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
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.
Claim(s) 1-6, 16-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by ARAKI (JP 2007127347).
Regarding claim 1,
Araki teaches a liquid distributor 1, comprising a sleeve 10, a distribution structure 9, and a turbulence plate 8, wherein the sleeve 10 is configured to be in communication with a plurality of heat exchange tubes 4; the distribution structure 9 is located inside the sleeve and is connected to the sleeve (see Fig. 7), the distribution structure is capable of dividing the interior of the sleeve into at least a first chamber R1 and a second chamber R2 in communication with each other (see Fig. 10), the first chamber R1 is located at a side of the distribution structure away from the plurality of heat exchange tubes (e.g. relative to chamber R2), and the second chamber R2 is located at a side of the distribution structure proximal to the plurality of heat exchange tubes (see Fig. 10); and the turbulence plate 8 (wherein said recitation is broadly interpreted as a plate structure wherein a heat exchange fluid may swirl upon contact with said plate) is located in the second chamber and is connected to the sleeve (see Fig. 7), the turbulence plate is spaced apart from the distribution structure (e.g. wherein at least chamber R2 forms between holes 9a of distribution structure 9 and holes 8a of plate 8, see Fig. 7), and the plurality of heat exchange tubes are partly inserted into the turbulence plate and are in communication with the second chamber (see Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 2,
Araki teaches wherein the turbulence plate is provided with a plurality of turbulence holes 8a matched with shapes of the plurality of heat exchange tubes (see par. 13), each of the plurality of heat exchange tubes extends into corresponding one of the plurality of turbulence holes (see Fig. 10, par. 13), and a length of each of the plurality of heat exchange tubes that extends into the corresponding one of the plurality of turbulence holes is less than a depth of the turbulence hole (see Fig. 10); or, an end of each of the plurality of heat exchange tubes that extends into the corresponding one of the plurality of turbulence holes is flush with a side surface of the turbulence plate proximal to the distribution structure.
Regarding claim 3,
Araki teaches wherein a shape of the distribution structure is a plate (see par. 12), and the distribution structure is provided with a plurality of distribution holes 9a for communicating the first chamber with the second chamber.
Regarding claim 4,
Araki teaches wherein the plurality of distribution holes are spaced along a length direction of the distribution structure, or the plurality of distribution holes are arranged in a matrix manner.
Regarding claim 5,
Araki teaches wherein each of the plurality of distribution holes are in a circular shape or a polygonal shape (see par. 14, Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 6,
Araki teaches wherein each of the plurality of distribution holes are in a circular shape, and a radius of each of the plurality of distribution holes is defined as R1, and the radius R1 of each of the plurality of distribution holes satisfies the following formula: 0.5 mm ≤ R1 ≤ 2 mm (see par. 14).
Regarding claim 16,
Araki teaches a plurality of fins, and the plurality of heat exchange tubes, wherein the plurality of fins are disposed at intervals and in parallel; and the plurality of heat exchange tubes penetrate the plurality of fins, respectively, and an end of each of the plurality of heat exchange tubes is in communication with the liquid distributor (see at least Fig. 10).
Regarding claim 17,
Araki teaches wherein the turbulence plate is provided with a plurality of turbulence holes matched with shapes of the plurality of heat exchange tubes, each of the plurality of heat exchange tubes extends into corresponding one of the plurality of turbulence holes, and a length of each of the plurality of heat exchange tubes that extends into the corresponding one of the plurality of turbulence holes is less than a depth of the turbulence hole ; or, an end of each of the plurality of heat exchange tubes that extends into the corresponding one of the plurality of turbulence holes is flush with a side surface of the turbulence plate proximal to the distribution structure (see at least par. 28).
Regarding claim 18,
Araki teaches wherein a shape of the distribution structure is a plate, and the distribution structure is provided with a plurality of distribution holes for communicating the first chamber with the second chamber (see the rejection of claim 3).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-10, 11-15, 19-20 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claims 7-10,
Araki does not teach wherein the distribution structure comprises a plurality of padding members, the plurality of padding members are distributed sequentially along a length direction and a width direction of the turbulence plate, and adjacent two of the plurality of padding members are connected with each other, so that a plate structure is defined by the plurality of padding members; and at least one liquid homogenizing hole for communicating the first chamber with the second chamber is formed among the plurality of padding members.
Xavier, directed to a heat exchanger with a distributor, teaches padding members 24, but said padding members form channels for a heat exchange fluid, and therefore cannot teach at least one homogenizing hole for communication.
Regarding claims 11-15,
Araki teaches wherein the distribution structure comprises a distribution plate, the distribution plate is provided with a plurality of distribution holes for communicating the first chamber with the second chamber; but does not teach a plurality of padding members wherein the plurality of padding members are located in either or both of the first chamber and the second chamber, and the plurality of padding members are connected to the distribution plate.
Xavier teaches padding members 24, but said padding members 24 form distribution channels 23 for a vertically flowing heat exchange fluid and therefore one of ordinary skill in the art would not modify Araki in view of Xavier to comprise the padding members absent impermissible hindsight.
Regarding claims 19-20,
The subject matter of claims 19-20 are directed towards essentially the same subject matter as claims 7-10, 11-15.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Wei, MATSUNAGA teach a turbulence plate. Mislak, Bry, Katoh teach shaped distribution plates.
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/Steve S TANENBAUM/Examiner, Art Unit 3763
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