Appeal No. 2004-1037
Application No. 09/680,387
We find claim 11 is directed to a heat exchanger that comprise tubes wherein
the exterior surface of the tubes comprises two or more ridge members that encircle at
least a portion of the exterior surface of a tube. The height of each ridge member is
between about 0.2 mm and about 1.0 mm. The ridge members are spaced between
about 2 mm and about 40 mm. The heat exchanger also comprises a sinuous baffle
for supporting the tubes. The sinuous baffle comprises a plurality of wiggle bar tube
support members disposed between the tubes.
The Examiner rejects the subject matter of claim 11 over the combination of
McClintock and Pettigrew. According to the Examiner, McClintock teaches a heat
exchanger that comprises all of the components except for the height and spacing of
the ridge members and the sinuous baffle (Answer, p. 3). The Examiner relied on
the Pettigrew reference for teaching a heat exchanger with sinuous baffles which
minimize the spacing of the tubes. (Answer, p. 3). The Examiner concluded that it
would have been obvious to use a sinuous baffle to minimize the spacing of the tubes
in the heat exchanger of McClintock. The Examiner also concluded that it would
have been obvious to employ any ridge spacing to achieve a desired pressure drop or
heat transfer efficiency. Further, the Examiner concluded that it would have been
obvious to optimize the height of McClintock’s ridge members. (Answer, p. 4).
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