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 § 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) 1-2, 5, 7, 11, 15-16, 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kurosawa et al. (US 20230314082), hereinafter referred to as Kurosawa.
Re claim 1, Kurosawa teaches a heat exchanger comprising:
a housing (3) defining a chamber (inherent) therein;
a coolant inlet (inherent, e.g. ¶ 13, “third flow path 30”), a coolant outlet (inherent, e.g. ¶ 13, “third flow path 30”), and coolant channels (inherent, e.g. ¶ 13, “third flow path 30”) defined within the chamber extending between the coolant inlet and the coolant outlet;
a first fluid inlet (inherent, e.g. ¶ 13, “first flow path 10”), a first fluid outlet (inherent, e.g. ¶ 13, “first flow path 10”), and first fluid channels (inherent, e.g. ¶ 13, “first flow path 10”) defined within the chamber extending between the first fluid inlet and the first fluid outlet; and
a second fluid inlet (inherent, e.g. ¶ 13, “second flow path 20”), a second fluid outlet (inherent, e.g. ¶ 13, “second flow path 20”), and second fluid channels (inherent, e.g. ¶ 13, “second flow path 20”) defined within the chamber extending between the second fluid inlet and the second fluid outlet,
wherein the coolant channels, the first fluid channels, and the second fluid channels are all intertwined (see Fig 1-2) and thereby configured to simultaneously transfer heat between coolant flowing through the coolant channels and each of a first fluid flowing through the first fluid channels and a second fluid flowing through the second fluid channels (see e.g. ¶ 14, “The heat exchanger 1 performs heat exchange between the first fluid flowing through the first flow path 10 and the third fluid flowing through the third flow path 30, and between the second fluid flowing through the second flow path 20 and the third fluid flowing through the third flow path 30. Further, the first flow path wall 11 and the second flow path wall 21 are formed such that the first flow path 10 and the second flow path 20 are three-dimensionally intertwined”).
Re claim 2, Kurosawa teaches the heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein: the coolant inlet is aligned linearly with the coolant outlet; the first fluid inlet is aligned linearly with the first fluid outlet; and the second fluid inlet is aligned linearly with the second fluid outlet (see Fig 1-2).
Re claim 5, Kurosawa teaches the heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the coolant channels surround each of the first fluid channels and the second fluid channels (see Fig 1-2).
Re claim 7, Kurosawa teaches the heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein: the first fluid inlet and the first fluid outlet are offset along a length of the housing; and the second fluid inlet and the second fluid outlet are offset along the length of the housing (see Fig 1-2).
Re claim 11, Kurosawa teaches the heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein: at the first fluid inlet and the first fluid outlet are first openings of the first fluid channels, the second fluid channels are closed at the first fluid inlet and the first fluid outlet; and at the second fluid inlet and the second fluid outlet are second openings of the second fluid channels, the first fluid channels are closed at the second fluid inlet and the second fluid outlet (see Fig 1-2).
Re claim 15, Kurosawa teaches the heat exchanger of claim 14, wherein the housing is sealed to the lattice structure between the first fluid inlet and the first fluid outlet; the housing is sealed to the lattice structure between the first fluid outlet and the second fluid inlet; and the housing is sealed to the lattice structure between the second fluid inlet and the second fluid outlet (see Fig 1-2).
Re claim 16, see rejection for claims 1-2 and 5.
Re claim 18, Kurosawa teaches the heat exchanger of claim 16, wherein the coolant channels, the first fluid channels, and the second fluid channels are defined by a three-dimensional lattice structure (see Fig 1-2).
Re claim 19, see rejection for claims 1-2 and 18.
Re claim 20, see rejection for claims 1-2, 11 and 18.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5, 7, 16-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ribarov et al. (US 20170131034), hereinafter referred to as Ribarov
Re claim 1, Ribarov teaches a heat exchanger comprising:
a housing (e.g. ¶ 15, “The heat exchanger 10 will typically be disposed as a core inside a housing or shell”) defining a chamber (inherent) therein;
a coolant inlet (inherent, e.g. ¶ 15, “third flow path”), a coolant outlet (inherent, e.g. ¶ 15, “third flow path”), and coolant channels (inherent, e.g. ¶ 15, “third flow path”) defined within the chamber extending between the coolant inlet and the coolant outlet;
a first fluid inlet (inherent, e.g. ¶ 15, “first flow path”), a first fluid outlet (inherent, e.g. ¶ 15, “first flow path”), and first fluid channels (inherent, e.g. ¶ 15, “first flow path”) defined within the chamber extending between the first fluid inlet and the first fluid outlet; and
a second fluid inlet (inherent, e.g. ¶ 15, “second flow path”), a second fluid outlet (inherent, e.g. ¶ 15, “second flow path”), and second fluid channels (inherent, e.g. ¶ 15, “second flow path”) defined within the chamber extending between the second fluid inlet and the second fluid outlet,
wherein the coolant channels, the first fluid channels, and the second fluid channels are all intertwined (see Fig 1-2) and thereby configured to simultaneously transfer heat between coolant flowing through the coolant channels and each of a first fluid flowing through the first fluid channels and a second fluid flowing through the second fluid channels (see e.g. ¶ 16-20).
Re claim 2, Ribarov teaches the heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein: the coolant inlet is aligned linearly with the coolant outlet; the first fluid inlet is aligned linearly with the first fluid outlet; and the second fluid inlet is aligned linearly with the second fluid outlet (see Fig 1-2).
Re claim 3, Ribarov teaches the heat exchanger of claim 1, the coolant inlet and the coolant outlet extend perpendicular to the first fluid inlet and the first fluid outlet, and extend perpendicular to the second fluid inlet and the second fluid outlet; and the first fluid inlet and the first fluid outlet extend perpendicular to the second fluid inlet and the second fluid outlet (see Fig 1-2).
Re claim 5, Ribarov teaches the heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the coolant channels surround each of the first fluid channels and the second fluid channels (see Fig 1-2).
Re claim 7, Ribarov teaches the heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein: the first fluid inlet and the first fluid outlet are offset along a length of the housing; and the second fluid inlet and the second fluid outlet are offset along the length of the housing (see Fig 1-2).
Re claim 16, see rejection for claims 1-2 and 5.
Re claim 17, see rejection for claims 1-3 and 5.
Re claim 18, Ribarov teaches the heat exchanger of claim 16, wherein the coolant channels, the first fluid channels, and the second fluid channels are defined by a three-dimensional lattice structure (see Fig 1-2).
Re claim 19, see rejection for claims 1-2 and 18.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kurosawa, in view of Official Notice.
Re claim 6, Kurosawa teaches the heat exchanger of claim 1. Kurosawa does not teach the limitation of further comprising reinforcement members within the coolant channels, the reinforcement members contacting exterior surfaces of at least one of the first fluid channels and the second fluid channels to support at least one of the first fluid channels and the second fluid channels.
However, the examiner takes Official Notice of the fact that using reinforcement members within the coolant channels, the reinforcement members contacting exterior surfaces of at least one of the first fluid channels and the second fluid channels to support at least one of the first fluid channels and the second fluid channels, falls within the realm of common knowledge as obvious mechanical expedient.
Therefore, at the time the invention was filed it would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art to have modified Kurosawa and integrated reinforcement members within the coolant channels, the reinforcement members contacting exterior surfaces of at least one of the first fluid channels and the second fluid channels, in order to support at least one of the first fluid channels and the second fluid channels.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 8-10 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. (see PTO-892).
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/NELSON J NIEVES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763 07/10/2026
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