DETAILED ACTION
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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 .
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
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.
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.
Claims 1-3, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being anticipated by Bormann (US 20060117761 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, in embodiment 60, Bormann teaches:
a refrigerator ("cold drink vending machine 60") comprising:
a main body ("insulated top 66, insulated side walls 54, insulated back wall 68, insulated floor 70 and insulated door 72", paragraph 0030) including
an insulating wall ("insulated back wall 68")
having a hole therethrough ("TEC array 74 is mounted in back wall 68, with conductive cold side plate 76 exposed to interior 62 and conductive hot side plate 78 projecting through back wall 68, exposed to the exterior air", paragraph 0030);
a storage compartment in the main body ("enclosure 62"); and
a thermoelectric module ("TEC array 74")
in the hole, seated on the insulating wall ("TEC array 74 is mounted in back wall 68, with conductive cold side plate 76 exposed to interior 62 and conductive hot side plate 78 projecting through back wall 68, exposed to the exterior air", paragraph 0030), and
configured to cool the storage compartment ("a plurality of thermoelectric cooling units, with their cold sides exposed to the enclosure interior", claim 1); wherein
In embodiment 60, Bormann fails to teach:
“the thermoelectric module includes: a thermoelectric element including a heat-absorbing surface on a first side of the thermoelectric module facing the storage compartment and configured to absorb heat from the storage compartment, and a heat-generating surface on a second side of the thermoelectric module, opposite the first side, and configured to receive heat from the heat-absorbing surface and discharge the received heat, a cooling sink in contact with the heat-absorbing surface and configured to exchange heat with the heat-absorbing surface, a heat sink in contact with the heat-generating surface and configured to exchange heat with the heat-generating surface, and a coupling member coupling the cooling sink and the heat sink so that the cooling sink is pressed against the heat-absorbing surface and the heat sink is pressed against the heat-generating surface.”
However in embodiment 100, Bormann teaches
the thermoelectric module includes:
a thermoelectric element (“TEC 104”) including
a heat-absorbing surface ("cold side ceramic face 112") on a first side (Bormann Annotated Figure 5) of the thermoelectric module
facing the storage compartment ("a plurality of thermoelectric cooling units, with their cold sides exposed to the enclosure interior", claim 1) and
configured to absorb heat from the storage compartment (“FIG. 1 shows a prior art thermoelectric cooler (TEC) 10 of the generic type used in the present invention.”, "heat is absorbed at cold side 14”, paragraph 0026), and
a heat-generating surface ("cold side ceramic face 110") on a second side (Bormann Annotated Figure 5) of the thermoelectric module, opposite the first side (Bormann Annotated Figure 5), and
configured to receive heat from the heat-absorbing surface and discharge the received heat (“FIG. 1 shows a prior art thermoelectric cooler (TEC) 10 of the generic type used in the present invention.”, "heat is absorbed at cold side 14 and moved, together with heat generated by resistive losses in the device, to hot side 16", paragraph 0026, "a plurality of thermoelectric cooling units, with their cold sides exposed to the enclosure interior, where they are affixed to an array of individual, self-sufficient interior heat pipes through a conductive metal connecting member. Their hot sides are exposed to the ambient exterior and similarly affixed to an array of individual, self-sufficient exterior heat pipes, each set of heat pipes having a stack of fins affixed; interior fins to collect heat and exterior fins to disburse heat", abstract),
a cooling sink ("conductive plate 108"; "cold side heat pipes 120"; "exterior fins to disburse heat", abstract)
in contact with the heat-absorbing surface and configured to exchange heat with the heat-absorbing surface ("A conductive grease, such as "Arctic Silver" thermal compound, is used at the interfaces to provide good thermal coupling of conductive plates 106 and 108 to ceramic faces 110 and 112", paragraph 0032),
a heat sink ("conductive plate 106"; "hot side heat pipes 118"; " interior fins to collect heat", abstract)
in contact with the heat-generating surface and configured to exchange heat with the heat-generating surface ("A conductive grease, such as "Arctic Silver" thermal compound, is used at the interfaces to provide good thermal coupling of conductive plates 106 and 108 to ceramic faces 110 and 112", paragraph 0032), and
a coupling member (“bolts 114”, “retaining nuts 116”)
coupling the cooling sink and the heat sink so that the cooling sink is pressed against the heat-absorbing surface and the heat sink is pressed against the heat-generating surface (“A conductive grease, such as "Arctic Silver" thermal compound, is used at the interfaces to provide good thermal coupling of conductive plates 106 and 108 to ceramic faces 110 and 112. Positive clamping forces to maintain the coupling are provided by through bolts 114 and retaining nuts 116”, paragraph 0032).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the teachings of embodiment 60 to include “the thermoelectric module includes: a thermoelectric element including a heat-absorbing surface on a first side of the thermoelectric module facing the storage compartment and configured to absorb heat from the storage compartment, and a heat-generating surface on a second side of the thermoelectric module, opposite the first side, and configured to receive heat from the heat-absorbing surface and discharge the received heat, a cooling sink in contact with the heat-absorbing surface and configured to exchange heat with the heat-absorbing surface, a heat sink in contact with the heat-generating surface and configured to exchange heat with the heat-generating surface, and a coupling member coupling the cooling sink and the heat sink so that the cooling sink is pressed against the heat-absorbing surface and the heat sink is pressed against the heat-generating surface” in view of the teachings of embodiment 100 as it provides “Positive clamping forces to maintain the coupling” (paragraph 0032).
Regarding Claim 2, Bormann teaches the combined teachings of claim 1, and further teaches:
the cooling sink ("conductive plate 108"; "cold side heat pipes 120"; "exterior fins to disburse heat", abstract)
has a cooling sink coupling hole therethrough (Bormann Annotated Figure 5),
the heat sink ("conductive plate 106"; "hot side heat pipes 118"; " interior fins to collect heat", abstract)
has a heat sink coupling hole therethrough (Bormann Annotated Figure 5), and
the coupling member (“bolts 114”, “retaining nuts 116”) includes:
a first coupling portion ("bolts 114", Bormann Annotated Figure 5)
passing through the cooling sink coupling hole and the heat sink coupling hole (Bormann Annotated Figure 5),
a second coupling portion ("retaining nuts 116", Bormann Annotated Figure 5)
connected to a first end of the first coupling portion (Bormann Annotated Figure 5) and
configured to be supported on the first side of the thermoelectric module (Bormann Annotated Figure 5), and
a third coupling portion ("bolts 114", Bormann Annotated Figure 5)
connected to a second end of the first coupling portion (Bormann Annotated Figure 5) and
configured to be supported on the second side of the thermoelectric module (Bormann Annotated Figure 5), and
the second coupling portion or the third coupling portion is configured to be movable toward the thermoelectric element to press the cooling sink against the heat-absorbing surface and to press the heat sink against the heat-generating surface ("Positive clamping forces to maintain the coupling are provided by through bolts 114 and retaining nuts 116", paragraph 0032, figure 5A).
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Bormann Annotated Figure 5
Regarding Claim 3, Bormann teaches the combined teachings of claim 2, and further teaches:
the first coupling portion includes a bolt body ("bolts 114", Bormann Annotated Figure 5),
the second coupling portion includes a nut ("retaining nuts 116", Bormann Annotated Figure 5), and
the third coupling portion includes a bolt head ("bolts 114", Bormann Annotated Figure 5).
Regarding Claim 15, Bormann teaches the combined teachings of claim 1, and further teaches:
the cooling sink ("conductive plate 108"; "cold side heat pipes 120"; "exterior fins to disburse heat", abstract)
has a cooling sink coupling hole therethrough (Bormann Annotated Figure 5),
the heat sink ("conductive plate 106"; "hot side heat pipes 118"; " interior fins to collect heat", abstract)
has a heat sink coupling hole therethrough (Bormann Annotated Figure 5),
the thermoelectric module (“TEC 104”; "conductive plate 108"; "cold side heat pipes 120"; "exterior fins to disburse heat", abstract; "conductive plate 106"; "hot side heat pipes 118"; " interior fins to collect heat", abstract; “bolts 114”; “retaining nuts 116”) includes:
a first cover ("Flanged insulator bushing 115) covering outside a circumference of the cooling sink coupling hole on a side of the cooling sink (Bormann Annotated Figure 5), and
a second cover ("Flanged insulator bushing 115) covering outside a circumference of the heat sink coupling hole on a side of the heat sink (Bormann Annotated Figure 5), and
the first cover and the second cover include an insulating material ("Flanged insulator bushing 115").
Claims 4, 8, 10-11 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bormann (US 20060117761 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Choi et al. (US 20180274825 A1).
Regarding claim 4, Bormann teaches the combined teachings of claim 1, as described above, but fails to teach:
a module frame along an inner circumferential surface of the hole and secured to the insulating wall, wherein the thermoelectric module is coupled to the module frame.
However, Choi teaches:
a module frame ("module frame 34")
along an inner circumferential surface of the hole (Insulating Wall Hole Inner Circumference, Choi Annotated Figure 14) and
secured to the insulating wall ("Foam may be inserted between the cabinet 12, 13, 14 and the inner case 10", paragraph 0036, Choi Annotated Figure 14), wherein
the thermoelectric module is coupled to the module frame (see the following paragraph).
The thermoelectric element is attached to the heat sink (" the heat sink 33 may be a heating heat-exchanger connected to the high-temperature sub-element of the thermoelectric element 31", paragraph 0090) and to the cooling sink (“The cooling sink 32 may be a cooling heat-exchanger connected to the low-temperature sub-element of the thermoelectric element 31”, paragraph 0089), and it can be seen from figure 14 that the module frame is secured to the heat sink by being placed between the two in physical contact. Therefore, a person having ordinary skill in the art would understand the thermoelectric module to be secured to the module frame.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the teachings of Bormann to include “a module frame along an inner circumferential surface of the hole and secured to the insulating wall, wherein the thermoelectric module is coupled to the module frame” in view of the teachings of Choi in order that “The thermal insulating member 37 and the thermoelectric element 31 may be arranged in the inner space of the module frame 34 and may be protected by the module frame 34” (paragraph 0119).
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Choi Annotated Figure 14
Regarding claim 8, the combined teachings teach and Choi further teaches:
an insulation ("thermal insulating member 37")
having a through hole ("thermoelectric element mounting hole formed in the thermal insulating member 37", paragraph 0100), wherein
the thermoelectric element (“thermoelectric element 31”)
is in the through hole ("The thermal insulating member 37 may include a thermoelectric element receiving hole defined therein and opened in the rear-front direction. The thermoelectric element 31 may be located within the thermoelectric element receiving hole.", paragraph 0117), and
the insulation is between the cooling sink (“cooling sink 32”) and the heat sink (“heat sink 33”) (Choi Annotated Figure 14).
Regarding claim 10, the combined teachings teach and Choi further teaches:
an outer circumferential surface of the insulation ("thermal insulating member 37") contacts an inner circumferential surface of the module frame ("module frame 34") ("The module frame 34 may surround the outer perimeter of the thermal insulating member 37", paragraph 0119).
Regarding claim 11, the combined teachings and Choi further teaches:
the insulation includes ("thermal insulating member 37"):
a first insulation surface (Choi Annotated Figure 8) facing
the cooling sink ("cooling sink 32") (Choi Annotated Figure 8), and
a second insulation surface (Choi Annotated Figure 8) facing
the heat sink (“heat sink 33”) (Choi Annotated Figure 8),
the first insulation surface has a smaller area than the second insulation surface (Choi Annotated Figure 8),
an outer circumferential surface of the insulation is inclined from an outer circumference of the second insulation surface toward an outer circumference of the first insulation surface (Choi Annotated Figure 8), and
an inner circumferential surface of the module frame includes a shape corresponding to the outer circumferential surface of the insulation (Choi Annotated Figure 8) and
is in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the insulation ("The module frame 34 may surround the outer perimeter of the thermal insulating member 37", paragraph 0119, Choi Annotated Figure 8).
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Choi Annotated Figure 8
Regarding claim 14, the combined teachings teach and Choi further teaches:
the heat sink (“heat sink 33”) is secured to the module frame ("module frame 34") to couple the thermoelectric module (“thermoelectric module 3”) to the module frame (see the following paragraph).
The thermoelectric element is attached to the heat sink (" the heat sink 33 may be a heating heat-exchanger connected to the high-temperature sub-element of the thermoelectric element 31", paragraph 0090) and to the cooling sink (“The cooling sink 32 may be a cooling heat-exchanger connected to the low-temperature sub-element of the thermoelectric element 31”, paragraph 0089), and it can be seen from figure 14 that the module frame is secured to the heat sink by being placed between the two in physical contact. The disclosure further explicitly indicates that the heat sink and the module frame are thermally coupled ("The module frame 34 may be formed of a material that minimizes heat loss due to heat conduction. For example, the module frame 34 may be made of a non-metallic material such as plastic, for example. The module frame 34 may prevent heat from the heat sink 33 from being conducted to the cooling sink 32", paragraph 0111, Choi Annotated Figure 14). Therefore, a person having ordinary skill in the art would understand the heat sink to be secured to the module frame.
Claims 5-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bormann (US 20060117761 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Wilcox et al. (DE 202007013623 U1).
Regarding Claim 5, Bormann teaches the combined teachings of claim 1, and further teaches:
the thermoelectric module (“TEC 104”; "conductive plate 108"; "cold side heat pipes 120"; "exterior fins to disburse heat", abstract; "conductive plate 106"; "hot side heat pipes 118"; " interior fins to collect heat", abstract; “bolts 114”; “retaining nuts 116”)
the refrigerator ("cold drink vending machine 60")
Bormann fails to teach:
the module includes a plurality of modules, and the device includes at least one connector connecting the plurality of modules to each other.
However, Wilcox teaches:
the module (“modular LED package (10)”) includes a plurality of modules (“LED modules (12)”) , and
the device includes at least one connector ("connecting device ( 15 )") connecting the plurality of modules to each other ("Modular LED unit ( 10 ) with a plurality of LED modules ( 12 ), which are placed on corresponding individual heat sinks ( 14 ), each heat sink ( 14 ) comprises: a base plate ( 20 ) with a base plate surface ( 24 ) for heat dissipation and a baseplate surface connected to a module ( 23 ) against which one of the LED modules ( 12 ) is arranged; and a first and a second side rib ( 40 . 50 ), from one each along one of two opposite sides ( 21 . 22 ) of the base plate ( 20 ) and each at a remote rib edge ( 42 . 52 ) ends; and with a spacer element ( 70 ) which is adjacent to at least one of the heat sinks ( 14 ) is arranged and connected to this and a base plate ( 73 ), a first and a second page ( 71 . 72 ) and at least one side rib ( 44 ) along one side ( 71 . 72 ) has the base plate of the spacer element; and with at least one connecting device ( 15 ), which the spacer element ( 70 ) and the adjacent heat sink ( 14 ) Stops side by side.", claim 11, figure 6).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the teachings of Bormann to include “the module includes a plurality of modules, and the device includes at least one connector connecting the plurality of modules to each other” in view of the teachings of Wilcox to reduce product development costs (objects of the invention, paragraph 3) and simplify manufacturing and assembly (objects of the invention, paragraph 4).
Regarding claims 6, Bormann teaches the combined teachings of claim 1, as described above, and Bormann further teaches:
the plurality of thermoelectric modules (“TEC 104”; "conductive plate 108"; "cold side heat pipes 120"; "exterior fins to disburse heat", abstract; "conductive plate 106"; "hot side heat pipes 118"; " interior fins to collect heat", abstract; “bolts 114”; “retaining nuts 116”) .
Bormann fails to teach:
the at least one connector connects the plurality of modules to each other by coupling to the plurality of heat sinks to each other.
However, Wilcox teaches:
the at least one connector ("connecting device ( 15 )") connects the plurality of modules (“LED modules (12)”) to each other by coupling to the plurality of heat sinks (“heat sink ( 14 )”) to each other ("Modular LED unit ( 10 ) with a plurality of LED modules ( 12 ), which are placed on corresponding individual heat sinks ( 14 ), each heat sink ( 14 ) comprises: a base plate ( 20 ) with a base plate surface ( 24 ) for heat dissipation and a baseplate surface connected to a module ( 23 ) against which one of the LED modules ( 12 ) is arranged; and a first and a second side rib ( 40 . 50 ), from one each along one of two opposite sides ( 21 . 22 ) of the base plate ( 20 ) and each at a remote rib edge ( 42 . 52 ) ends; and with a spacer element ( 70 ) which is adjacent to at least one of the heat sinks ( 14 ) is arranged and connected to this and a base plate ( 73 ), a first and a second page ( 71 . 72 ) and at least one side rib ( 44 ) along one side ( 71 . 72 ) has the base plate of the spacer element; and with at least one connecting device ( 15 ), which the spacer element ( 70 ) and the adjacent heat sink ( 14 ) Stops side by side.", claim 11, figure 6).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the teachings of Bormann to include “the at least one connector connects the plurality of modules to each other by coupling to the plurality of heat sinks to each other” in view of the teachings of Wilcox to reduce product development costs (objects of the invention, paragraph 3) and simplify manufacturing and assembly (objects of the invention, paragraph 4).
Regarding claim 7, the combined teachings teach the invention of claim 6, as described above, and Bormann further teaches:
the storage compartment ("enclosure 62").
and Wilcox teaches:
the connector ("connecting device (15)")
is coupled to a side of each heat sink ("heat sink ( 14 )")
of the plurality of heat sinks ("interconnected heat sinks ( 14 )", claim 1)
that faces away from the plurality of modules (“plurality of LED modules ( 12 )”) (figure 3).
The heat sinks 120 in the current application are oriented such that the fins are on the opposite side of the heating plates 124 from the storage compartment 20, and from the thermoelectric modules M. In Wilcox, the fins are similarly oriented on the opposite side of the heating plates (“base plate ( 20 )”) from the LED modules (“Modular LED unit ( 10 )”). Further, the connectors 160 of the current application are attached to the fin side of the heat sinks, as are the connectors of Wilcox (“connecting device ( 17 . 18 . 44 . 52 )”, Figure 6). Therefore, a person having ordinary skill in the art would understand the connector of Wilcox to be facing the same way as the connector of the current application.
Claims 9 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bormann (US 20060117761 A1) and Choi et al. (US 20180274825 A1) as applied to claim 8 above, and further in view of Kim et al. (US 20210278110 A1).
Regarding claim 9, the combined teachings teach the invention of claim 8, and Choi further teaches:
the insulation (“insulating member 37”) includes:
a first insulation surface (Choi Annotated Figures 6-7) that faces the cooling sink (“cooling sink 32”), and
a second insulation surface (Choi Annotated Figures 6-7) that faces the heat sink (“heat sink 33”), and
The combined teachings fail to teach:
a first cover plate covering a first insulation surface, and
a second cover plate covering a second insulation surface, and
the first cover plate contacts a side of the cooling sink facing the insulation, and
the second cover plate contacts a side of the heat sink facing the insulation.
However, Kim teaches:
a second cover plate (“back plate 62”) covering a second insulation (“insulating block 60”) surface ("back plate 62 may be disposed on the rear surface of the insulating block 60", paragraph 0169).
the second cover plate contacts a side of the heat sink (“heat sink 58”) facing the insulation (Kim Annotated Figure 22).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the combined teachings to include “a second cover plate covering a second insulation surface, and the second cover plate contacts a side of the heat sink facing the insulation” in view of the teachings of Kim because "The back plate 62, similar to the insulating block 60, may serve to increase the efficiency of cooling the thermoelectric element 55 by preventing the heat of the thermoelectric element 55 from being conducted to the edge of the thermoelectric element 55" (paragraph 0169).
Further, the general concept of using a protective layer on both sides of an insulating layer (i.e. duplicate the cover plate) “to increase the efficiency of cooling the thermoelectric element 55” (paragraph 0169) 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 the combined teachings and integrated the thermoelectric modules to each include a first and second cover plate, since it has been held that mere duplication of essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. In re Harza, 274 F.2d 669, 124 USPQ 378 (CCPA 1960). St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8. The motivation for doing so would have been “to increase the efficiency of cooling the thermoelectric element 55” (paragraph 0169).
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Choi Annotated Figures 6-7
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Kim Annotated Figure 22
Regarding claim 12, the combined teachings teach the invention of claim 9, as described above, and further teach:
the cooling sink (Bormann: "conductive plate 108"; "cold side heat pipes 120"; "exterior fins to disburse heat", abstract; Kim, “cooling sink 57′”) includes:
a cooling plate (Bormann, "conductive plate 108", Kim, “plate-shaped sink body 57b′”)
contacting the first cover plate (Kim, duplication of “back plate 62”), and
a cooling block (Kim, “cooling protrusion 57a′”)
protruding from the cooling plate (Kim, “The cooling sink 57′ may have a cooling protrusion 57a′ and the cooling protrusion 57a′ may protrude in the opposite direction to the cooling fins 57c”, paragraph 0216)
into the through hole (Kim, “element mount hole 61”) (Kim, “The cooling protrusion 57a′ may protrude inside the element mount hole 61 of the insulating block 60”, paragraph 0216),
the heat sink (Bormann: "conductive plate 106"; "hot side heat pipes 118"; " interior fins to collect heat", abstract; Kim: “heat sink 58”) includes
a heating plate (Bormann, "conductive plate 106", Kim, surface of “heat sink 58”)
contacting the second cover plate (Kim, “back plate 62”) (Kim Annotated Figure 22), and
the thermoelectric element (Bormann, “TEC 104”, Kim, “thermoelectric element 55”) is arranged so that
the heat-absorbing surface (Bormann, "cold side ceramic face 112", Kim, surface of “thermoelectric element 55” facing “heat sink 58”) contacts the cooling block and
the heat-generating surface (Bormann, "hot side ceramic face 110", Kim, surface of “thermoelectric element 55” facing “cooling sink 57′”)
contacts the heating plate (Bormann, “A conductive grease, such as "Arctic Silver" thermal compound, is used at the interfaces to provide good thermal coupling of conductive plates 106 and 108 to ceramic faces 110 and 112”, paragraph 0032).
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bormann (US 20060117761 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Ghoshal et al. (US 8904808 B2).
Regarding claim 13, Bormann teaches the combined teachings of claim 1, as described above, and further teaches:
the insulating wall ("insulated back wall 68") includes
an inner opening (Bormann Annotated Figure 4) on a first side (Bormann Annotated Figure 4) of the insulating wall facing toward the storage compartment (“enclosure 62”), and
an outer opening (Bormann Annotated Figure 4) on a second side (Bormann Annotated Figure 4) of the insulating wall facing away from the storage compartment, opposite to the first side,
the hole (Bormann Annotated Figure 4) extends from the inner opening to the outer opening
the thermoelectric element (“TEC 104”).
Bormann fails to teach:
the thermoelectric element is closer to the outer opening than the inner opening.
However, Ghoshal teaches:
the thermoelectric element (“thermoelectric device 404”) is closer to the outer opening than the inner opening (Ghoshal Annotated Figure 8).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the teachings of Bormann to include “the thermoelectric element is closer to the outer opening than the inner opening” in view of the teachings of Ghoshal, as it “results in reduction in leakage of heat into chamber 406” (paragraph 51).
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Bormann Annotated Figure 4
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Ghoshal Annotated Figure 8
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSHUA M STICKEL whose telephone number is (571)270-1666. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm (9-5-4).
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/JOSHUA M STICKEL/Examiner, Art Unit 3763
/ELIZABETH J MARTIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763
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