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, and 12, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by (Shao 2021/0378124).
Regarding Claim 1; Shao discloses a converter (as set forth by para. 0037—whereas an RMU of electronics rack 200 couples to a power supply comprising a converter) comprising: a housing (as set forth by para. 0039 discloses rack 324-Fig. 3A is implemented as part of rack 200); a refrigerant pipe (as depicted by Fig. 3A--a refrigerant pipe--as constituted by manifold 322 and a connector-308B; whereas the manifold is fluidly coupled to a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger-211 of a CDU—as set forth by para. 0035 which fluidly couples via 131-132 to a heat removal system having an active refrigeration—as further set forth by para. 0031) coupled to the housing and having end portions protruded from an outer surface of the housing (whereas 308B protrudes from an outer surface of the rack and includes end portions defined by an internal circumference receiving 308A and an external circumference); and a bracket coupled to an outer surface of the refrigerant pipe (a bracket—as constituted by a holder-304-Fig. 3A), wherein the bracket includes: a first body encompassing a first portion of the outer surface of the refrigerant pipe ( as depicted by Fig. 3A--whereas 336 atleast constitutes encompassing a first portion defined by a horizontal face of the outer surface from which 308B protrudes, wherein 336 extends beyond and covers the horizontal face when view from a top down direction); and a second body hinge-coupled to the first body (as depicted by Fig. 3A--whereas 334 defines a second body coupled to the first portion via a pivot pin 302) and encompassing a second portion of the outer surface of the refrigerant pipe (as depicted by Fig. 3A--whereas the second body 334 atleast constitutes encompassing a second portion of the outer surface defined by a vertical portion of 322 and/or an edge portion between the horizontal face and the vertical portion which faces 334, wherein 334 extend beyond and covers the second portion when viewed in a direction through 334 toward 322; Note: Merriam Webster defines encompass as: to include as a part of a whole and further defines a synonyms include/cover), and wherein the second body includes a protruding part protruded from an outer surface thereof (whereas 340 and/or 306 protrudes from the second body-332-- as depicted by Fig. 3A). NOTE: “the first body” in claim 1, line 12 is not applicable to the examined claim construction, whereas “the second body” is the only feature of the OR-condition which has been examined and is hereby deemed as constructively elected.
Regarding Claim 12; Shao discloses the converter according to claim 1, wherein an inner surface of the bracket is in contact with the outer surface of the housing (as depicted by Fig. 3A--where 330 couples to 332), and wherein an outer surface of the bracket is in contact with an inner surface of a guide (as depicted by Fig. 3A—where 306 is contacts an inner surface of guide 338 via 306).
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(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over (Shao 2021/0378124).
Regarding Claim 11; Shao discloses the converter according to claim 1, except, explicitly wherein a material of the bracket is plastic, and wherein a material of the refrigerant pipe is metal. However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the bracket as a polycarbonate, and the pipe as aluminum; whereas the pivoting bracket as a plastic will reduce weight bearing damage upon blind mate connectivity and guide pin connectivity with pipe and/or so as to enhance reliability against corrosion; and the pipe may be selected for lightweight, durability and allow for a more uniform coolant distribution since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-10, and 13-15, 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.
Regarding Claim 2; the converter according to claim 1, wherein the first body includes: a first body part, in a shape of an arc, coupled to the outer surface of the refrigerant pipe; and a first coupling part disposed outside the first body part and coupled to the outer surface of the housing, and wherein the protruding part is disposed on an outer surface of the first body part. Regarding Claim 10; the converter according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerant pipe includes a guide formed to have a larger cross-sectional area than other regions, and wherein the bracket is disposed between the guide and the outer surface of the housing. Regarding Claim 13; the converter according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes a heat dissipation area within which the refrigerant pipe is accommodated, and wherein both ends of the refrigerant pipe protrude outside the heat dissipation area.
Claims 16-20 are hereby deemed as allowed; whereas the inventive structure is defined by the underlined claim construction of which the combination of bolded limitations thereof is not found in the prior art of record and/or the cited references below:
Regarding Claim 16; a converter comprising: a housing; a refrigerant pipe coupled to the housing and having end portions protruded from an outer surface of the housing; and a bracket coupled to an outer surface of the refrigerant pipe, wherein the bracket includes: a first body encompassing a first portion of an outer surface of the refrigerant pipe; and a second body hinge-coupled to the first body and encompassing a second portion of the outer surface of the refrigerant pipe, wherein the refrigerant pipe includes a guide formed to have a larger cross-sectional area than other regions, and wherein the bracket is disposed between the guide and the outer surface of the housing.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, and 11-12 have been considered but are moot; whereas modified rejection(s) are herein presented to read on the amended claim language.
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 COURTNEY SMITH whose telephone number is (571)272-9094. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5p.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/COURTNEY L SMITH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
Prosecution Insights