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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1-6 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Uchida (JP 2019204927 A, Machine Translation).
Regarding claims 1-3, Uchida discloses thermoelectric conversion module comprising (see Fig. 5 and Fig. 6):
a substrate (20b) having a first main face (surface which elements 1 and 2 are on) and a second main face (surface which 40 is on) located opposite the first main face;
a thermoelectric conversion (1 and 2) part located on the first main face; and
a first thermal conduction part (any one of 40) and a second thermal conduction part (any other one of 40) located only on the second main face,
the first thermal conduction part and the second thermal conduction part being adjacent (See Fig. 6 which shows 40) to each other along a first direction orthogonal to a thickness direction of the substrate,
wherein the thermoelectric conversion part comprises a p-type thermoelectric conversion element (2) and an n-type thermoelectric conversion element (1) arranged along the first direction,
wherein a first end part of the p-type thermoelectric conversion element in the
first direction is in contact with a first end part of the n-type thermoelectric conversion
element in the first direction (See Fig. 5),
wherein in the thickness direction, the first thermal conduction part (any one of 40) is overlapped with a second end part of the p-type thermoelectric conversion element in the first direction and
wherein in the thickness direction, the second thermal conduction part (any other one of 40) is overlapped with a second end part of the n-type thermoelectric conversion element in the first direction.
In addition, Uchida discloses that the thickness of the thermoelectric conversion elements is preferably 10 μm or more or preferably 20 μm ([0056]).
However, Uchida does not explicitly disclose that the thickness of the p-type thermoelectric conversion element and the n-type thermoelectric conversion element is 3 μm or more and 25 μm or less.
In addition, Uchida discloses that the length of each thermoelectric conversion element is preferably 5 mm or more and 20 mm or less [0054] and the interval between the first thermal conduction part and the second thermal conduction part in the first direction is greater than each a length of the p-type thermoelectric conversion element in the first direction.
The length of the interval will overlap the claimed interval length, 3 mm to 12 mm or less, given the dimensions indicated for Uchida of the thermoelectric conversion elements.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to have selected the overlapping portion of the ranges disclosed by the reference because selection of overlapping portion of ranges has been held to be a prima facie case of obviousness. In re Malagari, 182 USPQ 549.
Regarding claim 4, modified Uchida discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
In addition, Uchida discloses a first thermoelectric conversion group (one of the legs of the thermoelectric device shown in Fig. 5) located on the first main face and having the thermoelectric conversion part (has p/n-type parts); and
a second thermoelectric conversion group ( other one of the legs of the thermoelectric device shown in Fig. 5) located on the first main face and adjacent to the first thermoelectric conversion group along a second direction orthogonal to the thickness direction and the first direction,
wherein the second thermoelectric conversion group has a second thermoelectric conversion part (has p/n-type parts) adjacent to the thermoelectric conversion part along the second direction,
wherein the second thermoelectric conversion part has a second p-type
thermoelectric conversion element and a second n-type thermoelectric conversion element arranged along the first direction (has p/n-type parts),
wherein a first end part of the second p-type thermoelectric conversion element in the first direction is in contact with a first end part of the second n-type thermoelectric conversion element in the first direction (see Fig. 5),
wherein the first thermal conduction part and the second thermal conduction part each extend along the second direction (has both width and length and therefore extends in both first and second direction).
Uchida does not disclose that the same first and second thermal conduction part that overlaps first and second thermoelectric conversion parts.
Uchida discloses that the number and shapes of thermal conduction parts can be altered and also can be extended ([0075]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the shape and number of the first and second thermal conduction parts of Uchida so that instead of having multiple portions in the second direction to have a single portion that extends so as to overlap the first and second thermoelectric conversion parts because Uchida discloses it is appropriate to do so.
Modified Uchida discloses wherein in the thickness direction, the first thermal conduction part overlaps a second end part of the second n-type thermoelectric conversion element included in the second thermoelectric conversion part in the first direction, and wherein in the thickness direction, the second thermal conduction part is overlapped with a second end part of the second p-type thermoelectric conversion element included in the second thermoelectric conversion part in the first direction.
Regarding claim 5, modified Uchida discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
In addition, Uchida discloses a first conductive part (4, see Fig. 5 [0057]) located on the first main face and connected to one end of the first thermoelectric conversion group in the first direction; and a second conductive part (6/7, see Fig. 5) located on the first main face and connected to the other end of the first thermoelectric conversion group in the first direction and one end of the second thermoelectric conversion group in the first direction.
However, Uchida does not disclose the material used for the electrodes.
Uchida discloses a conductive material such as Cu or Ag can be used as a bonding material to electrically connect thermoelectric legs ([0057]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the material used for the electrodes of Uchida to be the same material as used for the first conductive part as disclosed Uchida because these materials can be used as a bonding material to electrically connect thermoelectric legs.
Uchida thus discloses wherein each conductivity type of the first conductive part and the second conductive part is identical.
Regarding claim 6, modified Uchida discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
However, Uchida does not disclose wherein each width along the first direction of the first thermal conduction part and the second thermal conduction part is 0.5 mm or more and 2.0 mm or less.
The width of the thermal conduction part will determine the amount of thermal transfer possible.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the width of modified Uchida to be within the range claimed because one would want to optimize manufacturing cost and thermal transfer of the thermoelectric conversion module.
Regarding claim 10, modified Uchida discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
In addition, Uchida discloses wherein each of the substrate, the thermoelectric conversion part, the first thermal conduction part, and the second thermal conduction part shows flexibility ([0007]).
Claim(s) 7-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Uchida (JP 2019204927 A, Machine Translation) as applied to claims 1-6 and 10 above and in further view of Nonoguchi (WO 2015198980 A1) with machine translation provided by (US 2017/0197836 A1) in view of Sakurai (US 2023/0200242 A1).
The Sakurai (US 2023/0200242 A1) applied reference has a common inventor and assignee with the instant application. Based upon the earlier effectively filed date of the reference, it constitutes prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2).
This rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103 might be overcome by: (1) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(a) that the subject matter disclosed in the reference was obtained directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor of this application and is thus not prior art in accordance with 35 U.S.C.102(b)(2)(A); (2) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(b) of a prior public disclosure under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(B); or (3) a statement pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) establishing that, not later than the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the subject matter disclosed and the claimed invention were either owned by the same person or subject to an obligation of assignment to the same person or subject to a joint research agreement. See generally MPEP § 717.02.
Regarding claims 7-9, Uchida discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above.
In addition, Uchida discloses that both wherein the p-type and n-type thermoelectric conversion elements includes a carbon nanotube and a conductive resin ([0016]).
In addition, Uchida discloses that the method comprises a method using a dopant composition as used in WO2015/198980 ([0053]).
Nonoguchi discloses that the n-type dopant composition for a CNT can comprise a crown ether-based compound, and a coordination compound comprising a metal cation and a cyano anion ([0033][0054][0058][0059]).
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to form the n-type CNT film of Uchida in a manner discloses by Nonoguchi because Uchida discloses to do so.
Sakura discloses that the n-type dopant composition for a CNT can comprise a crown ether-based compound, and a coordination compound comprising a metal cation and a cyano anion and that the cyano anion can comprise a ferrocyanide ion or ferricyanide ion ([0075][0078]) and that the crown-based ether can contain a benzene ring ([0084]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the cyano anion/crown-ether of the dopant composition of modified Uchida to use a ferrocyanide ion or ferricyanide ion and a crown-based ether containing a benzene ring as disclosed by Sakurai because it is an effective anion for a dopant composition of n-type CNT.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 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 DEVINA PILLAY whose telephone number is (571)270-1180. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:30-6:00.
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DEVINA PILLAY
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1726
/DEVINA PILLAY/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1726
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