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 § 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.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over DeFrancesco (US 2009/0260387).
Reg. Cl. 1, DeFrancesco discloses; A cooling system comprising: a main coolant loop configured to circulate a first coolant having a first specific heat capacity, the main coolant loop (SOLID LINES Fig. 2 )including a coolant pump (42) and a first heat exchanger, the main coolant loop extending past a heat load (50, 54); a supplemental coolant path (DASH LINES Fig. 2) including a tank (132) and a second heat exchanger, the tank holding a second coolant having a second specific heat capacity that is greater than the first specific heat capacity of the first coolant; and a valve arrangement configured to selectively route the first coolant of the main coolant loop to the second heat exchanger of the supplemental coolant path to be cooled by the second coolant.
Reg. Cl. 2, DeFrancesco discloses; wherein the valve arrangement is configured to route the first coolant back to the main coolant loop upstream of the first heat exchanger after being cooled by the second heat exchanger.
Reg. Cl. 3, DeFrancesco discloses; wherein the valve arrangement is configured to route the first coolant back to the main coolant loop downstream of the first heat exchanger after being cooled by the second heat exchanger.
Reg. Cl. 4, DeFrancesco discloses; wherein the second coolant is vented after flowing through the second heat exchanger.
Reg. Cl. 5, DeFrancesco discloses; wherein the vented second coolant is directed toward the first heat exchanger to cool the first coolant.
Reg. Cl. 6, DeFrancesco discloses; further comprising a controller (100) configured to operate the valve arrangement.
Reg. Cl. 7, DeFrancesco discloses; wherein the controller operates the valve arrangement based on a temperature of the first coolant.
Reg. Cl. 8, DeFrancesco discloses; wherein the controller operates a valve arrangement of the supplemental coolant path to selectively release the second coolant to the second heat exchanger.
Reg. Cl. 9, DeFrancesco discloses; wherein the controller operates a valve arrangement of the supplemental coolant path to selectively vent the second coolant.
Reg. Cl. 10, DeFrancesco discloses; wherein the first heat exchanger is an air-to-liquid heat exchanger and wherein the second heat exchanger is a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger.
Reg. Cl. 11, DeFrancesco discloses; A method of cooling a heat load, the method comprising: circulating a first coolant between the heat load and a first heat exchanger along a main coolant loop; determining that the first heat exchanger is not sufficiently cooling the first coolant; redirecting the first coolant to a second heat exchanger; directing a second coolant to the second heat exchanger, the second coolant being colder than the first coolant; and directing the first coolant back to the main coolant loop for further circulation.
Reg. Cl. 12, DeFrancesco discloses; further comprising venting the second coolant.
Reg. Cl. 13, DeFrancesco discloses; wherein venting the second coolant comprises venting the second coolant to ambient.
Reg. Cl. 14, DeFrancesco discloses; wherein venting the second coolant comprises venting the second coolant towards the first heat exchanger
Reg. Cl. 15, DeFrancesco discloses; wherein the second coolant has a greater specific heat capacity than the first coolant.
Reg. Cl. 16, DeFrancesco discloses; wherein determining that the first heat exchanger is not sufficiently cooling the first coolant comprises analyzing a temperature reading of the first coolant obtained along the main coolant loop.
Reg. Cl. 17, DeFrancesco discloses; A cooling system for a heat load, the cooling system comprising: a main coolant loop configured to circulate a non-expendable coolant, the main coolant loop including a coolant pump and a first heat exchanger, the main coolant loop circulating the non-expendable coolant past the heat load;a supplemental coolant path including a tank holding an expendable coolant, the supplemental coolant path also including a second heat exchanger through which the expendable coolant is selectively directed; and a controller configured to manage releasing of the expendable coolant to the second heat exchanger and configured to manage redirecting the non-expendable coolant to the second heat exchanger.
Reg. Cl. 18, DeFrancesco discloses; a plurality of sensors disposed along the main coolant loop and the supplemental coolant path.
Reg. Cl. 19, DeFrancesco discloses; a first valve arrangement configured to manage a selective connection between the main coolant loop and the supplemental coolant path, wherein the controller manages operation of the first valve arrangement.
Reg. Cl. 20, DeFrancesco discloses; a second valve arrangement configured to manage selective venting of the expendable coolant, wherein the controller manages operation of the second valve arrangement.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Applicant is advised to review all the prior art on the PTO-892, in particular Whittum (US 2019/0283885).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TERRELL L MCKINNON whose telephone number is (571)272-4797. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri. 8:00 am to 4:30 pm..
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Namrata Boveja can be reached at 571-272-8105. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TERRELL L MCKINNON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3632
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