DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
This action is in response to the claims set filed 08/25/2025 following the Non-Final Rejection of 06/17/2025. Claims 11-13 and 17 were amended; claims 14-15 were cancelled; claim 18 is newly added. Claims 11-13 and 16-18 are currently pending.
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed 08/25/2025, with respect to drawing objections, specification objection, the claim objections, claims rejected under 35 USC § 112(b) and 112(d) have been fully considered and are persuasive. These objections and rejections of 06/17/2025 have been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed 08/25/2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) under 35 USC § 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of the amendments made to the claims.
Applicant's point on page 3 of Remarks related to rejection of claims over Feinberg (US 1669459) in view of Atlas (BE1011631A3) that “in contrast, the rotation axis of the blower unit of Feinberg extends through both the fan housing inlet and the fan housing outlet. Furthermore, the "Atlas" publication discloses an entirely different geometry in which the fan housing is a "volute" or spiral structure in which the inlet and outlet are not in parallel planes, but rather perpendicular to each other, such that the axis of rotation of the fan is not within 0 and 45 decrees of a perpendicular direction with respect to the outlet plane, and in fact does not pass through the plane of the outlet at all. Accordingly, the teachings of Feinberg and Atlas cannot reasonably be combined to obtain the claimed invention” was not found persuasive by the Examiner.
In the disclosure of Feinberg, the rotation axis would extend through the fan housing inlet but not through the fan housing outlet, as shown in fig. 1 of Feinberg. The plane defined by the inlet would be parallel and opposite to the plane defined by the outlet, as shown in figs. 1 and 2 of Feinberg; they are also oriented normal or perpendicular to the rotation axis of the rotor 25. Feinberg in view of Atlas teaches all of the recited limitations in claim 11 as detailed below. In response to applicant's arguments against the references individually, particularly toward Atlas, one cannot show nonobviousness by attacking references individually where the rejections are based on combinations of references. See In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981); In re Merck & Co., 800 F.2d 1091, 231 USPQ 375 (Fed. Cir. 1986). See claim rejections over Feinberg in view of Atlas below for details.
Applicant's point on pages 3-4 of Remarks related to the rejection of claim 13 over Feinberg, Atlas and Wilson (US 2770496) was not found persuasive by the Examiner.
In response to applicant's arguments against the references individually, one cannot show nonobviousness by attacking references individually where the rejections are based on combinations of references. See In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981); In re Merck & Co., 800 F.2d 1091, 231 USPQ 375 (Fed. Cir. 1986).
Applicant's point on pages 4-5 of Remarks that “the Fu and Atlas publications, whether considered individually or in any reasonable combination, fails to disclose or suggest a fan housing, as claimed, in which the fan housing inlet and outlet are in parallel planes; a rotation axis of the fan extends from 0 to 45 degrees with respect to a direction that is perpendicular to the first and second planes; the rotation axis intersects the fan housing inlet, and the rotation axis does not interest the rotation outlet and is spaced from the edge of the outlet, as recited in claim 11, from which claims 16 and 17 depend. The Fu publication is directed to a kitchen range hood in which a radial fan is installed, the hood having an inlet below the fan (not numbered) and an outlet ("smoke exhaust port 230") that is above the fan. While the exhaust port 230 is slightly offset from the center of the fan, the edge of the opening that is closest to an extension of the rotation axis is clearly not spaced from the axis by a distance that is greater than a radius of the fan as claimed. Since the Atlas publication discloses a volute fan housing in which the inlet and outlet are not in parallel planes, it is respectfully submitted that the proposed combination of the Fu and Atlas publications would not have resulted in the claimed invention” was not found persuasive by the Examiner.
Fu discloses a fan housing (see fan mounting cavity 22 or fan housing in Examiner Figure 1) where the planes defined by the inlet and the outlet are horizontal and are parallel and opposite to each other (shown in Examiner Figure 1) and the rotation axis of the fan extending at an angle of zero degrees from perpendicular/normal to these horizontal planes. The rotation axis of the fan is also shown to intersect with the inlet but not the outlet in Examiner Figure 1. The outlet referenced by Applicant is not the outlet which was referenced in the prior Office Action and is presented in Examiner Figure 1 below. The structure of Fu is shown to meet the distance limitation in Examiner Figure 1. In response to applicant's arguments against the references individually, particularly toward Atlas, one cannot show nonobviousness by attacking references individually where the rejections are based on combinations of references. See In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981); In re Merck & Co., 800 F.2d 1091, 231 USPQ 375 (Fed. Cir. 1986). See claim rejections over Fu in view of Atlas below for details.
Claim Objections
Claim 18 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 18 line 2, “connects to cooling air outlet” should likely read “connects to the cooling air outlet”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Interpretation
In light of the instant specification, the word “between” in the phrase “an angle between 0° and 45°” in claim 11 is understood to be inclusive of the endpoints; “between” being typically considered inclusive when referring to a range of numbers.
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.
Claim 18 is 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.
Regarding Claim 18, the limitation “wherein a wall of the fan housing that connects to cooling air outlet and is not located at a roof of the compressor installation” renders the claim indefinite. Claim 18 is directed to a fan housing while the limitation referenced above positively recite a limitation, “is not located at a roof of the compressor installation”, which is beyond the scope of the fan housing. This renders the claim indefinite since it is unclear what the metes and bounds of the claim are given that the structural limitation required by the claim is outside the bounds/scope of a fan housing, which claim 18 is stated as being.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 11 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CN204738981U, herein referenced as Sun.
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Figure 1 of Sun
Regarding Claim 11, Sun discloses a fan housing (see frame 2 in fig. 1; all future citations to reference numbers being to the sole figure of Sun), configured to house a radial fan (see centrifugal impeller 1.1) for drawing in cooling air from an air-cooled compressor installation (this limitation is understood to be an intended use or a manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed, they are not being interpreted as positively recited limitations required by the claimed invention, the disclosure of Sun is capable of accomplishing this function), the fan housing comprising:
a fan inlet (see inlet at collector 1.4 on left side of frame 2 in fig. 1) connectable to a cooler of the compressor installation (this limitation is understood to be an intended use or a manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed, they are not being interpreted as positively recited limitations required by the claimed invention; the disclosure of Sun is capable of accomplishing this function), and
a cooling air outlet (outlet 6),
wherein the fan inlet (inlet at collector 1.4) is located in a first plane of the fan housing (a vertical plane which is defined by the inlet of the collector 1.4) and the cooling air outlet (outlet 6) is located in a second plane of the fan housing (a vertical plane which is defined by the outlet 6), the first plane being parallel and opposite to the second plane (the first plane and the second plane as defined above would be vertical planes which would be provided parallel and opposite to each other between the left side and the right side of frame 2 given the locations of the inlet of collector 1.4 and outlet 6 shown in fig. 1),
wherein an axis of rotation of the radial fan (an axis of rotation of the impeller 1.1 would be horizontal and extend left-right in fig. 1) when housed at the fan inlet extends at an angle between 0° and 45° relative to a direction perpendicular to the first plane (the horizontal axis of rotation of impeller 1.1 would define an angle that is 0° from a direction normal/parallel to the vertical plane which is defined by the inlet of collector 1.4 in fig. 1), said axis of rotation of the radial fan having a first geometric extension (a geometric extension or projection of the rotation axis of the impeller 1.1 to the left toward the collector 1.4 from impeller 1.1 in fig. 1) through the first plane (a leftward geometric extension/projection of the rotation axis of the impeller 1.1 would extend through the vertical plane defined by the inlet of the collector 1.4 in fig. 1) and a second geometric extension through the second plane (a geometric extension or projection of the rotation axis of the impeller 1.1 to the right toward the right side of frame 2 from impeller 1.1 in fig. 1; a rightward extension/projection of the rotation axis of the impeller 1.1 would extend through the vertical plane defined by the outlet 6 in fig. 1),
wherein the second geometric extension of the axis of rotation of the radial fan does not intersect the cooling air outlet, and is spaced from a closest edge of the cooling air outlet by a distance greater than a radius of the radial fan (a rightward extension/projection of the rotation axis of the impeller 1.1 would not extend through the outlet 6 due to the higher location of the outlet 6 in fig. 1; it would also be spaced from the closest edge of the outlet 6 a distance greater than the radius of the fan/impeller 1.1 since the closest/lowest edge of the outlet 6 in fig. 1 is above the highest location of the impeller 1.1, making radially farther from the rotation axis than the radius of the impeller 1.1),
wherein the first geometric extension of the axis of rotation of the radial fan passes through the fan inlet (a leftward geometric extension/projection of the rotation axis of the impeller 1.1 would extend through the vertical plane defined by the inlet of the collector 1.4 in fig. 1), wherein the fan housing is provided on its inside with sound-absorbing material (see material forming the silencer end 5 in fig. 1; “a silencer end 5 is provided on all sides of the interior of the second part 2.2, at the non-air outlet 6 ends. By setting the silencer end 5, the noise of the centrifugal fan can be effectively reduced” pr. 16).
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.
Claim(s) 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun as applied to claim 11 above, and further in view of US 9057384, herein referenced as Chen.
Regarding Claim 18, Sun discloses the fan housing according to claim 11, wherein a wall of the fan housing that connects to cooling air outlet (see horizontal uppermost wall of the frame 2 in fig. 1 which is connected to the outlet 6) and is not located at a roof of the compressor installation (the horizontal uppermost wall of the frame 2 may be not located at a roof of the compressor installation of a greater assembly) extends [relative to] the direction perpendicular to the first plane (the horizontal uppermost wall of frame 2 is shown to extend relative to a direction perpendicular/normal to the vertical plane of the inlet in fig. 1) to guide airflow from the radial fan to the cooling air outlet (the horizontal uppermost wall of frame 2 is shown to extend at an angle of zero degrees relative to a direction perpendicular/normal to the vertical plane of the inlet in fig. 1 such that it forms a duct/passage for airflow exiting the impeller 1.1 to guide and direct the airflow leaving the impeller 1.1 toward the outlet 6 in fig. 1).
However, Sun fails to anticipate wherein a wall of the fan housing that connects to cooling air outlet extends at an angle to the direction perpendicular to the first plane.
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Figure 3 of Chen
Sun and Chen are analogous art since they both relate to the field of endeavor of fan housings.
Chen teaches of wherein a wall of the fan housing (see airflow-guiding plate 32 figs. 1-4) that connects to cooling air outlet (see outlet of the airflow output channel 33 in figs. 2-3) extends at an angle to the direction perpendicular to the first plane (the airflow-guiding plate 32 is shown to be aslant in fig. 3, “angle θ1 between the airflow-guiding plate 32 and the main plate 300 is ranged between 90 and 180 degrees” col. 3 lines 31-32; it is shown to extend at a slanted angle relative to a direction perpendicular/normal to the vertical plane which would be defined by the airflow inlet in figs. 1 and 3). Chen teaches that “due to the airflow-guiding plate 32, the integrated fan 1 of the present invention also has the advantages of the typical axial-flow fan (e.g. high airflow capacity)” in col. 4 lines 6-10.
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the horizontal uppermost wall of frame 2 of Sun to be aslant/angled to the direction perpendicular to the first plane, as disclosed by Chen, so as to obtain the benefit of higher airflow capacity, as taught by Chen. Further, the aslant/angled wall that connects to the outlet would provide a smother surface transition to the outlet relative to a right angled surface transition.
Claim(s) 11-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 1669459, herein referenced as Fienberg, in view of BE1011631A3 (first cited in Office Action of 06/17/2025), herein referenced as Atlas.
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Figure 1 of Fienberg
Regarding Claim 11, Fienberg discloses a fan housing (blower unit casing 1 fig. 1), configured to house a radial fan (see squirrel cage type fan or rotor 25 in fig. 1) for drawing in cooling air from an air-cooled compressor installation (this limitation is understood to be an intended use or a manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed, they are not being interpreted as positively recited limitations required by the claimed invention, the disclosure of Fienberg is capable of accomplishing this function), the fan housing comprising:
a fan inlet (see large diameter inlet opening 19 fig. 2) connectable to a cooler of the compressor installation (this limitation is understood to be an intended use or a manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed, they are not being interpreted as positively recited limitations required by the claimed invention; the disclosure of Fienberg is capable of accomplishing this function), and
a cooling air outlet (see outlet at discharge compartment 9 fig. 1),
wherein the fan inlet is located in a first plane (see inlet 19 which is located in and defines a vertical plane along the rear wall 4 in fig. 2) of the fan housing and the cooling air outlet is located in a second plane (a vertical plane defined by and including the edges at the outlet of the discharge compartment 9 in fig. 1; shown to be on the front side of the casing 1 in fig. 1) of the fan housing, the first plane being parallel and opposite to the second plane (the first plane defined at the inlet 19 at the rear wall 4 fig. 2 would be parallel and opposite from the second plane defined by the edges of the outlet at the discharge compartment 9 provided at the front side in fig. 1),
wherein an axis of rotation of the radial fan when housed at the fan inlet extends at an angle between 0° and 45° relative to a direction perpendicular to the first plane (the shaft 23 is shown to be provided at an angle that is zero degrees relative to a direction normal/perpendicular to the rear wall 4 in fig. 2), said axis of rotation of the radial fan having a first geometric extension through the first plane (a geometric extension/projection of the shaft 23 toward the rear wall 4 in fig. 2 would extend through the first plane which is defined/includes the rear wall 4 fig. 2) and a second geometric extension through the second plane (a geometric extension/projection of the shaft 23 toward the front wall 3 in fig. 1 would extend through the second plane which is defined/includes the edges of the outlet at the discharge compartment 9 in fig. 1),
wherein the second geometric extension of the axis of rotation of the radial fan does not intersect the cooling air outlet (the geometric extension/projection of the shaft 23 toward the front wall 3 in fig. 1 would not intersection with the outlet at the discharge compartment 9 in fig. 1), and is spaced from a closest edge of the cooling air outlet by a distance greater than a radius of the radial fan (the geometric extension/projection of the shaft 23 toward the front wall 3 is spaced from the closest edge of the outlet by a distance greater than the radius of the fan/rotor 25 in fig. 1 as evident by fig. 2 which shows that the closest edge of the outlet being further out from the shaft 23 than the radius of the rotor 25),
wherein the first geometric extension of the axis of rotation of the radial fan passes through the fan inlet (the geometric extension/projection of the shaft toward the rear wall 4 would extend/pass through the inlet 19 in fig. 2).
However, Fienberg fails to anticipate wherein the fan housing is provided on its inside with sound-absorbing material.
Fienberg and Atlas are analogous art since they both relate to the field of endeavor of fan casings.
Atlas teaches wherein the fan housing (volute 10 fig. 3) is provided on its inside with sound-absorbing material (sound-absorbing material 11 fig. 3; “a volute 10 which can be internally covered with sound-absorbing material 11, in particular synthetic foam, such as polyurethane foam” lines 105-106).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the fan casing of Fienberg to be internally covered with sound-absorbing material as disclosed by Atlas, so as to obtain the benefit of sound absorption/reduction as taught by Atlas.
Regarding Claim 12, the combination of Fienberg and Atlas comprises the fan housing according to claim 11, wherein the sound-absorbing material is manufactured from polyurethane foam (“polyurethane foam” line 126 of Atlas, as used to modify Fienberg), melamine foam, viscoelastic foam, rock wool, glass wool or an acoustic cloth.
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Fienberg and Atlas as applied to claim 11 above, and further in view of US 2770496, herein referenced as Wilson.
Regarding Claim 13, the combination of Fienberg and Atlas comprises a fan housing according to claim 11, but fails to explicitly anticipate wherein a number of baffles and/or baffle plates is arranged in a flow path of an air stream between the fan and cooling air outlet.
Wilson is analogous art since it relates to the field of endeavor of fan casings.
Wilson teaches of wherein a number of baffles and/or baffle plates (see vanes 16 in fig. 3) is arranged in a flow path of an air stream between the fan (2 fig. 3) and cooling air outlet (see outlet at nozzle from walls 32 in fig. 3). Wilson teaches that “In order to secure more uniform disruption of air through chamber 10, a plurality of vanes of varying inclination are provided across the chamber 10” in col. 1 lines 50-53.
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the combination of Fienberg and Atlas with vanes provided between the outlet and fan, as disclosed by Wilson, so as to obtain the benefit of ‘a more uniform distribution of airflow through the duct’ as taught by Wilson.
Claim(s) 11 and 16-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN212362203U (first cited in Office Action of 06/17/2025), herein referenced as Fu, in view of Atlas.
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Examiner Figure 1 – annotated version of fig. 2 of Fu
Regarding Claim 11, Fu discloses a fan housing (see portion of shell for the fan 21 and fan mounting cavity 22 in fig. 2, see box labeled as fan housing in Examiner Figure 1), configured to house a radial fan (21 fig. 2) for drawing in cooling air from an air-cooled compressor installation (see compressor 11 and attached condenser 12 in fig. 2; this limitation is understood to be an intended use or a manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed and is not a positively recited limitation required by the claimed invention; the disclosure of Fu is capable of accomplishing this function), the fan housing comprising:
a fan inlet (see inlet in Examiner Figure 1) connectable (this limitation is understood to be an intended use or a manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed and is not a positively recited limitation required by the claimed invention; the disclosure of Fu is capable of accomplishing this function) to a cooler (see first heat exchanger 12 in fig. 2; “the first heat exchanger 12 is used as a condenser” pr. 35) of the compressor installation (see compressor 11 fig. 2), and
a cooling air outlet (see outlet in Examiner Figure 1 which is the outlet of the fan mounting cavity 22 or fan housing in Examiner Figure 1),
wherein the fan inlet is located in a first plane (a plane defined by the perimeter of the inlet in Examiner Figure 1, this plane would be horizontally oriented) of the fan housing and the cooling air outlet is located in a second plane (a plane defined by the perimeter of the outlet in Examiner Figure 1, this plane would be horizontally oriented) of the fan housing, the first plane being parallel and opposite to the second plane (the horizontal plane defined by the inlet and the horizontal plane defined by the perimeter of the outlet would be parallel and opposite relative to each other as shown in Examiner Figure 1 as they would both be horizontal and arranged on opposite sides of the fan housing in Examiner Figure 1),
wherein an axis of rotation of the radial fan (see axis of fan 21 in Examiner Figure 1) when housed at the fan inlet extends at an angle between 0° and 45° relative to a direction perpendicular to the first plane (the rotation axis of the fan 21 is shown to be provided at an angle that is zero degrees relative to a direction normal/perpendicular to the horizontal plane defined by the inlet in Examiner Figure 1), said axis of rotation of the radial fan having a first geometric extension through the first plane (a geometric extension/projection of the rotation axis of the fan 21 toward the inlet in Examiner Figure 1 which would be in a downward direction from the fan 21 in Examiner Figure 1) and a second geometric extension through the second plane (a geometric extension/projection of the rotation axis of the fan 21 vertically toward the outlet in Examiner Figure 1 which would be in an upward direction from the fan 21 in Examiner Figure 1),
wherein the second geometric extension of the axis of rotation of the radial fan does not intersect the cooling air outlet (an upward geometric extension/projection of the rotation axis from the fan 21 would not intersect with the outlet in Examiner Figure 1), and is spaced from a closest edge of the cooling air outlet by a distance greater than a radius of the radial fan (and closest edge of the outlet is shown to be spaced horizontally further from the geometric extension/projection of the rotation axis than the radius of the fan 21 as it is horizontally spaced further away from the rotation axis than the radius of the fan 21 in Examiner Figure 1),
wherein the first geometric extension of the axis of rotation of the radial fan passes through the fan inlet (the downward geometric extension/projection of the rotation axis is shown to pass through the inlet in Examiner Figure 1).
However, Fu fails to anticipate wherein the fan housing is provided on its inside with sound-absorbing material.
Fu and Atlas are analogous art since they both relate to the field of endeavor of fan casings.
Atlas teaches wherein the fan housing (volute 10 fig. 3) is provided on its inside with sound-absorbing material (sound-absorbing material 11 fig. 3; “a volute 10 which can be internally covered with sound-absorbing material 11, in particular synthetic foam, such as polyurethane foam” lines 105-106).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the fan casing of Fu to be internally covered with sound-absorbing material as disclosed by Atlas, so as to obtain the benefit of sound absorption/reduction as taught by Atlas.
Regarding Claim 16, the combination of Fu and Atlas comprises an air-cooled compressor installation (see installation in fig. 2 of Fu with the compressor 11 and the first heat exchanger 12, “the first heat exchanger 12 is used as a condenser” pr. 35 of Fu; the condenser 12 utilizes the airflow to remove the sensible and latent heat from the entire system, including the compressor) comprising the fan housing according to claim 11 (see rejection of claim 11 above over the combination of Fu and Atlas).
Regarding Claim 17, the combination of Fu and Atlas comprises a kit of parts comprising a fan housing according to claim 11 (see rejection of claim 11 above over the combination of Fu and Atlas), including the radial fan, the fan housing (see fan 21 within the fan housing in Examiner Figure 1), a cooler (see first heat exchanger 12 in fig. 2 of Fu; “the first heat exchanger 12 is used as a condenser” pr. 35 of Fu) suitable for being connected to the fan housing (shown to be in connection with the fan housing in Examiner Figure 1), and a compressor (compressor 11 fig. 2 of Fu).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
JP3457165B2 – Patent publication which was meant to be cited in the IDS of 10/03/2025 and has been considered by Examiner.
US 11867201 and US 8257156 – discloses angled airflow deflectors which present an angled/oblique surface leading towards a right-angle outlet of a fan assembly.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Wesley Fisher whose telephone number is (469)295-9146. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00AM to 5:30PM, Monday - Friday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Court Heinle can be reached at (571) 270-3508. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/W.L.F./Examiner, Art Unit 3745
/COURTNEY D HEINLE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3745