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 Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claims 1-, 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. Regarding Claim 1; “a connection extending from the busbar parallel to a direction of current flow” is asserted as if “a connection” extends from the busbar in a direction that is parallel to current flow. However, it appears the assertion may intend” “a connection extending from the busbar, in which the busbar is parallel to a direction of current flow”; whereas i.e. 204-Fig. 2B appears to depict current flow in-part parallel to busbar-210. Further, in re: claim(s) 1 and 7; “a connection” is unclear; whereas a connection may be construed as electrical, mechanical, thermal, electrical and thermal, and/or electro-mechanical etc., and thus the term is hereby deemed to read on more than one plausible claim construction and varying inventive constructions thereof. Going further, in re: claim(s) 1 and 7; “a busbar configured to transport current between two locations in an electrical system” is unclear; whereas it cannot be readily ascertained if a busbar is intended to comprise extend between two different spaces or mechanical parts or otherwise intended to directly connect electrically to two locations defined by electrical connectors or devices etc, wherein the locations are presented without asserting any actual electrical features to transport, send or receive current, and thus the limitation reads on more than one plausible claim construction.
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) 1, and 3-4, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by (Khzouz 2023/0344203).
Regarding Claim 1; Khzouz discloses a busbar configured to transport current between two locations in an electrical system (as depicted by Fig. 2--whereas a busbar, as constituted by 140,142 is configured to transport current between a circuit breaker-122 and disconnect 144 to/from a busbar assembly 118 and an external electrical source coupled thereto—as set forth by para.’s 0016, 0020, and 0022), comprising: a connection extending from the busbar (as depicted by Fig. 4-whereas a busbar portion 140b constitutes a connection extending from busbar portion 142b) parallel to a direction of current flow (as depicted by Fig. 2—whereas 140 and 142 is atleast in-part disposed in parallel to current E1 and E2) and configured so that a thermal interface material of the connection contacts a heat sink when the heat sink is secured to the connection (as depicted by Fig.’s 4 and 8A--whereas 140b comprises an interface defined by an electrically insulating material 146—para. 0025, and atleast adjacent ones of fingers-236 of thermally conductive plate 216b constitutes a heat sink defined by aluminum in which heat is conducted therethrough—para.’s 0026 and 0033 interleaved in contact with the connection—as further set forth by para. 0029).
Regarding Claim 3; Khzouz discloses the busbar of claim 1, wherein the thermal interface material is at least one of a gap pad, a gel gap filler (whereas 146 defines an epoxy coating an constitutes a gel gap filler).
Regarding Claim 4; Khzouz discloses the busbar of claim 1, wherein the thermal interface material is electrically insulative and thermally conductive (whereas 146 defines an epoxy coating and constitutes being electrically insulative and thermally conductive).
Claim(s) 7-8, and 10-11, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by (Costello 2023/0180443).
Regarding Claim 7; Costello discloses a method of manufacturing a busbar (as constituted by a busbar is an extruded metal—as set forth by para. 0049) configured to transport current between two locations in an electrical system (as set forth by para.’s 0022 and 0035—whereas a busbar assembly is electrically coupled to a to electrical components including power supply and/or a server blade which defined by a computer system or a data communications system—para. 0003, and where para.’s 0005 and 0025 further discloses a power return path for the electrical component), comprising: monolithically forming the busbar and a connection using an extrusion process (as depicted by Fig. 4—whereas 400 constitutes an extruded metal busbar comprising a thermal conduit-402 defining an internal connection); and applying a thermal interface material to an interior surface of the connection (whereas 420 defines an thermally conductive electrically insulating coating disposed on an internal surface of the thermal conduit--as set forth by para. 0050).
Regarding Claim 8; Costello discloses the method of claim 7, wherein the connection has a generally u-shape with a width that is less than a width of a heat sink for providing a clamping force to the heat sink to secure the heat sink to the busbar (as depicted by Fig.’s 11-12—whereas walls 410, 412, and 416 forms a u-shape defining a width that is less than a fitting 432 of coolant line 430, so as to press-fit therein—as set forth by para. 0047 for supply and return to dissipate heat from the busbar—para. 0007).
Regarding Claim 10; Costello discloses the method of claim 7, wherein the thermal interface material is electrically insulative and thermally conductive (as already set forth by para. 0050).
Regarding Claim 11; Costello discloses the method of claim 7, wherein the thermal interface material is adhesively bonded to an inner surface of the connection (as constituted by coating 420 on an inner surface defined by the connection 402).
Claim(s) 1-2, and 5, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by (Rai 2021/0112680).
Regarding Claim 1; Rai discloses a busbar configured to transport current between two locations in an electrical system (whereas a busbar assembly-24 comprises a busbar-60, 62 and/or 64 configured to electrically connect a power source, a contactor and/or an electrical load of an electrical system defined by an air conditioner—as set forth by para.’s 0029 and 0037-0038), comprising: a connection extending from the busbar parallel to a direction of current flow (whereas Fig.’s 4 or 5 depicts a connection portion as constituted by 26, 100, and/or fasteners depicted between 100, 60, 64 and terminals 52, whereas 26 and/or 100 atleast in-part extends parallel to atleast a portion of the busbar(s) 60, 64) and configured so that a thermal interface material of the connection contacts a heat sink when the heat sink is secured to the connection (as depicted by Fig.’s 4 or 5—whereas the connection portion and thermal interface material-100 in contact therewith—para. 0040 contacts and secures to heat sink 28/90 to facilitate heat transfer—as set forth by para.’s 0032-0033).
Regarding Claim 2; Rai discloses the busbar of claim 1, wherein the connection has a generally u-shape with a width that is less than a width of the heat sink for providing a clamping force to the heat sink to secure the heat sink to the busbar (as depicted by Fig.’s 4 or 5 and further disclosed by para. 0033—whereas the connection portion comprises 26 which defines a bracket that in-part forms a u-shape via atleast 3 perimeter walls thereof having latches-102 coupled to 104 of the heat sink).
Regarding Claim 5; Rai discloses the busbar of claim 1, wherein the thermal interface material is adhesively bonded to an inner surface of the connection (as depicted by Fig. 4--whereas 100 is a potting material disposed in contact with an inner surface of 26 and/or disposed in contact with an inner surface defined by a bottom head of the fasteners—as further depicted by Fig. 5).
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) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over (Rai 2021/0112680).
Regarding Claim 6; Rai discloses the busbar of claim 1, except, explicitly wherein the connection is monolithically formed with the busbar using an extrusion process. However, ‘**an extrusion process**’ constitutes a method of manufacture and is not structurally distinguished from the prior art. (In re Johnson, 157 USPQ 670, 1968; In re Thorpe, 227 USPQ 964, 1985; See MPEP 2113—Product by Process Claims). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time that the invention was made that the disclosed structure of the prior art is a fully functional equivalent to the claimed structure as evidenced by meeting all of the claimed structural limitations thereof.
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over (Costello 2023/0180443).
Regarding Claim 9; Costello discloses the method of claim 7, suggests wherein the thermal interface material is at least a gel (whereas para. 0050 discloses the interface as a coating comprising silica), except, explicitly disclosing a gel. However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the silica as a gel since it was known in the art that that enhanced thermal stability and sealing will be provided for a more reliable thermal interface.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 12604442 B2
Frank; Alexander et al.
Fig. 1
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to COURTNEY SMITH whose telephone number is (571)272-9094. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5p.
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.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/COURTNEY L SMITH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
Prosecution Insights