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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the front-rear and up-down directions of claims 2 and 5; the divider A and the divider B of claims 1, 3 and 6 and the obtuse angle of claim 8 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Examiner suggests amending “the divider” of [0008], [0010-0011], [0013], and [0016] to recite “the diverter”.
Examiner suggests amending [0017], Line 4: “the transition section is located approximate to the water outlet” to “the expansion section is located approximate to the water outlet”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 1 and 3-7 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1, Line 4: “a divider A” and “a divider B” should be amended to recite “a diverter A” and “a diverter B” to properly reflect the nomenclature presented in the specification. Also amend lines 9 and 12 of claim 1 and claims 3 and 6.
Claim 4, Lines 3-4: “one sides of the two main flow channels B converge at the water inlet” should be amended to recite “one sides of the two main flow channels B converge at the water outlet” as it has been established that the divider/diverter B is located at the outlet.
Claim 4, Line 6: “a number” should be amended to recite “the number” as it has already been introduced in parent claim 3.
Claim 5, Line 5: “a up-down direction” should be amended to recite “an up-down direction”.
Claim 7, Line 4: “approximated” should be amended to recite “approximate”.
Claim 7, Lines 5-6: “the transition section is located approximate to the water outlet, and the transition section is located at an intermediate of the base plate” should be amended to recite “the expansion section is located approximate to the water outlet, and the transition section is located at an intermediate part of the base plate”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. Claim 7 recites the limitation “wherein each of the sub-flow channels A or the sub-flow channels B includes a contraction section, a transition section, and an expansion section arranged in sequence”. There is no mention in the specification of how either one or both of the sub-flow channels A,B comprise the contraction, transition and expansion sections. Additionally, the Figures show the sub-flow channel A having a wider area near the inlet and a smaller area near the outlet, which contradicts claim 7. Additionally, Fig. 3 depicts a contraction section, a transition section, and an expansion section arranged in sequence, however is directed toward the sub-channels 5, not the sub-flow channels A,B.
For the purpose of examination below, Examiner interprets claim 7 as reciting:
“wherein each of the sub-channels includes a contraction section, a transition section, and an expansion section arranged in sequence, the contraction section is located approximate to the water inlet, the expansion section is located approximate to the water outlet, and the transition section is located at an intermediate part of the base plate, cross-sectional dimensions of the contraction section, the transition section and the expansion section are gradually increased.” Interpretation includes changes from claim objections above.
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 4, 6 and 8 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.
Claim 4 recites the limitation "the diverter B" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
For the purpose of examination below, Examiner interprets “a divider A” and “a divider B” of claim 1 as reciting “a diverter A” and “a diverter B” and therefore “the diverter B” will be unchanged in the rejection below.
Claim 6 recites the limitation "the plurality of sub-flow channels B" in line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 8 recites the limitation "the contraction section, the transition section and the expansion section" in lines 2-3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
For the purpose of examination below, Examiner interprets claim 8 as depending from claim 7.
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.
Claims 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (CN 116960083 A) in view of Liao (US 20250081387 A1).
As to Claim 1, Chen discloses:
A uniform-temperature radiator with a multi-flow channel (multi-channel radiator, Fig. 1), comprising a base plate (substrate 10), a water inlet (inlet pipe 1) and a water outlet (pitlet pipe 5) respectively arranged at both ends of the base plate 10 (Par. 0037 “a multi-channel radiator with a coolant distributor includes an inlet pipe 1 and an outlet pipe 5 disposed at the front and rear ends of a substrate 10 (the substrate 10 is a metal plate)”), wherein
a multi-channel 3, a diverter A (distributer 2), a diverter B (distributer 4) are arranged between the water inlet 1 and the water outlet 5 (distributers 2 and 4 disposed between inlet 1 and outlet 5);
a cooling liquid is circulated in the multi-flow channel 3 (coolant within 3; Par. 0037 “the reasonable distribution of coolant from the inlet pipe 1 to the multi-channel 3”), a plurality of sub-channels are arranged in the multi-channel 3 in parallel (each channel of 3 is a sub-channel; arranged in parallel), and the cooling liquid is circulated in the sub-channels reasonably (Par. 0037 “The distributor A2 connects the inlet pipe 1 and the multi-channel 3, realizing the reasonable distribution of coolant from the inlet pipe 1 to the multi-channel 3”);
the diverter A (distributer 2) is arranged between the multi-channel 3 and the water inlet 2 (distributer 2 disposed between inlet 1 and channels 3), and is configured to connect the multi-channel 3 and the water inlet 2 to distribute the cooling liquid in the multi-channel 3 reasonably (Par. 0037 “The distributor A2 connects the inlet pipe 1 and the multi-channel 3, realizing the reasonable distribution of coolant from the inlet pipe 1 to the multi-channel 3”); and
the diverter B (distributer 4) is arranged between the multi-channel 3 and the water outlet 5 (distributor 4 is between outlet 5 and channels 3), and is configured to connect the multi-channel 3 and the water outlet 5 to collect the cooling liquid in the multi-channel 3 reasonably (Par. 0037 “the distributor B4 realizes the reasonable collection of coolant from the multi-channel 3 to the outlet pipe 5”).
Chen does not disclose:
a cooling liquid is circulated in the multi-flow channel, a plurality of sub-channels are arranged in the multi-channel in parallel, and the cooling liquid is circulated in the sub-channels uniformly;
the divider A is arranged between the multi-channel and the water inlet, and is configured to connect the multi-channel and the water inlet to distribute the cooling liquid in the multi-channel uniformly.
However, Liao discloses:
a cooling liquid A is circulated in the multi-flow channel (fin assembly 20; Fig. 4), a plurality of sub-channels (channels 21) are arranged in the multi-channel in parallel (channels 21 are in parallel), and the cooling liquid A is circulated in the sub-channels uniformly (Par. 0042 “the dielectric liquid A is ensured to evenly flow into each of the channels 21 of the fin assembly 20 after the dielectric liquid A is shunted by the shunt component 40”);
the divider A (shunt component 40) is arranged between the multi-channel 20 and the water inlet (input port 31; 40 disposed between 31 and 20), and is configured to connect the multi-channel 20 and the water inlet 31 to distribute the cooling liquid A in the multi-channel 20 uniformly (Par. 0039 “dielectric liquid A pushed by the pump to enter the liquid input port 31 from the soft pipe C is shunted to the chamber 32 from each of the manifold passages 41 and pass each of the inlets 211 to flow into the fin assembly 20 through the soft pipe C directly communicating with the liquid input port 31, thus the dielectric liquid A evenly passes each of the channels 21 of the fin assembly 20 to force the dielectric liquid A to flow through each of the fin members 22 for performing the heat exchange”; Par. 0042 “the dielectric liquid A is ensured to evenly flow into each of the channels 21 of the fin assembly 20 after the dielectric liquid A is shunted by the shunt component 40”);
in order to provide even flow through each of the channels greatly increasing the heat dissipation efficiency of the device (Par. 0052).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the related art(s) before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Chen as further suggested by Liao e.g., providing:
a cooling liquid is circulated in the multi-flow channel, a plurality of sub-channels are arranged in the multi-channel in parallel, and the cooling liquid is circulated in the sub-channels uniformly;
the divider A is arranged between the multi-channel and the water inlet, and is configured to connect the multi-channel and the water inlet to distribute the cooling liquid in the multi-channel uniformly;
in order to provide even flow through each of the channels greatly increasing the heat dissipation efficiency of the device.
As to Claim 2, the obvious modification of Chen in view of Liao discloses:
wherein the plurality of sub-channels (channels of 3 of Chen) are arranged in parallel along an up-down direction (channels of 3 arranged in parallel from top to bottom of 10; Chen), and the plurality of sub-channels are extended along a front-rear direction (channels of 3 extend from left to right, corresponding to front to rear; Chen).
As to Claim 3, the obvious modification of Chen in view of Liao discloses:
wherein the diverter A (shunt component 40 of Liao) includes two main flow channels A symmetrically arranged up and down (see Fig. below), one sides of the two main flow channels A converge at the water inlet (left side of highlighted main flow channels converge at 31, corresponds to 1 of Chen), and a plurality of sub-flow channels A are arranged on another sides of the two main flow channels A in parallel (highlighted sub-flow channels disposed on right side of main flow channels), a number of the sub-flow channels A is matched with a number of the sub-channels (21 of Liao), and each of the sub-flow channels A is in communication with a corresponding one of the sub-channels 21 (at least a number of the highlighted sub-flow channels are matched with a number of the channels 21 and in fluid communication; wherein each channel 21 in fluid communication with a highlighted sub-flow channel are defined as corresponding; Liao).
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As to Claim 4, the obvious modification of Chen in view of Liao discloses:
wherein the diverter B (4 of Chen) includes two main flow channels B symmetrically arranged up and down (see Fig. below), one sides of the two main flow channels B converge at the water outlet (converge at outlet pipe 5; Chen), and a plurality of sub-flow channels B are arranged on another sides of the two main flow channels B in parallel (sub-channels 9 of Chen are on either sides of highlighted main flow channels), a number of the sub-flow channels B is matched with the number of the sub-channels (channels of 3 of Chen, sub-channels 9 match with number of channels of 3), and each of the sub-flow channels B 9 is in communication with a corresponding one of the sub-channels (channels of 3; channels 9 are in in fluid communication with a corresponding channel of 3; Chen).
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As to Claim 5, the obvious modification of Chen in view of Liao discloses:
wherein each of the sub-flow channels A or each of the sub-flow channels B is in a Z-shaped channel structure (see Fig. below), and the plurality of sub-flow channels A (highlighted in rejection of claim 3 above) or the plurality of sub-flow channels B (9 of Chen) on a same side are arranged in parallel along an up-down direction (both highlighted channels of Liao and 9 of Chen on the same side are in parallel).
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As to Claim 6 (as best understood), the obvious modification of Chen in view of Liao discloses:
wherein widths of the plurality of sub-flow channels A (highlighted in Fig. 3 above) are decreased from upper and lower sides of the diverter A (40 of Liao) to an intermediate part of the diverter A (widths of highlighted channels of 40 decrease in width from top and bottom toward central portion of 40; Liao), and widths of a plurality of sub-flow channels B (channels 9 of Chen) are decreased from upper and lower sides of the diverter B (4 of Chen) to an intermediate part of the diverter B (highlighted below; highlighted width of ends of sub-flow channels 9 decrease from top and bottom toward highlighted intermediate part; e.g., ends of 9 are smaller in width closer to central part of 4).
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Claims 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (CN 116960083 A) in view of Liao (US 20250081387 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Xu (CN 216818327 U).
As to Claim 7 (as best understood), the obvious modification of Chen in view of Liao does not disclose:
wherein each of the sub-channels includes a contraction section, a transition section, and an expansion section arranged in sequence, the contraction section is located approximate to the water inlet, the expansion section is located approximate to the water outlet, and the transition section is located at an intermediate part of the base plate, cross-sectional dimensions of the contraction section, the transition section and the expansion section are gradually increased.
However, Xu discloses:
wherein each of the sub-channels (cooling channel 2 of Fig. 4; corresponds to each channel of 3 of Chen) includes a contraction section (contraction section 23), a transition section (transition section 24), and an expansion section (expansion section 25) arranged in sequence (Par. 0031 “the cooling channel 2 is provided with a contraction section 23, a transition section 24 and an expansion section 25 from the coolant inlet 21 to the coolant outlet 22”), the contraction section 23 is located approximate to the water inlet 21 (23 disposed approximate inlet 21), the expansion 25 section is located approximate to the water outlet 22 (25 disposed approximate outlet 22), and the transition section 24 is located at an intermediate part of the base plate (base body 12; 24 is disposed in between 23 and 25 and within central region of 12), cross-sectional dimensions of the contraction section 23, the transition section 24 and the expansion section 25 are gradually increased (Par. 0031 “the cross-sectional dimensions of the contraction section 23, the transition section 24 and the expansion section 25 increase from small to large”);
in order to minimize the difference in heat dissipation within the channel and avoiding large temperature differences between power modules (Par. 0032).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the related art(s) before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Chen in view of Liao as further suggested by Xu e.g., providing:
wherein each of the sub-channels includes a contraction section, a transition section, and an expansion section arranged in sequence, the contraction section is located approximate to the water inlet, the expansion section is located approximate to the water outlet, and the transition section is located at an intermediate part of the base plate, cross-sectional dimensions of the contraction section, the transition section and the expansion section are gradually increased;
in order to minimize the difference in heat dissipation within the channel and avoiding large temperature differences between components.
As to Claim 8 (as best understood), the obvious modification of Chen in view of Liao and Xu discloses:
wherein angles of connections among the contraction section (23 of Xu), the transition section (24 of Xu) and the expansion section (25 of Xu) are set as an obtuse angle (Par. 0034 “the included angle α at the connection between the transition section 24 and the expansion section 25 and the contraction section 23 is 120°-150°”; Xu).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Tamura (US 20150189791 A1) discloses a liquid cooled radiator with internal flow channels.
Brand (US 20090236083 A1) and Park (US 7441591 B2) discloses a heat exchanger with uniform flow distribution.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW S MUIR whose telephone number is (571)270-1329. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8 am - 5 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, 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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/MATTHEW SINCLAIR MUIR/ Examiner, Art Unit 2841
