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 .
Email Communication
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Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed 12/17/2024 has been fully considered and is attached hereto.
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 1-2, 4, 6, 8-9, 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aoki et al. (US 10,168,749 – hereinafter, “Aoki”) in view of Barsun et al. (US 7,385,824 – hereinafter, “Barsun”).
With respect to claim 1, Aoki teaches (In Fig 4) a cooling system comprising: a cold plate (402) that is attached to a processor (414); a first voltage regulator (VR) heatsink (406) that is removably attached to the cold plate (Via 204a, 206a, Col. 4, ll. 26-45), the first VR heatsink comprising a heatsink base (Bottom of 406 which contacts 410) that is attached to a first voltage regulator (410); and a pump that circulates a liquid coolant through the cold plate (While Aoki does not explicitly recite a pump Aoki does recite, at Col. 3, ll. 57-59, “Liquid to cool the liquid-cooled cold plate may flow from an inlet 102a through the cold plate 102 to an outlet 102b.” which suggests the use of a pump).
Aoki fails to specifically teach or suggest that the VR heatsink comprises a plurality of fins.
Barsun, however, teaches a VR heatsink (19) which comprises fins (See Fig 3).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Barsun with that of Aoki such that VR heatsink of Aoki includes fins, as taught by Barsun, since doing so would increase the heat dissipation of the VR heatsink of Aoki.
With respect to claim 2, Aoki further teaches that the first VR heatsink has an L shape (See Fig 4).
With respect to claim 4, Aoki further teaches that the first VR heatsink (406) is fastened to the cold plate by a fastener (308).
With respect to claim 6, Aoki as modified by Barsun teaches the limitations of claim 1 as per above but fails to specifically teach or suggest a heat exchanger that cools the liquid coolant.
The Examiner hereby takes Official Notice of the conventionality of using a heat exchanger to cool a liquid coolant that flows through a cold plate.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a heat exchanger that cools the liquid coolant of Aoki since doing so would allow for the same liquid coolant to be recycled through the cold plate at a temperature which allows the underlying processor to remain cool enough to operate.
With respect to claim 8, Aoki further teaches that the processor (414) is a central processing unit (CPU), and the CPU and the first voltage regulator are mounted on a motherboard (108, Col. 3, ll. 43-62 with particular reference to the recitations, “PCB 108” and “on a printed circuit board such as a motherboard”).
With respect to claim 9, Aoki teaches (In Fig 4) a cooling assembly comprising: a cold plate (402) comprising a plurality of ports (102a, 102b) that accept a liquid coolant, the cold plate is attached to a processor (414); and a first voltage regulator (VR) heatsink (406) that is removably attached to the cold plate (402), the first VR heatsink comprising a heatsink base (Bottom of 406) that is attached to a heatsink mounting surface (Top surface) of a first voltage regulator (410, see Fig 4).
Aoki fails to specifically teach or suggest that the VR heatsink comprises a plurality of fins.
Barsun, however, teaches a VR heatsink (19) which comprises fins (See Fig 3).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Barsun with that of Aoki such that VR heatsink of Aoki includes fins, as taught by Barsun, since doing so would increase the heat dissipation of the VR heatsink of Aoki.
With respect to method claim 14, the method steps recited in the claims are inherently necessitated by the device structure as taught by the Aoki and Barsun references.
Claims 3, 11, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aoki in view of Barsun and further in view of Iyengar et al. (US 10,966,352 – hereinafter, “Iyengar”).
With respect to claim 3, Aoki as modified by Barsun teaches the limitations of claim 1 as per above but fails to specifically teach or suggest a second VR heatsink that is removably attached to the cold plate, the second VR heatsink comprising a plurality of fins and a heatsink base that is attached to a second voltage regulator.
Iyengar, however, teaches (In Fig 7) a first VR heatsink (Left 706 in Fig 7) and a second VR heatsink (Right 706 in Fig 7) that is removably attached to a cold plate (701, Col. 21, ll. 48-49, “the liquid cold plate assembly 701 rests on the lid 706.” where here Iyengar discloses that the cold plate and heatsink are removable thermally attached) the second VR heatsink comprising a heatsink base that is attached to a second voltage regulator (Right 714 in Fig 7).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Iyengar with that of Aoki as modified by Barsun such that, modified Aoki further includes a second VR heatsink that is removably attached to the cold plate, the second VR heatsink comprising a plurality of fins and a heatsink base that is attached to a second voltage regulator, since doing so would allow for the cooling system of modified Aoki to cool more than one VR device.
It is further noted that duplication of parts, as is the case with claim 3 where the first voltage regulator heatsink is duplicated and added to the second side of the cold plate, has been held to be obvious1.
With respect to claim 11, Aoki as modified by Barsun teaches the limitations of claim 9 as per above but fails to specifically teach or suggest a second VR heatsink that is removably attached to the cold plate, the second VR heatsink comprising a plurality of fins and a heatsink base that is attached to a heatsink mounting surface of a second voltage regulator.
Iyengar, however, teaches (In Fig 7) a first VR heatsink (Left 706 in Fig 7) and a second VR heatsink (Right 706 in Fig 7) that is removably attached to a cold plate (701, Col. 21, ll. 48-49, “the liquid cold plate assembly 701 rests on the lid 706.” where here Iyengar discloses that the cold plate and heatsink are removable thermally attached) the second VR heatsink comprising a heatsink base that is attached to a heatsink mounting surface (Top surface of 714) of a second voltage regulator (Right 714 in Fig 7).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Iyengar with that of Aoki as modified by Barsun such that, modified Aoki further includes a second VR heatsink that is removably attached to the cold plate, the second VR heatsink comprising a plurality of fins and a heatsink base that is attached to a heatsink mounting surface of a second voltage regulator, since doing so would allow for the cooling system of modified Aoki to cool more than one VR device.
It is further noted that duplication of parts, as is the case with claim 11 where the first voltage regulator heatsink is duplicated and added to the second side of the cold plate, has been held to be obvious1.
With respect to method claim 15, the method steps recited in the claims are inherently necessitated by the device structure as taught by the Aoki, Barsun and Iyengar references.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aoki in view of Barsun and further in view of Brocklesby et al. (US 2018/0235070 – hereinafter, “Brocklesby”).
With respect to claim 5, Aoki as modified by Barsun teaches the limitations of claim 4 as per above but fails to specifically teach or suggest that the first VR heatsink is soldered on the cold plate.
Brocklesby, however, teaches a heat sink which is soldered to a cold plate (¶ 0020, “the heat sinks are soldered to a cold plate”).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Brocklesby with that of modified Aoki such that, in modified Aoki the heat sink is soldered to the cold plate, as taught by Brocklesby, since doing so would provide a better thermal connection between the VR heatsink and the cold plate.
Claims 7 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aoki in view of Barsun and further in view of Roback et al. (US 4,039,900 – hereinafter, “Roback”).
With respect to claim 7, Aoki as modified by Barsun teaches the limitations of claim 1 as per above but fails to specifically teach or suggest wherein the first voltage regulator comprises a power transistor, and the heatsink base of the first VR heatsink is attached to a heatsink mounting surface of the power transistor.
Roback, however, teaches a first voltage regulator (70) which comprises a power transistor (80), and a heatsink base of a first VR heatsink (42) is attached to a heatsink mounting surface of the power transistor (See Fig 3, see also, Col. 3, ll. 41-43, “Mounted on this flange end 42 of the heat sink is a transistor component, power transistor 80 for the electronic voltage regulator 70”).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Roback with that of Aoki as modified by Barsun such that, in modified Aoki the first voltage regulator comprises a power transistor, and the heatsink base of the first VR heatsink is attached to a heatsink mounting surface of the power transistor, as taught by Roback, since doing so would allow for the voltage regulator to be made of a component which is reliable and relatively inexpensive to produce.
With respect to claim 10, Aoki as modified by Barsun teaches the limitations of claim 9 as per above but fails to specifically teach or suggest wherein the heatsink mounting surface is a mounting tab of a power transistor of the voltage regulator.
Roback, however, teaches a heatsink (42) which attaches to a mounting tab (See Fig A below) of a power transistor (80) of a voltage regulator (70).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Roback with that of Aoki as modified by Barsun such that, in modified Aoki the heatsink mounting surface is a mounting tab of a power transistor of the voltage regulator, as taught by Roback, since doing so would allow for the mounting tab to be able to accept heat and move it to the heat sink thus providing another cooling path for the VR device.
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Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aoki in view of Barsun and further in view of Barina et al. (US 9,310,859 – hereinafter, “Barina”).
With respect to claim 12, Aoki as modified by Barsun teaches the limitations of claim 9 as per above but fails to specifically teach or suggest a cover that is disposed on top of the cold plate.
Barina, however, teaches a cover (40) that is disposed on top of a cold plate (30).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Barina with that of Aoki as modified by Barsun such that, modified Aoki includes a cover that is disposed on top of the cold plate, as taught by Barina, since doing so would provide mechanical protection to the cold plate.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aoki in view of Barsun in view of Barina and further in view of Brocklesby.
With respect to claim 13, Aoki as modified by Barsun and Barina teaches the limitations of claim 12 as per above and Aoki further teaches that the first VR heatsink (406) is fastened to the cold plate by a fastener (308) but modified Aoki fails to specifically teach or suggest that the first VR heatsink is soldered on the cold plate.
Brocklesby, however, teaches a heat sink which is soldered to a cold plate (¶ 0020, “the heat sinks are soldered to a cold plate”).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Brocklesby with that of modified Aoki such that, in modified Aoki the heat sink is soldered to the cold plate, as taught by Brocklesby, since doing so would provide a better thermal connection between the VR heatsink and the cold plate.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 12,439,551 to Zhao et al. which teaches a liquid cooling plate assembly configured to contact first and second heat sources;
US 12,317,448 to Wu et al. which teaches a liquid cooling plate which is configured to be in thermal contact with first and second heat sources;
US 2023/0254995 to Robinson et al. which teaches a cooling device for cooling components of a circuit board;
US 12,238,853 to Jia et al. which teaches a heat sink for an electronic device; and
US 8,107,234 to Brunschwiler et al. which teaches (In Fig 10) a cooling device which cools both a processor (34) and also additional electronic devices (112) adjacent to the processor.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZACHARY M PAPE whose telephone number is (571)272-2201. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9am - 6pm EST.
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/ZACHARY PAPE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
1 In re Harza, 274 F.2d 669, 124 USPQ 378 (CCPA 1960)
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