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 Objections
Claim 17 is objected to because of the following informalities: “the remaining partially flows” should read “the remaining fluid partially flows”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-4, 6, 13-15 and all those dependent thereon are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
As to claim 1 line 10, it is unclear if “in an extension direction thereof” refers to the extension direction of the “end” or refers to the direction of formation of the “vortex protrusion”.
As to claim 2, it is unclear if the “one direction” of line 2 is the same as the “extending direction” of lines 2-3.
As to claim 2, “the other direction” of line 4 lacks antecedent basis.
As to claim 2, the “vortex formation member” comprises the “vortex arm”, it is unclear how then can the vortex arm be coupled to the vortex formation member (coupled to itself) as stated in line 5.
As to claim 3, “the other direction” of line 4 lacks antecedent basis.
As to claim 4, it is unclear if the “outside” of line 3 refers to outside the housing, or outside the fluid channel module.
As to claim 6, it is unclear if “the other end” of line 2 is referring to “the other end” of claim 2, or if this is a new limitation.
As to claim 13, it is difficult to ascertain the relationship between the fluid channel division member, the duct member, and the support plate. The phrase “face each other with a support plate” is unclear and appears to be a literal translation.
As to claim 14, the phrase “coupled to the one of the substrates and another one adjacent to the one of the substrates” of line 15 is unclear. Examiner has no interpretation.
As to claim 15, “the other pair of substrates” in line 4 lacks antecedent basis.
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 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 5,959,351 to Sasaki et al.
Sasaki discloses;
As to claim 1, a fluid channel module (12, 4, 5, 7, FIG. 1), comprising: a fluid channel division member (bottom outlet of 12) communicating with a space (4) of a housing (structure encompassing 12, 4, 9, and 10) to allow a fluid (13) flowing in the space to be introduced thereinto; a duct member (4) which is coupled to the fluid channel division member and communicates with the fluid channel division member to allow the fluid to flow therethrough; and a vortex formation member (5) which is coupled to the duct member and communicates with the duct member to allow the fluid to flow therethrough, wherein the vortex formation member includes a vortex protrusion (7) formed on an inner surface of an end in an extension direction thereof and configured such that the fluid is discharged while forming a vortex (col. 4, ll. 45-50).
As to claim 14, a power device (FIG. 1) comprising: a housing (structure encompassing 12, 4, 9, and 10) in which a housing space (12, 4, 9, 10) communicating with the outside (via 12 and 15) is formed; an electrical connection unit (2) accommodated in the housing space, and electrically connected to the outside (electrical connection must be connected to the outside in one form or another to receive power as there is no battery in the housing); and a fluid channel module (12, 4, 5, 7) coupled to the electrical connection unit (fluidly coupled), and configured to form a fluid channel of a fluid (13) for cooling the electrical connection unit, wherein the electrical connection unit comprises a plurality of substrates (3) disposed to be spaced apart from each other and to be stacked (substrates 3 are stacked vertically one above another), wherein the fluid channel module comprises: a fluid channel division member (bottom outlet of 12) communicating with a housing space to allow a fluid flowing in the housing space to be introduced thereinto; a duct member (4) which is coupled to one of the plurality of the substrates (fluidly coupled) and the fluid channel division member, and communicates with the fluid channel division member to allow the fluid flow therethrough; and a vortex formation member (5) which is coupled to the one of the substrates and another one adjacent to the one of the substrates, and communicates with the duct member to allow the fluid flow therethrough, wherein the vortex formation member includes a vortex protrusion (7) formed on an inner surface of an end in an extension direction thereof and configured such that the fluid is discharged while forming a vortex.
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) 1-3, 5-9, and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2013/0329362 to Huang et al. in view of JP 2011/203518 to Wakabayashi (herein Waka).
As to claim 1, Huang discloses a fluid channel module (1, 4, 41, see FIG. 1 with annotations below), comprising: a fluid channel division member (1) communicating with a space of a housing (5) to allow a fluid flowing in the space to be introduced thereinto; a duct member (DM) which is coupled to the fluid channel division member (1, fluidly coupled) and communicates with the fluid channel division member to allow the fluid to flow therethrough, and a vortex formation member (4,41) which is coupled to the duct member and communicates with the duct member to allow the fluid to flow therethrough. Huang fails to disclose wherein the vortex formation member includes a vortex protrusion formed on an inner surface of an end in an extension direction thereof and configured such that the fluid is discharged while forming a vortex. Waka teaches a vortex protrusion (71(70), FIG. 4) formed on an inner surface of a fluid flow conduit in an extension direction thereof and configured such that the fluid is discharged while forming a vortex (see para Modification 4). 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 vortex formation member of Huang with a protrusion as taught by Waka in order to improve the cooling efficiency of the fluid as taught by Waka (see para Modification 4).
As to claim 2, modified Huang discloses the fluid channel module of claim 1, wherein the vortex formation member comprises: a vortex body (4) formed to extend in one direction (see FIG. 1 below) and having one end in the extending direction coupled to the duct member; and a vortex arm (41) formed to extend in the other direction, and having one end in the extending direction coupled to the vortex formation member and having the other end in the extending direction formed open to discharge the fluid.
As to claim 3, modified Huang discloses the fluid channel module of claim 2, wherein the vortex formation member comprises: a first vortex hollow (1V, see FIG. 1 below with annotations) formed through the inside of the vortex body (4) along the one direction and communicating with the inside of the duct member; and a second vortex hollow (2V) formed through the inside of the vortex arm along the other direction and communicating with the first vortex hollow and the outside, respectively.
As to claim 5, modified Huang discloses the fluid channel module of claim 2, wherein the vortex arm(s) are formed in plural (4 instances of 41), and the plurality of vortex arms are coupled to an outer circumference of the vortex body (4) at different positions.
As to claim 6, modified Huang discloses the fluid channel module of claim 2. Huang fails to disclose wherein the vortex protrusion is formed to protrude from the inner surface of the other end of the vortex arm toward the radially inside. Waka teaches wherein the vortex protrusion (71) is formed to protrude from an inner surface of a vortex arm (66R, Fig 3) toward the radially inside. 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 vortex formation member of Huang with a protrusion as taught by Waka in order to improve the cooling efficiency of the fluid as taught by Waka (see para Modification 4).
As to claim 7, modified Huang discloses the fluid channel module of claim 6. Huang fails to disclose wherein the vortex protrusion is provided in plural, and the plurality of vortex protrusions are disposed to be spaced apart from each other along an inner circumferential surface of the vortex arm. Waka teaches wherein the vortex protrusion (71, Fig. 3) is provided in plural, and the plurality of vortex protrusions are disposed to be spaced apart from each other along an inner circumferential surface (protrusions are spaced in a clockwise manner) of vortex arm (66R). 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 vortex formation member of Huang with a protrusion as taught by Waka in order to improve the cooling efficiency of the fluid as taught by Waka (see para Modification 4).
As to claim 8, modified Huang discloses the fluid channel module of claim 1, wherein the vortex formation member is formed to extend along one direction (see annotated FIG. 1), and the duct member is formed to extend obliquely at a predetermined angle with respect to the one direction (duct member DM is at about a 45° angle with respect to the one direction).
As to claim 9, modified Huang discloses the fluid channel module of claim 8, wherein one end of the duct member (DM) in an extending direction is coupled to the vortex formation member (4), and the other end of the duct member in the extending direction is coupled to the fluid channel division member (1, fluidly coupled).
As to claim 11, modified Huang discloses the fluid channel module of claim 1, wherein the fluid channel division member comprises: a dividing body coupled to the duct member (the largely straight surface of 1 being fluidly coupled to 41); and a divided space formed inside the dividing body and open to allow the fluid to flow therein (the divided space being space separating 1 from 41).
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Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2013/0329362 to Huang et al. in view of JP 2011/203518 to Wakabayashi (herein Waka) further in view of US 5,559,673 to Gagnon.
As to claim 10, modified Huang discloses the fluid channel module of claim 1. Huang fails to disclose wherein the duct member is made of a flexible material. Gagnon teaches a duct member (56) made from a flexible material (col. 7, ll. 35-38). 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 duct member of Huang to be composed of a flexible material as taught by Gagnon in order to allow diversity of arrangement in installation.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 12 and 16-20 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. US 7,184,267 to Patel disclosing a cooling of substrates with a power unit.
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/JAMIL ALEXANDER DECKER/Examiner, Art Unit 2841
/Jayprakash N Gandhi/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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