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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 3, 8, 11-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 3 recites the limitation "the condenser wick" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 3is interpreted to refer to the condenser wick structure of claim 1. Any further claims with insufficient antecedent basis are similarly rejected.
Claim 8 recites the extension portion includes a bottom surface and an exposed portion of the inner pipe wick structure, the exposed portion not being enclosed within the heat pipe and being coupled to the pipe wick portion enclosed in the heat pipe and coupled to the evaporator wick structure which renders claim 8 indefinite. Claim 8 is interpreted such that the heat pipes comprise a portion of said heat pipes that extend into the interior cavity, wherein the inner pipe wick structure is partially enclosed within said interior cavity.
Claims 11-13 recites the heat exchanger structures, recited in claim 5, and therefore claim 11 is interpreted to depend from 8, and claim 8 is interpreted to depend from claim 5. Claim 11 is further interpreted to refer to the plurality of heat exchanger structures.
Claims 12-13 recites “each of the extension portion” which renders claim 12 indefinite. Claim 12 is interpreted to refer to the extension portion as recited in claim 8.
Claim 13 further recites “the cavity end defining at least one a base cut out coupling a respective one of the heat exchanger structures” which renders claim 14 indefinite. Claim 14 is interpreted such that the cavity end of the extension portion (e.g. a portion of a heat pipe within the interior cavity) is coupled to at least one of the plurality of heat exchanger structures.
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.
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.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1, 15-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LIU (US 2018/0372419).
Regarding claim 1,
Referring to at least Fig. 12, Liu teaches a vapor chamber 100a (see abstract), comprising: a first plate 111a including a first outer surface (e.g. a bottom surface), a first inner surface (e.g. a top surface along space S1), and a first plate perimeter portion (e.g. the portion comprising chamber wall 1112a); a chamber wall 1112a located along the first perimeter portion, extending from the first inner surface, and defining [an] opening 1113a; a plurality of support structures 1115a extending from the first inner surface; an evaporator wick structure 120a disposed on the first inner surface; a second plate 112a including a second outer surface (e.g. a top surface), a second inner surface (e.g. a bottom surface) opposing the first inner surface (e.g. to form space S1) and having a second plate perimeter portion (e.g. a portion of the second plate 112a along a perimeter of the second inner surface, not labeled) coupled to the chamber wall (see Fig. 14); a condenser wick structure 130a disposed on the second inner surface; and a heat pipe 200a, each extending through a (respective) opening 1113a defined in the chamber wall (wherein said recitation is interpreted to refer to a respective one of the plurality of openings of the chamber wall as recited above) and including an inner pipe wick structure 220a coupled to the evaporator wick structure 120a (e.g. via at least connector portions [e.g. bonding layers 310a or 320a], see par. 57).
Liu does not teach a plurality of openings 1113a, and a plurality of heat pipes.
It is noted that it has been held that mere duplication of parts has no patentable significance unless a new and unexpected result is produced, see MPEP 2144.04 VI B. Since applicant has not disclosed that placing a plurality of openings and heat pipes within the system does anything more than produce predictable results (i.e. providing for multiple locations of heat dissipation), the mere duplication of the openings and heat pipes in the system is not considered to have patentable significance. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the invention, to modify Liu to include a plurality of openings and heat pipes, in order to predictably provide a plurality of heat dissipation locations in a single system.
Regarding claim 15,
Liu teaches wherein the support structures abut the second inner surface.
Regarding claims 16-18,
Liu teaches wherein the (evaporator, condenser, or inner pipe) wick structure includes a grooved wick, a sintered metal powder wick, a metal mesh wick, a sintered ceramic powder wick, or a combination thereof (see pars. 32, 50, 55, 77).
Claim(s) 2, 4-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu in view of Liu ‘267 (2022/0163267).
Regarding claim 2,
Liu wherein the first plate, second plate, and chamber wall define an interior cavity S1 including a evaporation portion (e.g. a portion of cavity wherein a working fluid is capable of being evaporated, not labeled), wherein each or the plurality of heat pipes is fluidly coupled to the interior cavity.
Liu does not teach wherein the interior cavity comprises a heat exchanger portion and wherein the heat exchanger portion disposed in a center portion of the interior cavity, the evaporation portion surrounding the heat exchanger portion in the interior cavity.
Liu ‘267, directed to a vapor chamber, teaches wherein an interior cavity S (see par. 14) comprises a heat exchanger portion (e.g. a portion comprising heat exchanger structures 350) and the heat exchanger portion disposed in a center portion of the interior cavity (see Fig. 2), an evaporation portion surrounding the heat exchanger portion in the interior cavity (see pars. 3, 25).
Liu ‘267 teaches wherein said heat exchanger structures 350, and said accompanying heat exchanger portion, can cause desired vapor pressure drop and reduce the high liquid pressure drop caused by any capillary structures in the interior cavity (see par. 19).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the invention to modify Liu by Liu ‘267 with the motivation of causing a desired vapor pressure drop and reducing a high liquid pressure drop caused by any capillary (or wick) structures in the interior cavity.
Regarding claim 4,
Liu teaches wherein each of the plurality of heat pipes includes a closed end 213a disposed outside the interior cavity, an open end 212a disposed in the interior cavity, and a connector portion 310a coupling the open end of the heat pipe with the interior cavity.
Regarding claim 5,
Liu as modified above teaches herein the first plate includes a plurality of heat exchanger structures 350 extending from the first inner surface and disposed in the heat exchanger portion.
Regarding claim 6,
Liu as modified above teaches wherein the heat exchange structures being integrally formed with the plurality of support structures (see Liu ‘267, par. 20).
Regarding claim 7,
Liu as modified above teaches wherein the heat exchanger structures are elongated and disposed in parallel to the heat pipes (see Liu ‘267, Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 8,
Liu teaches wherein at least one of the heat pipes includes an extension portion (e.g. a portion extending into the interior cavity) at the opening end, the extension portion includes a bottom surface and an exposed portion of the inner pipe wick structure, the exposed portion not being enclosed within the heat pipe and being coupled to the pipe wick portion enclosed in the heat pipe and coupled to the evaporator wick structure.
Regarding claim 9,
Liu teaches wherein the bottom surface of the extension portion is coupled to the first inner surface.
Regarding claim 10,
Liu teaches wherein the bottom surface of the extension portion is coupled to the evaporator wick structure.
Regarding claim 11,
Liu as modified above teaches wherein the evaporator wick structure includes a heat exchanger wick portion disposed on the heat exchanger structures (e.g. an portion of said evaporator wick structure corresponding to the plurality of heat exchanger structures).
Regarding claim 12,
Liu as modified above wherein each of the extension portion is coupled to a respective set of the heat exchanger structures (wherein the recitation “coupled” is broadly interpreted to refer to any form of coupling [e.g. a fluid coupling]).
Regarding claim 13,
Liu as modified above teaches wherein each of the extension portion includes a connector end and a cavity end (e.g. an end of said portion closer to end 213a, and a side of said portion inside the interior cavity), the connector end coupled to the connector portion (see Fig. 14), and the cavity end defining at least one a base cut out coupling a respective one of the heat exchanger structures (wherein the recitation “coupled” is broadly interpreted to refer to any form of coupling [e.g. a fluid coupling]).
Regarding claim 14,
Liu as modified above teaches herein the extension portion and the heat exchanger structures are separated by a vapor gap (e.g. any gap wherein a working fluid is capable of being in a gas phase).
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu in view of Liu ‘267 and Wang (US 2022/0295669).
Regarding claim 3,
Liu does not teach a core condenser wick structure coupled to the condenser wick and disposed in the interior cavity, and being disposed in the heat exchanger portion.
Wang, directed to a vapor chamber, teaches a core condenser wick structure 202 coupled to a condenser wick (structure) 101 (e.g. in fluid communication, see par. 32) and disposed in an interior cavity, and disposed in a heat exchanger portion (e.g. a portion corresponding to heat transfer structure connected to surface 21, see par. 32).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the invention to modify Liu by Wang with the motivation of further absorbing heat generated by a heat source (see Wang, par. 41).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Lin, Chen, Watanabe, and Sun teaches vapor chambers comprising extension portions.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEVE S TANENBAUM whose telephone number is (313)446-6522. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 11 AM - 7 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Frantz Jules can be reached at (571) 272-6681. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Steve S TANENBAUM/Examiner, Art Unit 3763
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