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 Objections
Claim 9 is objected to because of the following informalities: the limitation of “the splitter are made of copper” appears to be a typographical error of “the splitter is made of copper”. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-7 and 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Inagaki et al. (US 7,571,759B2). Regarding claim 1, Inagaki discloses (figures 2- 3 or 18) a liquid cooling assembly being configured to thermally couple to a plurality of heat sources (6), comprising a first heat dissipation assembly, comprising a first base (231 or upper 201) having a first thermal contact surface (221 or 281) and a first inner surface positioned opposite to one another, the first thermal contact surface (221 or 281) is configured to thermally couple to one of a plurality of heat sources (6), and a plurality of first fins (29 or 203) protrude from the first inner surface; a second heat dissipation assembly, comprising a second base (232 or lower 201) have a second thermal contact surface (222 or lower 281) and a second inner surface positioned opposite to one another, the second thermal contact surface (222 or lower 281) is configured to thermally couple to one of the plurality of heat sources (6), the first inner surface and the second inner surface are facing toward to each other, and a plurality of second fins (29 or lower 203) protrude from the second inner surface; and a splitter (24 or 202) disposed between the first heat dissipation assembly and the second heat dissipation assembly, ends of the first fin (29, 203) that are away from the first base (231 or 201) and connected to the splitter (24 or 202), and ends of the second fins (29 or 203) that are away from the second base (232 or 201) are connected to the splitter (24 or 202).
Regarding claim 2, Inagaki discloses (figure 3, 18 and figure A shown below) that the first heat dissipation assembly includes two sidewalls (thicker outermost vertical walls, parallel to 29, shown in figure 3 or in another embodiment shown in figure A), each connects between opposite ends of the first heat dissipation assembly as well as the second inner surface of the second heat dissipation assembly.
Regarding claim 3, Inagaki further discloses (figure 3) that the first fins (29) are parallel to the sidewalls, and a first cooling channel (211) is formed between each two adjacent first fins (29), the second fins ( lower 29) are parallel to the sidewall and a second cooling channel (212) is formed between each two adjacent second fins, and the splitter (24) prevents the cooling channel from connecting with second cooling channel.
Regarding claim 4, Inagaki further discloses (figure 3) that the first cooling channel (211) and the second cooling channel (212) are configured to accompany a cooling fluid (5).
Regarding claim 5, Inagaki further discloses (figure 18 and figure A) that the ends of the first fins (203) that are away from the first base (upper 201) and the ends of the second fins (203) that are away from the second base (lower 201) are brazed to respective opposite surfaces of the splitter (202). Regarding the method of forming the device (soldered), the method of forming the device is not germane to the issue of the patentability of the device itself. "[E]ven though product-by-process claims are limited by and defined by the process, determination of patentability is based on the product itself. The patentability of a product does not depend on its method of production. If the product in the product-by-process claim is the same as or obvious from a product of the prior art, the claim is unpatentable even though the prior product was made by a different process." In re Thorpe, 777 F.2d 695, 698, 227 USPQ 964, 966 (Fed. Cir. 1985)
Regarding claim 6, Inagaki further discloses (figure 18 and figure A) that each of the first fin (upper 203) has a first bended end ( lower folded portion) that is away from the first base (upper 201), each of the second fins (lower 203) has a second bended end (upper folded portion) that is away from the second base (lower 201), and the first fins and the second fins are brazed to the splitter (202) at the first bended end and the second ends respectively. Regarding the method of forming the device (soldered), the method of forming the device is not germane to the issue of the patentability of the device itself. "[E]ven though product-by-process claims are limited by and defined by the process, determination of patentability is based on the product itself. The patentability of a product does not depend on its method of production. If the product in the product-by-process claim is the same as or obvious from a product of the prior art, the claim is unpatentable even though the prior product was made by a different process." In re Thorpe, 777 F.2d 695, 698, 227 USPQ 964, 966 (Fed. Cir. 1985)
Regarding claim 7, Inagaki further discloses (figure 18 and figure A) that the sidewalls (see figure A) are brazed to the second inner surface of the second heat dissipation assembly. Regarding the method of forming the device (soldered), the method of forming the device is not germane to the issue of the patentability of the device itself. "[E]ven though product-by-process claims are limited by and defined by the process, determination of patentability is based on the product itself. The patentability of a product does not depend on its method of production. If the product in the product-by-process claim is the same as or obvious from a product of the prior art, the claim is unpatentable even though the prior product was made by a different process." In re Thorpe, 777 F.2d 695, 698, 227 USPQ 964, 966 (Fed. Cir. 1985)
Regarding claim 9, Inagaki further discloses (column 3, lines 57-61) that the splitter (core material) is made of aluminum or copper.
Regarding claim 10, Inagaki further discloses (figure 3) that the first fin (29) and the first base are integrated as one single structure, and the second fins (29) and the second base are integrated as one single structure.
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Figure A: the modified figure corresponds to figure 18 with limitations shown.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nishi et al. (US 8,899,307B2). Regarding claim 1, Nishi discloses (figures 1) a liquid cooling assembly being configured to thermally couple to a plurality of heat sources (13, 15), comprising a first heat dissipation assembly, comprising a first base (11c) having a first thermal contact surface (upper surface of 11C) and a first inner surface positioned opposite to one another, the first thermal contact surface is configured to thermally couple to one of a plurality of heat sources (13, 15), and a plurality of first fins (26) protrude from the first inner surface; a second heat dissipation assembly, comprising a second base (11D) have a second thermal contact surface ( lower surface of 11D) and a second inner surface positioned opposite to one another, the second thermal contact surface is configured to thermally couple to one of the plurality of heat sources (13,15), the first inner surface and the second inner surface are facing toward to each other, and a plurality of second fins (27) protrude from the second inner surface; and a splitter (20) disposed between the first heat dissipation assembly and the second heat dissipation assembly, ends of the first fin (26) that are away from the first base and connected to the splitter (20), and ends of the second fins (27) that are away from the second base ) are connected to the splitter (20).
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.
Claims 8 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nishi in view of Kasezawa et al. (US 20090065178A1). Nishi substantially discloses all of applicant’s claimed invention as discussed above except for the limitation that the first fins and the second fins are skived fins (claim 8); the first fin and the first base are integrated as one single structure, and the second fins and the second base are integrated as one single structure. (claim 10). Kasezawa et al. discloses (figures 21, 23A-B and paragraphs 40-41) a liquid cooling assembly that has the fins and the base are integrally formed by skiving for a purpose of improving heat conductivity between the fins and the base so that heat radiation performance of the heating element in the liquid cooling assembly become high. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use Kasezawa’s teaching in Nishi’s device for a purpose of improving heat conductivity between the fins and the base so that heat radiation performance of the heating element in the liquid cooling assembly become high.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Hotta (US 20140339693A1) discloses a semiconductor module.
Norley et al. (US 20070158050A1) discloses a liquid cooling assembly.
Kinoshita et al. (US 20070012423) discloses a liquid cooling jacket.
Vafai et al. (US 6,675,875) discloses a multi-layered micro-channel heat sink.
Lapinski et al. (US 5,005,640A) discloses a multipassage cooler.
Liu et al. (TW I673466B) discloses a liquid cooled heat dissipation device.
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/THO V DUONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763
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