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 .
Priority
This application is a continuation of Application No. 17/697,877, which claims the benefit of Provisional Application No. 63/278,059 filed November 10, 2021. The claims have an effective filing date of November 10, 2021.
Claim Interpretation
The following terms are given their broadest reasonable interpretation consistent with the specification (MPEP 2111):
"cooling mass" and "cooling block." The specification states that a heat spreader, vapor chamber, or heat sink "can more generally be referred to as a cooling mass," and that even "a simple mechanical block for anchoring a heat sink can be referred to as a cooling block". Neither term is therefore limited to a fluid-cooled body, and neither recites a direction of heat flow. A body that conducts heat and is anchored to a block, such as a shutter conducting heat between a chassis and a mated unit, or a fin extending from a coolant tube, meets these terms.
"hot-swappable interface that includes a connector." The structural element recited is the connector. "Hot-swappable" describes an electrical capability of the interface (the specification describes a connector that provides power during insertion and does not further limit the claimed apparatus structurally. A connector capable of receiving a component meets this limitation (MPEP 2114, 2111.02).
"electronic component." The specification offers SSDs and NICs as examples but does not define the term. It is interpreted as any electrically functional part of an electronic system, including the mating connector body of a host unit. Applicant's own claim 16 recites merely "a component."
"relaxed state." Per the specification, the spring element is in "a natural, relaxed state" when no component is plugged into the connector. The term is interpreted as the state the spring assumes with the component removed and does not require the absence of all preload.
"coupled." The specification states that coupled elements may be in direct contact or "may also mean that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other, but yet still cooperate or interact with each other". "Coupled" therefore includes connection through intermediate structure.
"spring." Interpreted as any resilient element that applies force by elastic deformation, including a clip.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the "right to exclude" granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See MPEP § 804.
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
Claim 1 is rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 12,133,368 B2. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the '368 claim is a species of the present claim, and a species anticipates its genus.
Claim 1 of the '368 patent recites a cooling mass; a cooling block including an opening to receive a portion of the cooling mass; and a spring element to be rotated about an axis of rotation, an obstruction between a hot pluggable electronic component and an electro-mechanical connector being removed by the spring element's rotation, the cooling mass being pressed toward the hot pluggable electronic component in response to a force induced by that rotation.
A cooling mass received in an opening of a cooling block is thermally coupled to it; a cooling mass pressed toward a hot pluggable component at its electro-mechanical connector is positioned adjacent to a hot-swappable interface that includes a connector; and the spring element that presses the cooling mass toward the plugged component is a spring urging the cooling mass toward the electronic component when the component is plugged into the connector. Every limitation of present claim 1 is therefore met by, or is an obvious generalization of, '368 claim 1.
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.
Claims 1 and 2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lee et al. (US 2021/0307192 A1, "Lee").
Regarding claim 1, Lee discloses an apparatus (electronic system with chassis 101, FIG. 1, ¶0035), comprising: a cooling mass (shutter 103, FIGS. 3–4, ¶0036–0037) to be thermally coupled to a cooling block (chassis 101 including base chassis 105, FIGS. 1, 5, ¶0039; the shutter conducts heat "from the chassis to the host unit," ¶0045), the cooling mass to be positioned adjacent to a hot-swappable interface that includes a connector (shutter 103 is positioned at aperture 703 and male connector 302, through which the host's mating connector is inserted, FIGS. 3, 7, 9, ¶0035, ¶0043; see Claim Interpretation); and a spring (torsion springs 407, 408 on pivot shaft 406, FIG. 4, ¶0037) to urge the cooling mass toward an electronic component (body of female mating connector 583 of host unit 581, FIGS. 7, 9, ¶0043; see Claim Interpretation) when the electronic component is plugged into the connector (with connector 583 mated to male connector 302, "pressure provided by the torsion springs 407, 408 at shutter 103 provides solid physical contact" with the body of connector 583, FIG. 9, ¶0044–0045).Lee was filed March 27, 2020 and published September 30, 2021, and names a different inventive entity; it qualifies as prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2).Regarding claim 2, Lee discloses the apparatus of claim 1 as set forth above, wherein insertion of the electronic component into the connector causes a component of the spring to rotate about an axis of rotation into a first position (shutter 103 pivots about the axis of shutter main pivot shaft 406 and is "fully rotated to the open position by the host mating connector body," FIGS. 4, 6, ¶0037, ¶0042; the ends of torsion springs 407, 408 are received in channels 505 of the shutter and rotate with it, FIG. 5, ¶0038), a force of the spring in the first position to press the cooling mass and the electronic component together (in the open position 562 the torsion springs press shutter 103 against the body of connector 583, FIG. 9, ¶0042, ¶0045), the spring to be in a relaxed state when in a second position, the cooling mass and the electronic component to be separate when the spring is in the second position (upon removal of the host mating connector the shutter "is sprung shut by force applied by torsion springs 407, 408" to the home position 501, FIG. 6, ¶0041–0042, ¶0037; in the home position the springs have returned toward their natural state and the connector body is absent; see Claim Interpretation, "relaxed state").
Claims 9, 16, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Franz et al. (US 2020/0159294 A1, "Franz").Regarding claim 9, Franz discloses an apparatus (computing device 100, FIGS. 1–2; ¶0017) comprising: a cooling block having a surface — coolant tube 112 installed in frame 108 on printed circuit board 102, the tube having an outer surface to which a heat spreader base is thermally coupled (FIGS. 1–2; ¶0021, ¶0024, ¶0029); a cooling mass to protrude away from the surface of the cooling block, the cooling mass having a first end thermally coupled to the cooling block and a free end distal to the cooling block — spring-loaded fin 236 of heat spreader 116-5 is joined at one end to base 234 and "extends away from the base 234 relative to the Y-axis," the base's outer surface 272 being thermally coupled and "permanently affixed" to coolant tube 112-4, with the fin's opposite end distal and carrying overhang segment 238 (FIG. 2; ¶0029, ¶0035); a side of the cooling mass to be pressed against an electronic component — the spring force "causes the spring-loaded fin 236 to provide contact pressure to the adjacent DIMM 104-4" (FIG. 2; ¶0030); selectively pluggable into a connector coupled to the cooling block adjacent to the first end of the cooling mass — each DIMM 104 is mounted using "a mounting socket or connector 106" on PCB 102 (FIG. 1; ¶0017); the DIMMs 104 and sockets 106 extend through openings 134 in frame 108, in which the coolant tubes 112 are installed, the tubes lying "near a lower region of the DIMMs 104 near the longitudinal end surface that is connected to the PCB 102" (FIGS. 1–2, 6; ¶0021, ¶0024); see Claim Interpretation, "coupled."Regarding claim 16, Franz discloses an apparatus (computing device 100, FIGS. 1–2; ¶0017) comprising: a cooling block — coolant tube 112 installed in frame 108 on printed circuit board 102 (FIGS. 1–2; ¶0021, ¶0024); a cooling mass thermally coupled to the cooling block — spring-loaded fin 236 of heat spreader 116-5, whose base 234 is thermally coupled and "permanently affixed" to coolant tube 112-4 (FIG. 2; ¶0029); and a connector adjacent to the cooling mass, the connector to receive a component — mounting socket or connector 106 receiving DIMM 104 (FIG. 1; ¶0017), the sockets extending through openings 134 in frame 108 interleaved between the coolant tubes 112 (FIGS. 1, 6; ¶0021, ¶0024), the connector to hold the component so that the component extends in a direction away from the cooling block — each DIMM "has a vertical structure or is mounted vertically relative to the PCB 102," its longitudinal end surface connected to the PCB and its lateral surfaces "extending from the connected end surface vertically or substantially vertically along a Y-axis," with the coolant tubes lying near the lower region of the DIMMs at the connected end (FIGS. 2, 6; ¶0023, ¶0024), the cooling mass to extend away from the cooling block alongside the component — fin 236 "extends away from the base 234 relative to the Y-axis" along the lateral surface of the adjacent and parallel DIMM 104-4 (FIG. 2; ¶0029, ¶0030), the cooling mass to be thermally coupled to the component — the fin's spring force provides "contact pressure to the adjacent DIMM 104-4 to thermally couple the fin 236 and the adjacent DIMM 104-4," via TIM 244 (FIG. 2; ¶0030–¶0031).Regarding claim 17, Franz discloses the apparatus of claim 16 as set forth above, further including a thermal interface material on a side of the cooling mass adjacent to the component, the cooling mass thermally coupled to the component via the thermal interface material — "a TIM 244 is disposed between the spring-loaded fin 236 and the adjacent DIMM 104-4," the TIM being a compliant silicon pad whose tacky side is attached to the fin and whose non-tacky side contacts the lateral surface of the DIMM, so that the fin is "thermally coupled to the adjacent DIMM 104-4 by indirect contact" (FIG. 2; ¶0031).
Claims 10 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Franz, or in the alternative under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Franz in view of Yamamoto (US 8,760,870 B2, "Yamamoto").Regarding claim 10, Franz discloses the apparatus of claim 9 as set forth above, and in the embodiment of FIG. 6 discloses a spring to urge the side of the cooling mass towards the electronic component — a securing device 664, "such as a clip," whose lateral segments 670 "apply respective forces ... to hold the adjacent fins 232 and 236 into contact with the memory module 104" (FIG. 6, arrow 666; ¶0045, ¶0047); see Claim Interpretation, "spring." Alternatively, to the extent Franz's clip 664 is not considered a spring, Yamamoto discloses a heat sink fin 20 pressed against an inserted electronic module 10 by spring units 32 that bear on the fin, each spring unit including a spring 32a and a spring support bar 32b contacting the fin (FIGS. 1–2, 8–9; col. 3, lines 16–23 and 40–52; col. 5, lines 50–63). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide Franz's fin with a separate spring bearing on it as taught by Yamamoto, so that the contact pressure on the module is supplied by a dedicated spring and the fin material can be chosen for thermal conductivity rather than for resiliency (Franz ties fin material to the resiliency requirement, ¶0036), a use of a known technique to improve a similar device in the same way (MPEP 2143(I)(C)).Regarding claim 11, Franz discloses the apparatus of claim 10 as set forth above, wherein the side of the cooling mass is a first side — the side of fin 236 held in contact with DIMM 104 (FIG. 6; ¶0047) — the spring adjacent to a second side of the cooling mass opposite the first side — the spring force of fins 232, 236 is directed away from the DIMM, and the lateral segments 670 of clip 664 "apply respective forces that oppose the spring forces" to hold the fins against the module, the segments bearing on the fins' outer faces, opposite the faces contacting the DIMM (FIG. 6, arrows 662, 666; ¶0046–¶0047). Alternatively, in the combination with Yamamoto set forth for claim 10, Yamamoto's spring units 32 bear on the upper surface of heat sink fin 20 through spring support bar 32b, while the lower surface of the fin is pressed against the electronic module 10 (FIGS. 1–2, 8–9; col. 3, lines 40–52; col. 5, lines 50–63).
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 7 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee in view of Franz.Regarding claim 7, Lee discloses the apparatus of claim 1 as set forth above, including a spring (torsion springs 407, 408, FIG. 4, ¶0037) to be in a first position when the electronic component is removed from the connector and spaced apart from the spring — shutter 103 sprung shut with the host mating connector removed (FIG. 6, home position 501; ¶0041–0042); the spring to be urged into a second position by the electronic component when the electronic component is inserted into the connector — the host mating connector body rotates shutter 103 to the open position against the springs (FIG. 6, open position 562; ¶0042). Lee does not expressly disclose that the spring is a cantilever spring. Franz discloses a heat spreader 116-5 whose spring-loaded fin 236 is joined at one end to a base 234 and extends away from the base (FIG. 2; ¶0029), the fin being "biased, extends, or inclined using a spring force toward the outer lateral surface of the adjacent and parallel DIMM 104-4," so that the spring force "causes the spring-loaded fin 236 to provide contact pressure to the adjacent DIMM 104-4" (FIG. 2; ¶0030); the fins are resilient members that "return by spring-force to an original shape or bias after being moved from it's original shape" by flexing (FIGS. 2, 4; ¶0037). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to substitute a resilient cantilever member as taught by Franz for Lee's torsion springs, a simple substitution of one known spring form for another to obtain the predictable result of urging the shutter against the inserted connector body (MPEP 2143(I)(B)), because, as Franz teaches, such a spring "maintains the contact and thermally coupling" (¶0030) and building the resiliency into the member "can also allow the elimination of parts and assembly steps" (¶0037).Regarding claim 8, Lee in view of Franz discloses the apparatus of claim 7 as set forth above, wherein the first position of the spring corresponds to a relaxed state of the spring — Lee: with the host mating connector removed the shutter is "sprung shut" and the springs have returned toward their natural state (FIG. 6, position 501; ¶0041–0042); Franz: the fin returns "by spring-force to an original shape or bias" when unloaded (FIG. 2; ¶0037); see Claim Interpretation, "relaxed state"; the second position corresponds to a loaded state of the spring — Lee: the inserted connector body rotates the shutter against the springs (FIG. 6, position 562; ¶0042); Franz: the fin is flexed from its original shape by the installed module (FIG. 4; ¶0037, ¶0039); the spring to produce a reactive force when in the loaded state that causes the cooling mass to press into the electronic component — Lee: "pressure provided by the torsion springs 407, 408 at shutter 103 provides solid physical contact" with the connector body (FIG. 9; ¶0045); Franz: the spring force "causes the spring-loaded fin 236 to provide contact pressure to the adjacent DIMM 104-4" (FIG. 2; ¶0030).
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Franz in view of Cipolla et al. (US 2009/0277616 A1, "Cipolla"). Franz discloses the apparatus of claim 9 as set forth above, with the base 234 at the first end of fin 236 affixed to the outer surface of coolant tube 112-4 (FIG. 2; ¶0029), and teaches shaping the tube "to increase a surface area contact between the coolant tubes 112 and one of the heat spreaders 116 mounted thereto" (¶0024). Franz does not disclose that the cooling block further includes a notch, and the first end of the cooling mass extends into the notch. Cipolla discloses a liquid-cooled water jacket body 34 having "a series of half holes 40 that accommodate" the ends of heat pipes 16 that extend alongside the DIMM cards, the heat pipe being received in the half hole so that "a thermal interface is made due to the tight fit between the heat pipes and the holes," an interface "that can be made easily and in the field" (FIGS. 6, 7, 9; ¶0044), with a clamp holding the pipe in the half hole (FIGS. 11A–11C; ¶0047). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to form a notch in Franz's coolant tube (or the block carrying it) receiving the end of the fin's base, as taught by Cipolla, to increase the contact area and provide a tight-fit thermal interface at the block-to-mass joint, the very objective Franz identifies (¶0024), by a known technique applied to a similar liquid-cooled memory cooling system to yield the predictable result of improved heat transfer at that joint (MPEP 2143(I)(C)).
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Franz in view of Yamamoto. Franz discloses the apparatus of claim 16 as set forth above, wherein the cooling mass is pressed against the component (fin 236 provides "contact pressure to the adjacent DIMM 104-4," FIG. 2; ¶0030), and discloses that the fins are flexed "manually by an installer or mechanically flexed using a suitable tool" to admit the module and then released against it (FIGS. 3–4; ¶0039). Franz does not disclose that the cooling mass is pressed against the component in response to a force exerted by the component on a spring adjacent to a side of the cooling mass and in contact with the cooling mass. Yamamoto discloses a heat sink fin 20 and spring units 32 bearing on the upper side of the fin, each spring unit's end contacting the fin (FIGS. 1–2, 8–9; col. 3, lines 40–52), wherein on insertion the leading end of electronic module 10 pushes the fin up on fulcrum bar 31, causing "the spring 32a to contract," and the fin is then "pressed against the housed electronic module 10 owing to pressure applied by the spring units 32" (col. 3, lines 16–23; col. 5, lines 50–63). Yamamoto teaches that with this arrangement "manual operations other than a mounting operation of the electronic module 10 may not be performed" and the fin "may be automatically pressed against the electronic module 10 in a reliable manner" (col. 5, lines 37–41; col. 6, lines 58–61). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide Franz's fin with a spring bearing on its side opposite the module, loaded by the module's insertion, as taught by Yamamoto, so that inserting the DIMM itself loads the spring and presses the fin against it, eliminating the manual or tool flexing step Franz requires (¶0039), a known technique applied to a similar device to yield the predictable result of automatic, reliable contact pressure on insertion (MPEP 2143(I)(C)).
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Franz in view of Yamamoto, and further in view of Lee. Franz in view of Yamamoto discloses the apparatus of claim 18 as set forth above, but does not disclose a pivot pin to support the spring, the pivot pin to extend axially in relation to the cooling mass, the pivot pin including a first end and a second end, the first end and the second end extend beyond opposing edges of the cooling mass. Lee discloses a shutter 103 pivoting on a main pivot shaft 406 with "a pair of torsion springs 407, 408 disposed on the main pivot shaft" (FIG. 4; ¶0008, ¶0037), the shaft extending along the pivot edge of the shutter through its sleeve 503 and its two ends 504 riding in arcuate slots 409 formed in the opposite sides of the base chassis 105, so that the ends extend beyond the opposing side edges of the shutter (FIGS. 4–5; ¶0037–¶0038). The springs press the shutter against the inserted connector body (FIG. 9; ¶0045). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to mount the spring of the Franz–Yamamoto combination on a pivot shaft extending along the fin and journaled in the supporting structure on both sides, as taught by Lee, as a known way of locating and supporting a spring that acts on a pivoting heat-transfer member, yielding the predictable result of a supported spring and a defined pivot axis for the fin (MPEP 2143(I)(C)); Lee, like Yamamoto, uses the arrangement so that insertion of the plugged component itself loads the spring (¶0042).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 12, 15, and 20 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. Claims 4, 5, and 6 (depending from claim 3) and claim 13 (depending from claim 12) would likewise be allowable if their respective base claims were so rewritten.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 6,942,506 – card connector having a heat radiation member
US 6,349,035 – method and apparatus for toolless of liquid cooled cold plate
US 2022/0071051 – anti-reflow cover for a computer system component module
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZHENGFU J FENG whose telephone number is (571) 272-2949. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday, 10AM - 6PM EST.
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/ZHENGFU J FENG/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2835 September 13, 2026
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