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) 1-3, 8, and 11-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chen et al. (Taiwanese Patent Publication TW1690684B, “Chen”).
Regarding claim 1, Chen discloses a vapor chamber (fig 11, fig 8), comprising:
a first plate body (11);
a second plate body (12) disposed below the first plate body, wherein the first plate body and the second plate body form a closed cavity (10);
a capillary structure disposed within the closed cavity, the capillary structure comprising at least one column (13) and at least one strip (20), wherein the at least one strip has an opposite first surface (see annotated fig 8 below) and a second surface (see annotated fig 8 below), the first surface faces the first plate body, and the at least one strip has a plurality of first grooves (31) that are recessed from the first surface toward the second surface; and
a first thin capillary layer (121) disposed between the second plate body and the capillary structure.
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Regarding claim 2, Chen, as modified, discloses all previous claim limitations. Chen further discloses wherein a cross-sectional profile of each first groove (31) is a polygon.
Regarding claim 3, Chen, as modified, discloses all previous claim limitations. Chen further discloses wherein the first grooves (31) communicate with each other (see fig 11).
Regarding claim 8, Chen, as modified, discloses all previous claim limitations. Chen further discloses a second thin capillary layer (111) disposed between the first plate body (11) and the capillary structure (20).
Regarding claim 11, Chen discloses a vapor chamber (fig 8 and fig 11), comprising:
a first plate body (11);
a second plate body (12) disposed below the first plate body, wherein the first plate body and the second plate body form a closed cavity (10);
a capillary structure (13, 20) disposed within the closed cavity, the capillary structure comprising at least one column (13) and at least one strip (20), wherein the at least one strip has an opposite first side surface (see annotated fig 11 below) and a second side surface (see annotated fig 1 below), the first side surface and the second side surface respectively extend along a long side of the at least one strip, and the at least one strip has a plurality of holes (31) penetrating from the first side surface to the second side surface; and
a first thin capillary layer (121) disposed between the second plate body and the capillary structure.
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Regarding claim 12, Chen, as modified, discloses all previous claim limitations. Chen further discloses wherein a cross-sectional profile of the holes (31) is a polygon.
Regarding claim 13, Chen, as modified, discloses all previous claim limitations. Chen further discloses a second thin capillary layer (111) disposed between the first plate body (11) and the capillary structure (20).
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) 4-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Takeda et al. (U.S. Patent Publication No. 2022/0120509, “Takeda”).
Regarding claim 4, Chen, as modified, discloses all previous claim limitations. However, Chen does not explicitly disclose wherein the at least one strip has a plurality of second grooves that are recessed from the second surface toward the first surface. Takeda, however, discloses a vapor chamber (fig 4 and fig 13a) wherein the at least one strip has a plurality of second grooves (39) that are recessed from the second surface toward the first surface (as evident in fig 13a). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for Chen to provide the second grooves of Takeda in order to enhance the working fluid circulation of the vapor chamber.
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Chen and Takeda discloses all previous claim limitations. Chen, as modified, further discloses wherein the second grooves (39, Takeda) communicate with each other.
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Chen and Takeda discloses all previous claim limitations. Chen, as modified, further discloses each second groove (39, Takeda) has a curved surface.
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Chen and Takeda discloses all previous claim limitations. Chen further discloses wherein the first grooves are substantially symmetrically arranged with the second grooves (such as taught by Takeda, see first grooves 40 and second grooves 39).
Claim(s) 9-10 and 14-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen as applied to claims 1 and 11 above, and further in view of Liu et al. (Chinese Patent Publication CN206772103U, “Liu”).
Regarding claim 9, Chen discloses all previous claim limitations. Chen further discloses wherein the first plate body (11) has a third surface (112) toward the capillary structure (20). However, Chen does not explicitly disclose wherein the third surface has a capillary feature (2). Liu, however, discloses a heat pipe wherein a third surface (see annotated fig 1 below) has a capillary feature. Liu teaches that the capillary feature increase heat dissipation (page 1, lines 17-25). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for Chen to provide the capillary structure of Liu in order to enhance the heat dissipation of the vapor chamber.
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Regarding claim 10, Chen discloses all previous claim limitations. Chen further discloses wherein the second plate body (12) has a fourth surface (122) toward the capillary structure (20). However, Chen does not explicitly disclose wherein the fourth surface has a capillary feature. Liu, however, discloses a heat pipe wherein a third surface (see annotated fig 1 below) has a capillary feature. Liu teaches that the capillary feature increase heat dissipation (page 1, lines 17-25). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for Chen to provide the capillary structure of Liu in order to enhance the heat dissipation of the vapor chamber.
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Regarding claim 14, Chen discloses all previous claim limitations. Chen further discloses wherein the first plate body (11) has a third surface (112) toward the capillary structure (20). However, Chen does not explicitly disclose wherein the third surface has a capillary feature (2). Liu, however, discloses a heat pipe wherein a third surface (see annotated fig 1 below) has a capillary feature. Liu teaches that the capillary feature increase heat dissipation (page 1, lines 17-25). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for Chen to provide the capillary structure of Liu in order to enhance the heat dissipation of the vapor chamber.
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Regarding claim 15, Chen discloses all previous claim limitations. Chen further discloses wherein the second plate body (12) has a fourth surface (122) toward the capillary structure (20). However, Chen does not explicitly disclose wherein the fourth surface has a capillary feature. Liu, however, discloses a heat pipe wherein a third surface (see annotated fig 1 below) has a capillary feature. Liu teaches that the capillary feature increase heat dissipation (page 1, lines 17-25). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for Chen to provide the capillary structure of Liu in order to enhance the heat dissipation of the vapor chamber.
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Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HARRY E ARANT whose telephone number is (571)272-1105. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10-6 ET.
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/HARRY E ARANT/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763