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.
Claim(s) 1-11 and 15-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhang et al. (European Patent Publication EP4086563A1, “Zhang”).
Regarding claim 1, Zhang discloses a system for circulating coolant (figs 1-3) comprising:
a fluid transfer manifold (fig 1) having at least a first inlet port and one or more fluid ports (see annotated fig 3 below), the fluid ports connected to one or more coolant circuits;
a fluid pump (107) connected to a heat generating component (111) and having at least a first outlet (a1) connected to the first inlet port;
a valve mechanism (110) located in a valve housing and attached to the fluid transfer manifold and operable to connect the first inlet port to one or more of the fluid ports and circulate coolant from the heat generating component to the one more coolant circuits (fig 3).
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Regarding claim 2, Zhang further discloses wherein the fluid pump (107) includes a second outlet (a4) connected to another one of the one or more coolant circuits (see annotated fig 3 below).
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Regarding claim 3, Zhang further discloses wherein the fluid pump includes an integrated valve (136) for selectively connecting the heat generating component (111) to the fluid pump first outlet (a2) or the second outlet (a4).
Regarding claim 4, Zhang further discloses wherein the fluid transfer manifold includes a second inlet port (see annotated fig 3 below) connected to another fluid pump (108), the other fluid pump connected to a second heat generating component (206).
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Regarding claim 5, Zhang further discloses wherein the other fluid pump (108) includes a second outlet (B2) connected to another one of the one or more coolant circuits (see annotated fig 3 below).
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Regarding claim 6, Zhang further discloses wherein the other fluid pump includes an integrated valve (137) for selectively connecting the heat generating component (111) to the other fluid pump first outlet (a2) or the second outlet (a4).
Regarding claim 7, Zhang further discloses wherein the fluid transfer manifold includes a plurality of fluid chambers (created by the conduits, see annotated fig 3 above), each fluid chamber located in a valve interface and each fluid chamber fluidically connected to a respective one of the fluid transfer manifold fluid ports (see annotated fig 3 above).
Regarding claim 8, Zhang further discloses wherein the first inlet port (see annotated fig 3 above) is fluidically connected to one of the plurality of fluid chambers (created by the conduits).
Regarding claim 9, Zhang further discloses wherein the second inlet port (see annotated fig 3 above) is fluidically connected to one other of the plurality of fluid chambers (created by the conduits).
Regarding claim 10, Zhang further discloses wherein the plurality of fluid chambers are each connected to the other by a fluid transfer passageway located in the valve housing (of 136).
Regarding claim 11, Zhang further discloses wherein each of the plurality of fluid chambers includes a door located between a respective fluid chamber and the fluid transfer passageway, wherein each door is operable by the valve mechanism to open or close (as evident in fig 3).
Regarding claim 15, Zhang discloses a modular thermal management system (figs 1-3) comprising:
a fluid transfer manifold (fig 1) having a first and a second inlet port and one or more fluid ports fluidically connected to one or more coolant circuits (see annotated fig 3 below);
a first fluid pump (107) fluidically connected to a first heat generating component (111) having at least a first outlet (a1) connected to the fluid transfer manifold first inlet port (see annotated fig 3 below);
a second fluid pump (108) fluidically connected to a second heat generating component (206) having at least a first outlet (b2) connected to the fluid transfer manifold second inlet port (see annotated fig 3 below); and
a valve mechanism (110) attached to the fluid transfer manifold operable to fluidically connect the first fluid transfer manifold inlet port to one or more of the fluid ports to circulate coolant in one or more coolant circuits from the first heat generating component, and further operable to fluidically connect the second fluid transfer manifold inlet port to one or more of the fluid ports to circulate coolant to one or more coolant circuits from the second heat generating component (see annotated fig 3 below).
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Regarding claim 16, Zhang further discloses wherein the first fluid pump (107) includes a second outlet (a3) connected to another one of the one or more coolant circuits (see annotated fig 3 below).
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Regarding claim 17, Zhang further discloses wherein the first fluid pump (107) includes an integrated valve (136) for selectively connecting the heat generating component (111) to the first fluid pump first outlet (a1) or the second outlet (a4).
Regarding claim 18, Zhang further discloses wherein the second fluid pump (108) includes a second outlet (b2) connected to another one of the one or more coolant circuits (see annotated fig 3 above).
Regarding claim 19, Zhang further discloses wherein the second fluid pump (108) includes an integrated valve (137) for selectively connecting the heat generating component (111) to the fluid pump first outlet (a1) or the second outlet (a4).
Regarding claim 20, Zhang discloses a modular thermal management system (figs 1-3) comprising:
a first coolant circuit (see annotated fig 3 below) comprising a heat generating component (111) and a first heat absorbing component (207);
a second coolant circuit (see annotated fig 3 below) comprising at least a second heat absorbing component (112);
at least a first fluid pump (107) having an inlet (a1) connected to the first coolant circuit and the heat generating component and a first (a2) and a second outlet (a4), and an integrated valve (136), the integrated valve switchable into a first position that fluidically connects the first outlet to the first heat absorbing component (see fig 3);
a fluid transfer manifold (fig 1) having one or more fluid ports connected to the second coolant circuit (see annotated fig 3 below), and a first inlet port (see annotated fig 3 below) fluidically connected to the first fluid pump second outlet, wherein the fluid transfer manifold is fluidically connected to the heat generating component of the first coolant loop when the integrated valve is switched into a second position (see fig 3); and
a valve mechanism (136) attached to the fluid transfer manifold, the valve mechanism switchable to fluidically connect the fluid transfer manifold inlet port to one or more of the fluid ports and fluidically connect the second heat absorbing component to the heat generating component (see annotated fig 3 below).
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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) 12-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang alone.
Regarding claim 12, Zhang discloses all previous claim limitations. However, Zhang does not explicitly disclose wherein the valve mechanism is a rotary valve operable by an actuator motor, wherein the actuator motor causes the rotary valve to selectively open or close one or more of the doors. However, the Examiner takes Official Notice that rotary valves are old and well known in the art of thermal management systems and it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for Zhang to provide a rotary valve for the valve 136 in order to optimally route the refrigerant through the system. This would result in an actuator motor causing the rotary valve to selectively open or close one or more of the doors.
Regarding claim 13, Zhang, as modified, further discloses wherein each door when open allows coolant from the heat generating component to be transferred between the fluid transfer passageway the associated fluid chamber and fluid transfer manifold outlet port (see rejection of claim 12 below).
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Regarding claim 14, Zhang, as modified, further discloses wherein each door when closed blocks coolant from the heat generating component to be transferred between the fluid transfer passageway the associated fluid chamber and fluid transfer manifold outlet port (see rejection of claim 12 above).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HARRY E ARANT whose telephone number is (571)272-1105. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10-6 ET.
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/HARRY E ARANT/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763
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