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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Shah et al (US 2023/0080447).
Reg. Cl. 1, Shah et al., discloses: A retractable cover sheet assembly for an
immersion cooling system, the assembly comprising: a case (710) having side walls defining an opening (811); and a first retractable cover sheet (1010) located above the opening of the case, the first retractable cover sheet being movable from a first position to a second position to provide a sized opening smaller than the opening of the case ([0048]).
Reg. Cl. 2, Shah et al., discloses: A condenser (719, 741) mounted to an interior
surface of the case, the condenser configured to condense dielectric vapor at or near the sized opening, wherein the condenser is recessed from the sized opening to avoid interfering with objects being raised or lowered through the sized opening.
Reg. Cl. 3, Shah et al., discloses: wherein the first retractable cover sheet is
configured to mount within an interior volume of an immersion tank (Fig. 10 also [0048], [0049]).
Reg. Cl. 4, Shah et al., discloses: wherein the first retractable cover sheet
comprises a flexible material and is configured to spool around a rotatable cylinder when in a retracted position ([0049]).
Reg. Cl. 5, Shah et al., discloses: wherein the retractable cover sheet assembly
is configured to mount to an interior surface of an immersion tank.
Reg. Cl. 6, Shah et al., discloses: wherein the first retractable cover sheet is
configured to be stored along an interior wall of an immersion tank when in a retracted position.
Reg. Cl. 7, Shah et al., discloses: further comprising a second retractable cover
sheet that is coplanar with the first retractable cover sheet ([0048]).
Reg. Cl. 8, Shah et al., discloses: further comprising a motorized assembly that
moves the first retractable cover sheet to adjust a dimension of the sized opening ([0050]).
Reg. Cl. 9, Shah et al., discloses: further comprising a motorized assembly
comprising: a linear guide system (1020) attached to the case; and an electric motor coupled to the linear guide system, wherein the linear guide system is driven by the electric motor to displace both the first retractable cover sheet and the condenser ([0048, 0050]).
Reg. Cl. 10, Shah et al., discloses: wherein the first retractable cover sheet is
substantially impermeable to dielectric vapor ([0048, 0049]).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shah et al (US 2023/0080447).
Reg. Cl. 11, Shah et al discloses: A retractable cover sheet assembly for an
immersion cooling system, the assembly comprising: an adjustable case having an opening (811); a condenser (719, 741) attached to an interior surface of the adjustable case; a retractable cover sheet (1010) having a first edge and a second edge, the first edge being attached to a rotatable cylinder and the second edge being attached to a top edge of the adjustable case; and a motorized assembly ([0050]) configured to displace the second edge of the retractable cover sheet to adjust a dimension of the opening. Shah discloses the need to replace or repair components associated with the immersion cooling system.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one before the effective filing date of the invention for Shah et al motorized assembly ([0050]) to be configured to displace both the condenser and the second edge of the retractable cover sheet to adjust a dimension of the opening. Doing so would allow the controller to automatically actuate the one or more roller coverings in the proper manner prior to the lid being opened for any reason, for example, maintenance, server failure, server change, etc, as disclosed by Shah et al.
Claims 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Radtke et al in view of Shah et al (US 2023/0080447).
Reg. Cl. 16, Radtke discloses: A retractable cover sheet assembly that can be
used for an immersion cooling system, the assembly comprising: a spring-loaded cylinder assembly comprising: a first mounting bracket (59); a second mounting bracket; a fixed shaft having a first end fixedly attached to the first mounting bracket; a rotary shaft having a first end rotatably attached to the second mounting bracket, a second end of the rotary shaft being rotatably coupled to a second end of the fixed shaft; a torsion spring (abstract, 46 and 48) positioned around the fixed shaft, a first end of the torsion spring being attached to the first mounting bracket or the fixed shaft, a second end of the torsion spring being attached to the rotary shaft; and a cylinder positioned around the rotary shaft, the fixed shaft, and the torsion spring, the cylinder serving as a spring-loaded cylinder; and a cover sheet having a first edge attached to the cylinder, wherein the cover sheet is spooled around the cylinder when the torsion spring is in a relaxed state, and wherein unspooling the cover sheet from the cylinder serves to store energy in the torsion spring.
Reg. Cl. 17, Radtke fails to discloses, however Shah et al teaches: a case having
side walls defining an opening; and a condenser mounted to an interior surface of the case, the condenser configured to condense dielectric vapor at or near the opening, wherein a second edge of the cover sheet is attached to the case, wherein moving the case in a first direction causes the cover sheet to unspool from the cylinder and moving the case in a second direction opposite the first direction causes the cover sheet to spool around the cylinder. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Radtke invention to be used with Shah et al immersion cooling system. Doing so would provide a retractable coversheet for protecting heat generated devices with an immersion cooling system.
Reg. Cl. 18, Radtke discloses the cover sheet connected to the cylinder. Wherein
it would have been obvious to one at the effective filing date of the invention to have a press plate, wherein the first edge of the cover sheet is attached to the cylinder by the press plate. Doing so would provide an alternate means of attaching the cover sheet to the cylinder.
Reg. Cl. 19, Radtke as modified by Shah et al discloses: a bushing located
between the fixed shaft and the rotary shaft and a bearing located between the rotary shaft and the second mounting bracket.
Reg. Cl. 20, Radtke as modified by Shah et al. discloses: wherein a position of
the edge of the cover sheet is determined by a computer-controlled motorized assembly (Shah et al [0050] and Radtke (172)).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 12-15 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Please see the prior art listed on the PTO-892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TERRELL L MCKINNON whose telephone number is (571)272-4797. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri. 8:00 am to 4:30 pm..
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/TERRELL L MCKINNON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3632