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 8 is objected to because of the following informalities:
“heat sink modules” in claim 8 should read – the heat sink modules--.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-12 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 1 recites the limitation “the first and second surfaces” in line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
For examination purposes, “the first and second surfaces” are construed as --first and second surfaces--.
Claim 1 further recites the limitation “the side walls” in line 7. The limitation does not appear to have a proper antecedent basis because the antecedent “a side wall” in line 5 is in a singular form. Therefore, it is unclear if latter “side walls” are the same or are different from the former “side wall”.
For examination purposes, “the side walls” are construed as different side walls from former “a side wall”.
Claim 1 further recites “the communication port” in lines 9-10. The limitation does not appear to have a proper antecedent because the “communication ports” are in a plural form. It is unclear if latter “communication port” is the same or is different from the former “communication ports”.
For examination purposes, “the communication port” are construed as the same element as the antecedent as –the communication ports--.
Claim 3 recites “the width direction”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
For examination purposes, “the width direction” is construed as –a width direction--.
Claim 8 recites “an overall flow path”. It causes confusion as if the “overall flow path” in claim 8 is the same or different “overall flow path” in claim 1.
For examination purposes, “an overall flow path” is construed as – an overall flow path of the plurality of heat sink modules --.
Claims 2, 4-7 and 9-12 are also rejected because they are dependent from claim 1.
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) 1-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Koshijima (JP 59-004532 A) in view of DiPeri (US Patent No. 4,122,828).
Regarding claim 1, Koshijima (Figs. 5 and 6) discloses a heat sink assembly comprising:
a plurality of heat sinks (heat exchange elements 10, 10’ in Figs. 5 and 6) having a plurality of ribs (corrugated monofilament 6) integrally molded therein along a length direction (“integrally molded” is understood as the ribs are formed integrally as an assembly, “molded” does not form a special structure. The corrugated monofilament 6 are formed integrally with the heat exchange elements 10 and 10’ in a length direction, see annotated figure below), the spaces between the plurality of ribs forming a flow path (spaces between the corrugated monofilament 6 form flow arrows in Fig. 5) through which a coolant flows (heat transfer medium), first (“first surface”, see annotated figure below) and second surfaces (“second surface” opposite the one surface shown in Fig. 6, see annotated figure below) at both ends of the length direction being open (both open surfaces are sealed by end seal material 34, Fig. 9), and the plurality of heat sinks (10,10’) having communication ports (holes 21) on a side wall (partition wall 15) adjacent to the first surface and/or the second surface (the holes 21 are at least adjacent to both the first and second surfaces, see the fluid flow arrows in Fig. 5),
wherein the plurality of heat sinks is integrally formed with the side walls forming bonding surfaces (the heat exchange elements 10, 10’ are integrally formed with walls 17 and 19 forming bonding surfaces between the two surfaces) to match the communication ports (“match” is understood as having anything in common, the bonding at walls 17,19 and the holes 21 are at the same center location of the panel in Fig. 5), thereby forming a heat sink module (forming the entirety of the panel in Fig. 5),
an overall flow path of the heat sink module (a diagonal flow path of the heat transfer medium) is fluidly connected by the communication ports (see the flow path flows through the joint 14),
the open first and second surfaces of both ends of the heat sink module are closed by a pack frame (both open surfaces are sealed by end seal material 34, Fig. 9).
PNG
media_image1.png
595
587
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Koshijima fails to disclose the plurality of ribs of the heat sink having lengths such that both ends of a rib of the plurality of ribs are spaced apart from the first and second surfaces by predetermined distances.
DiPeri (Fig. 2) discloses the plurality of ribs (partitions 30) of the heat sink having lengths (lengths in vertical direction of Fig. 2) such that both ends of a rib of the plurality of ribs are spaced apart from the first and second surfaces by predetermined distances (both ends of a partition 30 are spaced apart from the top end by a predetermined distance; and spaced apart the bottom end by another predetermined distance as shown in Fig. 2).
Therefore, the corrugated monofilament 6 in Koshijima may be replaced with the partitions 30 having a pattern as shown in Fig. 2 of DiPeri. Specifically, to provide the pattern of the partitions 30 in Koshijima and replacing the corrugated monofilament 6 between plates 4 and 4’ so that defines manifolds 35 and 36 (of DiPeri) having a cross-section gradually reduces away from the inlet 11 and outlet 12 of Koshijima. As shown in Fig. 2 of Diperi, the fluid flows across the entire rectangular surface of the frame 20, compared to Fig. 5 of Koshjima where opposite corners without inlet 11 and outlet 12 lack a fluid flow.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the plurality of ribs of the heat sink having lengths such that both ends of a rib of the plurality of ribs are spaced apart from the first and second surfaces by predetermined distances in Koshijima as taught by DiPeri in order to perform a more efficient heat exchange by directing the fluid uniformly over entire rectangular surface area of the heat exchange elements 10, 10’ in Koshijima.
Regarding claim 2, Koshijima as modified in claim 1 further discloses wherein the pack frame includes a pair of side frames (a pair of end seal material 34 close both open surfaces) bonded to both ends of the heat sink module (the pair of end seal material bonded to ends of the heat exchange module in Fig. 5 where the “first surface” and “second surface” are located).
Regarding claim 3, Koshijima as modified in claim 1 further discloses wherein the heat sink module comprises ports (11 and 12) connected to the flow path on outermost heat sinks in a width direction of the heat sink module (the ports 11 and 12 connect the flow path between each partition 30 as modified, both 10 and 10’ are outermost heat sinks, in the width direction in annotated figure above).
Regarding claim 4, Koshijima in claim 3 further discloses wherein the ports are located in the space between a rib of the plurality of ribs and the pack frame on the first surface or the second surface (the port 11 is provided between the partition 30 of DiPeri and the second surface; and the port 12 is provided between the partition 30 of DiPeri and the first surface).
Regarding claim 5, Koshijima in claim 4 further discloses wherein the ports are located diagonally with respect to the communication ports of the outermost heat sinks (the port 11 is located diagonally with respect to the holes 21 at the first surface; and the port 12 is located diagonally with respect to the holes 21 at the second surface, see the fluid flow through the joint 14 at the second surface in Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 6, Koshijima in claim 5 further discloses wherein each of the plurality of rib (partition 30 taught by DiPeri) are arranged such that the closer one end of the rib is to the port or communication port, the closer the other end of the rib is from the first surface or the second surface (based on the pattern of partitions 30 in Fig. 2 of DiPeri, the closer one end of the partition 30 is to the inlet/outlet 37/38, the closer the other end of the partition 40 is from the top surface or bottom surface).
Claim(s) 7-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Koshijima (JP 59-004532 A) in view of DiPeri (US Patent No. 4,122,828) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Kim (KR 200321234 Y1).
Regarding claim 7, Koshijima (Figs. 5 and 6) fails to explicitly disclose a plurality of the heat sink modules,
wherein the pack frame includes at least one center frame and a pair of side frames, and
a first surface or a second surface of two heat sink modules disposed outermost of the plurality of heat sink modules in the length direction are bonded to and closed by one of the side frames of the pair of side frames, and
except for the two heat sink modules disposed outermost in the length direction, a first surface of any one heat sink module and a second surface of another heat sink module are bonded to and closed by one of the at least one center frame.
Kim (Fig. 4) discloses a plurality of the heat sink modules (six heating panels panel 2),
wherein the pack frame (the frame that closes top and bottom sides of each panel 2) includes at least one center frame and a pair of side frames (see annotated figure below), and
a first surface or a second surface (see annotated figure below) of two heat sink modules disposed outermost of the plurality of heat sink modules in the length direction (circled two panels 2, see annotated figure below, they are outermost panels and are stacked in length direction) are bonded to and closed by one of the side frames of the pair of side frames (one of the first surfaces of the two panels 2 are bonded to and closed by the top side frame; one of the second surfaces of the second panel 2 is bonded and closed by the bottom side frame), and
except for the two heat sink modules disposed outermost in the length direction (the other four panels 2), a first surface of any one heat sink module and a second surface of another heat sink module are bonded to and closed by one of the at least one center frame (both the first and second surfaces in the annotated figure below closest to the center frame are bonded to and closed by the center frame in two of the other four panels 2).
PNG
media_image2.png
400
640
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Therefore, the one single panel in Figs. 5 and 6 of Koshijima may be duplicated into six panels taught by Kim. The panels may be placed adjacent to each other in 3x2 configuration in Fig. 4 of Kim. The inlet 11 and outlet 12 in each panel and duplicated panels of Koshijima may further be modified into ports 4 (Fig. 5 of Kim) or 20c (Fig. 3 of Kim) provided at corners of each panel. Each adjacent ports 4 or 20c of adjacent panels are linked by connection members 6 (Fig. 5 of Kim) or coupling members 22 (Fig. 3 of Kim) so that the heat exchange fluid may supply through all the panels in a flow path shown in Fig. 4 of Kim.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided a plurality of the heat sink modules set forth in claim 7 in Koshijima as taught by Kim in order to allow heat exchange in a larger area. Also, it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts (heat exchanging panel in this case) of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8.
Regarding claim 8, Koshijima as modified in claim 7 further discloses wherein the heat sink modules of the plurality of heat sink modules are fluidly connected together to form an overall flow path of the plurality of heat sink modules (the plurality of panels of Koshijima in view of Kim has the connection members 6 or coupling members 22 connecting adjacent ports 4 or 20c to form the zigzag flow path in Fig. 4 of Kim).
Regarding claim 9, Koshijima in claim 8 further discloses wherein, among two adjacent heat sink modules of the plurality of heat sink modules (adjacent upstream-downstream panels),
an outlet port of one of the two heat sink modules is connected to an inlet port of the other of the two heat sink modules (an outlet port 4 or 20c of an upstream panel is connected to an inlet port 4 or 20c of an adjacent downstream panel), and
the inlet port and the outlet port are near each other in the two adjacent heat sink modules (the inlet and outlet port are at nearest corners of the upstream and downstream panels).
Regarding claim 10, Koshijima in claim 9 further discloses wherein the two heat sink modules (the circled two panels 2, see annotated figure above) are fluidly connected by a pipe connecting the inlet port and the outlet port (the connection member 6, Fig. 5 of Kim).
Regarding claim 11, Koshijima in claim 9 further discloses wherein the two heat sink modules (the circled two panels 2, see annotated figure above) are fluidly connected by connection holes formed through a third surface of each heat sink module of the two heat sink modules to be connected to an internal flow path (each of the ports 20c in modified Koshijima is a hole in the panel through a stepped surface, see the location of “30” in Fig. 3 of Kim, the circled two panels 2 has the adjacent ports 20c connected by a coupling member 22), and a cross plate (the coupling member 22) enclosing the connection holes and sealing the third surface of each heat sink module of the two heat sink modules from outside (the coupling member 22 encloses the ports 20c and sealing the stepped surface of the circled two panels 2).
Regarding claim 12, Koshijima in claim 11 further discloses wherein the third surface is a bottom surface of each heat sink module on of the two heat sink modules (the stepped surface is a bottom surface of the panels, see Fig. 3 of Kim).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FOR K LING whose telephone number is (571)272-8752. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday, 10 am to 6 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jianying Atkisson can be reached at 571-270-7740. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JIANYING C ATKISSON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3763
/F.K.L/Examiner, Art Unit 3763
Prosecution Insights