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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 12/25/2025 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1 and 5-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tang (CN 106711178 B; a copy of which was previously provided).
Regarding claim 1, Tang discloses a display panel (Fig. 3a, see annotated copy, below), wherein the display panel comprises:
a substrate (see annotated copy of Fig. 3a, below);
a first display unit (see annotated copy of Fig. 3a, below) and a first fixing unit (see annotated copy of Fig. 3a, below; the first fixing unit being the combination of the right 50 and the corresponding electrical connection leading from it, not shown in Fig. 3a but corresponding to 41 in Fig. 2) disposed on a first surface of the substrate; and
a second display unit (see annotated copy of Fig. 3a, below) disposed on a second surface of the substrate away from the first display unit;
wherein the display panel further comprises a second fixing unit (see annotated copy of Fig. 3a, below) disposed on the second surface of the substrate away from the first surface, an orthographic projection of the first display unit on the substrate covers an orthographic projection of the second fixing unit on the substrate (see annotated copy of Fig. 3a, below), an orthographic projection of the second display unit on the substrate covers an orthographic projection of the first fixing unit on the substrate (see annotated copy of Fig. 3a, below), and the first display unit is fixed to the second fixing unit through a second connecting unit (see annotated copy of Fig. 3a, below), wherein the second connecting unit is directly connected to the first display unit and the second fixing unit (see annotated copy of Fig. 3a, below), and the second display unit is fixed to the first fixing unit through a first connecting unit (see annotated copy of Fig. 3a, below), and wherein the first connecting unit is directly connected to the second display unit and the first fixing unit (see annotated copy of Fig. 3a, below).
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Regarding claim 5, Tang discloses wherein the first fixing unit and the second fixing unit comprise: a fixing element fixed on the substrate (see annotated copy of Fig. 3a, above).
Regarding claim 6, Tang discloses wherein the first fixing unit comprises: a fixing element on the substrate (see annotated copy of Fig. 3a, above).
Regarding claim 7, Tang discloses wherein the second fixing unit comprises: a fixing element on the substrate (see annotated copy of Fig. 3a, above).
Regarding claim 8, Tang discloses wherein the first connecting unit and the second connecting unit comprise: a connecting terminal for connecting a fixing a display unit and a fixing unit (see Fig. 3a).
Regarding claim 9, Tang discloses wherein the first connecting unit comprises: a connecting terminal for connecting a fixing a display unit and a fixing unit (see Fig. 3a).
Regarding claim 10, Tang discloses wherein the second connecting unit comprises: a connecting terminal for connecting a fixing a display unit and a fixing unit (see Fig. 3a).
Regarding claim 11, Tang discloses wherein the first display unit and the second display unit comprise: an OLED display panel (Abstract of Tang).
Regarding claim 12, Tang discloses wherein the first display unit comprises: an OLED display panel (Abstract of Tang).
Regarding claim 13, Tang discloses wherein the second display unit comprises: an OLED display panel (Abstract of Tang).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/25/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that the connecting units of Tang do not satisfy the newly added limitations to claim 1. This argument is not persuasive as a new mapping of the connecting units is presented in the rejection of claim 1, above, in which each connecting unit comprise multiple parts and, as seen in this new mapping, Tang discloses the display panel of claim 1. If Applicant were to amend claim 1 to further recite that each of the first and second connecting units consist of a single, unitary piece then the rejection would be overcome.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER A CULBERT whose telephone number is (571)272-4893. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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/CHRISTOPHER A CULBERT/ Examiner, Art Unit 2815