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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
1. In the event that the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) 1-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Attlesey et al. US20070267741.
Per claim 1 Attlesey et al. teaches a passive fluid cooling system ([0004], [0012], see fig.3A-3B), comprising: an immersion cooling tank (1; [0052], [0060]) including a volume of fluid ([0045], [0056], “coolant”); and a plurality of fluid cooling channels (3, 44 & 48, see fig.3A-3B & 12A-12B) attached to exterior sidewalls of the immersion cooling tank (see fig.3A-3B), wherein flow of the fluid through the plurality of fluid cooling channels positioned on the exterior sidewalls of the immersion cooling tank removes heat from the volume of fluid ([0073]).
Per claim 2 Attlesey et al. teaches the passive fluid cooling system of Claim 1, wherein the plurality of fluid cooling channels (3, 44 & 48, see fig.3A-3B & 12A-12B) are attached to the immersion cooling tank (1) at first and second portions of the immersion cooling tank (see fig.3A-3B & 12A-12B), wherein as a temperature of the fluid in the immersion cooling tank increases, a density of the fluid decreases causing less dense fluid to rise to a top of the immersion cooling tank ([0073], “Examiner asserts that as the water heats up, the less dense water (i.e. the warm water/fluid) rises to the top and the denser water (i.e. the cooled fluid/water) sinks to the bottom due to its slowed molecules”) and flow into the plurality of fluid cooling channels cooling the fluid and flow back into the immersion cooling tank at a bottom portion of the immersion cooling tank ([0073], “The paragraph asserts that the upper area contains the warmer fluid which is pumped and cooled via the heat exchanger and pipes”).
Per claim 3 Attlesey et al. teaches the passive fluid cooling system of Claim 2, wherein the flow of the fluid through the plurality of fluid cooling channels decreases the temperature of the fluid providing a cooled fluid ([0073]).
Per claim 4 Attlesey et al. teaches the passive fluid cooling system of Claim 3, wherein the immersion cooling tank further includes electronic components positioned in the immersion cooling tank ([0052]) and wherein the cooled fluid cools the electronic components positioned in the immersion cooling tank ([0051], Abstract).
Per claim 5 Attlesey et al. teaches the passive fluid cooling system of Claim 1, wherein the flow of the fluid through the plurality of cooling channels is induced without use of fans and/or pumps such that efficiency of power usage is increased ([0009], [0054], [0083]).
Per claim 6 Attlesey et al. teaches the passive fluid cooling system of Claim 1, wherein the plurality of fluid cooling channels have one of a finned shape (see fig.12A), a radial disc shape, a fractal design, a rectangular shape, a racetrack shape, a round shape, a flat channel shape and combinations thereof.
Per claim 7 Attlesey et al. teaches the passive fluid cooling system of Claim 1, wherein the fluid is thermally conductive and electrically insulating ([0045], “dielectric”).
Per claim 8 Attlesey et al. teaches the passive fluid cooling system of Claim 7, wherein the fluid has electrically insulating properties to ensure that the fluid can safely contact energized electronic components ([0045], “dielectric”).
Per claim 9 Attlesey et al. teaches the passive fluid cooling system of Claim 8, wherein the fluid does not damage electronic components ([0045], “dielectric”).
Per claim 10 Attlesey et al. teaches a passive cooling apparatus ([0004], [0012], see fig.3A-3B) comprising: an immersion cooling tank (1; [0052], [0060]) including a volume of fluid ([0045], [0056], “coolant”); and a plurality of fluid cooling channels (3, 44 & 48, see fig.3A-3B & 12A-12B) attached to exterior sidewalls of the immersion cooling tank (see fig.3A-3B), wherein flow of the fluid through the plurality of fluid cooling channels positioned on the exterior sidewalls of the immersion cooling tank removes heat from the volume of fluid ([0073]).
Per claim 11 Attlesey et al. teaches the passive cooling apparatus of Claim 10, wherein the plurality of fluid cooling channels (3, 44 & 48, see fig.3A-3B & 12A-12B) are attached to the immersion cooling tank (1) at first and second portions of the immersion cooling tank (see fig.3A-3B & 12A-12B), as a temperature of the fluid in the immersion cooling tank increases, a density of the fluid decreases causing less dense fluid to rise to a top of the immersion cooling tank ([0073], “Examiner asserts that as the water heats up, the less dense water (i.e. the warm water/fluid) rises to the top and the denser water (i.e. the cooled fluid/water) sinks to the bottom due to its slowed molecules”) and flow into the plurality of fluid cooling channels cooling the fluid and flow back into the immersion cooling tank at a bottom portion of the immersion cooling tank ([0073], “The paragraph asserts that the upper area contains the warmer fluid which is pumped and cooled via the heat exchanger and pipes”).
Per claim 12 Attlesey et al. teaches the passive cooling apparatus of Claim 11, wherein the flow of the fluid through the plurality of fluid cooling channels decreases the temperature of the fluid providing a cooled fluid ([0073]).
Per claim 13 Attlesey et al. teaches the passive cooling apparatus of Claim 10, wherein the flow of the fluid through the plurality of cooling channels is induced without use of fans and/or pumps such that efficiency of power usage is increased ([0009], [0054], [0083]).
Per claim 14 Attlesey et al. teaches the passive cooling apparatus of Claim 10, wherein the plurality of fluid cooling channels have one of a finned shape (see fig.12A), a radial disc shape, a fractal design, a rectangular shape, a racetrack shape, a round shape, a flat channel shape and combinations thereof.
Per claim 15 Attlesey et al. teaches the passive cooling apparatus of Claim 10, wherein the fluid is thermally conductive and electrically insulating ([0045], “dielectric”).
Per claim 16 Attlesey et al. teaches the passive cooling apparatus of Claim 15, wherein the fluid has electrically insulating properties to ensure that the fluid can safely contact energized electronic components ([0045], “dielectric”).
Per claim 17 Attlesey et al. teaches the passive cooling apparatus of Claim 16, wherein the fluid does not damage electronic components ([0045], “dielectric”).
Per claim 18 Attlesey et al. teaches an immersion cooling tank comprising: a plurality of fluid cooling channels attached to exterior sidewalls of the immersion cooling tank ([0004], [0012], [0052], [0060], [0073], see fig.3A-3B), wherein flow of a volume of fluid through the plurality of fluid cooling channels positioned on the exterior sidewalls of the immersion cooling tank removes heat from the fluid ([0073]); and wherein the tank includes built in features (13; [0053]) that guide less dense fluid into the plurality of fluid cooling channels ([0053]).
Per claim 19 Attlesey et al. teaches the immersion cooling tank of Claim 18, wherein the built in features (13) comprise a portion (40, see fig.10) of a top of the tank angling downward to facilitate entry of the fluid into the plurality of fluid cooling channels (see fig.10; [0053] & [0073]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
2. In the event that the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Attlesey et al. US20070267741 in view of Brink US20180343770.
Per claim 20 Attlesey et al. teaches the immersion cooling tank of Claim 18,
Attlesey et al. does not explicitly teach wherein the built in features include baffles inside the tank to direct the flow of the fluid, the baffles being one of an integral part of the tank and installed separately.
Brink however discloses wherein a built in features include baffles (6; [0004]) inside the tank to direct the flow of the fluid, the baffles being one of an integral part of the tank and installed separately (see fig.1-4).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have baffles or vertical separating walls as taught by Brink in the immersion cooling tank of Attlesey et al., because it enables a better control of the fluid movement, it improves mixing and enhances the performance of the components in the immersion tank due to its vertical circulation.
Email Communication
3. Applicant is encouraged to authorize the Examiner to communicate via email by filing form PTO/SB/439 either via USPS, Central Fax, or EFS-Web. See MPEP 502.01, 502, 502.05.
Conclusion
4. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Inano et al. US20170303443 discloses a data center comprising: a liquid immersion tank that holds an information processing apparatus in a cooling liquid; a cooling apparatus that cools a pipe exposed to outside air and through which the cooling liquid flows from the liquid immersion tank.
Tufty et al. US20190124790 discloses a liquid submersion cooled computer, comprising: a sealed, liquid-tight enclosure defining an interior space, the sealed, liquid-tight enclosure having a plurality of walls including a bottom wall; a circuit board disposed in the interior space.
Applicants are directed to consider additional pertinent prior are included on the Notice of References Cited (PTOL 892) attached herewith. The Examiner has pointed out particular references contained in the prior art of record within the body of this action for the convenience of the Applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply. Applicant, in preparing the response, should consider fully the entire reference as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL A MATEY whose telephone number is (571)270-5648. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8-5 EST.
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, JAYPRAKASH GANDHI can be reached at 5712723740. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MICHAEL A MATEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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