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
Claims 9, 10 and 18 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Species II, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 07/01/2026.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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, 11, 13 and 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chen (United States Patent Application Publication 2021/0373421 A1).
With respect to claim 1, Chen discloses a liquid cooling module (see fig.6A), configured to cool a lighting module (see the lighting module of 10 in fig.6A), the liquid cooling module comprising: a first cooling unit (see 2 whereon HS1 is disposed), comprising a first communication surface (see the connecting lines into 2 of HS1) and a first cooling surface (see the surface on which HS1 is disposed) opposite to the first communication surface, the first cooling surface (see the top surface of 2) connecting to a first heat source of the lighting module (see the surface of HS1); a second cooling unit (see the 2 whereon HS2 is disposed), comprising a top surface (see the back of 2 of the second cooling unit), a second communication surface (see the second communication surface of 2 whereon HS2 is disposed), and a second cooling surface (see the second cooling surface of 2 whereon 220 is disclosed), wherein the top surface is perpendicular to the first communication surface and opposite to the second cooling surface (see the configuration of 220 with respect to 218), and the second cooling surface is connected to a second heat source of the lighting module (see the light valve of fig.6A); a heat dissipation component (see 3 in fig.6A), configured to dissipate heat from a heat dissipation medium (see para.[0031]: The cooling fluid may be, for example, water, but is not limited thereto. ); and a pipeline component (see the lines connecting 6 to 2 to 3), the heat dissipation medium flowing in the pipeline component (see the pipeline of fig.6A), the pipeline component comprising a first pipeline (see the pipeline between 3 and 2(218)), a second pipeline (see the pipeline between 2(218) and 2(220)) and a third pipeline, the first pipeline connecting to the heat dissipation component and the first communication surface (see the pipeline between 2(218) and 3), the second pipeline (see the pipeline between 2(218) and 2(220)) connecting to the first communication surface and the second communication surface, the third pipeline (see the pipeline between 2 and 3) connecting to the second communication surface (see the second surface of 2 whereon 220 is disposed) and the heat dissipation component (see the heat dissipation component of 3).
With respect to claim 11, Chen discloses a projection device (see general projection device of fig.1 and [0020]: In some embodiments, the projection lens 230 may include a combination of a plurality of optical lenses having the same or different diopters), comprising: a lighting module (see 10 in fig.6A), configured to provide an illumination beam (see the light of 10 in fig.6A), the lighting module comprising a first heat source (see HS1) and a second heat source HS2; a light valve module (HS2; examiner interprets the light valve a component of the lighting module and receiving light from another component withing the lighting module of fig.6A), disposed on a transmission path of the illumination beam to convert the illumination beam into an image beam (see the operation of the HS2 modulator); a lens module (see 230 in fig.1), disposed on a transmission path of the image beam to project the image beam; a liquid cooling module (see fig.6A), configured to cool a lighting module (see the lighting module of 10 in fig.6A), the liquid cooling module comprising: a first cooling unit (see 2 whereon HS1 is disposed), comprising a first communication surface (see the connecting lines into 2 of HS1) and a first cooling surface (see the surface on which HS1 is disposed) opposite to the first communication surface, the first cooling surface (see the top surface of 2) connecting to a first heat source of the lighting module (see the surface of HS1); a second cooling unit (see the 2 whereon HS2 is disposed), comprising a top surface (see the back of 2 of the second cooling unit), a second communication surface (see the second communication surface of 2), and a second cooling surface (see the second cooling surface of 2 whereon 220 is disclosed), wherein the top surface is perpendicular to the first communication surface and opposite to the second cooling surface (see the configuration of 220 with respect to 218), and the second cooling surface is connected to a second heat source of the lighting module (see the light valve of fig.6A); a heat dissipation component (see 3 in fig.6A), configured to dissipate heat from a heat dissipation medium (see para.[0031]: The cooling fluid may be, for example, water, but is not limited thereto. ); and a pipeline component (see the lines connecting 6 to 2 to 3), the heat dissipation medium flowing in the pipeline component (see the pipeline of fig.6A), the pipeline component comprising a first pipeline (see the pipeline between 3 and 2(218)), a second pipeline (see the pipeline between 2(218) and 2(220)) and a third pipeline, the first pipeline connecting to the heat dissipation component and the first communication surface (see the pipeline between 2(218) and 3), the second pipeline (see the pipeline between 2(218) and 2(220)) connecting to the first communication surface and the second communication surface, the third pipeline (see the pipeline between 2 and 3) connecting to the second communication surface (see the second surface of 2 whereon 220 is disposed) and the heat dissipation component (see the heat dissipation component of 3).
With respect to claims 3 and 13, Chen discloses the liquid cooling module according to claims 1 and 11, further comprising a pump (see 5), the first pipeline comprising a first sub-pipeline (see the pipeline of 7 in fig.6A) and a second sub-pipeline (see the pipeline between 5 and HS1 (218) in fig.6A), the first sub- pipeline (see the pipeline of 7 in fig.6A) connecting to the heat dissipation component (3) and the pump (5), the second sub-pipeline connecting to the pump (see the pipeline between 5 and HS1 (218) in fig.6A) and the first communication surface of the first cooling unit (see the first communication surface of 2(218)).
With respect to claim 22, Chen discloses the projection device according to claim 11, Chen discloses further comprising a casing (1), wherein the casing has a bottom portion (see the part of 1 with the hole in it), in a gravity direction (examiner notes that since the device can be oriented in any direction, the limiting features of this claim are the relative distributions of component within the claims), a second space is formed between the first cooling unit (see the cooling unit for HS1) and the bottom portion (1) and between the second cooling unit (see the cooling unit of 2 for HS2) and the bottom portion (1 in fig.6A), a portion of the second pipeline is disposed in the second space (see the pipeline between 2 and 1 in fig.6A).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) 2, 8, 12 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (United States Patent Application Publication 2021/0373421 A1) in view of Calaman (United States Patent Publication 6, 719, 039 B2).
With respect to claims 2 and 12, Chen discloses the liquid cooling module according to claims 1 and 11, wherein the first cooling unit comprises a first water inlet and a first water outlet (see wherein the pipeline enters 2(218)), the first water inlet and the first water outlet are located on the first communication surface (see fig.6A and 2(218), but does not disclose the first water inlet and the first water outlet are not aligned in a gravity direction, the first water inlet is connected to the first pipeline, and the first water outlet is connected to the second pipeline.
Calaman discloses the staggering of the inlet and outlet ports (see fig.1, 38 and 39).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Chen with the teaching of Calaman so that the first water inlet and the first water outlet are not aligned in a gravity direction, the first water inlet is connected to the first pipeline, and the first water outlet is connected to the second pipeline direction to enhance heat transfer.
With respect to claims 8 and 17, Chen in view of Calaman discloses the liquid cooling module according to claims 1 and 11, Chen discloses wherein the second cooling unit comprises a side surface, a second water inlet, and a second water outlet, the second communication surface is the side surface (see the second communication surface of 2 whereon HS2 is disposed), but does not disclose the second water inlet and the second water outlet are located on the side surface, the second water inlet and the second water outlet are not aligned in a gravity direction.
Calaman discloses the staggering of the inlet and outlet ports (see fig.1, 38 and 39).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Chen in view of Calaman with the teaching of Calaman so that the second water inlet and the second water outlet are located on the side surface, the second water inlet and the second water outlet are not aligned in a gravity direction to enhance heat transfer.
Claim(s) 5 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (United States Patent Application Publication 2021/0373421 A1) in view of Calaman (United States Patent Publication 6, 719, 039 B2).
With respect to claims 5 and 16, Chen discloses the liquid cooling module according to claims 1 and 11, Chen discloses wherein the heat dissipation component comprises a heat sink (3), and a water tank (6), the heat sink (3) is connected to the water tank (6) but does not disclose a bottom surface of the heat sink and a bottom surface of the water tank are not aligned in a gravity direction to form a first space, a portion of the third pipeline is disposed in the first space and connected to the heat sink, and the first pipeline is connected to the water tank.
Kondo discloses a bottom surface of the heat sink (see 21B in fig.10) and a bottom surface of the water tank (see bottom 22F) are not aligned in a gravity direction to form a first space (see fig.10), a portion of the third pipeline (see 21a) is disposed in the first space and connected to the heat sink (see fig.10 21a and 21b), and the first pipeline is connected to the water tank (see the pipe 23 in fig.10).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the heat dissipation component of Chen with the teaching of Kondo so that a bottom surface of the heat sink and a bottom surface of the water tank are not aligned in a gravity direction to form a first space, a portion of the third pipeline is disposed in the first space and connected to the heat sink, and the first pipeline is connected to the water tank to efficiently suppress affection caused by heat.
With respect to claims 6, Chen in view of Kondo discloses the liquid cooling module according to claims 5, and appears to but does not explicitly disclose wherein the heat sink and water tank are integrally formed.
However, It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill int eh art at the time the invention was made to modify Chen in view Kondo so that wherein the heat sink and water tank are integrally formed, since it would predictably improve the compactness and stability of the cooling system, and since it has been held that constructing a formerly separable structure from various elements involves only routine skill in the art In reLarson, 340 F.2d 965, 968, 144 USPQ 347, 349 (CCPA 1965).
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (United States Patent Application Publication 2021/0373421 A1) in view of Calaman (United States Patent Publication 6, 719, 039 B2) and Ono (United States Patent Application Publication 2005/0254016 A1).
With respect to claim 7, Chen in view of Calaman discloses the liquid cooling module according to claims 5, but does not disclose wherein the water tank comprises a fin structure.
Ono discloses wherein the water tank (see 271) comprises a fin structure (see 273).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Chen in view of Calaman with the teaching of Ono so that the water tank comprises a fin structure to further cool the coolant fluid and thereby enhance the efficiency of the cooling unit.
Claim(s) 19 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (United States Patent Application Publication 2021/0373421 A1) in view of Nakamura (United States Patent Application Publication 2019/0116343 A1).
With respect to claim 19, Chen discloses the projection device according to claim 11, further comprising a casing (see 1), at least one intake fan (4), and, wherein the liquid cooling module (see at least 7), the lighting module (see at least HS1), the light valve module (see HS2), the at least one intake fan (see 4), is located in the casing (1), the casing comprises at least one air inlet (1) and at least one air outlet (Chen teaches using an outlet 114 in para.[0044]), the heat dissipation component (see 3 in fig.6A) is located on a path of the airflow for heat exchange with the airflow, the airflow enters the casing from the at least one air inlet (see fig.6A) and leaves the casing from the at least one air outlet (Chen teaches using an outlet 114 in para.[0044]), wherein the heat dissipation component (see 3) is located between the at least one air inlet (see 112) and the at least one intake fan (see 4).
Chen does not explicitly disclose in the embodiment of 6A at least one exhaust fan to exhaust air through the outlet and the at least one intake fan and the at least one exhaust fan are configured to form airflow.
Nakamura discloses at least one exhaust fan (see FN1) to exhaust air through the outlet and the at least one intake fan (see FN1) and the at least one exhaust fan (see FN3) are configured to form airflow.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Chen in view of Nakamura so that at least one exhaust fan to exhaust air through the outlet and the at least one intake fan and the at least one exhaust fan are configured to form airflow to facilitate the cooling of the projection system.
Claim(s) 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (United States Patent Application Publication 2021/0373421 A1) in view of CN (10821138 A), hereinafter referred to as CN.
With respect to claim 21, Chen discloses the projection device according to claim 11, but does not explicitly disclose further comprising a power module and a casing, wherein the casing has a bottom portion, and the power module is located between the lens module and the bottom portion in a gravity direction.
CN discloses a power module (see power component of transformer of 10) and a casing (Casing of 1), wherein the casing has a bottom portion (see the bottom of 1 in fig.1), and the power module is located between the lens module (see 5) and the bottom portion (see the bottom of 1) in a gravity direction(examiner notes that since the device can be oriented in any direction, the limiting features of this claim are the relative distributions of component within the claims).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Chen with the teaching of CN so that a power module and a casing, wherein the casing has a bottom portion, and the power module is located between the lens module and the bottom portion in a gravity direction to enhance compactness and to improve image quality by separating the lens and the power source.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 14 and 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.
With respect to claims 4, the prior art of record does not disclose or render obvious the liquid cooling module according to claim 1, wherein the liquid cooling module is further configured to cool a light valve module, the liquid cooling module further comprises a third cooling unit, the third pipeline comprises a third sub-pipeline and a fourth sub-pipeline, the third sub-pipeline is connected to the second cooling unit and the third cooling unit, the fourth sub-pipeline is connected to the third cooling unit and the heat dissipation component, the third cooling unit is connected to the light valve module.
With respect to claim 14, the prior art of record does not disclose or render obvious the projection device according to claim 11, wherein the first heat source and second heat source are both light source devices, the first heat source and the second heat source are configured to provide a plurality of light beams, the lighting module further comprises a light combining component, the light combining component is located at a position that receives the light beams, the light combining component is configured to guide the light beams to form an illumination beam.
Claim 15 is allowable as it depend from an allowable claim 14.
Closest prior art of record, Chen, discloses a lighting module (see the lighting module of 10 in fig.6A), the liquid cooling module comprising: a first cooling unit (see 2 whereon HS1 is disposed), comprising a first communication surface (see the connecting lines into 2 of HS1) and a first cooling surface (see the surface on which HS1 is disposed) opposite to the first communication surface, the first cooling surface (see the top surface of 2) connecting to a first heat source of the lighting module (see the surface of HS1); a second cooling unit (see the 2 whereon HS2 is disposed), comprising a top surface (see the back of 2 of the second cooling unit), a second communication surface (see the second communication surface of 2 whereon HS2 is disposed), and a second cooling surface (see the second cooling surface of 2 whereon 220 is disclosed), wherein the top surface is perpendicular to the first communication surface and opposite to the second cooling surface (see the configuration of 220 with respect to 218), and the second cooling surface is connected to a second heat source of the lighting module (see the light valve of fig.6A); a heat dissipation component (see 3 in fig.6A), configured to dissipate heat from a heat dissipation medium (see para.[0031]: The cooling fluid may be, for example, water, but is not limited thereto. ); and a pipeline component (see the lines connecting 6 to 2 to 3), the heat dissipation medium flowing in the pipeline component (see the pipeline of fig.6A), the pipeline component comprising a first pipeline (see the pipeline between 3 and 2(218)), a second pipeline (see the pipeline between 2(218) and 2(220)) and a third pipeline, the first pipeline connecting to the heat dissipation component and the first communication surface (see the pipeline between 2(218) and 3), the second pipeline (see the pipeline between 2(218) and 2(220)) connecting to the first communication surface and the second communication surface, the third pipeline (see the pipeline between 2 and 3) connecting to the second communication surface (see the second surface of 2 whereon 220 is disposed) and the heat dissipation component (see the heat dissipation component of 3) but does not disclose the limitations of claims 4, 14 and 15.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JERRY L. BROOKS whose telephone number is (571)270-5711. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00-4:00 PM.
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/JERRY L BROOKS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2882
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