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
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Objections
Claims 9 and 17 are objected to because of the following informalities: claims 9 and 17 each refer to slopes multiple times in the claim, however in the last two lines of each claims “slops” are referred to instead. This instance should be “slopes” as well as the examiner believes that this is a simple typo . Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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 9 and 17 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.
Claims 9 and 17 are worded in such a way that it is unclear as to what is being claimed claims 9 and 17 each claim “an internal angle is defined between each of the slopes and the partition plate, a plurality of internal angles are a same to each other, and the pair of slops are non-parallel to each other” this wording is unclear as it is unclear if a second set of internal angles are being claimed or if “a plurality of internal angles” refers back to the internal angles defined between each of the slopes or is referring to a new plurality of internal angles. Additionally the wording of “a plurality of internal angles are a same to each other, and the pair of slops are non-parallel to each other” contains typos and grammatical error such the potential typo of the spelling of “slops” as noted above and it is unclear what is meant by “a plurality of internal angles are a same to each other” as this clause is grammatically unclear and it is unclear if this should be “the plurality of internal angles are the same as each other” or if an alternative meaning is meant.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) 1-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and (a)(2) as being anticipated by Tochiyama et al. (US 2014/0158324 A1).
Regarding claim 1. Tochiyama discloses (Figure1-9) a water-cooling plate, comprising: a first heat exchanging plate (upper portion heatsink 10), comprising a first fin structure disposed protrusively on a side thereof (the fins 12 on heatsink 10 on the left side of figure 4); a second heat exchanging plate (lower portion heatsink 11), comprising a second fin structure disposed protrusively on a side thereof (the fins 12 on heatsink 11 on the left side of figure 4); and a main body (water jacket 1), comprising a partition plate (at main body portion 2), a first communication port (for flow into the liquid coolant supplying groove 4a on the left side of figure 4 and 8), a second communication port (for flow out of the fins 12 on lower heatsink 11 into coolant discharging groove 5a on the left side of figure 4 and 8), a first recess and a second recess defined therein, the first recess and the second recess located opposite to each other at two sides of the partition plate (a first recess for accommodating the fins of heatsink 10 and a second recess for accommodating the fins of heatsink 11 as seen in figure 3-4 and 8), wherein a communication opening is defined on the partition plate (at flow channel 9 on the left side of figure 4), the communication opening communicates with the first recess and the second recess (per paragraph 0043 and as seen by the flow arrows in figure 4); wherein the first communication port communicates with the first recess, and the second communication port communicates with the second recess; wherein a first channel is defined by the first fin structure being accommodated in the first recess, and a second channel is defined by the second fin structure being accommodated in the second recess; and wherein the first communication port, the first channel, the communication opening, the second channel and the second communication port are connected sequentially in a series (as seen in figure 4 and as described with the flow entering through header 4 flowing through the fins 12 on upper heatsink 10, through vertical flow channel 9 and then through the fins 12 on the lower heatsink 11 and out through the discharging header 5 per paragraph 0047-0050).
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Annotated Figure 4 of Tochiyama
Regarding claim 2, Tochiyama discloses the claim limitations of claim 1 above and Tochiyama further discloses the first heat exchanging plate (10) comprises a first heat exchanging surface, the second heat exchanging plate (11) comprises a second heat exchanging surface, and an area of the first heat exchanging surface is smaller than an area of the second heat exchanging surface (as the areas and surfaces are not further defined a broad interpretation of the heat exchanging surface is possible, in this case the surface area of the first plate contacting the heat generating elements 15 is less than surface area of the heat exchanging surface of the lower heat sink 11 that faces the main body 2 as the heat exchanging surface of the lower heat sink 11 has fins on it where the surface of the upper heat sink 10 facing the heat generating elements 15 does not).
Regarding claim 3, Tochiyama discloses the claim limitations of claim 1 above and Tochiyama further discloses the main body comprises a third communication port (for flow into the liquid coolant supplying groove 4a on the right side of figure 4 and 8) and a fourth communication port (for flow out of the fins 12 on lower heatsink 11 into coolant discharging groove 5a on the right side of figure 4 and 8), the third communication port communicates with the first recess, and the fourth communication port communicates with the second recess (as seen in figure 4 and as described with the flow entering through header 4 flowing through the fins 12 on the right of upper heatsink 10, through vertical flow channel 9 and then through the fins 12 on the lower heatsink 11 and out through the discharging header 5 per paragraph 0047-0050).
Regarding claim 4, Tochiyama discloses the claim limitations of claim 3 above and Tochiyama further discloses the first heat exchanging plate (10) comprises a third fin structure disposed protrusively thereon (the fins 12 on heatsink 10 on the right side of figure 4), the second heat exchanging plate (11) comprises a fourth fin structure disposed protrusively thereon (the fins 12 on heatsink 11 on the right side of figure 4), a third channel is defined by the third fin structure being accommodated in the first recess, and a fourth channel is defined by the fourth fin structure being accommodated in the second recess (as seen in figure 4 and as described with the flow entering through header 4 flowing through the fins 12 on the right of upper heatsink 10, through vertical flow channel 9 and then through the fins 12 on the lower heatsink 11 and out through the discharging header 5 per paragraph 0047-0050).
Regarding claim 5, Tochiyama discloses the claim limitations of claim 4 above and Tochiyama further discloses the first channel is non-communicating with the third channel, and the second channel is non-communicating with the fourth channel ( communicating is a broad term and does not necessarily limit the claims to have no fluid connections between the channels, but could limit some other form of communication such as heat that flows between the channels. In this case the first and second channels and the third and fourth channels on the left and right side of figure 4 respectively are not thermally communicating in that they are connected in parallel so heat from one channel would not flow to the others as the channels are fluidly connected in parallel).
Regarding claim 6, Tochiyama discloses the claim limitations of claim 5 above and Tochiyama further discloses a second communication opening communicating with the third channel and the fourth channel is defined on the partition plate (the vertical flow channels on the right side of figure 4 connects the third and fourth channel as seen in figure 4).
Regarding claim 7, Tochiyama discloses the claim limitations of claim 6 above and Tochiyama further discloses the third channel communicates with the third communication port, and the fourth channel communicates with the fourth communication port (as seen in figure 4 and as described with the flow entering through header 4 flowing through the fins 12 on the right of upper heatsink 10, through vertical flow channel 9 and then through the fins 12 on the lower heatsink 11 and out through the discharging header 5 per paragraph 0047-0050).
Regarding claim 8, Tochiyama discloses the claim limitations of claim 7 above and Tochiyama further discloses the third communication port, the third channel, the second communication opening, the fourth channel and the fourth communication port are connected sequentially in a series (as seen in figure 4 and as described with the flow flowing in series through header 4 then flowing through the fins 12 on the right of upper heatsink 10, through vertical flow channel 9 and then through the fins 12 on the lower heatsink 11 and out through the discharging header 5 per paragraph 0047-0050).
Regarding claim 9, Tochiyama discloses the claim limitations of claim 1 above and Tochiyama further discloses the main body comprises a pair of slopes, the pair of slopes are disposed outside of the main body, the pair of slopes are disposed opposite to each other at two sides of the partition plate (the sloped sidewalls on the outside of either side of inlet at supplying port 6 and supplying groove where the inlet 6 transitions into the main body 2 and partition plate 3 as seen in figure 3 and contains sloped transition walls from the walls of the main body 2 around the partitioning plate 3 toward the supplying port 6) the pair of slopes are respectively tilted relative to the partition plate (a seen in figure 3), an internal angle is defined between each of the slopes and the partition plate, a plurality of internal angles are a same to each other, and the pair of slopes are non-parallel to each other (as seen in figure 3).
Regarding claim 10. Tochiyama discloses (Figure1-9) a water-cooling plate, comprising: a main body comprising a partition plate (at main body portion 2 of water jacket 1), a first communication port (for flow into the liquid coolant supplying groove 4a on the left side of figure 4 and 8) and a second communication port (for flow out of the fins 12 on lower heatsink 11 into coolant discharging groove 5a on the left side of figure 4 and 8), a first recess and a second recess defined therein, the first recess and the second recess located opposite to each other at two sides of the partition plate (a first recess for accommodating the fins of heatsink 10 and a second recess for accommodating the fins of heatsink 11 as seen in figure 3-4 and 8); a first heat exchanging plate (upper portion heatsink 10), combined with the first recess to define a first chamber (between the heatsink 10 and the main body 2 on the left side of figure 4), a first channel defined in the first chamber, and the first channel extending on at least a portion of a surface of the first heat exchanging plate in a non-straight path manner (around the surfaces of fins 12 of heat sink 10 which are arranged in offset rows and would have fluid flow around them in a non-straight manner as seen in figure 3 and per paragraph 0044); and a second heat exchanging plate (lower portion heatsink 11), combined with the second recess to define a second chamber (between the heatsink 11 and the main body 2 on the left side of figure 4), a second channel defined in the second chamber, and the second channel extending on at least a portion of a surface of the second heat exchanging plate in the non-straight path manner (around the surfaces of fins 12 of heat sink 11 which are arranged in offset rows and would have fluid flow around them in a non-straight manner as seen in figure 3 and per paragraph 0044), wherein a communication opening is defined on the partition plate (at flow channel 9 on the left side of figure 4), the communication opening communicates with the first recess and the second recess (per paragraph 0043 and as seen by the flow arrows in figure 4); wherein the first communication port communicates with the first recess, and the second communication port communicates with the second recess; and wherein the first communication port, the first channel, the communication opening, the second channel and the second communication port are connected sequentially in a series (as seen in figure 4 and as described with the cooling fluid fling in series through header 4 flowing through the fins 12 on upper heatsink 10, through vertical flow channel 9 and then through the fins 12 on the lower heatsink 11 and out through the discharging header 5 per paragraph 0047-0050).
Regarding claim 11, Tochiyama discloses the claim limitations of claim 10 above and Tochiyama further discloses the first heat exchanging plate (10) comprises a first heat exchanging surface, the second heat exchanging plate (11) comprises a second heat exchanging surface, and an area of the first heat exchanging surface is smaller than an area of the second heat exchanging surface (as the areas and surfaces are not further defined a broad interpretation of the heat exchanging surface is possible, in this case the surface area of the first plate contacting the heat generating elements 15 is less than surface area of the heat exchanging surface of the lower heat sink 11 that faces the main body 2 as the heat exchanging surface of the lower heat sink 11 has fins on it where the surface of the upper heat sink 10 facing the heat generating elements 15 does not).
Regarding claim 12, Tochiyama discloses the claim limitations of claim 10 above and Tochiyama further discloses the first heat exchanging plate (upper portion heatsink 10) is combined with the first recess to define a third chamber (between the heatsink 10 and the main body 2 on the right side of figure 4), a third channel is defined in the third chamber, and the third channel extending on at least a portion of a surface of the first heat exchanging plate in the non-straight path manner (around the surfaces of fins 12 of heat sink 10 which are arranged in offset rows and would have fluid flow around them in a non-straight manner as seen in figure 3 and per paragraph 0044); and the second heat exchanging plate (11) is combined with the second recess to define a fourth chamber (between the heatsink 11 and the main body 2 on the right side of figure 4), a fourth channel is defined in the fourth chamber, and the fourth channel extending on at least a portion of a surface of the second heat exchanging plate in the non-straight path manner (around the surfaces of fins 12 of heat sink 11 which are arranged in offset rows and would have fluid flow around them in a non-straight manner as seen in figure 3 and per paragraph 0044).
Regarding claim 13, Tochiyama discloses the claim limitations of claim 12 above and Tochiyama further discloses the first channel is non-communicating with the third channel, and the second channel is non-communicating with the fourth channel ( communicating is a broad term and does not necessarily limit the claims to have no fluid connections between the channels, but could limit some other form of communication such as heat that flows between the channels. In this case the first and second channels and the third and fourth channels on the left and right side of figure 4 respectively are not thermally communicating in that they are connected in parallel so heat from one channel would not flow to the others as the channels are fluidly connected in parallel).
Regarding claim 14, Tochiyama discloses the claim limitations of claim 13 above and Tochiyama further discloses a second communication opening communicating with the third channel and the fourth channel is defined on the partition plate (the vertical flow channels on the right side of figure 4 connects the third and fourth channel as seen in figure 4).
Regarding claim 15, Tochiyama discloses the claim limitations of claim 14 above and Tochiyama further discloses the main body comprises a third communication port (for flow into the liquid coolant supplying groove 4a on the right side of figure 4 and 8) and a fourth communication port (for flow out of the fins 12 on lower heatsink 11 into coolant discharging groove 5a on the right side of figure 4 and 8), the third communication port communicates with the first recess, the fourth communication port communicates with the second recess (as seen in figure 4 and as described with the flow entering through header 4 flowing through the fins 12 on the right of upper heatsink 10, through vertical flow channel 9 and then through the fins 12 on the lower heatsink 11 and out through the discharging header 5 per paragraph 0047-0050), the third channel communicates with the third communication port, and the fourth channel communicates with the fourth communication port (as seen in figure 4 and as described with the flow entering through header 4 flowing through the fins 12 on the right of upper heatsink 10, through vertical flow channel 9 and then through the fins 12 on the lower heatsink 11 and out through the discharging header 5 per paragraph 0047-0050).
Regarding claim 16, Tochiyama discloses the claim limitations of claim 15 above and Tochiyama further discloses the third communication port, the third channel, the second communication opening, the fourth channel and the fourth communication port are connected sequentially in a series (as seen in figure 4 and as described with the flow flowing in series through header 4 then flowing through the fins 12 on the right of upper heatsink 10, through vertical flow channel 9 and then through the fins 12 on the lower heatsink 11 and out through the discharging header 5 per paragraph 0047-0050).
Regarding claim 17, Tochiyama discloses the claim limitations of claim 10 above and Tochiyama further discloses the main body comprises a pair of slopes, the pair of slopes are disposed outside of the main body, the pair of slopes are disposed opposite to each other at two sides of the partition plate (the sloped sidewalls on the outside of either side of inlet at supplying port 6 and supplying groove where the inlet 6 transitions into the main body 2 and partition plate 3 as seen in figure 3 and contains sloped transition walls from the walls of the main body 2 around the partitioning plate 3 toward the supplying port 6) the pair of slopes are respectively tilted relative to the partition plate (a seen in figure 3), an internal angle is defined between each of the slopes and the partition plate, a plurality of internal angles are a same to each other, and the pair of slopes are non-parallel to each other (as seen in figure 3).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Fan et al. (US 20240341051 A1), Zhou et al. (US 20220142013 A1), De Sousa et al. (US 20220015271 A1), Deguchi (US 20180142968 A1), Zho et al. (US 20170055378 A1), and Miyajima et al. (US 6895026 B2) all disclose cooling plate structures which appear to potentially read on the independent claims and Edmunds et al. (US 20250169030 A1) discloses cooling plates with sloped walls.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HANS R. WEILAND whose telephone number is (571)272-9847. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 6-3 EST and alternating Fridays.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Len Tran can be reached at 571-272-1184. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HANS R WEILAND/Examiner, Art Unit 3763
/ERIC S RUPPERT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763
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