Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/841,859

Heat Sink

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Aug 27, 2024
Examiner
MCKINNON, TERRELL L
Art Unit
3632
Tech Center
3600 — Transportation & Electronic Commerce
Assignee
Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ)
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
26%
Grant Probability
At Risk
1-2
OA Rounds
3y 2m
To Grant
38%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants only 26% of cases
26%
Career Allow Rate
19 granted / 72 resolved
-25.6% vs TC avg
Moderate +12% lift
Without
With
+12.0%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 2m
Avg Prosecution
10 currently pending
Career history
82
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§103
50.4%
+10.4% vs TC avg
§102
29.9%
-10.1% vs TC avg
§112
14.2%
-25.8% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 72 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
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 § 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. The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows: 1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art. 2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue. 3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art. 4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness. Claims 9-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kallmark (WO 2018054462) in view of Myhre et al. (WO 2019151914). Reg. Cl. 9, Kallmark discloses: A heat sink comprising: a base having a surface and a central longitudinal axis, the surface comprising a first portion and a second portion disposed along the central longitudinal axis; a first plurality of projecting members (3, Fig. 8) extending from the first portion of the surface and a second plurality of projecting members (3, Fig. 8) extending from the second portion of the surface, disposed with a transverse axis boundary between the first and second plurality of projecting members, and wherein projecting members from the first plurality of projecting members are elongated fully throughout the first portion along the surface parallel to one another and to the central longitudinal axis, and wherein the first plurality of projecting members are uniformly spaced along the first portion; and wherein at least parts or some projecting members of the second plurality of projecting members are straightly elongated along the surface and arranged angled relative to the first plurality of projecting members (Fig. 8). Kallmark fails to disclose the following limitations. However, Myhre et al. teaches, a plurality of projecting members with a plurality of channels that divide the plurality of projecting members into portions (Figs. 6B, 9B-D, 9F, 9H). Reg. Cl. 10 Kallmark fails to disclose the following limitations. However, Myhre et al. teaches: wherein the channels are formed through cuts in at least some projecting members of the second plurality of projecting members (Figs. 6B, 9B-D, 9F, 9H). Reg. Cl. 11, Kallmark fails to disclose the following limitations. However, Myhre et al. teaches: wherein the plurality of channels extend along an axis forming an acute angle relative to the central longitudinal axis (Figs. 9B-D, 9F, 9H). Reg. Cl. 12, Kallmark fails to disclose the following limitations. However, Myhre et al. teaches: wherein one or more channels of the plurality of channels are arranged in a trapezoidal shape such that a lower part is more narrow than an upper part of the one or more channels (Figs. 9B-D, 9F, 9H). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify Kallmark's invention with Myhre et al's teachings of the second portion has a plurality of channels that divide the second plurality of projecting members into portions; wherein the channels are formed through cuts in at least some projecting members of the second plurality of projecting members; wherein the plurality of channels extend along an axis forming an acute angle relative to the central longitudinal axis; and wherein one or more channels of the plurality of channels are arranged in a trapezoidal shape such that a lower part is more narrow than an upper part of the one or more channels. Doing so would provide an alternative heatsink fin structure for efficiency cooling heat generated devices 4 Claims 13-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kallmark (WO 2018054462) in view of Myhre et al. (WO 2019151914), as applied to claims above, and further in view of Hayashi et al. (JP -11330753). Reg. Cl. 13, Kallmark’s invention as modified by Myhre et al., shows but does not explicitly disclose the following limitations. However, Hayashi et al. teaches: wherein the first portion for cooling analog components is arranged on a first side of a part of the transverse axis boundary and the second portion is arranged on a second side of the transverse axis boundary (Figs. 2, 4, 6). Reg. Cl. 14, Kallmark’s invention as modified by Myhre et al., shows but does not explicitly disclose the following limitations. However, Hayashi et al. teaches: wherein: the second portion of the surface comprises a third portion and a fourth portion, and the second plurality of projecting members comprise a third plurality of projecting members extending from the third portion of the second surface and a fourth plurality of projecting members extending from the fourth portion of the second surface, wherein the third plurality of projecting members and the fourth plurality of projecting members are inwardly and upwardly angled relative to one another (Figs. 2, 4, 6). Reg. Cl. 15, Kallmark’s invention as modified by Myhre et al., teaches the following limitations. wherein the plurality of channels comprise a central channel extending between the third plurality of projecting members and the fourth plurality of projecting members. Reg. Cl. 16, Kallmark’s invention fails to disclose the following limitations. However, Myhre et al. teaches: wherein the central channel has an axis coinciding with the central longitudinal axis. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify Kallmark’s heatsink with Hayashi et al’s teachings of first, second, third and fourth portions containing projecting members with the above mentioned limitations. Doing so would provide design portions to the heatsink structure for cooling heat generating devices. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The Applicant is advised to review prior art cited on the PTO-892. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TERRELL L MCKINNON whose telephone number is (571)272-4797. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri. 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Terrell L McKinnon can be reached at 571-272-4797. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /TERRELL L MCKINNON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3632
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Aug 27, 2024
Application Filed
Jan 28, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §103 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
26%
Grant Probability
38%
With Interview (+12.0%)
3y 2m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 72 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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