins at two ends in the width direction (fins of 1752,1754) have no ventilation hole (in combination, holes 132 of Chen are applied to fins of 1753 of Yasuda, therefore, no holes 132 disposed in fins 1752 and 1754 of Yasuda).
As to Claim 15, the obvious modification of Yasuda in view of Chen discloses:
each of the one or more fins (1750 of Yasuda) is a plate with a flat main surface facing the heat-receiving block 1710 (fins 1750 are flat plates, bottom surface of fins faces 1710), and attached to the heat transfer member 1720,1730 with the flat main surface horizontally located for the vehicle located horizontally (see Fig. 8, Fins horizontal for vehicle horizontal; Yasuda).
As to Claim 16, the obvious modification of Yasuda in view of Chen discloses:
the one or more fins (1750 of Yasuda) include a plurality of fins arranged in a direction away from the heat-receiving block 1710 (plurality of fins 1750 of Yasuda are disposed in a stacked configuration away from 1710).
As to Claim 17, the obvious modification of Yasuda in view of Chen discloses:
the one or more fins (1750 of Yasuda) include a plurality of fins arranged in a direction away from the heat-receiving block 1710 (plurality of fins 1750 of Yasuda are disposed in a stacked configuration away from 1710).
Claims 3-4 and 20-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yasuda (US 20150016171 A1) in view of Chen (US 20130048244 A1) as applied to claims 1 and 16-17, and further in view of Huang (US 20110073283 A1).
As to Claim 3, the obvious modification of Yasuda in view of Chen does not disclose:
wherein the at least one ventilation hole includes a plurality of ventilation holes arranged linearly in the width direction in the first region including a middle of the at least one fin having the at least one ventilation hole in the travel direction.
However, Huang discloses:
wherein the at least one ventilation hole 146 includes a plurality of ventilation holes (Par. 0013 “Each of the ventilating holes 146 of each of the fins 140 is aligned with corresponding ventilating holes 146 of the other fins 140 to form a vertical air channel 148 in the fin assembly 14”) arranged linearly in the width direction in the first region (highlighted below; first region corresponds to first region of Chen) including a middle of the at least one fin 140 having the at least one ventilation hole 146 in the travel direction (highlighted holes 146 of Huang below are provided linearly in both a length and width direction of the fin 140, through the middle of fin 140; wherein either direction can correspond to a travel direction of the vehicle of Yasuda);
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in order to provide a large number of air channels for heat exchange, greatly increasing the heat dissipation capability of the device (Par. 0016).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the related art(s) before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Yasuda in view of Chen as further suggested by Huang e.g., providing:
wherein the at least one ventilation hole includes a plurality of ventilation holes arranged linearly in the width direction in the first region including a middle of the at least one fin having the at least one ventilation hole in the travel direction;
in order to provide a large number of air channels for heat exchange, greatly increasing the heat dissipation capability of the device.
As to Claim 4, the obvious modification of Yasuda in view of Chen does not disclose:
wherein the at least one ventilation hole includes a plurality of ventilation holes arranged linearly in the travel direction in the first region including a middle of the at least one fin having the at least one ventilation hole in the width direction.
However, Huang discloses:
wherein the at least one ventilation hole 146 includes a plurality of ventilation holes (Par. 0013 “Each of the ventilating holes 146 of each of the fins 140 is aligned with corresponding ventilating holes 146 of the other fins 140 to form a vertical air channel 148 in the fin assembly 14”) arranged linearly in the travel direction in the first region (highlighted below; first region corresponds to first region of Chen) including a middle of the at least one fin 140 having the at least one ventilation hole 146 in the width direction (highlighted holes 146 of Huang below are provided linearly in both a length and width direction of the fin 140, through the middle of fin 140; wherein either direction can correspond to a width direction of the vehicle of Yasuda);
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in order to provide a large number of air channels for heat exchange, greatly increasing the heat dissipation capability of the device (Par. 0016).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the related art(s) before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Yasuda in view of Chen as further suggested by Huang e.g., providing:
wherein the at least one ventilation hole includes a plurality of ventilation holes arranged linearly in the travel direction in the first region including a middle of the at least one fin having the at least one ventilation hole in the width direction;
in order to provide a large number of air channels for heat exchange, greatly increasing the heat dissipation capability of the device.
As to Claim 20, the obvious modification of Yasuda in view of Chen discloses:
the plurality of fins (1750 of Yasuda) include one or more adjacent fins located adjacent to the heat-receiving block 1710 (adjacent fins are defined as fins 1750 at bottom of stack, closer to 1710).
Yasuda and Chen do not explicitly disclose:
a sum of opening areas of ventilation holes in the one or more adjacent fins is smaller than a sum of opening areas of ventilation holes in one or more fins of the plurality of fins located farther from the heat-receiving block than the one or more adjacent fins.
However, Huang discloses:
the plurality of fins 14 include one or more adjacent fins 140 located adjacent to the heat- receiving block 120 (fins 140 at bottom of stack, closer to 120), and a sum of opening areas of ventilation holes 146 in the one or more adjacent fins (fins 140 at bottom of stack) is smaller than a sum of opening areas of ventilation holes 146 in one or more fins 140 of the plurality of fins located farther from the heat-receiving block 120 than the one or more adjacent fins (fins 140 at bottom of stack; Par. 0013 “Since the size of the fins 140 increases from bottom to top, a number of the ventilating holes 146 of the fins increases from bottom to top”; more holes 146 in upper fins than fins at bottom of stack);
in order to easily allow airflow to enter air channels 148 and further enhance the heat exchange between fin assembly 14 and ambient air (Par. 0015).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the related art(s) before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Yasuda in view of Chen as further suggested by Huang e.g., providing:
a sum of opening areas of ventilation holes in the one or more adjacent fins is smaller than a sum of opening areas of ventilation holes in one or more fins of the plurality of fins located farther from the heat-receiving block than the one or more adjacent fins;
in order to easily allow airflow to enter air channels/ventilation holes and further enhance the heat exchange between the fins and ambient air.
As to Claim 21, the obvious modification of Yasuda in view of Chen discloses:
the plurality of fins (1750 of Yasuda) include one or more adjacent fins located adjacent to the heat-receiving block 1710 (adjacent fins are defined as fins 1750 at bottom of stack, closer to 1710).
Yasuda and Chen do not disclose:
a sum of opening areas of ventilation holes in the one or more adjacent fins is smaller than a sum of opening areas of ventilation holes in one or more fins of the plurality of fins located farther from the heat-receiving block than the one or more adjacent fins.
However, Huang discloses:
the plurality of fins 14 include one or more adjacent fins 140 located adjacent to the heat- receiving block 120 (fins 140 at bottom of stack, closer to 120), and a sum of opening areas of ventilation holes 146 in the one or more adjacent fins (fins 140 at bottom of stack) is smaller than a sum of opening areas of ventilation holes 146 in one or more fins 140 of the plurality of fins located farther from the heat-receiving block 120 than the one or more adjacent fins (fins 140 at bottom of stack; Par. 0013 “Since the size of the fins 140 increases from bottom to top, a number of the ventilating holes 146 of the fins increases from bottom to top”; more holes 146 in upper fins than fins at bottom of stack);
in order to easily allow airflow to enter air channels 148 and further enhance the heat exchange between fin assembly 14 and ambient air (Par. 0015).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the related art(s) before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Yasuda in view of Chen as further suggested by Huang e.g., providing:
a sum of opening areas of ventilation holes in the one or more adjacent fins is smaller than a sum of opening areas of ventilation holes in one or more fins of the plurality of fins located farther from the heat-receiving block than the one or more adjacent fins;
in order to easily allow airflow to enter air channels/ventilation holes and further enhance the heat exchange between the fins and ambient air.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 12-13, 18-19 and 22-23 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:
As to claims 12-13, 18-19 and 22-23, the allowability resides in the overall structure and functionality of the apparatus as recited in the dependent claims 12-13, including all of the limitations of their base claims and intervening claims, and at least in part, because claims 12-13 recite the following limitations:
“wherein fins of the three or more fins at two ends in the width direction are each attached to the heat transfer member with, for the vehicle located horizontally, one of two ends of each of the fins at the two ends in the width direction nearer a middle of the vehicle located vertically higher than the other of the two ends.” – claim 12;
“wherein fins of the three or more fins at two ends in the width direction are each attached to the heat transfer member with, for the vehicle located horizontally, one of two ends of each of the fins at the two ends in the width direction nearer a middle of the vehicle located vertically higher than the other of the two ends.” – claim 13.
Nakazato (JP 11054680 A) discloses angled fins connected to heat pipes.
Hwang (US 9163884 B2) discloses a stack of fins with vortex generators connected to heat pipes.
Funakoshi (JP 2015156411 A) discloses a power converter with stacked fins connected to heat pipes. See previous PTO-892.
None of the prior art, either alone or in combination, can be reasonably construed as adequately teaching the above limitations in combination with the remaining claim elements.
Further, Examiner has not identified any double patenting issues.
Any comments 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 submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claims have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW S MUIR whose telephone number is (571)270-1329. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8 am - 5 pm.
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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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/MATTHEW SINCLAIR MUIR/ Examiner, Art Unit 2835
/Jayprakash N Gandhi/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2835