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) 6-7 and 9-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2020/0025215 to Lin et al.
Lin discloses;
As to claim 6, an air mover comprising: an air mover housing (10); and an impeller (30) housed substantially within the air mover housing and rotationally coupled to the air mover housing about an axis; wherein the air mover housing comprises: an outlet (32) formed within the air mover housing for expelling air; an inlet (31) formed within the air mover housing for drawing air into the air mover housing; and a series of one or more step-down features (see FIG. 2, edge of 10 supporting 20A) formed between the inlet and a surface of the air mover housing (the limitation as to the depth of successive step-down features is disregarded in this sense as the claim only requires one step-down feature).
As to claim 7, the air mover of Claim 6, wherein: the inlet is circular in shape (FIG. 1); each of the one or more step-down features is circular in shape (FIG. 1); and the inlet and the one or more step-down features are concentric about the axis (FIG. 1).
As to claim 9, a method comprising forming an air mover by: rotationally coupling an impeller (30) to an air mover housing (10) about an axis and housing the impeller substantially within the air mover housing; forming an outlet (32) within the air mover housing for expelling air; forming an inlet (31) within the air mover housing for drawing air into the air mover housing; and forming a series of one or more step-down features (see FIG. 2, edge of 10 supporting 20A) between the inlet and a surface of the air mover housing (the limitation as to the depth of successive step-down features is disregarded in this sense as the claim only requires one step-down feature).
As to claim 10, the method of Claim 9, further comprising: forming the inlet to be circular in shape (FIG. 1); forming each of the one or more step-down features to be circular in shape (FIG. 1); and forming the inlet and the one or more step-down features to be concentric about the axis (FIG. 1).
Claim(s) 6-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2018/0238338 to Tamaoka et al.
Tamaoka discloses;
As to claim 6, an air mover (100 and Fig. 8) comprising: an air mover housing (401); and an impeller (200) housed substantially within the air mover housing and rotationally coupled to the air mover housing about an axis; wherein the air mover housing comprises: an outlet (403a) formed within the air mover housing for expelling air; an inlet (401a) formed within the air mover housing for drawing air into the air mover housing; and a series of one or more step-down features (401b) formed between the inlet and a surface of the air mover housing (the limitation as to the depth of successive step-down features is disregarded in this sense as the claim only requires one step-down feature).
As to claim 7, the air mover of Claim 6, wherein: the inlet is circular in shape (Fig. 1); each of the one or more step-down features is circular in shape (Fig. 1); and the inlet and the one or more step-down features are concentric about the axis (CA, Fig. 1).
As to claim 8, the air mover of Claim 6an impeller comprising a plurality of fins (1) for driving airflow, wherein each of the plurality of fins have a corresponding step-down feature (121, Fig. 8), the corresponding step-down feature configured to correspond to the respective step-down feature. 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 air mover housing of Lai with a step-down feature as taught by Tamaoka in order to prevent backflow of air from out of the air inlet as described by Tamaoka ([0090] “This results in a relatively small width of a gap between the ring portion 25 and the first plate portion 401b, which contributes to preventing a backflow of air at the gap.”)
As to claim 9, a method comprising forming an air mover by: rotationally coupling an impeller (200) to an air mover housing (401) about an axis and housing the impeller substantially within the air mover housing; forming an outlet (403a) within the air mover housing for expelling air; forming an inlet (401a) within the air mover housing for drawing air into the air mover housing; and forming a series of one or more step-down features (401b) between the inlet and a surface of the air mover housing (the limitation as to the depth of successive step-down features is disregarded in this sense as the claim only requires one step-down feature).
As to claim 10, the method of Claim 9, further comprising: forming the inlet to be circular in shape (Fig. 1); forming each of the one or more step-down features to be circular in shape (Fig. 1); and forming the inlet and the one or more step-down features to be concentric about the axis (CA, Fig. 1).
As to claim 11, the method of Claim 9, further comprising forming, on each fin of the impeller, one or more corresponding step-down features (121), each of the one or more corresponding step-down features configured to correspond to a respective one of the one or more step-down features.
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) 1 and 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2004/0105233 to Lai in view of US 2012/0194995 to Wang et al.
As to claim 1, Lai discloses an information handling system (notebook computer, see e.g. Abstract) comprising: a housing (250); an information handling resource (160) housed within the housing; a first air intake vent (210, FIG. 2) formed in the housing; a first air mover (100) located proximate to the first air intake vent and configured to draw air into the housing via the first air intake vent; and a second air mover (200) located substantially further away from the first air intake vent than the first air mover. Lai fails to disclose a second air intake vent formed in the housing and the second air mover located substantially further away from the second air intake vent than the first air mover is located from the first air intake vent, and configured to draw air into the housing via the second air intake vent. Wang teaches (FIG. 3A) a first air intake vent (122) and a second air intake vent (121), as well as a first air mover (600) and a second air mover (500). Wang further teaches the second air mover located substantially further away from the second air intake vent than the first air mover is located from the first air intake vent. Referring back to Lai, Lai discloses that the second air mover (200) draws in air (190) from inside of the housing. As this interior air must come from somewhere, Lai is only silent as to secondary vents being located elsewhere in the housing to provide for air flow (190). 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 housing of Lai with the second air intake vent of Wang in order to provide a source of air for the interior of the housing.
As to claim 2, modified Lai discloses the information handling system of claim 1. Lai fails to explicitly disclose wherein the first air mover is thicker than the second air mover, although FIG. 2 would seem to be pointing to this fact. Notwithstanding, 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 second air mover to be thinner than the first air mover as a choice in design to provide an air flow path between the air blower and the housing, FIG. 2 clearly showing that space is needed between the second air mover (200) and the housing (250) as air is drawn into the intake from both the top and bottom of the air mover from within the housing (see e.g. 190).
Claim(s) 3 and 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2004/0105233 to Lai in view of US 2012/0194995 to Wang et al. further in view of US 2020/0025215 to Lin et al.
As to claim 3, Lai in view of Wang disclose the information handling system of Claim 1. Lai further discloses wherein the second air mover (200, FIG. 1) comprises: an air mover housing (200, FIG. 1 is pointing to and includes a housing); and an impeller housed substantially within the housing and rotationally coupled to the housing about an axis (clearly seen in FIG. 1); wherein the air mover housing comprises: an outlet (proximate 130) formed within the air mover housing for expelling air; and an inlet (220) formed within the air mover housing for drawing air into the air mover housing. Lai fails to disclose a series of one or more step-down features formed between the inlet and a surface of the housing, in which the depth of successive step-down features from the surface increases from the surface to the inlet. Lin teaches a step-down feature (FIG. 1) supporting cooling element (21A) and formed between the inlet (11) and a surface of housing the housing (10) (the limitation as to the depth of successive step-down features is disregarded in this sense as the claim only requires one step-down feature). 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 air mover housing of Lai with a step-down feature as taught by Lin in order to allow a further heat conductive element (21A) to be added to the system further increasing the cooling of hot air entering the blower ([0010]).
As to claim 4, modified Lai discloses the information handling system of Claim 3. Lai further discloses wherein: the inlet is circular in shape (FIG. 1, air enters into the space above and below the fan blades, see e.g. FIG. 2, this space being circular in shape ). Lai fails to disclose each of the one or more step-down features is circular in shape; and the inlet and the one or more step-down features are concentric about the axis. Lin teaches a step-down feature that is circular in shape (FIG. 1) and teaches the inlet and the step-down feature concentric about the same axis. 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 air mover housing of Lai with a step-down feature as taught by Lin in order to allow a further heat conductive element (21A) to be added to the system further increasing the cooling of hot air entering the blower ([0010]).
Claim(s) 3-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2004/0105233 to Lai in view of US 2012/0194995 to Wang et al. further in view of US 2018/028338 to Tamaoka et al.
As to claim 3, Lai in view of Wang disclose the information handling system of Claim 1. Lai further discloses wherein the second air mover (200, FIG. 1) comprises: an air mover housing (200, FIG. 1 is pointing to and includes a housing); and an impeller housed substantially within the housing and rotationally coupled to the housing about an axis (clearly seen in FIG. 1); wherein the air mover housing comprises: an outlet (proximate 130) formed within the air mover housing for expelling air; and an inlet (220) formed within the air mover housing for drawing air into the air mover housing. Lai fails to disclose a series of one or more step-down features formed between the inlet and a surface of the housing, in which the depth of successive step-down features from the surface increases from the surface to the inlet. Tamaoka teaches a step-down feature (401b, Fig. 8) formed between the inlet (401a) and a surface of housing the housing (401) (the limitation as to the depth of successive step-down features is disregarded in this sense as the claim only requires one step-down feature). 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 air mover housing of Lai with a step-down feature as taught by Tamaoka in order to prevent backflow of air from out of the air inlet as described by Tamaoka ([0090] “This results in a relatively small width of a gap between the ring portion 25 and the first plate portion 401b, which contributes to preventing a backflow of air at the gap.”)
As to claim 4, modified Lai discloses the information handling system of Claim 3. Lai further discloses wherein: the inlet is circular in shape (FIG. 1, air enters into the space above and below the fan blades, see e.g. FIG. 2, this space being circular in shape ). Lai fails to disclose each of the one or more step-down features is circular in shape; and the inlet and the one or more step-down features are concentric about the axis. Tamaoka teaches a step-down feature that is circular in shape (Fig. 1) and teaches the inlet and the step-down feature concentric about the same axis (CA). 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 air mover housing of Lai with a step-down feature as taught by Tamaoka in order to prevent backflow of air from out of the air inlet as described by Tamaoka ([0090] “This results in a relatively small width of a gap between the ring portion 25 and the first plate portion 401b, which contributes to preventing a backflow of air at the gap.”)
As to claim 5, modified Lai discloses the information handling system of Claim 3. Lai fails to disclose wherein the impeller comprises a plurality of fins for driving airflow, wherein each of the plurality of fins have one or more corresponding step-down features, each of the one or more corresponding step-down features configured to correspond to a respective one of the one or more step-down features. Tamaoka teaches an impeller comprising a plurality of fins (1) for driving airflow, wherein each of the plurality of fins have a corresponding step-down feature (121, Fig. 8), the corresponding step-down feature configured to correspond to the respective step-down feature. 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 air mover housing of Lai with a step-down feature as taught by Tamaoka in order to prevent backflow of air from out of the air inlet as described by Tamaoka ([0090] “This results in a relatively small width of a gap between the ring portion 25 and the first plate portion 401b, which contributes to preventing a backflow of air at the gap.”)
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2020/0025215 to Lin et al. in view of US 2012/0194995 to Wang et al.
As to claim 12, Lin discloses the method of claim 9. Lin fails to disclose comprising: forming a first air intake vent in an information handling system housing; forming a second air intake vent in the information handling system housing; housing a second air mover in the information handling system housing proximate to the first air intake vent such that the second air mover is configured to draw air into the information handling system housing via the first air intake vent; and housing the air mover within the information handling system housing at a location substantially further away from the first air intake vent than the second air mover and a location substantially further away from the second air intake vent than the second air mover is located from the first air intake vent, such that the air mover is configured to draw air into the information handling system housing via the second air intake vent. Wang teaches forming a first air intake vent (122, FIG. 3A)) in an information handling system housing; forming a second air intake vent (121) in the information handling system housing; housing a second air mover (600) in the information handling system housing proximate to the first air intake vent such that the second air mover is configured to draw air into the information handling system housing via the first air intake vent; and housing (an) air mover (500) within the information handling system housing at a location substantially further away from the first air intake vent than the second air mover and a location substantially further away from the second air intake vent than the second air mover is located from the first air intake vent, such that the air mover is configured to draw air into the information handling system housing via the second air intake vent. 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 step-down configuration of Lin to be used in a system as taught by Wang in order to provide a cooling means to a laptop computer.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 2012/0121407 to Yamashita, and US 11,719,256 to Wang et al. disclosing step-down members.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMIL ALEXANDER DECKER whose telephone number is (571)272-6578. The examiner can normally be reached 8am-5pm Mon-Fri.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jayprakash Gandhi can be reached at (571) 272-3740. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JAMIL ALEXANDER DECKER/Examiner, Art Unit 2841
/Jayprakash N Gandhi/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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