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 Interpretation
The claims are given their broadest reasonable interpretation in light of the specification. Consistent with paragraph [0031] of the instant specification — in which the length direction of the heat dissipation teeth coincides with the length direction of the vibration piece “to facilitate rapid passage of the air flow through the heat dissipation channels” formed by the intervals between the teeth — the recitation “a length direction of the heat dissipation teeth coincides with a length direction of the vibration piece” (claims 6 and 17) is interpreted to require that the direction of elongation of the teeth is parallel to the direction of elongation of the vibration piece, such that the airflow generated by the vibration piece is directed along the heat dissipation channels.
Claim Rejections — 35 U.S.C. § 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.
Claims 1–3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tanaka (US 2011/0120679 A1).Regarding claim 1, Tanaka discloses a heat dissipation device (cooling device 2 in FIGS. 5–7; paragraph [0044]), comprising a heat dissipation body (heat sink 20 having a plurality of heat dissipating fins 22 extending from a base portion 21; paragraph [0044]), wherein the heat dissipation device further comprises an enhanced heat dissipation assembly (piezoelectric fan 101 in FIG. 4; paragraph [0044]) comprising at least one driving part (piezoelectric elements 112; paragraph [0045]) and at least one vibration piece (vibrating plate 111 including blades 141 to 147; paragraph [0045]), each vibration piece is connected to a corresponding driving part (the piezoelectric elements 112 are attached to both surfaces of the vibrating plate 111; paragraph [0045]), and the driving part is configured to vibrate under an excitation condition and drive the vibration piece to vibrate (by expanding and contracting the piezoelectric elements 112 — driven by a sine wave AC voltage of about 24 Vpp at about 90 Hz applied between the electrode of each piezoelectric element and the vibrating plate — the vibrating plate 111 is bent and the blades 141 to 147 swing; paragraphs [0045] and [0053]), so as to form an airflow to assist heat dissipation through the heat dissipation body (the swinging blades generate airflow within the grooves between the heat dissipating fins 22, improving the thermal resistance of the heat sink 20 from about 3.2 K/W to about 2.6 K/W; paragraphs [0054] and [0055]).Regarding claim 2, Tanaka discloses wherein the excitation condition comprises a periodically varying electric field (a sine wave AC voltage of about 24 Vpp at about 90 Hz applied between the electrode of each piezoelectric element and the vibrating plate; paragraph [0053]), the driving part comprises an electric signal receiving portion (the electrode film of each piezoelectric element 112; paragraph [0048]) and a connecting portion (the piezoelectric ceramics of each piezoelectric element 112; paragraph [0048]), the electric signal receiving portion is configured to receive the periodically varying electric field (the driving voltage is applied between each electrode and the vibrating plate 111; paragraph [0048]), the connecting portion is made of a piezoelectric material (the piezoelectric ceramics; paragraph [0048]), the connecting portion is electrically connected to the electric signal receiving portion so that the electric signal receiving portion transmits the received periodically varying electric field to the connecting portion (each piezoelectric element 112 includes an electrode film disposed on the surface of the piezoelectric ceramics thereof, and the driving voltage applied between each electrode and the vibrating plate 111, functioning as an intermediate electrode, places the varying field across the piezoelectric ceramics; paragraph [0048]), and the connecting portion is further connected to the vibration piece (the piezoelectric elements 112 are attached to both surfaces of the vibrating plate 111, and polarization treatment is performed such that the vibrating plate 111 is bent in the longitudinal direction by applying the driving voltage; paragraphs [0045] and [0048]).Regarding claim 3, Tanaka discloses wherein one end of the vibration piece is connected to the connecting portion, and the other end of the vibration piece is a free end (the blades 141 to 147 are provided at one end of the vibrating plate 111, at the portion extending from where the piezoelectric elements 112 are attached, and the tips of the blades are unconstrained — the amplitude of the tip of each blade was measured during driving, the tips swinging with amplitudes of up to about 11.5 mm; paragraphs [0045], [0047], and [0053]).
Claim Rejections — 35 U.S.C. § 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.
Claims 4, 5, 8, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tanaka (US 2011/0120679 A1) in view of Ren (CN 210868534 U, machine translation attached; citations to the original paragraph numbering).
Regarding claim 4, Tanaka does not disclose a heat dissipation case on which the heat dissipation body and the enhanced heat dissipation assembly are provided. Ren teaches a heat dissipation case (host shell 1 in FIGS. 1–2; paragraph [0025]) on which a heat dissipation body (fin group 4 having fin base plate 401 and fins 402; paragraphs [0025] and [0035]) and an enhanced heat dissipation assembly (heat dissipation device 3 comprising vibrating fins 301 on fixed base 302, driven to swing by magnetic driver 304; paragraphs [0025], [0027], and [0031]) are provided (the heat dissipation device 3, the fin group 4, and the heat source generating unit 5 are all disposed within the host shell 1, the fixed base 302 being bolted to the side of the host shell 1; paragraphs [0025] and [0030]), the case being provided with heat dissipation holes at its bottom end and at the side corresponding to the heat dissipation device (paragraph [0036]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the heat dissipation body and vibration-assisted heat dissipation assembly of Tanaka within a heat dissipation case as taught by Ren, in order to house and protect the heat-generating unit and cooling components in a deployable equipment enclosure while permitting airflow through heat dissipation holes (Ren, paragraphs [0002] and [0036]), with the predictable result of an enclosed electronic device whose finned body is cooled by the vibrating assembly within the case.
Regarding claim 5, Ren further teaches wherein the enhanced heat dissipation assembly is provided at a bottom of the heat dissipation case (the bottom end of the host shell 1 is provided with heat dissipation holes at the location corresponding to the heat dissipation device 3, and the bottom surface of the fixed base 302 faces the upper end face of the host shell 1; paragraphs [0030] and [0036]; FIGS. 1–2). The motivation to combine is as set forth in the rejection of claim 4 above.Regarding claim 8, Ren further teaches wherein the enhanced heat dissipation assembly and the heat dissipation body are arranged in sequence in a height direction of the heat dissipation case (the heat dissipation device 3 is disposed at the bottom end of the host shell 1, at which heat dissipation holes corresponding to the heat dissipation device 3 are provided, and the fin group 4 is disposed within the shell in succession from the heat dissipation device 3 toward the opposite end of the shell; paragraphs [0025], [0030], and [0036]; FIGS. 1–2). The motivation to combine is as set forth in the rejection of claim 4 above.Regarding claim 16, Tanaka discloses the heat dissipation device having the excitation and driving-part architecture of claim 2 as set forth above (paragraphs [0045], [0048], and [0053]). Tanaka does not disclose a heat dissipation case on which the heat dissipation body and the enhanced heat dissipation assembly are provided, the enhanced heat dissipation assembly being provided at a bottom of the heat dissipation case. Ren teaches these features as set forth in the rejections of claims 4 and 5 above (host shell 1 containing the heat dissipation device 3 and fin group 4, with heat dissipation holes provided at the bottom end of the shell at the location corresponding to the heat dissipation device 3; paragraphs [0025], [0030], and [0036]; FIGS. 1–2), and the motivation to combine set forth in the rejection of claim 4 applies equally here.
Claims 6, 7, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tanaka (US 2011/0120679 A1) in view of Hong (WO 2015/096470 A1, machine translation attached).
Regarding claim 6, Tanaka discloses wherein the heat dissipation body comprises a plurality of heat dissipation teeth arranged at intervals (heat dissipating fins 22 extending from base portion 21 parallel to each other with grooves therebetween; paragraph [0044]). Tanaka does not disclose that a length direction of the heat dissipation teeth coincides with a length direction of the vibration piece; in Tanaka the blades depend transversely into the grooves (FIG. 7). Hong teaches a heat dissipation module for a device provided with heat dissipation teeth, in which vibration units each comprising a piezoelectric element and a solid piece generate an airflow directed along the length direction of the solid piece (piezoelectric element 201 driving solid piece 202, producing wind in direction B along the piece; FIG. 2; abstract), and in which the module 301 is arranged at an end of the toothed body 302 such that the airflow is directed along the length direction of the heat dissipation teeth 3021 and through the channels between them (FIGS. 4–5; machine translation, pp. 46–47), the length direction of the solid pieces thereby coinciding with the length direction of the teeth. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to orient the vibration pieces of Tanaka such that their length direction coincides with the length direction of the heat dissipating fins as taught by Hong, in order to direct the generated airflow along the channels between the teeth so that it passes through them directly and rapidly, improving cooling of the finned body (Hong, FIGS. 4–5; abstract), a known arrangement of a known type of piezoelectric vibration cooler yielding predictable results.Regarding claim 7, Tanaka discloses wherein the vibration piece is provided in a gap between two adjacent heat dissipation teeth (blades 141 to 147 located in the grooves between heat dissipating fins 22, each blade swinging between adjacent fins; paragraph [0045]; FIGS. 5–6), a placement Tanaka teaches for compactness and for sweeping the warm air resident between the fins (paragraphs [0044]–[0045]). Hong further teaches fixing the heat dissipation module on the heat dissipation teeth, or removing a part of the heat dissipation teeth and fixing the module in their place such that the module replaces some of the teeth (machine translation, pp. 46–47), demonstrating the embedding of aligned vibration units within the tooth array. In the combination with Hong set forth in the rejection of claim 6 above, the aligned vibration pieces remain disposed in the gaps between adjacent teeth, the orientation taught by Hong being applied to the in-groove pieces of Tanaka.Regarding claim 17, Tanaka discloses the heat dissipation device having the excitation and driving-part architecture of claim 2 as set forth above (paragraphs [0045], [0048], and [0053]), and further discloses wherein the heat dissipation body comprises a plurality of heat dissipation teeth arranged at intervals (heat dissipating fins 22 extending from base portion 21 parallel to each other with grooves therebetween; paragraph [0044]) and wherein the vibration piece is provided in a gap between two adjacent heat dissipation teeth (blades 141 to 147 located in the grooves between the heat dissipating fins 22, each blade swinging between adjacent fins; paragraph [0045]; FIGS. 5–6). Tanaka does not disclose that a length direction of the heat dissipation teeth coincides with a length direction of the vibration piece (FIG. 7). Hong teaches orienting vibration pieces such that the generated airflow is directed along the length direction of the heat dissipation teeth and through the channels between them, including fixing the module on the teeth or in place of a removed portion of the teeth (FIGS. 2 and 4–5; machine translation, pp. 46–47), the length direction of the pieces thereby coinciding with that of the teeth. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to orient the in-groove vibration pieces of Tanaka such that their length direction coincides with the length direction of the heat dissipating fins as taught by Hong, for the reasons set forth in the rejections of claims 6 and 7 above.
Claims 11 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tanaka (US 2011/0120679 A1) in view of Ren (CN 210868534 U) as applied to claims 4 and 5 above, and further in view of Hong (WO 2015/096470 A1).Regarding claim 11, Tanaka discloses wherein the enhanced heat dissipation assembly comprises a plurality of vibration pieces (blades 141 to 147; paragraph [0045]) and a plurality of driving parts (two piezoelectric elements 112 attached so as to sandwich the vibrating plate; paragraph [0048]), and the enhanced heat dissipation assembly further comprises a setting plate on which the vibration pieces are arranged at intervals (the vibrating plate 111, die-cut from a stainless steel plate, on which the seven blades of about 2.0 mm width each are provided at intervals across a total width of about 45 mm; paragraphs [0046] and [0047]), wherein the free end of each vibration piece protrudes out of an edge of the setting plate (the blades extend about 25 mm from the edge portion of the vibrating plate 111 to their tips; paragraph [0047]; FIG. 4). Tanaka arranges the blades to extend downward into the grooves of the heat sink (FIG. 7) and does not disclose that the free end of each of the plurality of vibration pieces faces a top of the heat dissipation case. Hong teaches a heat dissipation module comprising vibration units that generate an airflow directed along the length of the vibrating pieces (FIG. 2), wherein the module is fixed to a bottom end of the equipment such that the air outlet direction is from the bottom end to the top end of the equipment (machine translation, pp. 46–47, description of FIG. 5; FIG. 5), the vibration pieces thereby extending with their free ends toward the top of the equipment. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to arrange the enhanced heat dissipation assembly of Tanaka, as housed in the case of Ren pursuant to the rejection of claim 4, at the bottom of the case with the free ends of the vibration pieces facing the top of the case as taught by Hong, in order to direct the generated airflow from the bottom of the case toward its top so that the airflow traverses the heat dissipation body and cools the equipment throughout its height (Hong, machine translation, pp. 46–47; FIG. 5), a rearrangement of known vibration-cooling components in a known orientation yielding predictable results.
Regarding claim 20, Tanaka discloses the plurality of vibration pieces and driving parts, the setting plate on which the vibration pieces are arranged at intervals, and the free ends protruding out of an edge of the setting plate, as set forth in the rejection of claim 11 above (paragraphs [0045], [0046], [0047], and [0048]; FIG. 4). Tanaka does not disclose the free end of each of the plurality of vibration pieces facing a top of the heat dissipation case. Hong teaches fixing the vibration module at the bottom end of the equipment with the air outlet direction from the bottom end to the top end, the vibration pieces thereby extending with their free ends toward the top (machine translation, pp. 46–47; FIGS. 2 and 5). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to orient the vibration pieces of the bottom-mounted assembly of Tanaka in view of Ren, per the rejection of claim 5 above, with their free ends facing the top of the case as taught by Hong, for the reasons set forth in the rejection of claim 11 above.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tanaka (US 2011/0120679 A1) in view of Ren (CN 210868534 U) as applied to claim 4 above, and further in view of Yang (CN 112351634 A, machine translation attached).Regarding claim 13, Tanaka discloses that each of the driving parts obtains a periodically varying electric field (a sine wave AC driving voltage applied between the electrode of each piezoelectric element 112 and the vibrating plate; paragraphs [0048] and [0053]), and Ren discloses a heat source generating unit disposed together with the heat dissipation device inside the host shell (paragraph [0025]). Neither expressly discloses each driving part electrically connected to a large board inside the heat dissipation case. Yang teaches a radiating device in which the driving elements are electrically connected by a lead to receive alternating current (conductive wire 305 electrically connected with the reverse piezoelectric ceramic sheets 304 to provide alternating current; machine translation, pp. 16–17, description of FIG. 4), the radiating device being mounted in an electronic device on a circuit board that carries the heat generating element (circuit board 700 and heating element 701, which may be a processor; machine translation, pp. 16–17, description of FIG. 9). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to electrically connect the driving parts of the Tanaka assembly, as housed within the case of Ren pursuant to the rejection of claim 4, to the circuit board of the heat generating components inside the case as taught by Yang, in order to supply the alternating driving current to the piezoelectric elements from the equipment’s own board, thereby powering the cooling assembly from the device it cools without external wiring through the case, with predictable results.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tanaka (US 2011/0120679 A1) in view of Ren (CN 210868534 U) and Hong (WO 2015/096470 A1).Regarding claim 15, Tanaka discloses a heat dissipation device including a heat dissipation body, the heat dissipation device further comprising an enhanced heat dissipation assembly comprising at least one driving part and at least one vibration piece, each vibration piece connected to a corresponding driving part, the driving part configured to vibrate under an excitation condition and drive the vibration piece to vibrate so as to form an airflow to assist heat dissipation through the heat dissipation body, as set forth in the rejection of claim 1 above (cooling device 2; heat sink 20 with fins 22; piezoelectric fan 101 with piezoelectric elements 112 and vibrating plate 111 with blades 141 to 147; paragraphs [0044], [0045], [0048], [0053], [0054], and [0055]). Tanaka does not disclose base station equipment comprising the heat dissipation device. Hong teaches a heat dissipation module in which vibration units comprising piezoelectric elements and solid pieces generate a cooling airflow (abstract; FIG. 2), applied to a device provided with heat dissipation teeth that is specifically an RRU (remote radio unit), i.e., base station equipment (machine translation, pp. 46–47; FIGS. 3–6). Ren further teaches housing a vibration-type heat dissipation device together with the heat generating unit and finned body within an equipment shell having a mounting frame for deployment (paragraphs [0025], [0030], and [0036]; FIGS. 1–2). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply the heat dissipation device of Tanaka to base station equipment such as an RRU as taught by Hong, housed in an equipment shell as taught by Ren, in order to cool the heat-generating components of remote radio equipment using a vibration-based airflow generator having low power consumption and no rotating components subject to wear (Hong, abstract; machine translation, pp. 46–47), the application of a known cooling device to a known equipment type yielding predictable results.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9, 10, 12, 14, 18, and 19 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter.
Regarding claims 9 and 18, the prior art of record does not teach or reasonably suggest an enhanced heat dissipation cover fixedly connected to the heat dissipation case, an enhanced heat dissipation through hole formed in the enhanced heat dissipation cover, the enhanced heat dissipation assembly being provided in a space between the enhanced heat dissipation cover and the heat dissipation case, in combination with the other limitations of the base claims.
Regarding claims 10 and 19, the prior art of record does not teach or reasonably suggest a heat dissipation body cover fixedly connected to the heat dissipation case, at least part of the heat dissipation body being located in a space between the heat dissipation case and the heat dissipation body cover, and a body heat dissipation through hole formed in the heat dissipation body cover, in combination with the other limitations of the base claims.
Regarding claim 12, the prior art of record does not teach or reasonably suggest a first positioning member provided on the heat dissipation case and a second positioning member provided on the setting plate, the first positioning member being matched with the second positioning member, in combination with the other limitations of the base claims.
Regarding claim 14, the prior art of record does not teach or reasonably suggest a first sealing member provided between the case bottom plate and the enhanced heat dissipation assembly and a second sealing member provided between the case side plate and the enhanced heat dissipation assembly, in combination with the other limitations of the base claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 7,642,698 – dual direction rake piezo actuator.
US 2007/0090726 – piezoelectric fan.
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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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/ZHENGFU J FENG/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2835 July 22, 2026
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