DETAILED ACTION
Allowable Subject Matter
The indicated allowability of claim 5 is withdrawn in view of the newly discovered reference(s) to Lee et al. [US 2022/0394884]. Rejections based on the newly cited reference(s) follow.
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.
Claims 1-3, 6, 9, 11-12 and 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gilliland [US 2007/0297159], in view of Noda et al. [US 2006/0202882].
Regarding claim 1, Gilliland discloses an enclosure (10, figures 1-5) for an electronic device, comprising:
a conductive panel (12, figures 3-5) comprising a plurality of ventilation holes (24, figures 3-5), each ventilation hole having an inner perimeter (an inner perimeter of each vent hole 24, figures 3-5); and
a mesh (18, figures 2-5) attached to the conductive panel, the mesh comprising a plurality of cells (20, figures 2-5),
wherein each respective cell encloses the inner perimeter of a respective ventilation hole to form a conductive barrier around each respective ventilation hole (figures 3-5).
Gilliland discloses the claimed invention except for the mesh comprising a plurality of cells and one or more structural supports, and the one or more structural supports comprise frames that connect adjacent cells of the plurality of cells within the mesh.
Noda et al., disclose a mesh (1, figure 6) comprising a plurality of cells (5, figure 6) and one or more structural supports (6, figure 6), wherein the one or more structural supports comprise frames that connect adjacent cells of the plurality of cells within the mesh (figure 6).
It would have been to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to add rib supports between two adjacent cells that connects adjacent cells of the plurality of cells within the mesh of Gilliland, as suggested by Noda et al., in order to support a plurality of cells in a mesh when the mesh couple to a conductive panel.
Regarding claim 2, Gilliland, in view of Noda et al., disclose wherein the mesh is comprised of at least one material selected from a ground comprising conductive materials (the mesh is formed of conductive material, paragraph 0015), resistant materials, and ferromagnetic materials.
Regarding claim 3, Gilliland, in view of Noda et al., disclose wherein the mesh is attached to the conductive panel using at least one of conductive adhesives, soldering, or mechanical fasteners (fasteners 32 may attach both a mesh 18 and a conductive panel 12 to an enclosure 16, figure 5, paragraph 0019).
Regarding claim 6, Gilliland discloses the claimed invention except for wherein each respective cell comprises a plurality of mesh holes.
Noda et al., further disclose wherein each respective cell comprises a plurality of mesh holes (2, figure 6).
It would have been to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to use a mesh hole design of Noda et al., with a conductive panel of an electronic enclosure of Gilliland, in order to improve heat dissipation through vent holes of an electronic enclosure.
Regarding claim 9, Gilliland discloses a method for forming an enclosure (10, figures 1-5) for an electronic device, to shield electromagnetic interference, comprising:
preparing a conductive panel (12, figures 3-5) comprising a plurality of ventilation holes (24, figures 3-5), each ventilation hole having an inner perimeter (an inner perimeter of each vent hole 24, figures 3-5); and
fabricating a mesh (18, figures 2-5) and attaching to the conductive panel, the mesh comprising a plurality of cells (20, figures 2-5),
wherein each respective cell encloses the inner perimeter of a respective ventilation hole to form a conductive barrier around each respective ventilation hole (figures 3-5).
Gilliland discloses the claimed invention except for the mesh comprising a plurality of cells and one or more structural supports, and the one or more structural supports comprise frames that connect adjacent cells of the plurality of cells within the mesh.
Noda et al., disclose a mesh assembly (1, figure 6) comprising a plurality of cells (5, figure 6); and one or more structural supports (6, figure 6), wherein the one or more structural supports comprise frames that connect adjacent cells of the plurality of cells within the mesh (figure 6).
It would have been to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to add rib supports between two adjacent cells that connects adjacent cells of the plurality of cells within the mesh of Gilliland, as suggested by Noda et al., in order to support a plurality of cells in a mesh when the mesh couple to a conductive panel.
Regarding claim 11, Gilliland, in view of Noda et al., disclose wherein the mesh is comprised of at least one material selected from a ground comprising conductive materials (the mesh is formed of conductive material, paragraph 0015), resistant materials, and ferromagnetic materials.
Regarding claim 12, Gilliland discloses the claimed invention except for wherein each respective cell comprises a plurality of mesh holes.
Noda et al., further disclose wherein each respective cell comprises a plurality of mesh holes (2, figure 6).
It would have been to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to use a mesh hole design of Noda et al., with a conductive panel of an electronic enclosure of Gilliland, in order to improve heat dissipation through vent holes of an electronic enclosure.
Regarding claim 15, Gilliland, in view of Noda et al., further disclose wherein the mesh is attached to the conductive panel using at least one of conductive adhesives, soldering, or mechanical fasteners (fasteners 32 may attach both a mesh 18 and a conductive panel 12 to an enclosure 16, figure 5, paragraph 0019).
Regarding claim 16, Gilliland discloses an apparatus (10, figures 1-5) for shielding electromagnetic interference in an electronic device, comprising:
a conductive panel (12, figures 3-5) comprising a plurality of ventilation holes (24, figures 3-5), each ventilation hole having an inner perimeter (an inner perimeter of each vent hole 24, figures 3-5); and
a mesh (18, figures 2-5) attached to the conductive panel, the mesh comprising a plurality of cells (20, figures 2-5),
wherein each respective cell encloses the inner perimeter of a respective ventilation hole to form a conductive barrier around each respective ventilation hole (figures 3-5).
Gilliland discloses the claimed invention except for the mesh comprising a plurality of cells and one or more structural supports, and the one or more structural supports comprise frames that connect adjacent cells of the plurality of cells within the mesh.
Noda et al., disclose a mesh (1, figure 6) comprising a plurality of cells (5, figure 6) and one or more structural supports (6, figure 6), wherein the one or more structural supports comprise frames that connect adjacent cells of the plurality of cells within the mesh (figure 6).
It would have been to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to add rib supports between two adjacent cells that connects adjacent cells of the plurality of cells within the mesh of Gilliland, as suggested by Noda et al., in order to support a plurality of cells in a mesh when the mesh couple to a conductive panel.
Regarding claim 17, Gilliland discloses the claimed invention except for wherein each respective cell comprises a plurality of mesh holes.
Noda et al., further disclose wherein each respective cell comprises a plurality of mesh holes (2, figure 6).
It would have been to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to use a mesh hole design of Noda et al., with a conductive panel of an electronic enclosure of Gilliland, in order to improve heat dissipation through vent holes of an electronic enclosure.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gilliland, in view of Noda et al., as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Tan [US 2005/0036279].
Regarding claim 5, Gilliland, in view of Noda et al., disclose the claimed invention except for wherein the one or more structural supports are attached to the conductive panel using conductive adhesives.
Tan discloses a conductive assembly (figures 1-5) comprising a mesh (16, figures 1-3) coupled to a conductive panel (24, figures 1-2) using at least one of conductive adhesive member (figure 3, paragraph 0021).
It would have been to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to use conductive adhesive to connect at least one or more structural supports to a conductive panel of electronic device of Gilliland, in view of Noda et al., as suggested by Tan, in order to conduct heat through the vent holes of electronic device.
Claims 7-8, 13-14 and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gilliland, in view of Noda et al., as applied to claim 6 above, and further in view of Chemiski et al. [US 6,297,446].
Regarding claims 7, 13 and 18, Gilliland, in view of Noda et al., disclose the claimed invention except for wherein a size of each mesh hole is smaller than a quarter wavelength of an operating frequency of the electronic device.
Cherniski et al., disclose an EMC vent assembly (figures 1A-1D) comprising a conductive panel ( a metal sheet 101, figures 1B-1D; col. 6, lines 6-16) including a plurality of ventilation heles (102, figures 1B-1D), each ventilation hole having an inner perimeter (115, figure 1C-1D); and a mesh (105, figures 1B-1D) attached to the conductive panel, and the mesh comprises a plurality of cells (106, figures 1B and 1D), wherein each respective cell encloses the inner perimeter of a respective ventilation hole of the conductive panel, and wherein a size of each mesh hole is smaller than a highest wavelength of an operating frequency of the electronic device (col. 1, lines 29-40).
It would have been obvious matter of design choice to set a size of each mesh hole being smaller than a quarter wavelength of an operating frequency of the electronic device of Gilliland, in view of Noda et al., as suggested by Cherniski et al., in order provide conductive paths in an electronic enclosure, since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the dimensions or proportion of a component. A change in dimension of proportion is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In Gardner v. TEC System, Inc., 725 F .2d 1338, 220 USPQ 777 (Fed. Cir. 1984).
Regarding claims 8, 14 and 19, Gilliland, in view of Noda et al., disclose the claimed invention except for wherein a size of each mesh hole is larger than a threshold that allows sufficient airflow through the mesh to satisfy thermal requirements of the electronic device.
Cherniski et al., further disclose for wherein a size of each mesh hole (106, figures 1B and 1D) is larger than a threshold (102, figures 1B and 1D) that allows sufficient airflow through the mesh to satisfy thermal requirements of the electronic device.
It would have been to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to use a mesh hole being larger than a threshold in an electronic enclosure of Gilliland, in view of Noda et al., as suggested by Chernski et al., in order to maximize heat dissipation through the mesh holes in an electronic enclosure.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-3, 5-9 and 11-19 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Kunkel [US 5,910,639] discloses air vent panels for electromagnetic shielding;
Kuinel [US 5,895,885] discloses air vent for electromagnetic shielding;
Lee et al. [US 2022/0394884] disclose computer system chassis design for noise isolation and thermal airflow; and
Lambert et al. [US RE42,512] disclose methods and apparatus for EMI shielding.
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/HUNG S. BUI/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2841
/HUNG S. BUI/Primary Patent Examiner, 2841/2800
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