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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group II (claims 6-11) in the reply filed on 4/27/2026 is acknowledged.
Applicant's traversal with the respect to Species A-C is on the ground(s) that Figs. 2-9 show different views of components shown in cross-section in Fig. 9. This is found persuasive and the required election among Species A-C is withdrawn.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 3, 7, 13, 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
At least claims 3, 7, 13, 15-20 recites the limitation "the cold plate" or recite the preamble of “The cold plate”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claim(s) 6, 2-5, 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Valenzuela (US 20100032147).
Regarding claim 6,
Referring to annotated Fig. 2, Valenzuela teaches a fluid heat exchanger (see par. 10), comprising: a base defining a first side and a second side, the first side configured to contact an electronic component, the second side positioned opposite the first side; a plurality of fins extending from the second side of the base, wherein the plurality of fins and the second side of the base define a plurality of microchannels extending along a first axis (see par. 10), wherein at least a subset of fins of the plurality of fins defines a plurality of elongated recesses extending along a second axis (e.g. into the page) that is angularly offset from the first axis; and a housing comprising one or more protrusions configured to mate with and extend into at least a corresponding one or more of the plurality of elongated recesses, wherein, when one or more protrusions mate with the corresponding plurality of elongated recesses, the plurality of microchannels and the housing define a plurality of fluid paths for circulating a heat transfer fluid along the first axis (see par. 10).
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Regarding claim 2,
Valenzuela teaches wherein the fluid heat exchanger lacks an intermediate plate that intervenes between the housing and the fins.
Regarding claim 3,
Valenzuela teaches wherein the subset of fins of the cold plate define a central elongated recess (not labeled).
Regarding claim 4,
Valenzuela teaches wherein the housing body comprises one or more partial protrusions (e.g. the protrusion corresponding to the central elongated recess, not labeled) configured to partially extend into the central elongated recess when the one or more protrusions extend into the corresponding one or more elongated recesses.
Regarding claim 5,
Valenzuela teaches wherein each of the one or more elongated recesses is defined by a recessed region in each of the subset of fins of the plurality of fins.
Regarding claim 9,
Valenzuela teaches wherein the housing defines a fluid inlet, and a fluid outlet, wherein the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet fluidically couple with the plurality of flow paths, wherein the plurality of flow paths are configured to convey a fluid from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet, or vice-versa (see par. 10).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7, 12-13, 15-20 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include 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:
Regarding claim 7,
Valenzuela teaches wherein the housing comprises a protrusion configured to extend into the central elongated recess when the housing mates to the cold plate (e.g. the base).
Regarding claims 12-13, 15-20,
Valenzuela does not teach wherein the elongated recess define a first discontinuous wall, etc.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Lyon teach fluid heat exchangers.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEVE S TANENBAUM whose telephone number is (313)446-6522. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 11 AM - 7 PM.
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, Frantz Jules can be reached at (571) 272-6681. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Steve S TANENBAUM/Examiner, Art Unit 3763
/FRANTZ F JULES/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3763
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