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 1-2, 5-7, and 10-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang (CN 216205480) in view of Koisuka (US 4,620,590).
Reg. Cl. 1, Yang discloses; A heat exchanger, comprising a first manifold and a distributing pipe, wherein the distributing pipe (2) is partially inserted into the first manifold (1) along an axis of the first manifold; and the distributing pipe comprises an elbow portion configured for introducing a refrigerant, the elbow portion extends out of the first manifold, and along a direction perpendicular to the axis of the first manifold, a projection of the elbow portion is located on the first manifold, wherein the first manifold comprises a positioning portion, and the positioning portion cooperates with the elbow portion to lock the distributing pipe onto the first manifold (Figs. 1, 4, 7, and 9).
Reg. Cl. 2, Yang discloses; wherein the positioning portion is configured as a positioning groove that is provided on the first manifold, the distributing pipe is locked onto the first manifold by clamping between the elbow portion and the positioning groove.
Reg. Cls. 5 and 6, Yang fails to disclose; however, Koisuka teaches wherein the
positioning groove is configured as a V-shaped structure (Fig. 4), and the distributing pipe is capable of driving the elbow portion to be clamped to a groove bottom of the positioning groove; and wherein the groove bottom of the positioning groove is configured as an arc surface to fit with a pipe wall of the elbow portion.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the heat exchanger of Yang with Koisuka’s the above mentioned limitations
Doing so would provide an alternate structure / shape for securing the distributing pipe within the manifold.
Reg. Cl. 7, Yang discloses; wherein a cover plate is mounted in the first manifold, and the distributing pipe passes through the cover plate and extends into the first manifold; and an assembly between the distributing pipe and the cover plate is sealed, so that the cover plate and the first manifold are enclosed to form an independent chamber (Figs. 1, 4, 7, and 9).
Reg. Cl. 10, Yang discloses; further comprising a second manifold and a plurality of heat 17 exchange pipes, wherein the plurality of heat exchange pipes are disposed between the first manifold and the second manifold, and the plurality of heat exchange pipes are in communication with the distributing pipe and the second manifold, respectively.
Reg. Cl. 11, Yang fails to disclose; however; it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the distance between pipe ports of the plurality of heat exchange pipes and the distributing pipe is defined as N, which satisfies the following relationship: 2 mm N 3 mm
of Yang because a person of ordinary skill has good reason to pursue the known options within his or her technical grasp. If this leads to the anticipated success, it is likely the product not of innovation but of ordinary skill and common sense (see MPEP 2141, III.(E)).
Reg. Cl. 12, Yang fails to disclose; however; it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inner diameter of the distributing pipe is defined as D l, which satisfies the following relationship: D l> 5 mm of Yang because a person of ordinary skill has good reason to pursue the known options within his or her technical grasp. If this leads to the anticipated success, it is likely the product not of innovation but of ordinary skill and common sense (see MPEP 2141, III.(E)).
Reg. Cl. 13, Yang fails to disclose; however; it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the outer diameter of the distributing pipe is defined as OD1, an inner diameter of the first manifold is defined as D2, and the outer diameter OD1 of the distributing pipe and the inner diameter D2 of the first manifold satisfy the following relationship: 0.2 * D2 <OD1< 0.5 * D2. of Yang because a person of ordinary skill has good reason to pursue the known options within his or her technical grasp. If this leads to the anticipated success, it is likely the product not of innovation but of ordinary skill and common sense (see MPEP 2141, III.(E)).
Reg. Cl. 14, Yang discloses; wherein a distance between the distributing pipe and an inner wall of the first manifold that is relatively proximal to the plurality of heat exchange pipes is defined as H, and a distance between the distributing pipe and an inner wall of the first manifold that is relatively away from the plurality of heat exchange pipes is defined as h, an inner diameter of the distributing pipe is defined as OD1, and the distance H between the 18 distributing pipe and the inner wall of the first manifold that is relatively proximal to the plurality of heat exchange pipes, the distance h between the distributing pipe and the inner wall of the first manifold that is relatively away from the plurality of heat exchange pipes, and the inner diameter OD1 of the distributing pipe satisfy the following relationship: h + OD1<H.
Reg. Cl. 15, Yang discloses; wherein a bending radius of the elbow portion is defined as R, a distance between the distributing pipe and an inner wall of the first manifold that is relatively proximal to the plurality of heat exchange pipes is defined as H, and the bending radius R of the elbow portion and the distance H between the distributing pipe and the inner wall of the first manifold that is relatively proximal to the plurality of heat exchange pipes satisfy the following relationship: R < H.
Claims 8 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang (CN 216205480) in view of Koisuka (US 4,620,590), as applied to claims above, and further in view of Guan (CN 216481683).
Reg. Cls. 8 and 9, Yang, as modified by Koisuka, fails to disclose; however, Guan teaches a buffer member (15) filled between the first manifold and the distributing pipe (14), and the buffer member is disposed outside the independent chamber; and wherein the buffer member is configured as a pearl cotton.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify heat exchanger of Yang with a buffer member filled between the first manifold and the distributing pipe, and the buffer member is disposed outside the independent chamber; and wherein the buffer member is configured as a pearl cotton. Doing so would a means of protection and support for the distributing pipe.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3 and 4 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The applicant is advised to review all the prior art on the PTO-892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YANG 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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