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
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.
Claim(s) 1-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Application Publication 2022/0312630 to Sawaki (Sawaki).
In reference to claim 1, Sawaki teaches a cooler (10, FIG. 1-5) for cooling a heat generation body (53, FIG. 1), the cooler comprising a case (40, FIG. 1) having an outer surface (30, FIG. 1) on which the heat generation body (53, FIG. 1) is provided, the case having an internal space (space defined by 41, FIG. 1) in which a coolant flows (air; par 0040); and fins (81-83 and 91-93, FIG. 1-5) protruding from an inner surface of the case (41a, FIG. 5) and forming a coolant flow path in the internal space (par 0040), wherein the fins have a plurality of pillar-shaped portions (81-83, FIG. 1-5) arranged in a staggered pattern (FIG. 5), a plurality of plate-shaped portions (91-93, FIG. 1-5) each of which is orthogonal to a height direction of the case and mutually connects the corresponding pillar-shaped portions that are adjacent to each other in a flow direction in which the coolant flows (FIG. 1-5), and a plurality of oblique connection portions (43 and 42, FIG. 1-5) each of which mutually connects the corresponding pillar-shaped portions (81-83, FIG. 1-5) that are adjacent to each other in an oblique direction obliquely intersecting with the flow direction (FIG. 1-5).
In reference to claim 2, Sawaki teaches the cooler as explained in the rejection of claim 1 above, and Sawaki additionally teaches wherein the plurality of pillar-shaped portions (81-83, FIG. 1-5) are arranged at intervals in the flow direction so as to form a fin row, and a plurality of the fin rows are arranged at intervals in a width direction orthogonal to the height direction and the flow direction and are arrayed such that each of the fin rows is shifted, in the flow direction, from a fin row adjacent thereto in the width direction (FIG. 1-5).
In reference to claim 3, Sawaki teaches the cooler as explained in the rejection of claim 1 above, and Sawaki additionally teaches wherein the pillar-shaped portions (81-83, FIG. 1-5) mutually connected by each of the oblique connection portions are closest to each other among the pillar-shaped portions forming the fin rows adjacent to each other in the width direction (FIG. 1-5).
In reference to claim 4, Sawaki teaches the cooler as explained in the rejection of claim 1 above, and Sawaki additionally teaches wherein heights of the pillar-shaped portions (81-83, FIG. 1-5) and heights of the plate-shaped portions are equal to a height of the coolant flow path (FIG. 1-5; par 0040).
In reference to claim 5, Sawaki teaches the cooler as explained in the rejection of claim 1 above, and Sawaki additionally teaches wherein heights of the oblique connection portions (43 and 42, FIG. 1-5) are lower than heights of the pillar-shaped portions and heights of the plate-shaped portions (FIG. 1-5).
In reference to claim 6, Sawaki teaches the cooler as explained in the rejection of claim 1 above, and Sawaki additionally teaches wherein the pillar-shaped portions (81-83, FIG .1-5) have polygonal shapes, and each of the oblique connection portions mutually connects corner portions of the corresponding pillar-shaped portions (FIG. 1-5).
In reference to claim 7, Sawaki teaches the cooler as explained in the rejection of claim 1 above, and Sawaki additionally teaches wherein a length of each of the oblique connection portions is longer than a distance between each of the corresponding pillar-shaped portions and a plate-shaped portion closest to the pillar-shaped portion among the plate-shaped portions (FIG. 1-5).
In reference to claim 8, Sawaki teaches the cooler as explained in the rejection of claim 1 above, and Sawaki additionally teaches wherein a shape of each of the pillar-shaped portions is such a shape that a longitudinal width (a) in the flow direction of the pillar-shaped portion and a lateral width (b), in a width direction orthogonal to the flow direction, of the pillar-shaped portion are in such a relationship as to satisfy (FIG. 1-5).
In reference to claim 9, Sawaki teaches the cooler as explained in the rejection of claim 1 above, and Sawaki additionally teaches wherein, in a cross section perpendicular to the flow direction, a width (c) of each of the pillar-shaped portions and a width (d) of each of the plate-shaped portions are in such a relationship to satisfy (FIG. 1-5).
In reference to claim 10, Sawaki teaches the cooler as explained in the rejection of claim 1 above, and Sawaki additionally teaches wherein each of the oblique connection portions has, in a side surface thereof, a recess-projection portion (FIG. 1-5).
In reference to claim 11, Sawaki teaches the cooling system as a cooling circuit through which the coolant flows (par 0040), as explained in the rejection of claim 1 above, and Sawaki additionally teaches comprising the cooler from claim 1, a heat exchanger which cools the coolant; a pump which sends the coolant to the cooler; and piping connecting the cooler, the heat exchanger, and the pump (FIG. 1-5).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
See attached PTO-892 for relevant prior art.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FILIP ZEC whose telephone number is (571)270-5846. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri; 9-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, JD Fletcher can be reached at 5712705054. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/FILIP ZEC/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763
9/1/2026
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