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 .
Status of Claims
Claims 1–20 are pending and have been examined. Claims 1, 13 and 19 are independent. Claims 1–10, 13–17, 19 and 20 are rejected. Claims 11, 12 and 18 are objected to. Claim 19 is further objected for an informality.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informality: in paragraph [0026], the second reference to the left wall of the exhaust duct uses reference numeral 303, which does not appear in the drawings; the left wall is elsewhere identified by numeral 304. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claim 19 is objected to because it introduces "an interior of the server" twice (in the server-fans clause and again in the PSU clause). For examination, the second recitation is treated as referring to the same interior. Applicant may wish to amend the PSU clause to read "into the interior of the server." Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
Claims 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) as failing to comply with the written description requirement. Claim 19 recites a server in which the PSU fans force air out of the PSU exhaust port and into an interior of the server, together with at least one electrical conduit arranged between the PSU exhaust port and the server rear wall and configured to electrically couple the PSU to a power source. The specification describes an electrical conduit only in the data-center arrangement of FIG. 6, in which the conduit passes through, is coupled to, or is integrally formed with the PSU exhaust duct (applicant's specification, ¶¶ [0041]–[0043]). The arrangement in which the PSU exhausts into the interior of the server without a duct (¶¶ [0036]–[0037]; FIG. 5) mentions no electrical conduit, and the summary of the duct-free server (¶ [0006]) likewise recites none. No passage of the specification describes an electrical conduit located between the PSU exhaust port and the server rear wall of a server whose PSU exhausts into its interior. Although original claims form part of the disclosure, the specification as a whole does not reasonably convey to one of ordinary skill in the art that the inventors had possession of this combination. See MPEP § 2163. Claim 20 depends from claim 19 and is rejected for the same reason.
Claim Interpretation
During examination, claims are given their broadest reasonable interpretation consistent with the specification. MPEP § 2111.
"PSU exhaust duct" and "duct walls" (claims 1, 13). Applicant's specification describes the exhaust duct as integral with or configured to be integrated with the rest of the server, as possibly part of the PSU or of a power distribution unit, or as a separate and discrete component (¶ [0023]); describes portions of the enclosed space as being closed by the PSU, a server fan, or the server rear wall (¶¶ [0027], [0031]); and states that any shape or configuration forming the enclosed space may be used (¶ [0033]). Accordingly, the claimed duct walls need not by themselves fully surround the enclosed space; they read on walls that, together with adjacent server structure, form an enclosed space in the recited communication.
"Configured to, when attached to a server" (claim 1) and "configured to" generally. These recitations require the capability to perform the recited function when the structure is so arranged. MPEP § 2114. They are not means-plus-function limitations under 35 U.S.C. 112(f), because each modifies a structural noun (duct walls, PSU fans, server fans) and none uses "means." MPEP § 2181.
"Interior space of the server that is outside of the PSU" (claims 1, 13). This is any space within the server's enclosure that is not within the PSU housing, including a passage formed by chassis structure that leads toward the server fans. This is consistent with applicant's description of the duct outlet as located at or within the chassis (¶¶ [0025], [0028]).
"Mounted on the server rear wall opposite the PSU" (claim 3). Under its broadest reasonable interpretation, this reads both on a duct mounted on the rear wall across from the PSU exhaust and on a duct mounted on the side of the rear wall facing away from the PSU. Claim 16 separately recites the outboard location in terms of the plane of the server exhaust port. The prior art applied below meets either reading.
"Corresponds to" (claims 10–12). Applicant's specification uses "corresponds to" to relate a duct dimension to a gap or fan dimension without stating a tolerance (¶¶ [0029], [0032]). The term is construed as "substantially matches or spans."
"Majority of the PSU exhaust duct" (claim 16). This refers to the majority of the structure forming the claimed duct.
"Electrical conduit" and "between" (claim 19). Applicant describes electrical conduits as including flexible cables or electromechanical structures that releasably couple the server to a power source (¶ [0042]). The term therefore includes a power receptacle together with the cord it receives. "Arranged between the PSU exhaust port and the server rear wall" is construed as located, at least in part, in the region between the PSU exhaust port and the server rear wall in the front-to-rear direction of the server.
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—(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.
Claims 1–6, 8–10 and 13–17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chen et al. (US 2022/0361362 A1; "Chen").
Chen was published November 10, 2022, more than one year before the effective filing date. Unless otherwise noted, the mappings below are to Chen's embodiment of FIGS. 6A–6B (¶¶ [0055]–[0057]). Where a mapping relies on what the drawings clearly show, see MPEP § 2125.
As to claim 1, Chen discloses a power supply unit (PSU) exhaust duct (cover 620, FIGS. 6A–6B, ¶ [0055]) comprising: a plurality of duct walls configured to, when attached to a server, form an enclosed space in communication with the following. Cover 620 is box-shaped (FIG. 6A) and is inserted over a set of two power supply units 612 of computer system 600 (¶ [0055]); when attached, it encloses the space at the PSU grills and diverts their exhaust to the open ends 634 of air tunnels 630, 632 (FIG. 6A; ¶¶ [0055]–[0056]). The enclosed space communicates with: a PSU exhaust port of a PSU of the server (the grills of power supply units 612, ¶ [0055]; FIG. 6B); and an interior space of the server that is outside of the PSU (air tunnels 630, 632 within chassis 602, located between the power supply units and fan modules 610, whose closed-end apertures direct the PSU airflow to the airflow generated by the fan modules, ¶ [0056]; see Claim Interpretation above). Chen's airflow diversion component 500 independently anticipates claim 1: its cover 530 and air tunnel 532 attach to the rear panel, enclose the exhaust of grill 524, and deliver it through bottom aperture 542 to the airflow generated by fan modules 514 (FIGS. 5A–5B; ¶¶ [0051]–[0053]).
As to claim 2, Chen discloses wherein the PSU exhaust port is disposed at a server rear wall of the server (the grills of power supply units 612 are at the rear face of chassis 602, FIGS. 6A–6B; ¶ [0055], FIG. 6B being a back view).
As to claim 3, Chen discloses wherein the PSU exhaust duct is configured to be mounted on the server rear wall opposite the PSU (covers 620 are inserted over the power supply units at the rear face and are drawn projecting rearward of that face, across from and on the far side of the rear face from the power supply units, FIG. 6A; ¶ [0055]).
As to claim 4, Chen discloses wherein the enclosed space extends to an end of the server rear wall (the power supply units 612 and covers 620 occupy the lateral end of the rear face of chassis 602, FIGS. 6A–6B).
As to claim 5, Chen discloses wherein the enclosed space is configured to cause a direction of air flow to switch between a portion of the enclosed space proximate the PSU exhaust port and a portion of the enclosed space proximate the interior space. Exhaust leaves the grills rearward and is diverted by cover 620 to the open ends 634 (¶ [0055]); it then travels forward in tunnels 630, 632, which extend along part of the length of the power supply units to the apertures at their closed ends (¶ [0056]).
As to claim 6, Chen discloses wherein the enclosed space is in communication with the interior space of the server via a space between one or more server fans of the server and the PSU (air tunnels 630 and 632 "are located between the power supply units 612 and the fan modules 610," ¶ [0056]; FIG. 6B).
As to claim 8, Chen discloses wherein the enclosed space is wider than the PSU (a single cover 620 is inserted over each set of two power supply units 612, so its enclosed space spans both, ¶ [0055]; FIGS. 6A–6B).
As to claim 9, Chen discloses wherein the duct walls include: a top duct wall configured to be parallel with a server top wall of the server; a bottom duct wall offset from the top duct wall to form a height of the PSU exhaust duct; at least one side duct wall connecting the top duct wall and the bottom duct wall; and a duct rear wall connecting the top duct wall, the bottom duct wall, and the side duct wall (cover 620 is a rectangular box with horizontal top and bottom walls, vertical side walls joining them, and a rear wall joining all three, FIG. 6A).
As to claim 10, Chen discloses wherein a width of the PSU exhaust duct normal to the side duct wall corresponds to a distance from an extent of the PSU exhaust duct furthest from one or more server fans of the server to a closest server fan of the server fans (each cover 620 spans laterally from its outer side over the power supply units to the open ends 634 of the tunnels, which lie immediately beside the nearest fan modules 610, FIGS. 6A–6B; ¶ [0056]; see Claim Interpretation above).
As to claim 13, Chen discloses a server (computer system 600, ¶ [0055]) comprising: a power supply unit (PSU) including a PSU exhaust port and one or more PSU fans configured to force air out of the PSU via the PSU exhaust port (power supply units 612, which may be similar to power supply unit 130, ¶ [0055]; power supply unit 130 has grill 146 through which airflow generated by internal fan 148 exits the housing, ¶ [0044]; the covers divert the exhaust airflow generated by the internal fans of power supply units 612, ¶ [0055]); and a PSU exhaust duct forming an enclosed space in communication with the PSU exhaust port and an interior space of the server that is outside of the PSU (cover 620 and tunnels 630, 632, as set forth for claim 1, ¶¶ [0055]–[0056]).
As to claim 14, Chen discloses wherein the server includes a server exhaust port and one or more server fans configured to force air out of the server via the server exhaust port (fan modules 610 at the rear face of chassis 602, FIGS. 6A–6B; fan modules of Chen generate airflow from the front end to the rear end of the chassis, ¶ [0043]); and the interior space of the server corresponds to an intake side of the server fans (the tunnels extend from the rear forward over the ends of the fan modules, and the apertures at their closed ends direct the PSU airflow to the airflow generated by the fan modules, ¶ [0056]; in the same arrangement of FIGS. 3A–3C the aperture allows the diverted airflow to enter the space directly in front of the fan module, ¶ [0047]).
As to claim 15, Chen discloses wherein the server exhaust port and the PSU exhaust port are approximately co-planar (the outlets of fan modules 610 and the grills of power supply units 612 both lie in the rear face of chassis 602, FIGS. 6A–6B).
As to claim 16, Chen discloses wherein at least a majority of the PSU exhaust duct is disposed on a side of a plane of the server exhaust port opposite the PSU (when installed, covers 620 are drawn projecting rearward of the rear face of chassis 602, on the side of that face opposite the power supply units, FIG. 6A; tunnels 630, 632 are built into the internal structure of the chassis, ¶ [0057], and are therefore the interior space with which the duct communicates rather than part of the duct).
As to claim 17, Chen discloses wherein the enclosed space is in communication with an area between the server fans and the PSU (tunnels 630, 632, located between the power supply units and the fan modules, receive the diverted airflow at their open ends 634, ¶ [0056]).
Claims 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Seibold (US 2007/0109741 A1; "Seibold").
As to claim 19, Seibold discloses a server (computer system 300, a rack-mountable 1U server, ¶ [0019]) comprising: a server rear wall (back side 321, ¶¶ [0019]–[0020]; FIG. 3B); a server exhaust port formed by the server rear wall and in communication with an exterior of the server (chassis exhaust ports 308 in back side 321, ¶ [0020]; FIG. 3B); one or more server fans disposed proximate the server exhaust port and configured to receive air from an interior of the server and force the air out of the server via the server exhaust port (fans 310, each corresponding to one of the chassis exhaust ports 308, draw air from the interior of chassis 302 and blow it out of back side 321, ¶ [0020]); a power supply unit (PSU) including a PSU exhaust port and one or more PSU fans configured to force air out of the PSU via the PSU exhaust port and into an interior of the server (power supply 200 with exhaust port 230 and fan 240, ¶ [0018]; fan 240 causes the air to be exhausted out of the side of the power supply into the interior of the chassis, ¶¶ [0021]–[0022]); and at least one electrical conduit arranged between the PSU exhaust port and the server rear wall and configured to electrically couple the PSU to a power source (power receptacle 212 on the back wall of enclosure 210, ¶ [0018], FIG. 2B, accessed through an aperture in corner region 322 of back side 321, ¶ [0021], FIG. 3B; exhaust port 230 lies on the side face of the enclosure forward of that back wall, so the receptacle lies between the exhaust port and the server rear wall, FIGS. 2B, 3B; see Claim Interpretation above).
As to claim 20, Seibold discloses wherein: a portion of the server rear wall that is not the server exhaust port is configured to not allow airflow therethrough (corner region 322 of back side 321 does not include an aperture to provide access to an exhaust port of the power supply, ¶ [0021]; FIG. 3B); and the PSU exhaust port is offset from the portion of the server rear wall (exhaust port 230 is on the side of power supply 200 and exhausts in direction Y into the chassis, not through corner region 322, ¶ [0021]; FIG. 2B).
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; and (4) considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness. Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1 (1966).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen.
Chen discloses the PSU exhaust duct of claim 6 as set forth above. Chen further teaches that the tunnels located between the power supply units and the fan modules may be part of covers 620, and thus inserted between the fan module and the power supply unit when the cover is attached (¶ [0057]). Chen also teaches a single integrated airflow diversion component in which air tunnel 812 is formed with cover 810 (FIGS. 8A–8B; ¶¶ [0061]–[0062]).
Chen does not expressly disclose wherein at least one of a duct top wall or a duct bottom wall of the duct walls includes an extension portion configured to enclose the space between the server fans and the PSU, because Chen does not state from which wall of the cover the integrated tunnel extends.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to form Chen's integrated tunnel (¶ [0057]) as an extension of the top or bottom wall of cover 620 that encloses the space between the fan modules and the power supply units. Chen itself proposes integrating the tunnel with the cover so that both are installed in a single attachment step (¶¶ [0057], [0061]). Extending one of the box-shaped cover's existing walls into the adjoining space is one of a small number of predictable ways to make that integrated tunnel, with a reasonable expectation of success. MPEP § 2143(I)(E).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11, 12 and 18 are 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:
US 2022/0210943 – chassis power supply reception
US 10,026,454 B2 – storage system with cross flow cooling of power supply unit
US 2019/0239394 – power supply unit having a cold redundant cold detection capability
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZHENGFU J FENG whose telephone number is (571) 272-2949. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday, 900am-530pm EST.
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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.
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/ZHENGFU J FENG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
October 14, 2026
