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) 1-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by Rigaudie (US20150276330A1).
Regarding claim 1, Rigaudie discloses a cooler (see Fig. 1-8) comprising: a base material (plate 70 and/or plate 220, which are welded/soldered together); and a plurality of ribs (fins 130) protruding from a main surface of the base material, wherein a first end portion of the base material is located at an inflow end (see inflow end at F1) into which a coolant flows, a second end portion of the base material is located at an outflow end from which the coolant flows out, the plurality of ribs include a first rib group including a plurality of the ribs arranged in a second direction that intersects a first direction which is a direction from the first end portion of the base material toward the second end portion of the base material, the first rib group includes a first rib (see annotated Fig. 8 below, hereinafter Fig. A) among the plurality of ribs, a second rib (Fig. A) among the plurality of ribs, and a third rib (Fig. A) among the plurality of ribs, the second rib is located between the first rib and the third rib, a distance between a base end of the first rib and a base end of the second rib in the second direction is larger than a distance between a protruding end of the first rib and a protruding end of the second rib in the second direction (see respective distances), and a distance between the base end of the second rib and a base end of the third rib in the second direction is smaller than a distance between the protruding end of the second rib and a protruding end of the third rib in the second direction (see respective distances).
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Fig. A – Annotated Fig. 8 of Rigaudie
Regarding claim 2, Rigaudie discloses the limitations of claim 1, and Rigaudie further discloses the plurality of ribs further include a second rib group (fins 230) located in the first direction with respect to the first rib group (fins 130), the second rib group includes a fourth rib among the plurality of ribs, and a fifth rib among the plurality of ribs, at least a portion of the fourth rib is located in a first extension space obtained by virtually extending a first partial passage defined by the first rib and the second rib, at least a portion of the fifth rib is located in a second extension space obtained by virtually extending a second partial passage defined by the second rib and the third rib, and a distance between a base end of the fourth rib and a base end of the fifth rib in the second direction is different from a distance between a protruding end of the fourth rib and a protruding end of the fifth rib in the second direction (see respective distances).
Regarding claim 3, Rigaudie discloses the limitations of claim 1, and Rigaudie further discloses a direction in which each of the ribs protrudes is inclined at 3 to 45 degrees (45 degrees - ¶[0090], falling within the claimed range, and thus anticipates the range, see MPEP 2131.03) with respect to the main surface of the base material.
Regarding claim 4, Rigaudie discloses the limitations of claim 1, and Rigaudie further discloses a distance between an upstream side end portion of the first rib and an upstream side end portion of the second rib in the second direction is different from a distance between a downstream side end portion of the first rib and a downstream side end portion of the second rib in the second direction (see any arbitrary distance between upstream end portions of first rib and second rib which is different from another arbitrary distance between downstream end portions of the first and second ribs).
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) 5-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sheerin (US5844333A) in view of Rigaudie (US20150276330A1).
Regarding claims 5-6, Sheerin teaches (see Fig. 1-18) a rotating electric machine (electric motor 100) comprising a housing (enclosure 96) comprising a cooler (heat exchanger 24).
Sheerin does not teach the cooler of claim 1.
Rigaudie teaches the cooler of claim 1 (see above).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Sheerin to include the cooler of Rigaudie, in order to improve heat exchange (¶[0025]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Brzezinksi (US4262659), see Fig. 5
Mossay (US1342179), see Fig. 6
Smith (US20100007227A1), see Fig. 2
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERIC S RUPPERT whose telephone number is (571)272-9911. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8 am - 4 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Len Tran can be reached at 571-272-1184. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ERIC S RUPPERT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763