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 1, claims 1-12, in the reply filed on 5/18/2026 is acknowledged.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-3, 5, and 11 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claims 1 and 11 each recite “wherein the gasket comprises seal” instead of “wherein the gasket comprises a seal”.
Claim 2 recites “wherein the primary overflow vessel that is capable of” instead of “wherein the primary overflow vessel is capable of”.
Claim 3 recites “mating surfaces of first housing portion” instead of “mating surfaces of the first housing portion”.
Claim 5 recites “wherein visual inspection device” instead of “wherein the visual inspection device”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-12 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.
Claims 1 and 11 each recite “a circuit board with a plurality of heat-generating electronic components mounted on a respective thermal plate or on a respective circuit board”, which renders the claims indefinite because it is unclear if the respective circuit board is a second circuit board (additional) or if the electronic components may be mounted on the previously mentioned circuit board alone instead of on a thermal plate.
For the purposes of examination below, Examiner has interpreted the claims as reading:
“a circuit board with a plurality of heat-generating electronic components mounted on a respective thermal plate”.
Claims 5-7 recite the limitation “the transmission housing”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claims as currently dependent from claim 1.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-12 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 a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
As to claims 1-12, the allowability resides in the overall structure and functionality of the apparatus as recited in independent claim 1, and at least in part, because claim 1 recites the following limitations:
An electronic assembly comprising:
a first housing portion having an electronics cavity for housing a circuit board with a plurality of heat-generating electronic components mounted on a respective thermal plate;
a second housing portion having a coolant cavity or coolant channel for circulating a coolant to dissipate heat from the heat-generating electronic components; and
a gasket for isolating or hermetically sealing the electronics cavity from the coolant circulating in the coolant cavity or coolant channel, wherein the gasket comprises a seal with two outer lips and a primary channel between the outer lips for conveying coolant to an exit aperture within the primary channel if coolant penetrates one of the outer lips facing the coolant cavity to prevent the ingress of fluid into the electronics cavity;
a primary overflow vessel that is capable of receiving coolant from the exit aperture via an overflow linkage channel;
a first sensor for detecting the presence of coolant in the primary overflow vessel; and
an electronic display or alert device configured to display a visual alert or audible alert if the first sensor detects the presence of coolant in a primary overflow vessel.
Schmit (US 20160322279 A1), Suzuki (US 20150163962 A1), Hustedt (US 20200120837 A1), and Baasch (US 20160126809 A1) disclose conventional electronics assemblies.
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.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JACOB R CRUM whose telephone number is (571)270-7665. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 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) 270-1985. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JACOB R CRUM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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