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
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Obuso (US Pat No. 5,752,567), hereinafter referred to as Obuso.
Re claim 1, Obuso teaches a heat exchanger comprising:
a heat transfer tube (e.g. 12) extending in a first direction (e.g. Fig 2); and
a plurality of fins (e.g. 16) stacked in the first direction, each of the plurality of the fins including
a body portion (see body portion in Fig 3) extending in a second direction that intersects the first direction (90 degree direction), and
a collar portion (e.g. 18) that allows the heat transfer tube to pass therethrough, the collar portion having
a first portion (see Fig below) extending from the body portion in the first direction,
a second portion (see Fig below) extending from the first portion toward the heat transfer tube, and
a third portion (see Fig below) extending in the first direction from the second portion along the heat transfer tube,
the second portion of a first fin of the plurality of fins being in contact with a distal end portion of the collar portion of a second fin of the plurality of fins disposed adjacent to the first fin (see e.g. Fig 2), and
each of the plurality of fins being provided with a drain rib (e.g. C4-lns 3-5, “For example, condensate originating at the tubes 12 will drain into the relatively deep valley portions 26a”), and the drain rib extending from a convex space formed by the first portion and the second portion of the first fin and a distal end of the collar portion of the second fin (see Fig 3-6).
[AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Fourth portion)][AltContent: textbox (second portion)][AltContent: textbox (third portion)]
Re claim 2, Obuso teaches the heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the collar portion has a fourth portion (see Fig above) extending radially outward from the third portion, and the second portion of the first fin is in contact with the fourth portion of the second fin disposed adjacent to the first fin (see Fig 2).
Re claim 3, Obuso teaches the heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the drain rib is provided on the body portion, and the drain rib protrudes in the first direction to the second portion (see Fig 3-6).
Re claim 4, Obuso teaches the heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein each fin includes a plurality of the collar portions, and the drain rib extends in the second direction from a first collar portion of the plurality of collar portions to a collar portion disposed below the first collar portion (see Fig 3-6).
Re claim 5, Obuso teaches the heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the convex space includes, when viewed from the first direction, an annular space (see Fig 6).
Re claim 6, Obuso teaches the heat exchanger according to claim 5, the convex space further includes, when viewed from the first direction, a triangular space continuous with the annular space, and the drain rib extends from the triangular space (see Fig 3-6).
Re claim 7, Obuso teaches the heat exchanger according to claim 1, the heat exchanger is included in an indoor unit of an air-conditioning apparatus (see e.g. C1-lns 5-20).
Re claim 8, Obuso teaches the heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein the drain rib is provided on the body portion, and the drain rib protrudes in the first direction to the second portion (see Fig 3-6).
Re claim 9, Obuso teaches the heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein each fin includes a plurality of the collar portions, and the drain rib extends in the second direction from a first collar portion of the plurality of collar portions to a collar portion disposed below the first collar portion (see Fig 3-6).
Re claim 10, Obuso teaches the heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein the convex space includes, when viewed from the first direction, an annular space (see Fig 3-6).
Re claim 11, Obuso teaches the heat exchanger according to claim 3, wherein each fin includes a plurality of the collar portions, and the drain rib extends in the second direction from a first collar portion of the plurality of collar portions to a collar portion disposed below the first collar portion (see Fig 3-6).
Re claim 12, Obuso teaches the heat exchanger according to claim 3, wherein the convex space includes, when viewed from the first direction, an annular space (see Fig 3-6).
Re claim 13, Obuso teaches the heat exchanger according to claim 4, wherein the convex space includes, when viewed from the first direction, an annular space (see Fig 3-6).
Conclusion
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/NELSON J NIEVES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763 7/11/2026
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