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) 1-4, 6-10, 12, and 14-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Baek et al (KR 2022-0042841A).
Regarding claim 1, Baek discloses an integrated coolant module for a vehicle cooling system, the integrated cooling module comprising (Background: the device being within a vehicle) comprising:
a reservoir tank 100 having a hollow internal space that accommodates a coolant (¶ [0001]), the reservoir tank comprising a plurality of partition regions S1 S2 separated by a partition wall 140 in the internal space (Fig. 5a, shown); and
a component coupled to one side of the reservoir tank and comprising at least one of a valve and a pump (Fig. 2, pump 400 and valve 500 attached to the side of tank 100), wherein
at least one of the plurality of partition regions in the reservoir tank communicates directly with the component (Fig. 3, shown tank 100 connected to valve 200 and pump 400 via in/out pipes 112 114), and another partition region communicates with the component through a connection flow path (Figs 3-5, the two separate regions of the tank shown in Fig. 5 each communicate with the pump 400 mounted on the tank through the outlets, 112 114, which communicate directly into the pump mounted on that side and indirectly through connection flow paths that lead to inlets 111 113 on the sides of the tank).
Regarding claim 2, Baek discloses the integrated coolant module of claim 1, wherein the plurality of partition regions comprises a first chamber and a second chamber, the component is disposed on a lateral surface of one side of the reservoir tank that is a lateral surface of one side of the first chamber (Fig. 2 and 3, shown).
Regarding claim 3, Baek discloses the integrated coolant module of claim 2, wherein an assembling surface between the component and the reservoir tank is disposed in parallel with the partition wall (Fig. 3 and 4, the wall where the component attaches to the tank is flat in at least one point and the two are parallel at it).
Regarding claim 4, Baek discloses the integrated coolant module of claim 2, wherein coolant inlet ports 111 113, through which the coolant is introduced, and coolant discharge ports 112 114 are provided on the first chamber and the second chamber, the coolant discharge port 112 of the first chamber is formed on a lateral surface of one side of the first chamber and connected directly to the component (Fig. 3 and 4, the discharge port 112 leading directly into the pump 400 on the side surface of the tank), and the coolant discharge port 114 of the second chamber is connected to the component through a connection flow path extending from the coolant discharge port of the second chamber (Fig. 3, the outlet 114 includes a protruding portion which allows for connection of the pump 400 and which is a “connection flow path”).
Regarding claim 6, Baek discloses integrated coolant module of claim 4, wherein the connection flow path is disposed outside the reservoir tank (Fig. 3, the short pipe on the outlet 114 leading into the pump 400 is exterior to the tank).
Regarding claim 7, Baek discloses the integrated coolant module of claim 2, wherein the first chamber is disposed at one side based on the partition wall and formed in an elongated shape, and the second chamber is disposed at the other side based on the partition wall and formed in an elongated shape (Fig. 5, shown elongated chambers s1 and s2).
Regarding claim 8, Baek discloses the integrated coolant module of claim 7, wherein the reservoir tank has at least a partial region having a height that decreases forward from a rear side (Fig. 2, the tank is shown to have a slope which would decrease height from tis center near the cap toward the rear).
Regarding claim 9, Baek discloses the integrated coolant module of claim 8, wherein an upper surface of the region of the reservoir tank in which the height decreases forward from the rear side is formed in a curved shape (Fig. 2, the tank 100 is shown to be curved on top and its side).
Regarding claim 10, Baek discloses the integrated coolant module of claim 8, wherein an upper surface of the region of the reservoir tank in which the height decreases forward from the rear side is formed in a straight shape( Fig. 2, the tank is shown to have a curved shape which would decrease height from its center toward the sides).
Regarding claim 12, Baek discloses the integrated coolant module of claim 7, wherein a single coolant injection port is provided at a rear side of an upper portion of the reservoir tank (Fig. 4, the tank has multiple coolant ports which could be considered “at a rear side” and “an upper portion” without knowing how these directions are defined. It’s noted that inlet 111 appears to be on a rear side and toward the upper half as defined by the prior art’s directions).
Regarding claim 14, Baek discloses the integrated coolant module of claim 2, wherein an upper portion of the partition wall has a penetrated structure, and the first chamber and the second chamber communicate with each other through the penetrated upper portion of the partition wall (Fig. 5, the wall 140 has an area that is “penetrated” to form an opening through it).
Regarding claim 15, Baek discloses the integrated coolant module of claim 2, wherein a single coolant injection port is provided on an upper portion of the reservoir tank, and the single coolant injection port is disposed on a vertically upper portion of the partition wall (Fig. 4, the tank includes a coolant injection port 111 on an upper portion and a coolant injection port 113 which is also on a “vertically upper portion” of the wall).
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.
Claim(s) 11 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baek.
Regarding claim 11, Baek discloses the integrated coolant module of claim 8, but fails to disclose wherein at least a part of an upper surface of the reservoir tank is formed along a hood line of a vehicle.
Baek, for its part, discloses including the cooling circuit in a vehicle system (Abstract). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date to including the reservoir tank near along a hood line of a vehicle, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70. In this case, Baek already is within a vehicle, simply positioning the device along a hood to “be along” it would simply involve routine experimentation to find the best location within a vehicle compartment.
Regarding claim 13, Baek discloses the integrated coolant module of claim 2, but fails to disclose wherein the first chamber and the second chamber are formed symmetrically with respect to the partition wall.
Baek, for its part, shows the chambers s1 and s2 being very similar and nearly symmetric, but simply not perfectly symmetric. It would have been an obvious matter of design choice to form the chamber in perfect symmetry since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the size of a component. A change in size is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Rose, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 5 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: The closest prior art fails to disclose or make obvious the connection flow path for the discharge port of the second chamber passes through the interior of the first chamber.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 06/04/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant’s arguments, as they pertain to the amended claim 1, pertain to the “cconnection flow path” wherein applicant argues that Baek fails to disclose the direct and/indirect flow path communications as claimed within claim 1.
However, claim 1 simply recites that one of the chamber regions communicates with the component (e.g. pump/cooler) through a connection flow path without defining what a “connection flow path” is. In this case, a connection flow path is simply any path through which flow travels and is connected between the two devices (the region and the component) without even specifying flow direction or whether there are intervening structures. As such, Baek discloses a discharge port, which includes a slight protruding portion which connects directly to an exterior component (Figs. 3-5, shown) and as such would be a “connection flow path.” It’s also note that the inlets 111 113 which, in a very indirect manner, eventually connect to the component 400 would also qualify as “connection flow paths.”
This contrasts with the above noted claim 5 which specifies what/where the connection flow path is located with regards to the system and what its purpose is (i.e. discharge).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KEVIN A LATHERS whose telephone number is (571)272-1050. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10a-6p.
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/KEVIN A LATHERS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3747
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