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 § 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 1-8 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.
Regarding claim 1, the recitation “said cooling radiator comprises a first liquid box, a second liquid box and a radiator tube set” (emphasis added) (lines 3-4) renders the claim indefinite.
Due to the placement of commas in the context of the overall claim paragraph, it is unclear if the second liquid box and radiator tube set are part of the cooling radiator or some other claim element. For examination purposes it is assumed that “said cooling radiator comprises a first liquid box, a second liquid box, and a radiator tube set”.
Further regarding claim 1, the recitation “each said liquid pump seat comprising a liquid pump chamber, a liquid inlet hole connected to said liquid pump chamber and said liquid inlet chamber, a liquid outlet hole connected to said liquid pump chamber and said liquid outlet chamber” (emphasis added) (lines 8-11) renders the claim indefinite.
Due to the placement of commas in the context of the overall claim paragraph, it is unclear if the liquid inlet and outlet holes are part of the pump seat or some other claim element. For examination purposes it is assumed that “each said liquid pump seat comprises a liquid pump chamber, a liquid inlet hole connected to said liquid pump chamber and said liquid inlet chamber, and a liquid outlet hole connected to said liquid pump chamber and said liquid outlet chamber”.
Further regarding claim 1, the recitation “said radiator tube set comprising a plurality of parallel first radiator tubes, second radiator tubes and heat dissipation fins,” (emphasis added) (lines 14-16) renders the claim indefinite.
Due to the placement of commas in the context of the overall claim paragraph, it is unclear if the second radiator tubes and heat dissipation fins are part of the radiator tube set or some other claim element. For examination purposes it is assumed that “said radiator tube set comprises a plurality of parallel first radiator tubes, second radiator tubes, and heat dissipation fins”.
Further regarding claim 1, the recitation “, two second cold liquid inlets connected to said two first cold liquid inlets and two second hot liquid outlets connected to said two first hot liquid outlets,” (emphasis added) (lines 38-39) renders the claim indefinite.
Due to the placement of commas in the context of the overall claim paragraph, it is unclear if the second cold liquid inlets and the two second hot liquid outlets are part of the cold plate or some other claim element. For examination purposes it is assumed that “the cold plate comprises second cold liquid inlets and two second hot liquid outlets”.
Further regarding claim 1, each incidence of the terms “hot” (e.g. line 13) and “cold” (e.g. line 13) are relative terms which renders the claim indefinite. The terms “hot” and “cold” are not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention.
Regarding claim 5, the recitation “wherein each said liquid pump comprises a liquid pump housing, a stator and a rotor” (emphasis added) (lines 2-3) renders the claim indefinite.
Due to the placement of commas in the context of the overall claim paragraph, it is unclear if the stator and rotor are part of the cold plate or some other claim element. For examination purposes it is assumed that “each said liquid pump comprises a liquid pump housing, a stator, and a rotor”.
Regarding claim 6, the recitation “and located on two opposite sides of said radiator tube set” (lines 3-4) renders the claim indefinite. it is unclear what previously recited claim elements are located on two opposite sides of said radiator tube set.
Claims 2-4, 7, and 8 are rejected as depending from a rejected claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 1 would be allowable if rewritten or amended 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.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Claim 1 is directed to a dual-liquid pump dual-circulation integrated liquid-cooling device, comprising:
a cooling radiator (100), two liquid pumps (40) and a cold plate (50), wherein said cooling radiator comprises a first liquid box (10), a second liquid box (20) and a radiator tube set (30), said first liquid box (See Figures 5-6 for first liquid box details) being internally divided into two first chambers by a first partition (11), each said first chamber being provided with a second partition (13) to separate the respective said first chamber into a liquid inlet chamber (14) and a liquid outlet chamber (15), each said first chamber being internally provided with a liquid pump seat (16), each said liquid pump seat comprising a liquid pump chamber (161), a liquid inlet hole (162) connected to said liquid pump chamber and said liquid inlet chamber, a liquid outlet hole (163) connected to said liquid pump chamber and said liquid outlet chamber, said second liquid box (See Figure 8 for second liquid box details) being internally divided into two second chambers by a third partition (21), each said second chamber being internally divided into a hot liquid chamber (24) and a cold liquid chamber (25) by a fourth partition (23), said hot liquid chamber being provided with at least one first hot liquid outlet (241) connected to said cold plate, said cold liquid chamber being provided with a first cold liquid inlet (251) connected to said cold plate, said radiator tube set (See Figures 3-4 for radiator tube set details) comprising a plurality of parallel first radiator tubes (31), second radiator tubes (32) and heat dissipation fins (33), said first radiator tubes having respective one ends thereof connected to said liquid inlet chambers of said two first chambers and respective opposite ends thereof connected to said hot liquid chambers of said two second chambers (Figure 4), said second radiator tubes having respective one ends thereof connected to said liquid outlet chambers of said two first chambers and respective opposite ends thereof connected to said cold liquid chambers of said two second chambers (Figure 4); said two liquid pumps are installed in said liquid pump chambers of said two first chambers respectively (Figures 4-6),
said two liquid pumps (See Figure 4 for fluid flow path details) respectively driving a hot liquid in said two hot liquid chambers of said second liquid box to flow through said first radiator tubes to said two liquid inlet chambers of said first liquid box, and then flow from said liquid inlet chambers into said liquid pump chambers respectively, and then flow to said two liquid outlet chambers of said first liquid box, and then flow through said second radiator tubes to said two cold liquid chambers of said second liquid box, allowing the hot liquid to dissipate heat through said radiator tube set and become a cold liquid; said cold plate is combined with a bottom surface of said second liquid box,
said cold plate (See Figures 4 and 9 for cold plate details) comprising a cold plate body (51) and a heat dissipation base (52), said cold plate body comprising a top surface and an opposing bottom surface, the top surface of said cold plate body being combined with the bottom surface of said second liquid box, the bottom surface of said cold plate body being provided with an upwardly concave liquid chamber (511), two second cold liquid inlets (512) connected to said two first cold liquid inlets and two second hot liquid outlets (513) connected to said two first hot liquid outlets, said heat dissipation base comprising a bottom plate (521) and a plurality of micro water channels (522) formed on a top surface of said bottom plate, said bottom plate being combined with the bottom surface of said cold plate body to seal said liquid chamber so that said micro water channels are located in said liquid chamber.
The closest art of record (Chen et al. US 2021/0195793) discloses a liquid-cooling device, comprising at least: a cooling radiator (110, 120, 130, 140), a liquid pump (151), and a cold plate (115), where the cooling radiator comprises a first liquid box (110), a second liquid box (120) and a radiator tube set (130, 140). However, Chen et al. does not teach or disclose two pumps and the corresponding flow paths through the liquid-cooling device as claimed.
The art of record (Chen et al. US 2022/0071058) also discloses a liquid-cooling device, comprising at least: a cooling radiator (310, 410), two liquid pumps (122, 124), and a cold plate (100), where the cooling radiator comprises a first liquid box (e.g. 316), a second liquid box (e.g. 319) and a radiator tube set (317, 318). However, Chen et al. similarly does not teach or disclose two pumps and the corresponding flow paths through the liquid-cooling device as claimed.
Additional prior art made of record and not relied upon discloses a variety of liquid-cooling devices having one or more cooling radiators, one or more pumps, and various other elements that are recited in the claims. However, the cited art of record does not teach or disclose two pumps and the corresponding flow paths through the liquid-cooling device as claimed without relying upon impermissible hindsight or substantial redesign.
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.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 2024/0015927 discloses a liquid-cooling device
US 2022/0381516 discloses a liquid-cooling device
US 2022/0170705 discloses a liquid-cooling device
US 2016/0338223 discloses a liquid-cooling device
US 2022/0071058 discloses a liquid-cooling device
US 2021/0195793 discloses a liquid-cooling device
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JASON N THOMPSON whose telephone number is (571)272-6391. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Friday 8:30 am -5:00 pm.
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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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/JASON N THOMPSON/Examiner, Art Unit 3763
/FRANTZ F JULES/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3763