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 Objections
Claim 1 objected to because of the following informalities: claim 1 recites multiple instances of “a front space region” and “a rear space region”. Appropriate correction is required.
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) 14-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Gao (US 20230063710 A1).
As to claim 14, Gao discloses:
A computer server rack assembly (par. 0044; Fig. 2) comprising:
a housing 200 configured to support one or more electronic computing devices 210, 212, 214, 216;
a power distribution system 220 secured (at least indirectly) to the housing and configured to distribute power to the one or more electronic computing devices (par. 0044); and
a cooling system 224, 226 secured to the housing, wherein the cooling system is configured to distribute coolant to the one or more electronic computing devices.
As to claim 15, Gao discloses:
wherein the cooling system distributes coolant to the one or more electronic computing devices via a manifold system 224, 226.
As to claim 16, Gao discloses:
wherein the manifold system is secured to the housing (at least indirectly via connections to the cooling chassis and server chassis).
As to claim 17, Gao discloses:
further comprising a coolant distribution unit 211, 213, 215, 217 disposed between a front side and a back side of the server rack assembly.
As to claim 18, Gao discloses:
A method for managing power and temperature in a computer server rack assembly (par. 0044; Fig. 2), the method comprising:
distributing power from an electric busbar 220 secured (at least indirectly) to a side (rear side) of the server rack 200 to one or more electronic computing devices 210, 212, 214, 216 (server chassis; par. 0044) mounted within the server rack; and
distributing coolant through a first cooling manifold 224 and a second cooling manifold 226, each cooling manifold extending at least partially vertically and secured to the back side (at least indirectly) of the server rack.
As to claim 19, Gao discloses:
further comprising distributing coolant through a coolant distribution unit 211 (cooling chassis) disposed between a front side and a back side of the server rack assembly.
Claim(s) 18 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Costello (US 20230180443 A1).
As to claim 18, Costello discloses:
A method for managing power and temperature in a computer server rack assembly 100 (Fig. 1-12), the method comprising:
distributing power from an electric busbar 200, 202, 204 secured (at least indirectly by 220) to a side (top, bottom, back sides) of the server rack to one or more electronic computing devices 104 (par. 0021-0022) mounted within the server rack; and
distributing coolant through a first cooling manifold 302 (par. 0034, 0047) and a second cooling manifold 304, each cooling manifold extending at least partially vertically and secured to the back side (side with 200 in Fig. 1) of the server rack.
As to claim 20, Costello discloses:
wherein the electric busbar extends at least partially horizontally (extends in the front to back direction; see Fig. 2-12) and is mounted to a top side of the server rack (at least indirectly by 220; par. 0021, 0027; Fig. 1).
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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 5-7, and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (US 20200191504 A1) in view of Costello (US 20230180443 A1).
As to claim 1, Chen discloses:
A computer server rack assembly (Fig. 1-5B) comprising:
a housing 100, 102 comprising a front space region, a rear space region, a front side (side opposite 202 and 204), and a back side (side with 202, 204) opposite to the front side, wherein the housing defines a front space region (away from the liquid cooling connections of 104) and a rear space region (near to the liquid cooling connections of 104);
one or more electronic computing devices 104;
a first cooling manifold 202 extending at least partially vertically and secured to the back side of the housing, wherein the first cooling manifold is configured to distribute coolant to at least one of the one or more electronic computing devices (see Figures);
a second cooling manifold 204 extending at least partially vertically and secured to the back side of the housing, wherein the second cooling manifold is configured to distribute coolant to at least one of the one or more electronic computing devices (see Figures); and
a plurality of rail panels 106 (left and right sides) disposed within the front and back sides of the housing 102 (housing 102 surrounds and partially encloses rack frame 106; par. 28) and configured to support the one or more electronic computing devices.
Chen does not explicitly disclose:
an electric busbar vertically secured to the back side of the housing, wherein the electric busbar is configured to distribute power from a power source to one or more electronic computing devices.
However, Costello discloses:
an electric busbar 200 (par. 0021-0022; Fig. 1-12) vertically secured (by 220) to the back side of the housing 112, 114, wherein the electric busbar is configured to distribute power from a power source to one or more electronic computing devices (par. 0022);
in order to power the electronic components of the rack (par. 0022).
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 suggested by Costello, e.g., providing:
an electric busbar vertically secured to the back side of the housing, wherein the electric busbar is configured to distribute power from a power source to one or more electronic computing devices;
in order to power the electronic components of the rack.
Additionally, all claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined/modified the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination/modification would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. See KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S.___, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
As to claim 2, Chen in view of Costello discloses:
further comprising a coolant distribution unit 300, 302, 304, 404 (Chen) disposed between the front side and back side of the housing.
As to claim 5, Chen in view of Costello discloses:
wherein each of the first cooling manifold and the second cooling manifold comprises a quick disconnect 402 (par. 0055; Chen).
As to claim 6, Chen in view of Costello discloses:
wherein the coolant distribution unit extends at least partially vertically (each individual unit 300, 302, 304, 404 extends at least partially vertically, and the combination of components extends vertically; Chen) and disposed within the rear space region (all liquid connections are at the rear space region).
As to claim 7, Chen in view of Costello discloses:
wherein the first cooling manifold and second cooling manifold are on opposite sides of the electric busbar (busbar assembly 200 of Costello is in the middle of the rear of the rack and the manifolds of Chen are on opposite sides of the rear of the rack; similarly, first and second manifolds 302 and 304 of Costello are on opposite sides of the first and second busbars 202, 204; see Fig. 10 of Costello).
As to claim 11, Chen in view of Costello discloses:
further comprising a power shelf 104 (electrical components 104 may be a power supply; 104 is also a pluggable shelf shaped component; par. 0022; Costello) configured to supply power from the power source (power supply 104) to the electric busbar (par. 0022).
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (US 20200191504 A1) in view of Costello (US 20230180443 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Pachoud (US 20210076529 A1).
As to claim 3, Chen in view of Costello do not explicitly disclose:
wherein a width of the front side is about 48 centimeters.
However, Pachoud discloses:
wherein a width of the front side is about 48 centimeters (19 inches; par. 0090, 0092, 0375);
in order to provide a 19” NEMA standard width (par. 0090, 0092, 0375).
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 and Costello as suggested by Pachoud, e.g., providing:
wherein a width of the front side is about 48 centimeters;
in order to provide a 19” NEMA standard width.
A change in size is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Rose, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955).
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (US 20200191504 A1) in view of Costello (US 20230180443 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Gallagher (US 20010011314 A1).
As to claim 4, Chen in view of Costello do not explicitly disclose:
wherein the electric busbar is configured to supply about 48 VDC.
However, Gallagher discloses:
wherein the electric busbar is configured to supply about 48 VDC (par. 0051);
in order to distribute bulk power throughout the rack (par. 0051).
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 and Costello as suggested by Gallagher, e.g., providing:
wherein the electric busbar is configured to supply about 48 VDC;
in order to distribute bulk power throughout the rack.
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (US 20200191504 A1) in view of Costello (US 20230180443 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Langmuir (US 20240023268 A1).
As to claim 8, Chen in view of Costello do not explicitly disclose:
wherein the plurality of rail panels are spaced in 6 rack unit increments.
However, Langmuir discloses:
“The IT equipment rack 415 can be configured to achieve variable U-space distances, e.g., 4-6 U.” (par. 0070).
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 and Costello as suggested by Langmuir, e.g., providing:
wherein the plurality of rail panels are spaced in 6 rack unit increments;
in order to achieve a 6 U-space distance.
A change in size is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Rose, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955).
Claim(s) 9-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (US 20200191504 A1) in view of Costello (US 20230180443 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Chen 2017 (US 20170034953 A1).
As to claim 9, Chen in view of Costello do not explicitly disclose:
further comprising a first vertical data connection bar secured to the back side of the housing.
However, Chen 2017 discloses:
providing a server rack with a first vertical data connection bar 206 (par. 0022; Fig. 2) secured to the back side of the housing 201 (par. 0020);
in order to provide at least one data bus bar(s) 206 for at least one fan tray(s) 202, 102 (par. 0022, 0016).
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 and Costello as suggested by Chen 2017, e.g., providing:
further comprising a first vertical data connection bar secured to the back side of the housing;
in order to provide data bus bars for fan trays.
As to claim 10, Chen in view of Costello and Chen 2017 disclose:
further comprising a second vertical data connection bar (plurality of data bus bars 206; par. 0022; Chen 2017; for a plurality of fan trays 102; par. 0016) secured to the back side of the housing.
Further, it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. In re St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8.
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (US 20200191504 A1) in view of Costello (US 20230180443 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Campbell (US 20130176678 A1).
As to claim 12, Chen in view of Costello do not explicitly disclose:
wherein the housing is formed of timber.
However, Campbell discloses:
wherein the housing is formed of timber (par. 0015);
in order to provide panels for a rack (par. 0015).
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 and Costello as suggested by Campbell, e.g., providing:
wherein the housing is formed of timber;
in order to provide panels for a rack.
It has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (US 20200191504 A1) in view of Costello (US 20230180443 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Sugihara (US 20040195944 A1).
As to claim 13, Chen in view of Costello do not explicitly disclose:
wherein the housing is formed of steel.
However, Sugihara discloses:
wherein the housing is formed of steel (par. 0023);
in order to provide a server rack main body (par. 0023)
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 and Costello as suggested by Sugihara, e.g., providing:
wherein the housing is formed of steel;
in order to provide a server rack main body.
It has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Klein (US 20170318703 A1), Moore (US 20150359131 A1), and Kuo (US 11528825 B2) disclose conventional cooling/power distribution arrangements for server racks.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JACOB R CRUM whose telephone number is (571)270-7665. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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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) 270-1985. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JACOB R CRUM/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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