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.
Claim(s) 1-6, 10-15, and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2006/0157227 to Choi.
Choi discloses;
As to claim 1, a heat-dissipating element (100, Fig. 1b) comprising: a casing (112) comprising a closed fluid space (102, 104, 106, 108, 110) defined in the casing, wherein at least a part of the fluid space is filled with a coolant fluid (102, [0008]), the coolant fluid is transformed between a liquid phase and a gas phase by an environment temperature transferred by the casing ([0008]).
As to claim 11, a product comprising a casing (112) attached to at least a part of surface of an electronic product ([0001] device for cooling a semiconductor) and comprising a closed fluid space defined in the casing (102, 104, 106, 108, 110), wherein at least a part of the fluid space is filled with a coolant fluid (102, [0008]), the coolant fluid is transformed between a liquid phase and a gas phase by an environment temperature transferred by the casing ([0008]).
As to claim 2, the heat-dissipating element as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the coolant fluid is all in the liquid phase, the fluid space is in a vacuum environment or a negative pressure environment ([0072]).
As to claim 3, the heat-dissipating element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fluid space includes a gas-storage segment (124) and a liquid-storage segment (102), and the gas-storage segment has a horizontal position higher than a horizontal position of the liquid-storage segment ([0059] 124 being located in the upper plate 100b, 102 located in lower plate 100a).
As to claim 4, the heat-dissipating element as claimed in claim 3, wherein a guiding structure (118) formed on an inner surface of the casing at a position corresponding to the liquid-storage segment and protruding toward the gas-storage segment.
As to claim 5, the heat-dissipating element as claimed in claim 4, wherein the guiding structure has two ends (one end by 104, the other towards 124) extending toward the gas-storage segment and the liquid-storage segment respectively.
As to claim 6, The heat-dissipating element as claimed in claim 4, wherein the guiding structure has an inclined surface (Fig 1b, two outside channels of 118 having inclined surfaces, the latter ends being thicker than the former ends).
As to claim 10, the heat-dissipating element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coolant fluid is water ([0033]).
As to claim 12, the product as claimed in claim 11, wherein when the coolant fluid is all in the liquid phase, the fluid space is in a vacuum environment or a negative pressure environment ([0072]).
As to claim 13, the product as claimed in claim 11, wherein the fluid space includes a gas-storage segment (124) and a liquid-storage segment (102), and the gas-storage segment has a horizontal position higher than a horizontal position of the liquid-storage segment ([0059] 124 being located in the upper plate 100b, 102 located in lower plate 100a).
As to claim 14, the product as claimed in claim 13, wherein a guiding structure (118) formed on an inner surface of the casing at a position corresponding to the liquid-storage segment and protruding toward the gas-storage segment.
As to claim 15, the product as claimed in claim 14, wherein the guiding structure has two ends (one end by 104, the other towards 124) extending toward the gas-storage segment and the liquid-storage segment respectively.
As to claim 18, the product as claimed in claim 15, wherein the fluid space includes a gas-storage segment (124) and a liquid-storage segment (102), and the gas-storage segment has a horizontal position higher than a horizontal position of the liquid-storage segment ([0059] 124 being located in the upper plate 100b, 102 located in lower plate 100a).
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) 16-17, and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2006/0157227 to Choi. in view of US 2017/0295671 to Chiriac et al.
As to claim 16, Choi discloses a product comprising a casing (112) attached to at least a part of surface of an electronic product ([0001] device for cooling a semiconductor) and comprising a closed fluid space defined in the casing (102, 104, 106, 108, 110), wherein at least a part of the fluid space is filled with a coolant fluid (102, [0008]), the coolant fluid is transformed between a liquid phase and a gas phase by an environment temperature transferred by the casing ([0008]). Choi fails to disclose the product being a computer memory card. Chiriac teaches a similar device (FIG. 5) as well as the fact that such device is used in the endeavor of cooling a variety of electronic components including computer memory ([0003] “Some of these internal components include a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU) and/or memory.) It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the filing to modify the cooling unit of Choi to be used for the purpose of cooling a computer memory card as an expected device require such cooling as taught by Chiriac.
As to claim 17, modified Choi teaches the product as claimed in claim 16, wherein when the coolant fluid is all in the liquid phase, the fluid space is in a vacuum environment or a negative pressure environment ([0072]).
As to claim 19, modified Choi teaches the product as claimed in claim 16, wherein a guiding structure (118) formed on an inner surface of the casing at a position corresponding to the liquid-storage segment and protruding toward the gas-storage segment.
Claim(s) 7-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2006/0157227 to Choi. in view of US 2020/0281096 to Shioga.
As to claims 7 and 8, Choi discloses the heat-dissipating element as claimed in claim 4. Choi further discloses using a capillary action to move the coolant fluid ([0012] “wherein the liquefied coolant is at least partly filled by a capillary action”). Choi fails to disclose wherein the guiding structure comprises a capillary guiding sheet having a capillary structure and has at least a part being in contact with the coolant fluid in the liquid phase. Shioga teaches (FIG. 9) a guiding structure (34) comprising a capillary guiding sheet (45) having a capillary structure (42a) and has at least a part being in contact with a coolant fluid in a liquid phase (As the working fluid enters the evaporator 31, it is initially in a liquid phase and contacts 45 at this point) as well as the gas phase (45 is also in contact with coolant traveling towards condenser 32). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the filing to modify the system of Choi with a capillary sheet as taught by Shioga in order to passively move a coolant as taught by Shioga ([0086]).
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2006/0157227 to Choi. in view of US 2017/0295671 to Chiriac et al. and further in view of US 2020/0281096 to Shioga.
As to claim 20, Choi in view of Chiriac teach all the limitations of claim 17. Choi fails to disclose wherein the guiding structure comprises a capillary guiding sheet. Shioga teaches (FIG. 9) a guiding structure (34) comprising a capillary guiding sheet (45). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the filing to modify the system of Choi with a capillary sheet as taught by Shioga in order to passively move a coolant as taught by Shioga ([0086]).
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2006/0157227 to Choi. in view of CN 110763056 to Wang.
As to claim 9, Choi discloses all the limitations of claim 3. Choi fails to disclose wherein a unidirectional filter film is disposed between the gas-storage segment and the liquid-storage segment. Wang teaches a filter film (130, semipermeable membrane) located between liquid-storage segment (110) and gas storage segment (120). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the filing to modify the heat-dissipating element of Choi with the unidirectional filter film of Wang in order to prevent back flow of heated fluid into the liquid-storage segment.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 2022/0312639 to Zhang disclosing a heat pipe.
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/JAMIL ALEXANDER DECKER/Examiner, Art Unit 2841
/Jayprakash N Gandhi/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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