Appeal No. 2007-0599
Application No. 10/822,054
located at a position corresponding to an expected relatively hotter spot of a
heat source.” (Emphasis added.) However, a heat source is not recited as an
element of the claim. For this reason, we interpret the stated location of the
impingement point with respect to the heat source to be an intended use of
the claimed apparatus which does not limit the scope of the claim.
Our interpretation is consistent with the specification which states that
“the fluid impingement point P is located such that when the cold plate 20 is
coupled to the heat source, the point P is near a relatively hotter spot of the
heat source.” (Id. at ¶ 23.) (Emphasis added.) The “when” condition is only
satisfied when a heat source is attached to the cold plate. Claim 1 does not
require the heat source.
In addition, our interpretation is supported by claim differentiation
because claim 13 explicitly discloses a “system” which comprises a “cold
plate” and an “electrical component” having a hot spot. Claim 1 is to the
“cold plate” apparatus, alone.
PRIOR ART
Doll teaches a cold plate for cooling an electronic component (e.g., a
semiconductor chip) which comprises a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and a
channel structure (“cooling fins”) comprising radial paths through which a
cooling fluid flows (Answer 3). The channel structure defines a plurality of
radial paths that radiate from an impingement point (id.).
Anderson teaches a cooling system for high density integrated circuit
chips (col. 1, ll. 5-10) comprising a condenser structure through which a
coolant flows (col. 2, ll. 33-50). The coolant fluid flows through a nozzle
4
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